Gc
974.801 MJLi
1148909
GENEALCCSY COLLECTION
3>!|iiii
►
HISTOEY
DELAWARE COUNTY,
PENNSYLVANIA.
BY
HENRY GRAHAM ASHMEAD.
ILLUSTEATBD.
PHILADELPHIA:
L. H. EVERTS & CO.
188 4.
Copyright, 188-1, by L. H. Everts & Co.
PRESS OP
;. LIPPINCOJT & CO.,
PHILADELPHIA.
^
1148909
TO
JOHN HOSKINS,
OF
PHILADELPHIA,
THIS "W" o le IC
IS EESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BY HIS SINCERE FRIEND,
THE AUTHOE.
PREFACE.
Since the publication of the admirable History of Delaware County, written by Dr. George
Smith, nearly a quarter of a century ago, the interest awakened in the National Centennial re-
sulted in directing general attention in almost every locality through the country to its early
annals, and as a consequence in Delaware County, at least, much historical material was reclaimed
from the past of which Dr. Smith could have had no information while preparing his work
for the press. The present history has been written with the purpose of pi'esenting, as far as
could be done in a single volume, an authentic, exhaustive, and unbiased narrative of the events
which have occurred in Delaware County from the period of the early settlements within its
territory to the present time ; and in so doing care has been taken to avoid any reference to in-
cidents happening without its boundaries, excepting in those cases where it became necessary to
give a brief account of the movements elsewhere in order to render the incidents related in the
present work intelligible. It will be noticed that very little attention has been given to the re-
cital of political contests which have taken place in the county. The effervescent nature of such
public incidents is such that after the reasons which have produced them have ceased to be poten-
tial, very little substance remains for the annalist to deal with in relating the story of the times
that have passed.
In that part of the work devoted to the histories of the several townships, the author has
received the assistance of Mr. Austin N. Hungerford, a gentleman whose accuracy of research
and comprehensive examination of documentary authorities has made his labors of the utmost
value to the writer in the preparation of this history. To Mr. Hungerford's unwearying industry
and quick appreciation of the data necessary to that end is largely due the full history given of
the industrial establishments in the county. The pressure of time rendered it necessary that
several of the township histories should be prepared by other writers. To Mr. Alfred Mathews
was assigned Media borough, and Haverford and Radnor to Mr. John S. Schenck. Mr. Mathews'
narrative of the history of Media is very full and accurate, and must commend itself to the reader,
not only for those features, but because of the graceful style in which the narrative is presented.
The histories of Haverford and Radnor, written by Mr. Schenck, are also admirable presenta-
tions of the annals of those localities.
The author, in the preparation of this work, has been met with the utmost kindness by the
residents of Delaware County, who responded promptly to his application for data and access to
PREFACE.
documents of a historical character. From William B. Broomall, Edward A. Price, David M.
Johnson, John B. Hinkson, George M. Booth, and others, he has received many favors. The intro-
ductory chapter of the General History was prepared by Dr. Ellwood Harvey, and that relating
to the ten-hour movement was contributed by James Webb. These articles must commend
themselves to the reader, as to style, comprehensiveness, and accuracy of statement. To the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania the author desires to return his especial acknowledgments for
favors shown, and also to Gilbert Cope, of West Chester, for like kindnesses. The atlas of Early
Grants and Patents in Delaware County, prepared by Benjamin H. Smith, is the authority on
which the author has based in most cases his references to the lands taken up by the early settlers.
The rupture of a blood-vessel in one of the eyes of the author rendered it impossible for him
to read much of the proof of the General History, and possibly errors may occur therein which
might have been avoided under other circumstances.
H. G. A.
, Sept. 9, 1884.
CONTEISTTS.
Physical Geography and Geology of Delaware County....
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
■William Penn's First Voyage to his Province in 1682— The Change
of the Name Upland to Chester, and the Keason it was Made 20
CHAPTER V.
The First Assembly of Pennsylvania, and the House wherein it
met 22
CHAPTER VI.
The Colonial History to the War of the Revolution 24
CHAPTER VII.
The Revolutionary Struggle to the Battle of Brandywine 40
CHAPTER VIII.
The Battle of Brandywine 55
CHAPTER IX.
From the Defeat at Brandywine to the Conclusion of the Revolu-
tionary War 65
CHAPTER X.
From the Revolutionary War to the Erection of Delaware County.. 77
CHAPTER XI.
83
CHAPTER XII.
The Second War with England 86
CHAPTER XIII.
From the Second War with England to 1860 91
CHAPTER XIV.
Storms, Freshets, and Earthquakes 99
CHAPTER XV.
'"he Ten-Hour Movement lOS
CHAPTER XVI.
The Removal of the County-seat to Media 112
CHAPTER XVII.
■^he Civil War 114
CHAPTER XVIII.
Crimes and Punishments l.'^7
CHAPTER XIX.
Manners and Customs — How Inhabitants of Delaware County lived
in former Years 178
CHAPTER XX.
Traveling and Transportation, with an Account of the Railroads
in the County 192
CHAPTER XXI.
Bedemptionera and Slavery in Delaware County 200
CHAPTER XXII.
Agriculture, with a brief Mention of our Domestic Animals 207
CHAPTER XXIII.
Wild Animals, Fish, etc., of Delaware County 211
CHAPTER XXIV.
Delaware County Climate, together with Notices of Remarkable
Weather 215
CHAPTER XXV.
, The Court, Bench, and Bar of Delaware County 217
CHAPTER XXVI.
Physicians and Medical Societies 253
CHAPTER XXVII.
Civil Lists 267
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Township of Tinicum 274
CHAPTER XXIX.
Aston Township 290
CHAPTER XXX.
Bethel Township 305
CHAPTER XXXI.
Birmingham Township 311
CHAPTER XXXII.
Cily of Chester 327
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Chester Township 424
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Borough of Upland 427
CHAPTER XXXV.
South Chester Borough 435
CHAPTER XXXVI.
North Chester Borough 443
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Upper Cliichester Township 448
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Lower Chichester Township
466
Middlctown Township
CHAPTER XLVII.
PAGE
611
CHAPTER XXXIX.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Concord Township...
482
Newtown Township....
634
CHAPTER XL.
CHAPTER XLIX.
Darbv Townshn
605
. . ™ „„,v,i„
.... 662
CHAPTER XLI.
CHAPTER L.
Darby Borough
515
666
CHAPTER XLII.
CHAPTER LI.
■Ral To vnshiD
CHAPTER XLIII.
CHAPTER LII.
Edgmont Township.
563
T 1 'n
702
CHAPTER XLIV.
CHAPTER LIII.
Marple Township....
563
Springfleld Township.
. 713
CHAPTER XLV.
579
CHAPTER LIV.
CHAPTER XLVI.
756
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Andrews, James
Austin, Obdyke & Co
Bancroft, Samnel
Bartram, Thomas P
Beaumont, Davis
Bishop, Jeremiah
Bishop, Randal
Black, Henry B
Blakeley, Abraham
Booth, Thomas. Sr
Brinton, John
Brinton, Joseph E
Brinton, Joseph E., residence of.
Brooke, H. Jones
Burnley, Charles ,
Burnley, George
Burnley, John
Campbell, James
Cnssin, Isaac S
Oheyney, Charles M
Childs, George W
Childs, George W., residence of
Converse. John H., residence of. ,
County House, Media
Court-Hoiise and Jail
Crozer, Juhn P
Darlington, Kdward, Jr
Deshong,J. 0
Dunwoody, James -
Dun woody, John
Eachue, Eber
Eckfeldt. A. C
Edgniont Central Seminary ,
Edwards, Samuel
Ellis. Rudulph, residence of
Elwyn, A. L
Esrey, D. R
Etting, Frank M., residence of ,
Eureka Cast-Steel Company ,
Friends' Meeting-House, Middletowi
Forwood, J. L
Gartside, Amos
Garteide, B. & Sons
Gartside, Benjamin
Gartside, James.
Gartside, John
Gest, Joseph ,
Gest, Bebekah
Gibbons, Joseph
Gibbons, Joseph, residence of ,
Green, William H
Haldeman, Isaac ,
Hibberd, John
Hinkson, F.J
Holmes* Map of the Province of Poi
Hoskins (Graham) House
Hunter, J. Morgan
Irring, James
James, Daniel
Johnson, Charles
Kent, Thomas
Keystone Paper-Mills
Kirk, Benjamin
Landing-Place of William Penn
Larkin,John,Jr
Leedom, Jesse
Leedom, Joseph B ,
Lewis, J. Howard, Paper-Mills
Le\vis, Milton
Lewis, William, Birthplace of.
Magill, Edward H
Manley, Charles D ,
Mathues, C. W
McCall, Robert
Mcll vain, Spencer
Mendenball, John,
Middletown Presbyterian Church
Milbourne Mills
"MiUbourne"
Moore, James A
Moore, John M
Mural Tablet in St. Paul's Church, Chester-
Outline Map
Palmer, Charles
Palmer, Lewis
Palmer, Samuel
PancoRSt, Samuel
Peace, Edward
Peace, Edward, residence of.
Pennell, Edmund
Penn Memorial Stone
Peterman, David
Plumstead, Robert
Porter House, the
Powel,T. P
Pratt, Thomas
Ramey, Lawrence
Rawle, James, residence of.
Reece, Thomas
Rhodes, John B
Rhodes, John B , residence of
Seal, Jane T..
Sellers, John.,
Sharpless, Joel
Shaw, Hugh
Shaw. Esrey & Co
Smedley. Samuel L...
St. David's Church...,
Swarthmore College..
Tasker, Thomns T
676 I Thatcher, (
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Thomas, Jonathan, residence of.
618
728
West, Benjamin, birthplace of
726
Thurlow, John J _
Williams, Edward H., residence of.
Willcox, James M
680
494
Trainer, J. Newlin, residence of.
Trainer WiUiam
481
Wilson, Dr. ElUwood, residence of
Worrall Jacob
. 292
755
Tyler, Hugh L
677
Ward, William
Walter, T. S
383
713
Worth, Edward, residence of.
298
Webster, Joseph
OUTLINE MAP OF
DELAWAHE COUNTT
PENNSYLVANIA
£n(fi-nied Ejrpressir for /his Ji^ork .
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF DELA-
WARE COUNTY.i
The surface of the count}' is hilly with very little
exception in its western part, but somewhat level in
its eastern portion. Its drainage is by several small
streams, called creeks, that flow in' a southerly direc-
tion and empty into the Delaware River. These and
their tributary branches make Delaware a well-watered
county. Almost every country house is supplied from
a never-failing spring of pure, soft water, and nearly
all the fields of every farm have running streams
through them.
The flowing of these creeks down a surface inclined
to the Delaware River, which is the southeastern
boundary of the county, gives an abundance of water-
power, which is used for various manufacturing pur-
poses. The rapid flow of these streams and their
numerous branches have cut deeply into the surface
of the land, making it beautifully diversified by wood-
crowned hills and fertile valleys and hill-sides. No
one who has ever seen the charming scenery of this
part of our State can exclude from the recollection of
it the well-tilled farms, with their tastefully-planned
homes, capacious barns, fields of waving grain, and the
herds of cows that supply milk and butter of the very
best quality to the Philadelphia market. Here grow
luxuriantly all the fruits, grains, grasses, and vege-
tables of the temperate zone. The declension of the
surface of the land toward the south brings it near to
a right angle with the rays of the sun, which has an
effect on its temperature that is equivalent to being a
degree or more farther south. The lower altitude of
lands touching tide-water also favors the mildness
of the climate as compared with higher surfaces.
Grass is ready for pasturing about ten days earlier in
the spring than on the higher and more horizontal
lands of similar quality a few miles farther north.
The river has a considerable influence on the tempera-
ture of that part of the county bordering immediately
on it. In winter the air may be for a long time at a
freezing temperature before the river has ice on it, for
the reason that the whole depth of water must be very
1 Contributed by Ellwood Harvey, M.D., Chester.
near to the freezing-point before its surface can be-
come ice, though the surface of the ground will be
frozen by a single night of coldness.
Under such circumstances, and they occur every
year, the two miles of width of water that is several
degrees warmer than the general atmosphere has a
very perceptible modifying influence. Fruits and
flowers remain untouched by frost for several weeks
after hard freezing has occurred in other parts of the
county. In summer, evaporation keeps the river
cooler than the surface of the land, which, becoming
heated by the sun's rays, radiates the heat into the air
above it. The air expanding by the heat becomes
lighter, and rises, and is replaced by the heavier air
from the river, which flows with refreshing coolness
and moisture over the parched land. These river
breezes are of daily occurrence whenever the surface
of the land is warm and dry, and their visits are
delightfully acceptable.
The geology of the county is somewhat peculiar.
Our rocks belong to the earliest formation known to
geologists. They were formed by the first process of
hardening, which occurred when the surface of the
great red-hot drop of molten matter which now con-
stitutes the earth had cooled to the hardening-point.
Having been formed by cooling from a melted condi-
tion, they are crystalline in structure. It appears that
they have not been submerged in the water of seas or
lakes, where, if they had been, deposits of mud, sand,
and gravel might have been washed upon them, to
afterwards be hardened into rocks, but that since
rocks have existed on the earth these have been a
part of the dry land. They contain no traces of the
remains of organic beings, such as are found in the
stratified rocks that are formed under water.
In many parts of the county great fissures have
opened, in the remote past, into which the liquid
rock of the earth's interior has been injected, form-
ing what are known as dikes. Into these diff"erent
kinds of rock have been forced, some being trap-rock
and others serpentine. Coming from the earth's in-
terior, this liquid matter was intensely hot, and
heated the rocks on both sides the dikes so much as
to change their texture by semi-liquefying them, and
thereby favoring a recrystallization into difi'erent
forms.
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Overlying the rocks of the country are deposits of
gravel, sand, and clay. Some of these are results of
the decomposition of the rocks themselves, but the
greater part of them appear to have been brought
from some other region, and the opinion is generally
accepted that they were pushed from the country
north of us by immense ghiciers, that appear to have
at one time covered all the northeastern parts of this
country. The minerals of the county are very nu-
merous. There are very few places iu the whole
country that offer such an extensive field for scien-
tific research in this direction as the small county of
Delaware.
CHAPTER IL
THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DELAWARE COUNTY
TO THE GRANT OF THE PROVINCE TO WILLIAM
PENN.
The first vessel under the control of white men
whose prow ever ruffled the bosom of the great sheet
of water now known to the world as Delaware Bay
was the " Half Moon" (" Halveraann"), of eighty tons
burden, an exploring vessel belonging to the Dutch
East India Company, commanded by Henry Hudson.
The log-book of Robert Jewett, the mate, records that
about noon of Friday, Aug. 28, 1609, a warm, clear
day, " we found the land to tend away N. W. with a
great bay and river." The lead line, however, dis-
closing many shoal places, the vessel, next morning,
was put about and steered on a southeast cour.se, the
officers being convinced that " he that will thoroughly
explore this great bay must have a small pinnace that
must draw but four or five feet water, to sound before
The following year Sir Samuel Argall is said to
have entered the bay ; and in honor of Thomas West,
Lord De La War, the then Governor of Virginia, he
named it Delaware Bay. In 1610, Lord Delaware, it
is stated, himself visited it, and again in 1618, when
he died on his vessel when off the Capes. In 1614,
Capt. Cornelius Jacobsz Mey, in the " Fortune," a
vessel owned by the city of Hoorn, entered the bay,
and in commemoration of his visit Cape Cornelius and
Cape May between them still bear his name. Two
years subsequent to Mey's voyage, Capt. Cornelius
Hendrickson, in a small yacht, the " Restless," is
positively asserted by some historians — and the state-
ment is almost as positively denied by others — to have
explored the Delaware as far as where the Schuylkill
empties into the former river. If it be true that Capt.
Hendrickson did actually sail up the stream to the
place named, he was the first Euroi)ean of whom we
have record that saw any part of the land now com-
prising the county of Delaware, for his vessel moved
along the river the 'entire length of our southeastern
boundary, and he must have noticed the localities
where afterwards was planted that germ of civiliza-
I tion from which has evolved the great commonwealth
: of Pennsylvania.
. The history of the various attempts of the Dutch
and Swedish powers to establish permanent lodgment
j on the Delaware is a most interesting theme to the
student of our colonial annals. Especially is this true
I since the indefatigable labors of the members of the
I Historical Societies of Pennsylvania, New York, and
I New Jersey have unearthed in recent years a number
I of authentic documents and historical papers whose
j very existence was unknown, which now shed much
, light on those early days of adventurou.s colonization.
j But the scope of this work forbids other than a brief
narrative of these events excepting where, happening
wholly within the territory now comprising Delaware
County, they become part of the immediate story of
this locality.
In 1621, in Holland, was incorporated the great
West India Company, which while its object was a
monopoly of the trade of the territory where it might
locate posts simply for barter with the savages, the
practical result of its efforts was the establishment of
a permanent colony in New York and, in a measure,
the settlement of the Delaware. Under the auspices
of this company, in 1624, Capt. Mey located a garri-
son ^ near the mouth of Timber Creek, Gloucester Co.,
N. J., and built Fort Nassau, which post was aban-
doned the year following. Nevertheless the Dutch
company did not relinquish its purpose of making a
permanent lodgment on the Delaware, and with that
end in view, Samuel Goodyn and Samuel Bloemmaert
in 1631 purchased from three of the chiefs of the resi-
dent tribe of Indians a large tract of land, sixteen
miles square, extending from Cape Henlopen north-
ward towards the mouth of the river. To this pur-
chase— although it was not made until after the arri-
val of the vessel in the winter of 1630-31, which was
remarkably mild — Capt. Peter Heyes, in the ship
" Walrus," conveyed a small colony, which he located
on Lewes Creek, designing to establish a whale- and
seal-fishery station there, as well as plantations for
. ■ Dr. Smith ("History of Delaware County," page 9) states that from
the deposilioQ of Catelina Tricho, said to have been the first wliite
woman at Albany, the colonists who located at and bnilt Fort Nassau
in 1624 were accompanied by females. The curious document (see
" Documentary History of New York," vol. iii. page 49} is as follows;
"New York, February 14, 1684-6.
" The deposition of Catelina Tricho, aged fouer score yeares or there-
abouts, taken before the right hono*'!'^ Collo. Thomas, Leu* and Governoiir
under his Roy" high" James, Duke of York and Albany, etc., of N. York
and its Dependencyes in America, who salth and declares in the pr'sens
of God as followcth :
" That she came to this Province either in the year one thousand six
hundred and twenty-three or twenty-fouer, to the best of her reniember-
ance, an that fouer women came along with her in the same shipp, in
which the Governor, Arien Jorissen, came also over, which fouer women
were married at Sea, and that they and their husbands stayed about
three weeks at this place, and then they with eight seamen more went
in a vessel liy ord" of the Dutch Governo' to Delaware river and there
settled. This I Certifie under my hand and ye Scale of this proviuce.
" Tho. Dongan."
EARLX" SETTLEMENT.
the cultivation of tobacco and grain. The settlement
was called Swanendale, or " Valley of Swans," be-
cause of the great number of those birds in the neigh-
borliood. After the erection of Fort Oplandt, and
surrounding it with palisades, Capt. Peter Heyes
sailed for Holland, leaving Gillis Hossett, commissary
of the ship, in command of the territory.
Early in 1632 it was determined that David Pieter-
sen De Vries, one of the patroons of the company and
an experienced navigator, should repair to the colony
on the Delaware with a number of emigrants, to join
those already there ; but before the expedition sailed
from the Texel, May 24th of that year, the rumor was
received that the little colony at Swanendale had been
massacred by the Indians. The truth of this intelli-
gence was established when De Vries entered the
Delaware, after a circuitous passage, on the 5th of
December following, and a careful exploration was
made in a boat the next day. The fort was found a
charred ruin, while the bones of the settlers and those
of the horses and cows were discovered here and
there bleaching in the sun. The adroit De Vries,
however, managed to secure the confidence of the
Indians, and induced one of the natives to remain all
night on his vessel, from whom he learned the cir-
cumstances connected with the massacre. The par-
ticulars, as so related by the Indian, are thus recorded
by De Vries : '
" He then showed U8 the place where our people had set up a column
to which was fasteued a piece of tin, whereon the arms of Holland were
painted. One of their chiefs took this off, for the purpose of malting
tobacco-pipes, not knowing that he was doing amiss. Those in com-
mand at the house made such an ado about it that the Indians, not
knowing how it was, went away and slew the chief who had done it, and
brought a token of the dead to the house to those in command, who told
them that they wished that they had not done it ; that they should have
brought him to them, as they wished to have forbidden him not to do
the like again. They went away, and the friends of the murdered chief
incited their friends, aa they are a people like the Indians, who are very
revengeful, to set about the work of vengeance. Observing our people
out of the house, each one at his work, that there was not more than
one inside, who was lying sick, and a large mastiff, who was chained,—
had he been loose they would not have dared to approach the house, —
and the man who had command standing near the house, three of the
stoutest Indians, who were to do the deed, bringing a lot of bear-skins
with them to exchange, sought to enter the house. The man in charge
went in with them to make the barter, which being done, he went to
the loft where the stores lay, and in descending the stairs one of the
Indians seized an axe and cleft his head so that be fell down dead. They
also relieved the sick man of life, and shot into the dog, wlio was chained
fast, and whom they most feared, twenty-five arrows before they could
dispatch him. They then proceeded towards the rest of the men, who
were at work, and, going amongst them with pretensions of friendship,
struck them down. Thus was our young colony destroyed, causing us
serious loss."
On Jan. 1, 1633, De Vries, who by divers presents
had so won the good opinion and friendship of the
Indians that they concluded a treaty of peace with
him, sailed up the river, and on the oth of the same
month reached the abandoned Fort Nassau, where he
was met by a few Indians, who seeing him approach-
ing, had gathered there to barter furs. The Dutch
1 " Voyages of De Vries." New York Historical Society Collection
(new series), vol. iii. page 23.
I captain told them he wanted beans, and that he had
1 no goods to exchange for peltries, whereupon the sav-
ages told him to go to Timmerkill (now Cooper's
1 Creek, opposite Philadelphia), where he could get
corn. An Indian woman to whom he had given a
cloth dress secretly informed De Vries that if he went
there he would be attacked, for the natives had mur-
dered the crew of an English boat which was ascend-
ing the Count Earnest (Delaware) River. Thus fully
on his guard, the next day when De Vries went to
Timmerkill he permitted the Indians to visit his
vessel, at the same time informing the savages that
their evil designs had been revealed to him by Manitou,
I the Indian god. After making a treaty of permanent
peace with them, being unable to obtain corn in any
! quantity on the Delaware, De Vries sailed to Vir-
'■ ginia, where he purchased provisions and received
from the Governor a present of six goats for Swanen-
1 dale, to which he returned, and subsequently taking
the colonists on his vessel, sailed to New York and
thence to Europe. Hence, in the summer of 1633 no
settlement of Europeans was located at any point
along the shores of Delaware Bay and Eiver.
In 1635 a party of Englishmen from the colony on
the Connecticut River, consisting of George Holmes,
I his hired man, Thomas Hall, and ten or twelve others,
attempted to make a lodgment on the Delaware, of
which fact the Dutch authorities in New York seemed
to have had information, and made preparation to
thwart their design, for when the English squatters
made an effort to capture Fort Nassau they found it
garrisoned. The English party were taken prisoners
and sent to Manhattan, where they were permitted
permanently to settle. Thomas Hall, at the latter
place, rose to some eminence, and was active in all the
movements In the early days of New York while it
I was a Dutch province.
1 In 1624, William Usselincx visited Sweden, and as
; as it was he who had drafted the first plan for the
! Dutch West India Company, he was invited by Gus-
tavus Adolphus to remain in Sweden. Although ad-
vanced in years, in 1626, Usselincx obtained from the
king a charter for the Swedish West India Company,
a commercial organization, whose project of forming
a colony in " foreign parts" received the earnest sup-
port of Gustavus Adolphus and Axel Oxenstierna, the
great chancellor of Sweden. But nothing beyond the
consent of Adolphus to the organization of the com-
! pany seems to have been done, and even the official
royal signature to the charter was never procured.
Hence after the death of the king the company was
' dissolved and the whole project apparently was aban-
! doned, notwithstanding a publication of the privi-
leges granted by charter, although unsigned by the
late monarch, was made by Chancellor Oxenstierna.
This was the external appearance merely, for several
i persons were still earnest in the effort to establish the
I Swedi-sh West India Company. It is a peculiar cir-
! cumstance that as late as the middle of the year 1635
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the objective-point of the proposed expedition seemed
to have been undetermined, the coast of Guinea and
that of Brazil being under consideration, while the
eastern coast of North America apparently oflered no
attractions whatever. In the summer of 1685, Peter
Minuit, who had some knowledge of the territory on
the Delaware, entered into correspondence with the
Swedish authorities, and early in 1637 he went to
Sweden, where, after many difficulties, on Aug. 9,
1637, the Admiralty issued a passport for the ships
"Kalmar Nyckel" and " Gripen," the former a man-
of-war, and the latter a sloop, or tender, which vessels
comprised Minuifs fleet, the first Swedish expedition.
It is stated in a Dutch state paper that Minuit's col-
onists were " Swedes, the most of whom were ban- ;
ditti.'" Unforeseen delays followed, until the winter
was near at hand before the expedition finally made
sail for the New World, after having put into the
Dutch harbor of Medemblik for repairs. It is stated
by Professor Odhner,- of Sweden, that documentary
evidence seems to establish the fact that the fleet ar-
rived in the Delaware in March or early in April, '
1638. Minuit about that time, it is known, purchased '
from the Indians a tract of land several days' journey
in extent, located on the west bank of the river, i
whereon he set up the arms of Sweden, and with a
salvo of artillery christened the fort he began build-
ing, near the present site of Wilmington, the " Kris- ,
tina," in honor of the youthful queen whose fiag he
was the first to unfold on the American continent.
The river Christiana retains the name thus bestowed
on the fort— for Minuit called that stream the Elbe—
to this day. Within the palisade were built two log
houses, for the accommodation of the soldiers and for
the storage of provisions. After the little settlement
had been provided with all necessaries to sustain life,
and for barter with the Indians, Lieut. Miins Kling
was placed in command of the garrison, and Minuit,
in July, 1638, sailed for Sweden, touching in his
homeward voyage at the West Indies, where the
sloop " Gripen" had preceded him. At St. Christo- I
pher he sold all the merchandise on the " Kalmar
Nyckel," and in place of the cargo he had taken to
the island loaded the vessel with tobacco. When
ready to sail Minuit and the captain of his vessel
were invited to visit a Dutch ship, "The Flying
Deer," and while on board of the latter a furious hur-
ricane arose, compelling all the vessels in the road-
stead to go to sea. Several of the ships were dis-
masted, while others were lost, among the latter
" The Flying Deer." She was never afterwards
heard from. The " Kalmar Nyckel" made search for
the missing Swedish officers, but, learning no tidings
of them, after several days sailed for Europe. The
sloop " Gripen" subsequently returned from the West
1 Penna. Archives, 2d eerieB, vol. v. p. 236.
2 •* The Founding of New Sweden" {Petm, Mag. of U\
11, 279) is a mine of interec'iing information on the early
the Delaware River.
Indies to the Delaware, where she was loaded with
furs, and sailed for Sweden, reaching there in the
latter part of May, 1639, having made the passage in
five weeks.
The same year Cornelius Van Vliet, a Dutch cap-
tain, was ordered to proceed in the " Kalmar Nyckel"
to New Sweden, learn the condition of the colony, and
make report of the country, no report having been
made by Minuit, as it was the purpose of Queen
Christina to people the land with Swedes. To the
latter end an efibrt was made to obtain willing emi-
grants, but failing in that, the government ordered the
Governors of Elfsborg and Varmland " to lay hands
on such marriaged soldiers as had either evaded ser-
vice or committed some other offence, and transport
them, with their wives and children, to New Sweden,
with the promise to bring them back, if required,
within two years ; to do this, however, 'justly and dis-
creetly,' that no riot might ensue." ^
The " Kalmar Nyckel" on her second voyage to the
colony sailed for Gottenburg, where she arrived in
June, 1639. There she was detained more than three
months, occasioned by the difficulty of procuring emi-
grants, cattle, horses, swine, implements for hus-
bandry, and partly because of the negligence of the
new commander of the second expedition. Rev. Reo-
rus Torkillus, the first Swedish clergyman in New
Sweden, is believed to have been one of the passengers
on the vessel, which left Gottenburg in the early
autumn of 1639. The ship was obliged to stop at
Medemblik to be overhauled, she having sprung a
leak, and, ' afterward, when having put to sea, she
was twice compelled to return for repairs, until the
crew stated they were not willing to sail in such
a vessel and under such a captain. Van Vliet was
thereupon discharged, a new crew procured, and Capt.
Pouwel Jansen, a Dutchman, given charge of the
ship. The "Kalmar Nyckel," after encountering a
remarkable storm, that intercepted all navigation in
the Zuider-Zee, finally, on Feb. 7, 1640, sailed from
the Texel for New Sweden. Lieut. Peter Hollandare,
who had been appointed Governor of the province,
accompanied the expedition, which, after a voyage of
over two months, landed at Christiana on the 17th of
April of the same year, where they found the colony
planted by Minuit in good condition.* The emi-
grants who accompanied the second expedition were
of the most unpromising character, since Peter Hol-
landare records that " no more stupid, indifl'erent peo-
ple are to be found in all Sweden than those who are
now here," and the domestic animals transported in
the ship were few and of poor quality. On Nov. 2, 1640,
■I " The Founding of New Sweden," by Professor C. T. Odhner. Trans-
lated by Professor G . B, Keen, Peiin. Mag. of History, vol. iii. p. 396.
4 This statement, which appears from Swedish documents, is in marked
contrast to tbo assertion of Director Kieft, whose letter, dated in the
latter part of May, 1640 (" New York Colonial Documents," vol. i. p.
693), states, "The Swedes in the South River were resolved to move off
and to come here" (New York). " A day before their departure a ship
arrived with a reinforcement."
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
the ship " Friedenburg," under the command of Capt.
Jacob Powellson, having on board a number of Dutch
colonists, with Jost Van Bogardt, who emigrated under
the auspices of the Swedish crown, cattle, and " other
things necessary for the cultivation of the country,"
arrived in New Sweden. These emigrants occupied
land three or four Swedish miles below Christiana.
Very little is known of the history of the colony from
1640 to 1643, saving that in 1642 a general sickness
prevailed among the Swedish settlers on the Dela-
ware.'
The " Kalmar Nyckel" returned to Sweden in July,
1640. The home government, in its anxiety to obtain
settlers for its American colony, had ordered the Gov-
ernor of drebro to prevail upon the unsettled Finns
in that province to emigrate with their wives and
children to New Sweden, while Mans Kling was in-
structed from the mining classes, and particularly from
among the roaming Finns, who lived free of charge
in the houses of the inhabitants of the Swedish forests,
to procure settlers to be sent abroad. The third ex-
pedition, in the " Kalmar Nyckel" and the " Chari-
tas," sailed for New Sweden in 1641, and a number
of the Finns came hither in those vessels. Hence
many of the early Swedish settlers were not of a class
to be desired as founders of a new empire, for the ar-
chives of Sweden disclose the fact that quite a number
of criminals and forest-destroying Finns were trans-
ported to the Delaware River settlements to rid the
mother-country of their presence. The Finns men-
tioned had, in violation of the mandates of the royal
government, set Are to the forests in Viirmland and
Dal, that they might free the ground of trees to sow
grain in the ashes, and for this act they were banished
to the New World. Professor Odhner directly asserts
that in the province of Skaraborg, a trooper, who was
condeinned to death for having broken into the monas-
tery gardens at Varnhem, was permitted to make his
selection between being hanged or embarking for New
Sweden, and as late as 1653 - a criminal who had been
convicted of killing an elk on the island D'Auland
was sentenced to transportation hither.
The fourth colony, and the one whose history most
intimately connects itself with Delaware County, was
that which left Gottenburg on Nov. 1, 1642. This
expedition, composed of the ships " Fama" and
"Swan," was under the command of Lieut.-Col.
John Printz, who had been commissioned Governor
of New Sweden, Aug. 15, 1642, with an annual salary
of one thousand two hundred dollars in silver and an
allowance of four hundred rix-dollars for his ex-
penses. The journey was a long one; "the watery
way to the West was not yet discovered, and therefore,
for fear of the sand-banks off Newfoundland, the
ships which went under the command of Governor
Printz sailed along the coast of Africa until they
found the eastern passage, then directly over to Amer-
ica, leaving the Canaries high up to the north."'
They landed at Antigua, inhabited at "that time 'by
Englishmen and negroes, with some Indians,' where
they 'spent their Christmas holidays, and were well
entertained,' " says Mr. Holm, " ' at the Governor's
house.' After quitting this seat of ' perpetual sum-
mer' (as the same gentleman depicts it) they en-
countered ' a severe storm,' accompanied at the last
' with snow,' which ' continued about fourteen days,'
by which they ' lost three large anchors, a spritsail,
and their mainmast, and the ship was run aground;
but on the 15th of February, 1643, by God's grace,
came up to Fort Christina, in New Sweden, Va.,' in
the precise phrases of the historian, ' at two o'clock
in the afternoon.' Here the first three Swedish expe-
j ditions had established their chief settlement, under
j Minuit and Hollandare, and here remained a short time
also this fourth and greatest of the colonies, enjoying
\ friendly intercourse with fellow-countrymen most
glad to welcome them, and happily reposing from
i the distresses of their long and perilous voyage.' "*
Under the instructions he had received from the
home government, Printz, in the exercise of his dis-
cretion, located the seat of government at Tinicum
Island, where he built a fort, which he called New Got-
tenburg, and resided for a time in the fortress, until he
built his mansion-house, known in our annals as Printz
Hall. On this island the principal inhabitants then
had their dwellings and plantations."' With the fort at
that place, Printz controlled the passage of the river
above Tinicum, and when he, shortly afterward, built
Fort Elsenburgh, at Salem Creek, placing therein
four brass and iron twelve-pound cannon and one
" pots-hooft,"' " manned by twelve soldiers in command
of a lieutenant, he rendered the Dutch fortress on the
east side of the river above the mouth of the Schuyl-
kill almost useless to the Holland colony, as was fully
recognized by Hudde, who reported that Printz had
closed " the enterance of the river."
We are told by Campanius that " In the be-
ginning of Governor Printz's administration there
came a great number of those criminals, who were
sent over from Sweden. When the European inhab-
itants perceived it they would not suffer them to set
their foot on shore, but they were all obliged to re-
turn, so that a great many of them perished on the
voyage. This was related to me, amongst other
things, by an old, trustworthy man, named Nils
Matsson Utter, who, after his return home, served
in His Majesty's life-guards. It was after this for-
bidden, under a penalty, to send any more criminals
to America, lest Almighty God should let his ven-
1 Winthrop, vol. il. p. 76.
2 5 Penna. Archives, 2d series, p.
tina'8 order of Aug. 11, 1653, directin
factor under sentence of death, be aei
, where is given Queen Chris-
lat Henry D'Oregrund, a miile-
I New Sweden.
» Acrelius, " History of New Sweden," p. 41.
< Professor G. B. Keen's summary of Printz's voyage, in " Descend-
ts of Joran Kyn," Pmna. Mag. of HUlory, vol. ii. p. 326.
s Campanius, " History of New Sweden," p. "9.
» Hudde's Report, Peunn. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. V>i.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
geance fall on the ships and goods, and the virtuous
people that were on board."'
This statement is iu direct conflict with the report
of Governor Printz in 1647, for therein he asked in-
struction from the home authorities "how long the
criminals must serve for their crimes,"* and is told
that nothing definite can be prescribed respecting
that matter, that it is left to his discretion, but those
who reform and perform their duty satisfactorily
may be allowed the same wages as other free people.
" But those who go on in the same wrong way as be-
fore and do not exhibit any improvement may have
their punishment increased by you, Sir Governor, or
may continue to serve without wages." ^
The voluntary emigrants to New Sweden were of
two classes, the freemen, those who were privileged
to settle where they chose in the colony and to return
to the mother-country at pleasure, and the company's
servants, those who were employed at stipulated wages
for a designated term. " There was a third, consisting
of vagabonds and malefactors ; these went to remain
in slavery, and were employed in digging the earth,
throwing up trenches, and erecting walls and other
fortifications. The others had no intercourse with
them, but a particular spot was appointed for them to
reside upon.*
The first year under Printz's administration many
of the settlers died, which the Governor states was
due to hard wor"k and the scarcity of food.* In four
years thereafter (1647) we learn from the report fur-
nished the home government that the total number
of whites in the Swedish settlements on the Delaware
was one hundred and eighty-three souls. Twenty-
eight of the freemen had made settlements, and part
of them were provided with oxen and cows. Tobacco
seems to have been chiefly tire crop grown, for iu the
return cargo of the "Golden Shark," in that year,
1 Campaniiis, " New Sweden,'' p. 73.
! Penna. Mag. of History, vol. vii. p. 277.
' Count Oxenetierna's reply to Printz, Penna. Mag. of History, vol.
vii. p. 283. In fact, we have reason to believe that during all our colo-
nial history criminals were sent to the American plantations. In a
series of articles on crimes and criminals, published in the New Castle
(England) WeeMii Clironicle, in 1883, the author says, " The statute of
39 Elizabeth was converted by James I. into an Act of Transportation
to America, by a letter to the treasurer and council of Virginia, in the
year 1619, commanding them ' to send 100 dissolute persons to Virginia, !
which the Knight Marshall would deliver to them for the purpose.' i
Transportation is not distinctly mentioned by any Euglish statute prior '
to Charles II., which gives a power to the judges, at their discretion,
'either to execute or transport to America for life the mosstroopers of
Cumberland.' This mode of pnnisbraent, however, was not commonly 1
practiced until the reign of George I. The courta were then, by Act of
Parliament, allowed a discretionary power to order felons to be trans-
ported to the American plantations. This lasted from 1718 to the decla-
ration of American independence in 1776." The importation of crimi- [
nals into this colony in the character of redemption servants, who were
purchased from the olficors in England, became such a public evil that I
on Feb. 14,1729-30, the General Assembly by statute forbade masters of
vessels, under heavy fines, landing such persons in the province, and '
extended the penalties to merchanta who should import, sell, or dispose
of such convicts in the pwvince in violation of the act.
^ Campanius, " New Sweden," p. 73.
5 Printz's Report, /'cnn. Mag. of Hint., vol. vii. p. 272.
was six thousand nine hundred and twenty pounds of
tobacco, grown in New Sweden, the rest having been
purchased from Virginia. To stimulate this project
those persons who cultivated land were exempted by
the home government for ten years from taxation. A
grist-mill had been erected by Printz in 1643, about a
quarter of a mile in the woods at " Kara Kung," other-
wise called the Water-Mill stream, " a fine mill, which
ground both fine and coarse flour, and was going early
and late. It was the first that was seen in that coun-
try." * This mill was located on Crum Creek, and
the holes sunk in the rocks to receive the posts sup-
porting the frame-work are still to be seen, near the
Blue Bell Tavern, on the Darby road." Townsend
Ward*" tells us that in front of the old portion of the
Blue Bell Tavern " is a carriage stepping-stone of
considerable historical interest, for it is, perhaps, one
of the first millstones used in what is now the terri-
tory of Pennsylvania, and was in use before Penn's
arrival. The stone is circular in form, with a square
hole through its centre. Not far from the inn, and in
the bed of the creek, only a few feet west of the old
King's (Queen's) road bridge, may be seen the holes,
drilled in the rocks, in which were inserted the sup-
ports of the ancient mill wherein the stone was used.
Mr. Aubrey H. Smith remembers finding, when a boy,
a piece of lead weighing seventeen pounds, that had
evidently been run, when melted, around an inserted
post." Printz was much pleased with the mill, " which
runs the whole year, to the great advantage of the coun-
try, particularly as the windmill, formerly here before
I came, would never work, and was good for nothing.'"
Not only had he built this needed public improvement,
but had caused some waterfalls to be examined as a
site for saw-mills below the dam of the grist-mill, as
well as three other places where oak-timber grew plen-
tiful. But as he was without the saw-blades, and no
person in the colony understood the management of
such an establishment, Printz suggested to the home
government that it would be worth considering, as a
good trade in planking, pipe-staves, and timber could
be made with the West Indies and other points, pro-
vided a proper vessel was kept in New Sweden to
transport those articles to market.'"
It is not my purpose to relate the history of the dif-
ficulties and trials which Printz had to contend with
from the encroachments of the Dutch and English in
their efforts to make a lodgment on the Delaware.
That he was insolent in his manner to those whom he
regarded as intruders on the Swedish territory cannot
be questioned, if the statement of his enemies is to be
credited. Hudde tells us that Printz replied to his
» Campanius, p. 81. Of course the statement applies to the first mill
mu by water. We know, from Printz's report, that a windmill had
preceded it.
' Record of Upland Court, p. 88.
f " A Walk to Darby," Pmn. Mag. of Hut., vol. iii. p. 262.
8 Report for 1647, Petin. Mag. of Hitt., vol. vii. p. 274.
1" Pn,i. M-g. of Hid., vol. vii. p. 279.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
suggestion that the Dutch were the earliest settlers on
the Delaware, "that the devil was the oldest pos-
sessor of hell, but he sometimes admitted a younger
one." That on another occasion, Printz treated con-
temptuously a letter he had sent him by a sergeant, in
that he threw it towards one of his attendants who
stood near him, saying, "There, take care of it," and
that when the sergeant insisted on seeing the Gov-
ernor, who left him to meet some Englishmen, he,
the sergeant, was thrown out of doors, " the Governor
taking a gun in his hand from the wall to shoot him,
as he imagined, but was prevented from leaving his
room," and that when the servants of the Dutch
Company went to Tinicum, Printz unreasonably
abused them, " so that they are often, on returning
home, bloody and bruised," while John Thickpenny,'
of the New England colony on the Delaware, de-
posed that, at Tinicum, Printz cursed and swore at
the Englishmen, calling them renegades, and threw
John Woollen, the Indian interpreter for the English
settlers, into irons, which Printz himself fastened on
his legs, and that he stamped with his feet in his
rage. Despite all these statements, Printz was true
to his sovereign's interest in the colony, even if he
had failed in that respect in the Old World.'-'
On Feb. 20, 1647, when the ship " Golden Shark,"
which had arrived in New Sweden on the 1st of Oc-
tober of the preceding year, left the colony on the
return voyage to Europe, Printz dispatched Lieut.
John Pappegoya, as a special messenger to orally make
a report of the growth and need of the settlement.
Pappegoya had been one of the early Swedish settlers
on the Delaware and had returned home, but de-,
siring to revisit New Sweden, he came back in 1644,
particularly recommended to the favorable considera-
tion of Printz by the home government. It is be-
lieved at the time Pappegoya was sent to Sweden
as bearer of dispatches he was then married to Ar-
migart. Governor Printz's daughter, who figured
prominently in our early annals. He returned to
New Sweden in a short time (in those days of long
voyages), for about in the middle of June, 1648,
Hudde' mentions that the committee of the Dutch
Council, after completing the purchase of land on the
Schuylkill from the Indians, "with a becoming suite,
sailed to Tinne Konck, and was received there by
the commissay, Huygen and Lieut. Passegay (Pappe-
goya), who left them about half an hour in the open
Deposition of .roiin TliicUponny,
I. i. pp. 9T-9!).
Hav
Colonial Records,'
a John Printz was well educated, and after lie entered miliUry life he
rose rapidly during the Prussian and Gennan war. In 1638 he was pro-
moted lieutenant-colonel of West Giltha Cavalry. In 1G40 he shamefully
and disgracefully surrendered the fortress of Chemnitz, and returned to
Stockholm without the consent of the field-marshal. He was put under
arrest, tried, and broken of his rank in the army. He was subsequently
(Aug. 16, 1642) appointed Governor of New Sweden. On his return to
the Old World he was made a general, and in 1668, Governor of the dis-
trict of Jonkoping. He died iu 1663, leaving no male issue to succeed
to the title conferred on him in 1642.
» Hudde's Report, Penna. Archives, 2d series vol. v. p, 11.1.
air and constaint rain," before they could obtain aa
interview with Goversor Printz. When the latter,
after administering the affairs of the colony on the
Delaware for twelve years, sailed for Sweden in the
latter part of the year 1653, he left the government
in charge of his son-in-law, John Pappegoya.
May 21, 1654, the ship " Eagle" arrived at New
Castle, having on board John Claudius Rising, who
had been appointed commissary and Governor's as-
sistant counsellor, — an office equivalent to Lieutenant-
Governor ; but Printz having sailed before Rising
came, the full charge of the colony devolved upon
him. His first ofiicial act was not only a violation
of his instructions, but an error which was disastrous
in its results to the colony. As the vessel came to at
Fort Cassimir two guns were fired as a salute to the
fortress, after which Rising demanded the surrender
of the stronghold. The Dutch commander desired
time to consider, but Rising ordered a force of thirty
men to land and take the place by assault, refusing,
as the Dutch alleged, " to give one hour's delay."
Acrelius tells us, "A correct inventory was made of
everything in the fort, and evexy one was allowed to
carry ofi' his property, whether belonging to the com-
pany or to private individuals ;" ■* while Gerrit Becker,
the Dutch commander, deposed, " I could scarcely
induce him (Rising) by prayer not to be turned out
naked, with his (my) wife and children, and all the
i property in this fort was confiscated by them." ' The
I capture of this fortress having taken place about noon
on Trinity Sunday, the Swedes called it the " Fort of
the Holy Trinity ;" and subsequently, under the su-
i pervision of Peter Lindstrom, the engineer, it was
repaired, enlarged, and " as good as built anew."
I On the 17th of June, 1654, Vice-Goveruor Rising
! held a council with the Indian sachems at Printz
I Hall, at Tinicum, and although the savages stated
that the Swedish vessel had introduced among them
diseases, of which many of their people died, the
gifts which Rising laid before them were too tempt-
ing to be resisted, and a treaty of friendship was then
j " made between the Swedes and the Indians, which
has ever since been faithfully observed on both
sides.'"
When the news of the capture of Fort Cassimir was
1 received in Holland it excited much indignation
among the directors, and although previous to that
event the home government had not approved fully
of Stuyvesant's action in erecting the fort at New
Castle, all differences of opinion were swallowed up
in the indignation and anger the seizure of the fortress
aroused. Hence, Stuyvesant was ordered "to e.xert
every nerve to revenge that injury, not only by re-
storing affairs to their former situation, but by driving
the Swedes from every side of the river, as they did
with us, provided that such among them as may be
« Acrelius, " New Sweden," p. 63.
s Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. t. p. 253.
6 <'ampanius, p. 78.
HISTOKY OF DBLAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
disposed to settle under and submit to our govern-
ment may be indulged in it." ' In conformity with the
spirit of these instructions, Stuyvesant silently but j
promptly made preparation for an aggressive move-
ment against the Swedish settlement on the Delaware.
To that end he gathered an armament and fleet, while
the Swedes, unaware of the danger that lowered over
them, made no unusual provision for defense. On
Sunday, Sept. 4, 1655, the expedition under Stuyve-
sant, in seven vessels, with about six hundred men,
set sail for the Delaware, and on the morning of the ,
9th of September anchored a short distance from
Fort Cassimir, when Stuyvesant sent a lieutenant
ashore to demand the restitution of the stronghold.
Lieutenant Schute, the Swedish officer, desired time
to communicate with his superior, which was refused. !
In the mean while the Dutch commander had landed ^
a force which occupied all the approaches in rear of
the fort, and, after some negotiation, the Swedish gar-
rison capitulated on the morning of the 11th of Sep-
tember. After the reduction of Fort Cassimir the
Dutch forces laid siege to Fort Christiana, and from
Governor Rising's official report^ we learn that the
enemy made regular approaches until, having their
guns in position in rear of the fort, Stuyvesant form-
ally demanded the surrender of the post within [
twenty-four hours. The Swedish Governor, after a
general consultation with the whole garrison, decided
to accede to the demand he was powerless to resist.
The articles of capitulation, among other matters,
provided that the Swedish forces should march out of
the fort with the honors of war, — drums and trumpet
playing, flags flying, matches burning, and with hand
and side arms. That they, as prisoners of war, were
first to be conducted to Tinicum Island, and placed
in the fort at that place until they could be taken to
New Amsterdam.' Campanius asserts that " The
Dutch then proceeded to destroy New Gottenburg, ;
laying waste all the houses and plantations without
the fort, killing the cattle, and plundering the in-
habitants of everything that they could lay their
hands on ; so that after a siege of fourteen days, and
many fruitless propositions to obtain more humane ,
treatment, the Swedes were obliged to surrender that
fortress for want of men and ammunition."*
1 HaznnrB Annals, p. 168.
2 Peuna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 224.
3 Acrelius, " Hist, of New Sweden," p. 76.
* Campanius, " New Sweden," pp. 85, 86. Smith, in his " History
of New Jersey," page 34, says the Dutch "destroyed New Gottenburg,
with such houses as are without the fort, plundering the inhabitants of
what they had, and killing their cattle." From his account it also ap-
pears that the fort at Tinicum was defended fourteen days, and that the
pillaging took place before the fort was surrendered. The statements
of both Campanius and Smith were doubtless has
ary recitals, which, in descending from one generatio
confused two separate matters into one, Campaniu
published until 1702, nearly forty years after the ci
rated took place, while that of Smith was issued long si
date. To show how soon confusion may take place in n
with historical events it is only necessary to cite " Ai
From the fact that the articles of capitulation at Fort
Christina stijiulated for the detention of the Swedish
prisoners of war at the fort at Tinicum, and that there
is, so far as known, an absence of all documentary evi-
dence to support the assertion made by Campanius, the
conclusion seems irresistible that that author has con-
fused his account of the doings at New Gottenburg with
those occurring on the siege of Fort Christiana. Vice-
Governor Rising, in his report," already mentioned,
when relating the pillaging of " the people without
sconce of their property, and higher up the river
they plundered many and stripped them to the skin,"
thus briefly narrated the outrages of the Dutch in-
vaders at Tinicum. " At New Gottenberg they robbed
Mr. Papegoija's wife of all she had, with many others
who had collected their property there." Not a word
has this man, who pictured the minutest incident of
the siege of Fort Christiana, and the killing of Swedish
" cattle, goats, swine, and poultry," to say about the
investment of Fort Gottenburg, the resistance of its
slender garrison for fourteen days, or the laying waste
of all the houses and plantations without the forts.
Certain it is, that the Swedish Church at Tinicum,
Printz Hall, and other buildings stood uninjured
long years after the Dutch power in North America
had waned before the conquering standard of Great
Britain. In 1680 "'the remains of the large block-
house, which served them (the Swedes) in place of a
fortress," was on the island, together with " three or
four houses built by the Swedes, a little Lutheran
Church made of logs, and the ruins of some log
huts."^ In Rising's reply to Stuyvesant," only thirty-
four days after the capture of Fort Christiana, he does
not mention the destruction of the post at New Got-
tenburg, but sets forth the following outrages com-
mitted by the Dutch in their conquest of New Sweden :
" Your Honor's troops have behaved here as if they
were in the country of their bitterest enemy, as the
plundering of Tornaborg, Uplandt, Finland, Prince-
dorp, and other places more clearly proves (not to
speak of the deeds done about Fort Christiana), where
the females have partly been dragged out of their
houses by force ; whole buildings torn down, even
hauled away ; oxen, cows, pigs, and other animals
daily slaughtered in large numbers ; even the horses
were not spared, but shot wantonly, the plantations
devastated, and everything thereabouts treated in
such away that our victuals have been mostly spoiled,
carried away, or lost somehow." So, too, on Dec. 19,
1656," the directors instruct Stuyvesant to occupy the
tradition-
lotber, had
'quent to that
:count of tlie
vii. p. 219), where is given, by an unknown write
of the attempted insurrection of the Long Fin, which <
The writer states, " These are the particulars which I received from the
oldest Swedes," and yet he relates that the conspirators " went to Phila-
delphia and bought powder, balls, shot, lead, and so forth," nearly four-
teen years before that city hud an e.<tistence.
5 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. t. p. 227.
6 Journal of a Voyage to New York in I679-S0. Memoirs of the Long
Island Hist. Soc, vol. i. p. 177.
' Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. p. 487.
False Konigsuiack i
(Penn. Mag. of Uist., vol. ' » lb., 496.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
fort at New Gottenburg with eight or ten soldiers pro-
visionally, " as well for the safety of the Swedes, now
our subjects."
The Dutch had conquered, and the Swedish flag no
longer floated over the disputed territory on the Dela-
ware. But the triumph was a costly one, the expenses
of the expedition swelling so largely the debt of the
Dutch West India Company that in the summer of
1656, to relieve itself from liability to the city of Am-
sterdam, the company ceded to the burgomasters of
that municipality a portion of the Delaware River
territory, extending from Bombay Hook to Christiana
Creek, which subsequently was known as "the City's
Colony," while the land north of that creek was
termed "the Company's Colony."
Before intelligence of the conquest of New Sweden
had reached the mother-country, on March 24, 1656,
the Swedish ship " Mercury," with a hundred and
thirty emigrants on board, entered the river. John
Paul Jacquit, the Dutch Governor, prohibited the
captain of the vessel to laud the crew or passengers,
as well as refusing to permit him to ascend the river
beyond Fort Cassimir. John Pappegoya, who had
not yet returned to Sweden, together with Capt.
Huygen, on March 30th wrote to the Council in New
Amsterdam, requesting that these emigrants who
came from Sweden should be permitted to settle in
the colony, urging as reasons " the immense loss they
would suffer, many good farmers would be ruined,
parents separated from children, and even husbands
from wife," but their appeals only made the Council
hold more firmly to their resolution that the Swedes
should settle at New Amsterdam, where their number
could not be a constant menace to the authorities.
Much time was consumed in tedious negotiations,
until at length the patience of the Swedish colonists
was exhausted, and through the influence of Pappe-
goya with the savages, a number of the residents,
Swedes and Indians, went aboard the vessel, when, in
spite of the guns of the fort or the command of Gov-
ernor Jacquit, the anchor was weighed, the " Mer-
cury" sailed up the river, and landed her cargo and
passengers at Christiana.' The Dutch, fearing that
some of the Indians on board might be injured, re-
frained from firing on the vessel in her passage by
the fort.
After the Dutch had acquired absolute sway on the
Delaware the ancient Swedish capital at Tinicum
seems to have been abandoned, possibly because of
the grant of that island to Governor Printz, hence in
the early records only occasionally, at this period, do
we find allusion to any places lying within the boun-
dary of the present county of Delaware. Georan
Van Dyck, who had been appointed sheriff" of the
company's colony, requested permission to establish
1 Acielius, " Hist, of New Sweden," p. 90. Vincent says (Hist, of State
of Delaware, vol. i. p. 276) tliat the passengers and cargo of the "Mer-
cury" were landed at Marcus Hook. On what authority that statement is
based is not given.
the Swedish settlers in villages, and on June 12, 1657,
the Council responded that he was " not only author-
ized and qualified, but also ordered and directed, to
concentrate their houses and dwellings, but henceforth
to erect them in shape of a village or villages, either
at Upland, Passayonck, Finland, Kinghsessing, on the
' Verdrietige hoeck,' or at such places as by them may
be considered suitable, under condition that previous
notice be given to the Director-General and Council,
in case they should chose some other places than
those specified above."' This effort to gather the
Swedish residents into villages failed, and it seems
not to have been pressed earnestly until after Wil-
liam Beekman was appointed, Oct. 28, 1658, vice-
director of the company's colony on the Delaware,
and even not then until the directors in Holland,
under date of Oct. 14, 1659,^ recommend that the
Swedes should be separated and scattered among the
Dutch, since they, the directors, had reason to believe
that the English may undertake "something against
us there under the Swedish flag and name." In fur-
therance of this recommendation, Beekman, in March
following, attempted to execute the order, but found
thiit he could not get the Swedish settlers to choose a
location for the village, every one asserting that he
would keep his entire lot and fields.* Miss Printz
" objected to moving because the church was located
at Tinicum, on her plantation, that her buildings were
heavy, that she had offered her land rent free, but no
one would live with her." Beekman also informed
Stuyvesant that to enforce the edict then would result
in great loss, as it would prevent the planting of spring
crops, and he, therefore, had granted the Swedes five
or six weeks longer before compelling compliance
with the order. Thus the matter rested, for the
Dutch authorities could not convince the Swedes of
the advantage of the proposed change, and they had
not sufficient force at hand to compel obedience
therewith.* Beekman, however, constantly endeav-
ored to prevail upon them to settle at Passayunk, but
when the Swedes intimated that " they would rather
go to Maryland than to remove to another place here
and sponge upon the others," the project was finally
abandoned by the authorities.
The aff'air of the Delaware's having been so mis-
managed that many complaints had been lodged with
the authorities in New Amsterdam, Council on April
I 20, 1658, determining that these matters " as well as
some necessary arrangements to be made among and
regarding the Swedes, cannot well be attended to by
a letter," ordered that Stuyvesant and Pieter Tonne-
man should personally visit the Delaware River set-
tlements " for the special service and advantage of
the company." On May 8th Stuyvesant was at Tini-
cum, for on that day Georan Van Dyck, Orlofl' Stille,
2 Penna. Archives, 2i se
3 lb., p. 698.
i .\crelius, " Hist, of Ne
, vol.vii. p. 511.
10
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Malthys Hanson, Peter Rambo, and Peter Kaik, the
Swedish magistrates,' presented a petition to the Gen-
eral Director, asking for the appointment of a court
messenger to serve summons, make arrests, and "the
carrying out of sentences," and that they be allowed
" free access to the commander at Fort Altona to get
assistance from the soldiers in case of emergency."
The third request was "that an order be made that
nobody sliall leave these boundaries without knowl-
edge of the magistrates, much less, that the servants,
man or woman of one, when they leave or run away
without their masters' or mistress' permission, shall
be concealed by the other."
From this petition, which was favorably received
and acted on, we learn that Fort Gottenburg had at
this time ceased to be a military post. This was per-
haps due to the fact that the Dutch officers were
doubtful of the loyalty of the Swedes to the new ad-
ministration, and thought it judicious to concentrate
their forces at the most available and strongest fortifi-
cation ; that at Tinicum, being merely a block-house,
was abandoned. We also gather from the same doc-
ument that the system of redemption servitude at
that early stage of our history was recognized in this
locality.'
From the report of Jacob Alricks to the commis-
sioners of the city's colony, Oct. 10, 1658,'' we ascer-
tain that children from the almshouse at Amsterdam
had been sent over to the Delaware River settlements
and had been bound out among the residents there,
the eldest for two, the major portion for three, and the
youngest children for four, years. He suggested that
from time to time more of these young people should
be disi)atched hither, "but, if possible, none ought
to come less than fifteen years of age and some-
what strong, as little profit is to be expected here
without labor."
In a letter from Beekman to Stuyvesant, April 28,
1660,' the former states " that among the Fins at Op-
land there is a married couple who live very wretch-
edly together, and the wife is often fearfully beaten,
and daily driven out of the house like a dog, which
was continued through several years. Nothing is
heard of the wife, but he, on the contrary, has com-
mitted adultery. Therefore the priest, the neighbors,
the sheriff', and commissaries, and others besides, have
appealed to me, at the request of the man and the
woman, that they might be divorced, and the few ani-
mals and personal property be divided among them.
I answered that I would inform your Noble Worship
of it and await orders." What was done finally in
this case is unknown.
On the night of Sept. 20, 1661,'^ the wife of Rev.
Laurence Charles Laers, the Swedish priest at Up-
land, eloped with Joseph Jongh (Young), the fugi-
tives leaving the settlement in a canoe. Director
Beekman, the next day, as soon as he was informed
of the occurrence, dispatched an express to the Gov-
ernor of Maryland and the magistrates at Sassafras
River, requesting that should the parties come there
they might be detained, and he notified of the fact.
Four days afterwards Beekman came to Upland to
look after the property there of Jacob Jongh. It ap-
pears that in his hasty flight Jongh had left his per;
sonal effects at Upland, and the next day the Rev.
Mr. Laers went to the house of Andreas Hendriexson,
a Finn, where his wife's paramour had lived, and
without notifying the authorities forced open the
door of Jongh's room with an axe." The keys to the
chest belonging to the fugitive being found in the
apartment, the clergyman opened the luggage and
appropriated some of the contents. The Dutch au-
thorities supposed, as they learned nothing from
Maryland, that the runaways had gone to New Eng-
land, whereas it is now almost conclusively estab-
lished that this Jacob Jongh or Young made his way
to Maryland, where he subsequently figured promi-
nently in the early history of that colony." The
abandoned husband, however, did not appear to be
crushed by his wife's desertion, for in less than a
month (October 15th) he asked Vice-Governor Beek-
man to be allowed the next day to make the first
proclamation of the banns of his intended marriage
with a girl of seventeen or eighteen years, which con-
sent the former withheld until he could hear from
Stuyvesant.* The authorities in New Amsterdam ap-
parently acted too slowly for the reverend lover, for
November 8th' he again asked for advice " whether
he may now marry again, as his household requires
it." On December 15th '" he was granted a provis-
ional divorce, the decree being subject to Stuyvesant's
approbation ; but without tarrying until the latter
signified his approval, the reverend gentleman, on
Sunday, Jan. 26, 1662, entered anew into the married
relation, which act aroused the indignation of Beek-
man, and prejudiced him against " this fine priest."
On April 14, 1662, the case against the Rev. Mr.
Laers was tried at Fort Altona. He was prosecuted
on behalf of the company for having broken into the
room and making an inventory of the goods left by
the absconding Joseph Jongh. In the crude system
of justice then in vogue on the Delaware, the court
sentenced him to pay two hundred guilders, which
had been advanced to Jongh to purchase grain for
the company, forty florins in beavers which were due
from Jongh to Director Beekman and Mr. Decker, and
was also fined forty guilders for usurping the author-
ity of the court. The unhappy defendant was in ad-
I lb., 069.
; .Ioliiison'8 ■' History of Cecil County, Mil.," pp. S0-130.
» Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. p. 670.
> lb., 671. 1" lb., 672.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
11
dition informed that " hia new marriage was declared
illegal."' The clergyman thereupon petitioned Gov-
ernor Stuyvesant, setting forth that he broke the door
open in the search for his wife, whom he imagined
was concealed in that place ; that he had found among
Jongh's goods a few pairs of his (the petitioner's)
wife's stockings ; that he had no intention " to vilify
the court;" that his acts were committed through
ignorance, and that in his marriage " he did not sup-
pose it should have been so unfavorably interpreted ;"
he therefore, to save his " reputation as a minister,"
prays that the Governor will disapprove of the sen-
tence of the court, and " not inflict any further pun-
ishment" than that he has already undergone, since,
independent of the fine of two hundred and eighty '
guilders, the desertion of his wife had cost him |
nearly two hundred guilders.' What was done with
this petition does not appear.
From the report made by the commissioners and
directors of the city's colony,' on Aug. 10, 1663, we
learn that on the Delaware River it was found that
"the Swedes, Fins, and other natives" had "made
and erected there 110 good bouweries, stocked with
about 2000 cows and oxen, 20 horses, 80 sheep, and
several thousand swine." This was comparatively a
good showing, and it induced the city of Amsterdam
to accede to the proposition of the Dutch West India j
Company, that the former should, in discharge of the j
debt owed by the company, accept a deed for " all the
country on the Delaware." In furtherance of this !
agreement a formal deed was executed Dec. 22, 1663,
and the sway of the authorities at New Amsterdam j
ceased on the Delaware River. On the day after the
date of this conveyance Beekman wrote to Stuyves-
ant that fifty farm laborers who had arrived in the
ship " St. Jacob" during June of that year had been
hired out to farmers, and that six or seven girls had !
been sent on the same vessel to cook and wash for i
the emigrants. He informed the director-general I
that "this is almost the same method as that of the '
English trade in servants."' '
The authority of the city of Amsterdam over the j
entire Delaware River settlements was only of brief
duration, and destined in a few months to be wholly |
overthrown. The crown of Great Britain had never j
acknowledged the right which the Dutch and Swedes
maintained they had acquired l:)y occupancy to the ;
territory, and it was merely due to the intestine dis-
cord at home that the former nation had not earlier
brought the mooted subject to the arbitrament of
arms. Charles II., then firmly seated on the throne
of England, on March 12, 1664, granted to his brother
James, Duke of York and Albany, the territory now
comprising the State of New York and New Jersey,
and, by a subsequent grant, that of Delaware.
I Penna. Archives, 2d seriis, toI. vii. p. 680.
' Hazard's Annals, p. 332.
' Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 470.
' lb., vol. vii. p. 716.
With
unusual promptness the duke fitted out an expedition,
consisting of four vessels of war and four hundred and
fifty men, including sailors and soldiers, which, under
the command of Col. Richard Nicolls, sailed from
Portsmouth, England, on May 25, 1664,^0 reduce
and occupy the Dutch possessions in North America.
Sir Robert Carr, George Cartwright, and Samuel
Maverick, Esquires, accompanied the expedition as
commissioners appointed by the king, with power to
hear and determine all military, civil, and criminal
matters, and to proceed in all things for "settling the
peace and security of the country," as also to adjust
" boundaries between neighboring colonies and dis-
putes between the Indians and ilie English."" The
Governors of New England were instructed by the
king " to join and assist them vigorously in recovering
our right to those places now possessed by the Dutch,
and reducing them to an entire obedience and submis-
sion to our government." ' On the 25th of August the
frigate " Guinea," the first ves^^el of the expedition
to reach the point of destination, entered the lower
bay of New Amsterdam, and a proclamation was
issued guaranteeing protection to those persons who
should submit to the English authority. The other
vessel having arrived, after considerable negotiation,
on the 9th of September, the Dutch authorities sur-
rendered New Amsterdam to the English, the latter
permitting the garrison to march out of the fort with
all their arms, drums beating and colors flying. The
English commissioners, when they had acquired pos-
session of the settlement, changed the name of the
place to New York, in honor of the duke. To secure
control of the Delaware River territory, on the 3d
(13th) of September, 1664, Sir Robert Carr was or-
dered to proceed thither with the frigates " Guinea"
and " William" and " Nicholas" and " to reduce the
same" "to an English province. The instructions given
him, among other things, required that all planters
were to retain their real and personal property un-
molested by the conquerors, and Carr was particularly
directed to conciliate the Swedes; that all persons
were to be permitted liberty of conscience ; the magis-
trates were to be continued in office for six months on
subscribing to the oath of allegiance ; the settlers were
to be protected from violence in persons or estates ;
and the system of jurisprudence there is urged not to
be disturbed for the present.' After a long and
troublesome passage, the exiiedition aVrived in the
Delaware on the last day of September, and passed
the fort at New Amstel without an exchange of shot,
which was done, as Carr states, " the better to sattisfie
the Sweede, who, notwithstanding the Dutches p'-
5 Old style; England at that time had not accepted the modem com-
putation of time.
e Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. pp. 507-512.
» lb., 513.
8 Hazard's Register, vol. i. p. 36 ; Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p.
636.
» Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. pp. 536, 537.
12
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
evasions to y° contrary, were soon our frinds." Carr
then summoned the fort to surrender, and for three
days negotiations were had between the opposing
forces, which resulted in the magistracy of the place
agreeing to surrender the town, a conclusion in which
D'Hinoyossa and his soldiers declined to concur.
" Whereupon," states Carr, in his official report,' " I
landed my soldiers on Sunday morning following, &
comanded ye shipps to fall downe before y" Fort wi"'n
muskett shott, w* directions to tire two broadesides
apeace upon y' Fort, then my soldiers to fall on.
Which done, the soldiers neaver stoping untill they
stormed y* fort, and soe consequently to plundering;
the seamen, uoe less given to that sporte, were quickly
w'Mn, & have gotten good store of booty ; so that in
such a noise and confusion noe worde of comand
could be heard for sometyme ; but for as many goods
as I could preserve, I still Keepe intire. The loss on
our part was none ; the Dutch had tenn wounded and
3 killed. The fort is not tenable, although 14 gunns,
and w"'out a greate charge w"'' unevitably must be
expended, here wilbee noe staying, we not being able
to keepe itt." We learn from Col. Nicolls' report to
the Secretary of State' that the storming-party was
commanded by Lieut. Carr and Ensign Hooke ; and,
notwithstanding the Dutch fired three volleys at
them, not a man in their ranks was wounded in the
assault. Sir Robert Carr, it seems, stayed aboard the
" Guinea" until the fort wa* captured, when he landed
and claimed that the property in the fort, having been
won by the sword, was his and his troops. All the
soldiers and many of the citizens of New Amstel
were sold as slaves to Virginia by the English con-
querors, and most of the negroes belonging to the
Dutch settlers were distributed among the captors, as
were also one hundred sheep, forty horses, sixty cows
and oxen.' Lands and estates were confiscated, and
granted by Sir Robert Carr to his officers, as well as
the commanders of the vessels which took part in the
expedition to the Delaware.
When the standard of Great Britain floated from
the flag-staffs over the captured Dutch forts on the
Hudson and the Delaware it marked the supremacy
of the Anglo-Saxon race on the North American
continent, and as authority was then exercised from
Maine to Florida, on the Atlantic coast, by a homo-
geneous people, it made possible the great nation that
was born to the world a century later. It was singu-
larly fortunate, at this juncture, that the unbridled
executive power in the new province was confided to
so prudent and able a man as Col. Richard Nicolls
proved to be, whose " administration was so wise and
impartial that it enforced universal peace."* On the
Delaware the Swedes, who had heretofore been held
as a subjugated people, were in every respect benefited
by the change, and even the Dutch settlers had reason
2 lb., 541.
! Hist, of Del,, p. 432.
1 Penna. Archives, 2d scries, vol. v. p. 660.
' N. y. Coloniiil Doc, vol. iii. p. 346; Vine
* Gordon's " Historj* of Pennaylvaniii," p. :
I to be glad that the tyrannical sway of Stuyvesant had
ended. In May, 1667, Col. Francis Lovelace suc-
ceeded Col. Nicolls, and, as has been said by an able
writer, " under Governor Lovelace the work of ad-
justing the government of the Delaware, so as to bring
it slowly but steadily into conformity with English
law, progressed systematically year by year, until it
received an unexpected check in 1673 by the total,
', but temporary, suspension of English authority inci-
dent to the second conquest of the country by the
Dutch." 5
Late in the summer of 1671 the Indians had com-
mitted several atrocious murders, and it became neces-
sary for Governor Lovelace to act cautiously but
j firmly to check further outrages, and to punish the
j culprits for the crimes already perpetrated. As pre-
liminary to an Indian war he ordered that persons
living in the outer settlements should thrash their
grain and remove it and the cattle to a place of com-
parative safety ; that no person, on pain of death,
i should sell powder, shot, or liquor to the savages, as
also recommending the strengthening of garrisons
and fortifications. Lovelace prudently had a confer-
ence with the Governor of New Jersey, to secure, if
war should result, the co-operation of that province,
since the murderers were said to be under that juris-
I diction, and a meeting was held at New York, Sep-
tember 25th, and another at Elizabethtown, N. J.,
Nov. 7, 1671, when it was determined that it was in-
judicious at the then late season to begin an ofl'ensive
movement against the savages, but that several com-
panies of soldiers should be organized on the Dela-
ware ; that every man capable of bearing arms (be-
tween the ages of sixteen and sixty) should always be
provided with powder and bullets fit for service, under
a penalty ; that block-houses should be erected at sev-
eral places on the river ; and also forbidding the ship-
ment of grain unless a special license should be
' granted therefor. In the latter part of November the
Indian sachems and William Tom, clerk of the court
on the Delaware, held a council at Upland, at the
! house of Peter Rambo, at which the savages promised
to bring the murderers to the whites within six days
j thereafter that they might be punished for their
crimes, and if they could not bring them alive they
agreed to deliver their dead bodies, as an. earnest of
their purpose to prevent a war between the races. It
afterwards appeared that one of the guilty men
escaped from his people, and could not be delivered
I as promised, but the other was captured. It is stated
by Tom'' that the smaller Indian, learning of the
purpose of the sachems, went to the other and advised
him to flee. The latter said he would go the next
morning. Of the two Indians who had been dis-
patched to take the culprits one was a personal friend,
and was loath to kill his captive, but when the latter
i learned that the sachems had determined he must
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
13
die he placed his hands on his eyes and said, " Kill '
me." The other savage, not his friend, tliereupou !
shot two bullets into his breast. The body was taken
to Wiccaco and delivered to the whites, who trans-
ported it to New Castle, where it was hung in chains.
The other murderer escaped by flight. The sachems
faithfully notified the tribes that any of their people
who should murder a white person would be similarly
dealt with, and with this annunciation the cloud
drifted by, greatly to the satisfaction of the magis-
trates on the Delaware, who were opposed to the war,
because among other things they proposed to " make \
towns at Passayvncke, Tinnaconck, Upland, Verdrie- I
ties Hoocks, whereto the out plantacions" must retire
in the event of a struggle.' I
The proscription on trade, which prevented vessels
from ascending the Delaware Eiver beyond the fort
at New Castle, remained in force until the latter :
part of the year 1672, after which date no record re-
mains, so faras known, of special licenses being given
to trade above that point. On Sept. 29, 1671, Gov-
ernor Lovelace authorized Capt. Thomas Lewis, of the '
sloop " Royal Oak," " to trade and Trafic, as the said \
masters occasion shall require," on the Delaware above |
Newcastle, and no other vessel was permitted there
to ship corn or provisions for exportation.- But pre-
vious to this Capt. Martin Crieger, who seems to have
run a packet-sloop regularly from New York to New 1
Castle, had license to go to the latter point, and Mrs. ;
Susanna Garland was authorized to trade between
those places.' In about three weeks subsequent to the j
issuing of this license, permission was given the wife of
Lawrence Hoist to go in Capt. Martin Crieger's sloop
to New Castle, and " from thence to go up the River
in some boat or Canoe to the Sweeds Plantations
with shoes & such other of her Husband's Trade, & to
return again without any maner of Lett, hinderence
or molestation whatever."* March 20, 1672, John
Schouten, in the sloop '' Hope," was authorized to
trade at New Castle and parts adjacent, while the same
day John Garland, of New York, and Susanna, his
wife, were licensed to " TrafiBck with the Indyans" on
the river above New Castle.' Mr. Christoph Hoog- i
land, Sept. 28, 1672, was licensed to go on Criegers' j
sloop to New Castle, with the privilege to trade on the
river. Capt. Crieger, who was a " Dutchman," seems
to have run the packet between the places named for
more than ten years, for in July, 1682, Deputy Gov-
ernor Markham complained that Capt. Crieger at
New Castle had permitted Lord Baltimore the use of
astronomical instruments, which were shipped by
Markham at New York and intended only 'for him.''
War having been declared in 1672 by England and
France against the United Belgic Provinces, on the
30th of July, 1673, the colony of New York, with its
dependencies on the Delaware River settlements, was
recaptured by the Dutch fleet under Admiral Evert-
sen, and Capt. Anthony Colve was commissioned
Governor-General of " New Netherlands with all its
Appendencies." Peter Alricks was appointed com-
mander on the Delaware, with instructions that the
right of private property should not be disturbed, nor
should that belonging to persons holding office under
the Duke of York be confiscated where the party took
the oath of allegiance to the Dutch government.
Freedom of conscience was assured to those who were
followers of the true Christian religion according to
the Synod of Dordrecht, but the new commander was
instructed not to permit " any other sects attempting
anything contrary thereto."' By the terms of the
treaty of peace, Feb. 9, 1674, the province reverted to
the Duke of York, and English authority was re-
established on Oct. 1, 1674, when Maj. Edmund An-
drosse, as governor, received possession of Fort James
at New York, and appointed Capt. Edmund Carr
commander on the Delaware. On Sept. 25, 1676, the
Duke of York's laws were promulgated as the rule of
conduct on the Delaware River, and courts in con-
formity therewith were established ; one of which
was "above att Uplands," where quarterly sessions
were directed to be held on the second Tuesday of the
month.
Early in the year 1675 the first member of the So-
ciety of Friends known to have resided within the
boundaries of Delaware County purchased an estate
at Upland. Robert Wade, on March 21, 1675, bought
the tract of ground known as Printzdorp from " Jus-
tina Armguard, alias vpo Papegay," for eighty pounds
sterling,- whereon he subsequently erected the famous
" Essex House."
Penna. Archives, 2d serie
s, vol. vii. p. 756.
i lb, vol. V. pp. 605-607.
: lb., pp. 6H, 612.
» lb., p. 613.
' Pcnna. Mug. 0/ Hist., vol.
vi. p. 429.
" Penna. Aichives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 636.
s Recital in Deed from Jonathan Dickinson Sargeant and William
Rotch Wister, trustees under the will of Albanus C. Logau, deceased,
to Joliu ^1 J'.i 11 ii:. I'-a Hook E, No. 2, page 673, etc., Recorder's
office, 51 ., . i . I:. I.itf of the conveyance to Wade is of record,
1673, but ! I ! 1 sical error is evident from the following let-
ter, wLilIi ;= (ui lol,. ill -A Further Account of New Jersey, in an
Abstract of Letters written from thence by Several Inhabitants there
Resident. London, Printed in the year 1676," pages 6 and 7 :
" Dear and Loving Wife
" Having now an opportunty to let thee understand of my welfare,
through the great mercy of God &c, and as to the other place it is as
good or healthful place as man can desire to live in, and here is plenty
enough of all provisions, and good English Wheat and Mault, plenty of
Fish and Fowl; Indeed here is no want of anything, but lionest people
to Inhabit it; there is Land enough purchased of the Indians for ten
times so many as we were and these Indians here are very quiet and
Peacable Indians ; In New England they are at Wars with the Indians,
and the news is, they have cut ofS a great many of them ; but in this
place, the Lord is making way to exalt his name and truth ; for it is
said by those that live here abouts, that within these few years, here
were five Indians for one now, and these that be are very willing to sell
their land to the English; and had John Feuwick done wisely, we had
not been disperst, but I hope it may all work for the best; And dear
Wife, I hope thou will be well satisfied to come and live here, where we
may live very quietly and Peacably, where we shall have no vexation,
nor tearing nor rending what we have from us ; I have bought a plan-
tation by the advice and consent of some Friends, upon which there is
a very good house, a great deal of Out-housing, Orcharde, and Gardens
ready planted, and well-fenced ; I do intend (if God permit) after the
u
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The Essex House' stood on the site of the present
brick dwelling at the northwest corner of Second and
Penn Streets, Chester. It was a story and a half in
height, its southeast gable fronting the river, the rear
or southwest side facing Concord Avenue, and its
front, with a commodious porch, extended the entire
length of the building to Chester Creek. Almost one
hundred and ten feet southeastwardly from it stood
the noted trees under which Penn landed, seven years
after Wade became the owner of the estate. In the
journal of the Labadists, Dankers and Sluyter, in
1679, particular mention is made of these trees.
"We have nowhere seen," they record, "so many
vines together as we saw here, which had been planted
for the purpose of shading' the walks on the river side
in between the trees."'- It seems that Wade, after
the purchase of the estate from Mrs. Pappegoya, re-
turned to Great Britain, whence, accompanied by his
wife, Lydia, he sailed in the ship "Griffin," which
arrived in the Delaware on the 23d of Ninth month
(November), 1675. It was in that year, we are told,
that William Edmundson, a public Friend from Ire-
land, made a second visit to America, and while he
and his party journeyed, swimming their horses across
the river at Trenton and the intermediate creeks, and
camping out in the woods at night, when on the way
to " Delaware Town, on the west side of the river
Delaware," ..." there came up a Finland man,
well-horsed, who spoke English. He soon perceived
what they were, and gave them an account of several
of their friends. His house was as far as they could
Harvest is gotten io, to come to England for thee, and'I hope thou wilt
be willing to come, seeing here are several of thy Neighbours whom
thou knowest well, as Richard Guy and his Wife and William Hancock
and his Wife, and many others; and here is an honest Friend with me,
that would have a fourth part of the Laud Ac, And so hoping these
lines may find thee in g^od health, as through the great mercy and
goodness of God I have never been better in health.
'* My love to Richard Green, he desired me to send him some account
of the Country, which to the best of my knowledge I will do; as to
Buildings here is little until more People come over, for the Inhabitants
that were here did generally Build their own houses, though after a
mean manner, for they fell down Trees, and split them in Parts, and so
make up a sorry House, &c. But here is Earth enough that will make
very good Bricks, and Stone enough of severall sorts, as four that will
stroke fire, which may make millstones, or what a man will put them
to; they make their Lime of oyster shells; here is a good Land and a
Healthful and Plentiful Country^ here is no Tanner in all the River,
but some Tann their Hides themselves, after their own manner. Here
is good Oak enough, here is Hemp and Flax, good Water, and the Ground
will bear anything that Groweth in England, and with less Pains and
trouble ; with my dear Love to thee I rest thy loving Husband.
"Robert Wade.
" Delaware River, the place called
Upland, the 2d of the 2d month,
1675."
1 In "A Journal of a Voyage to New York in 1679-80," Memoirs of
Long Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 1S3, it is recorded ; " It was late
before we left here and we therefore had time to look around a little and
Bee the remains of the residence of Madame Popegay, who had her dwell-
ing here when she left Tinekonk." The diary the preceding day mentions
that Robert Wade had brought the travelers to Upland after dark, and
"we went to the house of the Quaker who had brought us down." So
that there can be no doubt that the Kssex House was never owned by
Mrs. Pappegoya.
2 "Journal of a Voyage to ■New York in 1679-80.'' Memoiin of Long j
Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 183. '
ride that day; there he conducted them and lodged
them kindly. The next morning being the first day
of the week, they went to Upland (since named
Chester), where a few Friends were met at Robert
Wade's house. After meeting was over they took
boat and went to Salem, where they met with John
Fenwick and several families of Friends, who, with
those at Chester, had come from England in that year
with John Fenwick." '■' It is, however, nowise certain ]
that the Essex House had been built when the first
recorded meeting of Friends in Pennsylvania was held
at Wade's dwelling at Upland, but that it had been '
erected before 1679, the statement of the Labadist
ministers, already quoted as a note, conclusively estab-
lishes.
Governor Andross, on Sept. 25, 1676, promulgated
the Duke of York's laws by proclamation, declaring
that they " Bee likewise in force and practiced in this
River and Precincts," excepting such ordinances as
were peculiarly applicable to Long Island. At the
same time he ordered courts to be held at three places
on the river. That at Upland to be a Court of Quar-
ter Sessions, and to begin on the second Tuesday of the
month.*
The records of these early courts are historically
interesting, for in them is found the story of the
gradual growth of the English system of jurispru-
dence in the State, which will be related elsewhere
in this work.
On March 4, 1681, Charles II. of England signed
the great charter which conveyed to William Penn,
in lieu of the sum of sixteen thousand pounds, which
the king owed to Admiral William Penn, the enor-
mous tract of laud now known as Pennsylvania, and
from that period our early annals become more inter-
esting, for from that time we may date the actual
founding of this great commonwealth. Almost im-
mediately thereafter Penn sent his first cousin, Wil-
liam Markham, to the colony as his Deputy Governor.
It is presumed that he came over in the ship " John
and Sarah," from London, commanded by Henry
Smith, which was the first to arrive here after the
grant was made to Penn. Certain it is that Markham
was in New York about June 15, 1681,* and previous
to the 21st of that month he had presented his com-
mission to the authorities at New York, for on that
date the Governor and Council issued a proclamation
announcing the royal grant and commanding all per-
sons to recognize Markham as Governor of Pennsyl-
vania. On August 3d following he was at Upland
and had assumed the reins of power on the Delaware,
for on the date last mentioned his Council took and
subscribed to the oath of oflice. The members of the
3 Smith's " History of the Province of Pennsylvania." Hazard's Regis-
ter, vol. vi. p. 182.
< Pennna. Archives, 2d series, vol. iii. p. 783.
6 A letter to William Penn from New York, dated June 25, liJ81, says.
"This is to acquaint thee that about ten daies since here arrived Francis
Richardson with tliy Deputy."— Pen;i. Mag. of Hist., vol. vi. p. 175.
THE CmCULAR BOUNDARY LINE.
15
Governor's Council were Robert Wade, Morgan Drewt,
William Woodmanse, William Warner, Thomas
Fairman, James Saudilands, William Clayton, Otto
Ernst Cock, and Lasse Cock, almost every one resi-
dents of the territory now Delaware County. " The
proceedings of their first session were kept secret and
little is known, except that the government of the
new province was established witli the capital at Ujj-
land, where we find Markham holding court on the
30th of November, 1681.'" Markham made his resi-
dence at the Esses House,^ and there the first sum-
mons from Penu, calling a General Assembly, were
written and proclaimed, for, as is well known, the
proprietary was Wade's guest on his first coming to
the province in 1682.
CHAPTER III.
THE CIRCULAK BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN DELA-
AVARE COUNTY AND THE STATE OF DELAWARE.
That Lord Baltimore, long before the royal grant
to Penn, during the Dutch ascendency on the Dela-
ware, had made demand upon the Hollanders for all
the land lying to the south of the fortieth degree north
latitude is fully attested by the published records, but
inasmuch as his representatives never, so far as we
have knowledge, personally came to any locality in
Pennsylvania, the story of that disputed territorial
authority at that time is properly the subject-matter j
of the history of the State of Delaware, and does not
come within the scope of this work.
The controversy respecting the proper adjustment
of the boundary line between the territories of Lord
Baltimore and William Penn was a long and bitter
struggle, which, descending from father to son, cov-
ered nearly a century in tedious and expensive litiga-
tion before it was finally set at rest by the decree of
Lord Chancellor Hardwick and the establishment of
the noted Mason and Dixon line in conformity there-
with. While the southern boundary of Delaware
County presents a circular course extending the State
of Delaware several miles at its northern limit beyond
the straight line which elsewhere forms the southern
boundary of Pennsylvania, that circle constitutes
historically no part of the Mason and Dixon survey,
which, during the Missouri Compromise debates in
1820, was made so familiar to the nation by John
Randolph, who, in his remarks, constantly referred to
it as the imaginary geographical line which marked
the division between the free and slave States. Nearly
four years previous to the grant of the territory to
Penn, for the convenience of the then settlers on the
1 Duke of York's Book of Laws, p. 471.
2 Sept. 23, 1682, Markham lived there, for he says, " Lord Baltimore
was at my lodging at Robert Waile's."— Pmn. Mag. of Hist., vol. vl.
p. 430.
Delaware, an amicable adjustment of the line dividing
New Castle and Upland (afterward Chester County)
was made. At a court held at Upland, Nov. 12, 1678,
this proceeding is recorded as follows: '
"The Limits and Division between this and Now Castle county, were
this day agreed upon and settled By this Court and Mr. John Moll
president of New Castle Court To be as followeth, vizt.
" This County of Upland to begin from ye north syde of oele franseus
Creeke, otherwise Called SteenkiU Lying in the boght above ye verdrie-
tige hoeck, and from the said Creek over to ye singletree point ou the
East syde of the Eiver.'*
This division, Edward Armstrong, in his valuable
note to the " Record of Upland Court," has made
intelligible to the modern reader. The creek, he tells
us, at the time when the boundary line between the
two counties was adjusted, known as Oele Francens,
was at a late date called Streen or Stoney Creek, and
is now recognized as Quarryville Creek, cro.ssing the
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
three and three-quarter miles below the mouth of
Naaman's Creek, in Brandy wine Hundred, New Castle
Co., Del. " Verdrietige hoeck." or corner of land, was
also called Trinity Hook, lying between Shellpot
(a corruption of " Skelldpadde," the Swedish for
"turtle") and Stoney Creeks. "Verdrietige" was a
term derived from the Dutch " verdrietigh," signify-
ing " grievous" or " tedious," owing to the character
of the navigation in approaching that point, while
" Singletree Point" is now " Old Man's Point," on the
New Jersey shore, one mile below the mouth of "Old
Man Creek "
The charter or patent of Charles II. to William
Penn, bearing date the 4th day of March, 1681, as
also in the proclamation of the king, April 2d of the
same year, in defining the territorial boundaries of
Penn's provinces, mentions the circular line as " on
the South by a circle drawn at twelve miles distance
from New Castle northwards and westwards into the
beginning of the fortieth degree of northern latitude
and then by a streight line westwards to the limits of
longitude above mentioned."
After Penn had acquired jurisdiction of the territory
by virtue of the royal grant, he dispatched his cousin,
Capt. William Markham, as his Deputy Governor, to
represent him in the province. The latter, in a letter
to Penn, dated New York, June 25, 1681, says, "This
is to acquaint thee that about ten daies since here
arrived Francis Richardson with thy Deputy," and
on the 3d day of August, 1681, Markham was in
Upland, as stated in the preceding chapter.
In the latter part of August, 1681, Capt. William
Markham, Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, who
had been intrusted by the king with a letter to
Charles, Lord Baltimore, requesting the latter to " ap-
point with all convenient speed some person or per-
sons who may in connection with the agent or agents
of ye said William Penn make a true division & sepa-
ration of ye said Province of Maryland and Pennsil-
^ Record of Upland Court, page 119.
16
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
vania according to the bounds and degree of northern
latitude expressed in our letters patent, &c.," went to
Maryland in order to settle as quickly as might be
the controversy respecting the boundary line between
the two provinces. Markham also took with him a
letter from William Penn to Lord Baltimore, urging
the prompt adjustment of the vexatious dispute. The
lord proprietary of Maryland received Penn's repre-
sentative with marked kindness ; and as the latter
was suffering from indisposition, induced by the in-
tensely warm weather, Baltimore invited Markham to
his house on the Patuxent River, where the latter
became dangerously ill, and for nearly a month was
incapable of being moved. On his recovery he de-
termined to return to Pennsylvania, but before his
departure Baltimore and he arranged to meet at Up-
land on the 16th of October following, where observa-
tions should then be taken to ascertain precisely where
the fortieth degree of northern latitude was, and thus
adjust the disputed point of territorial boundaries.
Markham also promised to borrow from Col. Lewis
Morris, of New York, the necessary instruments for
making the astronomical observations. Unexpected,
the passage of the vessel up Chesapeake Bay to its
head was long and tedious, so that much of the time
Markham had intended for his journey to New York
was thereby consumed. Hence, from the head of the
bay, he addressed a letter to Lord Baltimore, Sept. 25,
1681, requesting that the meeting should be deferred
until the 26th of the same month. When the Deputy
Governor reached Upland he was again taken ill, and
thereupon he wrote to Lord Baltimore, this time in-
forming him that his physical condition was such that
it would be impossible for him to attend to the adjust-
ment of the boundary line until the following spring.
This letter was forwarded, but before it reached its
destination Markham received a communication from
Lord Baltimore, dated Oct. 10, 1681, in which the
latter stated that he could not come to Upland that
year " for fear of the frost," which might intercept
navigation, but inasmuch as the king's wishes in this
matter have not been complied with, his lordship
would place on Blarkham the responsibility of not
meeting that year. In the mean while both parties to
the controversy maintained that his adversary was
trespassing on his domain, and so convinced was Wil-
liam Penn that this was the case, that on Sept. 16,
1681, he addressed letters to six of the most extensive
land-owners in Maryland, whose possessions were lo-
cated within the debatable territory, stating that he
had no doubts that their estates were within his prov-
inces, under his grant from the crown, and notified
them to pay no taxes or assessments in obedience to
any order of the lord proprietary or laws of Mary-
land. This claim on the part of Penn caused many
of the residents of the latter colony to resist the pub-
lic levies, and so general was this sentiment in Balti-
more and Cecil Counties that the military was ordered
to assist the sheriffs in collecting the taxes. Lord
Baltimore, in his account of the difficulty respecting
the boundaries, states that one of Penn's commission-
ers, William Haige, a Quaker, had taken astronomi-
cal observations at the head of the bay (Chesapeake),
and that he was very much dissatisfied at the result
he obtained. Haige afterward went to Patuxent,
where, in an interview with Baltimore, the latter
charged him with having " taken some observations
at Elk river, for his private satisfaction," which Haige
acknowledged he had done, but said the instrument
he had used was so small that nothing decisive could
be arrived at.
The winter of 1681 passed without any definite ac-
tion being had until May 14, 1682, when Lord Balti-
more wrote to Markham, desiring to meet him at
Augustine Herman's plantation' on June 10th, to
adjust boundaries. Markham, who was compelled to
meet the Indians, to make payment for lands he had
purchased from them, could not meet the Maryland
commissioners at the time Baltimore had designated,
since the Indians had deferred their annual hunt, nor
was he ready, inasmuch that he was unable to pro-
cure the use of Col. Morris' instrument until he had
per.sonally visited New York and entered security for
its safe return. For the latter purpose he went to
New York on the 26th of May, 1682, and before he
started he sent a message to Lord Baltimore, ap-
prising him of his journey thither, and requested that
the proposed meeting might be deferred until his re-
turn. Baltimore, however, dispatched commissioners
to represent him at the time fixed by him, and by
them sent a letter to Markham, stating that they were
fully qualified to act in his behalf, and trusting that
they would be met by parties similarly commissioned
on the part of Penn. The Maryland commissioners,
when they reached Herman's plantation, feigned to
be surprised at not meeting Markham's representa-
tives, and on the day designated by Baltimore (June
10, 1682) addressed a letter to Markham, which was
delivered to the Deputy Governor, then in New York,
by George Goforth. In the communication the writers
requested Markham to send the instrument he had
promised to borrow from Col. Morris, as also to dis-
patch duly qualified persons to meet with them. The
Maryland commissioners tarried several days at Her-
man's, ostensibly to await the coming of Markham's
representatives, but in the mean while employed them-
selves in making astronomical observations..^
1 A tract of four thousand acres, still known as Bohemia Manor, Cecil
Co., Md., on the east bank of Elk EiTer, which was patented June 19,
16G2, by Lord Baltimore to Augustine Herman, in consideration of the
latter having undertaken to prepare a map of Maryland. This chart
was engraved and published by Faithorne, in London, in 1G72, and is
very accurate so far as it delineates the western shore of the Chesapeake
and the peninsula lying between the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.
(Johnston's " History of Cecil County, Md.," page 37.)
= Extract of a letter to the Ld Baltimore from the commissioners
appointed by bis lordship to settle the bounds between Maryland and
Pennsylvania, June 17, 1682 (published in Pmmijhauia Mag,mne of
History and Biogmphy, vol. vi. p. 418, note) :
" Wee have taken three severall observations & in all of them have not
THE CIRCULAR BOUNDARY LINE.
17
The letter from the commissioners to Markham, as
before stated, was delivered to him in New York, and
he immediately procured the instrument, which he
sent in a sloop to New Castle, and made his way
homeward by land to Burlington, where he took a j
boat for the remaining distance. Pending these move- •
ments on the part of the Deputy Governor of Penn-
sylvania, the Maryland commissioners had gone to
New Castle, — out of " a curiosity to see yt Towne," as
they said, — and when they got there they learned
that the sloop having Col. Morris' astronomical in-
strument was at the landing. They, aided by the
entreaties of the Dutch inhabitants of the place, per- ;
suaded Capt. Criger, himself a Dutchman, to permit
them to make use of the instrument. On Tuesday, ;
June 27, 1682, it being a very clear day, the commis-
sioners made several observations, and found that
town was in thirty-nine degrees forty odd minutes
north latitude. The next day Markham went to New
Castle, where he learned that the Maryland commis-
sioners had left the place the very night of the day
they had used the instrument which the Governor of
Pennsylvania had had so much trouble to procure.
The following morning Markham sent William Haige
to Herman's plantation, trusting that the Marylanders
had gone thither, but before he got there they had
renewed their journey southward. Markham there-
upon wrote to Baltimore explaining his absence, and
received in reply an intimation that in September he
(Baltimore) proposed to send his commissioners again
to meet him, and perhaps he might personally accom-
pany them. On September 12th, Lord Baltimore
sailed from Patuxent, reaching the Elk River on the
19th of the same month. There was no accommoda-
tion for his suite at Herman's, and after he had dis-
patched a message to Markham, who was then at
Burlington, Lord Baltimore, with a number of per-
sons, went to New Castle, from which place, on the
evening of the 23d of September, he embarked in
boats for Upland, reaching the latter hamlet that
night. He lodged at the dwelling of Robert Wade,
where Markham then dwelt. The following morning
(Sunday) Markham (who had been informed that
Baltimore was at New Castle, had hastened his return
to meet him, and had reached home the same night
that the Marylanders came to Upland) called on
Lord Baltimore. The latter was accompanied by Col.
Corsie, Maj. Seawell, Maj. Sawyer, four commission-
ers, and forty men " armed with carbines, pistols, and
differed two niiuutes & wee find Mr. Augustin Hermau's house to lye
in the latitude of 39d & 45in so that your Lordship has 15m. yet from
hence due North which will go not farr short of Upland & this differs
very little from their own observation lately taken as wee are credibly
informed wee have used our endeavors in letting all here know of your
Lordship's Desire to have the bounds determined & all seem much satis-
fled with your Lordship's proceedings much blaiming Mr. Markham
that after so many flourishes he should bee thus backward; Wee ques-
tion but ye Lines will fall to answer yor Lordship's expectacons & our
true endeavors shall not be wanting to give your Lordship satisfac-
swords." The lord proprietary of Maryland, al-
though Markham stated that it was the Sabbath, and
not a day for the transaction of business, requested
that his own as well as Col. Morris' instruments
should be set up, so that it would be known how they
agreed. Markham at length consented, it being un-
derstood that the degree of latitude should be ascer-
tained the following day; but while the Pennsylva-
nians were absent one of Lord Baltimore's attendants
took an observation, and reported that he found the
latitude of Upland was thirty-nine degrees forty-five
minutes. Next morning Baltimore desired to go far-
ther up the river, as far as the fortieth degree, and,
that ascertained, to follow that line westward as the
boundary of the province. Markham, however, de-
clined this proposition, stating that he (Baltimore)
could have no claim on the river twelve miles north-
ward of New Castle, because the king's grant to Wil-
liam Penn fully covered all the land on the Delaware
above that point. Baltimore replied that he had
nothing to do with the grant to Penn, but would be
guided by the grant the king had made to him, many
years before Penn's charter. The dispute thereupon
waxed warm, during which Baltimore declared that
he did not propose to bring the matter before the
king and his Council, but designed to take his own
wherever he found it ; that if, as Markham asserted.
New Castle was the centre of the circle, and a sweep
therefrom must be had before the beginning of the
direct line westward was established, " his Majesty
must have long compasses." The interview terminated
by Markham refusing to permit Lord Baltimore to
ascend the river to make observations, and a demand
from the latter that the Deputy Governor of Pennsyl-
vania should furnish his reasons for his action in
writing, a request which the latter immediately com-
plied with.' The two Governors, however, agreed to
meet at New Castle the next day, so that the point
of forty degrees might be determined at the head of
Chesapeake Bay.
In the afternoon of the 20th of September Lord
Baltimore left Upland for New Castle, but before he
stepped into the boat at the landing he spoke in a
1 This letter is published in 6 Penn. Mag, of History and Biography,
p. 432 :
" To Bis ExceU'y My Lord Baltimort :
" Whereas your lordship hath been pleased to Desire a reason of me
under my Hand why 1 concurr not with yourlordshippin Laying out the
bounds of this province Pennsilvania upon Delaware river: My Lord
This is my reason that as I received all yt part of The river Delaware
beginning 12 Miles above New Castle Towne and so Upwards, ffrom The
Government of New York which is according to The Express words of
his Majesty's Letters Patent To our Proprietory Wm. Penn Esqr I most
humbly Conceive That I am not to be accoumptuble to any other person
Than his Majesty or Koyall Highness ffor any part of This Province lay-
ing upon DelawareRiver&soeboundedbut if your Lordshippbe willing
to lay out ye bounds betwixt This Province and your Lordshipp's Laying
towards Chesapeake Bay and The rivere on That side I am ready and
willing to wayte upon your Lordship for yt end A purpose.
" Upland in Pennsylvania 7ber 29th 1682.
*' I am mv Lord your Lordshipps most Humble Servt
" Wm. Maekoau."
18
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
loud voice to Markham, who was present, together
with a number of the residents of the place. " You
are sensible, Capt. Markham, that by an observation
taken yesterday that this plantation is in thirty-nine
degrees forty-seven minutes and some seconds, and
must therefore be sensible that I am here about twelve
miles to the southward of the degree of forty, which is
my north bound as the same is Mr. Penn's south
bound. Therefore, afore you and all the rest here
present, I lay claim to this place and as far further as
the degree of forty will reach." To this claim of Lord
Baltimore, Markham made no response, but with
courteous attention conducted the former to the boat,
and thus they parted. Baltimore, as he descended
the river, halted at Marcus Hook, where he lauded,
and, going to each of the dwellings at that place, pro-
hibited the residents from paying any more quit-rents
to Penn, as the land did not come within his territory,
but was part of Maryland, and that he, Baltimore,
would return suddenly and take possession of his own.
This notification, particularly as the one who made it
was attended with the pomp and circumstance of
power, caused the utmost consternation among the
settlers, who repaired to Upland the next day, just as
Markham — the instrument being placed on board a
boat — was al.iout starting on horseback with his at-
tendants for New Castle, and so great was the excite-
ment consequent on Lord Baltimore's unexpected
claim that Markham called his Council immediately
together, and they decided that the Deputy Governor
must remain at Upland " to quiet the disturbed peo-
ple." Whereupon Markham wrote to Lord Baltimore
that he could not meet him at New Castle under the
circumstances.'
Although the proprietaries of the two provinces
could not adjust their dispute, for the expediency of
the inhabitants the court at Chester, on March 14,
1683, declared that Naaman's Creek should be the
boundary line between the two counties; and so
generally was this recognized, that Thomas Holme,
surveyor-general under Penn, in his " map of the
improved part of the Province of Pennsylvania in
America," observes this division.
Nevertheless there was some confusion still exist-
ing, hence ten years later, in 1693, a petition was pre-
sented by some of the inhabitants of Chester County
to the Governor and Council, stating that they were
seriously inconvenienced because of there being no
authoritatively recognized line between that county
and New Castle. The Council after discussing the
topic, on the 9th of August, 1693,—
•'Besatved, Tliat for tlie present conveuience of the government, and
not for an absolute and final proprietarie division, but that the inhabit-
ants on the borders of both counties may Know to which of the two to
pay their levies, taxes, etc., and perform their other countle services, the
bounds of New Castle co\inty shall extend northward to the mouth of
I creek and upwards along the southwest side of the Northmost
For fuller particulars of the interview between Baltin
m see f» Venn. Mag. of Uutortj anii Biography, p. 412.
branch (excluding the townships of Concord and Bethel), and not to ex-
tend backwards of the said northmost branch above the said two town-
For eight years the boundary thus established
seemed to meet in a measure the demands of the
sparsely-settled country immediately effected thereby,
although the constantly-growing disposition on the
part of the inhabitants of the three lower counties
(now the State of Delaware) to separate from the ter-
ritory comprising the commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania was often manifested during the interval, and
at length culminated in a petition from the Assembly
to Penn, 20th of Seventh month, 1701, in which they
urge " that the division line between the counties
of New Castle and Chester be ascertained allowing
the boundary according to the proprietarj^'s letters
patent from the King." Penn, then in Philadelphia,
in response to this petition, replied, " It is my own
inclination, and I desire the representatives of New
Castle and Chester Counties forthwith, or before they
leave town, to attend me about the time and man-
ner of doing it." In conformity with the wish of
Penn a conference was held, which resulted in a
warrant being issued 28th of Eighth month, 1701, to
Isaac Taylor, surveyor of Chester County, and Thomas
Pierson, surveyor of New Castle County, requiring
them to meet the magistrates of the two counties, or
any three of them, and, — " In their presence to ad-
measure and survey from the town of New Castle the
distance of twelve miles in a right line up ye said
river and from ye said distance according to ye
King's letters patent and deeds from the Duke and
ye said circular line to be well-marked two-thirds
parts of ye semi-circle."
The surveyor designated made report that, on the
4th day of Tenth month (December), 1701, in the
presence of Cornelius Empson, Richard Halliwell,
and John Richardson, justices of New Castle County,
and Caleb Pusey, Philip Roman, and Robert Pyle,
justices of Chester County, they ran the division lines,
beginning at the point of the radial line, which was
selected by the magistrates "at the end of the horse
dyke next to the town of New Castle." Thence they
measured due north twelve miles, the termination of
: that distance being " a white oak marked with twelve
i notches standing on the west side of Brandywine
' Creek, in the lands of Samuel Helm ;" thence, east-
i wardly, " circularly changing our course from the east
southward one degree at the end of every sixty-seven
perches, which is the chord of one degree to a twelve
miles radius ; and at the end of forty-three chords we
came to the Delaware River, on the upper side of
Nathaniel Lampley's old house at Chichester." The
: surveyors then returned to the marked white oak on
Helm's land and ran a westwardly course, changing, as
before, " our course one degree from the west-south-
ward at the cud of every sixty-seven perches, . . . until
we had extended seventy-seven chords, which, being
added to the forty-three chords, make two-thirds part
THE CIRCULAR BOUNDARY LINE.
19
of the semi-circle to a twelve-mile radius, all which
said circular lines being well marked with three
notches on each side of the trees to a marked hick-
ory standing near the western branch of Christiana
Creek."
The cost of the survey to the county of Chester is
exhibited in the annexed interesting report of the
Grand Jury :
" Chestee the 24 of the 12 month 1701-2.
"We of the Grand .Jury for the county having duly considered and
carefully adjusted an account of charges contracted by running a cir-
cular line dividing this county from the county of New Castle and set-
tling the boundaries and having duly and deliberately debated every
article of the said account, do allow of the sum of twenty-six pounds
nine shillings due to be paid by the county for said work.
Cowp
Foren
Although there is a general impression that Mason j
and Dixon afterwards ran the circular line, that is a
popular error ; nor is it true, as stated in an excellent
article published in a leading American periodical,
that " in the difficulty of tracing this circle was the
origin of the work of Mason and Dixon." ' The sur-
vey of Isaac Taylor and Thomas Pierson, in 1701, be-
fore described, is the only one ever made of the cir-
cular boundary between Pennsylvania and Delaware.
The act of May 28, 1715,' providing "for corrobo-
rating the circular line between the counties of Ches-
ter and New Castle," seems to have been a dead letter ]
from its passage, and was repealed July 21, 1719.
It is an interesting fact, in view of the ease with
which the justices, in 1701, arrived at the point in j
New Castle where the twelve-mile radius should :
begin,—" the end of the horse dyke next to the town ;
of New Castle,"— to recall the manner in which the
commissioners of Maryland, in 1750, attempted to '
reach a like starting-point. In the diary of John
Watson,' one of the surveyors on behalf of Pennsyl- 1
vania on that occasion, he mentions that the map of
the Maryland officials had a puncture in it at a desig-
nated place within the limits of the town of New
Castle from which they contended the radius of twelve |
miles should be measured. Watson subsequently
learned that this point had been ascertained in this
wise : " The commissioners of Maryland had con-
structed an exact plan of the town of New Castle
upon a piece of paper, and then carefully pared away
the edges of the draught until no more than the
draught was left, when, sticking a pin through it, they
suspended it thereby in different ]>laces until they
found a place whereby it might be suspended hori-
zontally, which point or place they accepted as the
centre of gravity," hence the centre of the town.
As the notches made by Taylor and Pierson to
mark the circular line in the lapse of time were ob-
literated, thereafter to be recalled only in vague and
1 Hwjm'^8 Magazine^ vol. liii. p. 549. '
- Dallas' "Laws of Pennsylvania," vol. i. ii. 105. i
s Tliis diary in good preservation is owned by the Historical Society \
of Pennsylvania, to whom it was presented by the late William D. Gil- .
pin, of Philadelphia. Gilpin stated that he found it among some old I
papers whicii liad been sent to his mill as waste.
uncertain traditions, and as the story that on the re-
examination, in 1768, by Mason and Dixon, of the
line surveyed in 1751 by Emorj-, Jones, Parsons,
Shankland, and Killen, that the "middle stone,"
planted by the latter surveyors at the southwestern
boundary of the State of Delaware, was found over-
thrown by money-diggers, who believed because of its
armorial bearing that it had been set up by Capt.
Kidd to mark the spot where part of his ill-gotten
treasures were secreted, had shifted its location many
times, the impression became general that the stone
planted by Mason and Dixon to mark the intersection
of the three States had also been removed. Hence,
in 1849, the Legislature of Pennsylvania authorized
the Governor to appoint a commissioner to act in con-
junction with similar commissioners representing the
States of Delaware and Maryland to determine the
points of intersection, and to place a mark or monu-
ment thereon to indicate its location. On behalf of
Pennsylvania, Joshua P. Eyre, of Delaware County,
was appointed commissioner. George Read Kiddle
represented Delaware, and H. G. S. Key, Maryland.
The commissioners made application to the Secretary
of War to detail Lieut.-Col. James R. Graham, of the
corps of Topographical Engineers, who had acquired
considerable prominence in adjusting the boundary
of the United States and Mexico, to make the neces-
sary surveys. On Oct. 30, 1849, the commissioners
assembled at Annapolis, Md., where they had access
to the notes of Mason and Dixon, as well as the
agreement dated May 10, 1732, between Charles, Lord
Baltimore, and the heirs and successors of William
Penn, as also the subsequent agreement between
Frederick, Lord Baltimore, and Thomas and Richard
Penn, surviving heirs of William Penn, dated July
4, 1760, and the decree of Lord Chancellor Hardwick,
May 15, 1750, which was the basis of the final settle-
ment of the long controversy.
The commissioners, we are told by the accomplished
historians of Chester County,* at the northeast corner
of Maryland — the commencement of the Mason and
Dixon east and west line — found that the stone planted
in 1768 to designate the spot, in a deep ravine, on the
margin of a small brook near its source, was missing.
That several years before the commissioners visited
the place it had fallen to the earth, and had been
taken away an<l used as a chimney-piece by a resident
in the neighborhood, who, with some slight propriety,
had driven a stake into the ground to mark the spot
where the stone once stood. The commissioners at
that point erected a new stone with the letter P on the
north and east sides, and M on the south and west
sides. At the junction of the three States the com-
missioners set up a triangular prismatic post of cut
granite, eighteen inches wide on each side and seven
feet in length. It was inserted four and a half feet
in the ground, and occupies the exact spot where the
< Futhey and Cope 's "History of Cheater County, Pa.," p. lOO.
20
HISTOllY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
old unmarked stone placed there by Mason and Dixon
was found by Col. Graham in 1849, who had the old
boundarj' mark buried alongside of its more modern
and pretentious fellow. This new stone is marked
with the letters M, P, and D, on the sides facing re-
spectively towards the States of Maryland, Pennsyl-
vania, and Delaware. On the north side, below the
letter P, are the names of the commissioners in deep-
cut letters, with the date 1849.
Col. Graham, in his report, says, —
"At the meridian or middle point of the arc, corresponding to the
length of the cliord as we actually found it, and at the distance of one
hundred and eighteen and four-tenths feet perpendicular from the
middle point of said chord, a post of cut granite six feet long was inserted
in the ground four and a half feet of its length. This stone squares
seventeen by fourteen inches. It is rounded on the west side to indicate
that it is on the curve, and on the east side the date 1849 is cut in deep
figures.
" The circular boundary between Pennsylvania and Delaware from I
the point of junction of the three States to river Delaware being yet un- i
marked, and a number of citizens residing near the common border being
in doubt whether as to which State they belonged, the survey was con- ,
ducted with such precision as to enable us to describe that boundary 1
correctly, as will appear upon our map, for a distance of about three and j
three-quarter miles northwestward from junction. AVe have determined
the distauce by computation at which a due east line from northeast
corner of Maryland will cut that circular boundary, and find it to be four
thousand and thirty-six feet, or seven sixty-six of a mile. We have also
computed the angle with the meridian at the said northeast corner
made by a Hue drawn from thence to the spire of the court-house at
New Castle, and find it to be 70 degi-ees,20 minutes, and 45 seconds east
of south. At the distance of 3786 feet, measured by the said line from
the aforesaid northeast corner, this line will intersect the circular boun-
dary."' )
As Stated before, no survey of the circular line be-
tween Delaware and Pennsylvania has ever been
made since that run by Isaac Ta5'lor and Thomas
Pierson, in 1701, and it may be asserted without fear
of contradiction that no person at this time knows
exactly where the line dividing New Castle County,
Del., and Delaware County, Pa., is, and where it en-
ters the river.
CHAPTER IV.
WILLIAM PENN'S FIRST VOYAGE TO HIS PROVINCE
IN 1632--THE CHANGE OF THE NAME UPLAND TO
CHESTER, AND THE REASON IT WAS MADE.
As stated in the preceding chapter, as soon as Penn
had acquired title to the three lower counties,-— the
1 Col. Graham states that the want of a proper demarkation of bound-
aries between States is always a source of inconvenience and frequently
of great trouble to parties residing therein, who are uncertain as to
which State their taxes and personal services.jury duty and the like, are
due. He tells us that tbey found that William Smith, who had served
as a member of the Legislature of Delaware, resided fully half a luile
within Pennsylvania, measured on the shortest dii-ection from his dwell-
ing-house to the circular boundary.
2 Futhey and Cope, in a note to their UistoryofCbeBter County, page
20, state, "Although the territory west of the Delaware had been gov-
erned by the Duke of York, he at the time held no valid title to any part
of it. King Charles II. made a regular conveyance to him of the country
Comprised within the present territorial limits of the State of Delaware
present State of Delaware, — he made his arrangements
to visit his colony, and so energetically did he act
that in less than one week after the execution of the
deeds by the duke on the 30th day of the Sixth month
(August, — for the Friends of those days computed the
year as beginning on the 1st of March), he sailed for
Pennsylvania from Deal in the ship " Welcome," of
three hundred tons burden, Kobert Greenaway, com-
mander, accompanied by about one hundred com-
panions, mostly Friends, from Sussex, England. The
voyage was lengthy (smallpox having broken out on
the vessel, of which disease thirty of the emigrants
died on the pa.ssage), and on the 27th day of October,
1682, the " Welcome" stopped at New Castle, where
Penn landed, and took possession of the three lower
counties with all the pomp and circumstance usual at
that time in the formal transfer of estates. It is known
he stayed at New Castle all night, and the next day
the vessel stood up the river and cast anchor off" the
mouth of Chester Creek, opposite the house of Rob-
ert Wade, for, as is stated in the manuscript book of
Evan Oliver, a passenger on the " Welcome," " We
arrived at Upland in peusilvania in America, ye 28tli
of ye 8th month, '82." '
Dr. Smith, in referring to the landing of Penn,
says, " He landed at ^Upland, but the place was to
bear that familiar name no more forever. Without
reflection, Penn determined that the name of the
place should be changed. Turning round to his
friend Pearson, one of his own society, who had
accompanied him in the ship ' Welcome,' he said,
' Providence has brought us here safe. Thou hast
been the companion of my perils. What wilt thou
that I should call this place?' Pearson said, 'Ches-
ter,' in remembrance of the city from whence he
came. William Penn replied that it should be called
Chester, and that when he divided the land into
counties one of them should be called by the same
name. Thus for a mere whim the name of the oldest
town, the name of the whole settled part of the prov-
ince, the name that would have a place in the affec-
tions of a large majority of the inhabitants of the
new province, was effaced to gratify the caprice or
vanity of a friend. All great men occasionally do
little things." *
Although Dr. Smith cites Clarkson's Life of Penu
and Hazard's Annals in support of this statement, it
will not bear investigation. We know that Penn is-
sued his proclamation three weeks after his arrival at
Chester to the several sheriffs of the counties of Ches-
ter, Philadelphia, and Bucks, as well as the three
lower counties, to hold an election for a General As-
sembly, to convene at " Upland.'" The original letter
of Penn, now in the Historical Society of Peunsyl-
on the 22d of March, 1683 ; the deeds from the duke to Penn for the
same country were executed on the 24th of August, 1682. See Hazard's
Register, vol. i. p. 429, 430 ; vol. ii. p. 27."
a Note in Martin's " History of Chester," p. 02.
^ Smith's "History of Delaware County," i». 139.
WILLIAM PENN'S FIRST VOYAGE TO HIS PROVINCE IN 1682.
21
vania, addressed to several gentlemen requesting them
to meet him on the following " so-called Thursday, No-
vember 2, 1682," is dated " Upland, October 29, 16S2," ■
the day after his arrival, clearly indicating that he 1
did not change the name of this city in the dramatic '
manner tradition has stated. There is no authentic
list of the passengers on the " Welcome" extant, I
although Edward Armstrong has gathered the names ;
of several of Penn's companions in the ship, which
are generally accepted as well established by evi-
dence, excepting that in that list the name of
Pearson appears, to which is added, " supposed to be
Robert," a statement that may well be questioned.
As this mythical personage is represented to be an |
eminent member of the society of Friends, the rec-
ords of meetings ought to disclose his Christian name,
but it has never been found among the list of the
early settlers. Hence we have reason to believe that
the first person of the name of Pearson in this prov-
ince was Thomas, and we know that neither of the
Thomas Pearsons — for there were two of that name —
came here until the following year, 1683.' The second
of that cognomen in a diary memorandum written by
himself, also in the Historical Society's collection,
clearly states when he came. To quote his own words,
after setting forth his various adventures, he says,
" On ye 25th day of July, in ye year 1683, I set sail
from Kingroad, in ye ' Comfort,' John Reed, Master, \
and arrived at Upland in Pennsylvania ye 28th '
of September 1683," almost a year after Penn's
arrival. In the report of the vestry of St. Paul's
Church, Chester, to the Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in the year 1704, I
occurs this sentence : " The people of Chester County
showed very early zeal to have the Church of Eng- I
land worship settled among them. This county is so '
called because most of the inhabitants of it came
from Cheshire, in England. Chester, the chief town !
of the county, is finely situated on the river Dela- !
ware." '
1 Martin's " Historj- of Ohester," page 499. See" Queries," Penua. Mag.
of Bislory, vol. iii. page 368, where the ubiquitous Mr. Pearson presents
himself once more in a uew light and demanding unexpected honors.
The statement in the Tolume just cited is that in a recent life of Ben-
jamin West it is said, " In the year 1677 or 167S, one Thomas Pear-
son, from England, settled in a cave on the west bank of the Delaware
River, now below Philadelphia. He was a blacksmith by trade, and,
it is said, wielded the first smith's hammer in Pennsylvania. About the '
first work done was to make small axes for his Indian neighbors, who
in their short way termed him Tom or Tommy. In'their language the
word hawk signifies any tool used for cutting, hence the origin of the
word tomahawk." That this was " the Pearson" is settled by the state- j
mentin the same book quoted from that he was the grandfather of Ben- I
jamin West. Here then is the man who, before Penn came, was the ,
only blacksmith in Pennsylvania making " little hatchets" for the In-
dians, and from his Christian name and that of the article he produced
caused the savages to coin the word " tomahawk." Pearson (sup-
posed to be Robert) turns up in 1082 a passenger on the ship"W-el-
come," and the proprietary, especially for this Pearson's benefit,
changes the name of "Upland" to " Chester" instantly and without re-
flection. In the fulure some enterprising historian may yet discover
the man who swallowed the first oyster, and I have no doubt that Friend
Pearson will have liis claims present for that noteworthy act, and in all
probability have that claim allowed.
Bampfylde Moore Carew, the celebrated " King of
the Mendicants," who, while escaping from banish-
ment in Virginia, passed through Chester in 1739, in
relating his adventures, records that he came " to
Chester, so called because the people who first settled
there came for the most part from Cheshire. . . . The
place is also called Upland." Thirty years previous
to Carew's coming, Oldmixon stated, in 1708, when
mentioning the town of Chester, "This place is called
Upland," and when he alludes to Chester County he
gives the like and true reason for the name that Carew
did: "so called because the people who first settled
here came for the most part from Cheshire in Eng-
land." - The Labadist missionaries, Danckers and
Sluyter, record, nearly three years before Penn's
coming, in describing their journey down the Dela-
ware in 1679, that "It clearing up towards evening
we took a canoe and came after dark to Upland. This
is a small village of Swedes, although it is now over-
run by English."'
In a letter from Penn, Nov. 1, 1682, the epistle is
dated from Upland ; but subsequently, Dec. 16, 1682,
from West River, Md., Penn writes, "That an As-
sembly was held at Chester, alias Upland." These
circumstances clearly establish that the official change
of name had taken place previous to the last date and
subsequent to the preceding one. In the letter of
December 16th is the first time we have record of the
name of Chester as applied to the old Swedish settle-
ment at Upland.
The most rational conclusion is that Penn, when he
changed the name of the town, doubtless within a
few weeks after his arrival, and also designated the
county of the like name when he divided the settled
parts of Pennsylvania into three divisions, he did so
in deference to the desire of the English settlers who
had " overrun" the town, the major part of whom had
come from that locality in England. As stated in the
extracts quoted, the name of the shire-town soon
became Chester, although its ancient name did not
entirely disappear from familiar use until nearly
three-quarters of a century had elapsed after William
Penn's first visit to the province. The Pearson story
for the first time appeared in our annals in Clark-
son's " Life of Penn," a work which was not published
until more than a century had elapsed after the inci-
dents therein first recorded are said to have occurred.
Until the publication of the work just alluded to, no
writer makes any mention of the change of name
having been suggested to Penn by "his friend Pear-
son."
The Swedes, we are told by Acrelius, received the
English proprietan,- and his companions with great
friendliness, carried up their goods and furniture from
- " The British Empire in
Register, vol. v. p. 180.
3 " Journal of a Voyage I
and .Jasper Danckers ; Menr
vol. i. p 183.
, by J. Oldmixon, in Hazard's
Sew York in 1679-80," by Peter Sluyter
i of the Long Island Historical Society,
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the ships, and entertained them in their houses with-
out charge, " as many aged Quakers still relate with
great pleasure." '
Peun, when he landed, resided temporarily at the
dwelling-house of Robert Wade, and that fact has
rendered the " Essex House" famous in our State
annals. Penn remained but a short time there as the
guest of Wade, for after his return to Chester from
New York, whither he had gone to "pay his duty"
to the Duke of York by a visit to the latter's repre-
sentative in that place, as well as from his visit to
Maryland, he lodged, according to tradition, at the
Boar's Head lun, a noted public-house at Chester in
the early days, which stood until March 20, 1848,
when it was destroyed by an incendiary fire.
CHAPTER V.
THE FIRST ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND
THE HOUSE WHEREIN IT MET. j
1
Ox the 18th day of November, 1682, three weeks
after his arrival in the colony, William Penn issued |
his writs requiring the sheriffs of the several counties, |
in their respective bailiwicks, " to summon all the
freeholders to meet on the SOth inst and elect out of i
themselves seven persons of the most note for wisdom, j
sobriety and integrity to serve as their deputies and '
representatives in General Assembly to be held at
Upland, in Pennsylvania, December 6th (4th) next." ]
In pursuance of this proclamation the Assembly
met at Chester on the day designated, Dec. 4, 1682,
and organized by the election of Nicholas Moore, of |
Philadelphia County, president of the " Free Society
of Traders," as chairman of that body. After the
appointment of committees, four of the members were
selected to apprise the Governor that the Assembly
" humbly desired him to honor the House with a trans-
mission of his constitutes."
It is an interesting historical fact that the very first i
record in the commonwealth regarding the meeting
of a legislative body discloses that then, as now, '
" ways that are dark" were resorted to in the effort to i
secure the election of members in the interest of par-
ticular individuals. On that occasion Edmund Cant-
well, the sheriff of New Castle County, was charged
witli " undue electing a member to serve in Assembly
from that county," in which effort he was ullimately
thwarted, for the Committee on Elections and Priv-
ileges reported adversely to Abraham Mann, the
^ Acrelius, "History of New Sweden," p. 111. That autlior returned
to Sweden iu 1756, and doubtless he might have talked to old pereutiB
wlio could recall the incideix-H comnected with the arrival of the pro-
prietary, as such an event would make a lasting impression on their
sheriff's candidate, and in favor of John Moll, who
was contesting his seat, in which conclusion the
House concurred.
The first two days of the session were consumed in
hearing the case of contested election just mentioned,
the adoption of rules governing the meeting, passing
the act of union, which annexed " the three lower
counties" (those comprising the present State of Del-
aware), and providing for the naturalization of the
inhabitants thereof, as well as the Swedes, Finns, and
Dutch settlers in Pennsylvania. On the third day
they received from William Penn the " Printed
Laws" and the " Written Laws, or Constitutions."
The "Printed Laws" were "the laws agreed upon in
England," which had been prepared by learned coun-
sel there, at Penn's desire, and printed in that country,
and the " Written Laws, or Constitutions," were the
ninety bills presented to the Assembly by the propri-
etary, out of which the meeting passed the sixty-one
chapters of " the great body of the laws." ' A strange
fact is that not one of those enactments, as adopted,
is now in force in this commonwealth. As soon as
the statutes had been acted on, the members from the
lower counties particularly became anxious to return
to their homes, and so intimated to the Assembly.
The Speaker considered this desire to adjourn as un-
becoming in the members, and bordering on an insult
to the Governor. A committee of two of the deputies
was appointed to wait upon Penn respecting it, and
he consented " that the Assembly be adjourned for
twenty-one days, which was accordingly ordered by
the Speaker.'' The body failed to meet again at the
time designated by adjournment, and at the next reg-
ular Assembly in Philadelphia it is recorded that the
Speaker " reproves several members for neglecting to
convene at the time appointed when the House last
adjourned."
Nearly forty years ago an old structure stood on the
western side of Edgmont Avenue, north of Second
Street, which was commonly termed " The Old As-
sembly House," because of the popular belief that it
was in this building that the first Assembly couvened
in Pennsylvania, Dec. 4, 1682. Dr. George Smith, in
his valuable " History of Delaware County," conclu-
sively established the fact that this building was the
first meeting-house of Friends iu Chester, and was not
erected until 1693, hence the first Assembly, which
held its session more than ten years before that date,
could not have met in that structure. We know that
on the 6th day of the First month, 1687, Jiiran Kyn,
or Keen, made a deed conveying a lot in Chester, ad-
joining his "lot or garding," to certain persons in trust,
" to use and behoof of the said Chester meeting of the
people of God called Quakers, and their successors for-
ever," and on this lot, now included in William P.
: For a most interesting disquisition on the subject of the laws, the
number enacted at the session of the Assembly, and other valuable in-
formation iu relation thereto, see " Historical Notes, Pari II., Appendix
to the Duke's Book of Laws," pp. 477-482.
THE FIRST ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
23
Eyre's ground, on Edgmont Avenue, the ancient meet-
ing-house was built.
Dr. Smith thereupon argues that the Assembly must
have met in the court-house, or, as it was then known,
" The House of Defense," which stood on the eastern
side of Edgmont Avenue, above Second Street, and
so projected into the roadway that, when Edgmont
Avenue was regularly laid out as a street, it had to be
removed. The doctor rightly thinks, "It was the
only public building in Upland, at the time, of which
we have any knowledge." Martin, in his " History
of Chester," accepts the doctor's conclusions as un-
questionably accurate. Nevertheless, both of these
able historians are in error in this. The thought es-
caped them that perhaps Penn saw that the "House
of Defense" was too small for the purpose intended,
and therefore a private dwelling was used for the
meeting of the members.*
Mrs. Deborah Logan informs us in her notes to the
" Penn and Logan Correspondence," ^ that the Assem-
bly convened in the large, or, as then termed, " The
Double House," by way of distinction, which James
Sandilands, the elder, had erected for his own dwell-
ing which stood near the creek, and subsequently,
when the road to Philadelphia was laid out, near that
highway. On an old plan of the borough of Chester,
made about 1765, now owned by William B. Broomall,
Esq., of that city, the lot on which " The Double
House" stood is designated as beginning about one
hundred and thirty feet southerly from the intersection
of the present Edgmont Avenue and Third Street. The
lot itself was about one hundred and twenty feet front
on the west side of Edgmont Avenue. This house,
which was spacious and pretentious for those times, —
and would even now be regarded as an unusually large
dwelling, — had unfortunately been built with mortar
made of oyster-shell lime, which proved utterly value- j
less. In a few years the building showed signs of decay,
then became a ruin, and as .such continued until the be-
ginning of the present century, when its foundations
were removed. In time its very existence was gen-
erally forgotten, so much so that, as is mentioned,
some of our most accurate and painstaking historians j
were unacquainted with the fact that it had ever per- {
formed the important part it did in our early colonial j
annals. I
In considering the location of the house wherein
the Assembly convened, it is unnecessary to refer to
the first meeting-house of Friends. The fact that it
was not built previous to 1693 is proved conclusively
from the original minutes of the Society, which takes
1 The "House of Defense," we are told by Edward Armstrong, in ;
his admirable notes to "The Eeoord of Upland Court," p. 202, "was '
rectangular in shape, its size was 14 by 15 feet, and, according to meas- ,
urement, its S. E. corner stood about 84 feet from the N. E. corner of
Front and Filbert. The northeru portion of the house of Mrs. Sarah P.
Combe occupies about eleven feet of the south end of the site of the I
House of Defense." I
2 Vol. i. p. 46; "Descendants of Jiiran Kyn," the founder of Upland.
By Professor Gregory B. Keen, Peuim. Mag. of Hislorii, vol. ii. p. 446. I
it entirely out of the controversy. After standing
one hundred and fifty-two years it was torn down in
April, 1845, by Joshua P. and William Eyre, the then
owners of the property.
I believe that the Assembly met in the double
house and not the Hou.se of Defense, and my reasons
for this opinion are briefly these.
The first record we have of the site of the Assem-
bly building will be found in " The Traveller's Di-
rectory,"^ wherein it is stated in the notice of Chester
that " The first Colonial Assembly for the province
was convened in this place on the fourth day of
December, 1682. ' A part uf the old iraft of th>- room
stiil remahix.' "
This wall could not have been part of the old
House of Defense, for July 13, 1728, George McCall
and Ann, his wife (Jasper Yeates' eldest daughter),
and John Yeates conveyed to George Ashbridge the
house now owned by the heirs of the late Sarah P.
Coombs, which dwelling, according to Armstrong, on
the north side occupies about eleven feet of the south
end of the site of the House of Defense. On May 5,
1797, George Ashbridge, the grandson of the grantee
just mentioned, sold the property to Dorothy Smith
and Zedekiah Wyatt Graham as joint tenants. In
1798, Mrs. Smith and Mr. Graham, brother and sister,
both died of the yellow fever, and the property passed
to their nephew and four nieces in equal shares. At
that time the passage-way on the north side of the
house was paved, and rose-bushes and other shrubbery
grew in a bed alongside of the fence which divided
the Smith and Graham property on the north from
that of Henry Hale Graham. No part of a wall was
to be seen at the point designated several years before
the beginning of this century, and it must have been
there in 1802 had it been the site of the Assembly
House.
Official evidence, however, tells us that almost a
hundred years before the "Traveller's Directory"
was printed, the House of Defense was destroyed, for
at the November court, 1703, the grand jury pre-
sented " the old Court hous, being a nuisance to the
town in case of fire, and also the chimney of Henry
3 " The Traveller's Directory or Pocket Companion. By S. S. Moore
and T. W. Jones, Philadelphia. Published by Mathew Carey, 1802."
An exceedingly rare volume, in library of Pennsylvania Historical
Society. Fifteen years subsequent to the publication of the Directory
a correspondent of the West Chester Federalist visited Cliester and re-
cords that, " On the bank of Chester Creek, which passes through the
town, there is still shown an old wall, now making a part of a dwelling
house, which formed one side of the first hall of justice in Pennsyl-
vania—answering for the sessions of the Legislature and the Court of
Justice, in both of which W"> Penn occasionally presided." (Martin's
" History of Chester," p. 122.) The extract just quoted is of course full
of historical misstatements, the narrative being based on perverted tra-
ditions related to the writer by the people of Chester of that day. The
old Assembly House is confused with the fourth court-house of Chester
County, built by John Hoskins in 1695, and the wall mentioned still
remains in the dwelling-house to this day (1884). It shows, however,
that tradition at that time never located the site of Assembly House on
the east side of Edgmont Avenue, where the House of Defense stood,
—a species of negative proof.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Hollingsworth, in Chester Town," and, thereupon,
" The Court on deliberate consideracon orders the s*
hous to be pulled down, and that Jasper Yeats, chief
burges of ye borough of Chester, shall see ye order
Pformed." Martin is of opinion that this order had
reference to the House of Defense, and there seems to
be no doubt but that the authorities were alarmed
lest the great pile of logs, dry as they must be, would
burn the small cluster of houses at Chester. The site
of the House of Defense subsequently became the
property of Jasper Yeates, and he doubtless saw that
the order of court was executed. We certainly learn
nothing further from the records of the old nuisance,
hence the presumption is that it was abated.
On the other hand, it is known that on the double-
house lot the ruins of the dwellings remained for
several years after the beginning of this century, and
as it adjoined the lot to the south, where the Friends'
meeting-house stood when the foundation of Sande-
land's dwelling was removed to be used in other build-
ings, the tradition that the first Assembly had met
there attached itself to the antiquated structure on the
adjoining lot, and in time the fact that the double house
had ever existed was generally forgotten. So quickly
did the tradition link itself to the meeting-house that
John F. Watson, in 1827 (only a quarter of a century
after the " Traveller's Directory" had correctly located
the place where the Assembly met), refers to it as the
" old Assembly House," and Stephen Day, in 1843, in
his " Historical Collections of Pennsylvania," follows
with the same statement, until the error had made
permanent lodgment in the popular mind, and is
now difficult of eradication.
CHAPTER VI.
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE
REVOLUTION.
The only hamlet in Pennsylvania which had re-
ceived a distinctive name that was known to persons
in "England at the time Penn acquired title to the ter-
ritory was Upland, and that that had done so was
doubtless due to the fact that Robert Wade had al-
ready made it his home. He being a Friend in com-
munication with members of that religious sect in the
mother-country, that circumstance directed the atten-
tion of the Quakers, "a society," says Acrelius, "that
the realm could well spare," to the little cluster of
rudely-fashioned dwellings on the banks of the Dela-
ware. Hence Friends (whom, fortunately for the
United States, could be spared from Europe to plant
on this continent those seeds of political truths and re-
ligious liberty which, germinating, have grown into a
nation on the maintenance of which the future contin-
uance of constitutional representative government on
the earth largely depends), or Quakers, as popularly
known, desiring to flee from persecution and ignominy
at home, gladly availed themselves of the liberal
conditions which Penn offered to persons anxious to
j leave England, and particularly did the latter meet
! the approval of those people whose poverty had been
' largely produced by reason of the heavy fines im-
posed on them simply because of the religious senti-
ments they maintained. That Penn originally in-
I tended to locate his proposed capital city at Upland
i can hardly be questioned, for his instructions to his
: commissioners, Crispin, Bezer, and Allen, partieu-
] larly directing them "that the creeks should be
j sounded on my side of the Delaware River, especially
Upland, in order to settle a great toune," will bear
I no other legitimate construction. That this was his
purpose is evident from all the surrounding circum-
j stances, and he only abandoned it when he learned
that Lord Baltimore, by actual observation, had dis-
covered that the site of the hamlet was in the debata-
ble land as to ownership. That the proprietary, after
he had been informed of Lord Baltimore's persistent
claims, had resolved to build a city farther up the
river, before he first came to his province, will not
admit of doubt; hence the result of the visit of
William Penn to James Sandelands, mentioned as
having taken place almost as soon as the former
lauded at Upland, when it was " talkt among the
people that it was with Intent to have built a City"
at that place, " but that he and Sanderlin could not
agree,"' may perchance have interfered with some
proposed improvement at the old Swedish settlement,
but even had Sandelands assented to all that Penn
may have required, it would not have eventuated in
locating the contemplated "great town" at that
point.^ Under the circumstances the risks, owing to
the disputed ownership of that part of his territory,
were too great for Penn to assume.
Martin informs us on the authority of Mrs. Sarah
Shoemaker, aged ninety-two years, who died in Ches-
ter in 1825, and who had heard her grandfather,
James Lownes, often speak of the times of which I
am now writing, that during the winter of 1682-83,
Upland presented a very animated appearance. It
was the only place then in the province, as stated,
known to English shiji-owners, and consequently, as
the destination of all vessels was this port, most of
the emigrants landed here, and several ships often
rode at anchor at the same time off the hamlet. It is
said that the water was deep near the western shore,
and vessels could approach so closely to land that
the trees would often brush their upper rigging.
The great influx of emigrants in the hamlet caused
nearly every dwelling in it to be a house of entertain-
ment, and as the people of that day, in the majority of
instances, used beer instead of tea or coffee, that fact
may account for the number of presentmenta by the
1 The Bieviato, Penn vs. Lord Baltimore, folio 105; Professor G. B.
Keen's "Descendants of JiiranKyn," Penna.Mag. of /7is(., vol.ii. p. 445.
- Latrobe's " History of Mason and Dixon's Line."
i
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
grand juries of the residents along the Delaware "for
selling beer, etc., witliout license, contrary to law."
The proprietary himself is believed to have made his
home at Chester during the greater part of the winter
of 1682-83, and while here, it is said (on Nov. 25,
1682), he divided the territory theretofore known as
Upland into the three counties, — Chester, Philadel-
phia, and Bucks.
William Penn, having called the city of Philadel-
phia into being,— he had named it before it had any
actual existence as a town, — summoned the freemen
throughout the province to hold an election on the
20th day of the Twelfth month, 1682 (February, 1683),
to choose seventy-two persons of most note for their
wisdom, virtue, and ability to serve as members of a
Provincial Council, to meet on " the 10th day of the
First month next ensuing" (March, 1683), at the new
capital. From each county twelve men were returned
under this order, but the several sheriffs also pre-
sented petitions from the people in their bailiwicks
praying that only three of the twelve men returned
as councilors be vested with the duplex character of
councilors and assemblymen, and the remaining nine
as simply assemblymen. The petition presented by
the people of Chester County was as follows:^
"To William Pe^k, proprieUtry and governor of theprovince of Peniifijl-
i'auUt and territories thereof.
" The petition of the freeholders of the County of Chester respect-
fully showeth, That in obedience to the writ sent to our SherifT wo
have chosen twelve persons for our delegates to serve in the provincial
Council, but considering that the numbers of the people are yet small,
and that we have few fit for or acquainted with such public business,
and also that we are unable to support the charge of greater elections
and Assemblies. After our humble acknowledgments of the favor in-
tended us therein, we take leave humbly to request that three of the
twelve we have chosen may serve as provincial Councillors, and the
other nine for the Assembly, which provincial Councillors are John
Symcock (for three years), Ealph Withers (for two years), and William
Clayton (for one year), leaving it to thee to increase the number, as
occasion may serve, hereafter.
. [Signed] "James Brown k Co."
The assemblymen thus designated from Chester
County were John Hoskins, Robert Wade, George
Wood, John Blunston, Dennis Rochford, Thomas
Bracy, John Bezer, John Harding, Joseph Phippes.
These petitions, although in direct violation of the
charter, were favorably acted on, but in the formation
of Council Ralph Withers appeared as credited to
Bucks County, while Christopher Taylor represented
Chester. It is not my purpose to make extended ref-
erence to the proceedings of the second Assembly
further than to notice that the seal of Chester County
at that session was established, bearing as its dis-
tinctive design a plow.
The influx of immigrants into Pennsylvania for
the few years immediately after Penn acquired own-
ership of the territory is unequaled in the history of
the British colonial possessions in North America,
and can only be likened in recent years to the mar-
velous growth of settlements in the oil region of this
State, or localities west of the Mississippi, where pre-
cious metals are supposed to yield almost certain for-
tune to adventurers who locate there. Within the
limits of the present county of Delaware, before the
close of the year 1683, the population began to pre-
ponderate largely of members of the Society of
Friends, and at Chester, Marcus Hook, Darby, and
Haverford permanent settlements of Quakers had
been made, from which centres their influence ex-
tended outwards, giving tone and character to the
whole people. The few Swedes and Dutch who had
preceded these Friends were soon absorbed in, and
their individuality of thought and action was merged
into that of the more intelligent majority, greatly to
the benefit of the former. The Welsh immigrants,
who had secured a tract of forty thousand acres in a
whole from Penn previous to leaving the Old World,
found, on arriving in the colony, that they could not
locate it within the city limits of Philadelphia, and
were forced to push out into the then wilderness; and
we find, in 1682, that their first lodgment with a few
settlers was made in Merion and Haverford, from
which they rapidly spread into Radnor, Newtown,
Goshen, Tredyft'rin, and Uwchlan.
It was the fixed policy of William Penn, in order
to avoid all causes of trouble with the Indians grow-
ing out of disputed rights to the soil, to purchase
from the aborigines, and extinguish the title to the
territory as rapidly as civilization pushed outward
into "the backwoods." The ownership of the land
within Delaware County was released to William
Penn by the Indians in two deeds, both of which are
interesting because of the consideration mentioned as
having been paid to chiefs. The first deed was exe-
cuted over a year before William Penn returned to
England, in 1684. The old document is as follows :
"We, Secane k Icquoquehau, Indian sbackamakei-s, and right
owners of ye Land Lying between Manaiunk, als Sculkill and Maco-
panachan, als Chester Kivei-s, doe this 14th day of ye fift month, in ye
year according to English account 1683, hereby graunt and Sell all o"''
Right & Title in ye sd Lands Lying between ye s-i River, begining on
ye West side of Manaiunk, called Consohockhan, 4 from thence by a
Westerly Line to ye s'l River Malopanackhan, unto William Penn Pro-
prief & Govern' of^e Province of Peonsilvania 4c., hiss heires & As-
signes, for Ever, for and in Consideration of 150 fathom of Wampum,
14 Blanketts, 05 yds. DuftJlLs, 28 yds. Stroud watrs, 1.5 nunns, 3 great
Kettles, 15 small KetUes, 16 pr. Stockins, 7 | i, ^In-c-s '' 'ill'-. 12 Gimb-
letts, 6 Drawing Knives, 15 pr. Sissors, 1' i ; i I i - u-i-dles, 10
Tobacco boxes, 15 Tobacco Tongs, 32 IViun: i : i . - Beads, 2
papers Red Lead, 15 Coats, 15 Shurls, 1,'. A\.^, 1 Kim . :;(i barra of
Lead, 18 Glasses, 15 hoes, unto us in hand paid, the receipt whereof is
hereby acknowledged have renounced all Claims 4 Demands for ye
future from us c heires or Assignes, in or to y"^ prmises. In witness
whereof we have hereunto sett o' hands and seals ye day 4 year first
above written.
'■The mark of
X
SzCiHE.
"Sealed and delivered i
"PiSEKICKEM.
" The mark of X Petee Rambo,
" The mark of X Swan Swanson,
" Philip Th. Lehnmann,
"Jos. Cdrteis,
"Catemus, an Indian king.'
2 Penna. Archives, Ist seriei
*. mark of
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The second deed was made after Penn had returned
to England. The Provincial Council, on the 22d of
the Seventh month (September), 1685, was notified by
Capt. Lasse Cock that the Indians were anxious to
dispose of their land between Upland and Appoqui-
nomy. Council immediately appointed Thomas
Holme, surveyor-general, John Simcock, and Col.
William Markliam, the then secretary of the body, to
meet the Indians and purchase from them the terri-
tory named. The following deed, executed in ten
days after the date given, shows how expeditiously
the authorities acted in carrying out the original in-
tention of Penn, the extinguishment of Indian titles ;
but the indefinite bounds, "so far as a man can ride
in two days with a horse," clearly shows the superior
bargaining abilities of the white man, and the success
which attended this transaction might have prompted
the noted " walking purchase" of a later date.
"This Indenture Witnesseth Tliat We Lare Packenah Tareek-
ham Sickais Peltquessitt Tewis Essepenaick Petkhoy Kekelappau
Feomus Mackalohr Melleonga Wissa Powey Indian Kings Sachemak-
ers, Eight Owners of all the Lands from Quing Quingus Called Duck
Creek uuto upland Called Chester Creek all along by the West Side of
Delaware River and So between the Said Creeks Backwards m ^nr as a
man can Ride in Itro days toith a horse for and in Consideration of these
following good to Va in hand paid and secured to be paid by W>" Penn
Proprietary* and Gouvnour of the Province of Pennsilvania and Territo-
ries Thereof, Viz Twenty Gunns Twenty fathom Matchcoat twenty
Fathom Stroudwaters, twenty Blankets twenty Kettles twenty pounds
Powder One hundred Barrs Lead forty Tomahawks One hundred Knives
Fourty pare Stocking One Barrel of Beer twenty pound red Lead One
hundred Fathom Wamphum thirty Glass Bottles thirty Pewter Spoons
one hundred Awl Blades three hundred tobacco Pipes One hundred
bands of Tobacco twenty Tobacco Tongs twenty Steels three hundred
flints thirty pare Sissers thirty Combs Sixty looking Glasses two hun-
dred Needles one Skiple Salt thirty pounds Shuger five gallons Mollas-
sis twenty Tobacco Boxes One hundred Juise Harps twenty Hows, thirty
Guimlets thirty Wooden Screw Borers & One hundred Strings Beeds
Wee hereby Acknowledge in behatfe of Our Selves as Only Bright Own-
ers of the aforesaid Tract of Land to Bargain and Sell And by these
Presents doe fully Cleariy and Absolutely Bargaine A- Sell Unto the said
W«n Penn his heirs and Assigues for Ever without any mollestation or
hindrance from or by Us and from or by any other Indians whatsoever
that Shall or may Claime any Right Title or Interest in or unto the
Said Tract of Land or any Part thereof. In Witness Whereof Wee
have hereunto Set our hands and Seals at New Castle the 2'1 day of the
Eighth month 1685.
"Signed sealed and delivered unto Cap* Thomas Holme Survey Geni
of ye Province of Pennsylvania to & for ye use of William Penn E5q'
Proprietary & Govern"' of y^ afores*! Province & Territories thereunto
belonging in the presence of us.
" PlETEK Alricks The Mark of
"Lasse Cock Owes Ham
" Pmur Tu Lehxmakn The Mark of
"James Atkinson Oweg X H^"
"Christopher GoRR The Mark of
"The Mark of LiK X Hamm
" JoHS X 'Walker The Mark of
"Edward Lare Patasko X
" John Mandy. The Mark of
"The Mark of Mack X Bashute." i
"TammaXGwaran
The general history of our county is very meagre of
interesting incidents in the early days of the province
other than the happenings which became matter for
the intervention and adjudication of the courts; and
as these subjects wil.l be found collated and treated of
* Penna. Archives, Ist series, vol. i. p. 95.
in a distinctive chapter, no allusion will be made to
them at this time.
The absence of William Penn from England af-
forded an opportunity to his enemies and for the
friends of Lord Baltimore in the mother-country to
press with earnestness objections to the former's title
to the " three lower counties," now Delaware, as also
to seriously menace his ownership of the greater part
of the present county of Delaware (as well as others)
in Pennsylvania. Hence it became imperatively es-
sential that he should return to Great Britain ; and
preparatory to his departure he appointed Thomas
Lloyd, James Harrison, and John Simcock — the
former to be Deputy Governor, and, in the event of
death, the others to succeed to that position in the
order mentioned — to represent him in the province,
and, in the contingency of his (Penn's) death before
other ofiicers were selected, empowered them to be
" Commissioners & Guardians in Government to my
dear Heir, Sprigett Penn." As the record shows that
on Aug. 14, 1684, Penn presided for the last time in
Council until he returned, nearly sixteen years subse-
quently, it is thought that he sailed not long after the
date above mentioned.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, April 1, 1685,
Thomas Lloyd presiding, the boundaries of the county
of Chester were ofKoially prescribed, as follows: "The
county of Chester to begin at ye Mouth or Entrance
of Bough Creek, upon Delaware River, being the
upper end of Tiuiciim Island, and soe up that creek,
dividing the said Island from ye Land of Andros
Boone & Company ; from thence along the several
courses thereof to a Large Creek Called Mill Creek:
from thence up the several courses of the said creek
to a W.S.W. Line, which Line divided the Liberty
Lands of Philadelphia from Several Tracts of Land
belonging to the Welsh and other Inhabitants ; and
from thence E.N.E. by a line of Marked Trees 120
perches, more or less; from thence N.N.W. by the
herford (Haverford) Township 1000 perches, more or
less ; from thence E.N.E. by ye Land belonging to
Jno. Humphreys 110 perches, more or less ; from
thence N.N.W. by ye Land of John Eckley 880
perches, more or less ; from thence continuing ye
said Course to the Scoolkill River, wch sd Scoolkill
River afterwards to be the natural bounds." -
Many complaints having been made respecting the
manner in which Charles Ashcom, the deputy sur-
veyor for Chester County, had encroached on the
forty thousand acres which Penn had ordered set
apart as the Welsh tract' (including Radnor and
" Colonial Records, vol. i. p. 126. Dr. Smith ("History of Dela-
ware County," p. 155), says, "This line continues to be the eastern
boundary of Delaware County to the north line of Haverford. The
resolution of the Council makes the next course run easterly instead of
westerly, and is probably a mistake, as Radnor township never extended
farther easterly than it now does."
3 The survey of the Welsh tract was authorized by the following
warrant from the proprietary :
"Whereas divers considerable persons among y Welsh Friends have
KEPEEENOES TO THE SETTLEMENTS OF SEVEEAL INHABITANTS IN THE OOUNTY
Phil. Roman.
Wm. Hicheot.
Pet. Lounder.
Jno. Simcock,
Rich. Far.
Wm. Collet.
Jos. Philps.
Wm. Clayton.
Jo. Beale.
Mos. and Ben. Mendinhall.
Wm. Hicheot.
Rob. Chamberlain.
Wm. Brampton.
Tho. King.
Tho. Moor.
Nat. Park.
Jno. Hannam.
Godin Walter.
Tho
Jno. Palmer.
Wm. Ouborn.
Jno. Brazor.
Adam Roads.
Jno. Kerk.
J. Bluntston.
Cha. Lee.
Sam. Sellers.
6 Gibbons Hobbs.
7 J. Bluntston.
8 Jos. Fern.
9 Geo. Wood.
10 Wm. Wood.
n Pet. Ellet.
12 Jno. Bluntston.
1.3 Sam. Bradsh.aw.
14 Tho. Eradshaw.
15 Jam. StanBeld.
16 Ant. Sturgis.
17 Edw. Cartledge.
18 Jos. Potior.
19 Tho. Hood.
20 Jos. Slayton.
21 Pet. Lester.
22 Geo. Gleave.
23 Geo. Mearis.
24 Fra. Yornel.
25 Jac. Steedman.
26 Jno. Steedman.
27 Jno. Steedman.
28 Jno. Holwel.
29 Cha. Wheetaker.
30 Edm. Cartledg.
31 Jos. Potter.
32 Tho. Hood.
33 Smith.
34 Jno. Batram.
35 Edw. Gibbs.
36 Amb. Boon.
37 Wm. Wood.
38 Rich. Tucker.
39 Har. Johnson.
40 Col. Hook.
41 Hansunin.
42 Mer. Morten.
43 Mountstoker.
44 Jno. Henrickson.
45 Tho. Nerbury.
46 Jno. Simcock.
47 Jno. Harding.
48 Jno. Kingsman.
49 Jno. Edg.
50 Rob. Cawdwell.
51 Wal. Fosset.
62 Jno. Ni.'con.
53 Jno. Simcock.
54 Sar. Baker.
65 Cha. Whitaker.
56 Tho. Rawlins.
57 Fra. Cook.
58 Tho. Ducket.
60 Joel Baloy.
61 Tho. Taylor.
62 Jno. Buckley.
63 Jos. Eushell.
64 Rob. Piles.
65 Jno. Gibbons.
66 Rob. Southrey.
67 Widdow.
69 Jam. Swarfar.
70 Jno. Houlson.
71 Wm. Gregory.
72 Bowetcr.
73 Will. Edwards.
74 Oswin Musgraye.
75 Churchman.
76 Free Sohoole.
77 Dav. Ogdon.
78 Jno. Hodskinson.
79 Jac. Chanler. '
80 Fra. Harrison.
81 -Tno. Peusey.
82 Jno. Prisner.
83 Gil. Woolara.
85 Jno. Prisnor.
86 Wm. Woodmansee.
87 Jno. Gibbons.
88 Fra. Harrison.
showing Settlers of Delawai
m an original in the possession of Saml, L. Smedley, Phila., Pa.
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
27
Haverford townships, in this county), in laying out
lands for other purchesers, not recognized as distiuc-
ively Welsh settlers, in such a way as to interfere
'vith the continuity of "the Barony," and because the
iuhabitants of that territory were summoned to do
•ury and other public duties in both Philadelphia
and Chester Counties, in 1688 a lengthy petition was
prepared by them and forwarded by Col. William
Markham the same year to Penn in England. It is
not known whether the letter was ever received by
Penn ; at least so far as the writer has information
no notice was ever taken by the proprietary of the
communication.
The Welsh settlers in Radnor and Haverford, how-
ever, declined to recognize the division of the coun-
ties of Philadelphia and Chester, and silently refused
to pay their proportion of the public taxes to the
treasury of Chester County or to serve on juries. The
authorities of the latter at length, having exhausted
all means at their command to compel recognition of
their jurisdiction, presented a petition from the jus-
tices and inhabitants of Chester County to the Gov-
ernor and Council, March 25, 1689, in which they
represented that the county was at first small, " not
above 9 miles square & but Thinly seated, whereby y"
said County is not able to Support the Charge
thereof!'," and that the Governor in " his Serious Con-
sideration of our Weak Condition was pleased, out of
Compassion to us, to grant an Enlargement of y"
same," which was subsequently done in the official
boundaries before mentioned. To support the allega-
tion that these limits had been approved by William
Penn, John Blunstone testified "that a ffew days be-
fore Gove"' Penn left this Province that upon y° bank
by John Simcock's house I moved him to Deside this
matter that had been so long Discoursed, who then,
before me and Others did Declare that y' bounds
Should thus runn from the mouth of Bow Creek to
Mill Creek, w'" should be y= bounds until it come to
j' Laud of Herford, and then to take in the Townds
of Herford & Radnor; from thence to the Skoolkill,
and take in his mannour of Springtowne, . . . then
I asked him if he would be pleased to give it under
requested me j« all y" Lands Purchased of me by those of North Wales
and South Wales, together with y adjacent counties to y, as Haver-
fordshire, Shropshire, and Cheshire, about fourty thousand acres, may
be layi out contiguously as one Biiroiii), alledging y' y« nuuiber allrcady
come and suddenly to come, are snob as will be capable of planting y
same much wthjn yo proportion allowed by y custom of y country, A so
not lye in large and useless vacancies. And because I am iDclioed and
determined to agree and favour y" w* any reasonable Conveniency &
priviledge: I do hereby charge thee * strictly require thee to lay out y
«•> tract of Land in as uniform a manner, as conveniently may be, upon
y West side of Skoolkill river, running three miles upon y same, &
two miles backward, & then extend y parallell w'l" y river six miles,
and to run westwardly so far as till y s^ quantity of land be Com-
pleately surveyed nnto y». Given at Pennsbury, y IS'i" 1" mo. 1C84.
' WlL
Penn
"To Th8. Holmes, Surveyor General."
In pursuance of this warrant the Surveyor General, on the 4th of the
2d month (April), 1684, issued an order to liis deputy, David Powell, he
directing him to execute it. The survey was probably made before the
end of 1684. See Smith's " History of Delaware County," pp. 104-65.
his hand, to avoyd ffurther Trouble, who answered he
I would, if any of vs would Come the next day to
Philadelphia, in order thereunto; one was sent, but
what then obstructed I am not certaine, but y' y'
Gover"^ Departed about two days after." Randall
Vernon testified that William Howell, of Harford,
" Signified unto me" that he had " asked y" Gover'' to
j what County they should be joined or belong unto, &
The Gover' was pleased to answer him that they must
I belong to Chester County." Thomas Usher, sheriff
j of Chester County, testified that Penn said to him,
I " Thomas, I perceive that the Skoolkill Creek Comes
' or runs so upon the back of Philadelphia that it
makes y° City almost an Island, so that a Robbery or
the like may be there Committed, and y° offender gitt
over y" Creek, and so Escape for want of due persute,
&c., therefore I intend that y' bounds of Philadelphia
County Shall Come about 3 or fiour miles on this
side of the Skoolkill, and I would not have thee to
take notice or to oppose that Sheriff on y" Execution
I of his office, about Kingses or the like, but I intend
to enlarge this County downwards to Brandy wine."'
The Deputy Surveyor-General produced the official
i map, showing the county lines as before given, and
stated that " it so is set out by order of the Governor
and Provincial Council." Governor Blackwell and the
Council intimated that as the bounds had been pub-
1 lished in the map of Thomas Holme, which had been
distributed in England, and as land had been sold
and located according to that map, to change the
boundaries now might result in much confusion to
purchasers. Besides, the Welsh settlers had refused
to bear any part of the taxes or serve on juries in
I Philadelphia, as they had done in Chester County,
! claiming that they were a distinct " barouy," and
I although the Governor and Council intimated that
I clearly the Welsh Tract was a part of Chester County,
yet they refused to announce their final conclusion
until the next morning, when, if the Welsh settlers
chose to show cause why they should not be part of
Chester County, they would be heard. The next
, morning, Thomas Lloyd and John Eckley appeared
: on behalf of the Welsh, alleging that. Penn had in-
timated to them that they would form a county pal-
atine; but as they had no written evidence to sub-
stantiate that assertion. Council decided that the
t boundaries already shown to have been established
' must be confirmed. Thereupon the strong arm of
i the law was extended to compel the reluctant Welsh-
men to yield obedience to the decree that had been
made. The Court of Chester County appointed John
Jerman constable for Radnor, and John Lewis for
Haverford, but these recipients of judicial favor fail-
'. ing to present themselves, the justices determined
that the dignity of the bench should be maintained.
' Hence we find that at court held " 3d day of 1st
week, 3d mo., 1689, ordered that Warrants of Con-
1 1 Colonial Records, vol. i. pp. 263, 265.
28
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTy, PENNSYLVANIA.
tempt be Directed to y' Sheriff to apprehend y°
Bodyes of John Lewis and John Jerman for their
Contempt of not entering into their respective oflBces
of Constables (viz.) John Lewis for Harfort, and John
Jerman for Radnor, when thereunto required by this
Court."
At the same session, David Laurence, who had
been returned as agrand juror from Haverford, failed
to attend, and for his neglect or refusal to appear was
presented by the grand inquest. The court fined
Laurence ten shillings. The jury also presented "the
want of the inhabitants of the townships of Radnor
and Hartfort, and the inhabitants adjacent, they not
being brought in to join with us in the Levies and
other public services of this county." The move-
ment to compel the Welsh to submit to the consti-
tuted authority did not cease, for at the following
(June) court the commission of William Howell, of
Haverford, was read, and he afterwards assumed the
office and subscribed "to the solemn declaration"
required. William Jenkins, of Haverford, at the same
court, served as a juror. Haverford had yielded, but
the court deemed it wise that public proclamation,
as was then customary with all laws, should be made
respecting this decree, hence we find this entry in the
old record of the county : That at court, on Wednesday
of the first week in June, 1689, "the Division Lyne
between this County and Philadelphia was read, dated
ye 1st of y' 2" mo'", 1685." At the December court
following, John Jerman was qualified as constable of
Radnor, and thereafter the two townships made no
further objection to act with and pay taxes to the
authorities of Chester County. In 1688 the inhabi-
tants of the province were greatly alarmed by reason
of a rumor diligently circulated that two Indian
women from New Jersey had informed an old Dutch
resident near Chester that the aborigines had deter-
mined, on a designated Thursday, to attack and mas-
sacre all the white settlers on the Delaware. To add
to the general consternation, about ten o'clock at
night of the evening fixed upon by the savages to
begin the attack a messenger " out of the woods"
came hurriedly into Chester with the report that
three families, residing about nine miles distant, had
been murdered by the Indians. The people of the
town gathered to consider the startling intelligence,
and at midnight a Quaker, resident at Chester, ac-
companied by two young men, went to the place
named, where they found the three houses empty, but
no signs of murder. The dwellers therein, alarmed
by the rumor, had fled to the homes of their parents,
about a mile distant on Ridley Creek. The further
particulars of this alarm are thus given by Proud : '
*' The inaBter of one of these families being from home, bad been
informed Ave hundred Indians were actually collected at Naaman's
Creek, in pursuit of tbeir design to kill the English ; and as he was
hastening to his home, be thought he heard his boy crying out and say-
ing, 'What shall I do, my dame is killed!' Upon which, instead of
going home to know the certainty of the affair, he ran off t
the government at Philadelphia, but being met by a pers<
prudence than himself before he got to the city be was pei
"The report, notwithstanding, soon arrived at the city, and was told
with such alarming circumstances that a messenger was immediately
dispatched to Marcus Ilook, near the said Naaman's Creek, to enquire
the truth of it. He quickly returned and confirmed the report, but with
this variation, that it was at Brandywine Creek, at an Indian town,
where the five hundred Indians were assembled, and that they, haying
a lame king, bad carried him away, with all their ivomen and children.
These circumstances rendered the affair still more alarming, and with
many amounted to a certainty.
"The Council were, at that time, sitting at Philadelphia on other
affairs, when one of them, a Friend, supposed to be Caleb Pusey,2 who
lived in Chester County, voluntarily offered himself to go to the place,
provided they would name five others to accompany him, without
weapons ; which, being soon agreed on, they rode to the place ; but, in-
stead of meeting with five hundred warriors, they found the old king
quietly lying with his lame foot along on the ground, and his head at
ease on a kind of pillow, the women at work in the fields, and the chil-
dren playing together.
" When they had entered the wigwam the king presently asked them
very mildly, ' What tbey all came for ?' They told him the report which
the Indian women had raised, and asked him whether the Indians had
anything against the English. He appeared much displeased at the
report, and said, ' The woman ought to be burnt to death, and that they
had nothing against the English,' adding, "Tis true there is about fifteen
pounds yet behind of our pay for the land which William Penn bought,
but as you are still on it and improving it to your own use, we are not
in haste for our pay; but when the English come to settle it we expect
to be paid.' This the messengers thinking very reasonable, told him
they would undoubtedly be paid for tbeir land.
"One of the company further expressed himself to the Indian King,
in the following manner: 'That the great God, who made the world,
•and all things therein, consequently made all maukind, both Indians and
English ; and as he made all, so his love was extended to all ; which,
was plainly shown, by his causing the rain and dews to fall on the
ground of both Indians and English alike; that it might generally pro-
duce what the Indians, as well as what the English sewed or planted in
equally on all, both Indians and English, to nourish them all, extend-
ing his love thus to all, for they were naturally bound to love one
another.'
" The King answered, ' What they had said was true ; and as God has
given you corn, I would advise you to get it in (it being harvest time) ;
for we intend you no harm.' They parted amicably, and the messengers
returning put an end to the people's fears."
The Revolution of 1688 in England was a serious
obstacle to the rapid development of this province.
William Penn was known to be a warm personal
friend of the deposed king, from who.se hand he had
received many favors ; hence, when the new mon-
archs were told that Penn was a Jesuit of St. Omers,
a self-devoted slave to despotism, and even charged
with conspiring for the restoration of James II., the
royal ears hearkened attentively to the wildest rumors
circulated by his enemies. Peun was twice exam-
ined before the Privy Council, and he was even held
to bail for his appearance, but the Court of King's
Bench discharged him, as no evidence was presented
substantiating the charges lodged against him ; there-
2 Dr. Smith has correctly shown that Pusey was not a member of the
Council that year. It is to be regretted that the name of this member
of Council is not recorded, for his act was one of rare heroism. In all
probability Proud has confused the incidents, in that he makes Pusey
visit the Indians from Philadelphia, when doubtless— for he was of that
stamp of noble men — the Quaker who at midnight rode from Chester,
accompanied by two young men, to the scene of the alleged violence was
Puse.v.
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
upon he decided to return immediately to his colony,
and to that end had gathered about five hundred per-
sons to accompany him, the government had even
ordered a convoy for the protection of the emigrants,
when an infamous wretch accused him under oath of
attempting to incite a treasonable outbreak in Lan-
cashire, and Penn escaping arrest, was compelled to
abandon his proposed colony, entailing on him serious
loss. Meanwhile in the province faction feelings and
dissensions had been aroused until the three lower
counties, now comprising the State of Delaware, actu-
ally separated from the three upper counties of Penn-
sylvania, their representatives refusing to act in eon-
junction with the authorities in Philadelphia. At
last Peun, in the hope of maintaining order, was
compelled to appoint, in the beginning of 1692,
Thomas Lloyd to be Governor of the province, and
William Markham to be Governor of the territory
(Delaware). The new order of things, however, failed
to produce the harmony desired, so that reports of the
confused condition of affairs in the province which
went abroad supplied the crown of England with an
excuse for suspending the proprietary rule, which
was done by a commission from William and Mary,
dated Oct. 20, 1692, to Col. Benjamin Fletcher to be
Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of Pennsyl-
vania. The commission to Fletcher set forth three
reasons for the act of suspension, but the real in-
centive was the doubt of Penn's loyalty, which the
latter's enemies had awakened in the royal breasts.
But whatever was the motive, the whole system of
laws which had been enacted were revised, modi-
fied, and repealed by the throne in the authority
vested in Fletcher. There is little of interest, speci-
ally in reference to the radical changes thus made,
connected with the annals of Delaware County, apart
from that of the State at large, but among the seven
members of the late Governor Lloyd's Council who
protested so earnestly against any and all measures
in contravention of Penn's charter this county was j
ably represented. Governor Fletcher's understand-
ing of the situation was made clear in his reply to a
subsequent address by the Assembly, that " These
Lawes and that model of government is desolved and
at an end."
William Penn, than whom no more adroit politician
(in the legitimate, not the conventional use of that
word) appears on the pages of English history, waited
for the royal distrust to subside in time, and by
degrees the antagonistic feelings of the crown died
away to such an extent that their Majesties themselves
at last desired to restore Penn to the enjoyment of
those rights of which they had arbitrarily deprived
him. Hence, on Aug. 20, 1694, the commission of
Governor Fletcher was annulled, and letters patent
granted to Penn fully restoring to him the Province
of Pennsylvania and its territories. The proprietary
not having matters arranged that he could leave Eng-
land at that time, commissioned William Markham
Governor, which office the latter discharged until late
in the spring of 1698, when he received a new com-
mission as Lieutenant-Governor.
In the fall of 1699 the yellow fever visited Phila-
delphia as a pestilence. Many of the inhabitants died
of the disease, and the utmost alarm prevailed through-
out the province. Although we have no direct record
that the malady made its appearance at Chester, that
such was the case may be inferentially concluded from
the fact that the September court adjourned without
transacting any business, an incident without a par-
allel in our county's history. Later on, in November
of that year, William Penn came for the second time
to his colony, and before leaving England he an-
nounced that it was his intention to make his perma-
nent residence in the province. As the vessel sailed
up the Delaware the proprietary caused it to be an-
chored off Chester, and, coming ashore, he for a second
time became an honored guest at the Essex House.
Eobert Wade, his friend, was dead, but Lydia, his
widow, welcomed Penn, and here he met Thomas
Story, who had recently returned from a religious
journey to Virginia. The next morning, as is related
by Clarkson,' Penn was rowed across the creek in a
boat to the eastern side, " and as he landed, some
young men officiously, and contrary to express orders
of some of the magistrates, fired two small sea pieces
of cannon, and being ambitious to make three out of
two, by firing one twice, one of them, darting in a car-
tridge of powder before the piece was sponged, had
his left arm shot to pieces ; upon which, a surgeon
being sent for, an amputation took place." The young
man, Bevan, thus injured died the following April,
and the expenses attending the nursing and ultimate
burial of the wounded lad were discharged by Penn.
The proprietary was not destined to end his days in
his colony. William III., after the death of Mary, is
believed to have regarded him in no friendly spirit,
and when the proprietary learned that the ministry,
with the intention of converting the provincial gov-
ernment into a regal one, had introduced a bill to that
effect in Parliament, the consideration of which had
been postponed until he could be present, the urgency
of affairs compelled his prompt return to England.
He sailed from Philadelphia, Nov. 1, 1701, never again
to visit the commonwealth he had founded. Before
his departure he established a Council of State, and
appointed Andrew Hamilton as Deputy Governor.
The general history of our county, saving such in-
cidents as relate to court proceedings, religious asso-
ciations, organization of townships, and similar mat-
ters, which will be considered hereafter, is very meagre
until the approaching struggle of the colonists with
Great Britain threw the country into a commotion
that tore asunder family ties, and strained the social
and political fabric to its very foundation. In a great
measure previous to that period, year had followed
' Life of William Peno, vol. ii. p. 163.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
year without leaving any impression that has remained
to our day. Even the absurd farce, on May 16, 1706,
of the French invasion, in which Governor Evans
played such a ridiculous part, seems to have made no
lasting trace on our county's records, yet doubtless the
messenger who rode with such hot haste to Philadel-
phia, and whose tidings caused such widespread con-
sternation in the latter place' as he passed through
Marcus Hook, Chester, and Darby, gave forth intima-
tions that be was the bearer of momentous intelli-
gence, for such a course would have been in full accord
with the preconcerted scheme of the Governor to
arouse general alarm in the province, and yet there
seems not to be the faintest reference to this in our
local annals.
On May 16, 1712, to the Provincial Council was
presented " A Petition of a great number of the In-
habitants of the county of Chester, praying that y°
Burrough of the Town of Chester, in this Province,
may be made a free Port, was read & Considered ;
And it is the opinion of the board that the matter
may be presented to the Propry., that he may take
proper methods Concerning the same & Consult the
Courts of the Queen's Customs therein."^ In all prob-
ability William Penn, whose energy was beginning to
yield under the weight of years and constant pecu-
niary embarrassments, never gave this petition any
serious consideration, bis chief desire at that period
appearing to l)e to rid himself of the trouble, vexa-
tion, and expense of the colony by its sale to Queen
Ann for twelve thousand pounds. This transfer would
doubtless have been effected had not a stroke of par-
alysis rendered Penn unable to formally execute the
contract. During all the last century, as will be shown
as we proceed in this narrative, Chester was a place
where outward- and inward-bound vessels stopped for
days together. On the 4th of Fifth mouth, 1730, at
noon, James Logan dispatched a letter to his son,
William, " on his voyage to Bristol, sent to him at
Chester," and during the British occupation of Phila-
delphia almost all their transports and men-of-war lay
off the former town. As just stated, William Penn's
health became so impaired that he was unable to carry
to an end his contemplated sale of the province to the
crown, and from that time he never wholly rallied, his
mind gradually becoming more and more feeble until
his death, July 30, 1718.
The disputes respecting the northwestern boundary
of the county of Chester, which had been, as supposed,
officially determined in 1685, and after a protracted
resistance had finally been accepted by the Welsh
in 1689, in the early spring of 1720 again engaged
the attention of Council, when at that time a petition
of the inhabitants of the west side of Schuylkill was
presented, setting forth that the commissioners of
Chester County had compelled the payment by them
of taxes levied by the assessors of that county, al-
though they stated that ever since their first settle-
ment they had paid their taxes to Philadelphia; that
they had no trade with Chester, "seeing it is impos-
sible for us to have any tolerably convenient road to
Chester by reason of Rocks and Mountains," and also
urged other arguments, all concluding with a prayer
that the counties might be so divided as to place them
within Philadelphia.'' On Feb. 1, 1721. Council re-
ported ' that the General Assembly had acted on the
matter, and that the secretary had made full examina-
tions as to the official boundaries as theretofore estab-
lished, but that he expressed his belief that the line
then run " was done arbitrarily by the Survej;or-Gen-
eral, and that in his opinion it would have been more
regular to carry the Division Line along the side of
Radnor and the upper part of that called the Welch
Line, laying all those Tracts called Manors to Phila-
delphia County." Council thereupon concluded that
until the matter could " be more fully and effectually
settled, the Commissioners and Assessors of Chester
County should forebear to claim those Inhabitants
. . . and that the said Inhabitants be permitted to
pay their Taxes and do all other Duties to the county
of Philadelphia as formerly." Chester County, how-
ever, declined to accept this decree without resist-
ance, for on March 28, 1722,^ David Lloyd (who at the
time was chief justice of the province) and Nathaniel
Newlin, in behalf of themselves, and the other com-
missioners appointed by the act of Assembly for
Chester County, presented a petition to Council pray-
ing relief " from the unrighteous Attempts of the said
persons to sever themselves from the said County of
Chester." Council called the attention of David
Lloyd to the fact that no regular division of the coun-
ties, so far as known, had been made, and the inter-
diction of the commissioners of Chester County from
levying taxes only applied to cases where persons had
been assessed in and had paid taxes to Philadelphia
County, for it would be unreasonable to require on the
same estate taxes in both counties, and, besides, those
who had thus paid their assessments to Philadelphia
County were only six in number, but they were of
opinion that it was of great importance that the divi-
sion-lines should be adjusted without delay. David
Lloyd replied that there were persons yet living who
remembered the running of the division-line, which
was done, he believed, about the year 1688, under the
administration of Governor Blackwell, but the com-
missioners of Chester County did not know where to
apply for the record " or written proofs of it, except
to the secretary, in whose custody all things of that
kind should be kept." After an interesting statement
relative to the custody of the papers of the former
secretary, Patrick Robinson, Council instructed the
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
31
then secretary, James Logan, and Attorney-General
Andrew Hamilton, without delay, to make search for
the missing documents belonging to the records of
Council, and the secretary was " ordered to make
further search for the proofs that have been mentioned
of the Division Line between the Counties of Phila-
delphia & Chester." With this announcement, so far
as the minutes of Council are concerned, the whole
matter dropped out of public notice, and adjusted
itself in the manner suggested by Secretary Logan,
by " laying all those Tracts called ^Manners to Phila-
delphia County."
At a meeting of Council held Feb. 6, 1728-29, a pe-
tition was presented by the inhabitants of the upper
part of Chester County, setting forth that " by Reason
of their Great Distance from the County Town, where
the Courts are held, Officers are Kept and Annual
elections made," the inconvenience of attending
court or obtaining writs and other legal process,
being compelled to travel one hundred miles for such
purposes, the want of a jail to imprison "Vagabonds
aud other dissolute People" who harbored among the
frontier settlements where they believed themselves
"safe from justice in so remote a Place," a division
of the county should be made between the upper and
lower parts, and that the upper portion should be i
erected into a county.' It is not within the scope of
this work to follow the particulars of this movement,
which finally resulted in the county of Lancaster
being erected by the act of May 10, 1729. I
We learn from the minutes of Council of Dec. 16,
1728,^ that the propriety of again making Chester the
seat of the Provincial Government was seriously con-
sidered. It seems that a resolution had been carried
in the General Assembly which set forth, "that inas-
much as there has been of late several Indecencies
used towards the Members of Assembly attending the
Service of the Country in Philadelphia by rude and
disorderly Persons unknown to this House, ' the Gov-
ernor and Council were requested to select a place
which they shall deem " more safe for the Members
of Assembly and most convenient for the Dispatch of
the Business of the Country." The Provincial Coun-
cil, on their part, after considering the inconvenience
of removal at that season of the year and setting out '
other difiBcuIties, concluded that "if on further Ex-
perience the House shall continue in the same Senti-
ments that a Removal is necessary, the Board are of
opinion that the same out [ought] to be adjourned
to Chester, as the most convenient place for their
meeting next to Philadelphia." The sober second
thought of the indignant legislators, or the penitent
petitions of the inhabitants of the Quaker city pre-
vailed over the anger of the Assembly, and, on
"further experience, the House" neglected to press
the subject of removal, and thus Chester did not
grasp the prize she was so willing to secure.
1 Colonial Kecords, vol. iii. p. 343.
! lb., p. 340.
About 1730, the first mission of the Roman Catholic
Church within the territory now comprising the
present county of Delaware was located at the resi-
dence of Thomas Willcox at Ivy Mill, in Concord, to
which fuller reference will be made in the history of
that township. This religious sect did not progress
very rapidly, for in 1757, in the census of Roman
Catholics in Pennsylvania,' the following return shows
that in Chester County there were
Men. Women.
" Under care of Robert Harding 18 22
" Tbomas Schneider 13 9
(Irish) 9 6
" " Ferdinane Farmer (Irish) 23 17
" (German) 3 ...
" Tliese were all who took the sacrament above twelve years of age
or thereabout."
On the afternoon of Aug. 11, 1732, Thomas Penn,
the son of the proprietary, landed at Chester, and a
messenger was dispatched to Philadelphia to apprise
the Council and Assembly, then in session, of his
arrival. The secretary of Council immediately came
to Chester, with the congratulations of the authori-
ties, and " to acquaint him — Penn — that to-morrow
they would in person pay their respects to him."
The following day the Governor and Council, accom-
panied by a large number of gentlemen, visited the
borough, and " waited on the Honorable Proprietary
and paid him their compliments. After dinner the
Proprietary with liis company, now grown very num-
erous, sett out for Philadelphia." Ou September 20th
of the following year, John Penn arrived at Chester,
from England, and was there met and welcomed by
his younger brother, Thomas, who, with a large num-
ber of gentlemen, had come from Philadelphia to
greet the eldest son of the founder. After passing
the night at Chester, the next morning the party rode
to the city, where they were received with manifesta- .
tions of popular rejoicing.
In 1739, when England declared war against Spain,
an expedition was proposed from the colonies to in-
vade the West Indies, and the Governor, in a procla-
mation calling for recruits " to inlist in the important
Expedition now on Foot for attacking and plundering
the most valuable Part of the Spanish West Indies,"
notified the people of Chester and vicinity that those
who proposed to recruit should call on James Mather
in the borough, while Henry Hockley, Robert Fin-
ney, and Lazarus Finney were designated for like
service in other localities throughout the then county
of Chester. It seems that in this enterprise a num-
ber of redemption servants were enlisted, and not-
withstanding the attention of Governor Thomas was
drawn to that fact, he took no official action to pre-
vent such recruiting, and the parties aggrieved were
compelled to seek redress from the Assembly. That
body promptly provided for the payment by the prov-
ince of all losses sustained by mastere whose servants
had been accepted into the military forces, and ac-
cordingly, on June 3, 1741, to James Gibbons and
s Penna. Archives, let series, vol. iii. p. 144.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Samuel Levis was issued an order on the loan-ofBce
for £515 lis. 9(1., in payment for fifty-eight servants
mustered by the officers in Chester County. Other
claims for damages suffered by similar enlistments
were urged and paid; in one instance it was alleged
that ten servants were taken from the iron-works at
Coventry and Warwick, and those establishments
were obliged to cease operation for a time, because
their skilled labor had been marched away as recruits.
On Dec. 22, 1741, the Governor presented to Coun-
cil a petition from the justices of the county of Ches-
ter, setting forth that great abuses had been " com-
mitted" in the county by the use of defective weights
and measures, and that they, the justices, at the in-
stance of some of " the substantial Inhabitants," as
well as an address from the Grand Inquest, had " di-
rected the purchasing of Standards of Brass for
Weights & Measures, accordingly to his Majesty's
Standard for the Exchequer." They therefore prayed
that " the Governor would be pleased to appoint an
Officer to keep the said Standards, and to Seal and
Mark all Weights and Measures within the said
County." ' Isaac Taylor was the favored one who re-
ceived the appointment, and the standards, we learn,
cost the county £17 12s. llrf.^
On March 29, 1744, war was declared between
Great Britain and France, and on the 11th of June
of the same year Governor Thomas issued a procla-
mation' in which he not only announced the hostile
position of the two nations, but strictly enjoined and
required all persons in the province capable of bear-
ing arms " forthwith to provide themselves with a
Good Firelock, Bayonet, and Cartouch-Box, and a
sufficient Quantity of Powder and Ball," that they
.might be prepared to attack the enemy or defend the
province from invasion. The Governor also urged
the fitting out of privateers, not only as a war meas-
ure highly beneficial to the State, but " may bring
great advantages to the Adventurers themselves."
The Assembly, however, in which the Society of
Friends largely predominated, took no step of a de-
cided military character ; but Franklin, by his pam-
phlet, " Plain Truth," aroused the public to a knowl-
edge of the defenseless condition in which the
province then stood. A meeting of citizens was called,
a regiment was formed in Philadelphia, and money
■was raised by a lottery to erect a battery below that
city, on the river. "These military preparations
were necessary to intimidate a foreign enemy, and to
curb the hostile disposition of the Indians, which had
been awakened by several unpleasant rencontres with
the whites." '
The crown having, on April 9, 1746, ordered that
four hundred men should be raised in the province of
Pennsylvania, to be part of the forces designed for
1 ColoDial Records, vol. iv. p. 607.
2 Futhey and CopB'S " History of Chester County," p. 49.
3 Colonial Records, Tol. iv. p. 696.
* Gordon's *' History of Pennsylvania," p. 245.
the immediate reduction of the French Canadian
colonies. Governor Thomas, on June 9th of the same
year, issued his proclamation ° to that effect, and under
it four companies were recruited, commanded respect-
ively by Capts. Trent, Perry, Deimer, and Shannon.
The latter, John Shannon, of New Castle County,
Del., was commissioned June 25, 1746, as captain,
and authorized to enlist one hundred men." Professor
Keen informs us that the company was to be recruited
on the Delaware River."
That the men were collected in New Castle and
Chester Counties the names on the roll fully establish,
and aside from that inferential proof, we have positive
evidence that the organization was quartered in the
borough of Chester, for in January of the following
year the petitions of James Mather, David Coupland,
John Salkeld, and Aubrey Bevan, then tavern-keepers
in that town, were presented to the Assembly, asking
payment " for the diet of Captain Shannon's company
of soldiers," while Dr. Gandouit, a practicing physi-
cian in Chester at that time, also petitioned for pay-
ment for medicine furnished by him, as well as pro-
fessional attendance on the sick soldiers.^ These
companies were ordered to Albany, where they went
into winter quarters. From a letter from Capt. Trent
to Governor Thomas, written from Albany, Oct. 21,
1746,' we learn that the troojis were badly provided
with blankets, and that the officers had been com-
pelled to purchase a number for them, paying there-
for in a draft on the Governor. He stated that had
they not supplied the troops with those articles the
whole body would have deserted. The weather was
extremely cold, and as many as thirty men had al-
ready deserted from Capt. Shannon's company, giving
as their reason the want of proper covering, and that
they might as well take the chance of being killed in
trying to make their escape as by remaining to surely
die. He related that one t)f Shannon's men, " when
the snow was knee-deep, in attempting to make his
escape, got frost-bit, and his companions, fearing to
undergo the same fate, left him, when he miserably
perished." The following month the captains of the
four Pennsylvania companies united in an appeal to
the Governor to supply the troops with necessaries,
for "we have been making as near a calculation as
possible of our provisions, & find, with the utmost
frugality, we have not more meat than sufficient to
serve till the 19th January, & as to our Bread &
Rum, it falls fivr short of that time.'"" The troops,
after being kept in cantonment until Oct. 31, 1747,
were discharged by proclamation of the Governor,
wherein he declared the reason that "the late in-
* Colonial Records, vol. v. p. 39.
« See his commission and instructions, Pennsylvania Archil
. p. 688.
" '* Descendants of Jiiran Kyn," Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol. iv. ;
8 Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County," p. 49.
^ Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. ii. p. 680.
1» lb., p. C81.
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
33
tended expedition against Canada having been by his
Majesty laid aside for the present."'
During the early summer of 1747 a French pri-
vateer entered Delaware Bay, and captured several
inward- and outward-bound vessels.^ The intelligence
of these acts reaching Philadelphia on July 4th, pilots
were forbidden by proclamation " to conduct, Pilot, or
bring up any foreign Ship or Vessel carrying a Flag
of Truce ... to any Port or place within this Prov-
ince above that Tract of Land lying in Chester
county, commonly called and known by the name of
Marcus Hook,'" unless special license was issued by
the Governor. The following summer the Spanish
and French privateers showed the utmost daring in
cruising off the mouth of and in Delaware Bay.
On May 25, 1748, George Proctor, a prisoner of
war, succeeded in escaping by swimming from the
"St. Michael," a Spanish privateer, carrying twenty-
two guns and a crew of one hundred and sixty men,
which was at the time moored off Salem Creek. The
deposition of the Proctor was taken, and an express
sent immediately to Philadelphia with the intelli-
gence, which threw the city into the utmost conster-
nation, a condition of aflairs which was in no wise
allayed when on the following day the escaped sailor
was himself sent to Philadelphia, the bearer of a let-
ter from the authorities, stating that the Spanish ves-
sel, about ten o'clock that morning, came up within
gunshot of New Castle, and there anchored, with a
spring on her cable. The tide, together with a calm,
being against her, she was prevented getting nearer
to that town, and as the people opened fire upon her,
she weighed, and by her boats was towed " stern
foremost, giving three Huzzas & one Gunn, hoisted
Spanish Colours, & went down the River again."
Council de.sired Capt. Ballet, commander of the sloop-
of-war " Otter," to go down the bay and engage the
privateer, but that officer stated that he had an en-
counter with a large French ship, in which his vessel
had received such damage that required her to be
hoved down for repair?.* The Spanish privateer, un-
molested, remained in the bay for some time, during
which she made prizes of a number of vessels. The
result of the alarm, however, was to arouse the public
to the necessity of organization ; hence the bodies
known as Associators, which had been called into
existence during the previous December by the vol-
untary action of the people throughout the province,
became firmly established, and the military education
imparted thereby to the populace was of the utmost
consequence to the patriot cause when, a quarter of a
century later, the Revolutionary contest was forced
upon the colonies. The following is the list of the
officers of the two Associate Regiments of Chester
County in 1747-48 : '
' Colonial Records, vol. v. p. 127. 2 ib., p. 234.
' Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. ii. p. 682.
* ColoDial Records, vol, v. pp. 24S, 252, 253, 256, 260, 261, 263, 264.
^ Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. ii. p. 506.
3
Colonels, William Moore, Andrew McDowell.
Lieutenant-Colonels, Samuel Flower, John Frew
Majors, John Mather, John Miller.
Captain David Parry.
LieuteniiDt Isaac Davy.
Ensign Nathaniel Davies.
Captain Roger Hunt.
Lieutenant Guyon Moore.
Ensign William Littles.
Captain George AsUtou.
Lieutenant Robert Morrell.
Ensign Edward Pearce.
Captain William McKnight.
Lieutenant Rohert Anderson.
Ensign Samuel Love.
Captain Moses Dickey.
Lieutenant John Boyd.
Ensign James Montgomery.
Captain Richard Richardson.
Lieutenant John Cuthbert.
Ensign John Hambright.
Captain John Williamson.
Lieutenant James McMakin.
Ensign John Johnson.
Captain John Mathers.
Lieutenant James Mathers.
Ensign Joseph Talbert.
Captain James Hunter.
Lieutenant Charles Moore.
Ensign Benjamin Weatherby.
Captain John Miller.
Lieutenant George Bently.
Ensign Thomas Brown.
Captain William Clinton.
Lieutenant Morris Thomas.
Ensign William Carr.
Captain Thomas Hubert, Jr.
Lieutenant John Rees.
Ensign Anthony Richard.
Captain George Leggitt.
Lieutenant Thomas Leggitt.
Ensign Archibald Young.
Captain Job Rnsbton.
Lieutenant Joseph Smith.
Ensign James liysart.
Captain Andrew McDowell.
Lieutenant John Cunningham.
Ensign George McCulIough.
Captain John McCall.
Lieutenant John Culbertsoii.
Ensign James Scott.
Captain George Taylor.
Lieutenant John Vangn.
Ensign Robert Awl.
Captain James Graham.
Lieutenant William Darlington.
Ensign Francis Gardner.
Captain Robert Grace.
Lieutenant John Kent.
Ensign Jacob Free.
Captain Hugh Kilpatrick.
Lieutenant William Buchanan.
Ensign William Cnmming.
Captain William Bell.
Lieutenant Robert McMullen.
Ensign Rowland Parry.
Captain Joseph Wilson.
Lieutenant James Cochran.
Ensign Joseph Parke.
Captain Henry Glassford.
Lieutenant Robert .\Ilison.
Ensign John Enimitt.
Captain William Boyd.
Lieutenant John Culbertaon.
Ensign John Donald.
Captain William Keed.
Lieutenant Thomas Hope.
Ensign Thomas Clarke.
Captain William Porter.
Lieutenant Robert Mackey.
Ensign John Smith.
In the autumn of the year 1748 a general sickness
prevailed throughout the province. Kalni records
that " the disease was so violent that when it attacked
a person he seldom lived above two or three days, and
of those who were taken ill with it very few recovered.
It was a true pleurisy, but it had a peculiarity with it,
for it commonly began with a difficulty of swallow-
ing." ..." The physicians did not know what to
make of it, nor how to remedy it.""
In 1751 the act of Parliament," which, as its title
stated, was to regulate the commencement of the year
and to correct the calendar then in use, was adopted.
By its provisions Wednesday, the 2d day of Septem-
ber, 1751, was followed by Thursday, the 14th day of
the same month, and as the act was intended to equal-
ize the style in Great Britain, Ireland, and the colo-
nies with that used in other countries in Europe, it
was necessary that the Society of Friends should take
action on so important a change. Hence the records
of Chester Monthly Meeting respecting this altera-
tion in style, as transcribed by Dr. Smith,* are here
given entire :
376, 377. I 24 Geo. II,, c. 23,-1761.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
" AgTPeci that as by the late Act of Parliament for regulating the com- j
mencement of the year, that it is ordered that the first day of the Elev- |
euth month next shall be deemed the first day of the year 1752, and that j
the month called January shall be successively called the fli-st month of ,
the year, and not the month called March, as heretofore hath been our .
method of computing.
" That from and after the time above mentioned, the Eleventh month,
called Jannary, shall thenceforth be deemed and reckoned the First
month in the year, be so styled in all the records and writings of Friends,
instead of computing from the month called March, according to our
present practice, and Friends are recommended to go on with the names
of the following months, numerically, according to our practice from
the beginning, so that the months may be called aud written as follows :
That January be called and written the First month, and February called
and written the Second month, and so on. All other methods of com-
puting andcalliug of the months unavoidably leads into contradiction.
"And whereas, for the more regular computation of time, the same
act directs that in the month now called September, which will be in
the year 1752, after the second day of the said month, eleven numerical
days shall be omitted, and that which would have been the third day
shall be reckoned aud esteemed the 14th day of the said month, and that
which otherwise would have been the fourth day of the said month,
must be deemed the 15th, and so on. It appears likewise necessary
Friends should conform themselves to this direction, and omit the nom-
inal days accordingly."
In 1753 the French and Indian war was actually
begun by a direct violation of good faith on the part
of the French, and the struggle then inaugurated,
although Great Britain did not declare war until 1755,
finally terminated in the white standard of France
giving place to the red-crossed banner of St. George
throughout that vast territory now known as British
North America. When, in the summer of 1755, Gen.
Braddock took up the line of march for Fort Du
Quesne, there was but one impression in all the Eng-
lish provinces, and that was that victory was already
assured to his arms. We know that on May 28, 1755,
the justices, sheriffs, and constables of the counties of
Philadelphia, Chester, Berks, and Bucks were notified
that sixty wagons were required for the use of Brad-
dock's army, and that, if possible, they should be pro-
cured without harsh measures before the 8th day of
June following, but if they were not willingly fur-
nished they must be impressed. It is, however, very
doubtful whether any soldier from the then county of
Chester was present at the fatal field of the Monon-
gahela,' but when the news of the crushing defeat
1 Andrew Wallace (better known as Sergt. Wallace, of Wayne's Bridge),
in a sketch of his life published in Hazard's Register, vol. jtiii. p. 63,
says, " About the 1st of May, 1754, 1 entered as a volunteer at Chester,
and was appointed orderly sergeaut in a company commanded by Capt.
John Hannum." (This was about the commencement of what was
termed the French war.) The company before referred to became a part
of the regiment under the command of Col. Charles Duck, of Virginia.
" We were afterwards marched from Chester to the Gum-Tree Tavern, in
Chester County, and from thence to Carlisle, where we were placed
under the command of Maj. Samuel Hughs. From the last-mentioned
were marched to Fort Chambers,
Chambersburg ; from
I Fort Louden, to join the troops raised, aud to be commanded
by Gen. Forbes, whose division was a part of the army commanded by
Gen. Braddock, in the year 1755, as no part of the immediate command
of Gen. Forbes was in that engagement." This statement was made by
Wallace in IBS.'!, when he was a petitiouer for a pension, aud be slated he
was one hundred and four years old. The aged veteran was possibly in
error in his date. He may have been in Forbes' expedition in 1758, but
Forbes was not with Braddock in 1765. At the time Wallace places
Baunum in command of a company the latter officer was not fourteen
years of age.
which made famous the rash, overbearing English gen-
eral, who purchased with his life posthumous renown,
came to astound the colonists as greatly as it amazed
the English nation, many a young man from this
locality enrolled himself in the hastily-recruited com-
pany which, commanded by Capt. Isaac Wayne, was
sent into Northampton County to guard the frontier
inhabitants from threatened Indian attacks,^ as also
in that commanded by Capt. George Aston.^ When,
in the summer of 1758, Brig. -Gen. John Forbes took
command of the troops collected to reduce Fort Du
Quesne, in not a few instances the garb of the peaceful
Society of Friends gave place to the dark-scarlet coat,
faced with blue, the uniform of the Royal Americans,
or the fringed hunting-shirt of the Pennsylvania Pro-
vincial. Dr. Smith* records that no less than eight
young men in full membership with Radnor Meeting
went into active military service in 1756, and were
disowned by the society because of that open viola-
tion of its rules. After Braddock's defeat, so in-
tense was the feeling in Chester County ° among the
masses that on Nov. 24, 1755, a letter was read in
Council from Col. William Moore, informing the Gov-
ernor that two thousand of the inhabitants of that
locality were prepared to march to Philadelphia to
compel the Assembly to pass laws providing for the
defense of the province. As at the same meeting a
letter from Mr. Weiser, of Berks County, of a like
import, was read, the Governor issued orders to the
authorities in Philadelphia to take proper precautions
to preserve the public peace. Subsequently Moore's
letter played a prominent part in the legislative and
gubernatorial quarrels of that day, which, being
more particularly the history of the State, requires no
further mention in this work.
In 1755 the English nation suffered a disgrace far
greater than defeat to her arms, and that was the vio-
lent expatriation of the French Neutrals, or, as after-
wards called, " Acadian exiles," from Nova Scotia.
These unfortunates were the descendants of French
parentage, aud by the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, Great
Britain had stipulated that these people should retain
their lands on taking the oath of allegiance to the
English king, and were not to be required to bear
arms against the Indians or the French. For nearly
half a century both parties adhered to the terms of the
treaty, but in 1755 the love of their ancient country
animated a few of the Acadian young men to enlist
under the standard of France, and at the capture of
Beau Sejour three hundred were found in arms. A
number of these, however, were unwilling soldiers,
forced into the ranks. Governor Lawrence, of Nova
Scotia, thereupon demanded of the whole population,
amounting to over seven thousand souls, including
2 Col. Samuel Miles' Manuscript, Feb. 4, 1802: Penna. Archives, 2d
series, vol. ii. p. 517.
' Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County," p. 51.
< Sraith's " History of Delaware County," p. 264.
6 Colonial Records, vol. vi. p. 729.
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OP THE REVOLUTION.
those who had not beeu in arms, to take the oath of
allegiance to the British monarchy unconditionally.
This being refused, because it was a violation of the
treaty, Lawrence expelled the Acadians from Nova
Scotia, confiscated their property (excepting their
money and household goods), burned their dwellings,
and wasted their estates. In this wantonly cruel act
husbands and wives, parents and children, were torn
apart and transported to different parts of the British
American colonies, while the vessels which carried
them were so crowded that many died on the voyage.
On Aug. 11, 1755, Governor Lawrence wrote to Gov-
ernor Morris, of Pennsylvania, that he had shipped
one hundred and sixty-eight men, women, and chil-
dren to the latter province.' This letter, which was
brought by the vessels on which the Acadians came,
was received November 19th, and Council immedi-
ately commanded that a guard should be placed over
the ship to prevent the landing of the exiles, but fresh
provisions and necessaries were ordered to be delivered
on board, and continued to be sent until Council de-
termined what should be done with these people.'
On the 25th of the same month Governor Morris, by
message, informed the Assembly that he had the
French Neutrals landed at Providence Island, as the
doctor had reported that it would be dangerous to
have them remain longer in the crowded vessel.'
Early in December it was officially reported that in
the ships " Hannah," "Three Friends," and "Swan"
four hundred and fifty-four out of the five hundred
French Neutrals assigned to Pennsylvania had been
received at Providence Island. Governor Morris,
touched at the wrongs these unhappy exiles had suf-
fered, strove earnestly to reunite those families which
had been separated in transportation.* On Feb. 20,
1756, the Assembly passed an act dispersing the Aca-
dians in the several counties of Philadelphia, Bucks,
Chester, and Lancaster, and making provision for
their maintenance.^ By the act three commissioners
were appointed in each of the counties named to dis-
tribute the Acadians among the people, locating only
one family in a township, and to have a supervisory
care over them. Nathaniel Pennock, Nathaniel
Grubb, and John Hannuni were the commissioners
named for Chester County. The Governor failing to
approve the bill promptly, on March 3d a committee
from the Assembly waited on him to know what " he
had done" with it, and on the 5th he signed it. When
the law was attempted to be enforced, the Neutrals
claimed to be prisoners of war, but Governor Morris
and Council, after considerable delay, decided, six
months subsequent to the promulgation of the act, that
under the treaty of Utrecht they were subjects of
Great Britain." Jan. 14, 1757, an additional act was
approved, empowering the binding out and settling of
1 the Acadians under age, and providing for the main-
tenance of their aged, sick, and maimed at the ex-
pense of the province. The unfortunate people, feel-
ing the injustice that had been visited on them, having
lost heart and refusing to work, were soon in the
utmost want. One week subsequent to the passage of
the law just mentioned, William Griffith informed
Council that unless something was immediately done
many of the French Neutrals would perish. Already
death had been busy among them, for shortly after
they landed more than one-half of them had died.'
On March 21, 1757, Governor Deuny caused the arrest
of five of the Neutrals at the request of Lord Low-'
doun, two in the city of Philadelphia, one in Frank-
ford, " Paul Bujaud in Chester, and Jean Landy in
Darby," because they were " suspicious and evil-
minded persons, and have and each of them hath at
divers Times uttered menacing speeches against his
majesty and his liege subjects, and behaved in a very
disorderly manner."" No wonder; for surely the
poor men who were thrown in jail in Philadelphia
had every reason to utter menacing speeches against
the Hanoverian scoundrel who then sat on the throne
of Great Britain. In Chester, before the act author-
izing the overseers of the poor in the several townships
to bind out the children of the Acadians, the former
officials had in many cases refused to receive the ex-
iles or minister to their wants, hence many of the
latter had died with smallpox; but after the law of
Jan. 14, 1757, became operative the condition of the
Neutrals was considerably improved. The burden of
their support, however, aroused the taxpayers of that
day, and when four years later it was found that seven
thousand pounds had been expended in the support of
the exiles, a committee of the Assembly was appointed
to inquire into the condition of these people, and to
ascertain whether the cost of their maintenance could
not be lessened. It was, after investigation, reported
that the reason their children had not been bound out
to service was mainly owing to the religious opinions
of their parents, who feared that their offspring might
be surrounded with objectional influences in the fami-
lies of the English settlers or their descendants. The
result of the report was finally the repeal of the law
providing for the support of these exiles. The glamour
of Longfellow's genius has made the wrongs of these
Acadians more familiar to the popular mind than any
of the many harsh and unjustifiable acts of ministerial
miuions in American colonial history, but to the stu-
dent, the story of the banishment of these ignorant
French people is a mere incident, the happening of
which had little or no influence in shaping the direc-
tion of events. Even at that time among the Northern
colonies the impression was being made on some
thoughtful minds that at no distant day there would
be an absolute separation from the mother-country.
' Colonial Records, vol. vi. p. 711.
' lb., pp. 239, 240, 241.
1148909
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
In the summer of 1758, Brig.-Gen. John Forbes, as
before stated, with three hundred and fifty Royal
Americans, twelve hundred (thirteen companies) of
Montgomery's Highlanders, twenty-six hundred Vir-
ginians, and twenty-seven hundred Pennsylvania Pro-
vincials, besides a thousand wagoners,' set out from
Philadelphia intending the reduction of Fort Du
Quesne. Capt. John Hasslet, of New Castle County,
recruited a company on the Delaware River, and the
roll shows that Chester County contributed at least
the following persons to the ranks ^ of this organiza-
tion :
Peter Allen, eulisted May 7, born in Cheater Co., aged 22, and by oc-
cupation a saddler.
William Boggs, enlisted May 0, born in Chester Co., aged 40.
.Tames Brieslin, enlisted May 12, born in Chester Co., aged 17.
Edward Gallagher, enlisted May 12, born in Chester Co., aged 17.
Thomas Harvey, enlisted May 12, born in Chester Co., aged 17.
John McAfee, enlisted May 8, born in Chester Co., aged 21, and by
occupation a laborer.
James Thomas, enlisted May S, born in Chester Co., aged 22, and by
occupation a laborer.
Samuel White, enlisted May 10, born in Cliester Co., aged 26.
In the same month and year Capt. John Singleton
enlisted a company of soldiers for Forbes' expedi-
tion. The list of that organization shows that the
following men were certainly from Chester County,
and probably the number from this locality was greater
than here represented : '
William Henry, aged 22, resident of Chester, Pa., drummer.
Samnel Armitage, aged 27, resident of Chester, Pa.
William Bevard, aged 28, resident of Chester, Pa., weaver.
Thomas Callican, aged 20, resident of Chester, Pa.
Thomas Connolly, aged 17, resident of Chester, Pa.
John Cross, aged 25, resident in Chester, Pa., cordwainer, " pock-
pittM," " stout made."
John Cruthers, aged 16, resident of Chester, Pa.
Hugh Davis, aged 20, resident of Chester, Pa., smith.
William Foster, aged 26, resident of Chester, Pa.
William Kennedy, aged 25, resident of Chester, Pa., weaver.
John Long, aged 24, resident of Chester, Pa.
Edward McSorley, aged 22, resident of Chester, Pa.
Terence Kealy, aged a5, residing in Chester, Pa., " pock-pitt'd."
John Kicheson, aged 27, residiug in Chester, Pa., "cocke nose and
smooth faced."
Patrick Eoe, aged 22, residing in Chester, Pa., "bold looking."
aged 23, residing in Chester, Pa., chandler, " Irish-
Edward Sheppard, aged 21, residing in Chester, Pa., "red liair and j
thin visaged."
David Way, aged 24, residing in Chester, Pa., tanner. i
Ooupland David.
Besides these organizations there was a company of i
Pennsylvania Rifles under Capt. West, an elder j
brother of Benjamin West, the painter,* who was I
present with his command when, on Nov. 25, 1758, the
standard of Great Britain floated over the blackened ;
1 Penna. Gazette^ 1758, No. 155a. 'Winthrop Sargent, in his " History of
Braddock's Expedition," page 270, make a diiference in the number of
men in Forbes' command. He places the Virginia troops at sixteen
hundred men.
2 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. ii. p. 551.
3 lb., p. 653.
* Sargent's "History of Braddock's Expedition," p. 274. Mr. Sargent I
cites, in reference to the search of Sir Peter Halket for the remains of
his father, slain in Braddock's defeat, a statement that the English
nobleman was accompanied by Capt. West. Gulfs " Life of West," p. 65. I
and charred remains of the Fortress Du Quesne, and
I when the general, who had sworn the day previous to
j carry the works or leave his body beneath its walls,
christened the heap of ruins Fort Pitt. The army
! having retraced its steps, the government the follow-
ing jear determined to rebuild the dismantled fortifi-
cation, or to erect a new one on its site. Brig.-Gen.
John Stanwick was placed in charge of this expedi-
tion, he having, on the death of Gen. Forbes, suc-
ceeded to the command. Troops were ordered to be
enlisted, and on May 4, 1759, Gen. Stanwick gave
notice that a number of wagons would be required,
and in order to avoid the impressment of horses or
wagons, a certain rate of compensation had been
fixed by the authorities, which would be paid to those
persons who would willingly furnish teams. From
the county of Chester sixty-four wagons and four
times as many horses were required.^ In the same
locality a number of men enlisted, and doubtless the
whole company recruited by Capt. John Mather, Jr.,^
was credited to Chester County, because Mather him-
self was a resident of the borough of Chester, and the
following men certainly resided in that neighbor-
hood:
John Gorsel, aged 16, of Chester, Pa., enlisted June 8, 1759, laborer.
Evan Jones, aged 38, of Chester, Pa., enlisted May 27, 1769, laborer.
Jacob Kirgan, aged 19, of Chester, Pa., enlisted May 27, 1759, weaver.
Hugh Wallace, aged 17, of Chester, Pa., enlisted June 12, 1759, shoe-
In Capt. Robert Boyd's company appear the fol-
lowing j^ersons who were undoubtedly residents of
Chester County :
James Campbell, aged 22, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted June 13,
James Darragh, aged 20, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 11,
laborer.
Samuel Fillson, aged IS, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted June 6,
James Hamilton, aged 21, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 21,
laborer.
George Matthews, aged 18, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted June 2,
laborer.
Robert Sandford, aged 23, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 26,
laborer.
John Small, aged 22, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 1, laborer.
John Travers, aged 20, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 14, tailor.
John Willson, aged 20, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 7, tailor.
In Capt. James Armstrong's company from Chester
County were
William Moore, aged 17, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 9, hatter
by trade,
James Parr, aged 16, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted May 9, laborer.
In Capt. Jacob Richardson's company. Third Bat-
talion provincial service, under command of Gover-
nor William Denny, appears the following :
William Cassiday, aged 21, resides in Chester, Pa., enlisted Aug. 20,
carpenter.
These are all the persons which can absolutely be
designated as belonging to Chester County, but the
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
37
foregoing is but a very small part of the men who en-
listed from this locality.
The wagons required by Gen. Stanwis, so far at
least as Chester County was concerned, seem not to
have been forthcoming, for on Aug. 1.3, 1759, he wrote
to the Governor from Bedford,' complaining that Lan-
caster County was the most backward, but that " Bucks
and Chester have given us only Nominal Assistance,
by sending us impressed Waggons, unfit for this Ser-
vice, by the Weakness of the Horses and Carriages.
The Managers meet with more opposition in these
two Counties than in any of the others, as the Magis-
trates seem unwilling to disoblige them ; and unless
they are spurred by the fear of incurring your Dis-
pleasure, I am afraid they will not exert their Au-
thority in such a manner as will Answer the Pur-
pose."
Notwithstanding the constant assertion of Gen.
Stanwix, the number of horses and wagons furnished
by Chester County, according to the account-book of
Roger Hunk,- was not inconsiderable, particularly
when we consider that the expedition really was of
little moment in the shaping of events, and was use-
ful only in that it made permanent the settlement
then first called Pittsburgh.
The history of the province at this period is exceed-
ing interesting, but, strange as it may appear, for
almost a decade no event of sufficient importance to
impress itself on the fleeting years seems to have oc-
curred in our county. The French war, which was
most honorable to the colonial arms, was approaching
its conclusion, and in 1761, after the subjugation of
Canada was complete, the whole of the provincial
forces raised by Pennsylvania were discharged, except-
ing one hundred and fifty men. Considerable alarm
was felt along the Delaware and at Philadelphia when
the intelligence was received that about the beginning
of the year (January 4th) 1762 Great Britain had de-
clared war against Spain. The defenseless condition
of the city of Philadelphia, its wealth and importance,
it was feared would attract the combined naval power
of France and Spain to attempt its capture, therefore
the Assembly, which had been hastily convened, appro-
priated twenty-three thousand five hundred pounds,
the parliamentary allotment for 1759,' to the defense of
the city, and also voted five thousand pounds to erect
a fort mounting twenty guns on Mud Island, at the
site of the present Fort Mifilin. However, the prov-
ince breathed more freely when, in January, 1763,
news was received that on the 3d of November, 1762,
peace had been proclaimed with both France and
Spain.
In 1765 we find that no less than three lotteries
were authorized by the Legislature for the benefit of
churches within the territory of the present county of
1 Colonial Records, vol. viii. p. 376.
" Fiithey and Cope's " History of Chester County,'
3 Gordon's "History of Pennsylvania," p. 39.1._
I Delaware, viz. : St. Paul's, at Chester ; St. John's, at
Concord ; and St. Martin's, at Marcus Hook. 1768
" was a year of jubilee* for our good people, for the
commissioners and assessors, after inspecting into the
affairs of the county, " find no necessity for raising a
tax this year."
The power and wealth exhibited by the colonies
I during the French war amazed the home government,
hence Mr. Grenville, in his desire to relieve the press-
ure of taxation at home, — the result of that war, — as
well as to personally acquire reputation as a shrewd
financier, proposed to raise a revenue from the col-
I onies for the direct use of the British treasury. The
I scheme was not devoid of arguments to commend it
I to a debt-ridden people, yet the history of the prov-
I inces ought to have clearly demonstrated that such a
I measure would be met with determined resistance.
1 The decided stand taken by the latter in 1754, when a
j plan for colonial taxation was suggested, should have
fully indicated the temper of the people, who, when-
ever called on, had freely contributed pecuniary aid
I to the king by a vote of the Assembly, but who had
! always denied the right of the English Parliament to
J levy taxes on the provinces unless the latter had rep-
resentation in the home legislative bodies. And per-
haps no more objectionable form could the duties be
made to assume than that which levied a tax on
I colonial imports, which resulted in almost destroying
the colonial trade with the Spanish and French West
India islands. It is unnecessary for me to discuss
I ftirther this topic of colonial taxation, the resistance
I to which finally culminated in the Revolutionary war,
and subsequently the formation of the United States
as a nation.
It seems that Chester was the outpost where the
customs officer was stationed to board vessels and pre-
I vent violations of the revenue laws. We learn that
on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 23, 1771, about four
o'clock, Alban Davis, who was attached to the cus-
j tom-house schooner then lying off Chester, noticed
I several vessels coming up the river, among the num-
j her a light brig and a pilot-boat. Capt. Thomas Mus-
kett, of the revenue cutter, boarded the pilot-boat,
and signaled the schooner to come alongside. The
crew on the pilot-boat then stated they wished to
go down the river, which brought the inquiry from
the officer what was their cargo, and the command to
open the hatches or he would seize the vessel. Those
in charge of the craft being insolent, the officer " put
the broad arrow on the boat's mast." Whereupon
the captain of the latter said that, as he had no further
business on the vessel, he would go ashore. The rev-
enue cutter and her prize, lashed together, had sailed
I up abreast of Red Bank, when the ebb-tide compelled
I them to anchor. Shortly before ten o'clock that even-
i ing, a pilot-boat coming down the river stood directly
] for the government schooner, when Capt. Muskett
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ordered them to keep off or he would fire at them, and
was answered that he might fire and be damned, the
river was as free to them as the cutter. Bearing down,
the pilot-boat came alongside, when a man leveled a
blunderbuss at Capt. Muskett, and gave hira the choice
to surrender or have his brains blown out. Even be-
fore the captain could make the selection about thirty
men, armed with cutlasses and clubs, boarded the
schooner, knocked down the captain and two of his
men, and threw them into the hold, then fastened
down the hatches. The captors ran the schooner
ashore, cut her rigging and sails to pieces, and, un-
lashing the prize, sailed away with it. On December
5th Governor Richard Penn issued a proclamation,
offering a free pardon to any one who should give in-
formation by whom the act was done.' But nothing
was learned of the men who had thus boldly set the
law at defiance.
The Navigation Act, which interdicted colonial trade
with foreign nations, compelling the purchase of all
goods from England directly, as before stated, aroused
1 Penna. Archives, Ist series, vol. iv. p. 445; Colonial Records, vol. x.
pp. 8-14. To show the unpopularity with which the custom-house offi-
cers were regarded, even among that class of the colonists whose feelings
leaned towards the doctrine that the king could do no wrong, the fol-
lowing case is a good example: On Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 8, 1775,
Francis Welsh, in a boat with four men, boarded the schooner " Isabella"'
off Gloucester Point, and was told that the vessel was in ballnst from
Portsmouth, New England, whereupon the officer ordered the hatches
to he removed. Capt. John Eitchey drew a pistol, declaring the Brst
man who should attempt to search the schooner " he would blow to
h— 1." The pilot wanting to be put ashore, Officer Welsh remarked
that no man should leave the vessel, but Ritchey ordered a boat manned,
and the pilot was landed. Ritchey subsequently told Welsh that the
schooner belonged to Capt. David Campbell, who was the sole owner,
and every dollar he had in the world was in her and the cargo, which
consisted of dry goods and other dutiable or contraband articles from
Dunkirk, France. Welsh was permitted to look around the cabin, and
saw, among other things subject to impost duties, thirty pounds of tea.
That night, about nine o'clock, Capt. Campbell, the pilot, and two gen-
tlemen came aboard, but the latter went away, and about an hour later
three other gentlemen hoarded the boat, who told the olHcer that he
ought not to pursue Capt. Campbell, for it would ruin him. They of-
fered Welsh twenty-five guineas, and promised him more if he would let
the vessel go. About two o'clock at night Welsh formally seized the
" Isabella" in the king's name, and ordered his men to take the helm.
Upon this Campbeil said the king never paid for her, aud, drawing a
pistol, put it to the pilot's head, swearing that if he did not run the ves-
sel down the river without putting her ashore he would kill him. On
the next ebb-tide the schooner was abreast of Chester. Welsii and
Campbell went ashore to get something to eat, and while in the town
the officer inquired for a justice of the peace. He went to Francis Rich-
ardson, but he was ill, and afterwards to Henry Hale Graham, whose
sympathies leaned towards the crown, hut he told Welsh that he bad no
authority to go on board any vessel. Welsh then called on Sheriff Ver-
non, the most pronounced loyalist in the county, and the latter stated
he would go and summon some men to aid him, but he never came with
the posse comitatua, and Welsh again boarded the boat, which, on the ebb,
weighed anchor and got to New Castle before the tide changed. Here
the officer tried to get assistance, but all the local authorities tliere
begged to be excused. Welsh clung to the " Isabella" until she got
within five miles of the Capes, when Capt. Ritchey ordered him aud his
men into their boat, and they were compelled at midnight to row for
shore, which tliey reached after three hours' constant work. The col-
lector of customs complained to Ihe Governor and Council against the
magistrates who had refused to aid his officer, but he was informed that
the jurisdiction of any county in the province did not extend to the
river, and magistrates therefore could not legally give any assistance in
these cases. See Colonial Records, vol. x. p. 230.
a storm of indignation, but the right of Parliament
to regulate commerce was not questioned ; hence the
colonists could only retaliate by adopting the noted
non-importatiou agreement. The Stamp Act and its
subsequent repeal, in this locality as elsewhere, in-
voked popular resentment, and the line of demarka-
tion between the ultra Whigs and the Loyalists became
every month more distinct. In 1770 the act of 1767,
imposing a duty on glass, paper, painters' colors, and
tea imported into the colonies, was repealed, save the
threepence per pound tax on tea. The colonists,
strictly adhering to their determination to use no
goods on which the detested duty was collected, modi-
fied the non-importation agreement so that it applied
to tea only. In 1773 but little had been imported into
America, and the East India Company, which had
then on hand nearly seventeen million pounds of tea,
was permitted to export that commodity into any part
of the world free of duty ; hence, to the colonists, tea,
even with the threepence tax, would be much cheaper
than ever before, since the export duty of sixpence
per pound was removed. The principle, however, of
taxation without representation was still involved,
and the colonists were violently excited, particularly
when it was learned that the East India Company
consented to ship cargoes to America only on the as-
surance of the British government that they should
at least suffer no loss. The indignation consequent
on this new attempt of Lord North to enforce the ob-
noxious duty was resisted at every port where tea-ships
were consigned, and while in New England the de-
struction of the tea in the harbor of Boston on the
night of Dec. 16, 1773, was more dramatic in its cir-
cumstances than the action taken by Philadelphia and
the Whig populace along the Delaware River, the feel-
ing of resistance was not more intense than at the latter
place. In Philadelphia a public meeting of citizens
was held in State-House yard on Oct. 16, 1773, when
it was declared " that whoever shall directly or indi-
rectly countenance this attempt (to send out the tea),
or in any way aid or abet in unloading, receiving, or
vending the tea sent . . . while it remains subject to
the payment of a duty here, is an enemy to the coun-
try," and strong measures were determined on to re-
sist the landing of any tea in Philadelphia. On Nov.
29, 1773, Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet announced, —
" The ship ' Polly,' Capt. Ayres, from London for this port, left Graves-
end on the 27th of September with the detested Tea on board, and is
hourly expected."
The excitement consequent on this brief news item
was intense. On December 5th a committee was
appointed to inquire the cause of the sudden and
extraordinary rise in the price of tea, and the report
I made eight days after was not calculated to appease the
I popular indignation. The air was filled with rumors
! of the arrival of the "Polly," which proving prema-
I ture, only added to the public anxiety and suspense.
: On Saturday (Christmas) the tea-ship " Polly" ar-
rived at Chester,.she having followed another ship up
THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
39
the river, for no pilot would dare, in the heated con-
dition of the people's mind, to bring that vessel to the
city. The Whigs of Chester, as soon as they were
convinced that the ship was lying off that town, dis-
patched a messenger post-haste to Philadelphia to
announce the long-expected but unwelcome news.
When he arrived, during the evening of that day,
Gilbert Barclay, one of the consignees of the ship,
who was a passenger in the vessel, had also gone to
Philadelphia by post, and early the next morning he
was waited on by a committee, who urged his renuncia-
tion of the commission so warmly that he deemed it
the wisest plan to accede to their demands. This
being accomplished, the committee appointed three
of their number to go to Chester, and two others to
Gloucester Point, to have an interview with Capt.
Ayres, and acquaint him with the public feeling re-
specting his voyage and the cargo with which the
vessel was ladened. The three gentlemen who had
set out for Chester, when some distance below the
city, were informed that the " Polly" at noon had
weighed anchor, and was on her way to her port of
destination. They, therefore, returned to the city.
About two o'clock she appeared in sight at Gloucester
Point, where, as the news had spread in all directions,
a large crowd had gathered. When the vessel came
sufficiently near she was hailed, and Capt. Ayres re-
quested to come on shore. This he did, and, the
people dividing so as to form a lane, he was con-
ducted to the members of the committee, who repre-
sented to him the general feeling and the danger to
him personally if he refused to comply with the pop-
ular demand. They also requested him to go with
them to Philadelphia, where he could learn fully the
temper and resolution of the masses. The next morn-
ing eight thousand people gathered in the State-House
yard, when it was resolved that the tea should not be
landed ; that the vessel should not be reported or
entered at the custom-house ; that the tea must be
taken back to England immediately ; that a pilot
must take charge of the " Polly," and on the next
high-water take her to Reedy Island; that Capt.
Ayres could stay a day in town to procure supplies
for his return voyage ; that he then should go to the
vessel and put to sea immediately. On Tuesday, after
being in the town forty-six hours, Capt. Ayres left the
city where he had been so inhospitably received, and
like a prudent man sailed for London, where he re-
ported the unsatisfactory result of his voyage. On
Feb. 5, 1774, Earl Dartmouth wrote to Governor
Penn, that " the Insult that has been offered to this
Kingdom by the Inhabitants of Philadelphia, in the
Case of the ' Polly,' Capt. Ayres, is of a very serious
nature, and leads .to very important consequences."
In conclusion, the earl demanded that "a Circum-
stance, which at present Appears so extraordinary,
should be fully explained."' If it was, no record
seems to have been preserved of that fact.
Penna. Archives, 1st a
, vol. iv. p. 480.
In 1774, when the news of the determined resist-
ance made by the colonists to the landing of the tea
was received in Europe, England was greatly excited
at the intelligence, and Parliament hastily enacted
several bills relating to colonial matters extremely
offensive in their provisions. Because of the destruc-
tion of the tea in Boston harbor, the vengeance of
the ministry was particularly directed against that
town, hence the law which was known as the Boston
Port Bill was passed, interdicting all vessels from
landing and discharging, or of landing and shipping
wares and merchandise at that port. As soon as these
acts were promulgated in the colonies, a storm of de-
nunciation and defiance swept across the land. Staid,
dignified Philadelphia even yielded to the tempest,
and on Saturday, June 18, 1774, at a large meeting of
the leading citizens of that city, was passed a series
of resolutions, among which was a call for the holding
of a Continental Congress, and instructing the com-
mittee thus appointed to take steps necessary to have
the province of Pennsylvania represented in the pro-
posed assemblage. Rev. Dr. William Smith, Provost
of the University of Pennsylvania, who addressed
that gathering, in his calm, dispassionate remarks, with
prophetic vision saw that the business they were then
about meant " perhaps nothing less than whether the
breach with the country from which we descended
shall be irreparably widened." On June 28th, the com-
mittee sent a circular letter to every county in the
province, particularly urging the appointment of a
committee in the several counties to assemble in Phil-
adelphia on Friday, the 151h of July, to meet the com-
mittee from the whole province. This letter was ad-
dressed to Francis Richardson, Elisha Price, and
Henry Hayes, of Chester County, who by a peculiar
coincidence issued the following call for a meeting of
the people of the county on the day which two years
afterwards was to become one of the most memorable
in the world's history:
" To the Freeholders and others, inhahUniils of the County of Chester, qimUned
' by Ino to vote for Eepieseiitatives in General A&^enihly.
"The large and very respectable committee for the City and County
of I'hiladelphia have wrote to us, the eubacribera, requesting that a
committee might be chosen for this county as soon as possible, to meet
j the committee from the other Counties of this province, at the city of
Philadelphia on the 15th day of this instant, to deliberate on matters of
the greatest weight and importance, not only to us, but to all America.
! And we are now assured, that on the account of the Indian disturbances
i his Honor— the Governor— has found it necessary to call the Assembly
! to meet, in their legislative capacity, on Monday the 281h of this instant ;
] and we also find, that it is not only the opinion and request of the said
committee for Philadelphia, but also the opinion and desire of a number
of respectable persons of this county coinciding with our own opinions,
as lovers of civil and religious liberty, that the committee of the several
counties of this province should meet at Philadelphia, on the said 15th
of this instant, in order to assist in framing instructions, and preparing
such matters as may be proper to recommend to our representatives, at
this meeting the Monday following.
" Wb have therefore thought proper on mature deliberation and by
the advice of a number of gentlemen of this county, to appoint Wed-
nesday, the 131h instant.at one o'clock in the afternoon, asa proper time
for the inhabitants of this county to meet at the Conrt-House in Chester,
to choose a number of our best and wisest men as a committee for this
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
county, as shall be judged necessary to meet the other (
the time and place above mentioned, for the purpose aforesaid, and for
such other purposes as may then be deemed useful and necessarj'. And
we sincerely hope that the good people of this county will give their
attendance on that day, and calmly and heartily join with [us] in doing
the business proposed, which we earnestly wish and desire may answer
the good proposed, and the good purposes intended by it.
" Chestee, July 4, 1774."
The followingr is the record of the proceedings of
the meeting :
"At a meeting of a very respectable number of the freeholders and
others, inhabitants of the county of Chester, at the court-house, on
Wednesday, the 13tli of July, 1774, in consequence of public notice for
that purpose given, Francis Richardson, Esq., chairman, —
"This Assembly, taking into their serious consideration the present
critical and alarming situation of American afTairs and the unhappy
differences now subsisting between Great Britain and her colonies, do
agree and resolve, as follows, viz.;
" 1. That the inhabitants of this county do owe and will pay all due
faith and allegiance to our lawful and rightful sovereign lord, George
the Third, king of Great Britain and the dominions thereunto be-
longing.
"2. That it is an absolute right, inherent in every English subject, to
have free use, enjoyment, and disposal of all his property, either by him-
self or representatives, and that no other power on earth can legally
divest him of it.
" 3. That the act of Parliament lately passed for shutting up the port
of Boston is unconstitutional, oppressive to the inhabitants of that town,
in its consequences dangerous to the liberties of the Bntish colonies;
and that, therefore, we consider our brethren at Boston as suffering in
the common cause of America.
" 4. That the protection of the liberties of America is an indispensable
duty, which we owe to ourselves who enjoy them, to our ancestors who
transmitted them down, and to our posterity who will claim them at our
hands, as the best birthright and noblest inheritance of mankind.
" 5. We do agree with the Committee of the City and County of Phila-
delphia, that a Congress of Deputies from the said colonies is the most
profitable and proper mode of procuring relief for our suffering brethren,
obtaining redress, preserving our rights and liberties, and establishing
peace and mutual confidence between our mother country and her colo-
nies on a constitutional foundation.
"6. The inhabitants of this county ought and will cheerfully adopt,
ftdhere to, and assist in executing all and singular such peaceable and
constitutional measures, which may hereafter be agreed upon and de-
termined by the said general Congress.
"7. It is our opinion that it would conduce greatly to the restoration
of the liberties of America, should the colonies enter into a solemn agree-
ment not to purchase any goods, wares, or merchandise imported from
Great Britain, under such restrictions as be agreed upon by the Congress.
We, for our parts, sensible of the great advantages which must arise from
proniotinj; economy and manufacturing among ourselves, are determineH
to use as little of foreign manufactures, of what kind or quality soever,
as our necessities will permit, until the several acts of the British Parlia-
ment, injurious to American liberty, be repealed.
"S. Tliat, as our brethren at Boston are now suffering iu the cause of
Amci ica, it is the duty of the inhabitants of this county, in common
with the neighboring colonies, generously to contribute towards their
support ; and, therefore, the Committee hereafter appointed are re-
quested immediately to open and set on foot a subscription for the said
sufferers, and the money arising therefrom to be laid out and expended
as the said committee, or a majority of them, shall judge best to answer
the benevolent intention.
"9. That the following persona, to wit : Francis Richardson, Elisha
Price, John Hart, Anthony Wayne, John Sellers, Hugh Lloyd, William
Mon tgomery, Francis Johnston, Wil liam Parker, Richard Biley, Thomas
Hockley, Robert Mendonhall, and John Fleming, or a majority of them,
be and tliey are hereby appointed a committee for this county to meet
and correspond tvith the comntittees of the several counties of this and
the other colonics, and to join in such measures as to them shall appear
necessary for the public good.
" Francis Johnsto.n, Clk. Com.^'
The provincial meeting of deputies chosen by the
several counties in Penn.sylvania was held at Phila-
delphia, July 15, 1774, and Chester County was rep-
resented thereat by Francis Richardson, Elisha Price,
John Hart, Anthony Wayne, Hugh Lloyd, John Sel-
lers, Francis Johnston, and Richard Riley. On the
committee appointed to prepare and report a draught
of instructions to be presented to the General Assem-
bly asking that body to appoint delegates to the Con-
tinental Congress, then in session, Chester County
was represented by Elisha Price. The Assembly unani-
mously concurred in the instructions and promptly
appointed Joseph Galloway (their Speaker), Daniel
Rhoads, Thomas Mifflin, John Morton, Charles Hum-
phreys, George Ross, Edward Biddle, and (at a subse-
quent meeting) John Dickinson the delegates from
Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress to be held
at Philadelphia on the 5th day of September follow-
ing. Of these, two — Morton and Humphreys — were
resident within the present county of Delaware.
After agreeing to the Declaration of Rights Con-
gress remained in session nearly eight weeks, having,
on October 18th, adopted articles of confederation,
signed two days thereafter, which date, Oct. 20, 1775,
the late distinguished orator, Henry Armitt Brown,
maintained should be accepted as the commencement
of the American Union, based upon freedom and
equality. On the 2(3th of October, after adopting an
address to the people of Great Britain, a memorial to
the inhabitants of British America, — the Canadian
provinces, — and a loyal address to the king, the body
adjourned to meet at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775.
Before that Congress again assembled, in less than
six months after it had adjourned, the April gales, as
Patrick Henry had foreseen, sweeping from the North
carried to the ears of the long-suffering colonists the
clash of resounding arms, the last appeal had been
made, and the Revolutionary struggle had actually
begun.
CHAPTER VII.
THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE
OF BRANDYWINE.
The thoughtful men of that period who stopped in
the midst of the popular clamor to consider the
probable termination of the controversy between
the mother-country and her colonies began to be
alarmed at the excited temper of the public mind in
both hemispheres, hence many of those persons who
had been prominent in advising resistance to the
arbitrary acts of Parliament, now when their reason
taught them that the absolute overthrow of the power
of Great Britain in the provinces, or the abject sub-
mission of the colonies, could alone set at rest the
long dispute, hesitated, .some retraced their steps,
casting their lots with the established authority ;
others, shrinking from public view, ceased to be
active on either side; while yet others, believing that
THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
man, mentally and socially, was but partially devel-
oped, picturing to themselves the possibilities of a
free representative government, comprehending fully
the lesson of the hour, braved the issue, and boldly [
advocated the adoption of a then untried Utopian !
scheme. The great mass of the people — the majority
uneducated — drifted with the day until events made
them bitter partisans either for crown or Congress.
When sides became radical, as a general rule, the
wealthy and cultured few, afraid of change, were
loyalists, while the middle classes and the poor were
Whigs.
The direct result of the meeting of the Continental
Congress of 1774 was to intensify the feeling of the
masses in opposition to the ministerial powers, the
address issued by that body being so calm and dis-
passionate, but so convincing, that it found ready re-
sponse in popular approval. Especially was this true
of the resolution that all importations of English
goods should be prohibited, and that no articles
should be exjtorted from the colonies to Great Brit- ;
ain after December, 1776, unless before that time |
Parliament had removed the obnoxious law against
which the people in America complained. In all
parts of the colonies meetings were held to ratify and
carry into execution the association recommended by
Congress, and on Dec. 20, 1774, '■ a very respectable ',
number of the inhabitants of the County of Chester 1
convened at the Court-house in the Borough of Ches-
ter," at which the following persons were named as a
committee to act for the county to that end, viz. : An-
thony Wayne, Francis Johnston, Richard Riley, Evan
Evans, and James Moore, Esqs.; Hugh Lloyd, Thomas :
Hockley, David Coupland, John Hart, Sketchley Mor- I
ton, Samuel Fairlamb, David Coupland, John Crosby,
Nicholas Diehl, Jesse Bonsall, Aaron Oakford, Ben- I
jamin Brannan, John Talbot, Joseph Brown, Samuel i
Price, John Crawford, John Taylor, Lewis Gronow, Ed- j
ward Humphreys, Henry Lawrence, Richard Thomas,
William Montgomery, Persifor Frazer, Thomas Tay-
lor, John Foulke, Robert Mendenhall, Joseph Pen- 1
nell, George Pierce, Nicholas Fairlamb, Samuel Trim- !
ble, Charles Dilworth, John Hannum, George Hoops,
Joel Bailey, John Gilliland, Joseph Bishop, Jr., John j
Kerlin, Edward Jones, William Lewis, Patrick An-
derson, Joshua Evans, Thomas Hartman, Dr. Bran-
son van Leer, William Evans, Joseph Cowan, Thomas
Haslep, Patterson Bell, Dr. Jonathan Morris, Andrew
Mitchell, Thomas Buffington, James Bennett, Joseph
Musgrave, William Miller, Richard Flower, Walter
Finney, James Simpson, David Wherry, James Ev-
ans, Thomas Bishop, William Edwards, Jonathan ]
Vernon, Jr., Lewis Davis, Sr., Joseph Gibbons, Jr., i
and Thomas Evans; which committee were "to be
and continue from this time until one month after
the rising of the next Continental Congress, with full
power to transact such business, and enter into such
as.sociations as to them shall appear expedient."
Immediately after the committee had been selected
that body organized by the appointment of Anthony
Wayne, chairman, and Francis Johnston, secretary.
The following resolutions were then unanimously
adopted :
"let. That any twelve or raoie of the said Committee, meeting upon
due notice, be empowered to enter upon and transact all such busiueBS
as shall come under their consideration ; provided, the mEyority agreeing
shall not be less than twelve.
"2d. That the present unhappy situation of public afTatrs in general,
and of this province in particular, renders it highly necessary that a
Provincial Convention should be held as soon as possible, for which pur-
pose twelve persons shall be appointed out of the said committee as dele-
gates to attend the said Convention, at such time and place as shall be
generally agreed on."
As there were no further matters requiring imme-
diate attention, after the delegation of twelve to the
Provincial Convention had been named, the commit-
tee adjourned to meet on Jan. 9, 1775, at the house of
David Coupland in the borough of Chester.
In the mean while, in furtherance of the resolutions
passed by the convention of the people of Chester
County, held on July 15th, heretofore mentioned, as
well as the similar resolution adopted by Congress,
calling on the other colonies to aid with contributions
the necessities of the inhabitants of Massachusetts,
so long as the enforcement of the Boston Port Bill
rendered such assistance needful, the people of Chester
County made generous contributions to the fund. Dr.
Smith shows that the purse-strings of Friends were
unloosened liberally to this end : " Chester monthly
meeting contributed £70 for the relief of Necessitous
inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay and Provinces ad-
jacent. Darby meeting paid £33 14s. for the relief of
the pQor and distressed in New England, while Hav-
erford meeting responded to the request of the meet-
ing for suffering, ' that Friends should contribute
liberally for the relief of friends or others (in the New
England Government), who are or may be reduced to
indigent circumstances in this time of public calamity,
and in a short time had the satisfaction to receive an
affecting account of the state of the poor of these
provinces, and of the distribution of the donations
sent from hence.' "^
On Jan. 23, 1776, the Provincial Convention assem-
bled at Philadelphia, and continued in session for six
days. Chester County was represented in that body
by Anthony Wayne, Hugh Lloyd, Richard Thomas,
Francis Johnston, Samuel Fairlamb, Lewis Davis,
William Montgomery, Joseph Musgrave, Joshua
Evans, and Persifor Frazer. Thomas Hockley and
Thomas Taylor, who had been appointed delegates,
failed to attend. The proceedings of this body show
that the men who ccftnposed it had carefully weighed
the means necessary to build up and sustain a nation,
while at the same time they comprehended that slav-
ery, which then existed throughout the colonies, —
largely due to the fact that Great Britain had always
interdicted any restriction in the traffic, — was an ob-
Dr. Smith's " History of Delaware Co
42
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
stacle which intruded itself in carrying out the idea
of a free constitutional government, and should be
done away with. Hence, to that end they resolved
that the members of the General Assembly should be
urged to pass a law prohibiting the future importation
of slaves into the province.
On March 20th a meeting of the committee of
Chester County was held at the house of Richard
Cheyney, in East Calm, where Messrs. Hockley, John-
ston, Gronow, Lloyd, Frazer, Moore, and Taylor were
appointed a committee to draft a petition to the As-
sembly, " with regard to the manumission of slaves,
especially relating to the freedom of infants hereafter
born of black women within this Colony," and report
at the following meeting, while each committeeman
was instructed to " use his utmost diligence in collect-
ing the several sums of money subscribed for the use
of Boston, and pay the same" to Anthony Wayne,
"treasurer," at the next meeting, after which the
committee adjourned ■ to meet on Wednesday, May
31st, at the house of David Coupland. But before
that date had come, the reverberation of the musketry
volleys at Lexington and Concord had stirred the
blood of the Whigs throughout the colonies, and
nothing was considered but how preparation should
be made to meet the storm which had now broken on
the country. Hence, in Chester County the commit-
tee met at an earlier day than that named when they
adjourned in March, and published the following
extract from the proceedings then had :
"In Committee, Chester, May 22, 1775.
" Whereas, it appears very necessary in order to avert tlie evils and
calamities which threaten our devoted country, to embody ourselves
and make all the military preparation in our power; and it appears ab-
solutely impossible to carry this laudable design into execution without
observing the greatest oi-der, harmony, and concord not only under the
laws of civil government, but also while under arms and in actual duty,
we therefore unanimously recommend the following Association, to be
entered into by the good people of this County :
" We, the subscribers, do most solemnly resolve, promise, and engage
under the sacred ties of honor, virtue, and love to our country, that we
will use our utmost endeavors to learn the military exercise and pro*
mote harmony and unanimity in our respective companies ; that we
will strictly adhere to the rules of decency during duty: that we will
pay a due regard to our olTicera ; that we will, when called upon, sup-
port with our utmost abilities the civil magistrate in the execution of
the laws for the good of our country, and that we will at all times be in
readiness to defend the lives, liberties, and properties of ourselves and
fellow-countrymen against all attempts to deprive us of them.
"Extract from the minutes.
** By order of the Committee,
" Feanoib Johnston, Se'j'y-"
The enlistment of soldiers was at once begun, for
on June 29, 1775, at a meeting of several officers of
the militia of Chester County, it was determined that
for the better regulation of the military in this dis-
trict it was advisable that a meeting of all the officers
in the companies should be held at the public-house
of Richard Cheyney, in East Calm, on the 21st day of
July next, the day immediately after the Continental
Fair, at which meeting it was proposed to divide the
county into the most proper and convenient military
districts, to form several battalions, and to elect field-
officers. The next day, June 30th, the Assembly by
resolution recommended to tlie boards of commission-
ers in all the counties in the province, " as they re-
gard the Freedom, Welfare, and safety of their County
immediately to provide a proper number of good new
Firelocks with Baynets fitted to them. Cartridge Boxes
with Twenty-three Rounds of Cartridges in each box
and Knapsacks," and in the apportionment five hun-
dred of each of these equipments was the number the
county of Chester was directed to procure.' By the
same act the Assembly appointed a Committee of
Safety, consisting of twenty-four members, those
named from Chester County being Anthony Wayne,
Benjamin Bartholomew. Francis Johnston, and Rich-
ard Riley, only the latter residing within the territory
now comprising Delaware County. On July 10th, for
the first time, was any of the committee from Chester
County present at the meetings of the body, and on
that occasion Francis Johnston and Anthony Wayne
both took part in the proceedings.
In a letter dated at Philadelphia, July 10, 1775,^
the writer says, " Travel through whatever part of
this country you will, you see the inhabitants train-
ing, making fire-locks, casting mortars, shells, and
\ shots, and making saltpetre, in order to keep the gun-
powder-mills at work during the nest autumn and
summer. Nothing, indeed, is attended to but pre-
paring to make a defence that will astonish the whole
world."
On July 17th the Committee of Safety determined
that eight good rifles should be assigned to each boat
i now building, a part of which were to be put into the
j hands of such men as Capt. Francis, of Philadelphia,
and Col. Wayne, of Chester County, should engage to
go as minute-men on the boats when required. At
this time Wayne was colonel of militia only. The
I same day the committee requested " the good women"
1 of the province to supply their family doctors " with
I as much scraped Lint & old Linen for bandages as
they can conveniently furnish, that the same may be
ready for the service of those that shall happen to be
wounded in the defence of the country."
Considerable apprehension having been aroused
among the members of the Society of Friends as to
their position amid all this din and clash of approach-
ing war. Congress, on July 18, 1775, by a resolution
stated to those people "who from Religious Principles
: cannot bear Arms in any Cause, this Congress intends
no Violence to their Conscience, but earnestly recom-
1 mend it to them to Contribute Liberally in this time
of universal calamity to the relief of their distressed
brethren in the several colonies, and to do all other
! services to their oppressed country which they can
consistently with their Religious principles."
1 The allusion to riflemen to be placed on the boats,
who were to be men selected by Capt. Francis and Col.
THE KEVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
43
Wayne, related to the defense of Philadelphia from a
threatened attack by British vessels of war; hence a
brief account of those defenses, so far as they refer to
the history of Delaware County, should not be omitted
from this work.
The obstructing of the Delaware River by vaisseaux-
de-frise was the suggestion of Dr. Franklin, who also
strongly urged the building of galleys, — vessels of
considerable size, propelled by oars, and intended to
be armed with heavy guns, besides carrying a number
of marines, — as well as locating fortifications at cer-
tain places on the banks. The chemux-de-frise, as the
obstructions were popularly termed, consisted of large
frames of timber, filled in with stones to cause them
to sink, and from these frames huge beams shod with
iron extended to the surface of the water. So ener-
getically did Franklin labor, that although he had
returned, May 5, 1775, after many years' absence in
Europe, in four months he had three rows of these ob-
structions laid, the fort at Red Bank completed, and
seven of the galleys afloat. One of the rows of vais-
seaux-de-frise was sunk within the territory now of Del-
aware County, and extended across the main channel
of the Delaware, opposite the upper end of Hog Island,
and a mile and a quarter below Red Bank. Subse-
quently a row was laid to Billingsport, N. J. On Sept.
13, 1775, Richard Riley, from Marcus Hook, wrote to
George Gray,' of the Committee of Safety, arguing
that, as the provincial galleys would soon be finished,
the entire fleet, in his opinion, should be stationed at
the boundary of the province on the river, below the
" shiver de fress's," and then, if they — the boats — " are
any Protection, every Person above them will Receive
a Benefit ;" that as there was a large island opposite
Marcus Hook, it would aftbrd a harbor to the galleys;
while if the fleet was stationed above the obstructions
at the forts, " Chester and Marcushook may be re-
duced to ashes before any Relief can be obtained,
which would be a Considerable Loss, as all the Rec-
ords & other public papers of the county is their."
This matter of the defenses at Marcus Hook seems to
have been presented to Council ; for on Nov. 16, 1775,
it was resolved "that two tier of Chivaux de Frize be
sunk, for the further Security of this province, in the
Channel opposite or near to Marcus Hook." ^ That
this resolution as to locating obstructions at Marcus
Hook was never carried into effect is apparent, for
the proceedings of the Committee of Safety show that
on Jan. 18, 1776, Col. Wayne states to the committee
that as large vessels must come within musket-shot
of the shore at and near Marcus Hook, in his opinion
"a Line or two of Chevaux de Frize placed there
would be of considerable Service. The Shore near
this narrow channel is nearly as high as Red Bank,
and a battery of Cannon there would greatly annoy
an Enemy.'" On Feb. 15, 1776, Richard Riley again
1 Pennsylvania Archives, 2(1 series, vol. i. p. 550.
: Colonial Kecords, vol. x. p. 404.
« Pennsylvania Archives, 2d series, vol. i. p. 471.
wrote to George Gray,* calling attention to the ex-
posed condition of Marcus Hook, where, should the
enemy come up the river, they would certainly land.
He therefore urged erection of a battery on the shore,
or the stationing of a floating one there, together with
one or two companies of riflemen, to protect that part
of the province, "now Intirely exposed, without the
least defence or the least means for defence, being
without Battery, arms, or ammunition, & of course,
if left to continue, will be obliged to abandon their
Habitations." lu addition, as confirmatory proof that
the obstructions did not extend below Cliester, as late
as July 24, 1777, Council ordered that before a master
of a vessel could obtain an order for a "Chevax De
Frize Pilot" he was compelled to swear that he would
not permit such pilot to remain on the vessel from
"the time she leaves the town of Chester."^ The
purpose of this order was to prevent any person
knowing the unobstructed channel from getting ac-
cess to British vessels, and for a reward imparting
that knowledge to the enemy.
Early in the fall of the year the galleys were ready,
as already stated, and, on Sept. 22, 1775, the Commit-
tee of Safety appointed Capt. John Moulder, of Mar-
cus Hook, commander of the armed boat " Hancock ;"
but the latter, on the 10th of October following, noti-
fied the committee that he declined to act in that
capacity.
The Committee of Chester County seems to have
had no meetings during the summer, but in pursu-
ance of a notice of the chairman, Wayne, they met
on Monday morning, September 25th, at the Turk's
Head Tavern,— now West Chester,— at which time the
board of commissioners and assessors of the county
were present. At this meeting the following dis-
claimer of all treasonable intentions on the part of
the colonies was adopted and published in the Phila-
delphia newspapers of that day. The ignorance dis-
played in that resolution of the tendency of public
aff'airs might be pardoned in Wayne, who was an ad-
mirable soldier but a wretched politician ; but the
committee certainly had among its members some
men who could read the signs of the times better than
to have issued such a document as that, particularly
when it was known that statesmen like John Adams
were openly advocating the independency of the colo-
nies. The disclaimer was as follows :
" Wheeeas some persons, evidently inimical to the liberty of America,
have industriously propagated a report, that the military aseociators of
this County, in conjunction with the military associators in general, in-
I < lb., p. 572.
5 lb,, 601. Nearly two years before the order, Nov. 7, 1775, the Com-
mittee of Safety had ordered that five of the t<'n licensed pilots should
! be in readiness at Philadelphia to carry vessels down to Chester, and,
I haviug performed that service, were immediately to return by land or
in skifta to the city. The other five were to be at Chester lo bring ves.
sels up the river, and are, immediately after piloting the vessel, to re-
turn to Chester by sklft or land. In Chester the pilots were directed to
be at the house of Mrs. Withy, to receive applications from owners or
masters of vessels, every day from 10 to 1 o'clock, aud none are to be
absent except when on duty.— Colonial Records, vol. x. p. 390. ;
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
tend to overturn the ConBtitution, by declaring an Independency in
the execution of which they are aided by this Committee and the board
of Commissioners and Assessors with the arms now mailing for this
County ; and as such report could not originate but among the loorst of
men for the worst of purposes, — This Committee have therefore thought
proper to declare, and they hereby do decla7-e, their abhorrence even of
an idea so pernicious in its nature; as they ardently wish for nothing
more than a happy and speedy reconciliation, on constitutional princi-
ples, with that state from whom they derive their origin.
" By order of the Committee.
The committee, after adopting tlie foiegoiug docu-
ment providing for an election by the people in the
several townships on the 11th day of October follow-
ing, for persons to serve on the committee for Chester
County for the ensuing year, then adjourned to
meet in the borough of Chester on that date. The
next day, September 26th, the Council of Safety di-
rected that an order for five hundred pounds should
be drawn in favor of Chester County, the money to
be expended in the purchase of arms and other
munitions of war.
The Assembly, Oct. 19, 1775, reappointed the then
Committee of Safety, and added new members thereto.
So far as Chester County was concerned, the repre-
sentation remained unchanged, excepting that it was
increased by the appointment of Nicholas Fairlamb,^
the latter a resident of the present county of Dela-
ware.
The new committee of the county of Chester
which had been selected on October 2d, by which
some slight change was made in the jjersonnd of that
body, met shortly afterwards, and gave ofiicial publi-
cation to the following proceedings :
" Chester, Oct. 23rd, 1775.
" Pursuant to public notice given, the Committee met at the house of
David Coupland, in the borough of Chester. On motion ordered, that
each member of this Committee do immediately make return to the
Chairman, of the quantity of Powder which he already has or may col-
lect within his district, together with the price and the name of the
owner thereof, that the same may be paid for.
'*0n motion resolved, that Anthony Wayne, Francis Johnston, and
Elisha Price Esqrs., Mr. Richardsen, Mr. Knowles, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr.
Brannan, be and they are hereby appointed a Committee of Correspond-
ence for this Countj'.
" By order of the Committee.
"Feaxcis Johnston, Sio'j/."
It may be doubted whether any of the muskets
ordered for Chester County were delivered until this
month, for on October 6th, Mr. Dunwicke, a gun-
smith, " how employed in making the Provincial
Muskets for Chester County," asked Council for an
order on the commissary for two pounds of powder,
" to prove some of them now ready." Which request
was granted, and the commissary ordered to be present
when the firearms were tried.-
The necessity for a more thorough organization iu
the several counties became so appareut that the As-
sembly, on Nov. 25, 1775, adopted rules and regula-
tions to that end, and at the meeting of the committee
of Chester County, on December 26th, that body re-
organized in conformity with the suggestions of the
Legislature. At the same meeting the committee
"Reeolv'd, that Anthony Wayne, James Moore, Francis Johnston,
Esq., Dr. Samuel Kenedy, Caleb Davis, "William Montgomery, Persifor
Frazer, and Richard Thomas, Gentlemen, or any five or more of them,
be appointed, and they are hereby appointed to represent the county (if
occasion be) in Provincial Convention for the ensuing year."
The provincial authorities were very active in
pushing tbrward military organizations, for Wash-
ington was constantly drawing the attention of Con-
gress to the fact that in a short time the term of ser-
vice of many of the troops with him, besieging Boston,
would expire, and the army must be filled with fresh
men. On Dec. 9, 1775, Congress resolved that four
battalions should be raised in Pennsylvania, and on
the 15th provided that the Committee of Safety should
be requested to recommend proper persons as field-
officers, from which names Congress would select
and commission the colonels, lieutenant-colonels,
and majors. Of all officers below the rank of major,
the Committee of Safety were to make the appoint-
ments. On Jan. 2, 1776, the Committee reported the
name of Anthony Wayne as colonel of the Fourth
Battalion, which nomination was confirmed by Con-
gress. On the 3d of January the Committee nomi-
nated Francis Johnston as lieutenant-colonel, and on
the 4th, Nicholas Haussegger as major of the same
battalion, which nominations were promptly con-
firmed. The next day the Committee of Safety ap-
pointed Persifor Frazer, Thomas Robinson, John
Lacey, Caleb North, Thomas Church, Frederick Ver-
non, James Moore, and James Taylor captains of the
several companies of the Fourth Battalion, and they
were commissioned as of that date.^ The battalion
rendezvoused at Chester on February 9th, and on the
17th, Col. Wayne reported that five hundred and sixty
officers and men were present at camp, and that ten
commissioned officers were absent, with recruits, the
number of which was suflicient, he believed, to make
the battalion complete. At that date he stated he
" had only twelve rifles and twenty muskets," and
was in want of every other article. On January
22d, Congress ordered the companies, as fast as they
were equipped, to march to New York. Robinson's,
Church's, and Lacey's companies, under the command
of Maj. Haussegger, reported at New York on the
28th. The troops must have been housed even as far
away from Chester as Darby, for on April 26th, Wayne
arrived at New York, assumed command of his regi-
ment there, and dispatched Maj. Haussegger to Phil-
adelphia to immediately bring on the other five com-
panies, and we find that the next day he ordered Capt.
Lacey to return to Darby and settle for the board of
his (Lacey's) men. Capt. Lacey always a.sserted that
Wayne had promised to settle that account himself,
and he sent him (Lacey) back simply to have an op-
I Colonial Records, vol. x. pp. .■i7a-74.
THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
45
portunity " to give the command of his company to
his ' pet,' Capt. Moore."
On Jan. 17, 1776, five days before Congress ordered !
Wayne's battalion to New York, the Committee of
Safety resolved: "That Col. Wayne, Col. Johnston,
Mr. Bartholomew, & Mr. Riley be a Committee to E.x-
amine the Fire-locks, Cartridge-Boxes, Knapsacks,
&c., as ordered by Assembly to be provided for Ches-
ter County . . . and make return of the same to this
Board."
The following day, January 18th, a member of the
committee suggested that a thousand chosen riflemen
should be recruited for the provincial service, which
body should be stationed near Chester to harass the
enemy in their march to Philadelphia, should they at- I
tempt the capture of that city.' At that time the gen- j
eral confidence in the efficacy of the obstructions in
the river was such that the thought of an attack by '
water was rarely entertained. The suggestion was ;
adopted, and in the spring of 1776, Col. Samuel Miles '
was appointed to the command of a regiment of one
thousand riflemen, formed in two battalions. This
body of men must have begun to assemble at Marcus
Hook and Chester early in April, 1776, for on the 13th
of that month the Committee of Safety had a report
from Col. Miles that there was not suflicient " houses I
or other buildings" in or about the towns mentioned
to quarter the troops then being raised, and Council
authorized Col. Miles to purchase one hundred good
tents on the most reasonable terms he could.'^ On
April 17th, Caleb Davis made application to the com-
mittee for money to pay for fire-locks made in Chester
County for the use of the province. He received
fifteen hundred pounds for that purpose, to the order
of the commissioners and assessors of the county, and
also one hundred pounds for saltpetre, and two
quarter-casks of gunpowder were ordered to be de-
livered to him.^ On March 25, 1776, Henry Fisher,
at Lewes, Del., by express, notified the Committee
of Safety that a sloop-of-war was coming into
Whorekill " Road with a Small Tender," and it being
night, he could not state whether she was bound up
the bay or not, but every ettbrt would be made to pre- I
vent her procuring a pilot. The express was started at
seven o'clock on Monday evening, and reached Ches-
ter by half-past two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon,
where, after stopping forty minutes, Richard Kane,
the messenger, left that place for Philadelphia. On
the receipt of the dispatch. Council ordered Commo-
dore Caldwell to send four well-manned and armed
boats down the river to Reedy Island, which galleys
were directed to act with Capt. Barry of the brig
" Lexington," and endeavor to capture the English
vessel. Caldwell subsequently returned, for Council
on April 30th ordered the fleet to go down the river
again, if Mr. Mease and Mr. Morris thought it neces-
sary. It was ordered down, and in the mean time, as
constant reports were being sent to the committee of
the daily progress up the river of the British men-of-
war, on May 7th, Robert Towers was directed to de-
liver to Col. Miles one thousand pounds of gun-
powder and two thousand pounds of lead, " or as
great a part thereof as is in store, and for the use of
the Associators of Chester County, to be consigned
there agreeably to Col. Miles' direction, 20,000 Car-
tridges for Muskets." At the date just mentioned the
" Roebuck" of forty-eight, and the " Liverpool" of
twenty-eight guns, were off New Castle, bound up
the river, and the galley fleet was ordered to attack
them, while at the same time Col. Miles, who was at
the meeting of the Council, went at once to Marcus
Hook with some powder and lead for his riflemen,
and the next morning marched one hundred and fifty
of his men — all of his troops for whom he had
equipments — to Wilmington, which place he reached
in time (two o'clock in the afternoon ) to see the action
between the galleys and the British ships. " I am con-
vinced," he stated in his journal,^ "that had the gal-
leys been sufficiently supplied with ammunition in due
time (although one-half of them appeared very shy,
and never came within point-blank shot of the ships)
that these vessels, at least the ' Roebuck,' would
have fallen into our hands." Council, on June 12th,
ordered Col. Miles to furnish from the provincial
troops under his command guards over the powder-
house, over the military stores deposited at the State-
House, as well as the materials collected for fire-rafts
at Philadelphia, stating the reason for this order was
that the Continental troops had been withdrawn.
Col. Atlee, on June 13th, from Chester, wrote to John
Morton ^ that, under Col. Miles' order, he had de-
tached four companies of " musquetrey," under Col.
Parry, to Philadelphia, and would be pleased if the
remainder of his battalion could be ordered there,
" that they might jointly be properly Disciplined."
On the 17th, Atlee was directed to move his whole
battalion from Chester to be quartered in the barracks
at Philadelphia. On July 3, 1776, Congress desired
the Committee of Safety to send as many troops as
they could spare immediately to Monmouth County,
N. J., and the same day it is noted that " In Conse-
quence of the following Resolve of Congress, a Letter
was wrote to Colo. Miles, requesting he would give
orders for the most Speedy March of the Rifle Bat-
talione to this city." '^ From a letter written by Col.
Miles to Richard Riley, dated July 10th, it appears
that when the troops left Marcus Hook, in obedience
to the foregoing order, a number of men inoculated for
4 Pennsylvania .Archives, 2d aeries, p. 519. (See PennsylTania Ar-
chives, 1st series, vol. iv. p. 748, for Col. Uiles' report. From some of
the reports made by the conimauders of the galleys and Pennsylvania
vessels of war, it is evident that they had no great longing for the
allotted task, that of capturing the British menK>f-war.)
lb..
t seriei
• Colonial Records, vol. x. p. 628.
46
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the smallpox had been left there under charge of Dr.
Davis, who was afterwards ordered to join his com-
pany in the Jerseys, and the sick men " still remained
at the Hook under the notice of Doct'r Chapman."
Col. Miles therefore desired Mr. Riley to see that
these sick men were served with every necessary pro-
vision.'
As stated in the letter hereinbefore quoted, giving
an account of the activity in military affairs in the
provinces as early as July, 1775, the people were
busy " in making saltpetre." Grave apprehensions
were entertained early in the war that possibly that
commodity could not be had in sufficient quantity to
meet the demand in making gunpowder. To prevent
such a disaster the Committee of Safety made extraor-
dinary efforts to instruct the people in the manner of
preparing the necessary article. Hence the following
advertisement appeared in the Fennsyh-ania Packef in
February, 1776 :
"To THE Inhabitants of the County of Chester:
" Pursuant to the recommendation of the Committee of Safety for the
Province of Pennsylvania to the Committee for Inspection for the County
of Chester, Benjamin Braunan, Waller Tioney, and Jolm Beaton were
appointed to attend the saltpetre manufactory in the City of Philadel-
phia, in order to perfect themselves in said art, We having complied
therewith, do hereby give notice to all those whose public virtue and
patriotic spirit would excite them to such a valuable and necessary un-
dertaking at this crisis of time; that attendance will be given at the
house of Benjamin Brannan, in Darby,2 on the SM and 24th of Febru-
ary ; at the house of Mr. Cochran, in East Fallowfield, on the 27th and
28th ; at the house of Mr. Whithy (Withy), in the borough of Chester,
on the 1st and second of March ; at the house of Mr. Hood, in Oxford,
on the 4th and 5th ; at the house of Mr. Miller, in Birmingham, on the
6th and 7th ; at the house of Mr. Bell, in Kennet, on the 12th and 13th ;
and at the house of Walter Finney, in New London, on the 14th and
15th of said month, iu order to teach and instruct all persons who may
please to apply at the times and places above mentioned.
"Benjamin Brannan,
" Wa
Fin
" N.B.— The limes and places in the North West district are not yet
appointed."
The Council next turned its attention to the erec-
tion and operation of powder-mills. On Feb. 3, 1776,
Dr. Robert Harris proposed to the committee to build
a mill on the Valley Stream, about twenty-five miles
from the city, and stated that he would engage to be
ready by the 1st of March to make one ton per week,
on the same terms as the Committee of Safety would
make with other parties.^ Dr. Harris and the com-
mittee entered into the agreement, but he did not
locate his powder-mill at the place where he first in-
tended to have built it, for in John Ladd Howell's
report to Owen Biddle, dated June 3, 1776,* he de-
scribes his works thus :
" Doctr. Robert Harris's, on Cram Creek, about three miles from Ches-
ter, begun to Work about the 23d nit. The dimensions of the Mill
House 30 ft. by 20 ft.. Head of Water about 2'^ feet fall, about 6 ft. Water
Wheel 12 ft.
" The Shafts that Worke (Eighty Stampers of 2% by '6% Incha &
1 Colonial Records, vol. x. p. 783.
2 Dr. Smith states (Hist, of Delaware County, p. 288) that at that t
Brannan lived in Upper Darby.
3 Penna. Archives, let sjries, vol. iv. p. 709.
< lb., p. 765.
eleven ft. Length) is thirty-two ft. Long, five Mortars made of Two
Inch Plank, about live foot each, one Stamper & Mortar for preparing
Sulphur.
" Drying House, 20 ft. by 15 ft., neither floor'd nor plastered. He has
received one Ion of Salt Petre and five Hundred w" of Sulphur, or
thereabouts, expected to deliver one Ton of Powder on the first lust.
& the same Quantity Weekly.
"The sides of the Mill House & Gable Ends of that & the Drying
House being enclosed by Boards not sufficiently seasoned, are very open
& must have a bad effect on the Powder, yet the Doctr is of a Different
Opinion."
This mill was located in Springfield township at
Strath-haven, on Crum Creek.
In the same month, June, 1776, as the enlisted
troops would be in all probability ordered away from
Chester County, it was necessary to put the militia in
such a condition that they could be called on in an
emergency. Hence we find that on June 1st Col. Wil-
liam Montgomery was ordered to purchase a quantity
of lead for the use of the Associators of Chester
County,^ and shortly after an estimate was made of
the number of firearms in the county, and the follow-
ing return was made : ''
1st Battalion, Col. James Moore 380
2nd Battalion, Col. Thomas Hockley 400
3d Battalion, Col. Hugh Lloyd 300
4th Battalion, Col. William Montgomery 450
5th Battalion, Col. Richard Thomas 300
1830
The dread that the enemy— whom it was known
was preparing an expedition at Halifax — intended to
make an attack on Philadelphia was so general that
every means in the reach of the colony was employed
to defend the city from the threatened assault. To
that end, on June 19, 1776, Abraham Kinsey, the
tenant of Samuel Galliway's estate on Hog Island,
was notified that it might be necessary to " lay that
island under Water on the near approach of the
Enemy," but whatever injury he should sustain would
be made good to him by the public. On June 20,
1776, George Bryan, the naval officer, was also in-
structed that no application for a cheveau.v-de-frUe
pilot should be allowed unless the captain on oath
declared that he would not take the pilot farther
down the river than Chester, except in cases where
the vessels should go down the bay under convoy of
Continental sloops-of-war.
On June 22d the committee ordered Robert Towers,
commissary, to deliver to the colonels of the Battalions
of Associators in Chester County the following quan-
tities of ammunition:
" To Colo. James Moore :
2300 Cartridges for Provincial Muskets.
2070 do., sorted, for the other different Bores of Firelocks.
1500 flints.
To Colo. Thom's Hockly :
2300 Cartridges for Provincial Muskets.
2300 do., sorted, for the other different Bores of Firelocks.
1000 flints.
To Colo. Hugh Lloyd :
1840 do. for Provincial Muskets.
1610 do., sorted, for the other different Bores of Firelocks.
1200 flints.
s Colonial Records, vol. x. p. 592.
leries, vol. iv. p. 776.
THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDY WINE. 47
To Colo. Wm MoDtgamery :
2T60 Cartridges for Provincial Muskets.
2415 do., sorted, for the other different Bores of Firelocks.
1800 flints.
To Colo. Eich'd Thomas:
1840 Cartridges for Provincial Muskets.
1610 do., sorted, for the other different Bores of Firelocks.
1200 flints.
" And to each of the said Colonels, the same proportion of loose pow-
der and Lead, equal to the Quantity of Cartridges."!
By this time almost unconsciously the public mind
in the colonies had been rapidly educated to an ac-
ceptance of the idea of absolute independence from
the kingdom of Great Britain. The stirring sentences
of Paine's " Common Sense" had rung through the
provinces like the blare of a trumpet, giving direction
to the thoughts and ideas of the struggle, and "crys-
tallized into fixed purpose the wishes and hopes for
independence," until those persons who, as members
of the committee of Chester County, had only a few
months before declared "their abhorrence even of
an idea so pernicious" now gave support freely to the
movement for the establishment of a new nationality
on the earth.
Congress, on May 15, 1776, recommended "the re-
spective Assemblies and Conventions of the United
Colonies, where no government sufficient to the exi-
gencies of their affairs has been hereunto established,
to adopt such government as shall, in the opinion of
the representatives of the people, best conduce to the
happiness and safety of their constituents in particu-
lar, and America in general." In Pennsylvania,
where the legislative power had (by popular consent
or obedience) been transferred to the Committee of
Safety, the people were unwilling to submit the
matter to an Assembly which had become simply the
empty form of authority. Thereupon the Committee
of Correspondence for Philadelphia communicated
with all the county committees, appointing June
18th as a day for the meeting of a provincial confer-
ence to be held in Philadelphia. On that day the
body thus summoned assembled in Carpenters' Hall,
and elected Col. Thomas McKean president; Col.
Joseph Hart, vice-president; and Jonathan B. Smith
and Samuel C. Morris, secretaries. The county of
Chester, in that body, was represented by Col. Richard
Thomas, Maj. William Evans, Col. Thomas Hockley,
Maj. Caleb Davis, Elisha Price, Samuel Fatrlamb,
Capt. Thomas Levis, Col. William Montgomery, Col.
Hugh Lloyd, Richard Riley, Col. Evan Evans, Col.
Lewis Gronow, and Maj. Sketchley Morton. The
conference unanimously resolved that the then form
of provincial government was " not competent to the
exigencies of our affairs," and that it was necessary
that a convention should be called for the purpose of
forming "a new government in this Province on the
authority of the people alone." Thereupon the confer-
ence made provision for representation of every county
in the province, and for an election of members to
I Colonial Kecords, vol.
. p. 613.
the proposed Constitutional Convention. On the 24th
of June, 1776, the meeting adjourned, after each
deputy had signed a declaration which stated their
"willingness to concur in a vote of the Congress
declaring the United Colonies free and independent
States."
The momentous event which made the year 1776
one of the most noticeable in the history of the world
was at hand. For some time the fact that a separa-
tion was inevitable between the United Colonies and
the mother-country was apparent, and the declaration
of the deputies to the conference at Philadelphia,
just mentioned, exhibits how popular the movement
had already become. Hence, when the committee of
Congress appointed to draft a formal Declaration of
Independence reported to that body on the 2Sth of
June, it needed no prophet to foretell the fate of the
measure when the question as to its adoption should
be submitted to the members, and it occasioned no
surprise when, after some alterations had been made
in the document, on July 4, 1776, it was sanc-
tioned by the vote of every colony. Of the eight
members from Pennsylvania on the day of its adop-
tion, Robert Morris, John Dickinson, and Andrew
Allen were absent; Benjamin Franklin, John Martin,
and James Wilson voted in the affirmative, while
Thomas Willing and Charles Humphreys recorded
their voices against the Declaration. Of these men
deemed worthy to represent the then wealthiest prov-
ince in the colonies in a Congress of the leading
minds of the continent, it is a highly honorable
record that there were two who were natives of the
territory now Delaware County, — John Morton, of
Ridley township, who voted in the affirmative, and
Charles Humphreys, of Haverford township, who
voted in the negative on the final question of the
adoption of the Declaration.
The convention which had been called to prepare
a constitutional form of government for the republic
of Pennsylvania met in Philadelphia July 15, 1776.
Dr. Benjamin Franklin presided over the assemblage.
The representatives from Chester County were Ben-
jamin Bartholomew, John Jacobs, Thomas Straw-
bridge, Robert Smith, Samuel Cunningham, John
Hart, John Mackey, and John Fleming. This con-
vention absolutely assumed the chief legislative and
executive power in the province, appointed a Council •
of Safety, ratified the Declaration of Independence,
and filled all the offices under the new order of
things. The body continued in session until Sept.
28, 1776, when it adopted the constitution it had
made, which went into effect immediately without
being submitted to a vote of the people. By its pro-
visions the legislative power was reposed in a Gen-
eral Assembly acting as one House, the executive
authority was vested in a president, who was to be
chosen annually by the Assembly and Council in
joint ballot, the Council consisting of twelve persons
who were elected in classes for a term of three years.
48
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
A council of censors was provided consisting of two
persons from each city and county, the first members
of which were to be chosen in 1783 and elected every
seven years thereafter, whose province was to see that
the legislative and executive branches had performed
their duties properly, neither failing in nor exceeding
their powers. On Nov. 13, 1783, the only council of
censors ever chosen in pursuance of this constitution
met at the State-House, Philadelphia, and continued
its session until Sept. 25, 1784. Chester County was
represented in that body by Anthony Wayne and
John Evans. The latter dying while a member of the
council, James Moore was chosen in his stead, being
present Dec. 30, 1783, for the first time.
After the Declaration of Independence, the men
who had led the people forward to that step, now
that the bonds that held them to the mother-country
had been severed, put forth additional energy. It was
the days when the bullets used in the chase and in
war, at least in America, were cast of lead, and gen-
erally by those who used them ; hence the authorities
were anxious togather material which could at once be
utilized for that purpose. On July 8, 1776, the Com-
mittee of Safety ordered certain gentlemen to collect
" all the Leaden Window-weights, clock-weights, and
other Lead in Germantowu and its Neighborhood, for
which the Liberal price of six Pence per pound will
be allowed." I do not find that the county of Ches-
ter was distinctly named so far as gathering lead is
concerned, but on July 17, 1776, the Committee of
Safety made a general demand as follows :
" The Families who have leaden Window- or Clock-Weights are earn,
estly requested to give them up inimedialely to the Persons appointed
to Collect them. Such Families may be assured that they will be sup-
plied as soon as possible with Weights of Iron, and it is hoped the tri-
fling Inconvenience of being for a few days without them will not be
put in Competition with the Danger that may Arise to this Country
from the want of a sutficient quantity of Lead for our Defence." '
Guard boats were stationed in Darby Creek,- for on
July 26th, Capt. Charles Lawrence, William Watkin,
and Robert Tatnall represented to Council that the
inconvenience of going to the fort for provisions was
such that they desired Sketchley Morton might be
appointed to furnish their supplies, which order was
made.^ The uncertainty as to the destination of the
English expedition still hung over all the provinces,
and extraordinary efforts were made to meet the storm
when it should burst. On July 29th, Council ordered
that fifty muskets should be delivered to Col. -lames
Moore, of Chester County, for the use of his battalion,*
and on August 1st, Col. Moore made application for
" 50 Bayonets or Tomhawks, 30 Hatchets, 100 screws,
& 100 worms, for the use of his Battalion," and Com-
1 Colonial Hecords, vol. x. p. 049.
2 In a letter from David Joy to Samuel Howell, Jan. 16, 1776 (Penna.
Archives, Ist series, vol. v. p. 700), the former suggested that a few fire-
rafts should "be kept in some creek below the Chevee de Frizes, in
order to sett them on the Enemy on the flood. Darby, Chester, or Ra-
coon creeks will do."
a Colonial Records, vol. x. p. 666. < lb., p. 6.i9.
missary Towers was ordered to deliver these articles
to the colonel.^ At this time there must have been
an encampment of troops at Chester, for on August
i 5th, Council ordered £4 6s. Sd. to be paid James Pen-
nell for wood delivered at that place " for the use of
' the Pennsylvania Musketry."" The report that the
British fleet had rendezvoused off" Sandy Hook on the
I 28th of June had allayed somewhat the dread of an
attack on Philadelphia, but the long delay in disem-
' barking the troops and the constantly receiving
tidings that daily reinforcements were being made by
transports and vessels of war to the armada that was
to subjugate the colonies kept alive the apprehension
that at any moment the fleet might weigh, and almost
before the news could be carried to Philadelphia the
guns of the hostile vessels would announce their pres-
ence in the Delaware. Hence the alarming condition
of the time demanded constant vigilance and prepa-
ration on the part of those men who, advocating in-
I dependence, must do everything to resist the capture
j of the foremost city of the colony. August 6th, one
hundred stand of arms was delivered to Col. Richard
Thomas, of Chester County, for his battalion, and the
following day thirty stand of arms was sent to Col.
Moore.
The same day the muster-master, Davis Bevan, of
the borough of Chester, was instructed " to Pass Col.
R'd Thomas's Battalion of Chester County with the
Present number of Oflicers and Men," and the com-
missary was directed to supply the battalion with
accoutrements, as also to immediately deliver to Col.
Thomas sixty stands of arms.' The alarm increasing,
J as news of unusual activity in the British fleet was
received by express, the militia was hastily armed and
I mustered into the service, hence we find that on Au-
gust 8th the muster-master was ordered to pa.ss Capt.
Thomas Heslep's company of the First Battalion of
Chester County, commanded by Col. Moore, with the
j number of officers and men then recruited. There
was intense anxiety in the county of Chester at that
time and unusual activity, as is evidenced from the
minutes of the Council of Safety. On August 12th,
; Col. Richard Thomas received £196 3.«., the price he
had paid for eighty-one firelocks, bought of non-asso-
ciators,® and on the 14th of the same month fourteen
pounds was paid for cartridge-boxes and bayonet-belts
for Col. Thomas' command, while the same day £75
4s. M. was paid for like articles for the use of Col.
I Moore's battalion." On the 20th of August the news,
I borne by express, reached Chester that the British
fleet, under Sir Peter Parker, had been signally re-
I pulsed at Fort Moultrie, and a few days subsequently
that the English army had disembarked on Long
Island, and hence the " Flying Camp" was dispatched
immediately to New York. On August 23d, the
day following that of the landing of Gen. Howe's
THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
49
army on Long Island, Maj. Caleb Davis was paid
£202 10«. for necessaries for the Chester County quota [
of the Flying Camp, and the same day John Hart
was paid £5 14«. 3rf. mileage for his company of Col.
Lloyd's Chester County battalion, and Capt. Pierce '
of the same organization received £6 8s. 7d. for mile- i
age. The next day, August 24th, Capt. Andrew Boon
of the Second Battalion received £6 2s. 6il. to pur- ,
chase drums, fifes, etc., for his company. Many of
these men who marched from Chester County with
the Flying Camp never returned, but in the early j
gray light of the morning of the 27th of August,
1776, their ghastly faces stiffened in death, when the
first pitched battle of the war was begun by an attack
on the Pennsylvania " Flying Camp" on Long Island.
How severely the troops from Chester County suffered
on that disastrous day can be inferred from the letter
of Capt. Patrick Anderson to Benjamin Franklin,
dated from West Chester County, N. Y., Sept. 22, 1776,'
and how bravely the women of Chester County acted
at that time is shown by the following extract from
the Xew England Courant of Sept. 5, 1776 : '
" PhaadelpliM, August 27, 1776.— The Women of Chester Countt,
Pesna. Since the departure of the able-bodied men from the forks of
the Brandywine, in Chester County, in the service of their country, the
patriotic young women, to prevent the evil that would follow the neglect
of putting in the fall crop in season, have joined the ploughs, and are
preparing the fallows for seed ; and should their fathers, brothers, and
lovers be detained abroad in defense of the liberties of these States, they
are determined to put in the crops themselves, — a very laudable example,
and highly worthy of imitation."
The Council of Safety, on September 16th, resolved
that the members of the Constitutional Convention,
then in session, should recommend proper persons in
their respective counties, to be appointed by Council,
to purchase "blankets, coarse Woolens, Linens, &
Stockings for the use of the Troops belonging" to
Pennsylvania, and on the 4th of October, William
Evans was desired " to purchase all the Coarse Cloths,
Blankets, & Stockings in Chester County for the use
of y'' State, and draw on the Board for the Cost." ^
The following summons from the Council of Safety
to the justices of Chester County* explains itself so far
as known, for there appears no further reference to the
matter in the official records of Council :
" In Council of Safety,
"Philadelphia, Oct'r. 9th, 1776.
" Genxiemen :
" You are hereby required to appear before this Council at Ten o'clock
on Saturday morning, then and there to answer for your conduct in
holding an Election on Tuesday of the first Instant, at the Borrough of
Chester, apparently with a view of supporting the late Government of
the King of Great Britain, in direct Violation of the resolves of Con-
gress and of the late Convention of this State.
"By order of the Council.
" Thos. Wharton, Jon., Pree't."
1 Penna. Archives, 1st series, vol. v. p. 26. See, in addition, Col. A tlee'i
journal, as well as that of Col. Miles, 1 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol
i. pp. 512 to 522.
2 Futhey and Cope's "History of Chester County," p. 66.
3 Colonial Records, vol. x. p. 741.
< Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. i. p. 652.
4
On the 8th of November, 1776, Council order the
sergeant-at-arms "to arrest Richard Swanwick, of
Chester County," and bring him before that body, for
what offense does not appear;'^ and the next day an
order was made that Rev. llr. Rodgers be "paid £70,
being part of his wages as Chaplain to late Miles's
and Atlee's Battalion." On the 8th, too, we learn
that Council gave orders requiring " Provisions to be
made at Chester for Troops to Rendevous there."
That such an encampment was located at that place
at that time is iuferentially established by the fact
that on November 14th, " Intelligence was rec'd by
Express that several hundred Transports had sailed
from New York & steered their Cource to the South-
ward, & expected to be intended for this City; where-
upon the Council wrote a Circular Letter to the Com-
manding Officers of the Battalions of Militia, earnestly
requesting them to march their respective Battalions
to this city Immediately.""
The next day Col. Baj-ard was paid fifty-seven shil-
lings for expenses going to Chester with Gen. Arm-
strong,' and on the 21st, George Weiss received £5 for
riding express to Chester County to order the militia
to be in readiness to march at short notice.* On the
23d, Council determined that the -salt then in po.sses-
siou should be divided among the committees of the
several counties, the proportion allotted to Chester
being eighty bushels, which was to be sold to the
people at the rate of fifteen shillings per bushel, and
in no greater quantity than half a bushel to any one
family. The salt was to be distributed equally ac-
cording to the necessities of the people, " for which
purpose they are to require a declaration of what
quantity they are possessed of more than their just
proportion of the necessary article at a time of such
very great scarcity of it."'-' On the 28th, Council de-
clared that the salt sent to the various counties, as
mentioned, should be sold only to the militiamen who
entered the service, or to their families '" and reiterated
the like order on November 30th.
I On Nov. 27, 1776, Dr. Thomas Bond wrote from
j New Brunswick, stating that he had obtained permis-
sion to carry the sick American soldiers under his
I care, and stated that it would be well to consult Gen.
1 Mifflin on the desirability of locating hospitals at
Darby, Chester, Marcus Hook, Wilmington, and New
i Castle. "I think the Water Carriage from Trenton
I to these Places would save much Carting, & this plan
much better than one propos'd, of sending the Sick
[ to East Town, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Reading, etc.""
I The times were unpropitious for the American col-
I onists. The battle of Long Island had been fought
and lost. New York had fallen, and Washington, ap-
parently driven from post to post, was retreating across
j New Jersey, followed by the victorious foe. It was to
5 lb., p. 644.
« Colonial Records, vol. li. p. 3.
Ub., p. 5. 8 lb., p. 11.
1 Penna. Archives, 1st serie, vol
50
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
prepare for the attack which threatened Philadelphia, ]
alike by sea and land, that Council issued the order
of Nov. 14, 1776, for all owners of cattle along the
Delaware River to make arrangements to remove their
stock inland at least five miles, notifying the owners
that if they failed to act promptly in carrying out the
order when required, the board " may be under the j
disagreeable necessity of giving the most peremptory |
order for the removal and to see that the same be
punctually and suddenly complied with." ' At the
same time the minutes of Council show that the ut- '
most anxiety prevailed, and the activity displayed in
collecting troops, for that time, was proportionally as
great as when, ninety odd years later, the Confederate ;
forces, under Lee, invaded Pennsylvania. As Wash- j
ington drew nearer to Philadelphia, retiring before
the exulting enemy, his army dwindled to a mere
handful of war-worn, ill-clad, ill-fed, ill-armed troops, ,
fleeing across New Jersey, sorely pursued by Lord
Cornwallis' overpowering force of twenty thousand \
men, the flower of the English soldiery, the na-
tion's fate trembled on the verge of ruin. On No-
vember 30th, Council resolved " that in the present
alarming situation of affairs" no vessel should be per-
mitted to leave the port of Philadelphia, and all ship-
ping was interdicted passing through the chevaux- .
de-frise. Money was immediately dispatched to the
colonels of the militia organizations in the counties
of Chester, Philadelphia, Bucks, Northampton, and \
the city of Philadelphia to furnish support to " the 1
families of such associators as go into actual service
and may stand in need of the same," which money
was to be distributed among the families requiring
supplies, " from time to time, according to their need,
in the most discreet manner."- On December 1st
dispatches were sent by expresses to Chester, Phila-
delphia, Bucks, and Northampton Counties to hasten
the march of militia to reinforce Gen. Washington in
New Jersey. On the 3d, Council desired the members
of Assembly from the counties of Philadelphia, Ches- \
ter, Bucks, and Lancaster to recommend immediately '
in the respective counties, proper persons to be ap-
pointed by the board to hire all the wagons in those '
counties.^ On the 4th, Dr. Robert Harris was paid
fifty-eight pounds for making powder at his mills, at '
Strath-haven, on Crum Creek, and the same day Mr.
Towers was ordered to deliver to Dr. Harris a ton of
saltpetre and sulphur, in proportion to make gun-
powder.* The same day John Morton was paid £3 6-s.
for wharfage of the floating-battery " Arnold," in the
preceding March. This, doubtless, must relate to ex-
penses incurred while the war-boats and galleys lay
in Darby Creek.
On the 8th of December the American army crossed
the river from New Jersey to the west bank, and so
eager were the pursuing enemy that they came in sight
but a few moments after the rear-guard had passed
over and destroyed the bridges. The English com-
mander was so assured that the armed resistance of
the colonies was virtually at an end, that leave was
given Lord Cornwallis to return to England, and he
had gone to New York with the intention of embark-
ing for Europe. The hopes of the colonists were over-
clouded with doubts. The Council, however, hurried
forward the raw levies of militia to reinforce the wasted
ranks of the Continental army. On December Uth,
Col. Evan Evans, of Chester County, was paid £2 9s. 4rf.
for the transportation of the baggage of his company,
as well as £2 Of. 5d. for flints and lead for his battalion.
Col. James Moore received one hundred pounds to
advance a month's pay to his battalion,'^ and on the
14th, Col. Evans received " 1000 dollars to pay his
Battalion of Militia a month's wages advance.""
On Dec. 11, 1776, Capt. Hammon, of the British
vcssel-of-war " Roebuck," landed Davis Bevan and
Benjamin Canby at Lewes under parole, with instruc-
tions to proceed to Philadelphia and make arrange-
ment for an exchange of prisoners of war. It seems
that the schooner " Nancy," of which vessel Davis
Bevan was master, had been captured by the " Roe-
buck," and he, Canby, and other Americans, prison-
ers of war in the hands of the commander of the
British vessel, were exchanged Dec. 30, 1776.
The cause of the united colonies seemed, previous
to the holidays of 1776, almost beyond hope ; only
the most patriotic citizens could bear up against the
constant reverses which attended the Continental
arms, and it is not surprising that less than a week
before the brilliant affair at Trenton Col. Francis
Johnston, in a letter dated from New London Cross-
Road, December 21st, should present the following
gloomy picture of the uncertainty that maintained
among the inhabitants of Chester County respecting
the outcoming of the struggle, and their hesitancy to
part with any commodities in exchange for Continen-
tal currency. He says, —
" I thiuk it my Duty to inform you of the strange and perverse
Change in Politicks wliich hath taken place through a great part of
this County.
" Even some quondam asmciatori, as well as conscientiously scrupu-
lous men, totally refuse to accept Congress money as payment for old
Debts, And there are some so maliciously averse to our support of Lib-
erty that they refuse to part with any commodity whatsoever, even the
Necessaries of Life, unless they can get hard money or the old Paper
Currency of this Province. Most of the Tavern Keepers who are
friends on the Lancaster Road have pnll'd down their Signs, & refuse
the Soldiery Provisions or drink— they will assign you no reason for
such conduct ; the reason, however, is too evident, they are afraid to
receive Congress Money."'
Col. Johnston was not only incensed at the conduct
of the people of Chester County, but on Jan. 7, 1777,
he gave Council to understand that the appointment
of junior officers over his " head" was objectionable;
particularly the case of Lieut.-Col. Penrose brought
1 Colonial Eecords, vol. xi. p. 4.
ina. Archives, 1st series,
lb., 1st series, vol. v. p.
) 2d series, vol.
THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE. 51
forth his indignation, but his wrath was mollified
when, on Feb. 21, 1777, Congress promoted Col. An-
thony Wayue to the rank of brigadier-general, and
he (Johnston) was made the colonel of the Fifth
Pennsylvania Regiment, Persifor Frazer its lieuten-
ant-colonel, and Thomas Robinson its major. The
term of the Fourth Pennsylvania Battalion had ex-
pired on Jan. 5, 1777, but it remained over until Jan-
uary 24th to allow other troops to be enlisted and
forwarded to take its place. It is, however, not to be '
inferred from the foregoing remark that the Fourth
Battalion marched away from the field in a body, for
the fact is that the greater number of Wayne's men,
being of Irish birth or descent, re-enlisted, under
their old officers, in the Fifth Regiment of the Penn-
sylvania line.' Those who did not re-enter the ser-
vice were ordered to Chester, where the battalion was
mustered out Feb. 25, 1777. On the same day John
Evans, of Chester County, was notified that he had
been elected a member of the Council of Safety, the
duties of which office he assumed shortly afterwards.
Although early iu the year the storm of war, owing
to Washington having assumed the offensive, had
rolled away from Philadelphia, the Council did not
lessen its eftbrts to place the Continental army in as
efficient condition as possible, and to that end, on Jan.
13, 1777, it required the commissioners in the several
counties in the State to furnish thirty-eight thousand
bushels of horse feed, and of that total, four thousand
bushels were required for Chester County. At this
time the prevalent idea was that Gen. Howe proposed
to make an attempt to capture Philadelphia by water,
and this impression was confirmed when, on March
25th, James Molesworth, who bore a lieutenant's com-
mission from Gen. Howe, was arrested in Philadelphia,
charged with attempting to obtain a chevaiix-de-frise
and two bay pilots, to bring the British fleet up the
Delaware. Not only did he attempt to corrupt pilots
to that end, but he strove to have accomplices, whose
duties it should be to spike the guns at Fort Island
(Fort Mifflin), and to destroy the posts and ropes at
the ferries. Molesworth was tried by court-martial,
on the charge of being a spy, was found guilty, and
hung March 31, 1777.'- Previous to his execution he
1 In Gen. Henry Lee's " Uemoirs of the Wnr in tbe Southern Depart-
ment," vol. ii. p. 203, the personnel of the Pennsylvania Line la thus de-
scribed : " Wayne had a constitutional attachment to the decision of the
sword, and this cast of character had acquired strength from indulgence,
as well as from the native temper of the troops he commanded. They
were known by the designation of the Line of Pennsylvania, whereas
they might have been with more propriety called the Line of Ireland.
Bold and daring, they were Impatient and refractory, and would always
prefer an appeal to the bayonet to a toilsome march. Restless under
the want of food and whiskey ; adverse to absence from their baggage,
and attached to the pleasures of the table. Wayne and his brigade were
more encumbered witli wagons than any equal portion of the army.
The general and his soldiers were singularly fitted for close and stubborn
action, hand to hand, in the centre of the army. Cornwallis, therefore,
did not miscalculate when he presumed that the junction of Wayue
would increase rather than diminish his chances of bringing his antago-
nist, Lafayette, to action."
2 Penna. Archives, 1st series, vol. v. p. 282; Colonial Records, vol. xi.
p. 197.
made a confession, and accused a number of persons
as being implicated in the design to restore the royal
authority in Philadelphia. Council hastened its
preparation to meet the threatened invasion, and on
April 3d a hundred wagons drawn by four horses was
called for by the Board of War, to remove public
stores from Philadelphia to the west side of the
Schuylkill. Col. Caleb Davis, Maj. Evans, Col. Wil-
liam Dewees, and Isaac Webb were designated to hire
such wagons in Chester County. On April 21st Coun-
cil instructed the committees of the counties of Bucks,
Philadelphia, and Chester " to take an Inventory of
all the Flour, Wheat, Rye, and Indian Corn, Oats,
Beef, Pork, Horses, Neat Cattle, Sheep, Hogs, &c., also
Wagons, Carts, &c.," in each county, and make re-
turn as quickly as possible, so that in the event of
sudden alarm the provender and live stock might be
removed to a place of safety. This was the osten-
sible reason for this order, but in all probability the
purpose was to ascertain how much and where located
were the articles enumerated, so that, if necessary,
they might be impressed for the use of the American
army.
Robert Smith had been appointed lieutenant of
Chester County on March 12, 1777, which office gave
him the rank of colonel, and devolved on him the
duties of raising, arming, and provisioning the mili-
tary contingent in his district, and preparing the
troops when called into service. They remained
under his command until ordered to take the field.
On April 12th, Col. Smith reported that Chester
County then contained five thousand men capable of
bearing arms, and he promised to use his utmost ex-
ertions to get his contingent in the greatest possible
state of forwardness.' On April 24th, Congress re-
quested that three thousand of the militia of Penn-
sylvania, exclusive of the militia of the city of Phila-
delphia, should be called, one-half of the " troops to
rendezvous at Chester, on the Delaware." The fol-
lowing day Council ordered the lieutenants iu the
several counties to furnish men, although the number
from Chester County was not designated. Each man
was to be provided with a blanket, which was to be
purchased; if that could not be done blankets were
to be impressed, but in a way that should give the
least off'ense to the public. The troops from the
3 Penna. Mag. of Uist.^ vol. iv. p. 84 : *' The onerous duties of his office
were discharged in au active, untiring, self-sacrificing spirit, and much
of his property melted away during the war, partly from direct gifts to
the army and to the needy families of the soldiers, and partly because
his public duties gave him no time to attend to his private business. On
one occasion when foragers were sent into Uwchlan to procure supplies
for the famishing army at Valley Forge, Col. Smith assisting to load corn
from his own stores into the wagon, was urged by his wife to keep
enough to subsist his own family through the winter. He replied, say-
ing that the soldiers' needs were greater than their own, and continued
his work till the wagons were filled and his granarj- was almost empty.
He spoke with feeling in his latter life of taking, on another occasion,
unthreshed wheat to Valley Forge, and being met on his arrival at the
edge of the encampment by numbers of hungry men, who seized the
sheaves and mitigated the pangs of hunger by eating the grains, which
they rubbed out with their hands." lb., p. 86.
52
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
counties of Chester, Lancaster, and York were ordered
to form a camp "at or near Chester."' Col. Smith
acted promptly, as did the other counties' lieutenants,
for May 30th Council notified Congress that the
militia called out by the recommendation of that
body was enca;nped at the places named, part of the
troops being already there and the remainder pre-
paring to march ; that as Council had hut few arms
fit for service, Congress was requested to ftiruish arms,
tents, and camp equipage. On June 11th, Benjamin
Brannon, sub-lieutenant of the couuty of Chester, ap-
plied to Council for a cannon, that several companies
of artillery had been formed in the county, hence he
desired that the men might practice with the gun,
and to that end also asked for a few pounds of
powder. On the 14th, Council ordered that the first
class of militia should be immediately forwarded to
camp, and the second class be ordered to march, and
the third class be held in readiness to move on short
notice. The same day Col. Robert Smith received
one thousand pounds to equip the militia of Chester
County, and he was also instructed to send to Phila-
delphia thirty wagons. This activity was due to the
intelligence Congress had received that Gen. Howe
proposed marching to and reducing Philadelphia.
When the British army, on June 13th, actually made
an advance in two columns from Brunswick, the news
was dispatched by Washington to Congress, and being
received the next day, prompt measures were taken
to meet the threatened attack. On the 17th, Lewis
Granow, sub-lieutenant of Chester County, received
four thousand dollars to purchase substitutes, blankets,
etc., and on the 20th four hundred stand of arms was
delivered to Col. Smith. The next day he received a
like number each of canteens, knapsacks, priming-
wires, brushes, and cartouch-boxes. John Beaton was
appointed paymaster of the Chester County militia.
On the 21st two thousand dollars were appropriated
for paying substitutes in Chester County, and on the
24th a like sum for the same purpose. On July 12th
Col. Smith reported that notwithstanding repeated
orders only three hundred and twenty men of the
Chester County militia had arrived at Chester, and
two hundred of these were substitutes. Col. John
Hannum was then commanding ofiicer at that sta-
tion. The alarm having passed away on the return
of the British army to Brunswick on the 25th, Coun-
cil, considering "the extreme inconveniency arising
from the march of the militia in the time of Har-
vest," countermanded the order for the levies to go to
camp, but instructed the lieutenants of the counties
of Philadelphia and Chester that it was unnecessary
to move the second class of militia, hut that it should
be held in readiness to march at the shortest notice.
On July 9th, Council requested the magistrates of the
counties of Philadelphia, Chester, and Bucks to re-
turn the names of persons well qualified to take an
1 Penna. Arcbives, let Bories, vol. v. p. 321.
account of all flour, wheat, grain, and other stores in
the several counties, so that it might be removed " in
case the Enemy's movements should make it neces-
sary," and on the 29th Council appointed John Pear-
son, Nicholas Deihl, Isaac Hendrickson, Isaac Serrill,
Harvey Lear, and Jacob Richards, to be added to a
committee consisting of Samuel Levis, William Ker-
lin, and Sketchley Morton, which had been appointed
to drive ofl" the stock in the county of Chester on the
approach of the British forces. On July 20, 1777,
Congress received information that a British fleet of
one hundred and sixty sail was in the Narrows, on
the way to Sandy Hook. On the 22d, Washington,
perplexed as to the destination of Howe, requested
that trustworthy persons should be stationed at the
Capes of the Delaware to give prompt notice if the
fleet should appear in that quarter. In the early
morning of July 23d the expedition sailed, but owing
to light winds and fog the fleet did not get in sight of
the Capes until the 30th, when expresses from both
Cape May and Lewes were sent to Council apprising
that body that the fleet of two hundred and twenty-
eight vessels was in sight. Gen. Mifllin was at the
time in Chester, for he signed for and indorsed the
time of departure from that place on the dispatch
from Lewes. Late on the 31st the hostile vessels bore
away to the southward. Gen. Howe, in his narrative,
states, " that finding it hazardous to .sail up the Dela-
ware, he agreed with the admiral to go to Chesapeake
Bay, a plan which had been preconcerted in the
event of a landing in the Delaware proving upon our
arrival there ineligible.''^
On July 9th, Gen. Washington had requested
Council to have a plan of the shore of the Delaware
River made, and on the 18th that body notified the
commander-in-chief that General Du Coudray had
produced a plan of a fortification to be erected at Bil-
lingsport to prevent the enemy removing the chevauir-
de-ffise at that place, and the chart would be made
of the shore of the river as soon as proper surveyors
could be procured. On the 24th the " proper sur-
veyors" were procured, for four persons were directed
to make " A Survey of the Shore of the River Dela-
ware and of the land for about four miles to the
Westward, taking in the Great Road leading to the
Southward, when they may extend further than that
distance from the river, and remarking the several
places where an enemy may land and the kind of
ground adjoining, whether marshy, hilly, open, or
covered with woods, and when there are several
heights near each other remark'g their altitudes and
distances apart, remarking particularly the several
Creeks and streams of water as high up, at least, as
the tide flows, and the places where they may be
- George U. Moore, a gentleman whose assertioa on any biatorical
topic is always woithy of consideration, states in his work, "Tho Trea-
son of Charles Lee," that this movement was made by Gen. llowe, at the
treasonable snggestion of Gen. Loe, the English soldier who had re-
ceived 80 many honors at the bands of the American Congress.
THE KEVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
53
forded or passed by bridges. Where there are Swamps
near the river, or roads, not'g particularly their kinds
& size nearly. Passes of difficulty to an army to be
accurately surveyed and well described."
Nathan Sellers was directed to make the survey
from the Schuylkill River to Christiana Creek, which
included all the territory now Delaware County, in
which duty he was enjoined to use secrecy and dis-
patch.
When the news of the arrival of the British fleet
at the cape of the Delaware was received. Council
prepared to meet the threatening attack, and as many
of the militia were without guns, it was ordered that
those persons who had not taken the oath of alle-
giance to the colonies should immediately be dis-
armed, " and their arms made use of by those who
are willing to risk their lives to defend their liberties
and property."^ On August 1st the justices of Chester
County returned the names of a number of citizens
in the county who were, in their opinion, proper per-
sons to take an account of the grain and other stores
within twenty miles distant westward from the river
Delaware, and also persons to provide for the poor
who might be compelled to leave Philadelphia in the
event of an attack on that city by the British forces.
The major part, if not all, of the persons thus sug-
gested resided without the present county of Delaware.
Washington was at this time in Philadelphia, and
on August 1st, in company with Lafayette, — whom
the commander-in-chief had met for the first time the
day previous at a dinner-party, — he inspected the for-
tifications on the Delaware River,^ and proceeded as
far as Chester, from which place Washington, on the
date just mentioned, addressed a letter to Gen. Put-
nam.^
On Aug. 14, 1777, Col. Galbraith wrote from Lan-
caster that he had dispatched nearly one thousand
militia on foot for the camp at Chester, but they had
neither arms, accoutrements, camp-kettles, etc., —
nothing except blankets.'' Two days subsequently,
John Evans, member of Council, wrote from Chester
that about one thousand militia was assembled at that
place from Berks County, part of two classes ; from
Cumberland one company, and part of two companies
from Lancaster; the Chester County class "was about
half completed, and when completed" would have
arms sufficient for their own use, but several com-
panies from other counties must be supplied. The
quartermaster reports, he says, " that it will be diffi-
cult to find shelter for any more troops at this place,
all the empty houses being now occupied.^ The next
day, Col. Jacob Morgan wrote from Reading that the
greater part of the twelve companies from Berks
County— two battalions under Cols. Daniel Hunter
^ Penna. Archives, lat series, vol. v. p. 472.
' Sparks' " Life of Washington," p. 232.
» Sparlvs' " Correspondence of Wasliington,
* Penna. Archives, 1st series, vol. v. p. 521.
and Daniel Udree, comprising six hundred and fifty-
six men — had marched for Chester, and by that time
were doubtless at that place.* On the 18th, Col. Ben-
jamin Galbraith notified Council that the third class
of Lancaster County had marched to Chester, and re-
quested that commissions for the officers of the three
classes of militia from that county be sent there.'
In the mean while no tiirther intelligence being
received of the movements of the British fleet, the
opinion became general that one of the Southern
seaports was the point of destination, and as the
expense of massing the militia bore heavily on the
indigent commonwealth, on Aug. 20, 1777, Council
called the attention of the Pennsylvania delegation
in Congress to the fact that the militia called into
service had encamped at Chester, and were still
reporting there ; that as it was the season for sowing
winter wheat, on which the country largely depended,
it would be a relief to industrious people if public
afiairs would permit the discharge of part of the
militia at Chester, " particularly as they were defi-
cient in arms and blankets and wholly unprovided
with tents.""
The following day a dispatch was received in Phila-
delphia, stating that on the night of the 14th instant
the British fleet had been seen standing in between the
Capes of Chesapeake Bay. Washington, who was rest-
less in his encampment on the Neshaminy, had that
very day apprised Congress that he would move his
army to the Delaware the next morning, proposing to
march thence to the Hudson River, which proposition
on his part, notwithstanding the reported news from
the fleet, was approved by Congress. The commander-
in-chief, however, determined to halt until further
intelligence was received, which came the next day
confirmatory of the enemy's presence in Chesapeake
Bay. Washington at once ordered Gen. Nash, then
at Trenton, N. J., to embark his brigade and Col.
Proctor's corps of artillery, if vessels could be pro-
cured for the purpose, and proceed to Chester; or, if
vessels could not be had, to hasten towards that place
by land with all possible speed.'-' On the 23d the
Continental army broke camp and moved for Philadel-
phia, through which city it passed early the next day,
August 24th (Sunday), marching down Front Street
to Chestnut, and up Chestnut to the Middle Ferry,
Washington himself riding at the head of the column
and Lafayette at his side. That evening the army
encamped in and about Chester, and the next even-
ing (the 25th) they reached Wilmington." On the
i lb., p. 530.
s lb., p. 636.
0." Washington's Encampment
ick ; Penna. Mag. of Hitt., vol. i
lb., p. S32.
Ptnna. Mag. of .His(,vol. i. p. 282.
in the Neshamin.v," by William J.
p. 284. Irving says, in i
' lb..
. 529.
the 26th of August, "The divisions of Gens. Greene and Stephen were
w-itliin a few miles of Wilmington ; orders were sent for them to march
thither immediately. The two other divisions, which had halted at
Chester to refresh, were to hurry forward."— Irving's " Life of Wash-
ington," Kiveraide edition, vol. iii. p. 205. In Townsend Ward's moat
interesting " Walk to Darby" (Vtnna. afo,;. o/ Hi«( , vol. iii. p. ■i62^ it is
54
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
morning of that day the British army landed at the
head of Elk,' or, rather, some distance above the
mouth of the Elk Eiver.'^ i
The effect of the news of the approach of Gen. i
Howe's expedition aroused Congress and Council to j
renewed exertion. The former, on August 22d, re- I
quested the State of Pennsylvania to keep four tliou- ^
sand militia in readiness to assist in repelling the I
threatened attack. The following day Council or- 1
dered Col. Henry, of the city and liberties of Phila- '
delphia, to complete the third class of Philadelphia '
militia, which was ordered to march to Downingtown, |
while the artillery of the same locality was to assem- |
ble in numbers equal to three-eighths of the whole
corps, which (with cannon) were ordered one-half to
Chester and the other half to Downingtown, there to
await the commands of Washington. Maj. -Gen. John i
Armstrong, the veteran Indian fighter, was placed in
command of the forces at Chester. On the 26th \
Deputy Wagonmaster-Gen. Thomas Hale applied to
Council for wagons for Gen. Nash's brigade, and the I
justices of Chester County were ordered to furnish
seven wagons, which, if not immediately forthcoming, !
were to be impressed. The following day the justices
were required to send to Philadelphia twenty-five
wagons. t
On August 29th Gen. Armstrong wrote from Chester |
stating that matters there had " been that of a chaos,
a situation more easy to conceive than describe."
He had, however, forwarded at least eighteen hun-
dred men, and also, in concert with Gen. Potter, he
had formed a rifle regiment of three hundred men,
had given Col. Duulap, who was " not unacquainted
with the business of a Partisan," command of it, and
it would march to Marcus Hook the next day. The
three hundred men, as well as the one hundred and
sixty which he would send to Wilmington that day,
were not included in the number he had mentioned
as already forwarded to Washington's army. He
stated that the want of arms was the " great complaint
at a crisis like this."' On August 31st Council au-
thorized Gen. Armstrong to buy blankets for the use
of the troops, but if purchasing was impracticable to
make as equal and moderate a levy of blankets as
circumstances would permit upon the inhabitants of
Chester County, " confining the same to persons who
refuse to bear arms or take an active part in the
defence of their bleeding country, now invaded by a
Baid, *' It wa8 liere, along tlie higher ground on the left bank of the Kakari
Konk (Cobb's Creek), that Washington, when moving towards the field
of Brandywine, was forced, by rains bo heavy' as to swell the stream
almost beyond precedent, to remain three days inactive." Did not the
incident thus described occur when the army was moving southward
to meet Cornwallis in Virginia?
1 "Journal of Capt. John Montresaor," Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol. v. p.
409. There is an error in the day of the week on which the landing
was made, as recorded in the journal. Capt. Montressor notes Aug. 25,
1777, as falling on Suuday, while the minutes of the Supreme Executive
Council record Saturday as Aug. 1\ mi,
- Johnson's " History of r»cil County, Md.," p. 327.
3 Penna. Archives, 1st series, vol. v. p. 563.
cruel enemy." He was instructed to employ proper
and discreet persons to make the levy, to appraise the
blankets, certify the number and value of the articles,
from whom taken, as well as the townships wherein
the levies were made. The general was recommended
to keep account of the blankets collected that they
might be returned to the militia, so that the troops
subsequently called into service could be supplied
therewith.*
The two days immediately succeeding the landing
of the British at Elk were stormy, with lightning and
thunder, which delayed the advance of their army.
On the morning of October 27th, two divisions of light
infantry, under Howe, moved forward, and the army
of invasion thus began its march in the direction of
the city of Philadelphia. The lines of the royal
troops, who had proceeded slowly and cautiously on
Wednesday, the 3d day of September, extended from
Aikentown (now Glasgow) to a point some distance
northwest of the Baptist Church on Iron Hill, in
Pencader Hundred, Del., when at the latter place
their vanguard was encountered by Gen. Maxwell's
brigade, consisting of a detachment of Continental
and the Maryland and Delaware militia. An English
oflicer records, " The Rebels began to attack us about
nine o'clock with a continued smart irregular fire for
near two miles." '" The American sharpshooters as
usual did good service, but being inferior in number
and without artillery, were pushed backward and
finally compelled to retreat across White Clay Creek
with a loss of forty killed and wounded. The English
claimed that their loss was three killed and twenty
wounded," but a woman who the following day had
been in the British camp declared she saw nine wagon-
loads of wounded brought in.
On September 1st, Gen. Armstrong had forwarded
almost all the troops at Chester to Washington's com-
mand, and proposed following them himself the next
day after he had adjusted some matters requiring his
personal supervision.
Three days later Council wrote to Gen. Armstrong
stating that a part of the militia of Chester belonging
to a class which had not been called into service had
formed themselves into companies and had applied
for ammunition and rations at headquarters, and had
been refused. Council was willing to encourage
those people " at this juncture," and if they could be
of use in the field, would " consider their two months
service at this time as if they had served in future
classes." These men were from the southern part of
Chester County, and Col. Smith the same day was
directed to extend the like terms " to all other volun-
teers that may go forth in this common cause, they
first accommodating their services to the ideas of
Gen. A."
On September 5th the American army was encamped
* Colonial Kecords, vol. ix. p. 285.
& Capt. Montressor's Journal, Penna. Mag. of SUlory, vol. v. p. 412.
» lb., p. 413.
THE BATTLE OF BRANDY WINE.
5S
on the east side of Red Clay Creek, and all the troops
in Wilmington were ordered to march to Newport, j
excepting Gen. Irwin's brigade, which was to remain
in Wilmington, at worii on the intrenchments at that
place. "The enemy,'' writes Gen. Armstrong, "as
far as we yet learn, appear to spread over some con-
siderable space of Country, but in a detached way from
Couches Mills to some part of Nottingham.'" The
same day the Navy Board recommended to Council
that as there were reasons to believe that some vessels
of the English fleet would attempt to approach the
city, a certain number of persons should be assigned
to flood Hog Island, and that ninety or one hundred
men should garrison the fort at Darby Creek. Council
requested the Navy Board to see to the flooding of the
Island, and ordered a company of artillery and a com-
pany of " Musqueters," under the command of Col.
Jehu Eyre, to the works at Darby Creek. }
Congress having recommended, on September 5th, (
a call for five thousand militia of Pennsylvania, the ,
following day Council directed the several lieutenants j
of the counties to order the militia to immediately ;
march to Darby, where they were " to rendezvous on I
the heights," and to "appear with what arms they ,
have, or can procure, and otherwise equipped in the j
best manner they may be able." These equipments,
including blankets, Council assured the troops, would
be paid for by the State in the event of their being j
" taken by the enemy or otherwise unavoidably lost.'' ' j
This call for militia only included those of the counties t
of Philadelphia, Chester, York, Cumberland, and j
Northumberland.' Why Lancaster was omitted does [
not appear on the records of the Executive Council.
We also learn from the journal of Capt. Montressor,
chief engineer of the British army, that three fugitives
came into Howe's camp on the oth of September and
reported that Gens. Mifilin and Cadwallader were, [
" with what militia they have and can collect, at i
Chester, with an intention to harass our rear." * !
Deputy Quartermaster-General Mifllin, on Septem-
ber 7th, wrote to Council from Newport, stating that
the English army had disencumbered itself of all
heavy baggage, and was then in light marching order.
Washington, thereupon, had directed all baggage, ex-
cepting blankets and "a few small clothes," to be sent
away from the army, and for that purpose Quarter-
master Mifflin desired a hundred wagons be at once
ordered to headquarters. These teams were "to be
placed in the rear of the divisions, and immediately
on an alarm the tents and small packs left with the
men were to be sent over Brandywine." The follow-
ing day Council directed one hundred wagons from
Berks, and a like number from Lancaster County, to
report to Mifflin.
Gen. Armstrong, on the 8th, stated that the night
' Penna. Archives, Ist aeries, vol. v.
> Colonial Records, vol. xi. p. 293.
1 Pmna. Mag. of Hist., vol. v. p. 414.
previous he had told Washington that in his opinion
Howe's intention was to re-embark on the Delaware,
cross to the New Jersey side, march up to the "Shevar
de frize," clear the way for the fleet, and then bombard
Philadelphia. He, therefore, was urgent for an attack
on Howe in his camp.* The commander-in-chief,
however, had strengthened his position, intending to
ofl'er battle on Eed Clay Creek, but on the very day
on which Gen. Armstrong wrote to Council, Howe
advanced in two columns, one as if threatening an
immediate attack, while the other, extending its left,
halted at Milltown. At once Washington detected
the intention of the British general, which was to
march by his right, throw his army suddenly across
the Brandywine, occupy the heights on the north ef
that creek, and thus cut the Continental arms abso-
lutely oft' from communication with Philadelphia.
Had Howe succeeded in that movement it is not
probable that anything other than the total surrender
of the American forces could have followed its con-
summation. That evening Washington held a coun-
cil of war, at which it was decided at once to change
position. At two o'clock in the morning the army
was on the march, and had already crossed the Brandy-
wine. On Tuesday afternoon, September 9th, in pur-
suance of the enemy's plan, Lieut.-Gen. Knyphausen,
with the Third Division and two British brigades,
marched for Kennett Square via New Garden. That
afternoon, at half-past five o'clock. Gen. Howe as-
certained that Washington had "evacuated Newport
and Wilmington, and had taken post at Chad's Ford
on the Brandywine Creek."" Washington having
moved almost due north from Newport on the after-
noon of the 9th, was intrenched on the high ground
immediately north of the present Chad's Ford Hotel.
During the night of the 10th, Maxwell's Light Infan-
try, which had the advanced posts, dug intrenchments
on the west side, covering the approaches to the ford,
and at this point Washington decided to deliver battle
in defense of Philadelphia.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
" The Brandywine Creek, as it is called, com-
mences with two branches c.illed the East and West
branches, which unite in one stream, flowing from
West to East about twenty-two miles, and emptying
itself into the Delaware about twenty-five miles below
Philadelphia."' The union of these branches takes
place over four miles above where the stream crosses
the circular boundary-line dividing Delaware County
' Penna. Archives, 1st series, vol. v. p. 598.
6 rwitki. Mag. of Bitt., vol. v. p. 415.
' Irving's " Life of Washington," vol. Hi. p. 213.
56
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
from the State of Delaware. The banks of the creek
were steep, uneven, and covered with a heavy growth
of forest trees at the period of which I am writing,
and for the accommodation of public travel, roads
had been cut and graded at convenient points to
reach the fords of the Brandywine ; that most gen-
erally used being on the direct road to Philadelphia
and known as Chad's Ford. The topography of that
section, in a military aspect, impressed the English I
chief of engineers as " an amazing strong country,
being a succession of large hills, rather sudden with
narrow vales, in short an entire defile.'"
Washington, as before stated, at Chad's Ford, the
centre of his position, where he anticipated the prin-
cipal attack would be made, had stationed the main
body of his army under command of Maj.-Geu.
Greene, and comprising the brigades of Gens. Wayne,
Weedou, Muhlenberg, and Maxwell's Light Infantry.
Slight earthworks and a redoubt had been constructed,
and Col. Proctor, with his Pennsylvania Artillerists,
was in charge of the battery of six guns, which com-
manded the usual crossing of the stream at that place.
Wayne's brigade, with Proctor's men, occupied the
intrenchments, while Weedou's and Muhlenberg's
brigades of Virginia troops were stationed some dis-
tance in the rear as a reserve. The Pennsylvania
militia, under Gen. John Armstrong, constituted the
left wing and extended through the rough ground —
then known as Rocky Field— to Pyle's Ford, two
miles below Chad's, and there Col. Jehu Eyre, with
Capt. Massey's and McCuUough's companies of the ar-
tillery militia of Philadelphia, had placed his cannons
so as to prevent the crossing of the stream at that point
by the enemy. The right wing of the American army
was composed of six brigades, in three divisions, that
of Gen. Sullivan's on the left, Gen. Lord Stirling
on the right, and Gen. Stephens in the centre, reach-
ing about two miles up the creek beyond Washing-
ton's headquarters, while the pickets were extended
well up the stream, Maj. Spear being stationed at
Buffington's Ford, now Brinton's, five miles beyond
Chad's Ford.
On the evening of the 9th of September the two
divisions of the British army under Lord Cornwallis
and Maj. -Gen. Grant marched from Howe's head-
quarters, in Mill Creek Hundred, Del., to Hock
Hossing Meeting-House, and the following morning
moved to Kennett Square, reaching that place about
noon, where Lieut.-Gen. Knyphausen's division was
already encamped.
At daybreak next morning, the 11th of September,
1777, Gen. Howe marched his army in two columus
against the American forces. The left wing, consist-
ing of mounted and dismounted chasseurs, the first
and second battalions of grenadiers, the guards, two
squadrons of the Queen's Light Dragoons mounted,
1 Journal of Capt. John ttontressor, Penna. Mag, of History, vol. i
and two squadrons dismounted, and four brigades of
infantry, comprising, according to English reports,
seven thousand men, commanded by Lord Cornwallis
and accompanied by Howe himself, who, on that oc-
casion, we are told by Joseph Townsend, rode a " large
English horse, much reduced in flesh," the result of
the long voyage from New York and the scarcity of I
provender on shipboard. The American accounts, on |
the other hand, insist that this column amounted to \
thirteen thousand men. On that sultry autumn morn-
ing a thick fog hung like a curtain shutting out this
movement from the eyes of the Continental scouts,
and for miles the British troops, in light marching
order, even their knapsacks laid aside, threaded their
way along the road that ran northward almost par-
allel with the Brandywine for several miles without
a whisper of their coming being borne to the ears of
the American generals.
The column under Cornwallis having marched
away, Knyphausen was not hurried in his move-
ment, as his purpose was merely to amuse the Conti-
nental force in front of him until the left wing of the
British army should have time to gain their right
flank and rear. Hence it was about nine o'clock,
four hours after Cornwallis had gone, that the Hes-
sian general began to advance on the direct road to
Chad's Ford. Early on the morning of the day of
battle. Gen. Maxwell crossed at Chad's Ford, and
with his riflemen had gone as far as Kennett Meeting-
House to feel the British force, while small scouting-
parties were extended even beyond that place. A
graceful historical writer tells us that, as tradition
has preserved the incident, a party of scouts had ven-
tured to John Welsh's tavern, within the very clutches
of Knyphausen, and there hitched their horses at the
front of the inn, while they comfortably sampled the
New England rum and apple whiskey in the bar-
room. The Hessians, who " wore their beards on
their upper lip, which was a novelty in that part of
the country," advancing, cut off the retreat of the
American party by the front of the house, so that,
abandoning their horses, they ran from the back
door, turning, however, as they " fled, to discharge a
spluttering volley that wounded one of their own
horses left in the hands of the enemy." -
The riflemen began to harass the advancing troops,
and, by resorting to trees, fences, and every available
shelter. Maxwell thus maintained an efficient skir-
mish, sustaining himself well as he retired slowly be-
fore the heavy column moving against him. From
behind the building and graveyard walls at Kennett
Meeting-House a number of the sharpshooters in-
flicted much loss on the British troops, but were com-
pelled to retreat before the overwhelming body ar-
rayed against them. By ten o'clock Maxwell had by
the pressure of superior numbers been forced back-
2 " Brandywinfi, 1777," by Howard M. Jenkins, in LippUicotVe
for September, 1877.
THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
57
ward to the high ground on the west of the creek,
and, after a bitter contest, to the ford itself. Some
troops being sent over to his assistance, he renewed
the struggle, even regaining the heights. Capt. Por-
terfield and Waggoner, with their commands, crossed
the ford, moved to the left of Maxwell, where they
began a vigorous attack on Ferguson's Corps of Royal
Riflemen, who at the time, together with a portion of
the Twenty-eighth British Regiment, were engaged
in throwing up light works, to put two guns in po-
sition on their right, to respond to Proctor's artillery,
which had opened fire from the opposite bank. The
troops under Porterfield and Waggoner fought their
way up a narrow, thickly-wooded valley, and forced a
company of the enemy, supported by a hundred men
from Gen. Stern's Hessian brigade, to seek protection
back of the stone house of William Harvey, the elder,
who lived on the west side of the creek, until addi-
tional troops had hastened to their assistance. Proc-
tor, from the other side of the stream observing this,
trained his guns on the advancing Britons, and the
house came directly in the line of his fire. William
Harvey, then in his sixtieth year, had sent his family
aw^ from the dwelling, but, being a man of great
personal courage, determined to remain to protect his
property as far as he could from plunderers. When
the American guns opened, Harvey sat on his front
porch, when a neighbor, Jacob Way, seeing him
there, called out, " Come away ; thee is in danger
here ! Thee will surely be killed !" The old gentle-
man merely shook his head, while his friend urged
him in vain. As they exchanged words a twelve-
pound cannon ball from Proctor's battery passed
through both walls of the kitchen, and plunged along
the piazza floor, tearing up the boards and barely
avoiding William's legs, until, a little farther on, it
buried itself six feet deep in the earth. It is recorded
that William hesitated no longer, but sought a safer
locality. His house was thoroughly despoiled when
the British came up." ' He, however, lived nearly
forty years after that trying ordeal.
The pertinacity of the attack of Maxwell's brigade,
as well as the audacious action of Porterfield and
Waggoner, made it necessary for Knyphausen to send
forward two brigades, supported by artillery, while at
the same time a heavy column was marched toward
Brinton's Ford, thus outflanking Maxwell, who was
compelled to recross the Brandywine. Simultaneously
with these movements the Queen's Rangers, under
Capt. Weyms, of the Fortieth British Regiment,
poured so hot a fire down the valley that Porterfield
and Waggoner were also forced hastily to retire across
the creek. The high ground about half a mile back
from the Brandywine, vacated by Maxwell, was im-
mediately occupied in force by the enemy, and guns
were placed in position by Knyphausen to command
for September, 1877: "Braudywine, 1777," by
the ford. From these occasionally a few shots were
discharged, and responded to by Proctor's cannons,
which desultory firing inflicted but little damage.
i The casualties on the American side thus tar had not
exceeded sixty, while those of the British and Hes-
sian troops were about one hundred and sixty. Hence,
at halfpast ten o'clock in the morning, when the
i enemy at Chad's Ford seemed disinclined to make
' any vigorous attack. Col. Harrison, Washington's
secretary, might be well excused for having dispatched
I a hurried note to Congress, stating that he had no
doubt but that the enemy would be repulsed.
] Major Ferguson, the commander of the rifle corps
I in the English army, in a letter describing this battle,
! stated that while his men were lying concealed in a
j clump of woods, he noticed " a rebel oflicer in a hus-
j sar dress" pass in front of the American line, followed
! by another oflieer in dark green and blue, who was
: " mounted on a good gray horse, and wearing a re-
I markably high cocked hat." Ferguson ordered three
j of his men to creep towards and fire at them, but
hardly had he done so when he recalled the command,
I for the Americans were so near that he felt to shoot
at them would be little less than deliberate murder.
After the officers had passed some distance, they re-_
turned, and were again within easy reach of his
sharpshooters. The following day Ferguson, in con-
versation with a wounded American, learned " that
Gen. Washington was all the morning with the light
troops, and attended only by a French oflBcer in a
I hussar dress, he himself mounted and dressed in
! every respect as above described."
! On the morning of the battle Gen. Washington
j ascertained that Cornwallis had moved northward to
! some of the ujjper and unimportant fords, designing
thus to turn the right flank of the American army.
The commander-in-chief, fully aware that Maj. Spear
was posted at Butfington's Ford, whence he could
dispatch intelligence of such a movement to Gen.
Sullivan, who would promptly communicate with
him, had resolved to strike Knyphausen, while be-
I yond the reach of the support of Cornwallis' division,
and overwhelm him by numbers, and thus crush the
British army in detail. The Hessian general, it is
known, did not begin his advance until nine o'clock
in the morning, and it was rightly believed that
Cornwallis would have to march twelve miles before
he could cross the creek, even if he effected a pas-
sage at Buffington's Ford. Between nine and ten
o'clock Col. Bland, with a few light-horsemen, crossed
to the west side of the stream at Jones' Ford, three
miles above Chad's, and, observing that Cornwallis'
column was then approaching Trimble's Ford, on the
west branch, he immediately dispatched a messenger
with the tidings to Gen. Sullivan. Col. Hazen also
made a report of like import. The following dispatch,
which Col. Carrington^ states is a model for clearness
! Cnrriugton'8 •'Battles of the American Revolution."
58
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
in all details then needed, was sent by Lieut.-Col.
Koss, of the Eighth Pennsylvania, to Gen. Sullivan,
and by him in turn forwarded to Gen. Washington :
" Gbeat Valley Road, '
"U o'clock A.M. I
"Deae General,— a large body of the enemy, from every account
6000, with 16 or 18 field-pieces marched along this readjust now. The
road leads to Taylor's Ferry & Jeffries' Ferry on the Brandy wine, & to
the Great Valley, at the Sign of the Ship, on Lancaster road to Phila-
delphia. There is also a road from the Brandywine to Chester, by Dil-
worthtown. We are close in their rear, with about 70 men. Capt.
Simpson lay in ambush with 20 men & gave them 'i rounds within a
small distance, in which two of his men were wounded; one mortally.
I believe General Howe is with this party, as Joseph Galloway is here
known by the inhabitants with whom he spoke, & told them that Gen.
Hove was with them. Tours,
" James Ross, ImiU-CoI:'
Washington at once ordered Gen. Sullivan to cross
the Brandywine and engage this division, to keep it
employed, as it was the purpose of the commander-
in-chief to attack the Hessian general immediately,
shatter his command, and capture his baggage-train
before the left wing, comprising the greater part of
the British army, could retrace their steps and come
to his relief. Gen. Greene was also directed to cross
above Chad's Ford, in order to strike Knyphausen
pn the left flank. That officer, with the celerity of
movement that was a conspicuous trait in his military
character, promptly sent his advance guard across the
stream at Brinton's Ford, where Sullivan's command
lay, and was prepared to follow with his command.
The commander-in-chief was to remain with Wayne,
who was to cross the Brandywine at Chad's Ford in
the face of the enemy. The fog which had clung to
the earth in the early morning had vanished before
the scorching sun, not yet midday high, and by noon
this decisive movement would have been made, when
the following note was delivered to Washington :
"Bhenton Fokd,
"Sept. 11.
*' Dear General;— Since I sent you the message by Major Moore, I
saw Major Spear of the militia, who came this morning from a tavern I
called Martin's, at the fork of the Brandywine. He came from thence |
to Welch's Tavern, A heard nothing of the enemy about the fork of the
Brandywine, & is confident they are not in that quarter; so that Col.
Hazen's information must be wrong. I have sent to that quarter to
know whether there is any foundation for the report, & shall give your
excellency the earliest information.
The bearer of this dispatch was followed by Maj.
Spear, who was sent by Gen. Sullivan to Washington
to verbally make his report to the commander-in-
chief, and this intelligence was speedily supplemented
by a similar statement made by Sergeant Tucker, of
the Light-Horse. These tidings were of the utmost
consequence to the American general, for they argued
that Cornwallis had merely moved off as a ruse de
guerre, and that both wings of the British army were
in supporting distance of each other. Hence the
orders for crossing the creek were countermanded.
Gen. Greene's advanced detachment was withdrawn.
and the American army again resumed its former po-
sition. Washington, however, instructed Col. Bland
to proceed to the extreme right and reconnoitre above
the forks.
When the British invaded Chester County, Justice
Thomas Cheyney, who was an outspoken Whig, was
advised to absent himself from his dwelling in Thorn-
bury, and to avoid personal danger he withdrew to
the home of his relative. Col. John Hannum, at " Cen-
tre House," now the village of Marshallton, located
between the East and West Branches of the Brandy-
wine. Here Cheyney had passed the night of Sept.
10, 1777, and the next morning he, with Hannum,
started to visit the American camp at Chad's Ford.
As they rode along the highway near Trimble's Mill
and Ford, on the West Branch, in descending the hill
they saw a large body of soldiers, their scarlet uni-
forms designating them as British troops, descending
the hills opposite. Halting, they watched the direc-
tion in which the column moved, and saw that it was
making towards Jeflferies' Ford, on the East Branch,
their polished arms flashing and glittering in the sul-
try September sun. Having ascertained that fact, for
a moment the two men consulted as to the course they
should pursue, and finally it was decided that imme-
diate intelligence of the presence of the British force
at this point must be conveyed to Washington.
Cheyney being mounted on a fleet hackney,— Dr.
Harvey tells me it was a sorrel pacing mare, — started
off in the direction of the American headquarters at
a rapid pace, followed by Hannum, whose horse being
less speedy was soon distanced, notwithstanding the
squire turned the scales at two hundred pounds.'
Washington was seated under a cherry-tree which
then stood — now blown down years ago — on the
gentle declivity south of the road which leads to
the crossing at Chad's Ford, when he saw a stout-
built man without a hat, riding a sorrel horse, which
jumped the fences that stood in the direction he was
coming across the fields to where Washington was.
It was Cheyney, who, having first reported to Sullivan
his tidings, had been so discourteously received that
he inquired and was told where Washington himself
was to be found. The latter listened as the squire
related what he had seen, and, as the chieftain seemed
to hesitate, Cheyney exclaimed, " By h — 11, it is so !"
and dismounting, he picked up a twig, drew a sketch
on the ground of the upper roads, describing how the
British passed the fords of the forks of the Brandy-
wine, and where the enemy would probably be at that
time. So accurately was this information imparted,
that notwithstanding it was most unwelcome news,
the general was reluctantly convinced of its truth.
Some of his stafl'-officers, however, spoke sneeringly
of the rejjort made by the justice, and the excited man
with an oath said to Washington, " If you doubt my
word, sir, put me under guard till you ask Anthony
> Futhey and Cope's "History of Chester County," p. 586.
THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
59
Wayne or Persie Frazer' if I am a man to believed,"
and then, turning to the smiling officers, his indigna-
tion found utterance : " I would have you to know
that I have this day's work as much at heart as e'er a
Blood of you!"-
The delays that had attended Squire Cheyney's at-
tempt to apprise the Americans of the danger that
threatened them had consumed considerable time, and
hardly had Washington acknowledged the accuracy
of the intelligence brought to him, when an orderly
galloped hastily to the group and delivered a dispatch.
It read as follows :
"Two O'CLOCK P.M. j
" Dear General : — Col. Bland has this moment sent me word that !
the enemy are in the rear of my right and coming down. They are, he
Bays, about two brigades of them. He also says he saw a duet, back in
the country, for about an hour.
" I am, &c.,
"John Sullivan." !
Inclosed in this note was one addressed to Gen.
Sullivan, as follows:
" A Quarter-Past 1 O'clock.
" Sir, — I have discovered a party of the enemy on the height, just on
the right of the two widow Davis', who live close together on the road
called the Forks road, about one-half mile to the right of the meeting-
house. There is a higher hill on their front.
" Theodore Bland."
By this time Washington knew that Gen. Sullivan,
a brave and patriotic officer, had permitted Howe once
more to play with success the stratagem which had
given him victory on Long Island, and for the like
reason, Sullivan's neglect to make a proper reconnois- |
sance. It was a brilliant but dangerous movement of I
the English commander, separating his army into two :
divisions, seventeen miles asunder ; and had not the
second dispatch been sent by Sullivan, declaring on
Maj. Spear's assertion, that Cornwallis' division had
not moved northward in the manner reported by Col.
Eoss, the attack determined on by Washington could |
have been made on Knyphausen's division in over-
whelming numbers, and in all likelihood would have
been wholly successful. Never in all his military
career did Washington display greater capacity as a
commander, than when he had decided to recross the
Brandywine and engage the Hessian general. No :
wonder was it then that the American chieftain ever
after disliked to discuss the stragetic movements of
that day.
Gen. Washington, knowing that his presence was
necessary at the point menaced, was anxious to reach
that part of the field as soon as possible, and desired
to go thither by the shortest way. To that end an
elderly man of the neighborhood, Joseph Brown, who
was well acquainted with the locality, was found and
asked to act as guide. The latter was loath to under-
take this duty, and only consented to do so when the I
1 Persifor Trazer was lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth Pennsylvania
Line, recruited in Chester County. He was born in Newtown township,
and was a partner in the noted Sarum Iron-Works, in Thornbury.
2 Dr. William Darliugton's sketch of Thomas Cheyney in .Vote Ceshi-
iiise*. Newspaper clippings in Library of Historical Society of Pennsyl-
request assumed such a form that it could not with
safety be refused. One of the general's staff, who
rode a fine horse, dismounted. Brown was lifted into
the saddle, and the party started in the most direct
route for Birmingham Meeting-House. The mettle-
some beast the guide rode cleared the fences as they
dashed across the fields, the officers following at his
heels. So great was Washington's anxiety that he
constantly kept repeating the command, " Push along,
old man ; push along, old man." Brown subse-
quently, in relating the incidents of this wild scamper
across the country, stated that when they were about
half a mile west of Dilworthtown, the bullets were
flying so thickly that, as the noise of battle was now
a sufficient guide to the American officers, and no no-
tice was taken of him, he, unobserved, dismounted
and stole away.
Cornwallis, accompanied by the commander-in-
chief. Sir William Howe, had marched his column
from five o'clock in the morning through the woods
that skirted almost his entire route on the west bank of
the Brandywine. During the first four hours a heavy
fog clung to the earth, and a trying march it was that
sultry day, with the dust rising in clouds under the
feet of a moving army and the wheels of the parks of
artillery and trains of baggage-wagons. It was past
the midday hour when the British column reached
the west branch of the creek at Trimble's, and it was
here, while making directly for Jefferies' Ford, that
Cols. Cheyney and Hanuum watched it on the march,
as heretofore related.
On the west side of Jefferies' Ford Emmor Jefferies
owned a fine farm, the home of his ancestors, and
from his father's ownership of the real estate on both
sides of the branch the crossing had received its
name, — Jefferies' Ford. When the British army first
landed at Elk and moved in the direction of Wil-
mington, a number of the storekeepers, as well as
other residents of that town, sent their goods to Ches-
ter County, near the forks of the Brandywine, whose
peaceful quiet at that time it was supposed the march
of armies never would disturb. In the house of Em-
mor Jefferies, who leaned somewhat to the royal side,
it was thought goods could be safely kept. But when
the British soldiers learned that in his cellar a large
quantity of liquors were stored, the thirsty, hungry
men rolled out the barrels and casks, knocked in the
heads, and drank freely, without asking the approval
of the reputed owner. Nor was that all. Emmor
Jefferies was himself pressed into service by Sir Wil-
liam Howe as a guide.
It was not one o'clock when the vanguard of the Brit-
ish army passed the ford and pressed onward towards
Osborne's Hill, near Sullivan's right. Almost half a
century ago Joseph Townsend (who, as a young man
of twenty-one, was a witness of much appertaining to
the battle) published his recollections of that day.
He was attending that Thursday morning a mid-week
meeting of Friends in the wheelwright-shop at Scon-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
nelltown, for Gen. Washington had taken the Bir-
mingham meeting-house as a hospital for his sick
and wounded soldiers, even before he moved his army
to Chad's Ford, and hearing a disturbance outside,
the meeting was brought to a close. While endeav-
oring to quiet several of the women of the neighbor-
hood, who were alarmed at the approach of the Brit-
ish troops, Tovvnsend relates : " Our eyes were caught,
on a sudden, by the appearance of the army coming
out of the woods into the field belonging to Emmor
Jefferies, on the west side of the creek, above the
fording-place. In a few minutes the fields were lit-
erally covered over with them, and they were hasten-
ing towards us. Their arms and bayonets, being
raised, shone bright as silver, there being a clear sky
and the day exceedingly warm." This eye-witness
records how " the space occupied by the main and
flanking parties (of the British army) was near half a
mile wide ;" that Cornwallis " on horseback appeared
very tall and sat very erect. His rich scarlet cloth-
ing, loaded with gold lace, epaulets, etc., occasioned
him to make a brilliant and martial appearance, and
that most of all the officers who conversed with us
were men of the first rank, and were rather stout,
portly men, well dressed, and of genteel appearance,
and did not look as if they had ever been exposed to
any hardship ; their skins were as white and delicate
as is customary for females brought up in large cities
or towns."
The entire column of British troops had crossed
Jefieries' Ford by two o'clock, its advance having
reached the vicinity of Osborne's Hill, and in half an
hour thereafter the whole body of men halted to re-
fresh themselves, for they had not eaten since the
early morning, and had marched about seventeen
miles almost without a halt. Many of the soldiers
on that weary tramp had fallen out of ranks, and ex-
hausted remained along the road.'
When Washington first learned that the lost column
of Cornwallis had been found, unfortunately for the
Continentals in such a position that the inferior
American force — in numbers, in discipline, and arms
— would have to fight at great disadvantage, or, as
Capt. Montressor states it, " were instantly obliged to
divide their army, leaving part to oppose our right,"
Gen. Sullivan was ordered to bring his division to
bear upon tlie British, and this compelled a forward
movement of the whole right wing up the Brandy-
wine. The American troops formed in a strong posi-
tion above Birmingham meeting-house on a hill about
a mile and a half removed from the British column,
the ground falling gradually for more than half a
mile in their immediate front "a natural glacis," and
a thick woods covered their rear. As the divisions
of Gens. Stirling and Stephens formed. Lord Corn-
wallis, on horseback, — Sir William Howe and his gen-
erals gathered about him, — sat watching the Ameri-
,1 of Capt. Montrei
nf nUtory, y
can ofiicers arrange their line of battle, and as his
glass showed him the disposition they were making,
his eminent military abilities, never excelled in Eng-
land's history during the last three hundred years,
except by Marlborough, compelled him to pay this
tribute to their merit, " The damned rebels form
well !"
Cornwallis, under the immediate supervision of Sir
William Howe, formed his battle array in three lines.
The Guards were on the right of the advance, the
[ First British Grenadiers to the left, the centre of the
j latter organization, supported by the Hessian Grena-
i diers, formed in a second line. " To the left of the
j Second Grenadiers, who held the centre, were two
battalions of light infantry, with the Hessian and
Anspach Chasseurs, supported by the fourth brigade,
for a second line." The third brigade, consisting of
the Fifteenth, Forty-fourth, and Seventeenth Regi-
ments, was held in reserve, and was not called into
action during the day. Both flanks of the British
army were covered by very thick woods, and the ar-
tillery was advantageously disposed so that its fire
might most seriously affect the American lines, and
sustain the advance in its attack on the Continental
troops.
Gen. SuUivau seems to have questioned his own
judgment and hesitated to decide what was best to be
done, when the true situation of the two armies was
clearly presented to his mind. He had command of
the entire right wing, hence the command of his im-
mediate division devolved on Gen. DeBorre, his brig-
adier, a French officer of thirty-five years' experience
in service, but a martinet, insisting on every little punc-
tilio of military etiquette, even where such trifling
matters might jeopardize the whole army. Hence
when the latter marched his division to form, because
it had laid along the Brandywine, fronting across, he
insisted on moving his command on the right of
Stephens and Stirling, which determination on his
part made disorder in the division and occasioned an
interval in the American line of over half a mile. It
should be remembered that Stirling and Stephens as
soon as they learned that the enemy were on their
flank moved promptly, without waiting for orders from
Sullivan, to the nearest good position from which they
could resist the advancing British columns. Sullivan,
thereupon leaving his old division in disorder, rode
forward to where the other general oflicers were, and
it was their unanimous opinion, he tells us in his
report, " that his division should be brought on to
join the other and the whole should incline further to
I the right to prevent our being out-flanked." Even
I the graphic account of the battle furnished by Gen.
I Sullivan shows that he lost that self-control which in
I Gens. Greene and Washington showed conspicuously
during that afternoon of disaster to the American
arms.
"At half-past two," he says, "I received orders to
; marcli with my division to join with and take com-
THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
61
mand of that and two others to oppose the enemy
who were coming down on the right flank of our
army. I neither knew where the enemy were, or
what route the other divisions were to take, and of
course could not determine where I should form a
junction with them. I began my march in a few
minutes after I received my orders, and had not
marched a mile when I met Col. Hazen with his regi-
ment, which had been stationed at a ford three miles
above me, who informed me that I might depend that
the principal part of the British army was there,
although I knew the report sent to headquarters made
them but two brigades. As I knew Col. Hazen to be
an old officer, and a good judge of numbers, I gave
credence to his report in preference to the intelligence
before received. While I was conversing with Col.
Hazen and our troops still on the march, the enemy
headed us in the road about forty rods from our ad-
vance guard. I then found it necessary to turn ofi' to
the right to form, and so got nearer to the other di-
visions, which I at that moment discovered both in
the rear and to the right of the place I was then at.
I ordered Col. Hazen's regiment to pass a hollow way,
file off" to the right, and face to cover the artillery.
The enemy, seeing this, did not pass on, but gave me
time to form my division on an advantageous height
in a line with the other divisions, about almost a half
mile to the left."
This gap of half a mile must be closed, and while
this was being attempted at about half-past three
o'clock,' the English commander hurled his well-dis-
ciplined soldiers full at the unformed Americans'
right wing, and a half-hour previous to this assault
the British guns had opened fire.- The distance sep-
arating the combatants was about a mile and a half,
the assaulting party being compelled to cross a valley
and ascend a hill slope before they came to close
quarters with their enemy.
According to Joseph Townsend, an advance com-
pany of Hessians, when they reached "the street-
road were fired upon by a company of the Americans
who were stationed in the orchard north of Samuel
Jones' brick dwelling-house," and the mercenaries
scrambled up the bank of the road alongside the
orchard, and resting their muskets on the upper rails,
discharged them at the small body of Continentals.
This was merely an episode in the engagement, and
was one of many similar incidents alluded to by Capt.
Montressor, in the remark, " Some skirmishing began
in the valley in which the enemy was drove." '■' The
American artillery Sullivan had placed in the centre
of the line, where he had taken his position, and he
ordered the guns discharged as quickly as possible to
stop the progress of the British and to give the brigade
> At half-past three the whole moved toward the enemy in three
columns. — Journal of Capt. Montressor, Penna. Mag. of HisLt vol. t.
p. 418.
= Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. x, p. 316.
s Penna. Mag. of History, vol. v. p. 416.
under DeBorre time to form, for that body had been
thrown "into the worst kind of confusion" before the
assaulting party was upon them, and although Sulli-
van sent four of his aids, two of whom were killed in
the effort to adjust the disorganized division, and had
gone himself to rally the men who had fallen out of
ranks, he succeeded only in partly forming there a
line of battle.
Conscious that the artillery on the centre com-
manded both the right and left of the line, he re-
turned to that poiut, determining to hold the position
as long as possible, knowing that if it was carried "it
would bring on a total rout, and make a retreat very
difficult." The right, however, was demoralized, and
though some of the troops in that division were ral-
lied and made a show of resistance, the greater por-
tion could not " be brought to do anything but fly."
In front of the American left was a plowed field, and
the attack at this point was made by the Guards, the
First British Grenadiers, and Hessian Grenadiers; and
although it was claimed by Gen. Howe that, notwith-
standing a heavy fire of artillery and musketry, his
troops pushed the rebels at once from the position
they had taken, the fact is that for nearly an hour the
struggle for the possession of the summit was con-
tinued, and although five times did the British sol-
diers drive the American troops from the hill, as
often was it retaken. The regiments of Drayton,
Ogden, aftd Hazen's " Congress' Own" stood firm on
the left, while the resistance of Stirling and Stephens
was highly creditable, the main defense being made '
by the centre, where Sullivan exhibited great per-
sonal courage, and doubtless by his example ani-
mated his men in their contest with an overwhelming
force. At length the left wing broke and fled, pur-
sued by thri Guards and Grenadiers into a thick
woods, whence the larger part of the American troops
escaped, while the English were " entangled, and
were no further engaged during the day." The
centre still remained firm ; and here Gen. Conway,
by the good conduct of his brigade, gained consider-
able reputation for himself (which he subsequently
tarnished at Valley Forge), the Twelfth Pennsylva-
nia, under his command, suflfering very heavy loss.
Cornwallis now turned the whole fire of his artillery
on the small body of men who still stood in line, and
they were soon compelled to retire, a movement which
was effected with some degree of steadiness and an
occasional resumption of the offensive, since they
took with them their artillery and baggage.
The noise of heavy ordnance almost due north from
Chad's Ford apprised Knyphausen that Gen. Howe
had succeeded in turning the right wing of Washing-
ton's army, and, although the musketry firing could
be distinctly heard, it was not until au hour before
the sun's setting that the Hessian commander made
the attempt to cross at the ford.' It is doubtful whether
' Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. x. p. 316.
62
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Wayne had more than a thousand men who before I
that day had been under fire to resist the passage of j
the creek by the enemy. Knyphausen, taking ad-
vantage of the smoke from his own and the American '
cannon, for they had been firing forsome time, marched
his column, under the immediate command of Maj.-
Gen. Grant, into the stream, and, notwithstanding
Proctor's guns and the artillery with Wayne, plowed
gaps in the advancing ranks, so that for days after-
wards "tlie farmers were fishing dead bodies from the
water," ' the crossing was made, and the redoubt cap- |
tured. " Mad Anthony" knew that a retreat was in- ,
evitable, but his pugnacious nature, and that of the
Pennsylvania line in his command, was loath to re-
tire before an enemy, but the appearance of a large
body of English troops from Cornwallis' division, on
his right, compelled a hasty and disorderly retreat, in
which he and Maxwell were compelled to abandon j
the greater part of their artillery and stores. The
handsome black hor.se which Col. Proctor rode that
day was shot from under him, but subsequently the
State of Pennsylvania, in consideration of his bravery
on that occasion, remunerated him for the loss he had
sustained. The Pennsylvania militia, under Gen. Arm-
strong, which had taken no active part in the battle,
fled with the rest of the American soldiers, and joined
the demoralized body, which then almost choked the
Concord road with a struggling mass of panic-stricken
men hastening wildly in the direction of Chester.
Washington, when he received positive information
' that the British left wing had made its circuitous
march from Kennett Square to Jeiferies' Ford, the
first part of the route under the guidance of Joseph
Parker, whom Sir William Howe had compelled to
point out the most direct road to Trimble's, and from
Jefferies' Ford by Emmor Jett'eries, and had already
turned Sullivan's flank, started across the country
for the scene of conflict, as already mentioned. He
had immediately commanded Greene's division, con-
sisting of Wcedon's and Muhlenberg's brigade, to ad-
vance to the support of the right wing. With the
promptitude ever noticeable in Greene's movements,
the latter immediately put his division in motion.
Weedon's brigade was on the advance, and at trail
arms, the men, guided by the noise of battle, and
knowing that Sullivan could liave no line of retreat
"but towards Dilworthtown, as the British right
wing had outflanked it to the left, and intervened
between it and Chad's Ford," double-quicked nearly
to Dilworthtown, four miles in forty-five minutes,
and then by a wheel to the left of a half-mile, he was
enabled to occupy a position where, opening his
ranks, he let the retreating, discomfited battalions
pass through while he held the pursuing British in
check and saved the American artillery.
Previous, however, to Greene's coming to their re-
:, published in Futhoy and Cope's " History of
lief, a number of Americans were induced to make a
stand, and rallied on a height to the north of Dil-
worthtown, where, under the personal command of
Washington, who had reached the field, accompanied
by Lafayette, the latter for the first time under fire in
America, a stout resistance was made. It was here
that the marquis was wounded. He stated that a part
of the American line had broken, while the rest still
held its ground ; and to show the troops that he " had
no better chance of flight" than they, he ordered his
horse to the rear, and dismounted, he was endeavor-
ing to rally the disorganized column, when he was
struck in the left foot by a musket-ball, which " went
through and through." The fact that Lafayette was
wounded was immediately carried to AVashington,
" with the usual exaggerations in such cases." The
surgeon endeavored to dress the injured foot on the
battle-field, but the firing was so sharp that the at-
tempt was abandoned, and the young Frenchman
mounted his horse and galloped to Chester, where,
becoming faint from loss of blood, he was " carried
into a house and laid on a table, where my (his)
wound received its first dressing." - Before he per-
mitted his injuries to be cared for, Lafayette stationed
a guard at the old decayed draw-bridge at Chester
Creek (the site of the present Third Street bridge) to
arrest stragglers and return them to their regiments.
The Baron St. Ovary, who was aiding Lafayette in
the endeavor to rally the American soldiers, was not
so fortunate as the marquis, for he was captured by
the English, and to be consigned to the tendgr mer-
cies of that fiend, William Cunningham, provost-
marshal of the royal army, was certainly less to be
desired than a wound which healed kindly in two
months.
The enemy meanwhile pressed the Americans back-
ward until Weedon's brigade came in sight, and Sul-
livan joining him with some of his men, the battle
continued until many of the fugitives had succeeded
in effecting their retreat. At a place then called
Dilworth's Path, now known as Sandy Hollow, the
American army made its final stand. It is said by
Irving that Washington, when riding in the neigh-
borhood previous to the battle, had called Greene's at-
tention to that locality, suggesting that if the army
should be driven from Chad's Ford there was a point
well calculated for a secondary position, and here
Greene was overtaken by Col. Pinckney, an aid of the
commander-in-chief, ordering him to occupy that
place. Be that as it may, Greene formed there;
Weedon's brigade, drawn up in the narrow defile,
flanked on either side by woods, and commanding
the road, while Greene, with Muhlenberg's — the fight-
ing parson — brigade formed on the road on the right.
The English troops, flushed with success, for it is idle
to say they were not the victors of the day, came on,
and were surprised at the unexpected resistance they
■' Poubem's Adrcrtisei; Philadelphia, Feb. 25, 182S.
THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
encountered here. Charge after charge did they
make, but were repeatedly driven back. Gen. Howe
states, " Just at dark the infantry. Second Grenadiers,
and fourtli brigade had a brief action beyond Dil-
worth, between the two roads which run from Dil-
worth to Chester." Capt. Montressor tells us that
here the heaviest fire during the battle for the time
was poured on the British soldiers. Indeed, he re-
cords, " Late in the evening, when the action was
near concluded, a very heavy fire was received by
our grenadiers from six thousand rebels. Washing,
ton's rear-guard, when Col. Monckton reque.sted me
to ride through it to Brig. -Gen. Agnew's brigade and
■ his (4) twelve-pounders, which I did in time enough
to support them ; and by my firing the (4) twelve-
pounders routed the enemy." ' The latter statement
is not accurate, for Weedon, after holding his posi-
tion until the demoralized troops had retreated down
the Wilmington road to the Concord road, fell back
in good order on Greene, and gradually the whole
division drew off, showing their fangs to their enemy,
who did not pursue the retiring Continentals. It is
even stated that many of the American officers were
so enraged at the result of the conflict that they de-
manded to be led immediately against the enemy,
but Washington shook his head, replying, " Our only
recourse is to retreat." Greene, whose blood was up
firom the conflict and defeat, asked how far they must
retreat? " Over every hill and across every river in
America if I order you," was the stern reply .^
The American troops, C(msidering the circum-
stances, fought well. Particularly was this true of
the Twelfth Pennsylvania, commanded by Col. Walter
Stewart — said to have been the handsomest man in
the Continental service— of Conway's brigade ; of the
Fifth Virginians, Woodford's brigade, commanded by
Col. John Marshall, afterwards the great chief justice
of the United States ; and the Tenth Virginia, under
Col. Stevens, in Weedon's brigade. The First, Third,
and Sixth Maryland Regiments, and the First Dela-
ware, under Gen. Small wood, acquitted themselves
with marked bravery, while the Second, Fourth, and
Seventh Delaware aud German Regiments, four com-
panies recruited in Pennsylvania, and the like number
in Maryland, were the first to give way, and retired
in disorder from the field. This was largely due to
the fact that Gen. DeBorre did not possess the confi-
dence of his troops. The Eighth Pennsylvania, Col.
Bayard, suffered greatly, and in the action Bayard
was struck down by a cannon-ball, which liroke the
barrel of a rifle on the shoulder of Sergt. Wyatt, as
well as the sergeant's shoulder, and then struck
Bayard on the head and shoulder, " turning him over
on the ground for nearly two rods," when Lieut. Pat-
terson helped the colonel to his feet, who, the latter
1 "Evelyns in America," by Gideon D. Scull, Oxford, England, 1881
(privately printed), p. 266.
! Headley's " Life of Washington," p. 266,
states, " was frantic" at his unceremonious treatment.
The Eleventh Pennsylvania lost so heavily that it
was subsequently consolidated with the Tenth. Capt.
Thomas Butler, of the Third Pennsylvania, for rally-
ing a detachment of retreating troops, was on the
field publicly thanked by Washington. Capt. Louis
de Fleury conducted himself with such gallantry that
Congress presented him with a horse to substitute his
own, which was killed in the battle, and Gen. Sulli-
van's horse, " the best in America," was shot under
him in the engagement. Count Casimir Pulaski, the
Polish nobleman, highly distinguished himself that
day, when, as a volunteer in the American Light-
Horse, he rode within pistol-shot of the British lines
to reconnoitre. This action and his conspicuous
bravery won him troops of friends, so that when he
was appointed brigadier-general, with a command of
cavalry, it met fully the approval of public opinion.
The actual loss of the American forces can only be
approximated, since Gen. Washington never made a
detailed report of this battle. The British claimed
the loss was about a thousand killed and wounded and
five hundred prisoners, together with nine " Branfield
pieces, one more of a composition,' and one brass
Howitzer, with several ammunition wagons." * Howe
reported his own loss as only five hundred and seventy-
eight killed and wounded, including oflicers, a state-
ment that is not probably correct,* while Capt. Mon-
8 "We took ten pieces of cannon and a howitzer ; eight were brass,
the other two of iron of a new construction." Materials for History, by.
Fi-ank Moore, quoted in Penna. Mag. of History, vol. i. page 294, note.
" In the war of the Revolution a singular cannon was made by a person
who afterwards lived in the village (Mount Holly, N. J.). It was con-
structed of wrought-iron staves, hooped like a barrel, with bands of the
same material, excepting there were four layers of staves breaking
joint, all of which were firmly bonnd together, and then bored and
breached like other canuon. . . . William Denning (be died in the
ninety-fourth year of bis age) was an artificer in the army of the Revo-
lution. He it was who, in the day of his country's need, made the only
successful attempt ever made in the world to manufacture wrought-iron
cannon, one of which he completed in Middlesex, Pa., and commenced
another and larger one at Mouut Holly, but could get no one to assist
bim who could stand the beat, which is said to have been so severe as
to melt the lead buttons on his coat. The unfinished piece is now (1844)
in the Philadelphia Ai-senal. The one completed was taken hy the
British at the battle of Brandywine, and is now iu the tower of London.
The British offered a stated annuity and a large sum to the jterson who
would instruct them in the manufacture of that article, but the patriotic
blacksmith preferred obscurity and poverty in his own beloved country,
though the country for which he had done so much kept her puree
closed from the veteran soldier until near the period of his decease."
Barber and Howe's Historical Collections of New Jersey, pp. 113-114.
< Penna. Ma.j. of History, vol. vi. p. 297.
5 In the Penna. Mag. of Rial., vol. iv. page 121, is given what purports
to be a memorandum of the British forces at the battle of Brandywine,
and the loss sustained by the several divisions. The document was, it
is stated, found in one of the British officers' marquet, at Germantown,
Oct. 4, 1777, which, after being in possession of Col. Thomas Forrest,
subsequently came to John F. Watson, the annalist. The total loss as
given in the memorandum is nineteen hundred and sevonty-six. In
Headley's Life of Washington, page 25S, is published a paper found
among those belonging to Gen. James Clinton, and in his handwriting,
indorsed, " Taken from the enemy's Ledgers, which fell into the hands
of General Washington's army at the action of Germantown." An ex-
amination of the two statements shows that the one is a copy of the other,
aUhough there is a difTerence of ten in the grand total, the latter being
nineteen hundred and eighty-six. This occurs in the loss of the First
64
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
tressor tells us that the British troojis had sixty killed
and three hundred wounded. Certain it is that the
English not continuing the pursuit is some evidence
that they were in no condition to do so. Thomas
Paine declared that Brandywine, "excepting the
enemy keeping the ground, may be deemed a drawn
battle," and that as Washington had collected his
army at Chester, " the enemy's not moving towards
him next day must be attributed to the disability they
sustained and the burthen of their wounded." ' The
dead of both armies, it should be remembered, were
left on the field and had to be burned, while the
number of wounded was so great, that on the Sunday
following the battle (September 14th) Drs. Rush,
Leiper, Latimer, Way, and Coates, with Mr. Willet,
a mate in the hospital, with their attendants, who had
been sent by Washington, arrived at headquarters of
the British army, or, as Capt. Montressor records the
incident, came ". to attend the wounded Rebels left
scattered in the Houses about the field of Battle un-
attended by their Surgeons until now."
To return to the army, which was drifting down the
road to Chester in a confused mass. The artillery
saved from the enemy's clutches jolted and surged
along as rapidly as the tired horses could be made to
go under the goading whip, while the baggage-wagons
crowded to the front amid the oaths of the teamsters
and the panic-stricken men who were forced to make
room for the vehicles to pass. Fortunately the early
evening was still and clear, and the moon looked down
on the defeated, demoralized men, who tiring at
length of their senseless flight, the disorder in a meas-
ure ceased as the weary journeying came near an end,
so that the guard at Chester bridge, placed there by
Lafayette, succeeded in gathering the men into some-
thing like company and regimental order without
much difficulty. Greene's division, as well as many
of the men from other commands, preserved a mili-
tary organization, and they marched from the field in
columns becoming the brave soldiers they had proved
themselves to be on the heights of Brandywine.
In Chester the noise of the distant cannonading
could be distinctly heard, like far-away mutterings of
thunder, and after the battle had been lost, the bearers
of ill tidings traveled fast with their unwelcome in-
telligence. Before dusk the first of the discomfited
American forces began to straggle in, spreading all
kind of rumors regarding the results of the contest,
and the ancient borough was never so aroused. In
Philadelphia all was excitement. Paine states that
he was preparing dispatches for Franklin " when the
report of cannon at Brandywine interrupted my (his)
proceedings." *
HesslaiiB at tlie Uppor Ford, iindor (JornwallU,— the Forrest meinonin-
dum inaklnK It sixty, while that of CUnton'a places it at Bcvciity. The
two papers differ Honiowhat In deBignatlng the nnmerals of the British
reglmcnlB. The Clinton paper Is probably the most accurate.
' Paine's letter to Franklin, Pmnn. Miitl. of Hitlory, vol. II. p. 283.
' Penna. Mag. of //ist; vol. 11. p. 283. Irving (Life of Washington, vol.
111. p. 222) thus describoB the eicilumont lii Philacielphia: "The scene
Far into the night the American army kept march-
ing into Chester, and it is related that after the moon,
had set Col. Cropper, then a captain in the Ninth Vjr-'
ginia Infantry, — a part of Greene's comman<l covering
the retreat, — because of the darkness, and to preve it
his men being crowded off the approaches to the bridge
at the creek, fastened his handkerchief on a ramrod,
and stood there holding it aloft as a signal until his
command had filed by.
Hon. William Darlington has recorded the escape
of Col. Samuel Smith, of Maryland, from the field, as
related to him by the old veteran, who subsequently
defended Fort Mifliin so determinedly. Having be-
come separated from his command in the retreat, and,-
apprehensive of falling into the hands of the enemy,
the colonel rode to the house of a Quaker farmer,
whom he desired forthwith to conduct him by a safe
route to Chester. The latter protested against the
undertaking, but Col. Smith drew a pistol, stating
that if he did not get his horse at once and do as he
asked, he was a dead man. The Quaker, in alarm,
exclaiming, " What a dreadful man thou art!" did as
he was told. " Now," said Col. Smith, " I have not
entire confidence in your fidelity, but I tell you ex-
plicitly that if you do not conduct me clear of the
enemy, the moment I discover your treachery I will
blow your brains out." The terrified farmer there-
upon exclaimed, " Why, thou art the most desijerate
man I ever did see." However, he brought the colonel
safely to Chester and was rewarded for his services.
At midnight Washington addressed a letter to Con-
gress, apprising that body of the loss of the battle.
The missive is dated Chester, and traditionally in the
Kerlin family, it is said, he wrote the letter at the
Washington House, on Market Street. It was pub-
lished by the order of Congress, and is as follows:
" Chester, September lllh, 1777.
"Twelve o'clock at night.
"Sib: — I am sorry to inform yoii that in this day's engagement, we
have been obliged to leave the enemy masters of the field. Unfortu-
nately the intelligence received of the Enemy's advancing up the Bran-
dywine and crossing at a ford about six mites above us, was uncertain
and contradictoi-y, notwithstanding all my plans to get the best. This
prevented my making a disposition adequate to the force with which
the enemy attacked us on our right ; in consequence of which, the troops
first engaged were obliged to retire, before they could be reinforced. In
the midst of the attack on the right, that body of the enemy that re-
mained on the other side of Chad's ford, crossed and attacked the di-
vision tliere under the command of General Wayne, and the light
troop under General Maxwell; who after a severe conflict, also retired.
The militia under the command of General Armstrong, being posted at
a ford about two niilea below Chad's, had no opportunity of engaging.
" But though we fought under many disadvantages, and were from
the cause above mentioned, obliged to retire, yet our loss of men is not,
I am persuaded, very considerable; 1 believe much less than the ene-
my's. We have also lost seven or eight pieces of cannon according to
of this battle, which decided the fate of Philadelphia, was within six
and twenty miles of that city, and each discharge of cannon could be
heard there. The two parties of the inhabitants, Whig and Tory, wore
to be Been in groups in the squares and public places, awaiting the event
in anxious silence. At length a courier arrived. His tidings spread
consternation among the friends of liberty. Many left their homes;
entire families abandoned everything in tenor and despair and took
CONCLUSION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
65
t present obtain.
lueir backs, many of the
" X have directed all the troops to assemble behind Chester, where they
are now arranging for tlie night. Notwithstanding the misfortunes of
i&l day I am happy to find the troops in good spirits, and I hope another
time we sliall compensate for the los.ses now sustained.
"The Marquis La Fayette was wounded in the leg, and General Wool-
ford in the hand. Divera other officers were wounded and some slain,
but the numbers of either cannot be ascertained.
"G. Wasuingtox.
my power to s
the present t
The American army assembled to the east of Ches-
ter along the Queen's Highway, and Washington, after
dispatching this letter, went to the present Leiperville,
where, still standing on the north of the road, is the
old stone dwelling, then the home of John McUvain,
in which the chief of that retreating army jiassed the
night after the ill-starred battle of Brandywine.
Gen. Howe demonstrated in this battle his ability
to command armies successfully, and the skill with
which he manoeuvred his troops in a country of hill
and vale, wood and thicket, showed the accomplished,
scientific soldier. The rapidity with which Washing-
ton brought order out of disorder was shown when the
American troops marched through Darby to Phila-
delphia, on September 12th, in the soldierly bearing
of that part of the army which the day before had
fled from the field a panic-stricken mob. Taking all
things into consideration, never was Washington's
wonderful command of men and extraordinary ca-
pacity to recover from disaster more exhibited than
at this period of our nation's history, and that in this
emergency the whole country turned to him as its fore-
most man is evidenced in that Congress, while the
thunder of the cannons of Brandywine was yet heard
in Philadelphia, clothed the commander-in-chief with
almost dictatorial power for two months.
CHAPTER IX.
FROM THE DEFEAT AT BRANDYWINE TO THE
COXCLUSION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
On the afternoon of September 12th, the day suc-
ceeding the battle, Maj.-Gen. Grant, with the First
and Second Brigades of the English army, marched
from Chad's Ford to Concord meeting-house, whence
he sent out foraging-parties to bring in wagons, horses,
provisions, and cattle from the surrounding neighbor-
hood. Early the following morning (Saturday, the
13th), Lord Cornwallis, with the Second Battalion of
Light Infantry and Second Grenadiers, made a junc-
tion with Gen. Grant and advanced to the Seven Stars,
in Aston, within four miles of Chester. The day was
very cold, as the noticeable equinoctial gale of the fol-
lowing Tuesday was already threatening. It may be
that an advance party of the British troops that day
went as far as Chester, for on Sept. 13, 1777, James
Dundas wrote from Billingsport that "the people em-
ployed here begin to be very uneasy, since we have
heard that Chester is in possession of the enemy." ^
Notwithstanding this assertion, I doubt much whether
the ancient borough was occupied by any of the com-
manding army officers at that time, for on September
15th Capt. Montressor records in his journal^ that
" the Commander in Chief went with his Escort
only of Dragoons to Lord Cornwallis' Post f of a
mile west of Chester," and under the same date he
states, " This night at 8, the body with Lord Corn-
wallis moved from near Chester toward the Lancaster
road."
The day following the battle of Brandywine, Coun-
cil called for the militia in the several counties — the
fourth class in Chester County — " to turn out on this
alarming occasion," and to march to the Swede's
Ford, on the Schuylkill, unless Washington should
command them to rendezvous elsewhere. On the
13th, Washington, whose army was resting at Ger-
mantown, instructed Col. Penrose to overflow the
ground upon Providence Island, which necessarily
meant cutting the banks at Darby Creek, so as to pre-
vent the English army, should it march immediately
to Philadelphia, from erecting batteries in the rear of
Fort Mifliin, or carrying it by a land force in that
direction. On September loth, Washington broke
camp at Germantown and marched his soldiers along
the Lancaster road. From the Buck Tavern, in Hav-
erford township, he called the attention of Council
to the pressing necessity for an immediate supply of
blankets for the troops, stating that he had been
I "told there are considerable quantities in private
'. hands, which should not be suffered to remain a
moment longer than they can be conveyed away."'
I The American commander had fully determined to
meet the British army again in battle before the city
of Philadelphia should fall into the hands of the
enemy. For that purpose he had turned his column
westward, and that evening Washington was en-
I camped in East Whiteland township, Chester Co., in
I the vicinity of the Admiral Warren Tavern.
i Late in the afternoon of September 15th the report
' was received by Gen. Howe that the American army,
j as he supposed, in flight, was " pursuing the road to
' Lancaster," * and at eight o'clock that night, Lord
Cornwallis moved from near Chester towards the Lan-
caster road, following the Chester and Great Valley
road, " by way of the present village of Glen Riddle,
I Lima, and Howellville and by Rocky Hill and Goshen
I Friends' meeting-house."" The next morning Gen.
Howe, who had remained at Birmingham for five days
Penna. Archives, Ist series, toI. v. p. 616.
•■ I'enmt. Mag. of HM., vol. vi. p. 35.
' Penna. Archives, 1st series, vol. v. p. 624.
I Peima. Mag. of Hist, vol. vi. p. 35.
' Futhoy and Cope's " Historj- of Chester County," p. 78.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
after the battle,' on the morning of the 16th, marched
towards Lancaster by the way of the Turk's Head (now
West Chester), Goshen meeting-house, and the Sign
of the Boot, on the Downingtown road, and at eleven
o'clock made a junction with Cornwallis' division,
the latter column moving in advance until it had gone
about a mile and a half north of Goshen meeting-
house, where, about two o'clock, the two armies con- j
fronted each other, and Wayne attacked the British
right flank with so much spirit that in a few moments !
the action would have become general, when, doubt- j
less, owing to the discharge of musketry, the lieavy, |
low-hanging, scudding clouds broke into a deluge of j
rain, accompanied by a tempest of wind, which re-
sulted in separating the armies immediately. So far
as the American troops were concerned, they were in I
a few moments wet to the skin. Their ammunition
was ruined, owing to cheir cartouch-boxes and " tum- i
brels" being so defectively constructed that they were j
no protection from the rain. About four o'clock, ■
Washington retired to Yellow Springs, which place j
his army reached in the night, and the next morning j
the commander-in-chief retreated with the main army |
up the Schuylkill, crossing it at Parker's Ferry. |
While the English forces lay at Birmingham, j
Jacob James, a loyalist of that neighborhood, re- \
cruited in Chester County a troop of light-horsemen, [
and when the army marched away, he and his com- \
pany followed the Britisli standard. " The Chester i
County dragoons, under Captain James, subsequently
took part in the surprise of Col. Lacey's Militia Bri-
gade, lying at Crooked Billett," on April 30, 1778,
and in March, 17S0, Capt. James was captured in
North Carolina. President Reed, on April 18th of
the latter year, wrote to Governor Caswell stating
that James had been " a distinguished Partizan here
in the Winter 1777, & particularly active in Kidnap-
ping the Persons in the Vicinity of the City who were
remarkable for their Attachment to the Cause of their
Country. He was also extremely troublesome to the
County by stealing & employing his Associates in
stealing Horses for the British Army. " President
Reed therefore requested Governor Caswell " that he
may not be exchanged as a common Prisoner of War,
but retained in close Custody untill a favorable Opp'y
shall i)re.sent to bring him to this State for Tryal."^
The regular British officers, however, were not over-
scrupulous in this matter of appropriating horses to
their use, for, on Sept. 19, 1777, Lieut.-Col. Harcourt,
with a party of dragoons and light infantry, came
from Howe's encampment in Goshen, on the Phila-
delphia road, and from Newtown Square brought a
hundred and fifty horses to the enemy.'
The British not only had made these advances by
land, but on September 17th Howe was notified that
several of the English vessels of war had arrived in
the river, " and three vituallers, one at anchor, in the
Delaware oft' Chester."* The "Roebuck," Capt.
Hammond, whose presence in the river, as heretofore
noticed, had made that ofl[icer familiar with the navi-
gation of the Delaware River, at least as far as Wil-
mington, was one of the advanced men-of-war. Ad-
miral Earl Howe, after the battle of Brandywine,
hastened with his fleet into the river and anchored
his vessels along the Delaware shore from Reedy
Island to New Castle. Washington, as well as Gen.
Howe, when the latter by "doubling on his tracks"
had crossed the Schuylkill and captured Philadel-
phia, knew that the English commander must have
uninterrupted water communication to maintain his
army, and while the enemy were resolved to do every-
thing they could to force the passage of the river, the
American authorities were equally resolved to keep
up, if possible, the obstruction. " If these can be
maintained," wrote Washington to Congress, " Gen.
Howe's situation will not be the most agreeable ; for,
if his supplies can be stopped by water, it may easily
be done by land." ^ When the city fell, on September
25th, Gen. Howe sent a messenger to notify the Eng-
lish fleet, then at Chester, that his had taken posses-
sion of Philadelphia. That communication by the
river must be had was well understood by the Eng-
lish officers, for, in a letter from Lieut.-Col. William
Harcourt to Earl Harcourt, dated at Philadelphia, Oc-
tober 26th, he remarks that " it was absolutely neces-
sary we should open a communication with our fleet ;"'
and in the letter he narrates the attempts, up to that
time, made by the British commander to that end,
the defeat of Col. Dunop at Red Bank, the attack on
Fort Mifllin, the repulse of the English forces there,
and the destruction of the frigate " Augusta'' and
sloop-of-war " Merlin," classifying them as " checks
following so close upon the back of each other."
The enemy, however, had already made unwelcome
visits to the section of country now Delaware County,
for a resident of Philadelphia, under date of October
3d, records that " a foraging party went out last week
towards Darby and brought in a great number of
cattle to the great distress of the inhabitants."' We
also learn that on October .ath (Sunday) a captain of
the Royal Artillery, with thirty men, went to Chester
to bring to Philadelphia two howitzers and a large
number of mortars. A battalion of Grenadiers and
tlie Twenty-third or Welsh Fusileers accompanied
them as an escort." On September 29th, Col. Stirling,
with two British regiments, crossed the river from
Chester, and took possession of the fortifications at
Billingsport, which was manned only by militia, who,
1 See " A plan of the Operations of the British A Rebels Army i
Campaign, 1777," under Descriptive Letter F. " The Evelyns in i
> Penna. Archives, Ist otjries, vol. iii. p. 191.
' r«mia. Mttii. of Hvtonj, vol. vi. p. :i8.
' lb., p. 37.
1 Sparks' " Correspondence of Washington," vol. v. p. 71 .
' "The Evelyns in America," p. 246.
! "Diary of Bobert Blorton," Penna. Mag. of HM., vol. i. p.
• " .Journal of Capt. Montressor," Pen„a. Mag. o.f Hitl., vol. •
CONCLUSION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
after spiking the cannons and setting fire to tlie bar-
rack, withdrew without firing a gun.' The force
under Stirling is stated by Col. Bradford to have been
Highlanders and marines from the man-of-war. Capt.
Montressor says the troops were the Seventy-first
Highlanders. On October 4th the enemy retired,
excepting three hundred men, after they had made
some unsuccessful efforts to remove the obstructions
sunk in the river there, and on October 6th the
British set fire to all the works and house, and the men
who had been left to garrison the fort were withdrawn.
The same evening Commodore Hazelwood of the
Pennsylvania navy came down the river with the
row-galleys, and attacked the British vessels of war
between Fort Island and Chester. The firing " was
almost a constant cannonade," and resulted in the
British vessels getting under way, retiring to Chester,
where nine of his Majesty's war ships were then
lying.^ The same evening the Forty-second and
Tenth British Regiments, with two howitzers and two
mortars, marched to Philadelphia to protect a large
quantity of provisions landed at Chester for the use
of the army, which were then being transported to the
city. In the evening of October lltb, about three
hundred American militia entered the town of Ches-
ter and captured the loyal sheriff of Sussex County,
Del., who had sought shelter there under the British
authorities. The night after the battle of the Brandy-
wine, Governor McKiuley, of that State, was taken
from his bed and made a prisoner. In retaliation for
that act the Governor offered a reward of three hun-
dred dollars for the arrest of the sheriff, at whose in-
stance it is said McKinley had been apprehended.
The day previous to this bold movement of the
milita. Col. Boyd, sub-lieutenant of Chester County,
was iustructed to call out the fifth class of the militia
to defend the inhabitants from foraging parties, and
that a troop of fifty horsemen should be organized for
that purpose. The ammunition required for these has-
tily-assembled forces was ordered to be placed at Col.
Boyd's immediate disposal. On the 13th of October
it was reported that Gen. Proctor, with sixteen hun-
dred men, was then in Newtown township, almost
sixteen miles from Philadelphia.' Potter had been
ordered to keep a sharp lookout for parties of Eng-
lish foragers, and if possible prevent any provisions
from being taken from the west side of the Schuylkill
to Philadelphia for the use of the British troops.
Congress had also by resolution declared that any one
who should furnish provisions or certain other desig-
nated supplies to the British forces, or who should
be taken within thirty miles attempting to convey
such interdicted articles to any place then occupied
l>y his Majesty's soldiers, would be subject to martial
law, and if found guilty of the offenses, should suffer
death.* Gen. Armstrong, on the 14th, informed Coun-
cil that his division had been separated, that Gen.
Potter with his brigade had been " sent to Chester
County to annoy the Enemies' small parties, whether
Horse or foot, that may be found on the Lancaster or
Darby roads, prevent provisions going to the Enemy,
&c. I have heard," he continued, " of a fifth class
of the militia of that County being ordered to remain
for its own defence, which is very proper, the Com-
mander of that Class ought to communicate with
j General Potter & occasionally take his instructions.'"*
On the 15th the British fleet moved up the river and
joined the " Roebuck" and " Vigilant," that then lay
at anchor off Little Tinicum Island, the latter having
the day before come up the Delaware sufficiently near
to exchange shots with Fort Mifflin. The Americans
were still confidently rel.ying on the strength of the
I chevciu.r-de-fnsf; being entirely unaware of the fact
that Robert White, who had been employed to sink
the obstructions, was a traitor, as his subsequent base
conduct showed, and had designedly left the channel
near the Pennsylvania side open." Yet even after the
forts were in the hands of the British, the approach
to the city of Philadelphia was regarded as so hazard-
ous that most of the English vessels lay in the river
below the Horse-Shoe, making the town of Chester
the port where they discharged supplies for the army.
Richard Peters, as secretary of the United States
Board of War, on Oct. 18, 1777, called President
Wharton's attention to information received, that a
great number of the inhabitants of Chester County
had furnished intelligence to and supplied the enemy
t with provisions while they were in that county, with-
I out which assistance it was believed the British would
I not have succeeded in the capture of Philadelphia.
The authorities of the United States were determined
to render such service impossible, and to that end
f urged upon the State that " the great principle of
self Preservation requires that the most eftectual
I means should be forthwith pursued to put it out of
[ their Power to persist in their former Mal-Practices,
t by taking from them such Articles of Cloathing &
[ Provisions, & of the former particulary shoes, stock-
ings & Blankets, as might serve for the comfort &
subsistence of the Enemy's Army, & the Acquisition
whereof is of absolute Necessity to the existence of
our own." The War Department, therefore, urged on
Council that "spirited and determined militia," com-
manded by discreet and active officers, should be im-
mediately sent to Chester County to collect blankets,
shoes, and stockings from all of the inhabitants that
had not taken the oath or affirmation of allegiance to
I the State of Pennsylvania, and that all provisions and
I stock which might be useful to the enemy should be
i removed to a point beyond the latter's incursions.
1 MarshaU's "Life of WashiDgton," vol. iii. p. 176.
s PeDDa. Arcliives, let aeries, vol. v. p. 648,
3 }'e.,mi. Mag. of Hist., vol. i. p. 18.
rshall's '* Life of Washington,"
ina. Archives, 1st series, vol. v.
iio. Mag. of Eul., vol. vi. \>. 192
68
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Gen. Washington, it was apprehended by Richard
Teters, would order Gen. Potter to co-operate with
the officers appointed for that purpose by Council.'
On the 21st, which was possibly the day Council re-
ceived the dispatch just mentioned, for it had been
sent from York to Lancaster, Col. Evan Evans, Col.
William Evans, Col. Thomas, Col. Gibbons, Col.
Thomas Levis, Capt. William Brooks, and Capt.
Jacob Rudolph were apjjointed to collect the articles
enumerated from persons who had not publicly given
in their adherence to the State of Pennsylvania, and
were instructed to give certificates to owners whose
goods were taken, allowing them three pounds for new-
single blankets. The articles thus taken were to be
delivered to the clothier-general. Dr. Smith tells us
that this order bore with unusual harshness on the
Quakers, who were indeed a class peculiarly situated,
their religious principles prevented them from taking
the oath of allegiance and abjuration, for not only did
they suffer from the inconvenience of parting with
the necessaries for their family, but in addition, " their
conscientious scruples would not permit them to re-
ceive the proffered compensation.'' ■^
At this time the British were making every effort
to forward the siege they had begun of Fort Mifflin,
where, under the supervision of Capt. Montressor, bat-
teries had been erected on Providence Island in the
rear of the fort and communication had also been es-
tablished with the fleet by way of Bow Creek. On
the 2.3d of October an unsuccessful attack was made
on the fort, twenty vessels taking part therein, but in
the action the frigate " Augustas," a new sixty-four
gun ship, got aground, was set on fire, her magazine
exploded and she was a total wreck, as was the " Mer-
lin" sloop-of-war, which ran on the checaux-de-frisc
aiid sunk. The day before the attempt to carry Red
Bank by assault had resulted disastrously for the
British arms. On the 25th, Col. Joseph Reed, then
at Darby, wrote to Council that a deserter from the
Hessian Losberg regiment stated that the British
army " must retreat in a few Days to Wilmington if
they cannot get up their Provisions. Great Distress
for Provisions in Town." Hence, when the news of
Burgoyne's surrender was received in Philadelphia
on October 31st well might Capt. Montressor record :
"We are just now an army without provisions, a
Rum artillery for Beseiging, scarce any amunition,
no clothing, nor any money. Somewhat dejected by
Burgoyne's capitulation, and not elated with our late
manoeuvres as Dunop's repulse, and the ' Augustas'
and ' Merlin' being burnt and to complete all. Block-
aded."
Gen. Potter was active in his efforts to hara;8s the
enemy and cut off their means of supply, for we learn
from a letter to President Wharton, written on Octo-
ber 27th, that when he first went to Chester County
with his command the country people carried to the
city all kinds of marketing, but that he had put an
end to that trade, no one being suffered to go to
Philadelphia without a pass. At the time he wrote,
sixty ships of the enemy were lying at and below
Chester. From the best information he could get he
learned that provisions " is very scarce and deer in the
city," and he also stated that he had moved all the
beef cattle and the flour from that part of the county, —
the territory now included within the present limits
of Delaware County.
Two days after the date of this letter Gen. Wash-
ington (Oct. 31, 1777) wrote to Gen. Potter :
" As soon as the Schujlkill is foidable, I will send over a large body
of militia to you, for the purpose of executing some particular mattei-s.
The principal one is to endeavor to break up the road by which the
■ shipping (
The commander-in-chief was very explicit in the
I orders to Gen. Potter, and the latter was instructed
to execute them at once, and, if he had no teams or
\ insufficient means of transporting the stones, he was
directed to impress wagons. The grist-mills from
which the stones were to be taken he designated thus :
I " Lloyd's, about two miles on this side of Chester (afterward Lapadie,
1 Leiper'a Snuff-mills) ; Robinson's, on Naanian's Creek ; Shaw's, about
one mile back of Chester (now Upland), and the Drandywine mills. . . .
[ The stones should be marked with tar and gre.ise, or in some other
I manner, that it may be known to what mill they belong, that they may
be returned and made use of in the future, and they should be moved
to such distance that the enemy cannot easily recover them. If there is
any flour in the mills it should be removed, if possible, after the stones
are secured. I am informed that there is a considerable quantity in
Shaw's mill, particularly, which there is reason to believe is intended for
the enemy. It is very convenient to the navigation of Chester Creek,
and should be first taken care of. I beg yon may instantly set about
this work for the reason above mentioned. That no previous alarm may
be given, let a certain hour be fixed upon for the execution of the whole
at one time, and even the officers who are to do the business should not
know their destination till just before they set out, lest it should take
wind."
In a postscript, Washington says, " I have desired
Capt. Lee, of the Light-Horse, to give any assistance
that you may want.'"
That this order was carried into effect we learn from
a letter dated Nov. 4, 1777, written by Maj. John
Clark, Jr., to Washington, in which he informed the
general that, " Near Hook fell in with Capt. Lee with
j a few dragoons and about sixty of foot, among whom
were a few riflemen. . . . The mi/!s ore diwianfkd, SLud
I we drove off some fat cattle from the shore at Chester,
I which I believe were intended for the enemy."* I
' have been unable to find where the millstones were
j taken, or how long their owners were deprived of them,
i Certain is it that after tlie British evacuated Philadel-
phia, the mills mentioned were in full operation.
' The service of light cavalry was indispensable in
moving rapidly from place to place in order to inter-
cept the enemy in their raids in the neighborhood of
CONCLUSION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
the city and in rescuing booty from tlieir foraging
parties or in driving cattle beyond their reacli So
important was it deemed to have such bodies of men
in Chester County that Council, October 31st, ordered
Cols. Cheyney and Granow, without loss of time, to
form three or four troops of light-horse, particularly
in 'the southeastern parts of the county — now Dela-
ware County — and in the formation of such mounted
troops the advice and direction of Gen. Potter was to
be taken. The militia officers designated immedi-
ately set about carrying out the orders they had re-
ceived, for on November 8th, Gen. Potter, who then
had his headquarters at Mr. Garret's, in Newtown,
wrote to President Wharton that considering the
close approach of winter, he doubted whether the
men could be raised and equipped sufficiently early
to be of any service in the then campaign, and that
he then had volunteers who were acquainted with the
country, and answered every purpose of dragoons.
If it was necessary to have dragoons for an emer-
gency, Washington would send any number that
might be required. The reasons assigned by Gen.
Potter seem to have fully satisfied Council, for nothing
more appears in reference to the troops of light-horse-
men from Chester. County.
Meanwhile the British forces were making regular
siege to Fort Mifflin, for the scarcity of provisions
was such that already many articles of food had so
advanced in price in Philadelphia that they had
thereby been banished from the tables of all but the
wealthier classes, and provender for animals was
difficult to procure. Although the city had fallen,
on the whole, consideriug the repulse of the fleet at
Fort Mifflin and the defeat at Red Bank, together
with the stirring tidings from the North that Bur-
goyne had been captured, the outlook for the enemy
was in nowise promising. For a number of years
before the war, the industrious residents of that part
of Chester County bordering on the Delaware, at a
considerable outlay of labor, time, and money, had
constructed dikes or embankments of earth along the
river bank, so that much of the low and swampy
ground had been converted into rich meadow land.
As a means of defense. Council had determined to cut
these banks when necessary, and flood the meadows.
Hence we find that on November 1st, Capt. Montres-
sor, who was constructing the batteries on Carpenter's
and Providence Islands, and who had efl'ectcd com-
munication with the fleet by the way of Bow Creek,
records on that day that "two hundred of the Rebels
employed in cutting up the road to Bow Creek, and
breaking down the dam to overflow us." Previous to
this, however, the meadows had been flooded, for in a
letter to Gen. Potter, dated October 31st, Washington
says, " I am glad to hear the flood had done so much
damage to the meadows. Endeavor by all means to
keep the breakers open." Still the engineers strength-
ened the batteries, the work of reducing the fort and
opening the river continued.
The American army even then, before the winter
at Valley Forge set in, was mi.serably deficient in
clothing, and as the State authorities were highly in-
dignant at the peaceable position assumed by the
Society of Friends, on Nov. 8, 1777, Council ap-
pointed collectors in the several counties in the State
to collect from those persons who had not taken the
oath of allegiance,' or who had aided the enemy,
arms, accoutrements, blankets, woolen and linsey-
woolsey, cloth, linen, stockings, and shoes for the
army. For Chester County, the following per.>ons
were named: Col. Evan Evans, Philip Scott, Esq.,
Elijah McClenaghan, Capt. John Ramsay, Patterson
Bell, Esq., Thomas Boyd, Esq., Capt. Benjamin Wal-
lace, William Gibbons, Col. George Pierce, Capt.
McCay (Concord), Maj. Thomas Pierce, Capt. John
Gardiner, Samuel HoUiday, Col. William Evans,
Capt. Israel Whellam, John Wilson, Capt. Samuel
Vanlear, Thomas Levis, Esq., Capt. William Brookes,
Capt. David Coupland, Col. Thomas Taylor, Capt.
Allen Cunningham.
At this juncture John James, a loyalist, seems to
have been especially objectionable to Council, hence
on Nov. 13, 1777, all the officers of the commonwealth,
both civil and military, were instructed to exert their
utmost endeavors to apprehend him, so that he might
be dealt with according to law ; and the following day
Col. Smith, lieutenant of Chester County, was notified
that John James had been clandestinely sent out from
Philadelphia by Gen. Howe into his territory, and the
authorities were particularly desired to secure " that
dangerous emissary and to bring him to condign pun-
ishment." To that end Col. Smith was instructed to
watch the quarterly meetings of the Society of Friends,
where, it was believed, he would endeavor to promote
the views of the invaders. That he might be more
readily detected. Council furnished a personal descrip-
tion of James, setting forth that he was then about
thirty-five years of age, five feet ten inches in height,
slenderly made, with a stoop in his walk, leans side-
wise, and his shoulders falling greatly. His eyes were
dark, and his hair, for he wore no wig, was of a dark
hue. His apparel, it is stated, was generally a light
drab, in " the strictest Quaker fashion, being lengthy
in the skirts and without jiockets," while his hat was
very plain. He was, so the instructions stated, a
native of Chester County, and would be better known
to the people there personally than by any description
Council could give of him. " For this man you have,
1 No wonder is it that the Society of Frieods, as a body, were uot zeal-
ous iu the interest of the Cuntiiieutal autliorities, ii sentiment that the
men most active in the Kevolntionary war were mainly responsible for.
Washington, usually so just in all his acts and deeds, was eminently un-
just to Friends. Kven at the time was this patent to careful observers,
for in a letter written from Philadelphia by a British officer, shortly
after the capture of that city, he says, in speaking of those who remained
V hen it fell, " Till we alTived I believed it was a very populous city, hut
at present it is very thinly inhabited, and that only by the fanaille and
the QuaheiK whose peaceable disposition has prevented their taking up
arms, and conse.iuently has eTigaged them in our interests, by drawing
upon tliem the liispleasure of their countrymen."
70
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
under cover of this letter," the order to Col. Smith
stated, " a warrant, tho' it is expected that all agents
of the Enemy will be industriously sought after and !
apprehended by you and many other friends of their
country without such formalities." ' The arrest of
John James and many other Friends had been specially
ordered by Council in the month of August preceding
the battle of Brandywine.''
On Monday morning, Nov. 10, 1777, the batteries
opened on Fort Jlifflin, which was bravely defended
until the Saturday, when, about a half-hour before
midnight, the garrison evacuated it, the enemy's fire
having rendered it no longer tenable. Before they [
retreated the Americans applied the torch, and when
the royal troops took possession and hauled down the
flag, which had been left flying at the staff-head, it j
was almost a ruin. A noticeable incident of the siege, |
which shows the changes in the river, is thus mentioned
in Howe's dispatch :
"On the 15th, the wind proving fair, tlie 'Vigilant' armed ship, car-
rying 10 twenty-four pounders, and a liulli with three 24-pounderfl, got
up to tlie Fort througli the Channel between Providence Island and Hog (
Island, those assisted by several ships-of-war in the Eastern channel, as
well as by the batteries on shore, did such execution upon the Fort and
collateral block-houses that the enemy, dreading our impending assault,
evacuated the island in the night between the 16th and 16th and it was
possessed ou the 16th at daybreak by tlie grenadiers of the guards."
We are told by Marshall' that the water between
Providence and Hog Islands had been deepened be-
cause the obstructions in the main channel had forced
a strong current in that direction, which fact was en-
tirely unknown to the garrison. The sharpshooters
from the round-top of the " Vigilant" kept the Ameri-
can guns silenced, for no sooner would a man show
himself than he was fired at from the vessel with fatal
effect. The American galleys endeavored to drive the
English man-of-war away, but without success, and
the evacuation of the fort became absolutely necessary.
Lord Cornwallis, who was incensed at the stubborn
resistance, and the loss its capture had occasioned to
the British forces, with a round army oath denounced
it as " a cursed little island." *
Fort Mercer, at Red Bank, still floated the rebel
colors, and it was determined by the invaders to effect ;
its reduction. Hence, to that end, Gen. Howe, ou i
the evening of the 18th,^ dispatched Cornwallis from
Philadelphia with three thousand men, comprising [
' Colonial Kecords, vol. xi. p. 342.
■■' Mnrshnlrs " Life of Washington," iil p. 178.
< Ponna. Archives, Ist series, vol. vi. p. 23.
5 John Clarke, Jr., on Nov. 20, 1777 (Peni
vi. p. •-':!), wrote to Paul Zantzinge
Cornwallis left Philadelphia for (lie.
tho soldiers began their march on tl
ment he is supported by Robert Mu
28), and by Capt. Montrcesor (I'ntnti.
in a postscript to this letter says, "I dined at Chester yesterday, caught
a person supplying the enemy at the wharf with provisions, the boat
pushed off, and about thirt.t pounds of butter and an excellent cheese
snna. A
rchives, 1st serie.-, vol.
q., that
at noon on the 17th,
•ith thn
■e thousand British and
-irt unr-
quivocally asserts that
.e IStb, in which state-
[l-enn.t.
M«j. 0/ im., vol. i. p.
o/nui
., vol. vi. p. 193). Clark
the Fifth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Thirty-third, and
Fifty-sixth Regiments, exclusive of the Hessians and
Light Infantry, with twelve pieces of cannon and
several howitzers," together with a number of baggage-
wagons, which body marched across the Middle Ferry
on their way to Chester. On the morning of that day
a numerous fleet of British vessels sailed up to and
anchored ofl' Billingsport,' where was disembarked a
large body of troops, estimated by the American
scouts as nearly six thousand men. They had " ar-
rived a few days before from New York,'" under the
command of Maj.-Gen. Sir Thomas Wilson, with
whom were Brig.-Gens. Leslie and Patton.-
As the division under Cornwallis was on the march
to Chester they drove in the American pickets on the
Darby road, who, retreating, sought shelter in the
Blue Bell Tavern, on Cruiu Creek, and from the win-
dows fired at the advancing English. Two men of
the Thirty-third Regiment were killed, one of the
slain being the sergeant-major.'' The Grenadiers, en-
raged, broke ranks, rushed into the house, and there
bayoneted five of the Americans who had taken ref-
uge in the inn. They would have killed all the
militiamen had not the British officer interfered, and
the whole picket, which had numbered tliirty-three
including the killed, were captured. The column
then resumed the march aud encamped a few miles
eastward of Chester, from which point marauding
parties plundered the inhabitants. The next day they
reached Chester, where the whole of Cornwallis'
command was embarked on transports by sunset, and
it was conveyed across the Delaware to Billingsport,
where he united his forces with those of Gen. Sir
Thomas Wilson.
Washington, who had been apprised of this move-
ment, ordered Gen. Greene to repair to the support of
Gen. Varnum at Red Bank, and Gen. Huntingdon
was immediately detailed with a brigade to reinforce
the garrison. It is not within the scope of this work
to narrate the circumstantial story of the unnecessary
abandonment of Fort Mercer, which was vacated on
the evening of the 19th, and the destruction, two days
thereafter, of eight American armed vessels aud two
« Bulletin Pennsylvania Historical Society, No. 10, March, 1847, p. 15.
Robert Morton {Penna. Mug. of History ^\o\. i. p. 28) says the troops num-
bered three thousand five hundred. Maj. John Clark, Jr. (Penna. Ar-
chives, Ist series, vol. vi. p. 2:i) in a letter to Paul Zantzinger places the
command at three thousand, and in his letter to Washington in the
Historical Society's Bulletin, the first citation of authority in this note,
he makes the number five thousand. Clark seems to have made a mistalte
of one day in the date he gives in the letters just quoted. He reports
Cornwallis as coming from Philadelphia on the 17th instead of the 18th,
and his crossing to Billingsport on the 18th instead of the 19th.
" Penna. Archives, Ist series, vol. vi. p. 27.
8 Gen. Howe's report, dated Nov. 28, 1777. Hazard's Register, vol. ii.
p. 288.
« John Clark, already quoted, says there was a captain, a sergeant-
major, aud three privates killed on the part of the English. Morton
says there were two grenadiers killed in the British forces, and Mon-
tressor put the enemy's loss a sergeant-major. I have followed Morton
both as to the number of men under Cornwallis, and the number killed
CONCLUSION OF THE REVOLUTIONAKY WAR.
71
floating batteries to prevent them from falling into
the hands of the enemy. On the 20th, at mid-day,
Cornwallis took possession of Fort Mercer, the force
under his command amounting to six thousand men. j
Thus the great water-way — the Delaware — was opened
to the British fleet, and supplies could easily and
without opposition be forwarded to the city in vessels
of light draught. Notwithstanding the river was
cleared to the enemy their ships seemed not, in most
instances, to have gone above Chester. The day that
Cornwallis crossed the river to Billingsport, Maj.
Clark, who was then at Mrs. Withy's tavern, now
the Columbia House, stated that " eighty sail lie op-
posite to Bridgeport." Capt. Montressor's journal ;
shows that in most instances the British vessels as-
cended the Delaware no higher than Chester. On
Nov. 21, 1777, he records : " This morning sailed from
Chester, dispatches for New York.'' On April 8,
1778, he tells us : " Arrived the ' Brune' frigate at
Chester, having sprung her mainmast in the late
Gale. Arrived also the ' Isis,' ship of war, with 8
transports, part of 12 separated in ye gale." On the
22d : " This day arrived at Chester a fleet of 35 sail
from New York with forage, &c. Also arrived the
'Eagle' (the flag-ship) with Lord Howe." On the
28th, "The 'Lord Hyde' Packet only sailed from
Chester this morning," and on May 7, 1778, "The
' Porcupine' sloop of war arrived at Chester this
evening from England, where she left 25th of March
last." Joseph Bishop, an octogenarian resident of
Delaware County, who died many years since, related
that when a boy he stood on the porch of Lamoken
Hall, now the Perkins mansion, in South Ward, and
watched the fleet practicing, and on several occasions
when receiving distinguished passengers, the yard-
arms were manned and the vessels gayly dressed with
many fl.ags and streamers. Even Gen. Howe, when
he sailed for Great Britain, was compelled to descend
to the vessel by land, for on May 26, 1778, Montressor
notes: "Early this morning sailed from below Bil-
lingsport for England the ' Andromeda' frigate. Brine
commander, in whom went General Sir William
Howe." The day before Montressor had gone with
Howe to Billingsport.
When it was determined that the Continental troops
should go into winter quarters, the English general
must have been speedily apprised of that movement,
for on the 11th of December, the very day the army
under Washington began its march from Whitemarsh
to Valley Forge, and a portion of his troops had
crossed the Schuylkill at Matson's Ford, Cornwallis
was in force on the other side, where Gen. Potter met
him, we are told by Washington, " with a part of the
Pennsylvania militia who behaved with great bravery,
and gave them every possible opposition till he was
obliged to retreat from their superior numbers."
Cornwallis had in all probability made this movement
as a reconnoissance, for portions of his command had
been in the townships of Radnor, Haverford, and
Darby. On the 10th, the next day, from Matson's
Ford he returned to Haverford, his command en-
camping for the night at the hillside on which Haver-
ford meeting-house stands, and the next day he re-
turned to Philadelphia. The residents of those town-
ships had cause to remember the merciless pluuderings
of the British troops during that raid.
We learn that at this period some of the militia of
Chester County had organized as a troop of horse, for
on December 19th, Council ordered that in addition
to their pay as infantry they should be allowed all the
expenses of forage, when it could not be supplied by
the commissary. In the same month Lord Cornwallis
had been sent to England by Gen. Howe as bearer of
dispatches, iind subsequent thereto the English com-
mander-in-chief, on December 22d, with seven thou-
sand meu marched out from Philadelphia, leaving Gen.
Knyphausen in command in that city, and encamped
on the heights of Darby, his lines extending along the
road from Gray's Ferry to the heights below the vil-
lage, extending along the Springfield road to the
dwelling then of Justice Parker, while their pickets
in that direction were at the intersection of Providence
and Springfield roads, near the house then of Mr.
Swain. This movement of the British general was
made for the purpose of protecting the transporting,
by water, of a large quantity of forage, which the
enemy had collected from the islands and in the neigh-
borhood of Darby. Gen. Howe states that about a
thousand tons were secured in this raid, sufiicient, he
estimated, for the winter consumption of the British
army.' On the 24th, Col. John Bull notified Presi-
dent Wharton that "By Certain Intelligence Just
Reed from Head Quarters the Enemy are in a Large
Body in Chester County with Genl. Howe at their
head," and in consequence of that movement he had
been ordered to march to Gerniantown or below, towards
the enemy, with six regiments of militia. Gen. Pot-
ter, in a letter dated from Radnor, Dec. 28, 1777,'
wrote to President Wharton that to annoy Howe as
much as possible, a detachment of Continentals with
Morgan's riflemen had been sent from the American
encampment to operate in connection with the militia
under his command, and that they had kept close to
the enemy's lines ; that on Tuesday, the 23d, thirteen
of the British light horses had been captured, and ten
of their horsemen, while the next day two more of
their horses and riders had been taken. The activity
of the Americans had prevented the enemy from
plundering the inhabitants, as they usually did, but
there had been little skirmishing, and but one of the
American soldiers had been killed and two wounded,
while upwards of twenty of the English had been
captured, and a number of deserters had made their
way to his lines. On the other hand, Gen. Howe re-
ported that " the detachment returned on the 28th of
1 Gen. Howe's reimrt, Jan. 19, 1778. Hazard's Register, vol. ii. p. 288.
2 1'enmi. Arcliivea, lat series, vol. vi. p. 141.
72
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
December without any further attempt from the enemy
to retard the progress of the foragers, than from small
parties skulking, as is their custom, to seize upon the
straggling soldiers. One of these parties, consisting
of two officers and thirty men, were decoyed by two
dragoons of the Seventeenth Regiment into an am-
buscade and made prisoners." Potter, it seems, agreed
with Howe in the results of this raid, for he stated
that the English had carried off large quantities of
hay, and had provided themselves with winter fuel
and forage, " and will bless themselves, and sit down
in peace this winter in the city." Perhaps the militia-
men captured by the British, mentioned by Howe, was
the same party of whom Dr. Smith records, that, under
the command of Capt. William Brooke, of Haverford,
— who during the second war with England was a
general of the Pennsylvania troops, — they were enjoy-
ing themselves in a house a mile below Darby, when
the enemy suddenly surrounded the house. Brooke
jumped from a window and made his escape, but in
getting over a fence found that in his leap he had
partially dislocated his foot, to which he was subject.
" Putting his foot through the fence, and giving his
leg a quick extension, the joint was brought into a
proper condition," and he continued his flight until
he reached a place of safety.'
While the British forces held possession of the city
and river, many acts of inhumanity are recorded of
their foraging-parties. The marine service was more
objectionable in that respect than the army, and many
cases are recorded of this brutality.
Notwithstanding his advanced 3'ears, David Coup-
land, of Chester, was earnest in his advocacy of the
cause of the colonies, and previous to the battle of
Brandywine having entertained the Marquis de Lafay-
ette at his home, he became very obnoxious to the
Tories ; hence, when the British authority was tempo-
rarily supreme, he was held under suspicion of com-
municating with the Continental authorities. In the
spring of 1778, when the " Vulture,"' a British man-
of-war, lay off Chester, in the middle of the night, a
boat's crew came ashore, and, going to David Coup-
land's dwelling, the present Stacey house, he was taken
out of bed and conveyed to the vessel, where he
was detained for many weeks a prisoner. His age, as
well as the an.xiety consequent on his forced detention
from home, his inability to learn aught of his family,
the exposure and harsh treatment, induced a low, ner-
vous fever. At length, when the disease began to
assume alarming .symptoms, the commander of the
"Vulture" had him conveyed ashore and returned to
his home, but without avail. He died previous to
Aug. 26, 1778, for his will was admitted to probate at
that date. About the same time Capt. John Crosby,
of the militia in the Continental service, was cai)tured
at his borne and taken on board the vessel of war,
Smlth"a " History of Delaware Oounty,"
> Martin's " History of Clipster," p. 175.
sent to New York, and detained there in the old
i "Jersey" prison-ship for six months. So extreme were
the privations and hardships he had to undergo, that
for the remainder of his life he suffered from their
effects.
The incidents happening during the Revolutionary
struggle within the territory now comprising Delaware
County were few, and generally comprise the adven-
tures of a resident seeking to save his property from
seizure, or an American soldier who, while on leave
of absence, had had narrow escapes from being cap-
tured by the British troops. Most of these events
which have come to my knowledge will be related in
the history of the towilships wherein the incident
happened. Still, it should be remembered that while
the army lay at Valley Forge the authorities were
active in preparation to place the forces in as effective
condition as their limited means would permit.
Hence, on Jan. 9, 1778, Col. Thomas Moore was
appointed wagon-master of Chester County, and
on the 30th of that month a requisition for sixty
wagons was made on the county, and on Feliruary
17th, recruiting being enjoined to fill out the de-
pleted regiments. Council, on Washington's recom-
mendation, ordered Lieut. James Armstrong, Lieut.
John Marshall, and Lieut. William Henderson to
Chester County in that service. On March 11th,
Robert Wilson was appointed one of the sub-lieu-
tenants of Chester County instead of Col. Thomas
Strawbridge, and on the 23d of that month Col. An-
drew Boyd, holding the like office in the county, re-
ceived two thousand musket cartridges for the use of
the militia, in all probability for the use of the men
instructed to prevent the farmers of the county car-
rying to Philadelphia and the enemy their jiroduce,
an act on their part which might call down upon
them the severest punishment, since Council had au-
thorized persons so violating their orders to be subject
to military law, and if found guilty to pay the penalty
with their lives.
The collection of the militia fines was a frequent
source of trouble in Chester County, and on several
occasions we find that complaints were made to
Council by the officers there that they were unable
to execute the duties imposed by law upon them.
On May 22, 1778, Col. Boyd, one of the sub-lieuten-
ants, represented that in the townships in the south-
easterly parts of the county, — necessarily part of the
present county of Delaware, — many of the inhabit-
ants were "disaffected," and "in a riotous & seditious
manner commit Treason & felony, & oppose the exe-
cution of the Law." The lieutenant of the county,
Col. Smith, was thereupon instructed to select
seventy-five men from the militia, with a captain,
lieutenants, an ensign, and the proper number of
non-commissioned officers, which company was to be
employed in arresting all persons who should so re-
sist the execution of the laws. This specially-detailed
body was ]ilace<l by Council in charge of Col. Boyd,
CONCLUSION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
who was expected to use the men only in making
arrests, but " that nothing be done by them by way
of Punishment," which was to be reserved until trial
and sentence, for any other course would " be dis-
creditable not only to Counsel but to the cause of
Freedom." However, on June 4th, Cols. Hannum
and Cheyney informed the authorities that there was
no occasion for the guard of men mentioned in order
to collect the fines for non-service in the militia;
that the ravages made by the enemy in their march
through and raids in the county, as well as the great
quantities of provisions, forage, and other supplies
furnished to the American army were such that the
residents there had great difficulties in raising money
for substitutes and militia fines. Council thereupon
ordered the company of soldiers under Col. Boyd to
report to camp, and directed that in all cases where
the parties to whom the certificates for articles fur-
nished the government tendered those certificates in
payment of their substitute money or for fine, they
should be accepted by the officers, but this tender was
not to include any who had obtained a certificate by
assignment.
On May 6, 1778, Council appointed William Evans,
Thomas Cheyney, Thomas Levis, Patterson Bell, and
John Hannum to act as commissioners for Chester
County in enforcing the act of attainder, and on July
15th the Supreme Executive Council issued a pro-
clamation calling on a large number of persons " who
it is said have joined the Armies of the Enemy to
render themselves & abide their legal trial for their
Treasons, &c.," and among the number were the fol-
lowing persons formerly residents of that part of
Chester County which is now included within the
present boundaries of Delaware County :
" George Davis, Husbaodman, now or Inte of the Township of Spriug-
field; John Taylor, Tavern-keeper; John Moulder, Waterman; John
Talbot, wheelwright ; & Thomas Barton, Sawyer, all now or late of the
Township of Chichester; . . . Edward Grissil, Laborer ;& John Wilson,
Taylor ; both now or late of the Township of Thornhury ; William Mil-
son, Taylor; Isaac Bullock, Laborer; Benjamin James, Cooper; & John
Bennet, Juu'r, Laborer; all now or late uf tlie Township of Concord;
. . . William Maddock, Tavern-keeper ; William Dunn, Laborer; Joseph
Edwards, Mason; George Dunn, Taylor; James Maliu, Laborer, &
Gideon Vernon, Husbandman ; all now or late ol the Township of Provi-
dence ; And Christopher Wilson, Husbandman, \- John Taylor, Grazier,
both now or late of the Township of Kidley ; . . . Joshua Proctor, laborer,
now or late of the Township of Newtown; Aaron Ashbridge, Water-
man ; Joseph Gill, Malster ; Eliaa Wernon (" Vernon"), Taylor ; all now
or late of the Township of Chester; And David Rogers, Carpenter, now
or late of the Township of Egmant ; And John Supplee, William Cald-
well & James Hart, Husbandmen ; John Musgrove, Trader ; and William
Andrews, Fuller; all now or late of the Township of Darby; And Wil-
liam Smith of Tinicum Island ; & William Anderson, Laborer, both now
orlateof the Township of Kidley; Henry Eftinger, Junior, Hugh O'Cain,
William Kennedy, Darby O'Cain & James McClarin, Laborer ; & Isaiah
Worrell, Miller, All now or late of the Township of Springfield ; And
Isaac Buck, Abraham Talkenton, Thomas Burns, William Clarke &
George Good, laborei-s; and William Henry Taylor; all now or late of
the Township of Providence. And George Dunn & David Malis, Tay-
lors ; & William Bell, Laborer ; all now or late of the Township of New-
town ; and Robert Kissack, Weaver; James Brown, Wheelwright; James
German & Enoch German, Cocdwainers ; ,t Michael Crickley, Laborer;
all now or late of the Township of Haverfurd. all now or late of the
County of Chester. . . . And Malin Dunn, Taylor ; now or late of the
Township of Piovidence; have severally adhered to & knowingly & wil-
lingly aided & assisted the Enemies of the State & of the United SUtes
of America, by having joined their Armies at Philadelphia, in the
County of Philadelphia, within this State. ... We the Supreme Ex-
ecutive Council ... do hereby strictly charge and reuuire the said
George Davis Ac. to render themselves respectively to some or one of the
JusUces of the Supreme Court, or of the Justices of the Peace ... on
or before the third day of August uext ensuing A also abide their legal
trial for such their Treasons on pain that evei-y of them the said George
Davis &c. not rendering himself as aforesaid & abiding the trial afore-
said, shall, from and after the said first day of August, stand & be at-
tainted of High Treason, to all intents & purposes & shall suffer such
pains and penalties & undergo all such forfeitures as persons attainted
of High Treason ought to do. And all the faithful subjects of this State
are to take notice of this Proclamation & govern themselves accord-
ingly."!
Gen. Benedict Arnold, after the British army had
evacuated Philadelphia, June 18, 1778, was placed
in command of that city. While there, as is well
known, he used his official position to further his own
personal ends, and one of his speculations finally re-
I Colonial Records, vol . xi. pp. 513-18. Governor Guerard, of South Caro-
lina, having applied for the name of all the persons who has been pro-
claimed as traitors in Pennsylvania, on Nov. 28, 1783, John Morris pre-
pared a certified list from which are taken the following names of persons
from the present county of Delaware, and those who were then recorded
as from Chester, without designating the townships where they resided:
Aaron Ashbridge, Chester, discharged ; William Andrews, fuller. Darby ;
William Anderson, laborer, Kidley; Isaac Bullock, laborer. Concord;
Isaac Buck, laborer. Providence ; Thomas Burns, laborer, Providence;
William Bell, laborer, Newtown; James Brown, wheelwright, Haver-
ford ; William Caldwell, husbandman. Darby ; William Clark, laborer.
Providence; Michael Crickley, laborer, Huverford ; George Davis, hus-
bandman, Springfield ; William Dunn, laborer. Providence; George
Dunn, discharged ; Malin Dunn, tailor, Providence ; George Dunn,
tailor. Providence ; Henry Etfinger, Jr., discharged ; Abraham Falkens-
ton, laborer. Providence; Samuel Faiiiamb, yeoman, Chester ; George
Good, laborer, Providence; Josejih Gill, maltster, Chester; William
Henry, tailor. Providence ; Benjamin James, cooper, Concord ; William
Kennedy, laborer, Springfield; John Moulder, waterman, Chichester;
John (William) Millson, tailor. Concord; William Maddock, tavern-
keeper. Providence ; John Musgrove, trader. Darby ; David Maris, tailor,
Newtown ; Hugh O'Kain, laborer, Springfield ; Darby O'Kain, laborer,
Springfield ; Joshua Proctor, laborer, Newtown ; John Taylor, tavern-
keeper, Chichester; John Talbot, wheelwright, Chichester; John Tay-
ler, grazier, Ridley; Nathaniel Vernon, late sheriff; Nathaniel Vernon,
Jr., laborer, Gideon Vernon, husbandman. Providence; Christopher
Wilson, husbandman, Ridley, tried and convicted; It-aiaii Worral, mil-
ler, Springfield. OfChesterCounty— Thomas Bulla, husbandman; Tim-
othy Hurst, gentleman ; Henry Skyles, huebaudman ; John Swanwick,
late of Custom-house ; Richard Swanwick, late of Custom-house; Joseph
Thomas, late sub-sheriff. A John Taylor, of Chester County, was par-
doned May 30, 1783, on taking oath of allegiance and giving bonds for
good behavior during the war. By the time this list was made out it
became a question which of the John Taylors herein mentioned had
received the Executive clemency, and the master of the rolls himself
acknowledges in a quere that he could not determine the controversy.
Penna. Archives, 1st series, vol. x. pp. 260-60. On June 3, 1783, John
Briggs, who had been convicted of harboring Gideon Vernon, " an at-
tainted traytor," was sentenced to a fine of fifty pounds and imprison-
ment to the 14lh of October following, appealed to Council, who miti-
gated his punishment by remitting the imprisonment, on his entering
security for payment of the fine, fees, and costs, and to be of good be-
havior for three years. On Sept. 13, 1783, President John Dickinson is-
sued a proclaroalion oHering a reward for the noted Doan brothers,
and charging many others with being implicated in their crimes, among
the number Gideon Vernon. The proclamation stated that any one who
should kill any of these persons fieeing from arrest, '*he or they so kill-
ing shall be and hereby are justified, and in case of any prosecution
shall be commenced against any person or persons for the same, he or
they may thereto plead the general issue and give this act in evidence."
Moreover, any pel-son who should kill any of the persons named in the
proclamation, on proof of that fact produced to the president of the State
should receive a reward of three hundred pounds in good i
iiial Records, vol. xiii. pp. 687-90.
Colo-
74
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
suited in casting on his reputation and chiiracter,
which seemed to have had only remarkable physical
bravery as a redeeming trait, the suspicion that mur-
der, as well as treason, was among the crimes of
which he had been guilty. The circumstances are
briefly these: Jesse Jordan, a deputy wagon-master
of Chester County, on Sept. 27, 1778, with a brigade
of twelve wagons in his care, was ordered by Col.
Andrew Boyd, the wagon-master of the county, to
Philadelphia, there to load with provisions, and
thence to New Windsor. Jordan was absent much
longer than was expected. On his return Col. Boyd
demanded the reason, and was told that when he
reached Philadelphia, Deputy Quartermaster-General
John Mitchell had ordered him, with his train of
empty wagons, to Egg Harbor, N. J., then a harbor
for American privateers, where he was instructed to
load with merchandise belonging to private persons.
This he did, and when he returned to the city the
goods were delivered to stores kept by private indi-
viduals. Col. Boyd immediately laid the matter be-
fore Council, and on Jan. 18, 1779, that body de-
manded an explanation of this transaction from Gen.
Mitchell. On the 23d the latter replied that he had
sent the wagons to New Jersey by order of Gen. Ar-
nold, whereupon Council requested the general to in-
form them whether the goods transported were public
or private ; if the latter, to whom they belong ; also
desiring Arnold to refer them to the authority by
which " public wagons of Pennsylvania were sent into
another State to do business merely of a private
nature." On January 30th, Jesse Jordan was fully
examined respecting the circumstances of this trip.
While the matter was pending Arnold left the city,
and Jordan and his teamsters being then " iu great ne-
cessity," the Council considered that " the board ou't
to relieve them, so far as to advance ±'450 until they
can procure further redress." On the 25th of Febru-
ary, Deputy Quartermaster-General Mitchell ap-
peared before Council, acknowledged that the blot in
his memorandum book under date of Oct. 30, 1778,
was done by his orders to conceal an entry of his
clerk " of the return of Mr. Jordan's Brigade of wag-
gons from Egg Harbor, & that the obliteration was
made after the charge against Gen. Arnold for having
used the public waggons for his private business had
come to his (Mitchell's) knowledge." He subse-
quently, on March 1, 1779, in a lengthy letter to Pres-
ident Reed, gave a circumstantial account of the
matter, and on March 27th, Timothy Matlack, the
secretary of Council, wrote to Jonathan Dickinson
Sergeant, stating that Council had advanced Jordan
four hundred and fifty pounds, to be repaid when he
should recover compensation for the use of the wagons
from Gen. Arnold, and the body was anxious to learn
whether legal proceedings had been instituted. There
appears no reference to the subject until October 10th,
when Mr. Sergeant informed Council that he had
instituted suit for Jtsse Jordan against Gen. Arnold,
but the action had at that time abated by the plain-
tiff's death, for " Jesse Jordan has been lately mur-
dered in Chester County." That Arnold personally
did that deed no one believed, but there was a general
impression that of all men he had the greatest inter-
est in the wagon-master's death, and after the former's
treason many there were who thought that perhaps
he knew more of the particulars of Jesse Jordan's
" taking off" than he cared to tell.
The privateer brig " Holker," named in honor of
the French consul at Philadelphia, was owned by
Robert Morris, and it is related that on one occasion
the vessel, in lead ballast, reached the city very op-
portunely, for, at the time, the American troops were
entirely out of bullets. Her owner immediately
turned her cargo over to the authorities for the use
of the army. On July 20, 1779, the " Holker" was
lying at Chester, where a crew was being recruited
for the privateer, and Maj. George Harvy was in-
structed by Council to allow the then owner of the
vessel, Mr. McClanachan, to have ten tons of disa-
bled cannons for ballast. The price was not exactly
stipulated, but the major, as some guide for him in
adjusting that matter, was informed that when these
disabled cannon were delivered at Chester the iron-
master would give one ton of bar iron in exchange
for four tons of the old metal. The brig, as before
stated, was then lying at Chester, commanded by
Capt. Matthew Lawler, and at that place, from July
17th to August 2d, a crew was recruited for the
vessel by Davis Bevan, captain of marines, who had
before been mustering officer for the county of
Chester. The following list gives the names of the
crew, as well as the sums paid each man at the time
of enlisting:'
Received as Receivfld as
Bounty. Bounty.
John Bayley 37
Willinm Miickey 37
Christopher Battnel 37
George Trusk 37
Joseph Marshall 37
Nicliolas Francis (1st)... 37
William Smith 37
McOloclilin 37
George Geddcy....
Nathaniel Heath.
Charles Orsonall..
William Tliomson
John WalliK-e
Kohort Loat^ue (carpen-
William Coulter 18
John Virdine 18
John Hambright, Sr 18
John Cockshott IS
Nathaniel Carr 18
PattCain IS
John Whitehead 18
Matthew Pencil 18
William WeUh 18
Roger Brown 18
James McAlester 18
George McCay 18
George Wass 18
Allen Mongomery 18
Thomas Burnel 18
John Plog 18
David Bamiskay 18
David Harding 18
Patrick Shannon 18
John Slaughter 22
David Cahill 22
Charles Griffith 18
Matthew W. Murray 18
George Parker 18
Andrew Rowar 18
Benedicteo PIda 18
James Hambleton 18
Kicharil Dickso
18 15 0 John
CONCLUSION OF THE KEVOLUTIONARY WAR.
75
John Neagle
James Harper
Thomas Henry (a
latto)
Matthew McSherny 18
John Fairland 18
James Hardin 18
George Shiletone 18
Hugh Harris
Koliert Cornish
Samuel Armitage...
J. Bickham
Deunia Lynch
Richard Bickerton...
Ralph Horn
Thomas Lee
Charles KoufF.
William McGlocklin
Daniel Binckar 18 15
Joseph Sellings 18 15
WilliamPoke 18 15
John Hodd.v 18 15
James Robertson 18 15
Patrick McGinuis 18 15
David Cahill 18 15
Richard Cockshott IS 15
Jeremiah Casey 18 15
Thomas Hornsby... " ""
Cornelius Booklv..
15 0 I Samuel Clayton 18 16
18 15
Stephen Gr.
Thomas Forrest....
David Buchanat
Joel Jones
Ekena Tessun
July 28, 1779, Barney Cuningham receipted for til 5s. for one hand-
Tice for use of brig " Holker."
July 30, 1779, Thomas Fell receipted for thirty-six pounds for two
muskets for use of brig " Holker."
Aug. 2, 1779, Thomas Lee receipted for fifteen pounds in part of prize
Aug. 2, 1779, George Geddey receipted for two hundred and four dol-
lars by bounty paid David Forsyth and James McNeil, masters-at-arms.
The April preceding the " Holker" had captured a
schooner of ten guns and forty men, and also two
armed sloops early in the mouth of July, before she
lay at Chester to refit and recruit her crew. In July,
1780, the " Holker" had an engagement off the coast
of New Jersey with the loyal privateer " Lord Rod-
ney," in which the cutter, after an action of an hour
and a half, was captured, her commander, Samuel
Moore,' and five of her crew killed, and twenty
wounded. The " Holker" sufiered severely in the
engagement, her loss being six killed, including the
first lieutenant, and fourteen wounded.'
The war-cloud had drifted away from Chester
County, and never since that time have the good
people of this section of the commonwealth been dis-
turbed by the tread of hostile forces in martial array.
But, although the husbandmen could resume their la-
bors without the constant dread that inimical parties
might gather the harvests and lay waste their fields,
the State of Pennsylvania still made heavy demands
on the public both for men and means to carry on the
In the fall of the year 1778, when Sir Henry Clinton,
in accordance with instructions from the ministry, had
detached five thousand men to the West Indies and
three thousand to Florida, the destination of these
troops being unknown, the mysterious preparations
aroused widespread apprehension as to the objective
point of the expedition. Naturally the public dis-
quietude was increased when the attack on Little Egg
Harbor and the butchery of the sleeping, unarmed
infantry attached to Pulaski's brigade, was known.
1 Peima. Mag. ofUinl., vol. vi. p. 255.
12 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. i. p. 370, in note C, it is said that the
captain of the " Holker" was killed. The captain of the " Lord Rod-
I ney" was, but Matthew Lawler, captain of the " Holker," lived to be
mayor of the city of Philadelphia from 1801 to 1804, both years inclusive.
I On October 19th, Council ordered that the militia in
j thecountiesof Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, and Lan-
, caster should be held in readiness to march at the
' shortest notice, but the minute-men were not further
I called out that year, nor were they in June, 1780,
I when Gen. Knyphausen crossed from New York and
I made an incursion into New Jersey. The purpose
and extent of that movement being unknown. Council,
on the 12th of that month, ordered the tburth class of
the militia of the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks,
and Chester to hold themselves in readiuess to march
to the support of the Continental army, should later
intelligence indicate that such a movement was neces-
sary. But orders to take the field were not issued.
Not long afterwards, on July 28th, President Reed
wrote a complaining letter to Col. Robert Smith, that
Chester was lagging behind the other counties in for-
warding volunteers, and urged him to exertion in fur-
nishing the quota of militia, which must report, he
said, according to Washington's command, at Trenton,
by the 12th of August. In September of the follow-
ing year (1781), after the army had gone southward,
and Benedict Arnold was making preparations to
undertake his infamous expedition, under the British
flag, against New England, on September 25th, Col.
Smith was again ordered to hold the militia of the
county in readiness to march on a moment's notice to
Newtown. Bucks Co , notwithstanding there was no
recent tidings of the movements of the enemy at New
York. The troops had assembled on the occasion,
and had already begun to move as required, for, on Oc-
tober 10th, Col. Smith wrote Council that, as ordered,
the fourth class of the militia of Chester County had
twice marched, but as often the orders had been
countermanded, and the men were on furlough till
further commands were issued. The order to march
had been countermanded before the troops left the
county, and sis but few of the enrolled men failed to
appear, the fines on the delinquents would amount to a
very small sum. The cost of supplying necessaries for
the men was considerable, and hence, as the time was
short, there was a general objection to assessing on
the delinquents the " whole costs of the tour." No
further particulars respecting the calling out of troops
appear during the remainder of the war ; although
on Jan. 30, 1781, James Moore received five hun-
dred pounds to enlist men into the Pennsylvania line
from Chester County.
The incidents happening in the county now became
of little general interest. On March 30, 1780, Col.
Robert Smith was appointed lieutenant of the county,
with Col. Thomas Cheyney, Lewis Gronow, Andrew
Boyd, Thomas Levis, and Robert Wilson as sub-
lieutenants. On June Sth the quartermaster-general
stated that Col. Boyd had been instructed to send sixty
wagons and teams from Chester County, but none had
up to that time reported. Council, therefore, on the
21st, ordered a requisition on the several counties for
wagons, fixing the quota of Chester at forty, which,
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
if " cannot be procured in any other way, must be im-
pressed." On July 25th, Council made requisition for
supplies for the army, and Chester County was re-
quired to furnish eight hundred barrels of flour per
month, two thousand bushels of forage per month,
two hundred horses, forty wagons, and five hundred
militia; and, on August 8th, David Denny for First;
Owen Thomas, Second ; Joseph Luckey, Third ; David
Wilson, Fourth; Thomas Strawbridge, Fifth; John
Crosby, Sixth ; George Price, Seventh, and Joseph
Spear for Eighth Battalion, to collect quota of horses
in Chester County, under direction of Col. Andrew
Boyd, wagon-master. On August 10th, John Beatan
was appointed paymaster of the militia, with instruc-
tions that Continental money was to be paid out at
the rate of sixty dollars for one in that of State
issues. As an illustration of the depreciation of Con-
tinental money, — owing to the fact that Congre.ss then
could not levy a tax to provide for the redemption of
these issues, — some of the payments made for cattle
in 1780 are annexed :
June 20, 1780. John Crozer received S6000 for 5 head of cattle.
June 27, 1780, Gideon Gilpin £2400 for 6 cattle.
June 27, 1780, Israel Gilpin f700 for 20 sheep.
June 27, 1780, James Hannum £2000 for 6 cattle.
June 27, 1780, Caleb Pyle £1240 for 5 cattle.
July 12, 1780, Isaac Sewell £19,106 for l-l head of beef cattle.
In the latter month, Commissary-Gen. Ephraim
Blaine gave notice that William Evans was his rep-
resentative iu Chester County to receive live stock,
and that " the magazine" for such supplies was located
in Philadelphia.
Early in April, 1782, — for the vessel did not sail from
Philadelphia until the 8th of that month, — occurred in
Delaware Bay the remarkable engagement between
the Pennsylvania vessel-of-war " Hyder Ali," com-
manded by Capt. Joshua Barney, and the British sliip
" General Monk." The American vessel carried six-
teen six-pound guns and a crew of one hundred and ten
men, while that of the English had one hundred and
thirty-six men and twenty nine-pounders. The vic-
tory of the former was largely due to the fact that the
understanding between Barney and his men was that
every order should be executed as though an exactly
opposite command had been given. Thus, while the
two vessels were approaching each other, Barney cried
out, " Hard a-port your helm ; do you want him to
run aboard of us?" The Englishman heard the order
and made preparations to counteract the movement,
as the American captain hoped, so that when Baruey's
vessel answered the helm, which liad been clapped
hard a-starboard by the men at the wheel, the enemy's
jib-boom caught in the fore-rigging of the "Hyder
Ali," and there remained during the short engage-
ment which followed, giving the latter a raking posi-
tion. The same confusion of orders mystified the Brit-
ish captain throughout the action, for, as understood,
when Barney gave the command "Board!" his men
were to fire, and when he shouted " Fire !" tliej' were
to board. When the vessels ran together, as stated,
Barney in a loud voice gave the order " Board !" and
the stubborn Englishmen crowded forward to repel
the enemy, when a broadside was discharged at close
range ; and so rapidly did the American gunners load,
that in twenty-six minutes, the time the action lasted,
the " Hyder Ali" had fired twenty broadsides. The
i English vessel kept her colors flying until she had
twenty killed and thirty-three wounded. Among
the former were the first lieutenant, purser, surgeon,
boatswain, and gunner; among the latter Capt. Eogers
! and every officer on board, except a midshipman. The
, American loss was four killed and eleven wounded.
! Captain Barney left the "Hyder Ali" at Chester, at
which place he took Capt. Rogers ashore to the house
of a Quaker lady, who nursed him until he had en-
tirely recovered from his wounds. The victor pro-
ceeded to the city in his prize.
In the latter part of 1782, Col. Hannum, Col. Fra-
zier, and Dr. Gardner, as representatives of the Coun-
cil in Chester County, seized a quantity of British
goods while passing through the county, designed for
the prisoners of war at Lancaster. The wagon-train
j was under a flag of protection granted by Washington.
The seizure was made because of .some alleged viola-
I tion of the passport granted to those having the goods
I in charge. Congress, immediately after receiving in-
I formation of the fact, took action in the matter, and it
I was presented to the attention of Council in such a
manner that the latter required the opinion of At-
torney-General Bradford as to whether Council could
summarily dispose of the case, and thus prevent a
trial of the cause in Chester County. Bradford was
clearly of opinion that Council had no authority to
interfere, asserting that if the goods seized were neces-
sary for the prisoners of war and were covered by a
passport issued by tlie commander-in-chief, they were
' not contraband or liable to condemnation ; if the
passports had been violated the oftense was one against
the law of nations, and punishable in our courts of
judicature. Ou Jan. 17, 1783, Congre:-s appointed a
j committee to confer with Council on the subject, and
the following day President John Dickinson, in a
j special message, called the attention of the attorney-
; general to the matter. On the 21st the committee
of Congress, a committee from the General Assembly,
; and Council met in the chamber of the latter body,
' where the question was discussed, and the position of
each fully understood, and adjourned to the 23d, when
I a representation of the case as agreed on was drafted,
which, after being signed by Cols. Hannum and Fra-
j zier and Dr. Gardner, was referred to Congress, and
I thus the difficulty terminated ; although on March 24,
' 1783, John Gardner, sheriff of Chester County, a
{ brother of the doctor, was instructed by Council to
proceed with the utmost diligence in securing such of
the goods seized in the county which had not as yet
been delivered to the person designated by the Sec-
retarv of War to receive the articles.
THE ERECTION OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
77
The surrender of Cornwallis on the afternoon of
Oct. 19, 1781, was virtually the la.st great struggle of
the Revolutionary war, although some sharp engage-
ments followed that decisive event, and, as will be no-
ticed in the preceding narrative subsequent to that
date, the public records demonstrate the belief so gen- •
eral that the end was at hand, that matters other than
the preparation and march of troops occupied almost '
exclusively the attention of the authorities. On the
loth of April, 1783, Council issued a proclamation an-
nouncing a cessation of hostilities, but the treaty of
peace was not concluded until November 30th. The
independence of the United States was announced by
the king of Great Britain, In his speech on Dec. 5,
1783.
CHAPTER X.
FROM THE REVOLUTIONAKY WAR TO THE EREC-
TIOJS! OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Whex the storm of war had subsided, Chester
County, with the whole country, suffered severely in
the process of adjustment from a warlike to a peaceful
condition which naturally followed the recognition by
the king of England of the independence of the con-
federate colonies. The period between the cessation
of hostilities until the establishment of the present
form of Federal government was indeed dark and un-
promising, when Washington himself could, express-
ing the regret he felt at the death of Gen. Greene, pen
these words, " I have accompanied it of late with a
query whether he would not have preferred such an
exit to the scene which it is more than probable many
of his compatriots may live to bemoan." This locality
had, it is true, recovered greatly from the effects of
the pilferings and exactions it had sustained at the
hands of the British troops when five years before the
invading army overran the territorj', but it never-
theless lost heavily in the fluctuation in values and
general depression which followed the close of the
war. Added to this, the constant manifestations of
weakness in the crude system of State and confederated
government which had maintained from the period of
the Declaration to the conclusion of the struggle, were
in nowise calculated to allay public anxiety. The
war had for five years been carried on with Continental
money, emanating from a body without authority to
impose taxes, and absolutely dependent ou the several
State Legislatures for enactments regulating the law-
ful value of the currency they put forth ; hence, as
the confederation was held together by a wisp of
straw, necessarily the Continental notes depreciated
until, in September, 1779, the aggregate sum of these
bills in circulation amounted to two hundred millions
of dollars. The discount became so great, and so rap-
idly did the currency depreciate in value, that further
issues of these notes were impracticable, and in the
beginning of the year 1781 they ceased to circulate,
becoming worthless, — dying aa a medium of exchange
in the hands of their possessors. It was now abso-
lutely essential that some new means should be pro-
vided to carry on the war. In 1780, it will be remem-
bered, the Bank of Pennsylvania was established, its
purpose being to supply the army of the United States
with provisions. On May 17, 1781, Robert Morris
proposed the plan for a bank to Congress, which
scheme met the approval of that body, and it recom-
mended that the several States should interdict any
other banks or bankers from carrying on business
within their territory during the war. Congress, Dec.
31, 1781, incorporated the Bank of North America with
a capital of two million dollars, most of this being
subscribed from abroad through the influence of
Morris.' The States of Massachusetts and Pennsyl-
vania also granted charters of a similar character, and
the first Bank of Pennsylvania having done its work
was discontinued. The immediate effects of the Bank
of North America were highly advantageous, and
aided materially in furnishing the means to carry on
the war to a successful ending, but the exclusive
privileges granted it, as well as the manner in which
its business was conducted, created considerable dis-
satisfaction, until, in 1785, a petition, numerously
signed by the citizens of Chester County, was pre-
sented to the Legislature, and so earnestly did the
friends of the measure press the public complaints on
that body that it revoked the charter granted by the
State to the bank. The institution, however, con-
tinued to act under Congressional authority, and in
1787 the Legislature rechartered the bank. While the
country was recovering from the extraordinary exer-
tions consequent on the war, many estates changed
owners, and the busiest man in the county was the
sheriff; yet the pressure was beneficial, inasmuch as
it compelled unusual exertion among the people, and
the whole system of slovenly farming, which had
theretofore been the rule, gave place to careful, intel-
ligent husbandry, while enterprises were projected
and carried on so that in a comparatively short time
the public recovered from financial depression and
made rapid strides in material improvements.
Local matters now exercised in a large degree
the attention of the people of the State in all sec-
tions. In the county of Chester the project of re-
moving the county-seat from the ancient town of
Chester to a more central situation was revived, for
the agitation of that question antedated the Revolu-
tionary war, but during the latter struggle so much
greater were the issues involved to the public at large,
that the scheme was permitted to slumber by its most
ardent friends. Seated as the borough was on the ex-
1 Judge Peters' account of Uorrii, publiehed io Brotherhead's " Sketch
of Robert Morria" in " Lives of Bmineut Philadelpbiaus now Deceased,"
p. 708.
78
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
treme southeastern edge of the county of Chester, it
was doubtless a serious matter to those persons resid-
ing in such remote townships as Coventry, Honey-
brook, or West Nottingham, when, as jurors, suitors,
or witnesses, they were compelled to attend at court.
It involved considerable labor to go and return in
those days, and in winter time, when, in a warm spell,
the roads would be wretched beyond expression, it
was a journey such as no man of these modern times
would contemplate calmly.
It is a theme for wonder now that previous to Jan.
28, 1766, no earnest effort was made to procure legis-
lation looking to a proposed removal of the county-
seat to a more central location. At the date men-
tioned a petition was presented to the Legislature,
setting forth the grievances of a large number of peo-
ple of the county because of the location of the court ;
they were so far removed from the public offices that
that fact alone increased the fees charged for mileage
by the ofiicials. A class of cases of peculiar hardship
they stated were, " that many ])0or widows are obliged
to travel thirty or forty miles for letters of adminis-
tration, and are put to much trouble in attending Or-
phans' Court at so great a distance." In consideration
of these and other reasons, the petitioners urged the en-
actment of a law providing for the erection of a court-
house, and the holding of court therein, as near the
centre of the county as could possibly be done. This
was supplemented on May 7th by nine other petitions
of a like tenor, and on the following day the anti-
removalista submitted twelve petitions, which, after
calling the attention of the Legislature to the estab-
lishment of Chester as the shire-town during the first
visit of William Penn to his province, in 1682,' as a
further reason why the location of the county-seat
should not be changed, they set forth " it :s noto-
rious" that those persons residing in the near neigh-
borhood of the court attended its sessions three times
1 "ThKt in the flret reguliitioii of the said county, in the year One
Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty-two, the Honorable William Penn,
Esq., Proprielary and Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, by
virtue of the Royal Charier, did order that the Townsted or Village, then
bearing the name of Upland, should be called Chester, and thereupon
constituted it the Shire-Town of the County of Chester, and ordained and
appointed all the Courts of Judicature for the Affairs of the County to
be there held and kept, and the County Goal or prison to be and remain
there forever; that the said William Penn, Esq., afterwards, to wit, on
the Thirty-first day of October, One Thousond Seven Hnndred and One,
did grant, by charter, unto the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the said
Borough, that the SherifT and Clerk of the Courts of the said County for
the time being, if not Residents in the said Borough should appoint and
constitute sufficient Deputies, who should from Time to Time reside, or
constantly attend, in the said Town of Chester, to perform the duties
of their respective offices; which said Privileges (with respect to the
holding of the Courts of Judicature at Chester), wei e afterwards estab-
lished by John Evans, Esq., Lieutenant-Governor of the said Province,
by an Ordinance issued by him, under the Great Seal, bearing Date the
Twenty-second Day of February, One Thousand Seven Hundred and
Seven and afterwards contlnned by an act of General Assembly,
made perpetual, and passed in the Year One thousand Seven Hundred
and Twenty.one." This interesting paper, so far as I have been able to
ascertain, was first recovered from the dust of nearly a century by
Messrs. Futhey and Cope, and published by them in their "History of
Chester County," p. 110.
as frequently as those living at a distance, while the
deputy register, in the discharge of the duties of his
office, had no connection with the courts of justice at
all.
The war caused an absolute cessation of the move-
ment until fourteen years had elapsed, when the in-
habitants of the ancient shire-town stood aghast, in
the face of an act of Assembly, passed March 20, ] 780,
which authorized William Clingan, Thomas Bull,
John Kinhead, Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John Wil-
son, and Joseph Davis, or any four or more of them
to build a new court-house and prison in the county
of Chester, and when the proposed buildings should
be ready for public use to sell the old court-house and
prison in the borough of Chester. It is believed that
the majority of the commissioners named were ad-
verse to the proposed change, — hence the law re-
mained a dead letter on the statute-book. But in
1784, the representatives in Assembly from Chester
County being largely composed of removalists, a sup-
plement to the former act was passed on March 22,
1784, which empowered John Hannum, Esq., Isaac
Taylor, Esq., and John Jacobs, or any two of them,
to put the law into execution. As all of the persons
named were uncompromising removalists, they imme-
diately set about enforcing its provisions. By the
wording of the act they were restrained from erecting
the new county buildings at a greater distance than
one mile and a half from the Turk's Head Tavern in
the township of Goshen. This location tradition as-
serts—a statement which Judge Futhey and Gilbert
Cope say may reasonably be questioned — was inserted
in this bill through the iniluence of Col. John Han-
num, an adroit politician who, with an eye to his
personal advantage, desired to bring a tract of land
he owned within the site designated. In this, how-
ever, he made an error, for his premises subsequently
proved to be more than two miles from the Turk's
Head. The commissioners,' notwithstanding Han-
num's mistake, diligently began the erection of a
court-house and prison adjacent, connected by a jail-
yard. After the buildings had progressed until the
walls were nearly completed, and while work was
suspended thereon by reason of the severe winter and
before the spring permitted its resumption, the people
of old Chester succeeded, March 30, 1785, in having
an act passed suspending the supplemental act under
which the new structures were being erected.
To render themselves absolutely assured of retain-
ing the county-seat in the ancient borough, a number
of the anti-removalists gathered in Chester under
command of Maj. John Harper, then landlord of the
present City Hotel, and jirovided with arms, a field-
piece, a barrel of whiskey, and other necessary muni-
tions of war, took up the line of march for the Turk's
Head, intent on razing the walls of the proposed
court-house and jail to the earth. In the mean while
Col. Hannum, learning of the hostile designs of the
Chester people, dispatched couriers in all directions,
.
THE ERECTION OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
calling on the friends of removal to rally to the pro-
tection of the half-completed buildings, and Thomas
Beaumont is said to have ridden all night from farm-
house to farmhouse in Goshen and Bradford town-
ships, summoning the clan. The forces under com- '
mand of Maj. Harper marched toward the Turk'sj
Head, and at night were camped at the General Greene
Taveru, a few miles east of West Chester, when Col.
Hannum was first apprised of their approach. The
latter collected his men within the building, the win-
dows boarded on the out as well as the inside and the
space between filled in with stones, loop-holes being
arranged at convenient intervals through which the
defenders could thrust their muskets, and each man \
had his place assigned him where, under designated
officers, they remained awaiting the approach of the j
enemy. The next morning the Chester people came i
in sight of the fortification, when Maj. Harper planted \
his artillerj- on an eminence known as Quaker Hill,
commanding the court-house. The absurdity of the '
matter dawning on the minds of some of the men in
the ranks of Harper's troops, they contrived to bring
about a cessation of hostilities, and the whole aflair
ended in a jollification, during which the cannon was
repeatedly discharged in rejoicing over peace restored.
The invaders were thereupon invited to inspect the
unfinished structure. During the time the troops
from old Chester were in the building, one of the lat-
ter, seeing the banner of the removalists floating from i
the flag-staff, struck it down, which so angered the
defenders that it was with much difficulty their officers
could restrain them from resenting the insult by im- ;
mediately opening fire on their opponents.
Peace, however, was maintained. The armistice
was based on the agreement of the removalists that j
they would desist from further work on the building
until the Legislature should take action in the mat-
ter. Although the removalists suspended labor only
until the anti-removalists were out of hearing,' they
would not, had they preserved faith, been long de-
layed, for, at the next session, March 18, 1786, the
following curiously-entitled act became a law: "An
act to repeal an act entitled an act to suspend an act
of the General Assembly of this Commonwealth, en-
titled an act to enable Wm. Cliugan, etc.," and under
its provisions the buildings at the new county-seat
were finished. On the 2.5th of September, 1786, Wil-
liam Gibbon, the then sheriff of Chester County, by
law was empowered to remove the " prisoners from
the old jail in the town of Chester to the new jail in
Goshen township, in the said county, and to indemnify
him for the same."
The old court-house and county buildings in Ches-
ter were sold on the 18th of March, 1788, to William
Kerlin for four hundred and fifteen pounds.
A struggle which had arrayed in bitter feeling one
section of the county of Chester against the other, and
culminated in the erection of the eastern townships
into the new county of Delaware, naturally drew forth
many sarcastic articles on both sides of the contro-
versy. The press of that day, however, did not fur-
nish the same facilities for epistolary discussion as
the present, hence the following address to the Legis-
lature written by David Be van,' an acrimonious anti-
removalist, for the first time is given to the public :
I of the Comii
aUh •
1 Dr. Smith's " History of Delaware Comity," p. 342, says, " It hnn
come to the author traditionally that the attack of the Chester people
was instigated by the removalists proceeding with the building after
the passage of the Suspension Act. . . . The fact that they were allowed
to escape with impunity is ratlier corroborative of the Idea that the
attack was not altogether unprovoked, and rendered it probable that
the cause for it assigned by tradition is the true one."
" To tllf Honor Represeutatives of the frt
Pennsylvania :
"Through the chanell of the press I make free to address your honor
body, not choosing to petition in the usual caode, as I am too well ac-
quainted with the manner pursued by some parts of Chester county,
mustering scribes and getting poor-rate duplicates, and inserting names
without asking consent. You, gentlemen, will no doubt receive a num-
ber of petitions from those who have already got every request they
wanted from the Legislature, the removal of the seat of Justice or Court
of Jurisprudence from the ancient borough of Chester to that elegant
and notorious place called the Turk's Head (by some called West Ches-
ter), a place as uniit for the general convenience, and much more so,
that any one spot that might be pointed out within ten miles square of
the aliove-described place, except towards New Castle line.
"We have no doubt of petitions fabricated for this purpose, that Mr.
T s, the greatest advocate for this spot of any member of Chester
county, might vociferate, as he often does, in the house, more for the
display of his Talents than any universal good. Let us, therefore, beg,
if we have sent one noisey member, that he may be heard, and, altho'lie
does stammer sometimes, perhaps, with the assistance of a few pebble-
stones, he may become a prodigee of tlie age, and (may he) exceed De-
mothenes to convince you of his superior abilities. I have a petition of
his fabricating for the purpose of the Township of Edgmont, which shall
be handed to the publick for their perusal as a pattern that any body
politic corporate, &c., may have a form to fabricate petitions for such
purposes, if ever any such may be needed."
On the other side the removalists were not deficient
in scribes who presented the ludicrous aspect of the
contest in rude derisive jests wherein their adversa-
ries were burlesqued in sarcastic jingling verses, many
of which in lapse of years have been entirely forgot-
ten. One, however, has been preserved by Dr. Wil-
liam Darlington, in a sketch of West Chester prepared
by him for the Directory of that borough, published
in 1857. The author of the "Pasquinade" was Joseph
Hickman, and, as we are told by Dr. Darlington, an
old English wool-comber, Marmaduke Wyvil, about
I the beginning of this century " used to ramble about
the country like an ancient Troubadour," and a glass
; of cider or whiskey " would at any time procure its
recital with emphatic intonation and peculiar unc-
tion."
The ditty was known as " Chester's Mother," and
designed to give expression to the woe of the promi-
nent anti-removalists, who were dependent on the
public for a livelihood at the county-seat, and their
i In the receipt-book of David Bevan, in the Delaware County lusti
te of Science at Media, will be found the draft of the above addrest
it ever, as a whole, was published before its insertion in this work,
1 to find it in the files of the newspapers of that period.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
lamentation consequent on the prospective loss of *
nursing mother."
"LAMENT OVER CHESTER'S MOTHER.
"Poor Chester's Mother's very sick;
Her breath is almost gone;
Her children throng around her thick,
And bitterly do moan.
" Cries little 'Lisha^ the first born—
' -What will become of I,
A little orphan, held in scorn,
If Mama she should die ?
When Mama's in her grave.'
=' And then poor helpless BillyS cries
* Oh ! how shall I be fed ?
What shall I do, if Mama dies?
I cannot work for bread.
'"These little hands have never wro
Oh ! how I am opprest !
For I have never yet done aught
But hang on Mama's breast.'
' Little Davis 3 he comes next
A puling, silly boy;
His countenance appeared perplex'
And destitute of joy.
' ' How is our dear Mama?' he cried :
'Think you we can her save?
J the
I'hich cursed Hannum-* gave?'
1 Elieha Price, a nephew of Elisha Galchell, who became so noted in
the coulruversy between Penn and Lord Baltimore, was a lawyer of
prominence in the last century, having been a student in the office of
Joseph Parker. He frequently represented Chester County in the Colo-
nial Legislature, and in the troublous times preceding the active out-
break of hostilities in the war of Independence, he was an unflinching
Whig. When the merchants of Philadelphia and New York adopted
their noted non-importatiun agreement and asked the support therein
of the people in the outlying districts, he was one of three to whom was
addressed the circular sent to Chester County, and was one of the com-
mittee selected by the Convention, July 15, 1774, held in this borough
to consider the matter. The following day he, with his associates, met
similar committees from the other counties in Philadelphia. In 1775
he was appointed one of the cDmmitteemen of correspondence from
Cheater County. After the erection of Delaware County he was ap-
pointed an associate judge. He was an earnest Episcopalian, and from
1767 to 1798 his name appears among the vestrymen and wardens of St.
Paul's Church. His wife was descended from James Barton, a minister
of Friends, and " an early settler," says Deborah Logan, " a gentleman
and a person of excellent character." Elisha Price died in 1798, a victim
of the yellow fever. His two suns who survived him both lost their
lives in the service of the government, Maj. Price being one of the
American invaders of Canada, during the war of 1812, and died there.
* William Kerlin, then owner and landlordof the Washington House,
Chester, a strong anti-removulist.
3 Davis Bevan, captain of the schooner " Polly," captured by the " Roe-
buck" man-of-war ; appointed mustering-miister of Chester County, was
captain of marines on privateer " Holker," and afterwards a retail mer-
chant in Chester. He, of course, was a strong anti-removalist.
4 Col. John Hanuum, a militia officer of the Revolution. He was a
native of Concord township, but purchasing a large farm in East Brad-
ford, he became an earnest removalist. During the Revolutionary war
he was one of the Committee of Seventy, appointed at the county meet-
ing held at Chester Dec. 20, 1774. Col. Hannum was present with
Wayne during the latter part of the day of Brandywine battle, and
during the winter of 1777 was captured one night asleep in tiis bed by
some British light-horse, who were conducted to his house by a loyal-
ist neighbor. He was taken to Philadelphia, where he was retained as
a prisoner of war until the following spring, when he made his escape.
In 177R he was nppointed'one of the five com
' Says little Ned,6— • Upon my word,
Poor Mama will be slain;—
Though cursed Hannum lost his sword <^
He's got it back again.
* What shall I do, if Mama dies?
What will become of Ned?'
The tears came trickling from his eyes
And straight he took his bed.
'Then Caley,' he came next in view,—
His mouth was all awry;
Says he—' Oh ! what will Caley do.
If dear Mama should die?
' She might have liv'd for many a year,
And all her children fed.
If Hannum hadn't poisoned her —
Curse on his frizzled head !'
" Cries little John,^ the youngest son,
Who just began to crawl—
' If Mama lives, I soon shall run ;
If L
1 fall.
"'Oh: may Jack Hannum quickly die-
And die in grievous pain ;—
Be sent into eternity
That Mama may remain.
"'May all his projects fail, likewise—
That we may live again !'
Then, every one roH'd up his eyes
And cried aloud, * Amen !' "
The ancient borough of Chester had been shorn of
its chief glory; the little hamlet of sixty houses® was
of Chester
County under the act of attainder. He was one of the justices of the
peace, but resigned that office as well as commissioner of forfeited es-
tates when, in 17SI, he was elected to the General Assembly. He was
a member of that body until and including 17S5, during which time be
steadily fought the battle of removal to a successful conclusion. He
was very active in bringing about the repeal of the test law, and after
the erection of the county of Delaware he filled many important offices
in the county of Chester. Col. Hannum died Feb. 7, 1799.
5 This reference, the late Dr. Darlington, of West Chester, stated, is
either to Edward Yernon or to Edward Richards, but which is now un-
8 This allusion is to the capture of Col, Hannum, as heretofore men-
tioned.
' Caleb Davis, who was prothonotary from 1777 to 1789, when Dela-
ware County was erected, and was a strong opponent of removal.
8 Mayor John Harper was a stanch Whig and a brave soldier. On
Feb. 9, 1770, he was appointed quartermaster of the Fourth Pennsylva-
nia Battalion, commanded by Col. Anthony Wayne; on Oct. 12, 177G,
he was commissioned ensign in Capt. Taylor's company of the same
battalion; Jan. 1, 1777, ho was appointed first lieutenant of the Fifth
Pennsylvania Line, and was brigade major of Second Brigade at battle
of Brandywine. A few days subsequent to that engagement Maj. Har-
per, in company with Lieut.-Col. Persifor Frazer, was on a reconnois-
sance, when the whole party was captured by some of Gen. Grant's com-
mand, and taken to Philadelphia. Col. Frazer succeeded in making bis
escape, but Harper, after the evacuation of the former city, was sent to
the prison hulk at New York, where he was detained as a prisoner for
over three years. He was exchanged Nov. 4, 1780. Towards the end
or after the Revolution Maj. Harper took the tavern now known as the
City Hotel, and became mine host of the inn. Of course hewas opposed
to removal. On March 5, 1785, Harper, who was then coroner of the
county, purchased the tavern property, doubtless well knowing that the
Suspension Act of March 30, 1785, would be passed. His action when
the forces of old Chester moved against those at West Chester has been
narrated in the text. After the county-seat was removed to the latter
place, Maj. Harper, believing that the sun of Chester's prosperity had
set never to rise again, emigrated to the new local capital, and became
the landlord of the Turk's Head Inn there. He died at DilworthtowD
shortly after the beginning of this century, and was buried at the grave-
yard at Cheyney Shops, Thorubury.
» Article " Chester, borough of," in Joseph Scott's " United States Gaz-
etteer," first gazetteer published in the United States (Philadelphia) 1795.
THP] ERECTION OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
no longer the place where the weary suitor waited on
the law's delays, or the culprit cringed in the dock ;
no longer did the court-house ring to the eloquent
sentences of Wilson, Bradford, Chew, Levy, Sergeant,
Reed, Rush, Laurence, and a score or more of noted
lawyers, who, in that early day, rode circuit with the
Supreme Justices, nor yet of Elisha Price and Henry
Hale Graham, who made the old town their place of
residence. The staffs of ofBee had fallen from the tip-
staves' clutch, the crier's often repeated admonition
of " Silence in the court-room !" had become a verity ;
the jangling bell ceased to announce that the justices
had taken their places on the bench, and the innkeepers
would no longer mark with anxious longings the
time for holding the quarterly courts, when their hos-
pitalities should be taxed to the utmost, and money
flow to their coffers. Now the vacant jail stared at
the occasional passer-by with its barred windows, and
the empty building returned a hollow echo to the
blow of the reckless urchin who could summon
courage to rap on its iron-bossed door. The very
town seemed to stagnate, and the twinkle of triumph
in the eyes of the Goshen and Western township peo-
ple when in the spring of the year they journeyed
hither to buy fish, was aggravating to the people of
Chester beyond endurance. It was too much for the
residents of the eclipsed county-seat to bear, hence
they earnestly bestirred themselves in manufacturing
public opinion looking to the erection of a new county,
and so earnestly did they labor to that end that on
Sept. 26, 1789, the following act was approved, au-
thorizing a division of the county of Chester and the
erection of a part thereof into a new county :
•' Whereas, The inbabitants of the borough of Chester, and the south-
eaBtern part of the county of Chester, having by their petitions set forth
to the General Assembly of the State, that they labor under many and
great inconveniences from the seat of justice being removed to a great
distance from them, and have prayed that they may be relieved from
the said inconveniences by erecting the said borough aud sontheasterti
parts of the said county into a separate county ; and as it appeal's but
just and reasonable that they should be relieved in the premises,
"2, Be U enacted, etc., That all that part of Chester County lying
within the bounds and limits hereinafter described shall be, and the
same is hereby erected into a separate county, that is to say, Beginning
in the middle of Braudywine Kiver, where the same crosses the circular
line of New Castle County ; thence up the middle ofthesaid river tothe
line dividing the lands of Elizabeth Chads and Caleb Briotou, at or near
the ford commonly known or called by the name of Chads' Ford ; and
from thence on a line, as nearly straight as may be, so as not to split or
divide plantations, to the great road leading from Goshen to Chester,
where the Westown line intersects or crosses the said road ; and from
thence along the line of Edgniont, Newtown, and Radnor, so as to in-
clude these townships, to the line of Montgomery County, and along the
same to Philadelphia County line, aud along thesame to the river Dela-
ware, and down the same to the circular line aforesaid, and along the
same to the place of beginning, to be henceforth known and called by
the name of ' Delaware County.'
"3. All that part of the township of Birmingham, which, by the line
of division aforesaid, shall fall within the county of Chester, shall be
one township, and retain the name of Birmingham ; and all that part
of the said township, which, by the division-line aforesaid, shall fall
within the county of Delaware, shall be one township, and shall retain
the uame of Birmingham; and all such part of the township of Thorn-
bury, which, by the division-line aforesaid, shall fall within the county
of Chester, shall be one township, aud shall retain the name of Thorn-
bury, until the same shall he altered by the Courts of General Quarter
Sessions nf the said counties respectively.
"4. The inhabitants of the said county of Delaware shall, at al! times
hereafter, enjoy all aud singular the jurisdictions, powers, rights, liber-
ties, and privileges, whatsoever, which the inbabitants of any other
county of this State do, may, or ought to enjoy by the constitution and
laws of this State.
"5. The elections for the said county of Delaware shall be held at the
old court-house, in the borough of Chester, where the Freemen of the
said county shall elect, at the times and under the regulations directed
by the constitution and laws of this State, a councillor, representatives
■hich said officers, when duly elected and qualified, shall
have and enjoy, all and singular, such powers, authorities, and privileges,
with respect to their county, as such officers elected in and for any other
county may, cau, or ought to have, and the said elections shall be con-
ducted in the same manner and form, and agreeably to the same rules
and regulations as now are or hereafter may be in force in the other
counties of this State.
"The justices of the Courts of Quarter Sessions and Common Pleas,
now commissioned within the limits of the county of Delaware, and
those that may hereafter be commissioned, or any three of them, shall
and may hold Courts of General Quarter Sessions of the Peaci' and Gaol
Delivery, and County Courts of Common Pleas, for the said county of
Delaware, and shall have all and singular such powers, rights, jurisdic-
tions, and authorities, to all intents and purposes, as other justices of
the Courts of General Quarter Sessions and justices of the County Court
I of Common Pleas, in the other counties of this State, may, can, or ought
to have in their respective counties.
" The sheriffs, coroners, treasurers .and collectors of excise hereafter
, to be appointed or elected in the said county of Delaware, before they,
j or any of them, shall enter upon the execution of their respective offices,
' shall give security for the faithful execution of their respective offices.' '
1 By the provisions of the act, John Sellers, Thomas
Tucker, and Charles Dilworth were appointed com-
missioners " to run and mark the line dividing the
counties of Chester and Delaware," and they scrupu-
I lously performed their duty. The act, probably
hastily drawn, provided that the western boundary
of Delaware County should begin in the middle of
I Brandywine River, where it crosses the circular line
' of New Castl^ County. Strictly following this direc-
j tion, the result was a severing of a fraction of territory
j from the rest of the county of Chester. An exami-
nation of the map ' shows that a short distance above
' Smith's bridge the circular line separating Pennsyl-
vania from Delaware is crossed by the Brandywine,
I and that stream then makes a bend northward, and
j returning touches the circular line about half a mile
{ northwest of the point where the river first enters
the State. Delaware being erected out of Chester
' County, only that territory expressly coming within
the designated lines of the new county could be in-
' eluded within it, hence this small tract of land lying
between the circular line and the bend of the river
remained a part of Chester County. The commis-
sioners were directed to run the "line as nearly
straight as may be, so as not to split or divide planta-
\ tions," and while they fully carried out the latter
Israel Acrelius, however, in his "History of New Sweden," published in
1758, tells us that " Chester, the County-town on the Delaware, is sixteen
miles below Philadelphia and has one hundred and twenty houses."
Kpyuolds' Translation, p. 143.
6
I
I 1 Dr. Joshua W. Ash's map of Delaware County, published in 1848,
I shows plainly this little part of Chester County which wedges itself into
I Birmingham, Delaware Co., and yet owes allegiance to and pays taxes
' in another jurisdiction.
82
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
instruction, the former seems to have been entirely
overlooked, for a more crooked boundary-line could
not have been surveyed had that been the intention
of the persons making the division. Certain it is
more obliging commissioners would have been diffi-
cult of selection, if tradition be accepted, for the
latter states that the owners of farms in the townships
of Birmingham and Thornbury were permitted to
choose in which of the two counties their plantations
should be placed.
From a draft in the possession of Dr. Smith, which
was probably prepared from the surveys made by the
commissioners, that author was enabled to glean the
following interesting particulars of the manner in
which the line was finally adjusted, as well as some
of the representations made to the Legislature when
the act was pending before that body :
"A straight line was run from the starting-point
on the Brandywine to the intersection of the Goshen
road by the western line, which is six miles three-
quarters and fifty-four perches in length, whereas the
crooked line between the same points, passing along
the boundaries of the farm, cut by the straight line,
and now forming the division-line between the two
counties, has a length of eleven miles one quarter
and nineteen perches. On a line perpendicular to
the above-mentioned straight line, the court-house at
West Chester is only three miles three-quarters and
fifty-eight perches distant. The bearing of this per-
pendicular line is N. 46° W. It is charged in a note
on the draft, that a member of the Legislature, while
the act for a division of the county was under consid-
eration, asserted that no part of the straight line run
by the commissioners would come nearer West Ches-
ter than six miles. The court-house at West Chester
lies nearly due north from the commencement of the
division-line on the Brandywine, and is a little over
five miles distant from that point, whereas it was
alleged at the session of Legislature at which the act
was passed that the distance was nine miles. From
the intersection of the Goshen road and the county
line to West Chester the distance in a direct line is
four miles three-quarters and sixty perches, nearly,
and the course N. 85° W. The shortest distance from
the Street road to West Chester is nine hundred and
thirty-five perches. It also appears from the draft
that another division-line had been proposed. This
commenced at the mouth of Davis' or Harvey's Run,
on the Brandywine, and ran so as to include the
whole of Thornbury township, in Chester County."'
That the people of the original township of Thorn-
bury, who, by the division-line, were included within
the limits of Delaware County, were dissatisfied there-
with, we learn from the proceeding of the Legislature,
for, on Nov. 30, 1789, a petition was presented to that
body from " the inhabitants and freeholders of the
township of Thornbury, Delaware County, remon-
' History of Dela
my," p. 315.
strating against the act for erecting the said county,
and praying they may be re-annexed to the county of
Chester." The Legislature, it seems, had at last be-
come weary of the constant wrangling growing out of
the efforts for the removal to or retention of the seat
of justice at designated localities in Chester County,
which had extended over twenty years, and had now
culminated in a division of the territory ; they refused
to further hearken to complaints, and the petition
was therefore ordered to lie on the table.
After the passage of the act of Sept. 26, 1789, cre-
ating the county of Delaware, Kerlin sold the old
court and jail building Nov. 3, 1789, to the county for
£693 3s. Sd.
The first election in the new county took place in
October, 1789, all voters coming to Chester, where the
poll for the entire territory was held. On the 12th of
October, President Mifflin and the Supreme Execu-
tive Council appointed John Pearson, Thomas Levis,
Richard Hill Morris, and George Pearce to be jus-
tices of the peace, and on November 7th Henry Hale
Graham was commis.sioned president judge of the
courts of Delaware County. Almost immediately
thereafter it was discovered that this appointment was
irregular, Graham at the time not having been com-
missioned as a justice of the peace, which was requisite
to make him legally eligible to the position. There-
upon President Mifflin desired Graham to return his
commission, which he did, and on the 9th day of the
same month be was appointed a justice of the peace,
and the following day, president judge in and for the
county of Delaware.
The first constitution of Pennsylvania, framed by
the convention which met early in July, 1776, aroused
considerable opposition even at the time of its adop-
tion, but when its crude and cumbersome provis-
ions, after nearly fifteen years' trial, were found to
bear unequally on the people, and legislative and ex-
ecutive authority was discovered to be sadly jumbled,
the opinions became prevalent that the fraudulent law
of the State required general revision. When, on
March 20, 1789, Representative Wynkoop offered a
resolution in the General Assembly, providing for
the calling of a Constitutional Convention, there was
some opposition manifested, but the measure was
finally adopted March 24, 1789, the six representa-
tives from Chester County voting in the affirmative.
On September 15th the Assembly ordered the conven-
tion to assemble at Philadelphia on the fourth Tuesday
of November following, and likewise directed at the
next election that the several counties should select
delegates thereto. Two days subsequent to the adop-
tion of these resolutions the county of Delaware was
erected ; hence, at the election in October, the people
of the county selected John Sellers and Henry Hale
Graham to represent them in the convention. While
attending the sessions of that body in Philadelphia,
on Saturday, Jan. 23, 1790, Henry Hale Graham died,
and on Monday following the convention appointed
FEOM THE EKECTION OF THE COUlSfTT TO THE WAR OF 1812.
Messrs. Roberts, Gray, Gibbons, Thomas Ross, and
Sellers a committee to attend the funeral of Judge
Graham the next morning, January 26th, at eleven i
o'clock. On Wednesday, Mr. Roberts reported " they
had performed that service," and the same day the
county of Delaware was directed to hold a special
election on Wednesday, 3d of Februarj', to fill the
vacancy occasioned by Graham's death. On Friday.
Feb. 5, 1790, the return of the special election was
presented to the convention, and Nathaniel Newlin,
who had been chosen a member of that body, was
duly qualified and took his place therein.
The last member of the Supreme Executive Council
from Chester County was Col. Richard Willing, of
Haverford township. When Delaware was erected
Chester County discovered that the division had left
the old territory without a member in Council, hence '
at the election in October, 1789, Dr. Thomas Ruston
was chosen to represent that county.
Dr. Ruston, on October 26th, addressed a petition
to President MifHin, claiming a seat in Council, be-
cause, as he argued, every county by law was entitled
to one representative, and no councillor could repre-
^ sent more than one county ; that by the erection of
Delaware Col. Willing virtually became its repre-
sentative, for in that county his property and resi-
dence was located, and that Chester, believing a
vacancy existed in Council, had, in accordance with
law, filled the vacancies at the ensuing election. The
Supreme Executive Council, however, was unmoved
by his reasoning, for on Oct. 29, 1789, it was unani-
mously
" Besolved, That Dr. Thomas Kuston cannot be admitted to take his seat
as councillor for the county of Chester, that couuty being represented in
Council by Col. Richard Willing, who was elected on the fifteenth day of
October, 1788."
With the adoption of the Constitution of 1790 the
Supreme Executive Council ceased to be, and the last
cause of contention between the two counties was laid
at rest by the new and better order of things which
was ushered into being when the republic of Penn-
sylvania gave place to the great commonwealth of
the like name.
CHAPTER XI.
FROM THE ERECTION 0"F THE COUNTY OF DELA-
WARE TO THE SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
The sparsely-peopled territory, which in the anger
of defeat at the removal of the court-house from " Old
Chester" — for so the ancient borough now began to
be termed, to distinguish it from the newly-born
West Chester — had formed a separate county govern-
ment, now began bravely to organize its local admin-
istration, select its officers, and prepared to meet the
obligations it had assumed. So bitter had been the
quarrel respecting the removal of the seat of justice
in the old county of Chester, that in those townships
which had been erected into Delaware County, regret
for the step taken seldom found utterance, notwith-
standing the cost of separate government soon began
to be oppressive to the taxpayers. Tl.'j people un-
willingly paid their taxes, scolded the rulers for
want of economy in county matters, but rarely re-
flected that the additional cost had been the direct
outcoming of their own action. The burden of main-
taining puMic highways and county bridges particu-
larly bore heavily on the people. The Queen's High-
way from Darby to Chester, and the King's Highway
from Chester to the State of Delaware, formed the
direct line of communication to the Southern States,
and travel was exceedingly heavy on these roads.
The county was unable to keep those thoroughfares in
good repair ; their condition in winter time was so
wretched that the press of that day, as well as trav-
elers' letters, constantly referred to them in the most
uncomplimentary terms. The State, at length, in
order that the county of Delaware might be relieved
in a measure of the oppressive cost for the mainte-
nance of these roads, which, in the major part, was
incurred for the benefit of persons residing without
her borders, authorized the county commissioners, by
act of Assembly, April 11,' 1799, to place toll-gates
on the post-road for the term of five years, when the
law expired by limitation, and to collect tolls from
persons using that highway. The county commission-
ers, in compliance with the law, placed a toll-gate at
the bridge over Ridley Creek, and the following
schedule of tolls was observed :
Coach, light wagon, or other pleasurable carriage,' with four
wheels and four hordes 25 cents.
Coach, light wagon, or other pleasurable carriage, with two
wheels and two horses ■ 15 "
Chairs, sulkey, etc., with one horse 10 "
Sleigh, with two horses 6 "
Man and horse 2 "
Wagon, witli four hoi-ses 12 "
Wagon, with two horses 8 "
Cartand horse 4 "
Every additional horse to carriages of pleasure 4 '*
Every additional horse to carriages of burden 2 "
In 1793 the yellow fever raged as a dire pestilence
in Philadelphia. It is related that a party of boys in
that year, at Chester, went in a boat to a vessel lying
in the stream on which were several persons ill with
the disease, and in that way it was communicated to
some of the residents of the town and neighborhood,
i but it did not spread, nor was it as fatal as the same
malady proved to be five years thereafter. Ninety-
four years before the period of which lam now writing,
in 1699, when for the first time we have undoubted
record of the yellow fever visiting the shores of the
Delaware, Chester and the adjacent settlements suf-
' fered severely, but beyond that fact very meagre par-
ticulars respecting it have been preserved. In 1793,
however, the scourge in Philadelphia was so malig-
nant that the city was almost depopulated ; tho.se of
its inhabitants, as a rule, who had the means, fled for
' safety to the surrounding country districts. The
I record of the noble deeds of a hw men who remained
84
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
in Philadelphia in that appalling time to minister to
the sick and dying, as well as to give assistance and
succor to the poor and needy, in true heroism far ex-
ceeds the achievements of the ordinary class of sol-
diers with \v'iiom history deals, who amid the din and
smoke of battle sought the bubble reputation at the
cannon's mouth, and for their courage have received
the unstinted praises of poets and historians alike.
Nor is the cool, calm bravery of the men alluded to
the only matter disclosed by the minuted of citizens
which is worthy of commendation : in other respects
these records present a grand testimonial to the higher
and better nature of mankind.
I have just narrated the difficulties encountered by
the inhabitants of this section in meeting the ex-
penses of the county ; but when the cry of distress
went up from Philadelphia it awakened a responsive
sympathy throughout our territory, and from people
in all condition of circumstances contributions freely
came. It is an interesting fact that the first donation
from Delaware County, which was received Oct. 4,
1793, was from " Widow Grubb, of Chester," who
presented " eighteen bundles of shirts and shifts for
the use of the orphans under the care of the commit-
tee." On the 12th of the same month, John Pearson,
of Darby, informed that body that a sum of money
had been collected for the use of the orphans, and
the same day Benjamin Brannan, of Upper Darby,
gave notice that the people of Delaware County were
raising money for the relief of the sick in the hospital
and for persons in distress. On the 15th the com-
mittee was notified that £161 6s. 6rf. had been c<il-
lected in Delaware County; that Nathaniel Newlin,
of Darby, was ready to pay that sum to any person
authorized to receive it. The letter also stated that
further contributions might be looked for. Henry
De Forest was instructed to go to Newlin's house,
near Darby, and receive the money, which he did.
October 16th Mathew Carey and Caleb Lownes met
Isaac Lloyd at Weed's Ferry, on the Schuylkill, from
whom they received $1448.21, being part of the sub-
scription made by citizens of Philadelphia residing in
the neighborhood of Darby, to be applied to the use
of the sick and poor of that city. Two days there-
after, the 28th, Mathew Carey and Caleb Lownes by
appointment visited Nathaniel Newlin's house, and
received $641.91, a further donation from Delaware
County, while the same day Thomas Levis, of Spring-
field, sent $13 for the like purpose. On December 1st,
John Pearson, of Darby, paid £12 10.?., an additional
sum raised by our people, and on Jan. 18, 1794, the
committee acknowledge $34.69 from citizens of Phila-
delphia residing in and near Darby. The contribution
from Delaware County amounted in all to $1291.57,
a record of which this locality may justly be proud,
when it is remembered that at that time the po])ula-
tion was less than ten thousand persons all told.
The sum just stated, was exclusive of the donations
" from citizens of Philadelphia residing in and near
I Darby," which fund was contributed, among others,
by Col. Thomas Leiper, of Ridley ; John Wall, a
• large real-estate owner in our county; Edward Tilgh-
man, that distinguished lawyer, who refused the
chief-justiceship of Pennsylvania, that it might be
; bestowed on his kinsman, William Tilghman, and
[ whose country-seat was in Nether Providence, where
Samuel C. Lewis now resides ; Paper Hoskins, who
then owned the estate, and spent his summers at Green-
bank, more recently the Porter House, at Chester,
• and others deserving prominent places in the history
I of Delaware County, as well as in that of the city of
j Philadelphia.
I In 1798 the yellow fever visited Philadelphia again,
I and once more the people fled, many carrying with
i them the seeds of the disease in their systems, to
spread it at the places of refuge they sought. Mrs.
Deborah Logan records that a woman from Philadel-
phia, dying of the fever in Chester, "exacted a
promise from some of her friends that her body
should be brought back to the city and buried in
i consecrated ground, and that in consequence of this
bad vow the infection was first caught in the borough
[ (Chester), where it spread with frightful rapidity,
and depopulated whole families and streets." ' On
Edgmont Avenue, from Fourth Street to the river,
there were then only seventeen houses within the
^ space mentioned ; more than thirty persons died,
while in one of those dwellings- all the family ex-
cepting a boy of five years fell a victim to the plague.
Indeed, it is stated that almost one-fifth of the popu-
lation of Chester was swept away before the fever
had subsided. At Chester Mills, now Upland, it was
very virulent. Kichard Flower, the owner of the
mills, was so severely attacked that he was believed
to be dead ; but when the burial party was about to
place him in the coffin he spoke, and subsequently
recovered, to live nearly half a century thereafter.
The cooper-shop at that place was made a hospital,
and it is traditionally asserted that three dead bodies
at one time were then awaiting interment. Only
thirty persons constituted the entire population. In
other localities near by the disease was equally fatal.
The power of the Federal government to impose
taxes, or in any wise to act within the limits of the
several States, was during Washington's administra-
tion very imperfectly understood, and from that igno-
rance the difficulties in Western Pennsylvania, known
in history as the Whiskey Insurrection, had their
origin. The settlers of that part of our common-
wealth were largely Scotch-Irish, and naturally in
traditions descended from fathers to sons recitals of
the oppressive acts of the excisemen in the mother-
country in discharging their official duties, which nar-
1 Mrs. Deborah Logan's matiuacript *' ReniiniacenceB of Chester," cou-
tribiited as notes to John F. Watson's " Visit to Chester in 1827," in
collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
- The house adjoining on the north, the present residence of Jona-
than Pennell.
FROM THE ERECTION OF THE COUNTY TO THE WAR OF 1815
85
rations had so moulded the opinions of their descend-
ants that, throughout all our colonial and early State
history, any excise tax was regarded with open disap-
proval by a large class of citizens. During the Revo-
lutionary war the whole people submitted to the
levying of duties on distilled liquors, yet at the con-
clusion of that contest those who were opposed to the
measure combined and secured the repeal of the act
of 1772 providing for the tax. Hence when Congress,
on March 3, 1791, at the suggestion of Secretary Ham-
ilton, imposed a duty of four pence per gallon on dis-
tilled liquors, the law was openly defied in Fayette,
Alleghany, Westmoreland, and Washington Counties
of this State. President Washington, on Sept. 15,
1792, issued a proclamation requiring all persons to
cease their resistance and submit to the law, which
failed to have the desired effect. On June 5, 1794,
Congress amended the law, which action on its part,
instead of satisfying those hostile to the tax, merely
resulted in making them more clamorous for its abso-
lute repeal. Deputj' marshals and collectors, who had
theretofore only been tarred and feathered, were now
fired upon by large bodies of armed men and com-
pelled to promise they would not attempt to exercise
their authority. The Federal government, however,
determined to enforce the law, and instructions were
issued to indict those distillers who refused to pay the
duties. These instructions on the part of the admin-
istration were productive of widespread disorder and
organized open defiance. President Washington, on
Aug. 9, 1794, published another proclamation, re-
quiring all associations whose object was resistance
to the excise law to disperse on or before the 1st of
September following, at the same time directing a
force of nearly thirteen thousand meu to be imme-
diately raised in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland,
and Virginia to suppress the insurrectionary move-
ment, which body of soldiers was required "to be held
in readiness to march at a moment's warning."
On the same day Governor Mifflin called for the
quota assigned to Pennsylvania, five thousand two hun-
dred men, directing them to be armed and equipped
as quickly as possible. The number of troops required
from Delaware County was twenty cavalrymen and
sixteen artillerymen, which force was to compose part
of the Second Brigade of the Third Division, under
command of Brig.-Gen. Thomas Proctor.' The call,
however, was not responded to with alacrity, for Sec-
i In William Whitehead's " Historical Sketch of the Borough of Chester"
(Directorj- of Chester, 1859-60) it is stated, "Chester sent a company of
infantry to the scene of disturbance, under the command of Capt. Wil-
liam Graham." Dr. Smith merely says that Delaware County furnished
a company under Capt. Graham, and refers to the Directory of Chester
as authority for the statement. An article written in 1854 by William
H. Dillingham, and published in the West Chaler Bepublican (quoted at
large in Martin's "History of Chester," pp. 169-170), entitled "Remin-
iscences of William Graham, Esq.," says, " He commanded a troop of
cavalry in the western expedition." Benjamin M. Nead, Esq., of Har-
risburg, in a sketch of the life of Brig.-Gen. Thomas Proctor (Penna.
Mag. of HUtorii. vol. iv. p. 466), states that "on August 7, 1794, Gen.
Proctor was placed in command of the First Brigade, which marched
retary Dallas, in his report to the Senate of Pennsyl-
vania, says, " Returns from the County of Delaware,
dated the 6th of September, 1794, stating a variety of
difficulties that leave little hope of procuring by reg-
ular drafts the quota of this county," and he reiterated
that assertion in his " report relative to the want of
promptness of the militia," ' dated Jan. 16, 1795.
Indeed, from a letter written by Attorney-General
IngersoU to Governor Mifflin, May 25, 1795, it appears
that in order to raise the quota in both Chester and
Delaware Counties three thousand three hundred and
ninety-six dollars had to be paid in bounties. Sec-
retary Dallas pledging his personal credit to procure
the amount expended.'' Why the quota of Delaware
County was placed at only thirty-six men is difficult
to understand, when we remember that in May of the
same year, under the call of the President for ten
thousand seven hundred and sixty-four militia in
Pennsylvania to be held in readiness during the
threatening difficulties on the frontier, our county was
required to furnish two hundred and sixty-two men.
And it is equally incomprehensible why any difficulty
was had iu raising thirty-six men in the Whiskey
Insurrection, when it is considered that in May, 1794,
Governor Mifflin had ordered Adjt. Gen. Harmer to
immediately organize and equip the militia of Phila-
delphia and the county of Delaware to be in readiness,
if needed, to prevent any breaches of the neutrality
laws by the cruisers of England or France within this
State, or the equipment of any privateer at Philadel-
phia by either of the belligerent powers.
However, Capt. William Graham, a lawyer, of
Chester, raised a company of cavalry, the greater part
of the organization being recruited or drafted from the
neighborhood of Chester, and the quota of Delaware
County waG filled. When the troop was ready to
march the ladies of Ridley township presented it with
a white silk flag, trimmed with fringe of like material.
On it was painted a figure of Washington in full mili-
tary costume, to whom an American eagle was de-
scending bearing in its claws a sprig of laurel, while
from its mouth was a ribbon with the motto, " Liberty
or Death." The allegorical picture was surrounded
by flags, drums, cannons, and other military emblems.*
with 1849 men, 96 of which were from Delaware oonilty." The fore-
going statement is the only one wherein the gross number of men is
given, other than that which is presented in the text. The latter I
derived from various papers (in the fourth volume, second series, Penn-
sylvania Archives) relating to the Whiskey Insurrection. Yet Mr.
Nead may be correct in the number mentioned, for he is a gentleman
whose assertion on an historical point is always worthy of respect and
consideration. Unfortunately, I cannot find on record, at Media, the
election returns for the year 1794. The troops called into service voted
in the fields, and the duplicates for that year, if they could bo found in
the prothonotary's office, would give the names of every man from this
county, and, of course, to obtain the number would be a simple matter
of addition.
2 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. iv. p. 300.
3 lb., p. 532.
* In 1840 this flag was in the possession of Dr. Joseph Wilson. It was
carried in the great Whig procession, at Chester, on July 23d of that
year by the delegation from Springfield.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Governor Henry Lee, of Virginia, as chief com- j
mander of the army, took up the line of march for
the scene of tumult, and an imposing body it was '
when we recall that Governor Thomas Mifflin led the
Pennsylvania troops. Governor Richard Howell, of
New Jersey, those from his State, Governor Thomas
S. Lee those from Maryland, and Gen. Daniel Mor-
gan those from Virginia. President Washington, ac-
companied by Gen. Knox, Secretary of War, Alexan- j
der Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, and Judge
Richard Peters, followed the army. In the mean
time the more conservative part of the inhabitants
of the oftending counties, when they learned that the
overwhelming force was coming against them, dis-
patched a committee to visit the President. An inter-
view was had, and the campaign finally ended without
further bloodshed. A few of the leaders in the insur-
rectionary outbreak were subsequently tried, and con-
victed of treason. They were, however, pardoned by
Washington, and the rebellion, which at one time j
promised to be difficult of suppression, melted away be-
fore the determined action of the Federal government, j
The general history of Delaware County, until the j
declaration of war between Great Britain and the
United States, is very meagre of stirring incidents, '
and little took place excepting those matters which '
belong to the story of the several townships, or judi-
cial narrative, which will be related under these head- |
ings, so that it is unnecessary to refer to those events in '
this summary of the county's annals. Dr. Smith has j
so admirably portrayed this placid period in our his-
tory that a reproduction of bis statement will suffi-
ciently represent the quiet but certain progress of
that day. " Owing to the European war that raged
during this period," he says, "the commerce of our
country was benefited, and there was an increased de- [
mand for its agricultural products. Our county fully ]
shared these advantages, and the result was an effort
on the part of our farmers to improve their lands, and
thereby to increase their products. These lands in
many places had become exhausted by a system of ,
bad farming that is generally adopted in new coun-
tries, and it was not then uncommon to see large
tracts abandoned for agricultural purposes and left
uninclosed. These exhausted tracts generally re-
ceived the appellation of ' old fields.' The use of
gypsum and lime as manures now began to be intro-
duced ; the former at first worked almost miracles by
the increased productiveness it imparted to the soil.
It was soon discovered, however, that its effects were
greatly diminished by repeated application, and, as a
consequence, it became less used ; while lime, though j
slow in developing its benefits, soon became the gen-
eral favorite with our farmers, and deservedly so, for
it cannot be denied that it was owing to its extensive
and continued application, combined with a better
system of farming, that much of this county has been
brought from an exhausted condition to its present
state of fertility aiul productiveness." I
CHAPTER XIL
THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND.
In a work such as thisit is not to be expected that
space can be given to a discussion of the causes which
led the Congress of the United States, on June 18,
1812, to a declaration of war against Great Britain,
but it is sufficient to say that the act was looked upon
as largely apolitical measure, — the Democratic party,
which was then in power, declaring for a vigorous
prosecution of the war, while the Federalists opposed
the contest as unnecessary, injudicious, and destructive
of our commercial prosperity. In the city of Balti-
more to such an extent was party spirit aroused that
serious breaches of the peace and riotous attacks were
manifested between the opposing political factions.
In the county of Delaware, as elsewhere, there was
a division of sentiment, but the preponderance of
opinion was adverse to the war, and was outspoken in
its disapproval. On Aug. 5, 1812, in the C/iestrr and
Delaware Federalist (now Village Record),^ appeared
the following advertisement :
"COUNTY MEETING. THE FEDERAL REPUBLICANS ami aU
others friendly to Peace and Commerce in Delaware county are re-
quested to meet at the house of Isaac Cochran, in the township of Upper
Providence, on Saturday, the 8th of August, at 2 o'clock P.M., on busi-
ness preparatory to the ensuing ELECTION in October and November
The county meeting thus called was largely at-
tended. Thomas Smith was appointed chairman, and
Maskell Ewing secretary, and the following preamble
and resolution were unanimously adopted :
"The Congress of the United Slates having on the 18th of June last
passed an act declaring war against Great Britain and her dependencies,
which has thrown this heretofore happy and prosperous country Into a
hostile attitude, at a time, too, when we are unprepared by land or sea,
our territory and citizens exposed to invasion and plunder, our com-
merce unprotected, a prey to an enemy whose ships have power to con-
" Resolved, That we view the
and interest of this country, and i
their votes as unworthy of our c
constitutional right to displace t
atfairs whom we deem capable of
to the happiness
) sanctioned it by
11 e.xercise every
id put those at the head of our
ly representing us."
The resolution met with such general approval that
a meeting of the young men of the county was called
in the court-house at Chester, and on Aug. 22, 1?12,
the building was crowded, many persons who attended
being unable to enter the doors. Samuel Edwards,
Esq., then a rising young lawyer who had been ad-
mitted a few years previous, was called to preside, and
Zedekiah W. Flower was appointed secretary. A
lengthy address, evidently carefully prepared, was
read, in which it was argued that no good reason, ex-
cepting the impressing of American seamen by Eng-
lish vessels, had been advanced by the advocates of
the war, and even that cause should and could be re-
moved by negotiation between the two nations. The.
following resolutions were adopted :
spaper was then published in Delaware County.
THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND.
87
"Resolved^ That we are determiDed to emplo}- all our exertions to pro-
duce a Bpeedy and honorable peace, and that we will obey all constitu-
tional acts of our government.
" Eesolved, That, feeling confident that nothing but a change of men
and measures svill produce the blessings of peace and National prosper-
ity, we consider it a solemn duty imposed on every citizen by true and
genuine patriotism to use all honorable means in the exercise of the
right of suffrage to procure an immediate change in the administration
of the National Government, and thereby save us from the dreadful
consequences of a protracted war.
" Resolved, That at a time like the present, when one of our most flour-
ishing and commercial cities has been subjected by an infuriated mob,i
we consider it the duty of every citizen to aid and assist in suppressing
all riots, tumults, and mobs, believing th.it they are tending to over-
throw the only Bepublican government on earth.
" Resolved, That although we do not apprehend any disturbance of the
kind in this quarter, yet should any outrages he attempted we pledge
ourselves to each other and to society to use our utmost exertions to
support the laws and defend the lives and property of our fellow-citizens
against such proceedings."
Little of interest can be gleaned, at this late day,
from our annals respecting the progress of the war.
That there were a number of soldiers enlisted from
our county is fully ascertained, but the names of such
persons have been forgotten in the lapse of time, and
because they were recruited into organizations not
strictly local. We know that the two sons of Elisha
Price, of Chester, both died in the service, one from
diseases contracted, and the other killed in action on
the Canadian frontier.
An interesting scrap of local history is furnished in
the following extract from the Freeman's Journal, pub-
lished in Philadelphia, March 12, 1813, for it notonly
shows the means used to convey intelligence of im-
portant events in those days, but it indicates that the
ancient borough of Chester was proud to have an op-
portunity to send forth to the public the news of the
great victory achieved by the gallant captain who
made that town his home :
"Postscript. Another Naval Victory. — The following important note
was endorsed on the way-bill from Chester, Penna., received at the Post-
office last night : ' " Essex" frigate captured the British frigate '* Castor,"
and killed one hundred and fifty of her men.' The report adds that
the ' Essex," Capt. Porter, had arrived in the Delaware, March 10, 1813."
The safe arrival of the " Essex," thus reported,
was only six days previous to the active blockade of
the Delaware River and Bay by the British vessels of
war "Poictiers," " Belvidere," and several smaller
crafts under the command of Commodore Beresford.
On March 16th, when the former vessel lay off the
village of Lewes, near Cape Henlopen, and threat-
ened to open fire on the hamlet unless twenty-five
bullocks and a proportionate quantity of vegetables
should be contributed to the support of the English
fleet, the news of the outrage was carried by couriers
to arouse the people to resistance, and Delaware
County promptly responded. That organization was
eflFected within our county previous to Admiral Cock-
burn's attack on and spoliation of Havre de Grace,
and even before the hitter's forces applied the torch
to the village of Fredericktown, on May 6th, is evident
from the official correspondence. Under date of April
1 Riots had .xcorred in Baltimore.
7, 1813, James Trimble, deputy secretary of tlie com-
monwealth, wrote to William Brooke, brigadier-gen-
eral of the Third Division of militia, stating that on
the application of Samuel Edwards and Thomas D.
Anderson, of Chester, Governor Snyder had consented
to furnish sixty muskets with bayonets, and, if possi-
ble, as many cartridge-boxes, for the purpose of arm-
ing the Chester Company of Infantry, on condition
that Messrs. Edwards and Anderson, with two other
gentlemen to be approved by Gen. Brooke, should
enter bonds to return the arms and accoutrements in
good order in six months after they received them.
On May 12, 1813, Secretary of State Boileau wrote to
Thomas S. Anderson that Governor Snyder was pre-
pared to forward as early as practicable five or six hun-
dred stands of arms and cartridge-boxes, and orders
had been forwarded to Deputy Quartermaster-Gen-
eral Foering to furnish whatever ammunition might
be required, but that there were no tents or other camp
equipments belonging to the State, fit for use, that
could be had. He suggested that in the then season
of the year, and in a country so thickly settled, the
men in service might find shelter from any inclement
weather in houses, barns, or temporary huts. He fur-
ther stated that in 1793 Governor MifHin had loaned
one hundred and sixty tents to the Board of Healtlfin
Philadelphia, and Gen. Foering would be instructed
to ascertain their condition, and, if found fit for use,
they would be delivered to Gen. Brooke, the brigade
inspector for the district including Delaware County.
Under date of May 15, 1813, Secretary Boileau wrote
to Joseph Engle that three hundred and fifty stands
of arms, with other articles, had that day been for-
warded to Chester, and as Gen. Brooke lived some
distance from the latter place, the arms had been sent
in Mr. Engle's care, and he should receipt to the
wagoner for them. In a postscript he adds that after
the muskets were loaded in the wagon it was found it
would not carry more than three hundred boxes, and
as it was thought the other articles were not as neces-
sary as the guns, they had not been forwarded.
The muskets mentioned in the letter to Anderson
of May 12th, and those that were forwarded to Engle
on May 15th, were doubtless intended to arm the
emergency men, when the intelligence of the de-
struction of Fredericktown was received, together
with the report that a Large force of English troops,
accompanied by Indians, who spared neither women
nor children, had landed there, doubtless intending
serious mischief The latter part of this rumor was
without foundation.
Nothing of interest appertaining to the war oc-
curred in Delaware County for fifteen months, al-
though the militia must have been held iu readiness
to move at short notice. In the early part of March,
1814, Secretary Boileau wrote to Gen. Brooke that a
thousand muskets had been sent by the United States
to the State arsenal in Philadelphia to arm the mili-
tia, and the quota of Delaware County would be de-
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
livered when it became necessary. The cartridge-
boxes which had been sent to Chester must have
been sadly out of order, for in the same letter the
Secretary says in respect to tliem, "Although not of
the best quality, (they) will at least serve for a short
campaign. Any man who receives a box can easily
put a few more tacks to secure the belts." On the
same day Secretary Boileau wrote to Deputy Quarter-
niaster-Geueral Foering, "That in case of a threat-
ened invasion of the shores of the Delaware, and you
should be called upon by Brig.-Gen. Brooke, of the
Third Division, or Maj.-Gen. Steele, of the said di-
vision, for arms, equipments, and ammunition, that
you furnish them with what may be deemed neces-
sary.''
The idea of gathering the militia into camps of in-
struction seems to have been the suggestion of Presi-
dent Monroe, for April 6, 1814, he wrote to Gen.
Joseph Bloomfield, stating that the military organiza-
tions " ought to be assembled and a camp formed,"
suggesting that such cantonment should be on "some
commanding, healthy ground between the Schuylkill
and the heights of the Brandywine." The President
urged the gathering of this force at once, as " we
must keep together a nucleus at least of an army,
with every uecessary equipment, sufficiently strong to ■
oppose the enemy on his landing until you can get ,
the whole together to overwhelm him." '
In the early summer of 1814 the inhabitants of the
Middle and Southern seaboard States were fully aware
that England, now that peace in Europe had appar-
ently released a large force of veteran soldiers from .
service there, and that they were under orders to
America, meditated a decisive movement against the
United States, and, being uncertain where the blow
■would be struck, made every effort to place all ex-
posed situations on our coast in a position of defense.
Hence when the city of Washington fell before the
British army under Ross, on the 18th of August,
when the incendiary Cockburn had applied the torch
to the unfinished capitol, the library of Congress, the
President's house, and other public buildings, and
Baltimore was menaced. Governor Snyder promptly,
on Aug. 27, 1814, issued a general order, setting forth
that "the recent destruction of the capital of the
United States, the threatened and probable conflagra-
tion of the metropolis of a sister State, and the gen-
eral threatening aspect of affairs, warranted the opin-
ion that an attack is meditated by the enemy on the
shores of the Delaware." To repel the foe and to
guard against surprise, he deemed it necessary to
have a suflScient force "of freemen" ready for every
emergency, and therefore required that the militia
generally of the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks,
Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Lancaster, Dauphin,
Lebanon, Berks, Schuylkill, Lehigh, Northampton,
and Pike, in addition to those drafted for the service
of the United States, under orders of July 22d, who
were already subject to the orders of Gen. Bloom-
field, " be held in readiness to march at a moment's
warning."
The militia of Pennsylvania having been ordered to
assemble at the town of York to the number of five
thousand, on Sept. 8, 1814, Governor Snyder wrote to
Gen. Bloomfield that he proposed asking the Secretary
of War to transfer the troops to the shores of the Del-
aware for the defense of the city of Philadelphia and
the country along the river. In his letter to President
Monroe dated September 9th, the Governor advocated
this movement, adding that the authorities "must at
present rely upon the patriotic feeling which per-
vades Pennsylvania, rather than on coercing obedi-
ence to our militia laws, and before that feeling can
have an effect, the enemy, by rapid movements, may
have eftected his depredatory incursions." He sug-
gested a locality for the camp should be selected so
that the troops would be marched in a few days either
to the Delaware River or Chesapeake Bay. On the
lOtb, Governor Snyder wrote to the President that
about six thousand volunteers had arrived in Phila-
delphia, and many others were on the march to that
city ; that Gen, Bloomfield thought a camp should be
formed at Marcus Hook, where the volunteers should
be organized under United States regulations, and
Gen. Bloomfield would himself take command of the
forces. The Governor was of the opinion that inas-
much as the militia had selected their own company
officers, they would be unwilling to be consolidated
into other bodies and have strange commanders placed
over them. He, therefore, suggested that they should
be organized in accordance with the laws of the State,
in battalions and regiments, under which they would
willingly serve the term of three months for which
they had enlisted.
Immediately below Marcus Hook, to command the
river, extensive earthworks were hastily constructed
and mounted with cannon, while between Ridley and
Crum Creeks earthworks were erected to control the
Queen's Highway to Philadelphia. So intense was
the alarm in the borough of Chester and county of
Delaware that the records were packed ready to be
transported, if necessary, at a moment's notice to the
interior of the State.
On Sept. 18, 1814, Secretary Boileau wrote to Gen.
Brooke that, during the alarm at Elkton the preceding
summer, three hundred stands of arms had been sent
to Chester for the use of the militia. These muskets
Gen. Brooke was ordered to have delivered to him,
and if any repairs to them were needed, to have them
mended in the neighborhood, if possible, but if that
could not be done, to send them to the State arsenal
at Philadelphia for that purpose. He also required
Gen. Brooke to inquire for and take into his posses-
sion the cartridge-boxes which had been forwarded
to Chester at the same time the muskets were sent.
We learn, from a letter written by Secretary Boileau,
THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND.
Sept. 28, 1814, that the drafted men at that date, who
were stationed at Marcus Hook, were destitute of tents
and other camp equipments, while the volunteers had
good quarters and were well supplied with all neces-
sary camp furniture. The cantonment was located
just back of Marcus Hook cross-roads, was called
Camp Gaines (subsequently Fort Snyder), and was
under the command of Maj.-Gen. Worrall. Col.
William Duane, Adjt.-Gen. and Maj. Hunter, both
of the United States army, had the care of the camp
and superintended its discipline.
Dr. Smith states, respecting the drafted troops from
Delaware County, that " the first company was con-
vened at the ' Three Tuns,' now the Lamb Tavern, in
Springfield, on the 14th of October, and marched to
Chester that day. Its officers were Capt. William
Morgan, 1st Lieut. Aaron Johnson, 2d Lietit. Charles
Carr, and Ensign Samuel Hayes. This company re-
mained at Chester two weeks waiting for camp equip-
age, before repairing to the encampment at Marcus
Hook. During this time the men occupied meeting-
houses and other public buildings.'' '
From the manuscript Orderly Book of the Mifflin
Guards of Delaware County, commanded by Capt.
Samuel Anderson, we learn that on Sept. 15, 1814,
that body of volunteer infantry was at Camp Bloom-
field, Kennett Square, Chester Co. That on the 17th
of the same month they broke camp, and the troops
marched to Gregg's Tavern, three and a half miles
from Wilmington, while the following day they were
in cantonment at Camp Brandyvvine, and on the 29th
they were at Camp Dupont. This cantonment was
located in the neighborhood of Wilmington, Del., and
was under the command of Brig. -Gen. Thomas Cad-
walader. Governor Snyder, on October 5th, visited
the camp and was received with a Federal salute, fired
under direction of Maj. Provost, as soon as the head
of the escort entered the main grounds, the troops
presenting arms and " the drums giving the rufiles."
Gen. Bloomfield was superseded in control of the
Fourth Military District, Oct. 7, 1814, on which date
Maj.-Gen. Gaines assumed the command and re-
viewed the troops at Marcus Hook on the 12th of the
same month.
The discipline of the troops of course was very lax,
and the desertions from camp numerous ; therefore,
October 19th, Gen. Gaines issued a general order, in
which he stated that he had received the finding of a
court-martial, to which he had refused his approval,
because the sentence imposed on certain soldiers
found guilty of desertion, in his opinion, " has no ade-
quate proportion to the offence committed by them.
Slight punishments for high military off'ences are
worse than useless. The infamous crime of desertion
particularly calls aloud for the highest punishment.
Deserters must be shot."
1 History of Delaware County, p. 31. There is a slight error in tlie
dales given by Dr. Smith, since the official records at Harrisburg show
that the company was in camp at Mavcns Hook on Oct. 10, 1814.
A general order was issued on Oct. 14, 1814, dated
at Marcus Hook, commanding that the Pennsylvania
volunteers called into service under the order of
Governor Snyder, Aug. 27, 1814. should be imme-
diately organized under the act of Assembly of March
28, 1814. On Oct. 29, 1814, the Delaware County
Fencibles, Capt. Serrill, was attached to the First
Brigade Pennsylvania Volunteers till further orders.
On Nov. 15, 1814, Lieut.-Col. Raquet was ordered
to march the next day with Capt. Leonard's company
of artillery, and Capts. Mifflin's, Swift's, Brown's, Ser-
rill's, and Murray's companies of infantry, and take a
position to cover New Castle. The artillery was to
consist of two six-pounders and two howitzers. On the
same day. Gen. Gaines issued an order approving the
finding of the court-martial which sat at Fort Clem-
son, November 1st, for the trial of David Jefferies, a
private in Capt. Patterson's company. Thirty-second
Regiment, United States Infantry, charged with deser-
tion, who was found guilty, sentenced to be shot to
death, and the execution ordered to take place the
next day, November 16th, between twelve and four
o'clock, at such place as Col. Irwin, or the offlcer in
command at Camp Clemson, near New Castle, should
appoint.
The dread of an immediate invasion or attack on
the Middle Atlantic States having subsided, on Nov.
28, 1814, the artillery companies commanded by
Capts. Rodney and Reed, of Delaware Volunteers,
were ordered to take post at New Castle for the de-
fense of that town, and Gen. Cadwalader was in-
structed to put the whole of the Advance Light
Brigade in march for the city of Philadelphia, there
to await further orders.
That this was done appears from an affidavit of
Abel Green, of Edgmont, on file in the prothonotary's
office, Media, who, under date of April 7, 1855, states
that he was a'private in the company of Capt. Benja-
min Weatherby, which was drafted for the term of
three months, and " was honorably discharged at
Philadelphia on the 2d day of December, 1814."
That the Mifflin Guards were ordered to Chester we
know beyond dispute, because at the latter place, under
date of Dec. 10, 1814, Capt. Samuel Anderson issued
the following order :
" The company will assemble for drill in Chester on every Wednesday
and Saturday at ten o'clock until further orders. The orderly or a ser-
geant acting as orderly will attend at my headquarters every morning
at nine o'clock to receive and execute such orders as may be given. All
knapsacks, haversacks, and canteens in possession of the members will
be delivered at my quarters on the next company day. It is expected
that the members will pay the same attention to the cleanliness of their
arms as they did while in camp. As a reward for industry, the four per-
sons having the cleanest muskets on each day of parade will be excused
from duty for one week. The company will bear in remembrance that
they are still in tho service of the government, consequently that they
are subjected to the penalties and punishments prescribed by the arti-
cles of war for the neglect of duty, disobedience of orders, or any other
violation of the rules and regulatious laid down for the government of
the armies of the United States. It is therefore expected that all orders
from your commander will be respected and punctually obeyed. De-
faulters must and will be punished.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
"Those persons wbo formerly considered themselves as members of ]
this company, but bad not patriotism and fortitude sufficient to encoun-
ter the difficulties and endure the hardships and privations of the cam- |
paign.are ordered to deliver up their arms and accoutrements, being no |
longer considered members of the compaiiy."
On Dec. 21, 1814, Capt. Anderson issued this order :
" Company drill
The first class \
are dispensed with until further orders. For the ,
nibers the comi'any will be divided into three classes,
include all the members residing in Chester and its
vicinity, to be under the immediate command of the captain. The second
class will include tbiise who reside in tlie neighborhood of Marcus Hook,
and all otbei-s who may find it most convenient to meet at that place,
to be commanded by Lieutenant Marshall. The third class will be under
the command of Lieutenant Evans, to include ail those who may find it j
most convenient to meet at the Black Horse Tavern in Middletown. |
The members of each class, respectively, will assemble at the quarters
of the officer comniandingon every Wednesday at 11 o'clock, a.m , with
arms, except in wet weather. The officers commanding the second and |
third class will report to the Captain on every Thursday. The names of 1
absentees to be inserted in their report*, also the names of those who |
neglect to keep their muskets in order. All such as neglect to comply j
with this order will be considered deserters and reported as such to the
commanding General. Those who obtained leave of absence before the I
troops left camp, on account of sickness, and have not since reported
themselves, will report forthwith, otherwise they will be repoited as
unfit for the service of the U. S. and discharged accordingly. The
Quarter-.Master will report to Philad. in order to procure the rations due
to the company."
I have not learned when the volunteers were mus-
tered out of the service of the United States. Martin
says it was Dec. 6, 1814. The foregoing orders show
that that date is inaccurate.
In 1863, when the bill was before Congress provid-
ing for pensions to the soldiers of the war of 1812, a
meeting of the survivors of that struggle in Delaware
County was called at the Columbia House, in Ches-
ter, on December 6th, and organized by tlie appoint-
ment of Hon. George G. Leiper chairman, and Capt.
John Martin secretary. The object of the meeting
being stated, it was
"Besolved, That we approve of the convention of soldiers of the war
of 1812, which is to assemble at Philadelphia, on tlie Ninth of January
next, and that the following persons are hereby appointed delegates to
said convention from this county, viz : James Serrill, George G. Leiper,
Levi Reynolds, Henry Myers, David Hayes, George Litzenberg, and
Aaron Johnson.
" Resolved, That the soldiers of the war of 1812, poorly clad, poorly
fed, subjected to great exposure in defending the Coasts and a long line
of Northern fruutier, after a tardy delay, should not be stinted in the he-
•towment of Government bounty, and that any discrimination against
the soldiers of 1812 is manifestly unjust.
"Bemhed, That the above proceedings be published in the papers of
this county, and that the Secretary be requested to forward a copy of
them to Dr. J. B. Sutherland, of Philadelphia.
" Georqe G. Leiper, CliMrmai,.
"John Martin, Secre/ary."
The following is the roll of the soldiers of the vol-
unteer and drafted companies from Delaware County :
Commanded by Col. Clement C. Biddle.
Samuel Anderson, captain; Frederick Shull, first lieutenant; David A.
Marshall, second lieutenant; William Biggart, ensign. (Atan elec-
tion held at Camp Dupont Oct. 21, 1814, John Caldwell was elected
first lieutenant.)
Bergeanls.—John Caldwell, Benjamin Haskins, William Evans, Henry
Home.
a»7ioraI«.— John Thomson, George Hawkins, John Marshall, Joseph
ivard Minslinll,Th.i:
rett, John Lambert, John Lloyd, Joseph Hall, David Fisher, Joseph
Martin, Jr., John Hawkins, Levi B. Martin, Thomas Parsons, Laza-
rus Martin, Daniel Broomall, Robert Beatty, Thomas Pedrick, James
Burns, Jeremiah Brown, Samuel Palmer, Evan Bonsall, Th.mias
Merion, John Lutkin, Joseph Hooper, Jacob Duey, Robert Clark,
Jonathan S. Bonsall, William Kinsey, William Helms, John Mc-
Lain, Thomas Ash, Peter Long, Cornelius Macky, David Smart, Na-
than Hayes, David Bonsall, Isaac Brooks, Daniel McGineley, John
McGilton, Samuel Bunting, Philip Painter, George Myers, Davis
Smith, Thomas P. Ash, Jonathan Quicksall, Thomas Fleming,
Thomas Painter, William Beatty, James Evans, Thomas P. Smith,
Charles Lear, John Stevenson, John Pyewell, William Geary, Wil-
liam H. Marshall, James Lock, Daniel Mitchell, John McKee, John
Martin (Hook), Joseph Wilkinson, Leonard Cole, William Cummins,
Thomas D. Barnard, Thomas Bowers, John Statton, John Hahn,
George Ross, Thomas Williams, Moses Wells, Jr., Thomas McCul-
lough, William Smith, Andrew Rively, John McCleaster, William
Glover, Joshua Bonsall, Samuel Bonsall, Jr., Thomas Bonsall,
Clement Smith, William Cox, John Shaw, George W. Johnson,
William Jones, William Humphreys, John Frazier, John Meyers,
John Wetherill.
ROLL OF DELAWARE COUNTY FENCIBLES, TWENTY-SECOND
PF.NNSYLVANIA MILITIA.
Entered service Sept. 21, 1814. October 14th encamped at Marcus Hook.
James Serrill, captain; George G. Leiper, first lieutenant ; James Ser-
rill, Jr., second lieutenant; George Serrill, ensign ; Moses Adams,
sergeant-major.
Sergeants— Ji-Am B. Pearson, Richard R. Jones, David Rose, Jr., Joseph
Oakford.
Corjiorab.— Henry Wood, Joseph Shallcross, Andrew Urian, John C.
Farrell.
Jfttsicimui.— James Warner, Robert Holmes.
Prieates.— John Stroop, Enoch Bonsall, Thomas J. Martin, Elhvood
Ormshy, Mathew McNulty, Casper Trites, Jesse Z. Paschall, John
Rively, Daniel Smith, John Dobbins, G eorge Williamson, William
Fines, Reuben Bonsall, Charles Justis, James Cleary, John Duuant,
Richard G.Martin, Charles G.Snowden, Joseph Pyle, William Lind-
say, George Caldwell, David Cummins, James Brattin, Aaron Mar-
tin, Joseph Hibbert, Lewis B. Stannard, Clement Hanse, Charles
Bonsall, Charles Gibson, Charles Attmore, Miles McSweeny, Aaron
Helms, Cadwalader M. Helms, Andrew Noblit, Andrew Enberg,
Marshall Siddons, Thomas Bonsall, William McCormick, Samuel
Bonsall, John Brown, John llansell, Joseph T. Jones, William Tor-
rance, John Dermont, William Gruhb, John Bradford, John Martin
(Chester), Townseud T. Johns, William Torrence, John McDermott.
ROLL OF CAPT. WILLIAM MORGAN'S COMPANY, FIRST COM-
PANY OF FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION OF PENN-
SYLVANIA MILITIA.
Encamped at Marcus Hook Oct. in, 1814.
Sergeants.— Ja-mes Morgan, Caleb Smith, John Mather, Lewis Brook,
i Charles Crozer.
: ttorj)ora(s.— David Trainer, William Urain, George Dav:
I ^tiariermaster-Serjeanf.— Isaac Atmore.
Pnrafes.— George Delainey, James Lee, William Gill, Samuel Brown,
Vernon Lewis, Jeremiah Maul, William McCleliu, Aaron Hibberd,
Henry Handly, Adam Litzenhnrg, John Schringer, Benjamin Ar-
ment, William Fraim, Hezckiah Kamp, Isaac Jone.s, James Wright,
Israel Jones, Philip Trites, William Wright, John Forsyth, Isaac
Cox, William Armstrong, John Stewart, George Yoecome, Alexan-
j der Garey, Jacob Byers, William Stewart, John Tree, John Heppol-
fiuger, John O'Harrah, Joseph Davis, Robert Low, John Smith,
i Isaac Burns, Jonathan Davis, William Mace, Robert Valentine,
] Jones Jone.William Eppright, Joseph Rhudolph (2), James Lindsay,
Jr., John Latch, Enoch Ramsey, Evan Pennell.John Hoven, John
' Kerns, John Gare, Jr., Samuel Humphrey, William Orr, James
Price, Hugh McDade, John Little, George Wells, John Hoff, Ellas
! Worrell, Jonathan Vernon, Joshua Hardey, Joseph Green, Robert
Lithgaw, James McDougal, Enoch Dlckason, William Palmer,
Thomas Taylor, Jonathan Morgan, George Dunn, Davis Smith, Jo-
seph Rhudolph, John Gore, Samuel Wright, Thomas Rhudolph,
Jacob Glim, David Smith, James Fralm, John Fraim, Samuel Lind-
sey, Lewis Williamson, John Crozer, William Trites, John Ewing,
Michael Flahady, John Morton, John McDonnal, James Holdt,
George Ely, John Cozens, Edward Watere, Septamus Flounders,
John Green, Isaac Sliarpless, Join
: Smith.
Vorrell.
FROM THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND TO 1850.
BOLL OF FIRST COMPANY, SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT PENN-
SYLVANIA MILITIA.
Conimaniled by Lient.-Col. John L. Pieisoii, of Bidley.
Captain, John Hall ; First Lieutenant, Matthew Dnubar; Second Lieu-
tenant, William Scofleld ; Third Lieutenant, Tliomas Oily ; Ensign,
Robert Tiunn.
Sergeants — Jacob Wiae, John Bowers, Jr., Joseph Dunwoody, Jabez
Prmites. — Joseph Bittle, Isaac Davis, Robert Corker, Moses Newlin,
Joseph Fulton, Bennett Lewis, Thomas J. Miles, Isaac Richards,
John Paver, John Keyner. Joshua Lainhoff, Samuel Taylor, John
Ormsby, Benjamin Serril, John Mann, John Engle, John McGahey,
John Cray, Peter King, Joseph Evens, Samuel Lynch, Abraham
Miller, Philip Bap, Thomas Car, Armet Rossiter, William Phillips,
Jacob Kulp, Ezekiel Shur, Jesse Shauer or Shawer, Jacob Root,
Baniel Root, John Job, Frederick Hongh, Isaac Zebar, John Mc-
Kealher, George Hough, Daniel Bice, Thomas Scot, Jabez Nice,
Samuel Lindsey, William Rudabaugh, Samuel Rudolph, James
Blundat, William Field, Peter Burns, William Evens, Lewis Pennell,
John Alexander, Edward McLary, Thomas C. Pearce, Eli Roberts,
Samuel Lindsey, John Standley, John Humphreys, Jacob Wiley,
John Fergurepn, John Iloofstickler, Benjamin Worrell, Thomas E.
Downs, James Everheart, Samuel Miller, S'»», Samuel Miller, W",
John Shaflfener, John White, David Royer, Adam Poley, Jacob
Donahower, Samuel Walker, Peter Defrain, Conrad Baker, Jesse
Boyer, David Shuteman, John Rap, Nathan Brook, Mittle Hause,
Andrew Laird, Jacob Haven, Martain Sheater, John Walker, Alex-
ander Clemans, Malen Rossiter, Miles Beaty, Francis Enos, William
Fox, James McFagen, William McNeal, Marcus Boon, Charles
Bugle, Mifflin Lewis, John Hoops, Jacob Jones, Able Lodge, Daniel
Davis, Samuel Jenet, Philip Litzenburg, Benjamin Urian, John
Hoiser, Denis Sheridan, George Brannan, James Hughs, Isaac Gar-
rison, Mordecai Thomas, Philip Miller, Jacob Stoneback, Henry
Longacker, Abiza Rossiter, Able Williams, Jacob Smith, John
Shinkle, Jacob King, Michael King, George Geger, Jacob Defrain,
James Lumiy, Jacob Longaker, James Adrikens, Henry Stophel-
bine, William Danafelser, Isaac Jones, Henry Sheet, John Possey,
Daniel Young, George Litzenburg, John Saylor, Amos Griffith,
Andrew Bively.
ING.
JViua/»?s.— Reuben Taylor. George Roberts, Jacob Goodwin, James De-
graut, Kenith McKinzy, John Smith, George Hersh, Hezekiah
Jackson, Lawrence Wilson, Edward Salyards, Henry Garman. Jacob
Forwood, William Hoskins, Joseph Conway, Thompson Hunter,
Samuel Sinquet, Jacob Howell, John BIcDonald, Levi Waldravin,
Davis Morgan, David Rider, David Egee, William Town, John
Frame, Joseph Rogers, John Cross, John Archer, Benjamin Torlon,
Samuel Eppright, William Thompson, William Sill, Matthew Scott,
Thomas McKeown, Charles Rowland, John King, James Day, Wil-
liam White, William Bowei-s, Joseph H. Lawrence, George Wells,
Powell Clayton, Charles Griffith, John Burk, Benjamin Clare, Evan
Griffith, .lohn Walker, Eichard Fonl, William Bucknell, Hugh Love,
David Williamson, Thomas Trimble, James Cunimings, Jolili Far-
row, Samuel Griffith, John Galliuo, Francis Himes, John Funter-
wise, Thomas Hutcheson, Henry Pearson, Peter Pearsou, Thomas
Llewellyn, George L. Davis, Joseph Farrow, Thomas Everson, Jona-
than Crozier, James Brothers, Isaac White, John Kitls, William
Martin, Jacob Essex, George Hannum, Benjamin Work, Edward
May, Edward W. Robeson, William Denipsey, Samuel Pennell,
John Petterson, Timothy Pierce, William Hodge, Benjamin Thomp-
son, William McCray, Abram Peck, John Gilmore, Thomas Kelly,
Martin Bryan, Thomas Chaffln, John Nickles, William Sharp, Peter
Young, .\aron Carter, Jeremiah Murry, Jesse Sharpless, Oswald
Sill, John Bane, Isaac Eaches, John Heck, Bartholomew Shimer,
Samuel Sullivan, Jolm Haycock, Jacob Stanley, Thomas Cochran,
Henry Carr, Atlee Porter, Samuel Cozens, Emnior Davis, Charles
Rowland, George Farrow, John Wizer, Lazarus Weidner.
Entered United States service Sept. W, 1814 ; encamped at Camp Snydo)
Marcus Hook, Oct. 17, 1814.
Senjeunta. — James McGuigan, John Taylor, George Peters, Thomas Asl
Patrick McGuigau.
Corporals.— S&mueX Roberts, Barney McGuigan, Benjamin Yarnall.
Prirate.— Samuel Bittle, Eli Batten, James Mitchel, William Davis,
James Huff. Jehu Griffith, John Henthorn, John Gorby, Aaron
Beale, Giliad Burns, William McLaughlin, Sr., Jacob Stewart, John
Varly, Thomas Marshall, Aaron Smith, John Davis, William Turner,
John Kelly, Samuel Burnet, Jesse Green, James McCoy, Joseph
Griffith, Henry Bean, Jesse McKinstry, Woodward Hampton, Nich-
olas Marrow, Daniel Likens, George McBride, Frederick Stimel,
Alexander Torbert, Peter Harper, Richard Baker, Abel Green, Fran-
cis Harbinson, William Rauzel (orEaugel), David Cornog, Robert
Valentine, William Graff, George Russell, Frederick Close, Curtis
Barlow, Cornelius Wright, William Odenheimer, William Weare,
/John R. Price, Archibald Dougherty, William Smith, Jacob Rizer,
William Mace, Levan Bernard, Andrew Black, James Weare, Sam-
uel Russell, Charles Smith, Thomas Mercer, Benjamin Allison,
Isaac Tompkins, Richard Clayton, Aaron Lawrence, Jeremiah Dut-
ton, John Smith, William McLaughlin. David Torton, John H.
Craig, John Barlow, Vincent Jester, Charles McGarraty, John Alcot,
John S. Hannum, Robert Steel, Thomas Brown, James Hodge,
George Hine, Peter Smith, John Burnet, Joseph Murphy, Jacob
Young, Valentine Dick, David Jay, Abel Smedley, John S. Travis,
Richard Warnick, John Wheeling, James Taylor, John Hoops, Felix
Fields, Henry Collins, Joseph Edworthy, Matthew Hopkins, James
Weare, Jr., Alexander Parks, Baldwin Weaver, Thomas Jones, An-
thony N. Still, Andrew Hunter, Reuben Miles, John Hook, Jona-
than Gibson, John King, Joel Scott, NeheraiaU Baker, David Broom-
ell, John Pyle.
CHAPTER XIII.
FROM THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND TO 1850.
The second war with England had almost wholly
severed commuuication with the Old World, particu-
larly with Great Britain, and the immediate result
was an effort on the part of the people to meet the
puhlic demand for those commodities which previous
to the beginning of hostilities were obtained entirely
from Europe. The numberless cruisers of England
had swept the merchant marine of the Republic al-
most from the seas, until the only vessels bearing the
American flag were men-of-war or letter.s-of-marque ;
hence the great demand from this cause stimulated
the establishment of manufacturing enterprises,
largely throughout the Eastern and in a measure in
the Middle States.
It should be remembered that during all our colo-
nial history — not only our State but all the colonies
— England had persistently, as in Ireland, forbidden
the people to engage in manufacturing any articles
which might come in competition with the industries
of the home country. Although writers during the
middle of the last century in Great Britain argued
that the American colonies would not for hundreds of
years engage in manufacturing, basing their conclu-
sion on the then known history of the world, that it
was only " after there was such an overplus of inhab-
itants, beyond what is necessary for cultivating the
soil, as is sufficient for forming large towns, where
trade and manufacturing can be carried on to advan-
tage ;" still there were others who rightly judged the
geographical position of the American colonies might
make them an exception to the rule as taught in the
92
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
annals of tlie Old World. The English Parliament ;
early became alarmed at the development of the iron
industry in the colonies, particularly in Pennsylva-
nia, and the establishment of furnaces and rolling-
mills, so that in 1749 an act was passed " to encour-
age the importation of pig- and bar-iron from His
Majesty's colonies in America, and to jirevent the i
erection of any mill or other engine for slitting or
rolling of iron, or any plating Forge to work with a
tilt-hammer or any furnace for making steel in any of
the said colonies.'" At that time one forge we know
was in operation in Thornbury township, at the pres- !
ent Glen Mills, and ssome years before that date was 1
another on Crum Creek, — Peter Dick's Iron Works.
The numerous trades, such as carpenters and brick-
makers, and the like, were early known on the Dela-
ware ; hence, from tlie references found in the Dutch
records a quarter of a century before Penn came, 1 i
am confident that no bricks in any dwelling standing i
in Pennsylvania to-day were made in Europe and
brought here. Indeed, the bricks which we know I
came from Governor Printz's mansion-house, at Tin-
icum, present every appearance of having been hard-
ened merely by the heat of the sun ; and besides, the
peculiar yellow clay of which they were made is still
found on Tinicum Island. Previous to 1698, we learn
from Gabriel Thomas, who came to the colony before
Penn, that " brickmakers have twenty shillings per
thousand for their bricks at the kiln." Wool-comb-
ers, we are also told, " have for combing twelve pence
per pound." It would seem from Thomas' account
that even in that early day the people of the colony
had turned their attention to producing articles of
daily use, for he informs us that all sorts of very good
paper was made at Germantown, and a fine German
linen, "such as no person of quality need be ashamed
to wear, and in several places they make very good
Druggets, crapes, camblets, and serges, besides other
woolen clothes, the manufacture of all which daily
improves.'" One of the first notices we have of the
doings of the European settlers in Pennsylvania was
that Governor Printz had built a yacht at Tinicum ;
and previous to 1758 we learn from Acrelius that
Marcus Hook was noticeable for the building of
ships, and in 1727 the first paper-mill in the old
county of Chester was erected at the present Ivy Mills,
in Concord. In 1715, John Camm, a stocking-
weaver, was located in Upper Providence, and in
1723 he warned the public against one Mathew Burne,
who had been in his employ two years, part of the
time at stocking-weaving, and that Burne was no
longer connected with him, but " goes about selling
stockings in John Camm's name" when the articles
were not made by him. Strange as it may seem, until
William T. Seal' had shown the contrary, this
Mathew Burne was credited with having made the
first stocking as a regular manufacturer in the United
States. But of more particular interest to our present
purpose is Gabriel Thomas' reference to " the famous
Darby river which comes down from Cumbry by
Darby town, whereon are several mills, viz., fulling-
mills, corn-mill, &c." Of course, these fulling-mills
did not manufacture, but simply scoured the cloth
made by the busy housewives of that day. The wives
and daughters of the early English settlers, as the
Swedes who had preceded them, employed "them-
selves in spinning wool and flax, and many of them
in weaving."-
During all the period before the Revolutionary war,
the greater number of farmers in the colonies had
looms for weaving in their dwellings, on which the
women wove flax and tow-linen, cloth, and linsey-
woolsey of coarse texture but strong and substantial.
Indeed, when power other than manual labor was first
applied to any part of the process of preparing the
raw material to manufacture linen, cotton, or woolen
cloths, the mills were very small, containing only a
few hundred spindles, where yarn simply was pro-
duced, which was afterwards woven by hand in the
farm-houses. From that fact the coarse fabrics of that
day, in contra-distinction of the imported goods, were
known as " domestic," a term which has been contin-
ued as the name of shirtings and sheetings even to
this day, although the reason for the name had ceased
a half-century ago. So general was this individual
manufacturing carried on in the colonies to the north
of Maryland that David Dulany, the great lawyer of
that colony, in 1765, wrote that " the poorest sort of
people to the Northward make all their clothes." '
The unprecedented growth of the United States
after the Revolution early directed the attention of
thoughtful men to the subject of American manufac-
tures, and foremost in advocacy of the establishment
of such industries was Tench Coxe, of Philadelphia,
— a member of our bar, and Assistant Secretary of
the Treasury under Hamilton. It is now generally
conceded that the first manufactory of textile fabrics
in the Union was established by Samuel Wetherell,
in Philadelphia, previous to 1782, at which date he
was making " Jeans, Fustins, Everlastings, Coatings,
&c.," suitable for every season of the year, as he in-
formed the public by his advertisement in the Penn-
sylvania Oazetk in April, 1782. Near the close of the
year 1791, William Pollard, of Philadelphia, obtained
a patent for cotton-spinning which was, we are told by
Samuel Weller,* the first water-frame put in motion
in Pennsylvania, but the enterprise failing, its want
of success retarded the progress of cotton-spinning in
that vicinity. The time, however, was fast approach-
ing when the spirit of enterprise, born of necessity,
would stimulate the development of the manufacture
of textile goods to an abnormal extent.
' Campanius, p. 90. ' Puma. Mag. of HiMory, vol. ill. p. 148.
I Manuel of Power, pp. 22-28.
FROM THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND TO 1850.
In the new era of industrial progress which was
coining, the county of Delaware occupied no second-
ary position in the story of that time, but it marched
abreast of the commonwealth in the movement which
has resulted in placing Pennsylvania in the fore-front
of manufacturing States. As early as 1810, we are
told by Dr. Smith,' an English family named Bot-
tomly erected an addition to an old saw-mill on a
small stream in Concord, and converted it into a
woolen factory, to the great astonishment of the people
in that neighborhood. Dennis Kelley, the same au-
thor informs us, with the assistance of a Mr. Wiest,
about the beginning of the war, erected a small stone
factory on Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, which enter-
prises, owing to the embargo and the demand for
goods by the national government created by the
war and the want of the people generally, the factory
was compelled to run night and day up to its full ca-
pacity. The statement of Dr. Smith, however, does
not give our county its due credit in early manufac-
turing, for in Upper Darby, in 1798, Nathan and Da-
vid Sellers had a cotton-mill, and, in Darby, Isaac
Oakford had a fulling-mill and stamping-works. At
that date John Orna was employed there as a calico-
stamper and Samuel Wetherington as a calico-printer.
Previous to May, 1812, Benjamin Smith and William
Stedham had begun spinning and carding at William
Siter's clover-mill, near the Spread Eagle Tavern, in
Radnor, and advertised that they had placed a spin-
ning-machine in their building "which will work for
customers," and also setting forth the prices de-
manded by them for their labor.
These factories were small, but the almost total
prohibition of European goods had advanced the
prices of American fabrics to such extravagant rates,
and the profits realized to the manufacturers were so
large, that it naturally stimulated men of means, de-
sirous of rapidly making large fortunes, to embark in
the business. The result was that cotton- and woolen-
mills sprang up in all parts of New England, and
quite a number were located in the Middle States. In
the latter the majority were woolen-factories. The
war, as usually is the case, had inflated every article
in prices,— flour had advanced to ten and fifteen dol-
lars a barrel, a statement also true as respected other
commodities, while real estate, during the time the
nation was practically shut out from the world, had
doubled and in many instances quadrupled in its
supposed valuation. No sooner was peace declared
than the storehouses of the Old World opened, and
the superior articles of European manufacture were
thrown into the American market, and being offered
at less prices than the actual cost of the coarsest do-
mestic goods, found ready sale. The English mill-
owners, pressed to meet their obligations at home,
realized, even at a loss on their stock, in the vain
hope of being able to withstand the pressure of a
1 History of Delaware County, p. 353.
falling market, and succeeded in merely prolonging
the period of their financial ruin. But it finally
came to them as it did to their American rivals.
The public mind in this country, notwithstanding
the present losses, had been aroused to the possibili-
ties of manufacturing on a large scale, and the inter-
vention of Congress was had in the tariff act of 1816,
which imposed a duty of twenty-five per cent, ad val-
orem on all cotton cloths for three years, the minimum
valuation at the port of exportation being fixed at
twenty-five cents per square yard, which was a spe-
cific duty of six and a quarter cents on every yard.
The tariff bill, however, was a sliding one, providing
for a reduction of twenty per cent, ad valorem at the
end of three years, and the same rate was applicable to
cotton twist, yarn, or thread, unbleached costing less
than sixty cents per pound, and bleached or colored
less than seventy-five cents per pound. Delaware
County had, as before stated, become largely inter-
ested in manufacturing, and then, as now, the people,
irrespective of party, were ardent advocates of pro-
tection. Public meetings were then held to give ex-
pression to this opinion. The first gathering of citi-
zens in this county friendly to " Domestic Industry,"
which I have met with, was held at the Rose Tree
Tavern, then kept by Isaac Cochran, on July 3, 1819,
of which meeting Maj. William Anderson acted as
president, and John Wilson secretary. It was there
'* iSisoiyed, That George G. Leiper, William Anderson, Benjamin Pear-
son, John Mattson, and John Willcox be a committee to draft articles
for the formation of a society in Delaware County, and an address to the
citizens to promote the important national object of fostering national
industry."
The officers of the meeting were also instructed to
publish the proceedings in the Village Record, Down-
ingtown Republican, and Philadelphia papers, after
which it adjourned to August 14th. If there was any
subsequent meeting at the time designated, I have
failed to find reference to it in the newspapers of that
day.
In Delaware County the majority of cotton- and
woolen-factories after the war, most of them hastily
built or changed from ancient grist-mills and filled
with crude machinery, were compelled to close, while
the larger number were sold by the sheriff to meet
the outstanding obligations of their owners. Indeed,
we are told by John P. Crozer that about 1821 only
one cotton-factory in Delaware County was in suc-
cessful operation, — that of Wagstaff & Englehorn, and
that that firm could continue was mainly due to the
fact that the senior member of the firm was a prac-
tical cotton-spinner from England.''
In considering that period of our history it should
not be overlooked that all Europe as well as the
2 Life of John P. Crozer, page 61 It is to be regretted that neither
Mr. Crozer nor Dennis Kelly, both actively engaged in manufacturing
in Delaware County, and both familiar with the story of its early strug-
gles, have left no extended historical account of that iudustry, present-
ing its birth, growth, and ultimate establishment as the leading indus-
try in Delaware County.
94
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
United States had just emerged from war, the long
Napoleonic contest which had drained the resources
of the Old World's governments to maintain armies
in the field and navies on the sea. There, as here, on
the cessation of hostilities business enterprises crum-
bled under the sudden withdrawal of the governments
from the markets as purchasers, and failure followed
failure as a rule. But in England, as on the Conti-
nent and in the United States, an impetus had been
imparted to manufacturing industries which could
merely be impeded, not arrested, and in the end its
importance to mankind far outweighed the defeat of
the great captain at Waterloo.
In the general depression of that period all suf-
fered, and no class more severely than owners of real
estate. In cases where farms and town-lots were
encumbered, in the event of the foreclosure of the
mortgages it rarely happened that properties when
forced to sale brought more than the charge against
them, and, although in Delaware County such sales
were not so numerous as in other counties in this
State, the rule stated maintained in almost every
case.
In manufacturing, the protection offered by the
tariff law aided largely in the ultimate success of
these enterprises ; but of greater importance was the
introduction of power-looms, and to that fact more
than the tariff should be ascribed the permanent
establishment of cotton manufactories as a national
industry. In 1826 we find tbat in Delaware County
there were then fourteen woolen-mills, employing
228 hands ; twelve cotton factories, employing 415
hands ; and one power-loom mill, with 200 looms,
employing 120 hands.
Six years afterwards, in 1832, there were eleven
cotton-mills, employing 600 hands, and using a total
of 19,500 spindles; three cotton-weaving mills, em-
ploying 480 hands and 400 power-looms ; two cotton-
spinning mills, employing 120 hands ; and eight
woolen-mills, with .350 hands ; the entire yearly pro-
duction being a total of $950,000. In the documents
transmitted to Congress from Pennsylvania in that
year, John P. Crozer stated that he had established
his mill in 1825, that it was run by water-power, and
that the capital invested was fifteen thousand dollars.
From the year 1829 to 1830 the business had yielded
him no profit, but since that time until he made the
report it had been paying an average profit of eight
per cent, on the capital invested, and that he annu-
ally expended two-fifths of Ihat income in improve-
ments. Woolen-mills, he stated, were doing better
than that. At his mills the consumption of cotton
was three hundred and eighty-three bales a year, and
in the article he made there was no competition by
foreign goods. At that time his mill gave employ-
ment to fifteen men, sixteen women, and twenty chil-
dren, who worked twelve hours daily all the year
round. The |)rodiiction of the mill was sold in Phila-
delphia to owners of looms on a credit of four months.
If the tariff of twelve and a half cents, as provided in
the bill pending before Congress at that time, should
become a law, he stated he would be compelled to
abandon the business; for although at the time no
duties were necessary to protect hiai against foreign
competition, yet the then tariff was not sufficient to
absolutely protect him from European sacrifices.
Finally, as a general conclusion, he declared that
cotton-spinning was a "very uninviting" occupation.
It is unnecessary to continue the narrative of man-
ufacturing in this county, as a whole, further at this
time. The story of the rise, progress, success, and
decay of the various industrial establishments will
be given in the histories of the several townships
and boroughs wherein such works have been or are
located.
Free Public Education.— At the session of the
Legislature in 1830-31, the first steps were taken to-
wards a general free education of the children of the
commonwealth by providing for the levying of a tax
to create a school fund. At that time John Lindsay
was the representative from Delaware County in the
House, and John Kerlin in the Senate. It will be
required here to retrace our steps. That Penn's in-
tention before coming to his province was to provide
for public instruction is evident from the twelfth arti-
cle of his frame of government, which declared " that
the Governor and Provincial Council shall erect and
order all public schools," which declaration is twice
repeated by the General Assembly, the last time in
1696. At the second General Assembly, held at Phil-
adelphia March 10, 1683, when Penn personally pre-
sided, the general laws, chapter cxii., provided, —
" And to the End that Poor as well as Rich may be instructed in good
and Commendable learning, Which is to be preferred before Wealth,
Be it, &c,, That all persons in this Province and Territories thereof,
having Children, and all the Guardians or Trustees of Orphans, shall
cause such to be instructed in Heading and writing; so tbat they may
he able to read the Scriptures, and to write by that time they attain to
twelve years of age. And that then they be taught some useful trade
or skill, that the poor may work to live, and the rich, if they become
poor, may not want. Of which every county court shall take care ; And
in case such parents, guardians, or overseers, shall be found deficient In
this respect, every sucii parent, guardian, or overseer, shall pay for every
such Child, five pounds. Except there should appear an incapacity in
body or understanding to hinder it."
This law was abrogated by William and Mary in
1693, but in the laws " made and past" in the same
year when Benjamin Fletcher as captain-general of
Pennsylvania had superseded Penn's authority the
law numbered twenty-five was enacted, entitled " The
law about education of youth." It presents the fore-
going provisions in the same language, except where
it applies to guardians and trustees of orphan chil-
dren, and in these cases those having the care of such
minors were required to have them taught to read and
write, provided the wards had "sufficient estate and
ability so to do." ' It nowhere appears in our colo-
nial history, so far as I have learned, that public funds
Duke of York's Laws, p. 238.
FROM THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND TO 1850.
95
were set apart to pay the costs of educating the youth
even in the slight acquirements then deemed essen-
tials, but where such information was imparted, the
costs of tuition must be discharged by the parent or
guardian of the children so taught. By the middle
of the last century it had become a practice generally
in townships throughout the present county of Dela-
ware, to provide schools for the instruction of youths
to which the several residents of the neighborhood j
made voluntary contribution, but the sum so contrib-
uted was a contract that could be enforced by process
of law. The idea, however, of free public instruction
for the children of persons in indifferent circumstances '
is presented throughout all our State history. The
section of the Constitution of 1776 which provided
that "a school or schools shall be established in each !
county by the Legislature for the convenient instruc-
tion of youth, with such salaries to the teachers paid
by the public as may enable them to instruct youth
at low prices," did not bring into existence the free-
school system of which we are now so proud, nor did
the seventh article of the Constitution of 1790, which
directed that " the Legislature shall, as soon as conve-
niently may be, provide by law for the establishment :
of schools throughout the State, in such manner that
the poor may be taught gratis."
As far back in our county annals as 1794 we find
Dr. William Martin, of the borough of Chester, in a
lengthy article in the Aurora (a Philadelphia paper)
for December 31st, urging the establishment of pub-
lic seminaries of learning ; but his views were far in j
advance of the times. On April 4, 1809, the Legis-
lature enacted a law — the pauper law, as Thaddeus
Stevens termed it — that the children of parents too [
poor to provide for the education of their offspring
out of their own means, could have proper instruc- I
tion given them at the public cost, and directing how
the expenses thereby incurred should be defrayed, i
The act of April 3, 1831, provided that all money due '
the State by holders of patented lands, and all fees
received by the land-office, should be invested until !
the interest annually would amount to one hundred
thousand dollars, after which time the interest was to :
be applied to the support of common schools through-
out the commonwealth. At the time of the passage
of the act of April 1, 1834, about half a million dol-
lars had been received from the sources named, and ;
the opponents of the school law of 1834 — for they were j
many and included a large number of the ablest and
best men of the State — were clamorous in their denun-
ciation of the Legislature for having, as they alleged,
violated their plighted faith in providing for the sup-
port of the schools by direct taxation instead of wait-
ing until the fund set apart in 1831 had accumulated
to two millions of dollars, when the interest alone
should be applied to the maintenance of the schools.
The act of April 1, 1834, however, was submitted to
the various townships in Delaware County, when the
result showed that fourteen townships were favorable
to the adoption of the law and seven against it. Dr.
George Smith at that time was the senator from this
district, and Samuel Anderson, representative, both
of whom were warm friends of the measure. Dr.
Smith being particularly active in advocacy of the
bill. The opponents of the law in this county assem-
bled Oct. 30, 1834, at the public-house of Isaac Hall,
in Nether Providence, and the list of the committee
then appointed indicates how strong and influential
that opposition was. The meeting was presided over
by Benjamin Pearson, and Jonas P. Yarnall was sec-
retary. The following resolution was unanimously
adopted :
" ReBolved, That we disapprove of the law passed at the last session of
the Legislature as a system of geueral edncatiou, believiog that it is
uujust and impolitic. That it was never intended by onr Constitution
that the education of those children whose parents are able to educate
them should be educated at the public expense."
Dr. Joseph Wilson, Joseph Gibson, James S. Peters,
George Lewis, and Benjamin Pearson were appointed
a committee to draft a memorial to the General As-
sembly, which contained a statement tliat while not
disapproving of the clause of the Constitution pro-
viding for the education of the poor gratis, yet the
law of 1834 was oppressive inasmuch as it " imposed
a disproportionate and unreasonable burden on the
middle class of the community, who can partake but
little of its benefits ;" that the authority of the school
directors under its provisions was unlimited, having
power to tax the citizens to any extent, and being
" responsible to nobody ;" that the assessments for
State and county purposes were sufficiently oppressive
" without any addition to carry into operation an ex-
periment of doubtful efficacy." and for these reasons
they petitioned for the repeal of the law. Capt. James
Serrill and Joseph Bunting were appointed a com-
mittee to have the memorial printed, and a committee
of sixty-four persons was appointed to circulate printed
copies for signatures, which papers were to be returned
to the chairman by the first Monday of November
following.
In the mean time the friends of the law were not
less active, for on Nov. 4, 1884, the school delegates
in the various townships, excepting those of Aston
and Concord, together with the county commis-
sioners, met in the court-house at Chester in
cordance with the provisions of the act. George G-
Leiper was chairman, and Homer Eachus secretary,
The proceedings were not harmonious, but a reso
lution was adopted by' a vote of thirteen to nine,
providing that two thousand two hundred dollars
should be appropriated for school purposes, and a
meeting of the citizens at the usual places of election
in each township was called to be held in the after-
noon of November 20th to ratify or reject the action
of the deputies. Those citizens who favored the act
also assembled in convention at Hall's Tavern, in
Nether Providence, on Nov. 13, 1834, when William
Martin acted as president ; J. Walker, Jr., and I. E.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSyLVANIA.
Bonsall, vice-presidents ; and J. S. White and A. D.
Williamson as secretaries. That meeting adopted the
following resolution : i
" Bi!so!ie<i, That the tax levied by the Commissioners and Delegates
ought to be extended to bonds, mortgages, stocks, etc., in the same pro-
portion as on real estate, and that in order to raise an additional tax for
the support of common schools, that the directors in the several districts
shall meet as directed in the Seventh Section, and determine whether
there shall be an additional tax, and if they decide in the affirmative,
then the Clerk of the Board shall notify the directorB, who shall deter-
mine the amount and be authorized to levy and collect such tax on '
bonds, mortages and profitable occupations, as well as real estate, and i
the proper officers of the townships constitute a Court of Appeal in
case any person may think himself aggrieved in the amount of tax so
levied by said Directors."
The second resolution indorsed the course of Gov-
ernor Wolf in the matter of popular education, as also
that of the members of the General Assembly who
had voted for the measure, and the third resolution
appointed William Amies, Dr. Jesse Young, Spencer
Mcllvain, Samuel T. Walker, and William Martin to
prepare a memorial to be presented to the Legisla-
ture. This memorial stated that the signers were '
" deeply impressed with the importance of a proper i
system of education by common schools throughout [
the State. They have examined the last act passed I
at the last session of the Legislature for that purpose,
and are of opinion that the objects contemplated by
the law would be greatly promoted by an alteration
in the mode for raising the fund necessary to support ^
public schools. So far as the law bears equally on all,
they cheerfully acquiesce in it, but some of its provi-
sions they deem burdensome and unequal in their
operations on a portion of their fellow-citizens. The
landed interest, as the law now exists, pays nearly the j
whole expense of the system, while many that are
proper objects of taxation contribute but a very small
proportion."
The memorial therefore suggested that bonds, mort-
gages, money at interest, and occupations should be
taxed, as well as a fixed proportion to be paid by real ]
estate ; that such sums as may be necessary, beyond
the State appropriation, should be levied by the school
directors as a township tax, while the township offi-
cers should act as a Board of Redress. The memorial
concluded:
" Your memorialists remonstrate against a repeal
of the law, and are only desirous that the matter may
have your deliberate consideration ; sensible that such
amendments will be adopted as you may deem most
beneficial and just, tending to equalize the operations
of the law, the effects of which will strengthen the
system, disseminate knowledge among the people, the
only sure means of perpetuating the principles of
national Liberty."
Those opposed to the law presented thirty-three !
petitions to the Legislature, containing one thou-
sand and twenty-four names, while those remon- |
strating against its repeal presented thirteen peti- I
tions, bearing eighj; hundred and seventy-three names.
It is crcilitable to Delaware County that the remon- 1
strants against the repeal of the school law exceeded
in numbers almost threefold that from any other
county in the State.
James W. Baker, superintendent of the public
schools of Delaware County, in his report for the
year 1877, presented an interesting and valuable his-
tory of education in this county, in which he says,
" On the 4th of November, 1834, of the twenty-one
districts of the county, eleven accepted the law, viz.,
Birmingham, Chester, Haverford, Lower Chichester,
Marple, Nether Providence, Radnor, Ridley, Upper
Darby, and Upper Chichester. In consequence of the
obscurity of the law, and the difficulty of putting it
in operation, only six accepted it the following year;
but in 1836 all the districts but one accepted the new
law enacted that year. The last one joined the others
in 1838." '■ On the other hand, in the report of James
Findlay, secretary of the commonwealth, on the sub-
ject of common schools, submitted to the Legislature
and dated March 2, 1835, it is stated that in Delaware
County all the school districts had accepted the law,
that the State appropriation was one thousand seventy
dollars and ninety-three cents, and that two thousand
two hundred dollars had been voted to be raised in
that county by tax.^
The narrative of the rise and progress of the benefi-
cent public school system is from this time part of
the story of the several townships, and will be therein
related under the proper heading.
On July 4, 1834, the equipped militia of Delaware
County, as was usual with those organizations at that
time, celebrated Independence Day with a parade,
followed by a banquet. On that occasion Gen. Root
presided, and at his right hand was a militia colonel,
who was called on for a toast. The latter, not having
prepared himself, trusted to his genius and the oc-
casion to creditably propose a sentiment when the
time came, sat a moment in thought, and finally
concluded his toast ought to be something of a mili-
tary nature. The guests called again upon the colonel
before he had fully determined what he would say.
In response, he arose and announced in a loud voice,
"The military of our country-— may they never
want " Here he hesitated,— " may they never
want !" He came to a full stop, and looking im-
ploringly at Gen. Root, he whispered, " What the
devil shall I say next?" "And never be wanted,"
whispered back the general. " And never be wanted,"
roared the colonel. The joke was too good to prevent
it being related, and at length it found its way into the
newspapers of the day, and now it is so popularly
known in the country that long since its birthplace
was generally forgotten.
The military history of the county, other than that
occurring in times of 'actual war, is brief and of a
spasmodic character, usually the ground-swell after
■ Report of Superintendent of Public Instruction for 1877, p. 239.
■ Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, vol. xv. p. 194.
FROM THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND TO 1850.
the storiii of battle had subsided. In our early an- ■
nals, the Swedish settlers and the Dutch were more or
less under military organization, as were the English
previous to the coming of Penn. In the Duke of :
York's book of laws considerable space is devoted to '
ordinances relating to military service, and providing
for the maintenance of bodies of soldiers. As early '
as 1673 the Council at New York directed the enlist-
ment of ten or twelve men from settlers on the Dela-
ware, and ordered that every sixth man of the inhabi- I
tants should be summoned to build a fort for the
defense of the river. Previous to that date the pre-
sumption is that the troops were recruited abroad,
and were brought hither in the character of soldiers.
James Sandelands, we are told by Dr. Smith, came to
the Delaware River settlement as a private under I
Capt. Carr's command, and was discharged in 1669. j
In May, 1675, there was a company enlisted, for at a
court held at Peter Rambo's in that month, James
Sandelands, as a punishment for a " scandalous busi- j
neas" (he had thrown a drunken Indian out of his
tavern at Upland, and injured him so that he died
from the effect of his fall), was sentenced to pay a
certain sum towards building a new church at " Weck-
ahoe," alike sum to the sheriff, and was " put off from i
being Captain." Hans Junian, who had been lieu- '
tenant, was made captain, John Prince lieutenant,
and Jonas Keen ensign. The uew captain and ensign j
were residents of the present Delaware County. i
On Sept. 2.3, 1675, Capt. John Collyer was by Gov-
ernor Andross appointed commander of Delaware j
River, and he was particularly required to take care ^
that the militia in the several places should be well j
armed, duly exercised, and kept in order. We know i
that previous to that date, towards the end of the year j
1671, it was ordered, " That every person that can bear ]
arms, from 16 to 60 years of age, be always i)rovided
with a convenient proportion of powder and bullets,
fit for service and their mutual defense, upon a pen-
alty for their neglect herein to be imposed by the [
commission-officers in command, according to law.
That the quantity or proportion of powder and shot
to be adjudged competent for each person to be at
least one pound of powder and two of bullet."
All that I have learned respecting military organi-
zations in the county previous to the Revolution has |
already been related, which is equally true of the
war of Independence. After peace was assured the
militia of the State was regulated by law. The j
Pernhfylvunia Packet states that at a meeting of the j
Chester County militia, commanded by Edward Ver-
non, on Oct. 25, 1789, Rev. James Conarroe, of Marcus
Hook, was appointed chaplain. This notice was after j
the county of Delaware had been erected, but Edward [
Vernon and Mr. Conarroe were residents of the new
county, and in all probability the entire organization
they represented was from the southeasterly part of
the old county of Chester (the present Delaware
County). The act of 1792, organizing the militia of ^
the State, continued in operation for forty years with-
out any definite action being taken by the people to
correct its provisions. Under the law of April 9,
1799, the militia of the commonwealth was arranged
into regiments. From it we learn that " in the county
of Delaware the regiments commanded by Lieut.-
Colonel Levis shall be No. 65, and by Lieut.-Colonel
Wilcocks, No. 110." Five years previous to the latter
act, Jonah Lamplugh was convicted at the January
session, 1794, of refusing to discharge the duties of
the office of collector of militia fines, to which he
had been appointed.
It is unnecessary to recall the incidents of the whis-
key insurrection and the war of 1812, related else-
where. During the latter struggle, the Delaware
County Troop was organized, with Dr. Joseph Wil-
son as captain, and it was commanded by Capt. Pear-
son Smith when it took part in the ceremonies at the
dedication of the Paoli Monument, Sept. 20, 1817.
The next year Dr. Wilson again became its captain,
and its lieutenants Baker and Cornog, and George
Kirk quartermaster.
In 1820, the Troop was reorganized, with John
Hinkson, captain ; Samuel M. Leiper, first lieutenant ;
John Wells, second lieutenant; Evans Way, first ser-
geant ; and George Kirk, color sergeant. For some
years it was part of the first squadron of Mont-
gomery, Chester, and Delaware County cavalry. In
time interest in the organization began to flag, and it
was believed that it might be revived in 1830, when
an election was held, which resulted in the selection
of Samuel M. Leiper as captain, Edward H. Engle ;is
first lieutenant, John Wells as second lieutenant,
Evans Way as first sergeant, and George Kirk as color
sergeant. The interest had gone, however, and after
dragging along for six years the organization, in
1836, finally disbanded. The Delaware County Blues
was also an outgrowth of the war of 1812, and was
commanded at first by Capt. George Hawkins, and
subsequently by Capt. George Litzenberg. It pre-
served its organization until 1836, when it also dis-
banded. In 1817 the Delaware County Fencibles was
commanded by Capt. George G. Leiper, and as such
took part in the ceremonies at Paoli. Judge Leiper
was subsequently lieutenant-colonel of the Delaware
County Battalion, and on Sept. 4, 1823, announced his
appointment of George Litzenberg as adjutant, Charles
Bonsall quartermaster, and Dr. Morris C. Shallcross
as surgeon. Dr. Wilson was major of the battalion ;
Capt. George Hawkins had command of the Delaware
County Blues, Capt. Myers of the Delaware County
Volunteers, and Capt. Weaver of the Pennsylvania
Artillerists. The latter company was organized about
1819, with John J. Richards as captain, and at his
death, in 1822, Joseph Weaver, Jr., succeeded to the
command, to give place in 1828 to Capt. William
Martin, and he subsequently to Samuel A. Price. The
latter officer, in 1832, was colonel of the First Brigade,
Third Division, and with Lieut. John K. Zeilin and J.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
M. G. Lescure, represented the county of Delaware at
the military convention of the State, which assembled
at Harrisburg January 2d of that year. Col. Price
was one of the four vice-presidents of that convention.
He was succeeded in command of the Pennsylvania
Artillerists by Capt. John K. Zeilin. In 1817 the Union
Troop, of Chester and Delaware Counties, was a mili-
tary organization existing in the two counties, and at
Paoli in 1817 had the right of the line under the com-
mand of Capt. Harris. This organization continued
until 1838, when it was commanded by Capt. William
Haines, and John Lindsay was its first lieutenant. In
1824 the Forty-ninth Regiment of militia of the county
of Delaware was commanded by Col. John Smith,
Lieut.-Col. Benjamin F. Johnson, and Maj. Abner
Barrett; while the Thirty-eighth Regiment, of the
same county, was commanded by Col. Benjamin
Wetherby, Lieut.-Col. Benjamin Smith, and Maj.
Jonathan David.
In 1857, the Delaware County Volunteers, organ-
ized about 1822, was disbanded, and from its fragments
a new company — the Harmony Rangers — was formed,
Capt. Jesse L. Green commanding, who was succeeded
by Capt. Simon Leany. It was disbanded in 18-12.
In 1834, Lieut.-Col. Henry Myers was in command of
the Delaware County Volunteer Battalion, succeeding
Col. George G. Leiper in that office.
Besides the foregoing military organizations, in
1824 there was a company of militia known as the
Washington Artillerists, in 1833 the Union Guards,
Capt. George Kirk, and Jesse Sharpless orderly ser-
geant, and in 1840 the Delaware County Rangers,
Capt. Samuel Hall.
On Friday, Oct. 11, 1833, the City Troop of Phila-
delphia, commanded by Capt. Hart, was met at Darby
by the Delaware County Troop and escorted to Chester,
where they remained until the Monday following,
when they returned to Philadelphia, stopping to dine
on that day at the tavern kept by J. R. Lamplugh, in
Darby.
During the riots of 1844 in Philadelphia, a meeting
was held at the court-house in Chester, on July 15th,
at which resolutions were adopted calling for the im-
mediate organization of a corps of volunteers, " citi-
zen soldiers," which body was directed to be equipped
and armed, so that, if necessary, the authorities could
call ou it to preserve public order. The next day,
July 16, 1844, the Union Troop of Delaware and
Chester Counties marched to Philadelphia, reaching
that city in the evening, when they immediately re-
lieved the Philadelphia Cavalry, which had been in
service for some days, and were then worn out from
loss of sleep.
In August, 1844, the Delaware County Grays were
organized by the election of John K. Zeilin, captain,
Charles W. Raborg, first lieutenant, and Joseph Tay-
lor second lieutenant. The following year the Forty-
ninth Regiment of militia, in this county, was com-
manded by Col. John K. Zeilin, and C. W. Raborg
was adjutant, while the companies composing the
organization were commanded by Capts. Walter,
Johnson, Crosby, Eyre, Ulrich, and Irwin. The pub-
lic feeling was then strongly adverse to military ser-
vice. On May 13, 1845, Maj. Charles Peck, brigade
inspector, visited Chester, reaching that place an hour
before noon, when some of the older citizens waited
on him, and apprised him that the boys in the town
were armed with eggs, which they proposed to present
to him in no quiet manner, and he hurried away with-
out inspecting the undisciplined militia, which had
assembled for that purpose, according to his published
orders. On Saturday, June 13, 1846, the Delaware
County Grays were inspected by Maj. Peck, Capt.
Zeilin having, through Governor Shunk, offered the
services of the company to President Polk for tlie
Mexican war. The quota of Pennsylvania being
filled, however, the offer was not accepted.
The next year Maj. Peck again visited Chester,
when he was made the victim of a practical joke,
which, as tradition ascribed, was suggested by John
M. Broomall. Several of the practical jokers who
then infested Chester induced the major to visit the
prison, on the pretext that within its ancient precincts
were several relics of the long ago worthy of the no-
tice of a stranger. The plan worked to a charm.
After the party had gained admission to the jail,
the door was locked behind them, the keys were con-
cealed, and all that day until evening the military
gentleman and two of the roysters of Chester stood
looking through a grated window in the second story,
calling to the people below in the street to procure
their release. The keys could not be found until
night had nearly come, but several times during the
day the imprisoned men lowered strings to the crowd
below and drew them up with provisions and other
refreshments attached thereto. After his release Maj
Peck had several other jokes played upon him before
he shook the dust of Chester from his feet, never to
return to it again.
Not only was the brigade inspector personally trifled
with, but the commissioners of Delaware County
failed to enforce the collection of the militia tax ;
hence Maj. Peck instructed his counsel to bring suit
against the county commissioners for their neglect in
not issuing duplicates to the collectors for collection
of the military fines. The suit, however, never was
pressed, the act being repealed by the Legislature in
1849.
The following is the list of persons holding the
office of brigade inspector for Delaware County, so
far as I have been able to obtain their names:
Col. Jnnio:
NathftUKl
STORMS, FRESHETS, AND EARTHQUAKES.
Maj. Arnold was appointed in 1859, but did not
take out his commission until the attack on Sumter
made it necessary to have such an officer to aid in
forwarding troops in the early days of the civil war.
CHAPTER XIV.
STORMS, FRESHETS, AND EARTHQUAKES.
We have little save tradition respecting storms,
freshets, and earthquakes in th^ olden times. It is
only within the last half-century that any circum-
stantial records have been kept of such incidents in
our annals. On March 22, 1662,^ William Beckman,
in a letter, mentions the day before the tide in the
Delaware was so high that a "galiot" was driven out
of the Kil, but was recovered by the sailors of the
ship " Di Purmerlander Kerck." The same night she
was driven to the other (New Jersey) side of the
river, and again the sailors rescued her from destruc-
tion.
In 168.3 we know that Chester mill and dam, which
was located at the present site of Upland, " were
soon carried away by the flood," and subsequent
thereto a new dam, saw- and grist-mill was erected
at that point, but the second dam, we are told in 1705,
w.as " carried away by the flood." - In 1740, tradition
states, an extraordinary and destructive freshet oc-
curred in all the creeks in the county, but beyond
that fact no particulars have been handed down to
the present generation. In the winter of 1795 a
heavy, warm rain occasioned the melting of the snow
on the hills and the ice in the runs and creeks of
Delaware County, but as the streams were not, as in
more recent years, blocked with dams, which backed
up the water until the weight broke away the ob-
struction, the damage then sustained, although at
the time it occurred regarded as great, was trifling
when compared with that of 1843. In 1822 a notice-
able freshet occurred iu Delaware County consequent
" on the rapid melting of the deep snow. The mill-
ponds were covered with a thick ice, which was
broken up, and occasioned considerable damage in
addition to that caused by the weight of the water in
the creeks." ■' And again, in November, 1830, when
the river rose so high that the piers at Chester were
submerged and the embankments on the river were
overflowed.
On Friday night, Jan. 24, 1839, rain began to fall,
and continued without intermission until Saturday
afternoon, when it ceased ; the snow and ice, melt-
ing under the warm rains, filling the streams until
' N. Y. Historical Record, vol. xii. p. 365.
> Deed for Samuel Carpenter to Caleb Pussey, Dec. 19, 1706.
* Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. .S55.
they became more swollen than had happened for
forty years before, and the ice, broken into masses
and cakes, crashed and ground against each other as
the rising water swept them outward to the river. In
many places the ice gorged the streams, damming the
waters up until the pressure became so great that the
temporary obstacle was torn away, and the arrested
torrent burst in one great wave onward in its course,
sweeping away mill-dams, bridges, and doing other
damages as it sped seaward. The Westtown stage, as
it crossed the hollow on the Providence side, near the
bridge on Crum Creek, on the road from Springfield
meeting-house to Rose Tree Tavern, was carried away
by the irresistible velocity of the current, which
rushed round the wing walls of the bridge at a dis-
tance of about eighty yards from that structure.
When the stage was borne away by the water it
fortunately contained but two passengers, Joseph
Waterman and a colored woman. They, as well as
the driver, succeeded in getting free from the vehicle,
and, catching some bushes as they swept along, man-
aged to support themselves until assistance came.
The driver finally swam to shore after being in the
water three-quarters of an hour, while the passengers
were extricated from their unhappy plight by means
of ropes lowered to them by the residents in the
neighborhood, who gathered to their assistance, but
not until they had been in the icy water nearly three
hours and were almost frozen. One of the horses was
drowned, and the other was not taken out until four
hours had elapsed.* On Saturday afternoon two sons
of George Serrill, of Darby, made an attempt to save
two horses on the marsh, a few miles below that vil-
lage, but it was impossible to get to the animals, and
turning to retrace their way the water had risen so
much that the horses they rode became fractious, and
plunged down a bank into the main creek. The riders
swam ashore, abandoning the animals, but the latter
also landed safely. The two horses on the meadow
remained there until the Tuesday following before
they could be reached and some hay taken to them.
They were found in almost three feet of water, and
so completely surrounded by ice that it was impossi-
ble to extract them. On Saturday evening a widow
woman and her six children, living on Tinicum
meadow, had to be taken off in a boat, the water at
the time surrounding the house to the depth of seven
* John C. Beatty states that George Dunn, seeing the woman in the
water, ran half a mile and got a rope from the Rock House, and making
it fast he sprang iuto the stream, swam to the woman, and by means of
the rope she was drawn ashore. When the news was brought to the
axe-factory six or eight men ran to the place and found Waterman
standing on a post in a fence below the bridge. It was learned he
could not swim, and just after this fact was made known a cake of ice
struck the post, throwing him into the current. For twenty minutes be
was not seen, and then he was discovered standing on another post, his
face just out of the water. A tree was felled so that it reached towards
him, and George Dunn walked along it and cast a rope to Waterman,
who caught it, and he was drawn ashore. Next spring, after the ice had
all washed away, Mr. Beattj- found the canvas mail-bag, but its contents
were entirely ruined.
100
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, ENNSYLVANIA.
feet. The inmates had sought safety in the second
story, and were taken out through the window fam-
ishing and almost liozen. Severe as was the con-
dition of that family, the situation of a man, his wife,
and four children, residing on the bank of the Dela- [
ware, who had remained without food or fire for three
days until relief came, was more distressing. One of ■
the children was so benumbed with the cold that it I
was totally blind for nearly a day, while the other
little ones were all more or less frost-bitten. The
party who went to their assistance bore the children
in their arms along the bank, between three and four
miles, to a place of safety. A family residing on the i
meadow, between Darby Creek and the Schuylkill !
(not in Delaware County), seemed absolutely beyond j
relief, for around the dwelling for miles the ice and j
water had accumulated. But on Saturday afternoon I
a large boat was manned and pushed out across the
meadow in the direction of the dwelling. The water
froze on the oars, and the drifting ice-cakes seemed as
if they would crush the boat, so heavily did they
strike against its sides, but the crew held firmly to
their purpose, and succeeded in rescuing the family,
— a man, wife, and two children, — who without fire,
food, and but scantily clothed, were in a perishing
condition when help came to them. They were
landed at William Davis' house on Darby Creek,
who sheltered them. The woman was so completely |
exhausted that no snoner had she been received into !
Mr. Davis' dwelling than she fainted, and was with
difficulty revived.
Many bridges were swept away and dam-breasts
broken by the pressure of the flood ; that at Penn's
Grove and Rockdale was completely demolished. On
Chester Creek, at Knowlton, John P. Crozer sustained j
damages amounting to five thousand dollars ; William !
G. Flower, from Chester Mills, had fifty thousand j
feet of lumber floated away ; William Eyre, Jr.. of !
Chester, lost fifteen hundred feet of lumber; J. P. &
William Eyre had fifty tons of coal swept off the '
wharf at the same place, and Samuel Bancroft had a
boat loaded with coal to sink at the dock ; Jabez
Bunting, of Darby, lost three horses by the flood, and
a break was made in the bank of Darby Creek, which '
caused the overflow of the Philadelphia, Wilming- '
ton and Baltimore Railroad, and interrupted travel ;
for several days. '
In four years after this freshet Delaware County '
was visited by a cloud-burst, which wrought wide-
spread destruction along all the streams within its
boundary that were of suflicient size to be termed I
water-powers. The circumstances connected with
the noted "Lammas Flood" are briefly these:
On Saturday morning, Aug. 6, 1843, at daybreak,
the sky indicated rain, and about seven o'clock a '
moderate fall set in, which, while it slackened, never I
entirely ceased until' between the hours of two and
six o'clock that afternoon, when the extraordinary 1
opening of "the windows of heaven" took place
which made such extended ruin and
brief period of time. The rain, when falling most
abundantly, came down in such showers that the
fields in that part of the county removed several
miles back from the river are said to have been
flooded with water almost immediately, and where
the road was lower than the surface of the ground on
either side, the water poured into the highway in a
constant stream of miniature cascades. The light-
ning played incessantly through the falling torrents,
reflected from all sides in the watery mirrors in the
fields producing a weird and spectral appearance,
such that those who witnessed it could evermore
recall. A peculiar feature of the storm was that
Cobb's Creek, on the extreme eastern, and the Brandy-
wine, on the western boundary of the county, were
not swollen to auy remarkable degree, clearly show-
ing that the territory where the violence of the cloud-
burst occurred was noticeably restricted to the feeders
and bodies of Che.ster, Ridley, Crum, and Darby
Creeks.
Dr. Smith states that " as a general rule, the heavy
rain occurred later as we proceed from the source of
the stream towards their mouths. The quantity of
rain which fell decreases as we proceed in the same
direction, particularly from the middle parts of the
county downwards. In those sections of the county
where its greatest violence was expended, the char-
acter of the stream more nearly accorded with that of
a tropical hurricane than with anything which apper-
tained to this region of country. The clouds wore an
unusually dark and lowering api)earance, of which
the whole atmosphere seemed in some degree to par-
take, and this circumstance, no doubt, gave that
peculiarly vivid appearance to the incessant flashes
of lightning which was observed by every one. The
peals of thunder were loud and almost continuous.
The clouds appeared to approach from different direc-
tions, and to concentrate at a point not very distant
from the zenith of the beholder. In many places
there was but very little wind, the rain falling in
nearly per2>endicular streams; at other places it blew
a stiff' breeze, first from the east or northeast and sud-
denly shifting to the southwest, while at a few points
it blew in sudden gusts with great violence, accom-
panied with whirlwinds, which twisted off and pros-
trated large trees, and swept everything before it.'"
The hurricane which occurred in Bethel township
during the storm is thus described :
" The wind blew from different points at different
places in the same neighborhood, as is manifested
from the position of uprooted trees, etc. A peach-
orchard belongiug to Mr. Clayton was blown down,
the trees lying toward the northeast. An apple-
orchard not very distant, lays prostrated towards the
southeast. At John Larkins', two miles north of
Clayton's, the gale appears to have been most violent.
I Pr. Sniilh's " History of Delawui-e Comity,'
STORMS, FRESHETS, AND EARTHQUAKES.
101
The wind came from the southeast, and tore up a large
quantity of heavy timber (said to be about two hun-
dred cords) all in a narrow strip, not more than two
hundred yards in width. A valley of woodland,
bounded by pretty high hills, had nearly all of its
timber blown down, and, what is very remarkable, the
trees are not generally laid lengthwise of the valley
but across it, with their tops towards the northeast,
while on the adjacent hills but few trees were up-
rooted ; one very large white-oak, however, which
was deply and strongly rooted in a clay soil, was
blown down."'
The almost instantaneous rise of the water in the
creeks throughout the county is hardly paralleled in
any flood on record, and the manner in which the
current is related to have moved down the various
streams to the Delaware wonld be incredible if it were
not that the destruction it produced fully sustains the
statements. In Cobb's Creek, as before mentioned,
the water did not rise to a height beyond that usual
in times of freshets, while Darby Creek, separated from
Cobb's, in Upper Darby, by less than a mile of inter-
vening laud, was a wild, struggling torrent, swollen
seventeen feet beyond its usual level, crushing even
solid masonry before it as it rushed outward towards
the river. Ithan Creek, a branch of Darby Creek, in
Radnor, rose to such an unprecedented height that
the arched stone bridge which spanned the stream on
the old Lancaster road, near Radnor Friends' meet-
ing-house, unable to vent the water, was undermined
and fell, allowing the torrent to escape through its
broken archway. On the west branch of Darby Creek,
before that feeder enters Delaware County, consider-
able damage was done in broken dams, which, freeing
the water therein restrained, resulted in augmenting
largely the force of the freshet, which rushed in irre-
sistible force to Hood's bridge, where the Goshen road
crosses the creek, and the double arched stoue struc-
ture there yielded before the mass of water that was
hurled against it, attaining at that point a height of
seven feet beyond the highest point ever before
reached so far as records extend. In its mad career
the torrent injured the mill-dam of Clarence and
William P. Lawrence's grist-mill, and more than a
hundred feet of the western wing wall of the stone
bridge that spanned the creek on the West Chester
road was swept away, the water reaching a point thir-
teen feet beyond its usual level. The stone bridge
near where the Marple and Springfield line meets on
Darby Creek had a large part of the guard-wall de-
molished. At Heysville the lower story of the woolen-
factory then occupied by Jloses Hey was flooded and
the machinery much injured, while the dam there was
entirely swept away.
Farther down the stream the paper-mill of Palmer
& Masker was badly damaged, thirty feet of the build-
j to Delaware County In-
ing was undermined and fell, a paper-machine ruined,
while the race and dam were broken. Just below stood
the paper-mill of Obern Levis, and there the water
leveled the drying-house to its foundations, and, burst-
ing through the doors and windows of the basement
of the mill itself on one side, swept out at the other,
doing great damage to the machinery and stock. A
small cotton-factory at or near the .site of the present
Union Mills, above the Delaware County turnpike in
Upper Darby, then occupied by John and Thomas
Kent, was carried away by the flood, together with
the machinery and stock, and an unoccupied dwelling
was absolutely obliterated, nothing after the passage
of the water remaining to mark the place whereon it
stood. Three stone dwellings were partly carried
away, and several private bridges were borne off' by
the current. At Kellyville the stone picker-house
was washed away, together with the contents, and the
basement story of the mill flooded. The next mill
below, then owned by Asher Lobb's estate, on the
Delaware County turnpike, and occupied by D. and
C. Kelly, was flooded and the dam broken. It was
here that a frame dwelling, near the bridge, occupied
I by Michael Nolan, his wife, five children, and a young
woman, Susan Dowlan, was washed away. As the
water swelled Nolan and his eldest son left the house
to make arrangements to remove the family to a place
of less danger, and not five minutes thereafter the
wing wall of the bridge gave way, the loosened flood
poured onward surrounding the house, and in halfan
i hour bore the building from its foundations. The
' wife and four children were drowned. Susan Dowlan,
when cast into the water, clutched as she was swept
I onward a branch of a tree, and thereby obtained a
foothold on a knot which projected from its trunk in
such a way that the trunk was interposed between her
and the direction in which the floor was moving.
Thus for nearly four hours she remained immersed
to her waist in the water. When the freshet had
subsided in a measure, Charles McClure, John Cun-
ningham, and John Heller made an eflbrt to rescue
her. At great personal danger they ventured into the
; flood and obtained a position where the water was"
shoaling, but an angry torrent still rushed between
them and the tree to which the woman clung. Mc-
Clure, taking the end of a rope, swam to her, and
' fastening it around her she was drawn to a place of
safety. When rescued she was so exhausted that she
could not have held her footing much longer. The
bodies of Mrs. Nolan and her four children were re-
covered the following day. The dam at Matthews'
paper-mill, below Lobb's Run, was washed away to
its foundation, and the water rushed violently through
j the floor of the mill, while farther on, at Bonsall's
grist-mill, the dam and race were injured. The dam
at Thomas Steel's mill, the last one on the creek at
that time, was torn away completely, his cotton-house
and stable removed by the flood, while the water,
rising seventeen and a half feet at that point, inun-
102
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
dated the lower floor of his factory. When the large '
three-arched stone bridge at Darby, which had cost the
county eleven thousand dollars, gave way and fell piece
by piece until nothing but the abutments were left,
Eussell K. Flounders and Josiah Bunting, Jr., the ■
former twenty-one and the latter nineteen years of '
age, were standing on the bridge watching the angry
waters, and were precipitated into the flood and per-
ished. The body of Flounders was found four days
afterwards on the meadows two miles below, while
Bunting's was not recovered for two weeks, when it
was discovered wedged in among the broken arches
of the bridge.
In Crum Creek, immediately below the Chester
County line, at Jonathan W. Hatches' factory, a
vacant dwelling-house was floated oft', and the arch,
one of the abutments, and part of each end of the
wing walls of the stone bridge that spanned the creek
on the West Chester road were washed away, while the
stone arched bridge, known as Howard's bridge, on the
road that intersected with the Newtown and Marple
Line road, was almost destroyed. Below this point
and above Hunter's Kun a sleeper bridge was bodily |
carried off' its abutment. At T. Chalkley Palmer's |
flour-mills the torrent tore away a wide and strong :
embankment; swept into a ruin a stone wagon-house
fifty feet in length, and caused other damages in the
vicinity. Trout Kun, which empties into Crum Creek
some distance below Palmer's mill, was so swollen
that the dam at Willet Paxson's mill was broken
down, and at the bridge that crosses the run on the
road from Springfield meeting-house to the Rose
Tree, the water forced a deep channel through the
western abutment. At Beatty's Hollow, where were
located the edge-tool works, flour-, saw-, and plaster-
mills owned by John C. Beatty, the dam was broken.
All the buildings, except the flour-mill, together with
the county bridge, which crosses the creek immedi-
ately below the works, were swept away. Mr. Beatty
stated that in ten minutes the water rose seven or
eight feet ; that the bridge fell over as if there was no
strength in it, the head-gates burst, and "the edge-
■ tool factory went with a tremendous crash, and in an
instant there was nothing to be seen but water in the
place where it stood."
The day of the flood Mr. Beatty was putting in two
new wheels and building a block for the head-block
to rest on. A neighbor seeing the work, said, "Mr.
Beatty, you are building a monument which will stand
when you and your grandchildren are six feet under
ground. It can't get away." Yet at five o'clock that
afternoon there was not a stone to be found in place.
Perciphor Baker, John Baker, and Mr. Beatty went
to the mill when they found the water rising, and at
that time no water was within twenty-five feet of the
door, yet five minutes afterwards Mr. Beatty, chancing
to look back, saw the water pouring in at tlie door
they had just entered. The three men got out of the
window and ran across the race bridge not a moment
too soon, for hardly had they reached a place of safety
when the works and bridge were swept away before
the wave of water, at least ten feet in height, which
moved down the creek.
At the paper-mill of John Lewis, now J. Howard
Lewis, part of the draw was swept away and the lower
part of the mill flooded. The wooden bridge which
spanned the creek at the Philadelphia, New London
and Baltimore turnpike road was carried off" by the
current, while the dam of George Lewis' cotton-mills
— now Wallingford — was destroyed, as also a stone
dye-house, and the lower story inundated, the water
rising twenty feet above its usual level. The dams at
Strathaven and Avondale, the first located where
Dick's Run enters the stream and the latter near
where the Springfield roads cross Crum Creek (the
factories at both places were then owned by William
J. Leiper and occupied by James Riddle), were par-
tially swept away. All the houses of the operatives
at Avondale were submerged to the second stories ;
the county bridge had its guard wall destroyed, and a
team of five horses was drowned, the water rising so
rapidly that the animals could not be gotten out of
the stable. Farther down the creek George G. Leip-
er's mill-dam was damaged and his canal broken,
while a large tree coming down the stream root first
was forced through one of the windows of the mill
and got fastened in the machinery. The stone bridge
that crossed the Queen's Highway at Leiperville had a
small portion of the western wing walls carried away,
and thirty-six head of cattle belonging to John Hol-
land, which had been borne down the stream, passed
beneath the arch and succeeded in reaching the
meadow below it uninjured.
On Ridley Creek some slight damage occurred in
Willistown, Chester Co., and the dam at the grist-
mill of James Yarnall, near the county line, in Edg-
mont, on a stream that empties into Ridley Creek,
sustained injury, while the county bridge that crosses
the creek on the highway from Providence road to
the school-house near Howellville, known as Russell's
bridge, was injured to some extent. At Amor Bish-
op's mill the dam was destroyed and the buildings
considerably damaged. Two houses, together with the
furniture, were swept away. Strangely, the bridge at
this point remained intact, although the greater part
of the abutments on the western side was overthrown
by the water. Edward Lewis' paper-mill below the
Delaware County turnpike was demolished, as was also
his saw-mill, and his flour-mill was nearly destroyed.
The county bridge above him was hurled from its
place and went down with the flood. Edward Lewis
and his son, Edward, were in the third story of the
grist-mill, when that structure began to yield and part
of the walls fell, leaving them exposed in that perilous
position. They subsequently reached a place of safety
by use of a rope. The woolen-mill of Edward Taylor,
then owned by Charles Sherman, was greatly injured,
as well as the machinery and goods therein; the dam
STORMS, FRESHETS, AND EARTHQUAKES.
103
was destroyed and three houses carried away by the !
freshet. A double frame house, occupied by William
Tombs and James Rigley and their families, floated
down the stream, lodging against the factory, opposite
a window in the picker-room. From the upper win-
dow of his house Rigley succeeded in passing his wife
and child into the mill, and then rescued Tombs
(who was ill at the time), his wife and two children
from the garret of the house, to do which he was com-
pelled to break a hole in the roof How quickly he
acted may be gathered from the fact that in six min-
utes from the time this house rested against the mill \
it was again whirling down the stream. Below the '
woolen-factory of Samuel Bancroft the water reached '
twenty feet above the usual level. A portion of the •
factory, fifty by thirty-six feet, was absolutely de-
stroyed, a quantity of wool was washed away and lost,
and four dwellings wrecked. The latter was a long
stone building which had been altered into four
houses. In one of the centre dwellings resided George
Hargraves, his wife, five children, and his brother,
William Hargraves, and in the adjoining one lived
Thomas W. Brown, his wife and child. When the
flood came they endeavored to secure the household
goods in the basement ; the water rose so rapidly that
their escape was cut off, and they retreated to the !
second storj-. William Hargraves, finding the walls of
the building yielding to the force of the flood, plunged
into the water and was carried down the stream for
more than half a mile until, catching in a standing
tree, he succeeded in holding on until the flood sub-
sided and he was saved. While there, his brother
George and his four eldest children on a bed borne by
the current, passed by, and a moment after William
saw them hurled into the water and drowned. The
bodies were found about nine miles farther down the
stream, that of the youngest child firmly grasped in
its father's arms. Jane Hargrave, the wife of George,
when the water broke through the house, with her
baby in her arms, was standing in a corner of the
room, and strangely that part of the floor, only a few
feet square, remained, and there the woman stood for
five long hours until rescued by Thomas Holt. In
the adjoining dwelling Thomas W. Brown, his wife,
and child stood on a corresponding part of the floor
where Mrs. Hargrave stood, only it was not more
than half as large as that she occupied. All else of
the two middle houses was carried away save that
part of the wall which held up these broken pieces
of the second-story flooring-boards.
On Vernon's Run, which empties into Ridley Creek,
the dam of the flour-mill of Thomas Hutton was swept
away. At Park Shee's paper-mill the breast of the
dam and the buildings were much injured, and two
small houses destroyed. Here the water rose to twenty
feet. At Edward Taylor's lower factory, — now Ban-
croft's,— then owned by Charles Shermans, the dam
was carried away, and the building used as a machine-
shop and picker-house destroyed, together with the
machinery therein. The basement story of the mill
itself was submerged. The wooden county bridge on
the road from Hinkson's to Sneath's Corner was swept
away, and the abutments injured. Some damage was
done to the rolling-mill of J. GitFord Johnson, while
at the woolen- and flour-mills of Enos Sharpless, at
Waterville, the water rose eighteen feet, flooding the
basement story, doing considerable damage, and a
counting-house, a bath-house, and a temporary bark-
house floated off". The bridge was carried away, but
lodged less than a mile down the creek, and was sub-
sequently recovered. Three-fourths of the dam was
destroyed. John M. Sharpless, at the same place,
lost a cooper-shop and its contents, while at the stone
bridge which spanned the creek on the Providence road
the arches were swept away, and one of the abutments
was almost entirely destroyed. At Pierce Crosby's
mill — now Irving's — the water rose twenty-one feet
above the usual level, the dam was carried away, one
dwelling floated off", and the flour- and saw-mill much
injured. The county bridge at Crosbyville was swept
ott'its abutments and broken. Farther down the creek,
at the Queen's Highway, the eastern abutment was
washed out and the bridge whirled down the current,
while the railroad bridge at the present Eddystone
Station was greatly damaged and the tressel-work on
the eastern side swept away.
On the east branch of Chester Creek the dam at the
rolling and nail factory belonging to the estate of
John Edwards, in Thornbury, was broken, and a like
damage was done at the paper- and flour-mill of James
M. Wilcox, where a protection wall at the end of his
mill was torn away. The tilt-mill of Thomas Thatcher
was absolutely destroyed, nothing remaining after the
waters subsided but the tilt-hammer and grindstone.
Grubb's bridge, on the State road, although not carried
away, was badly injured. At Lenni the dam was de-
stroyed and the county bridge rendered almost worth-
less, while about half a mile farther down the stream
— at a large cotton factory belonging to the estate of
Peter Hill, now Parkmount Mills, then unoccupied —
the dam was broken and the mill injured.
It is necessary now to retrace our course up the east
branch of Martin's or Rocky Run to David Green's
cotton factory, located about half a mile south of
Howellville. The dam here was washed away and
the mill — the first story stone and the remainder
frame — yielded to the torrents, and a large part of the
stone work was removed, but sufiicient remained to
support the frame superstructure. The dam at the
flour-mill of Humphrey Yearsley, in Middletown,
about three-quarters of a mile south of the Edgmont
line, gave way, as did also that at the saw-mill of Jo-
seph Pennell, on Rocky Run, about three-quarters of
a mile before the latter stream entered into the eastern
branch of Chester Creek.
Ascending the west branch of the same stream, the
first dam on Chester Creek was at Caleb Brinton's
grist-, saw-, and clover-mill, in Thornbury, just above
104
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the Concord line, and here the dam gave way, as did
also that of the flour-mill of Matthew Ash, in Concord,
above Deborah's Run. The dam at the flour- and saw-
mill of Casper W. Sharpless, about three-quarters of a
mile lower down the stream, was broken, the water
rising ten feet beyond its usual level. At the cotton-
factory of Joseph M. Trimble, below the State road,
the dam gave way, as did also that at the paper-mill
of James M. Wilcos, at Ivy Mills. At this point the
flood moved a store-house several feet, without de-
stroying it. In Green Creek the water rose to an ex-
traordinary height. At Samuel F. Peter's saw- and
grist-mill, in Aston, just east of the Concord line and
near the mouth of Green Creek, the dam was swept
away and the saw-mill submerged to the roof. The
freshet poured along the west branch and carried off
the bridge where the Logtown road crosses that
stream. At this place James Shelly Tyson's grist-
mill was located, and here, as before, the dam broke
and a dwelling-bouse was floated off. One mile be-
low this point was the West Branch Mills of John P.
Crozer, and less than a half-mile beyond, at Crozer-
ville, was another cotton-factory belonging to the same
gentleman. When the streams began to swell rapidly
Mr. Crozer dispatched his son, Samuel A. Crozer, to
the West Branch Mills, where he found the hands, as a
precautionary measure, already engaged in removing
goods from the lower to the upper story of the ware-
house. Shortly after five o'clock the dam gave way,
and soon after the warehouse, stoue by stone, yielded
to the flood, and fell with a crash, while at the same
time the water-wheel, mill-gearing, dye-house and
size-house floaied away. Soon after, the northern
wing of the three-story mill, forty-eight by thirty feet,
began to give way, and, falling, carried with it eighty
power-looms, much machinery, and goods. One of
the corners of the centre building was also carried
away, and the whole structure was momentarily ex-
pected to fall. But the flood had spent its fury, and
the work of destruction ceased at this point. The
lower story of the mill at Crozerville was flooded, and
the cotton-house, containing a number of bales, was
swept away, as was also the county bridge at this
place, while the abutments were leveled to the foun-
dation.
The two branches of Chester Creek meeting at Cro-
zerville, the united flood ran madly down the stream,
which was swollen nearly twenty-four feet above its
ordinary level. A story and a half building, formerly
used as a machine shop by John Garsed, who had just
taken the tools out, was washed entirely away, and
the machinery in Riddle's mills was much damaged.
One of the two stone houses owned by George Peter-
son was washed away, and the other excessively dam-
aged. The larger part of the furniture was floated
out and borne off by the current. Near by John
Rhoads, an aged man, owned four small houses, one
of which was occupied by himself and family, and the
others by tenants. The flood swei)t the buildings ab-
solutely away, leaving no trace, when the waters sub-
sided, that they had ever stood there.
At the time the torrent poured down upon them,
John Rhoads, his daughters, Hannah and Jane, and
his granddaughter, Mary Ann Collingsworth, were in
the dwelling, and with it they were swept away. All of
them were drowned. In one of the houses, Mary Jane
McGuigan and her infant child was washed away and
perished. Her body was found early in April, 1844, a
short distance from where the house which she occu-
pied at the time of the freshet stood. The body of
John Rhoads was found two and a half miles down
the creek, one of his daughters at Baldwin's Run,
nearly five miles away, while the body of the other
daughter was borne into the Delaware, and was found
near Naaman's Creek, about six miles below the mouth
of Chester Creek. The corpse of the grandchild was
not found until nearly six months afterwards, when a
heavy rain on Jan. 17, 1844, washed away some earth
near where Rhoads' house had stood, and exposed
the remains to view. The superstructure of the county
bridge at Pennsgrove was carried away, and imme-
diately below, at Rockdale, the two dams of Richard
S. Smith's factories were destroyed, as well as a block
of four stone houses, fortunately at the time unoccu-
pied.
At Knowlton the water rose thirty-three feet
above the ordinary level of the creek, but this was
partly due to the fact that driftwood gathered against
the bridge, choking up the archways and, acting as a
dam, turned the body of the flood against the factories
at that point. Mr. Crozer's " Knowlton Mill," a three-
storied stone building, thirty-six by seventy-six feet,
recently fitted with new machinery, was razed to its
foundation, the roof floating ofi' as a whole, and the
bell in the cupola tolling as the mass undulated on
the struggling torrent. It was well that the disaster
occurred when it did, for the hands, over fifty persons,
had all retired to their homes, hence not a life was
there lost. At the same place a frame mill owned by
Mr. Crozer, and occupied by James Dixon, was swept
away. Every dollar's worth of property the latter had
in the world was lost, besides he was left in debt
nearly a thousand dollars ; but Mr. Crozer, his cred-
itor, although he had sustained a loss of over seventy-
five thousand dollars, immediately released Dixon
from the obligation. The resistless water, as it sped
onward to the Delaware, carried away J. & I. P.
Dutton's flour-mills, which had stood nearly a cen-
tury, as well as the saw-mill, barn, and wagon-house
at that point.
Even the mansion-house was invaded by the flood,
and two rooms were stripped of their furniture. Jona-
than Dutton barely escaped with his life. He was
carrying some articles from the lower to an upper
story of the mill, when the great mass of water came
rushing down upon the building. He fled to the
upper story, and, feeling that the structure was yield-
ing to the tori'ents, he sprang out of a window, and
STORMS, FRESHETS, AND EARTHQUAKES.
105
fortunately succeeded iu reaching a place of safety.
The county bridge was here destroyed.
In the meadow just above Upland, Mary Jackson,
a colored woman, was with her husband gathering
drift-wood when the flood rushed down upon her,
and hesitating for a moment in which direction to
flee, he was overwhelmed by the water and drowned.
The Chester Flour- and Saw-Mills, then owned by
Richard Flower, were much injured, and the bridge
at that place was swept away and the abutment
greatly damaged. William G. Flower, who was at
the time lessee of his father's mill, was in the meadow
when the waters rushed down upon him, and he was
whirled along until he succeeded in catehi<ig a vine
which was entwined around a large tree on the race
bank, and by means of which he mounted into, the
branches, but the tree was torn up by the roots, and
among drift-wood, timber, and trees he was carried
down by the flood until he was lodged in a standing
tree, to which he clung, although much exhausted,
until the flood had in a measure abated, when Abner
Wood bravely swam to him, carrying a rope, by
means of which Mr. Flower was safely brought to
shore.
At Chester the Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad bridge was swept away, together
with part of the western abutment; and the county
bridge, at the present Third Street, was thrown from
its place, but, as the superstructure was held by the
chains on the eastern side, it did not prove a total
loss. The pattern-house, with its contents, at Jacob
G. Kitts' foundry, was floated away, as was the stone
kitchen from William Kerlin's house, still standing
on Third Street, near Penn, and the dwelling itself
was much damaged, while a frame house and other
outbuildings belonging to Mr. Kerlin were destroyed.
The dwelling-house was occupied by William Benton,
and all his household goods, his cart, dearborn, and
other personal property were swept away. A bureau,
containing his and his children's clothing, his watch,
and all the money he had, was found floating at
Pennsgix)ve, N. J., and was returned to Mr. Benton
by the finder. It is reported that the water rose at
Chester' one foot a minute until it reached a point
twenty-three feet higher than the ordinary high-
water mark.
As stated before, the volume of water on the Bran-
dywine was not greatly increased, although some
damage was done on that stream. The branches of
Beaver Creek, a feeder of the Brandywine, in Dela-
ware County, being within the territory where the
cloud-burst occurred, rose sufiiciently to break the
dam at the saw-mill of Reese Perkins, just above where
the Delaware line, at the extreme southwestern line
of Birmingham, joins Concord township. The loss,
however, was not great. Harvey's Run, which emp-
ties into the Brandywine a short distance below
Chad's Ford, rose sufficient to break the dam of
Thomas Brinton's grist-mill and that of Joseph P.
Harvey's saw-mill, but, so far as I have learned,
very little damage other than that stated was sus-
tained on that tributary.
Thirty-two county bridges were destroyed or seri-
ously injured by the flood, while the individual losses
on Darby Creek and its tributaries amounted to
twenty thousand dollars ; on Crum Creek, twenty-
four thousand dollars; on Ridley, thirty-nine thou-
sand dollars ; and Chester Creek, one hundred and
five thousand dollars.
On Saturday, July 8, 1853, a destructive hail-storm
passed over the townships of Thornbury, Upper and
Nether Providence, Springfield, Upper Darby, and
Darby, leveling the crops to the earth, and producing
other damage. At Media over a hundred lights were
broken iu the court-house windows, a large number
of those at the Charter House and in private houses,
while at Crook's (Bancroft's) upper factory nearly
every pane of glass on the west side of the building
was broken.
Thursday, Aug. 11, 1870, the most violent storm
and freshet to that time since the notable one of
August, 1843, occurred, and the destruction it occa-
sioned in Delaware County reached a quarter of a
million dollars. On Rocky Run, twenty-five feet of
the breast of Humphrey Yearsley's flour-mill, iu
Middletown, was swept away, as was also that at
James Pennell's mill, farther down the stream. The
flood, swollen by the contributions from these dams,
rushed down upon the West Chester and Philadelphia
I Railroad bridge which spans the run above Wawa,
{ and near Pennelton Station. The five o'clock train
j from West Chester reached the bridge just when the
water was the most turbulent, and the structure gave
j way beneath the weight of the train, together with
j the pressure of the flood. The engine, baggage-car,
' and a passenger-car were thrown into the stream.
I Fortunately, George W. Evans, the engineer, notic-
I ing that the bridge seemed wavering, whistled " down
brake," the headway of the train was in a mea.sure
arrested, and it so happened that the first passenger-
I car, which contained about thirty persons, lingered
i for a few moments on the edge of the stream, just
I sufiicient to permit the escape of the passengers, and
! then it plunged into the water. The fireman, who
sprang from the engine when the whistle sounded,
j escaped without injury, but the engineer, brakeman,
i and baggage-master were much hurt.
At Lenni the dam at the factory of Robert L.
: Martin was broken, not less than a hundred feet of
the dam -breast being torn away, and the loosened
! waters deluged the first story of the mill, damaging
! machinery, ruining goods, and making great havoc
i as it rushed by. At Parkmount, near Lenni, a por-
; tion of the dam-breast at George Glodhill's mill also
j gave way. Chester Creek was filled with floating
rubbish; lumber, logs, pig-styes, — the squeaking ani-
I mals still in the pens, — buckets, tables, stools, and
i hundreds of other articles were borne off by the
106
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
rushing torrent. At Samuel Bancroft's upper bank,
on Eidley Creek, the water rose rapidly, flooding the
lower floor of the mill, damaging machinery, and
injuring goods. The bridge over the race at this
point was washed away. At John Fox's Hillboro'
Mills the dam was injured, the house over the water-
wheel of the mill, and part of the dye-house, with
articles of personal property, were carried off, causing
a loss of ten thousand dollars. The Rose Valley
Mill of Antrim Osborn & Son was much injured, the
dam-breast broken, and the wool-sbeds and other
property were floated off, causing a damage of nearly
six thousand dollars. Two sloops belonging to Spen-
cer Mcllvain & Son were lifted over the bank at
Ridley Creek and stranded thirty yards from that
water-course, while the bridge over the Queen's
Highway, although it was lifted a foot from its foun-
dation, fortunately was not carried off its abutments.
At the paper-mill of J. Howard Lewis, on Crum Creek,
the damages sustained amounteil to nearly five thou-
sand dollars, and at the axe-works of John C. Beatty
the loss of property was greater than at Lewis' mill.
On Tuesday evening, July 11, 1871, violent rain fell
in torrents for half an hour, accompanied by vivid
lightning and heavy thunder. The storm, which
moved from the direction of New Castle and ex-
tended to Philadelphia, included only the river town-
ships in its passage through this county. Li South
Chester, the walls of several houses in course of erec-
tion were blown down and much other damage sus-
tained. In Chester part of the walls of the house of
Humphrey Fairlamb, in North Ward, was destroyed,
the roof of National Hall much injured, and in South
Ward a frame building was bodily moved from its
foundation. In Ridley lightning struck a tree at J.
Morgan Baker's brick-yard, near Leiperville, shatter-
ing it to pieces, and Mrs. John Dunlevy, while stand-
ing near the door of her house at Leiper's Landing,
on Crum Creek, was struck by lightning. When car-
ried into the dwelling she showed no visible signs of
life, and although respiration was resumed in a short
time, she remained in a comatose state until noon of
the next day. At the dwelling of George Caldwell,
on the Edgmont road, in Chester township, a large
sycamore-tree was struck. The lightning, it is said,
like a great white ball, descended from the tree to the
well-curb, where it exploded with a deafening noise.
Fences and trees were prostrated and uprooted, while
the air was filled with broken branches during the
violence of the storm.
A furious gale, extending from Washington to the
New England States, occurred on Wednesday, Feb.
2, 1876. At Morton Station, in Springfield, an unfin-
ished house was blown down, and at Aston a new barn
being erected on the farm of George Drayton was also
demolished. The tin-roofing of Patterson's mill, at
Chester, was partly torn away, as was also that on the
residence of Rev. Henry Brown. A portion of the
roof of the Sunnvside Mill was blown off. as was also
part of that of the barn at the Pennsylvania Military
Academy. In Chester township a house on the farm
{ of Abram C. Lukins was overturned, the roof of the
i picker-room of No. 3 mill, at Upland, was carried
bodily into the creek, and two brick houses near Kirk-
man's mill, in South Chester, had the roofa taken off
by the gale. The velocity of the wind is said to have
exceeded forty miles an hour in this vicinity.
On Sept. 15, 1876, occurred a storm exceeding in
violence any which bad preceded it in thirty years.
Throughout the county the corn was blown flat to the
earth and the blades stripped from the stalks by the
wind, pears and apples shaken from the limbs and
fences laid prostrate, while houses and outbuildings
were unroofed and otherwise injured. Tinicum
Island and Morris' Ferry to the Lazaretto was almost
entirely submerged. Jacob Alburger's meadow of one
hundred acres was overflowed, his corn crop almost
destroyed, and many tons of hay floated off. His loss
was computed at several thousand dollars. The banks
of Darby Creek were breached in many places, and
the damage sustained was great. In Chester, all the
cellars in the Middle Ward, near Chester Dock, were
filled with water, and in some instances the dwellers
, in the houses in that locality were removed in boats
to places of safety. The floor of the chemical works,
at the foot of Market Street, was covered with water
to the depth of two feet, and salt cake, valued at five
hundred dollars, and other articles, were destroyed.
The tin roof of Irving & Leiper's mill was blown off,
; carrying with it many of the rafters, and a large quan-
tity of coal was swept from the mill-wharf into the
river, involving a loss of nearly seven hundred dol-
lars. The lower floor of Patterson's mill, near Chester
Creek, was covered with water, causing much damage
to the machinery, and the greater part of the coal for
the mill was forced into the creek. Morton, Black &
I Bro., at their lumber-yard, near the mouth of Ridley
I Creek, lost nearly five thousand dollars by the storm.
I Along the line of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad telegraph-poles were blown over
i the track, and in many cases the wires prevented the
passage of the cars until removed. The aggregate
loss throughout the county was many thousands of
dollars.
Sunday, July 28, 1877, a rain storm of much vio-
lence visited our county, particularly the townships
of Nether Providence, Middletown, Newtown, Edg-
mont, Marple, and Springfield. The streams were
gorged with the torrents of rain which had fallen;
but noticeable was this the case with Crum Creek,
which, about midnight, carried away the bridge at
I Paxon's Hollow, and another on the same road. The
1 culvert which crosses the road at George Allen's,
unable to vent the water, blocked it there until it in-
undated the road for several hundred yards, making
! it impassable. The highways through Upper Provi-
; deuce, Darby, Springfield, and other townships were
much injured. At Beatty's axe-factory the water rose
STORMS, FRESHETS, AND EARTHQUAKES.
107
ten feet, carried away the bridge at Holt's mill, and
rushed forward towards the dam at Strathaven. J.
Howard Lewis, hearing the noise of rushing waters,
and fearing that a freshet might follow the rain, went
to his paper-mill at midnight, and not long afterwards
the waters of Crura Creek covered the lower floor of
the building to the depth of three feet, but subsided
without doing any serious injury save floating away
several ricks of straw. The dam at Strathaven '
banked the torrent for a time, but it only augmented
the power of the flood, for when the obstruction finally
gave way a roaring mass of water came with a rush
down towards Avondale. Neill Melloy, one of the -
operatives in John Greer & Co.'s mill at the latter
place, had risen to smoke, and as the stars were shin-
ing brightly had walked to the hillside spring for a
drink, when chancing to look up the creek he saw the
flood approaching. Without a moment's delay he ran
from liouse to house waking the slumbering inmates.
Not a moment too soon, for the rushing water forced
the foot-bridge away, uprooted trees, swept away the
wool-house, poured into the mill and into the houses,
from which the dwellers fled in their night clothing.
In several cases women sleeping in the upper stories
were lifted through the windows by Neill Melloy
(who preserved his presence of mind), and passed to
parties without, who bore them to places of safety.
Over a dozen houses were flooded and greatly injured. '
Daybreak disclosed the fearful damage that had been
wrought, and everywhere were strewn broken articles
of household furniture, while clearly defined in places
along the banks and on the houses were marks show-
ing that the water had risen to the height of fifteen
feet.
On the 9th of October following, the most violent
rain-storm since 1843 swept over our county. Early
in the evening of that day the wind blew heavily, in-
creasing to such an extent that the Philadelphia, Wil-
mington and Baltimore Railroad dispatched no trains
from Philadelphia southward after nine o'clock, al-
though the storm ceased an hour before midnight.
Chester Creek was swollen to a rushing torrent. From
a short distance above Rockdale down to its mouth
great damage was done. The dam at West Branch
and Crozerville Mills broke, as did that at Glen Rid-
dle, and much damage was done at J. B. Rhoads &
Brother's mill at Llewellyn. The hurrying water
forced its way into the lower floors and engine-rooms
of Crozer's mills at Upland, and a carpenter-shop at
No. 1 mill floated down the stream, accompanied with
numerous articles of personal property which had
been caught by the flood in its course. At Chester
boats and shallops torn from their moorings were car-
ried out into the river, and the yacht " White Wing"
drifted down the Delaware. Along the line of the
Chester Creek and Baltimore Central Railroad the
damage was so great that for two days no trains passed
over the road because of washouts and uprooted trees
which lay upon the track. At Bridgewater an engine
and tender was thrown from the road by a break
in the track there, and between Chad's Ford and
Brandywine Summit the road had so sunk that it was
dangerous. A culvert east of the latter place was
washed out, at Chad's Ford the railroad bridge was
swept away, and a short distance below Concord
Station a small bridge was carried off, while another
near by had so sunk that it could not be crossed until
repaired. The lumber in the yard of Alexander Scott
& Son at that place was strewn in every direction,
while fences and trees were leveled to the earth.
Three acres of corn belonging to George S. Cheyney
was absolutely annihilated.
At Darby, Griswold's mill was partially inundated,
which, with the coal that was washed from the wharf,
occasioned a loss of over ten thousand dollars. A
stable at the same place belonging to William D. R.
Serrill was inundated, and two horses drowned. Some
damage was sustained by J. Howard Lewis, at his
paper-mill on Crum Creek, while at Morton a large
unfinished stable belonging to Judge Morton was
partly blown down, and much injury sustained at his
brick-kilns, near by that station.
A terrible tornado swept over this county on Wed-
nesday morning, Oct. 23, 1878, causing great destruc-
tion of property. At Media trees, fences, and barns
were leveled with the earth, and a dwelling-house on
State Street, near Jackson, being erected by Ralph
Buckley, was blown down, and Mr. Buckley, who was
in the building at the time, was buried in the ruins
and seriously injured. The sheds of the Methodist
Church in Middletown were torn away, and the lumber
so broken that it was useful only as kindling, while
in all parts of the county great damages marked the
tracks of the storm. At Glen Riddle the wagon of
James Howarth, the mail carrier, was thrown against
a telegraph-pole just as he was entering the bridge
over the West Chester Railroad, which prevented
Howarth from being precipitated over an embank-
ment nearly forty feet in height. The wagon was
demolished.
In Chester the frame stable of the Hanley Hose
Company was destroyed ; so was also the drill-hall of
the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and a row of
eight unfinished houses on Second and Norris Streets
were thrown down in a mass of ruins, as were some
houses on Penn Street, above Sixth, then building.
The roofs of St. Paul's, First and Second Presbyterian,
Madison Street, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Churches were injured, as were Patterson's, Ledward's,
Gartside's, Barton's, and Irving & Leiper's mills;
Sanville's spar-shed. Cox's sash-factory, the sugar-
refinery, and the engine-house and mould-lofts at
Roach's ship-yard were blown entirely or partially off.
In South Chester the front wall of a row of brick
houses belonging to Mr. Kirkman was forced in, and
the Democratic wigwam at that borough torn to
pieces. Over fifty houses in Chester, North and South
Chester, and Upland were unroofed. The tide rose
108
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
far above its usual height, so that the water covered
the vfharves, submerged the Front Street Railroad,
flooded Roach's ship-yard, Lewis' Chester Dock Mills,
and inundated the lower floor of the Steamboat Ho-
tel. Morton, Black & Brother's planing-mill and
lumber-yard suffered damage amounting to three
thousand dollars, while at Mendenhall & Johnson's,
Button & Anderson's, and J. & C. D. Pennell's lum-
ber-yards the loss was large. Three cuual-boats sunk
at Weidner's wharf. As a storm simply it was the
most furious one ever recorded as happening in this
county.
Earthquakes.— The first earthquake which is re-
corded as having occurred in this vicinity was in
October, 1727, and was so violent that in Philadelphia,
New York, and Boston it " set the clocks to running
down, and shook off china from the shelves,'" and in
1732 slight shocks were noticed in this part of the
country. On Dec. 7, 1738, a severe shock was felt at
night, " accompanied by a remarkable rumbling
noise ; people waked in their beds, the doors flew
open, bricks fell from the chimneys, the consternation
was serious, but, happily, no great damage ensued."'^
On Nov. 18, 1755, a severe shock was felt for eight
hundred miles on the Atlantic coast, including this
locality." On the night of March 22, 1763, a smart
shock was felt, and on Sunday, Oct. 13, 1763, an earth-
quake, accompanied by a loud roaring noise, alarmed
the good people of Philadelphia and surrounding
country, and the congregations in churches and
meeting-houses, fearing that the buildings would fall
upon them, dismissed themselves without tarrying for
the benediction. In an old volume on which is in-
dorsed "Peter Mendenhall, his almanac for the year
1772,"' still in the ownership of his descendants in
Chester County, under date of April 25, 1772, he re-
cords this interesting item : " At or near eight o'clock
in the morning the roaring of an earthquake was
heard, succeeded by a shake which made the house to
tremble. A second ensued soon after the first had
ceased, which was more violent." Peter Mendenhall
then resided on a farm in Delaware County. On Jan.
8, 1817, an earthquake occurred which tossed vessels
about the river and raised the water one foot. On
Sunday evening, June 17, 1871, about ten o'clock, the
shock of an earthquake was distinctly felt in Delaware
County, and on Monday morning, October 9th of the
same year, at 8.40 o'clock, a severe shock was felt from
Perryville, Md., to Philadelphia. The dwellings in
the southern part of the county shook and trembled
to their foundations, causing the inmates to run in
alarm out of their houses. A rumbling sound as of
the reverberation after the discharge of a cannon
occurred during the shock. The quivering of the
earth was more noticeable in the western part of this
1 Wataon'B Annals,
p. 427.
• Smith's " History of New Jersey
413; Smith's "History of New Jersey,'
county and in Chester Countj'. Bayard Taylor, who '
was at Cedarcroft, his residence, at Kennett Square,
in a letter to the New York Tribune thus describes the
shock in that locality :
" The first symptoms were a low, rumbling sound, which rapidly in-
creased to a loud, jarring noise, as if a dozeu iron safes were rolliog over
the floors. The house shook from top to bottom, and at the end of ten
or fifteen seconds both the noise and vibration were so violeut as to
alarm all the inmates. I had frequently experienced heavy earthquake
shocks in other countries, but in no instances were they accompanied
with such a loud and long-continued reverberation. For about fifteen
seconds longer the shock gradually diminished, but the jarring noise
was heard, seemingly in the distance, after the vibration ceaaed to be
felt. The men at work in the held stated that the sound was first heard
to the northward, that it apparently passed under their feet at the mo-
ment of greatest vibration, and then moved otf southward. The birds
all flew from their perches in the trees and hedges, and darted back and
forth in evident terror. The morning had been very sultry and over-
cast, but the sky cleared and a fresh wind arose immediately after-
wards. The wooden dwellings in the village were so shaken that the
people all rushed into the streets. Some crockery was broken, I be-
lieve, but no damage was done to walls or chimneys. There was a light
shock about midnight the following night. The first seemed to me to
be nearly as violent as those succeeding the great earthquake which
destroyed Corinth in 1858. It is thirty or forty year.'* since any shock
has been felt in this neighborhood."
On June 6, 1869, during a rainfall at Chester, oc-
curred a shower of shells. Specimens of the shells
were collected, and became the subject of consider-
ation by the members of the Academy of Natural
Sciences in Philadelphia.* The shells proved to be a
new species of Asiarte, a genus that is essentially
marine and found in every sea. The delicate char-
acter of the specimens indicate a Southern habitat, —
most probably the coast of Florida, — and as the storm
came in that direction it is believed that they came
from there, and possibly were lifted into the clouds
by a water-spout. The specimens which were gath-
ered by the late Hon. Y. S. Walter, and presented to
Mr. John Ford, a member of the Academy of Natural
Sciences, in remembrance of the peculiar circum-
stances in which they were discovered to the scien-
tific world received the name Adarte Nubigena, or
the cloud-born Astarte.
CHAPTER XV.
THE TKN-HOUE MOVEMENT.^
OxE of the most important movements, and, in the
results which have flowed from it, of great moment
to the people of Delaware County, the State of Penn-
sylvania, and, more or less, to the country at large,
was first put into practical efl'ect in the eastern por-
tion of this State, and mainly through the eflTorts of a
comparatively few individuals in the county of Dela-
ware.
Much has been said and much controversy elicited
of Chester," p. 163.
THE TENHOUR MOVEMENT.
109
as to the policy of attempting to regulate merely
social or business questions by the aid or power of
law. A great deal may be said on both sides, much
of it probably to little or no good purpose. But the
regulation of the time during which labor may be
carried on in large manufacturing establishments has
worked so well, and been productive of so vast an
amount of unmixed good to at this time a full gener-
ation of factory operatives ; the benefits and blessings
derived from it by old and young, by both employer
and employe during more than a third of a century,
establish the beneficial effects of the policy beyond
doubt or cavil. For many years in England after the
introduction of laior-saving machinery and the con- I
sequent aggregation of large numbers of persons of I
all ages and of both sexes in manufacturing establish- j
ments, it became necessary for the successful prose-
cution of the business that some certain regulations
be adopted to that end. Much of the machinery and
many of the processes are of that character that can i
be operated with much greater success and far more '
advantageously by children and young persons than '
by adults. Indeed, if children were entirely banished 1
from such establishments, it is a question whether 1
many articles now made both for use and ornament
would not have to be abandoned altogether, to the
manifest disadvantage of the whole community. As
time went on, and as manufacturing by machinery
instead of mere manual labor became a success, it
was altogether in human nature to endeavor to make
as much out of it during a given time as possible ;
and as farming the soil and what is generally known
as the mechanical trades were the chief employments
of the people, and as each individual was his own
"boss," it necessarily followed that eveiy one was free
to work as his necessities or his inclinations impelled
him, or to lay otf and rest when physical or other
causes induced him to do so. Not so in the new
system of combined labor in factories. The single
individual must give way to the aggregate. Rules
had to be made. The machinery must be started at
a certain agreed-upon time, and must all stop to-
gether. There had to be order and uniformity, or
the thing would not work. In this, the new system,
precedent was followed. The old custom on the farm
and in the shop was adhered to, to begin as soon in
the morning and work as late at night as they could
see. Of course, in the beginning, when the insti-
tutions were small and not yet fully organized or
developed, there would be breaks from one cause or
another, and the ill effects of the system would not
be felt. It was only as it progressed, and the num-
bers engaged tlierein increased, and the necessity of all
being employed at one time for the general good, that
it became monotonous. Then was felt the depressing
influence on the human mind and body of this then
recognized custom. It has been described as worse
than the British treadmill discipline, established for
the punishment of crime, or the system of slavery as
then existing in our own Southern States, the only
difference being that the one was free to leave it and
learn something new to enable him to live, — better if
he could, or worse if he had to ; the other had not
that option. In England, where the system was first
established, it made much slower progress than in the
United States at a later period. But it was there
that the depressing influence of the daily routine on
the minds and bodies of those subject to it began to
make itself heard in complaints both loud and deep.
Unfortunately, at that time the masses of the people
in England were without political power or influence.
But a few humane and intelligent gentlemen of educa-
tion, outside of their ranks, took up their cause, purely
from motives of humanity. Notably among these
was the late Richard Oastler, Esq., afterwards known
among his humble adherents, from his zeal in their
cause, as "the Old King." Some time after this their
complaints reached the Houses of Parliament, when
the late Lord Ashley took up the matter, and pressed
it with such vigor and earnestness that it resulted in
the passage of a law making eleven hours a day's
work in all factories, and establishing Good Friday
an additional legal holiday. A few years after this
was followed by an amended law, reducing the time
to be worked to ten hours a day, which remained in
suceessflil operation from that time to this. About
the years 1846^7 the subject began to be earnestly
discussed ' in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia and Man-
ayunk moved in the matter, and correspondence was
had with Delaware County for organization there
to obtain, if possible, the passage of a law establish-
ing ten hours as a legal day's work in this State.
The. first general meeting of operatives appertaining
to that end was held at the Seven Stars Hotel, now
Village Green, in a hall generously loaned for that
purpose by the late John Garrett.
At this meeting an organization was effected, and a
committee of two from each mill in the county ap-
pointed as a central body. The committee met at the
house of Mark Clegg, on the road leading from the
Red Bridge to the Union Methodist Episcopal Church,
opposite Crook's (now Bancroft's) lower mill, in Ne-
ther Providence, where they continued to meet
weekly until the completion of their labors, which
resulted in the passage of a law by the Legislature
making ten hours a legal day's labor in all cotton,
woolen, flax, paper, and glass manufactories in this
commonwealth. Such is a brief epitome of this im-
portant work ; its influence for good is, and has been,
felt, not only in our own State, but measurably in
every State where manufacturing exists, or is likely to
1 Ten years before the date mentioned in the text, ou Feb. 20, 1836, a
meeting of operatives employed in cotton-mills on Chester Creek was
Iield at the Seven Stars Tavern, of which meeting Lewis Coruog was
president and John Haynes secretary. The object of the meeting was
to oppose "the long-hour system enforced by employers on hands in
cotton-mills against their will." In May, 1830, all the operatives on
Chester Creek struck, demanding higher wages or less hours of labor.
110
HISTORy OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
exist, throughout our broad domain. But while this
is a general history of this excellent and most highly
important law, there are many incidents connected
therewith, and the chief actors engaged in the work
of bringing it about, that should not, in the interest
of the present generation as well as those which shall
succeed it, be lost entirely in oblivion. It is not to
be expected that a measure, even of much less im-
portance than this, entirely in the interests of labor,
but at that time supposed to be in antagonism to
capital, should be brought to completion in so short
a time without opposition. The antagonism to it was
persistent and strong. We impugn no man's motives.
It was undertaken in the interests of humanity, and
the result has proved the justice of the cause.
At the above meeting, in addition to the appoint-
ment of the committee alluded to and other routine
business, a most inspiriting address, written by the
late John Wilde, was adopted, and ordered to be
printed. It was also inserted in the Upland Union
and the Delaware County Republican, and signed by
Thomas Ashworth as president, and Joseph Holt as
secretary. The address was extensively circulated,
and followed by a series of meetings at different
points contiguous to the various mills and factories in
the county. At these meetings speeches were made
and other legitimate means used to concentrate pub-
lic opinion to the importance of endeavoring to ob-
tain a law to restrict this then great and growing evil.
In the Delaware County Republimn of Nov. 19, 1847,
appears the following editorial : "The press is taking
hold of the ten-hour system now about being peti-
tioned for by the factory operatives in good earnest.
. . . Let those who oppose it just drop into a factory
and work among the dirt and grease for fourteen hours
each day for a twelvemonth, and tell us at the expira-
tion of that time their opinion of the matter."
The next general public meeting of the operatives
was at the old Providence Inn on Saturday evening,
Nov. 20, 1847, when the following resolutions were
unanimously adopted:
'* Resolved, That the persons composing this meeting have been long
aud practically convinced of the injurious effect of the great number
of hours now constituting a day's work in factories, upon the mental
and physical powers of those subjected to such long-continued toil and
" Reiohed, That this meeting hails with a lively satisfaction the in-
creasing interest manifested by all the producing classes, and more par-
ticularly the expressed sympathy and support of the public press in aid
of the present movement to ameliorate the condition of the factory
operatives,
"Besohed, That we will continue our united exertions to procure by
constitutional and legal means the passage of a law reducing the time
of labor in factories to ten hours a day, or fifty-eight hours per week."
These resolutions were urged in stirring addresses
by Messrs. Webb, Cotton, Ashworth, Walker, and
Fawley.
A meeting of operatives and workingmcn generally
was held at Sneatlr's Corner on Saturday evening,
Dec. 4, 1847. Dr. Jesse Young having suggested
some doubts about the constitutionality of a law reg-
ulating the hours of labor for adults, a spirited debate
arose between him and Messrs. Ashworth, Fawley,
aud Walker, which continued for more than an hour.
Hon. Joseph Engle (one of the associate judges for
Delaware County) being present was solicited for his
opinion, and stated that he believed the Legislature
had power to pass laws to promote the moral and
physical well-being of the citizens of the State, and
as the present object of the operatives appeared to
him to be expressly designed for that highly com-
mendable purpose, he had no doubt of either the
right or justice of such legislation.
The following Saturday evening, Dec. 10, 1847, a
meeting was held in the school-house at Hinkson's
Corner, which was addressed by Messrs. Ashworth,
Holt, F. Pearson, and Greenwood. The following
resolutions were adopted :
" Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting the present system is
more particularly injurious to children employed in factories, depriving
them in a majority of cases from ever acquiring the rudiments of a
common education, so essentially necessary to enable them to perform
the duties devolving on them as citizens of this Kepublic.
•'Resolved, That we believe that the confinement of female operatives
for twelve or fourteen hours in a day is highly Injurious, depriving them
of the opportunity of acquiring the necessary knowledge of domestic
duties to enable them to fill their stations in well-regulated households,
and deprives them of the means of acquiring a practical and useful edu-
Similar meetings continued to be held, and peti-
tions forwarded to the Legislature, and all other le-
gitimate means used to obtain the passage of the
much-desired law. On the 25th of March, 1847, the
Senate passed the bill making ten hours a legal day's
work in all factories in this State. It afterwards
passed the House and became a law, to take effect on
and after the 4th day of July, 1848.
As showing how the law was received at the time,
we copy the two following editorials from newspapers
contemporary with its passage :
" The Ten Hours' System. — The proprietors of Fairhill Factory, in
Philadelphia, have already extended the benefits of the ten-hour law to
the operatives in their employ, and we understand that most, if not all,
of the manufacturers of the city and county will comply with the
requisitions of the law immediately after the fourth day of next
month."!
Again, —
'* We understand that a portion, if not all, of the manufacturers of
cotton goods in this county (Delaware) have determined to close their
factories for several weeks after the 4tli of July next. It is said that
most of them have a large stock of goods on hand, and failing to effect
sales, they have concluded to await until the market becomes better."
Such were the differences of opinion among those
who were supposed to be more pecuniarily interested
in the future effects of the law. The actual effects of
it I now proceed to show. The late John P. Crozer,
who at that time was generally supposed to be the
leading spirit in opposition to the new system, after a
few years' trial when established, generously admitted
the errors under which he had labored, and after-
wards became one of its most friendly advocates.
■ July, 1848.
THE TEN-HOUR MOVEMENT.
Such was the state of feeling among the community
at the time of which I write, 1848. Immediately an-
terior to the passage of the act many good men were ;
divided in their opinions as to the policy of such a ,
law. A number contended that no power existed in )
a free government to determine how long a man '
should or should not work. There was some plausi-
bility in the point, for it had not then been ascer-
tained that the government possessed a police power j
in just such cases. But by public meetings, by pri-
vate discussion, and particularly by the aid of the
press, the popular mind was enlightened, and the pro-
posed law began to be favorably looked on by the
people. While it had its persistent enemies, it had '
the most generous and warm friends. Among the I
operatives themselves many opposed it. The writer I
was present at a shop-meeting at one of our large es-
tablishments as a spectator merely, when one of the i
proprietors remarked that he did not think that a ma-
jority of their hands wanted shorter time. Some of
the operatives ventured to differ with him. "Well,
now," he says, " suppose we try?" A division was
called, and while there appeared to be a majority for
the shorter time, that majority was but very small.
This was not the case everywhere. The representa-
tive in the Legislature from Delaware County in
that year was Hon. Sketchley Morton, and he advo-
cated shorter time with earnestness and zeal, and did
all he could to make it a success. The same could
not be said of our then senator. The committee sent
petitions signed by nearly twelve hundred operatives
to the senator and representative for the district. The
one to the House was duly presented by the represen-
tative, but the one to the Senate was never more heard
from. The committee wrote letters asking the rea-
sons, but their fate was the same as that of the peti-
tion. The name of Hon. Samuel Marx, of Lehigh
County, being suggested to the committee, they wrote
to him ; he consented, and did present the petition to
the Senate, of which body he was then a member.
Of course this required the circulation anew of peti-
tions for signatures.
The friends and advocates of the cause had many
other difficulties to contend against, prominent among
-which was to obtain a room wherein to hold their
meetings for counsel and discussion. No public hall
existed in the county, so far as remembered, except
Garrett Hall, above alluded to, and the court-house
at Chester. Sometimes a school-house could be ob-
tained, and as the mills were long distances apart,
the duties of the committee were difficult and fa-
tiguing. Saturday evening was the only night avail-
able for the purpose, and then a distance of from
two to five miles had to be walked after stopping
time (stopping time then being four and four and a
half o'clock P.M. on Saturdays), and when much
cleaning was required it would be five o'clock before
leaving the mills. Thus the operatives had only
two or three hours for discussion, without infringing
on the time ab.solutely required for natural rest.
Of course, this is only intended as historical remi-
niscences of those times as compared with the
present experiences, and not as an argument pro or
con. Differences of opinion existed then as now as
to the wisdom of the measure asked for. It was then
comparatively an untried experiment. But the law,
in its most essential features, has been fully justified
by more than a third of a century's experience. Still,
like all things human, it has its imperfections. The
committee, at its first sessions, was not a unit as to
the age at which a child should be allowed to com-
mence work in a mill. Full discussions were had,
and it was generally agreed, in the interests of all
parties, that ten years was a suitable limit, below
which the law ought to intervene, but the number of
hours per day that the mill should be run at all was
the objective point to which attention was mainly
directed. It was contended that no power had a
right to say how long or how little an adult person
should be allowed to work, but that minors only were
subject to the law's restrictions. That portion of the
act regulating the ages between ten and thirteen years
has been practically a dead letter during all the time
since its passage, until a few months ago, — 1882-83.
Some five or more years since attention was called to
infractions of the spirit of the law, — some mills run-
ning until nine o'clock at night. This evil kept
growing, until Mr. McGahee, an operative in one of
the mills at Darby, in this county, called public at-
tention to the manifest violations of the law in a let-
ter addressed to a prominent newspaper, as also by
posting copies of the act in public places in his neigh-
borhood. This caused very general adherence to the
law as it stands, while it also showed its weak points,
its advantages and imperfections. Probably the time
may come, and it is to be hoped in the interests of
humanity that it may come soon, when all concerned,
both employers and emploj'ed, may come together on
common ground and agree upon some age, taking all
the circumstances into consideration, the business
itself, the interests of employers and employed, the
claims of widowed mothers, the duties of humanity
and of the State at large, and so amend the law as to
be just and satisfactory to all interested, and its benefi-
cent features kept intact. But this is a digression.
Our purpose is not to recommend, but to give a his-
tory of the movement itself.
The law as passed by the Legislature in the session
of 1847-48 provided that it should go into effect on and
after the 4th day of July, 1848. That time came, the
law became operative, and in Philadelphia, Mana-
yunk, and other places was observed and worked
harmoniously. Such was not the case in Delaware
County. Strange to say that very shortly after the
passage of the law it began to be foreseen that there
was a probability that so far as this locality was con-
cerned the act would be nullified. Many of its most
active and zealous friends withdrew and sought other
112
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
means to secure a livelihood. A number of others !
remained at their homes, but went out on strike, — [
one of the cases where such a course can be justified ;
in that it was a strike in favor of, and against a vio- ;
lation of, law.
The following incident in connection with the strike j
in justice to all parties should not be omitted from
this record. While the strike was pending the late
Simeon Lord and William T. Crook, two of the manu-
facturers iu this county, told their hands that they
were willing to run their mills for ten hours if the rest
would do so; that they would start on ten hours a |
day and try it for a month. If the rest did likewise
they would continue so to run, but at the expiration j
of a month it was understood that they were free to j
do as the rest of the manufacturers did. This propo- j
sition was accepted and carried out in good faith on i
both sides during the term designated. j
After a suspension for some time operations were j
resumed on the old system, and in violation of the
law, notwithstanding the fact that by its provisions a
penalty of fifty dollars was imposed on both the em-
ployer and parent of children under thirteen years of
age, permitted to labor in factories. For five long
yeare this state of things continued, when some of
the more conscientious of the manufacturers not de-
siring to continue in this open violation of a plain
law, proposed to the operatives that if they could in-
duce the manufacturers of New England to join in
the measure they would be willing to accede to their
demands. Accordingly another movement was set on
foot, meetings were again held, and a delegation con-
sisting of the late John Wilde and Sandy M. Chal-
lenger was appointed. They at once attempted to
discharge the duties of their mission, but were met at
the outset by difficulties which were not unexpected. \
They were strangers (as it were) iu a strange land.
In an interview between the writer and Mr. Wilde
after his return, the latter stated that they were some-
what at a loss how and where to commence their
work. In this emergency he bethought himself of
Benjamin F. Butler, Esq., then a prominent rising
lawyer of Boston (now 1883 the Governor of the State i
of Massachusetts), who entered heartily into their j
plans, and gave them all the information in his power.
Mr. Wilde stated that to him was to be attributed
whatever of success they met with. After their re-
turn to Delaware County meetings were again called,
at which the delegation gave an account of their
stewardship. In the mean time the opposition to the
law appeared to be dwindling away, and friends came
to the aid of the workers. A general meeting was
held at the court-house in Chester, at which the late i
Y. S. Walter, editor of the Delaware County Republi-
can, presided, when it was agreed that a trial should
be made of the effects of the new law. The late John
P. Crozer was prominent in his endeavors to have the
act put into practical operation, and after a few years'
trial of the new, and as yet untried plan, was enthu-
siastic in its praise, the firm declaring that they got
more work done per hour, or at a less rate of expense
than ever before. Such is a brief outline of this little
speck of nullification in the hitherto loyal county of
Delaware. Although opposition existed, ofttimes in
quarters where it was least expected, it was gratifying
to find that the press of the county was uniformly on
the side of the humble and weaker party. Y. S.
Walter, of the Delaware Count;/ Republican, and Al-
exander McKeever, of the Upland Union, not only
advocated the cause editorially, but threw open their
columns for discussion on the merits of the questioi).
Mo.st of those who took an active part in the contest
on this important measure have been called from the
scenes of life; few only remain. But the work per-
formed by their toils and labors continues as a blessing
to posterity. A large portion of the privileges and
opportunities now enjoyed by the working class, re-
ligious, social, and otherwise, were shut out from the
factory operatives of a third of a century ago. Who
among us would wish to go back to that period with
all that that implies? Who can tell what efiects would
have been produced different from what has been, if
we had continued to ujjhold a system of fourteen or
fifteeu hours' continuous monotonous labor out of the
twenty-four, instead of the liberal and enlightened
method now in operation?
CHAPTER XVI.
THE REMOVAL OF THE COtillTY-SEAT TO MEDIA.
In considering the history of the removal of the
county-seat from the ancient borough of Chester to
Media, the present location, I must necessarily draw
largely from the narrative of that event furnished by
Dr. Smith, he having been an active advocate of the
changes, although his recital takes coloring from his
feeling somewhat in relating the incidents connected
with that movement.
The first agitation of the measure occurred nearly
thirty years before it was actually carried into effect,
and is said originally to have been the outgrowth of
political disappointment. Robert Frazer, a member
of the bar of Delaware County, having been defeated
in nomination for office by the delegates of Chester
township and several of the districts lying in the im-
mediate neighborhood of the county-seat, is said gave
form and shape to the movement.
" DiBsatiafaction had for some time existed among the people of the
upper part of the county," says Dr. Smith, " on account of the seat of
justice being situated on its southern margin. The people of the town-
ship of Radnor, residing much nearer to Norristown, the seat of justice
of Montgomery County, than to Chester, petitioned for the annexation
of their township to that county. The fact that the taxes of Mont-
gomery were lower than those of Delaware is also said to have had &u
influence in promoting this movement. Be this as it may, the prospect
of losing one of the best townships in the county was a matter of seri-
THE REMOVAL OF THE COUNTY-SEAT TO MEDIA.
113
ous alarm, when its small dimensions were taken into consideration.
The discontented in the other remote townships seeing that the loss of
Radnor would weaken their stronfjest ground of complaint, deter-
mined to test the question of a removal of the seat of justice of the
county to a more central situation. Accordingly a general meeting of
the inhabitants of the county, * both friendly and unfriendly' to the pro-
posed removal, was convened on the 8th of June, 1820. The meeting
was unusually large and very respectable, and after the subject of re-
moval had been discussed very fully and rather freely, a vote was taken
which resulted in favor of the removalists. Removal now became the
leading topic of discussion throughout the county. All party distinc-
tions became merged iu it, and the most ultra politicians of opposite
parties united cordially on a removal or anti-removal platform. Meet-
ings were held, and nominations were made accordingly. The ballot-
box showed the anti-removalists in the majority. George G. Leiper, of
JSidley, and Abner Leivis, of Radnor, both anti-removalists, were elected
to the Assembly. The anti-removalists, by the nomination of Mr. Lewis,
had secured nearly the whole vote of Radnor, under the belief that tlie
election of the anti-removal ticket afforded them the only chance of
being annexed to Montgomery County. The test was not regarded by
the removalists as satisfactory, and they petitioned the Legislature for
redress, but certainly with hut small hopes of success. In their me-
morial, which is very long, they set forth the fact of the effort of Rad-
nor to be attached to Montgomery County, the dilapidated condition of
the jail, the insalubrity of the air of Chester, the danger of the records
from attack from an enemy, the badness of the water, etc. And finally,'
they say, ' to .satisfy the Legislature that nothing is asked for by the
petitioners which would throw any unreasonable expense on the
county, assurances are given by one of the inhabitants— perfectly re-
sponsible and competent to the undertaking— that he will give an obli-
gation to any one authorized to receive it, conditioned to erect the
public buildings upon any reasonable and approved plan, for the sum of
fifteen thousand doWiy, to be paid in seven years, by installments, if the
convenience of the county should require credit — and to take the pres-
ent buildings and lots at Chester at a fair valuation as part pay.' . . .
This petition was drawn, signed by nine hundred and nineteen citizens.
The number who signed the remonstrance is not known."
On March 21, 1821, Mr. Evans, of Chester County,
presented the petitions — there were nineteen of them
— from the inhabitants of the county of Delaware
to the House of Representatives, praying for the re-
moval of the seat of justice, and on March 31st, Mr.
Lewis, of Delaware County, presented to the House
twenty-five remonstrances ti-om inhabitants of the
county against such removal, and the petitions and
remonstrances were laid on the table.
" The people of Radnor," said Dr. Smith, " appeared to relax their
efforts to obtain legislation to authorize the township to be annexed to
Montgomery County. At the next election, John Lewis and William
Cheyney, both removalists, were elected members of the Assembly, but
from some cause they failed in obtaining the much-desired law author-
izing the seat of justice to be removed to a more central situation. The
question after this effort appears to have been allowed to slumber for a
time. It was, however, occasionally discussed, and the removalists
maintained a strict vigilance to prevent any extensive repairs being
made to the public buildings at Chester."
The project slumbered for nearly a quarter of a
century, but in the latter part of the year 1845 was
revived with redoubled ardor. The court-house at
Chester was sadly out of repair, while the old jail was
dilapidated and falling into ruins, and it became ap-
parent that in tlie near future the county would be
compelled to expend a considerable sum of money on
the public buildings at the ancient seat of justice.
Hence the removalists on Nov. 22, 1845, called a public
meeting at the Black Horse Tavern, in Middletown,
" to take into consideration the propriety of removing
the seat of justice to a more central jiosition." The
result of this meeting was a call to the several town-
ships on the 5th of December following " to elect two
delegates in each, to meet on the 6th of December at
the Black Horse Tavern ; the delegates appointed to
vote for the removal of the seat of justice, or otherwise,
also to decide upon those (the sites) designated by
this meeting, which of them shall be adopted." The
following-named places were presented as suitable
locations for the public buildings: County property,
in Providence; Black Horse, in Middletown; Ches-
ter; Rose Tree, in Upper Providence; and Beau-
mont's Corner, Newtown."
The roads on the 6th of December were in a
wretched condition, so much so that the delegates
representing several of the townships were unable to
attend, while in others no meetings had been held.
On that day the following townships were reiJresented :
Birmingham, Dr. Ellwood Harvey, J. D. Gilpin;
j Chester, John K. Zeilin, Y. S. Walter ; Upper Chester,
I Robert R. Dutton ; Concord, M. Stamp, E. Yarnall ;
Edgmont, E. B. Green, George Baker ; Marple, Abra-
ham Piatt, Dr. J. M. Moore ; Middletown, Joseph Ed-
wards, Abram Pennell ; Newtown, Eli Lewis, Thomas
H. Speakman ; Nether Providence, R. T. Worrall,
Peter Worrall ; Upper Providence, Emmor Bishop,
Thomas Reese ; Thornbury, Eli Baker, Daniel
Green; Tinicura, Joseph Weaver, Jr.
A vote being had on the proposed sites, the result
showed eight votes in favor of the county property,
six for the Black Horse, six for Chester, and two for
the Rose Tree, but finally the county property re-
ceived twelve votes, a majority of delegates present.'
The result obtained was not satisfactory to the anti-
removalists, and a bitter wordy war was waged in the
newspapers of that day. An attempt was made to
reconcile the conflicting elements by the committee
appointed at the meeting of the 6th of December, and
to that end a meeting was called at the hall of the
Delaware County Institute of Science, on the 30th
1 In Dr. Harvey's copy of Smith's " History of Delaware County," is the
following matiuscript note in the doctor's handwriting : "After voting
with the minority against removal, I was urged by several other dele-
gates to vote for a choice of locations, but refused to participate in that
part of the proceedings, having no other choice than Chester."
Dr. Henry further notes: "I was a delegate in the first convention
held to consider the matter, and opposed removal in accordance with
my own convictions and the instructions of my constituents. On fur-
ther consideration of the subject, I changed positions, believing the
majority should have a chance to settle the question, and also believing
Chester would thrive more without it (the county-seat) wheti her ener-
gies were better directed tban towards living off the county offices and
legal business of the county. I thought Media would be a miserably
poor place and Chester very prosperous. Media has done better than I
expected, and so has Chester."
Hon. John M. Broomall, in his " History of Delaware County for the
Past Century" (a centennial historical sketch, published in 187G, page
9), says, in referring to the causes of removal, " For many years the
popularity of Chester had been upon the wane. Its people had given
offense by endeavoring to rule the county, and only partially succeeded.
Jurors, parties, and witnesses believed themselves to be imposed upon
by high charges, aud they knew themselves to be sneered at and ridi-
culed by the tavern idlers, who constituted most of the HiU- of the
114
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of that month. The meeting was well attended, and
an address to the people of the county formulated, as
well as two difl'erent petitions to be circulated for sig-
natures, desiring the Legislature to enact a law sub-
mitting the question to a popular vote. At the time
the Hon. William William.sou, of Chester County,
was senator for the district, and Hon. John Larkin,
Jr., was the member in the House from Delaware
County, and, although botli of these representatives
were favorable to a law submitting the controversy to
the vote of the people, yet neither favored an act in
which the site of the proposed county-seat should be
left as a future matter to be decided. Hence, when
the bill submitted in the House in that form was
called up, Mr. Larkin objected to it, for that reason,
and it was defeated. In 1846, Hon. Sketchley Morton
was elected to the Legislature, and at the session of
1847, when the act providing for the removal of the
seat of justice, submitting the matter to the popular
will whether the county-seat should be continued at
Chester, or be removed M a point not more distant
" than one-half of a mile from the farm attached to
the house for the support and employment of the poor
of Delaware County," nor more than a half-mile from
the State road leading from Philadelphia to Baltimore,
Mr. Morton, although adverse to the measure, voted
in favor of the bill, and it was adopted. As the time
for the election drew nigh, the public excitement wa,s
fanned to fever heat, and the newspapers teemed with
lengthy articles urging the peculiar views of the vari-
ous writers on the question at issue, which in the lapse
of years has become very uninteresting reading.
The election was held on Oct. 12, 1847, and resulted
in a majority of seven hundred and fifty-two votes
in favor of the proposed change in the location of
the county-seat. The opponents of the measure, in-
asmuch as the Supreme Court had decided that a
law submitting to the vote of the people the power
to determine whether spirituous liquors should or
should not be sold in the respective townships when
such a vote was had was unconstitutional, determined
to test the validity of the law, which had been in like
manner submitted to the people, respecting the change
of the county-seat. In the mean while the act of
April 9, 1848, confirming the removal of the seat of
justice was adopted, a jiroviso in that act, however, de-
claring it should not go into effect until the Supreme
Court had decided the question as to the constitution-
ality of the law under which it had been voted on by
the people. At the December term of that year the
case was argued, and at the following spring term the
Supreme Court held the act to be constitutional. In
compliance with that decision the court records were
removed from Chester to Media in the summer of
1851, on the conii)letion of the public buildings at
that borough.
The incidents and. happenings in the county from
that date are so connected with the various townships
wherein they occurred that practically the general
! history of the county terminates for the present. The
glorious story of the civil war — for no locality in the
loyal States exceeds in patriotism that of Delaware
County in that trying period of our nation's annals —
will be related iu the succeeding chapter.
Under the provisions of the Constitution of 1874
Delaware County became the thirty-second judicial
I district, the vacancy on the bench thereby created
1 being filled early in that year by the appointment by
; Governor Hartranft of Hon. John M. Broomall, presi-
dent judge. At the ensuing election in November,
! Hon. Thomas J. Clayton was elected to the bench,
I and took his seat in January, 1875.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE CIVIL WAR.
The war of sections, which had overhung the
country for over forty years, burst upon the nation on
Saturday, April 13, 1861, when the American flag was
hauled down at Fort Sumter, under the assaults of
Southern military men who, on the plains of Mexico,
had proudly marched to victory under its folds. Then
the pent-up anger of the North broke all restraint, and
a great people rose resistless in their might. It was
1 amazing with what rapidity the news sped from farm-
house to farm-house that Fort Sumter would be evac-
I uated by Maj. Anderson on the morrow. In Chester,
Media, Darby, Rockdale, Kellyville, in all the towns,
villages, and cross-road hamlets in Delaware County,
the people, abandoning their usual avocations, gath-
ered in excited groups to discuss the engrossing intel-
ligence, knowing not in what direction to give expres-
sion to their enthusiasm, save in demonstrations of pa-
triotism. Over the court-house at Media, at the town
hall in Chester, and the public buildings throughout
the county, over mills, workshops, stores, and private
dwellings, before nightfall the stars and stripes floated
to the winds, or where that was not done, the angry
muttering of the populace soon compelled compliance
with the popular will, and tri-colored badges were
displayed on the breasts of almost every man, woman,
and child, for the people were stirred as no living
man then could recall the like in all our national his-
tory. Sunday followed, and the anxiety to learn the
latest news from the seat of war was intense, and in
the absence of intelligence the suspense became op-
pressive. On Monday morning, April 15, 1861, di-
rection was given to the public excitement when
President Lincoln issued his proclamation calling for
seventy-five thousand troops to be enlisted for a
period of three months, unless sooner discharged.
In Media, on that Monday morning, the people
crowded the court-house, called thither by the ring-
ing of the bell, when patriotic speeches were delivered,
and finally it was determined to form a rifle-corps im-
THE CIVIL WAR.
115
mediately. After arrangements were made to obtain
recruits, the meeting adjourned until Wednesday
evening following, the 17th. At Chester, on that
same Monday evening, the old town hall, with its
memories of the stirring days of '76, once more rang
with patriotic calls to the people to arm in defense of
liberty and human rights. Nobly throughout the
county was the response made, and the sound of the
fife and drum was heard on all sides.
On Wednesday night, at Media, the adjourned
meeting reassembled in the court-house. Edward
Darlington was called to the chair, and Charles D.
Manley, Charles R. Williamson, James R. Cummins,
John R. Roland, Robert Play ford, and J. Crosby
Fairlamb acted as vice-presidents, and O. F. Bullard
and Thomas V. Cooper as secretaries. Speeches were
made by John M. Brooniall, Joseph Addison Thom-
son, and Hugh Jones Brooke. Among the thousand
baseless rumors flashing along the wires that day was
one which stated that Jefferson Davis, with ten thou-
sand troops, was marching directly on Washington,
determined on its immediate capture. The intelli-
gence, false as it was, served to rouse the patriotic in-
dignation of the people, so that name followed name
rapidly on the roll of those willing to be led at once
against the enemy, and the ranks of the "' Delaware
County Union Rifles" were filled, while many meu
were anxious to be recruited even after the list had
been closed. So rapidly was the company organiza-
tion effected that ou Friday morning, April 19th, the
men were assembled in front of the court-house, where,
after a prayer by Rev Mr. Graeey, they marched to
the car, and were forwarded to Philadelphia. There,
at the Western Market-House, a collation was served,
and the company addressed by Charles D. Mauley
and H. Jones Brooke. The same afternoon they
reached Harrisburg, where they encamped in the
capitol grounds, and the next day, April 20th, were
mustered into the service for three months.
Company F, Fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Vol-
unteers, mustered into service April 20, 1861, as
follows :
Captain, George Dunn; first lieutenant, T. V. Cooper; second lieu-
tenant, A. McMuron ; sergeants, William Callum, Richard Stiles,
Thomas J. McMillan, J. L. Woodcock ; corporals, Caleb Hooper,
James Mulholland, John B. Sully, William Durell ; musicians, Wil-
liam Quail, Henry Camay.
Privntes.—Uenry J. Baker, Thomas Broomall, John Baggs, Peter Brantz,
William Baggs, John Britton, Matthew Blair, Jtobert Coppock, John
Cottingham, John Clownoy, Thomas Coulter, James Conner, John
B. Davis, Thomas Dyson, John M. Davis, William Eekil, James
Evans, Able Ford, Allen Ford, Lorenzo D. Farra, William Farra,
David Grubb, Thomas Gritfen, James Gorman, John W. Glen, Ben-
jamin Graden, George W. Glen, Henry Greenwood, Hamilton Gillon,
Robert Henderson, John Hollingswortb, Patrick Hughes, Daniel
Harigan, Robert Johnson, Stephen Johnson. Jeremiah Ketzler,
Thomas Kelly, Thomas Laden, Benjamin H. Magee, Michael Mon-
ahan, Michael Martin, John McCuen, William McGinnis, Richard
J. Nuttle, John Palmer, John P. Potts, Joseph Parker, William
Roberts, Amos R. Rap, Franklin Redmond, Antrim Redmond, Eph-
raim Stirk, George Stikes, Samuel N. Techton, William Townsend,
John Yeehton, Baker C. Wright, James W. G. Weaver, James Wal-
ters, James Wasson, James Worrell, John Williams, Lee L. Yarnall.
The Fourth Regiment, commanded by Col. John
I F. Hartranft, was the following day, April 21st, ordered
] to Philadelphia, where, under command of Col. Dare,
of the Twenty-third Regiment, acting brigadier, it
was dispatched to Perry ville, Md. There it encamped
I that night, and the next day was ordered to embark on
! steamers for Annapolis, and thence moved to Wash-
ington, the riots in Baltimore having interrupted di-
I rect communication with the national capital. The
regiment had been -so hastily sent forward that it was
not then uniformed, although the .soldiers were armed
with muskets and carried ammunition in their pockets.
The Fourth remained at Annapolis until the 8th of
May, when it was forwarded to Washington and quar-
tered in the Assembly Buildings. Sickness prevailing
j among the men, it was encamped about two miles from
the city in the direction of Bladensburg. On June
24th it was ordered to Alexandria, where on Sunday,
! June 30th, its pickets for the first time were engaged
with a small party of the enemy. The Fourth, in the
] organization of the army of McDowell, formed part
of the First Brigade, Third Division. Its hour of en-
listment expired on Sunday, July 31, 1861, the day
of Bull Run, when McDowell desired the regiment to
'. remain until after the battle had been fought. There
! being a difference of opinion among the men, it was
i finally marched to Washington, and thence by rail to
I Harrisburg, where it was mustered out of service.
McDowell, in his report after his crushing defeat, at-
I tempted to relieve himself from a part of the blame
! of that day's disaster by a slurring censure of the
\ Fourth Pennsylvania, but the records of the War
Department show that in the great majority of in-
stances the men who composed that organization at
Bull Bun on subsequently bloody battle-fields mani-
fested their valor and patriotism. The Delaware
County Union Rifles, however, had been discharged
from the service the day before the battle, and any
■ reflection Gen. McDowell indulged in respecting the
Fourth Regiment as a whole has no application to
the Media company.
In Chester, at the conclusion of the meeting of cit-
izens held on Monday evening, April 15, 1861, steps
were immediately taken for the enrollment of a com-
pany. On Wednesday more than a suflicient number
had been enlisted, and at the meeting of the company
it was decided that the organization should be known
as the "Union Blues." An election of oflicers was
held, and Henry B. Edwards was chosen captain.
Rev. Mr. Talbot, then rector of St. Paul's parish, pre-
sented a sword he had worn when chaplain in the
United States navy, to Capt. Edwards. The Union
Blues at once began drilling and equipping to respond
at a moment's notice when ordered.
[ On Saturday morning, April 20, 1861, the Union
Blues were directed to proceed at once to Harrisburg,
and at six o'clock that evening the company mustered
I in front of the Washington House, in Chester, where
I they were addressed by Frederick J. Hinkson, who
116
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
stated that the citizens of the borough pledged them-
selves that the wives and families of the soldiers de-
pending on them for support should be protected and
maintained during the absence of the men at the front.
Addresses were also made by Eev. Mr. Talbot, rector
of St. Paul's, and Mr. Sproull, of the Presbyterian
Church. Rev. Father Haviland, of St. Michael's
parish, personally contributed and solicited subscrip-
tions to a fund to be used in equipping the men who
had volunteered, and fi>r the maintenance of the
families of those who had gone in the service. As
evening came the streets were crowded, and no one
old enough to remember those early days of the war
can forget the departure of the first troops who re-
sponded to the call of President Lincoln, or the ova-
tion then extended throughout the North to the
" boys in blue," before constant repetition in the
years of battle which followed had imparted a same-
ness to the movements of soldiers. The crowd of
people which gathered at the railway station, includ-
ing cultured and refined women, was the largest the
ancient borough had ever known until that time in
all its history. And when the engine with the special
train rolled from the station, the impression that war
had indeed come upon the nation caused the populace
to disperse in silence to their homes. The " Union
Blues" reached Camp Curtin, at Harrisburg, the fol-
lowing day, and on Monday, April 22d, were mustered
into the Ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers,
for a period of three months.' On May 4th the regi-
ment was moved to West Chester, where it arrived at
nine o'clock at night during a severe storm of sleet
and snow, and as no arrangement had been made for
their reception, they were quartered in the rooms at-
tached to the old depot. The next day Col. Long-
necker selected a location for cantonment, which was
named Camp Wayne in honor of " Mad Anthony,"
of the Revolution. On May 26, 1861, the Ninth
Regiment was ordered to Wilmington, Del., to pre-
vent disloyal citizens in that State from forming
military organizations for the Confederate service,
and went into camp at Hare's Corner, between Wil-
mington and New Castle. The regiment, on June 6th,
was ordered to Chambersburg to join Gen. Patterson's
command, and was attached to the First Brigade,
First Division, under Col. Miles. On Sunday, June
16th, Miles' Brigade crossed the Potomac, the Ninth
having the right of the column, the troops wading the
stream, the water reaching breast-high. Subsequently
they were ordered to recross the river and take a posi-
tion to cover the ford. On July 1st the brigade again
passed over in the direction of Martinsburg, and on
the 8th a forward movement of the whole army was
ordered by Gen. Patterson in the direction of Win-
chester and Bunker Hill, but a council of war being
held, it was decided to countermand the order. On
the 17th of July, Longnecker's brigade marched to-
wards Charlestown, where it encamped, remaining
there until the 2l8t, when it marched to Harper's
Ferry. On the 22d the Ninth Regiment was marched
to Hagerstown, and thence forwarded to Harrisburg,
when it was mustered out of service, the period of
the enlistment having expired.
The following is the roll of Company I, Ninth
Regiment, three months' Pennsylvania Volunteers :
Captain, Henry B, Edwards; first lieutenant, .Tames G. Stacey ; second
lieutenant, William Blakeley; sergeants, William
JolmBeck, . Tames WilliamB,Williain Eves; corporals, Isaac We
William R. Thatcher, Charles Storey, Jesse Curamii
Ezra Dransfield, Alexander King.
Privates.— John Booth, Joseph Barker, Joseph Brewster, Lewis Beuner,
John C. Barrowclough, Thomas Blythe, Isaac F. Badden, William
H. Brown, David Burke, George Booth, Thomas W. Bruner, Edward
Crowther, Edward Collison, Samuel Cross, Daniel Crowther, James
Cliff, Allen Carr, Frederick Cutler, Frederick Crider, Simeon Davis,
John Doyle, William Elliott, Theodore Ettienne, Robert Fogg, John
Farraday, Joseph Grooves, William P. Huff, James Hewes, George
Helms, William F. Jester, James P. Kelley, Edward Kay, Jonathan
Kershaw, Edward Lilley, Edward Lyons, Thomas McNamee, William
McNeil, John Marshal, William Marlor, Samuel McDaniel, George
McAffee, John C. Morton, John Phillips, Daniel Pithie, Thomas F.
Pierce, Anthony Quinn, Francis Rodrigos, Robert Reaney, Samuel
Shepherd, Francis Scott, Edgar Stevenson, William V. Shellinger,
John Smith, Samuel Smith, Thomas Toy, Joseph Taylor, Jr., Rich-
ard Turner, George W. Wilson, Joshua L. Wilson, John Wagner,
Robert Wright, Alfred Woodhead, George Weigan, Keed L. Weaver.
The two companies having gone to the front the
citizens of the county did not relax their efforts, but
in all directions home guards were formed and drilled
in the manual of arms, such organizations being ef-
fected at Chester, Media, Rockdale, Darby, Linwood,
Kellyville, Wildeville, Glen Mills, Village Green,
Upland, and other localities. So rapidly did the or-
ganizations form that on July 4th, at Chester, a parade
was made by'the Wayne Guards, Capt. W. C. Gray;
Home Guards, Capt. H. B. Taylor ; Company A, Capt.
George E. Darlington ; Upland Guards, Capt. George
K. Crozer, while on the same day, at the county-
seat, the Village Green Guards, Capt. Barton ; Glen
Mills Guards, Capt. Willcox ; Manchester Rifles,
Capt. Ballentine; Upper Darby Home Guards, Capt.
Buckley, joined with the Media Home Guards in a
parade.
On Tuesday afternoon, April 23, 1861, an immense
meeting of the people of the county was held in the
court-house at Media. H. Jones Brooke was made
president, and stirring addresses were delivered. Con-
tributions amounting to two thousand five hundred
dollars were made that day, and the county was di-
vided into seven districts for the purpose of soliciting
funds to equip troops and support the families of vol-
unteers. Chester, Ridley, and Tinicum constituted
the first district; the second comprised Media, Nether
and Upper Providence, and all of Middletown east of
Edgmont road ; the third Marcus Hook, Linwood,
Lower and Upper Chester, Bethel, and all of Aston
south of Concord road; the fourth Concord, Birming-
ham, and Thorubury ; the fifth Aston, east of Concord
road, Middletown, west of Edgmont road, and Edg-
mont ; the sixth Springfield, Darby, and Upper Darby ;
and the seventh Haverford, Marple, Newtown, and
Radnor. The meeting, as taxpayers, called on the
THE CIVIL WAE.
117
county commissioners at once to appropriate five
thousand dollars, and twenty thousand dollars there-
after, to be used for the support of the families of
those men who should join the army. The activity
did not cease here, for the subordinate committees in
the several districts in two days after their appoint-
ment collected two thousand seven hundred dollars
for the relief fund, and in addition Samuel M. Felton,
president of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal-
timore Railroad Company, sent a check for one thou-
sand dollars to John P. Crozer, as the contribntiou
of the company. Mr. Felton also notified the clerks
in the employment of the road that those who should
go to the front would reteive their salaries while
absent, and on their return from the war would be
taken back into the railroad company's service. The
women were as active as the men, and busy fingers
found constant employment during all the four suc-
ceeding years of war in fabricating articles of clothing
to minister to the comfort and health fulne.ss of the
soldiers in the field.
After the defeat at Bull Run had convinced the
North that the revolting States were terribly in
earnest, that they were brave men, ably commanded,
and that a war which would dwarf all former wars in
the world's history bad begun, the popular excitement
of the first three months of open hostilities settled into
dogged determination that, cost what it might, the
national authority should be maintained in every part
of the land. During the latter part of July, and in
August, 1861, recruiting for new military organiza-
tions was brisk in the county. Hereafter the local
history of the time, so far as it relates to the several
companies and regiments, will be presented in a con-
nected account of such organizations.
Twenty-sixth Regiment (Three-Years' Service).
— Although the history of this regiment antedates
the actual outbreak of hostilities, and, as will be re-
called, under Col, Small, it was attacked in Baltimore
on April 19, 1861, when on its way to Washington to
be equipped and armed, it is nowise distinctly con-
nected with the annals of Delaware County until
nearly a month subsequent to that event. Under the
call of the United States, May 3, 1861, for troops to
serve a period of three years, William L. Grubb began
recruiting a company in Chester and the surrounding
neighborhood. This company was mustered in on
May 31, 1861, as Company K, Twenty -sixth Regiment,
and on Monday evening, June 16th, it went through
Chester. The people in the ancient borough, knowing
that the company was ordered to Washington, gath-
ered at the station and along the railroad. The boys
in blue, as they caught sight of their friends and
acquaintances, waved their hats from the car win-
dows and platforms and cheered, which was taken up
and answered by the people who had been watching
their coming so anxiously. The main body of the
regiment was theu at Washington guarding the quar-
termaster-general's stores, the arsenal, and the flying
bridge at Georgetown. The regiment was subse-
quently assigned to Gen. Hooker's division, and early
in April, 1862, was transported to the Peninsula, where
it took part in the siege of Yorktown, and on May 5th,
at the battle of Williamsburg in front of Fort Magru-
der, it drove the enemy out of the rifle-pits into the
works, which position it held for eight hours until
fresh troops came to its support, and the fort was
taken. It was engaged at Seven Pines, and in "the
change of base," on June 19th, was in action at Savage
Station. On the 20th it was engaged in the battle of
White Oak Swamp from noon to night, and just before
dusk of that long summer day it made a brilliant bay-
onet charge, breaking the enemy's line, compelling
them to retire, and the following day it took part in
the battle of Malvern Hill. On August 20th it was
with Heintzelman's corps, dispatched to the support
of Gen. Pope. In that campaign it was engaged at
Bristoe Station on the 26th, and the next day opened
communication for the army with its base of supplies.
On the 29th it marched tlirough Centreville to Bull
Run, going at once into the fight, where it suffered
severely. Capt. Meekins, of Company K, was killed
in this battle. The next day the Twenty-sixth Regi-
ment was held as support to three different batteries,
which compelled it to march rapidly from point to
point as occasion required. At Burnside's defeat at
Fredericksburg it was in the front line of battle, and
was engaged with but slight intermission for thirty
hours. At Chancellorsville, on May 2, 1863, the regi-
ment made a reconnoissance up the road in front of
Hooker's headquarters to feel the enemy, and on the
3d it was held as a support to batteries after it had
fallen back to the intrenchments, a movement made
necessary after the Seventy-second New York had
broken, leaving the flank of the Twenty-sixth uncov-
ered and exposed to^a heavy fire, by which it lost
nearly a hundred men. In the Gettysburg campaign
it was with Gen. Sickles, and reached the field on the
evening of the 1st of July, 1863. The next day the
regiment was on the extreme right of the division, and
suffiered severely. Late in the day it sustained a
charge of a Florida brigade, which it checked, and in
turn charged the enemy, driving the latter in confu-
sion, capturing many prisoners. The loss of the
Twenty-sixth Regiment in this battle was appalling.
It had gone into the fight with three hundred and
sixty-four men, and its loss was two hundred and six-
teen killed and wounded, this number including three
color-bearers who were killed. In Grant's campaign,
on May o, 1864, at the battle of the Wilderness, it was
on the extreme left of the army and held its position,
although repeatedly assailed. On the I2th, at Spott-
sylvaniaCourt-House, it took part in Hancock's grand
charge with the Second Corps, and in the engagement
the Twenty-sixth captured two Napoleon guns, which
it turned with effect on the enemy. It was actively
engaged at the crossing of the North Auna River, and
on the 27lh of May crossed the Pamunkey River at
118
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Nelson's Ford, where its term of service having ex-
pired it was ordered to Philadelphia, where, on June
18, 1864, in front of Independence Hall, it was mus-
tered out.
COMPANY C.
Thomas V. Cooper, private, served until after battle of Gettysburg ; de-
tached by order of War Department and placed in charge of gov-
ernment printing-ofBce at Camp Distribution, where he remained
until close of war.
COMPANY K.
■William L. Grubb, capt., mnst. in May 31, 1861 ; res, Dec. 30, 1861.
John F. Meekins, capt., must, in May 31, 1861; pro. to 1st lieut. Feb. 6,
1862; to capt. August, 1862; killed at Bull Kun Aug. 29, 1862.
James L. Searj', capt., must, in May 13, 1861 ; pro. to 1st lieut. April 1,
1863 ; to capt. April 13, 1864 ; must, out with company June 18, 1864.
Peter P. G. Hall, 2d lieut., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. to adjt. Aug. 10,
1861.
William H. Phillips, sergt., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. from corp. to
sergt.; must, out with company June 18, 1864.
George W. Rosevelt, sergt., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. to sergt. October,
1862; wounded, with loss of leg, at Gettysburg; disch. on Burg.
certif. March 14, 1864.
William Groundsell, sergt., must, in May 31, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt.
P. V. May 30, 1864 ; veteran.
Samuel P. Morris, sergt., must in May 31, 1861; died of wounds rec. at
Gettysburg July 2, 1863.
Isaac Ford, Corp., must, in Blay 31, 1801; pro. to Corp.; must, out with
company June IS, 1864.
James Schofield, corp., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. to Corp. ; must, out
with company June 18, 1864.
Isaac Brown, Corp., must, in May 31, 1861; captured at Williamsburg,
Va., May 5, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif., date unknown.
Nathan Larkin, corp., must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif.
March 19, 1863.
James Ford, corp., must, in May 31, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30,1864; veteran.
Nathan R. Van Horn, Corp., must, in May 31, 1861 ; killed at Gettysburg
July 2, 1863.
James L. Gelsten, corp., must, in June 12, 1861 ; killed at Gettysburg
July 2, 1863.
Isaac Bird, Corp., must, in May 31, 1861; pro. to corp. Aug. 15, 1863;
died of wounds received at Spottsylvania Court-House May 15, 1864;
must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with
Prii'aU.<. *
Henry Abbott, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. Nov. 4, 1862, for wonnds
received at Bull Run Aug. 29, 1862.
Lewis Bail, must, in May 31, 1861 ; wounded at Spottsylvania May 15,
1864; absent at muster out.
John Boylan, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June 18,
trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
Lst. out with company June 18,
861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V.
Thomas Brown
Mark Bail, mus
George Brannoi
May .3
, 1861 ;
t. in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif July 21, 1861.
1, must, in May 31, 1861; disch. Nov. 4, 1862, for wounds
received at Bull Bun Aug. 29, 1862.
Thomas Blizzard, must, in May 31, 1801 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V.
May 30, 1864 ; veteran.
William H. Brown, must, in Aug. 29, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V.
May 30, 1864 ; veteran.
Lewis Bail, must, in Aug. 19, 1863; drafted; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V.
May 30, 1864 ; died June 19, 1864, at Andersonville ; grave 2180.
William F, Brant, must, in April 14, 1864 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V.
May 30, 1864.
James T, Bell, must, in May 31,1861 ; died of wounds received at Spott-
sylvania May 15, 1864.
John Boyle, must, in May 31, 1861.
John Boyce.must. in May 31, 1861.
Jacob Calin, must, in May 31, 1861 ; reduced from sergt. Oct. 1, 1862 ;
disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 17, 1862.
William H. Clark, must, in May 31, 1861; reduced from sergt. March,
1863; trans, to Co. F, 20th Regt. P. V., April 1, 1863.
James Cloud, must. In May 31, 1861; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, date un-
Williani Cleniff, must, in Aug. 10, 1861
30, 1864.
Edward Caves, must, in May 31, 1861 .
Joseph Dicks, must, in Juno 4,1861 ; n
1864.
William K. Dobbins, must, in Aug. 29,
May 30, 1864.
John Derliu, must, in June 4, 1861, killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863.
Henry Dickinsou, must, in May 31, 1861.
Jacob Evans, must, in May 31, 1861 ; absent, sick, atmuster out.
William H. Furgesen, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company
June 18, 1864.
Constantine Fuget,must. in May 31, 1861 ; wounded at Gettysburg July
2, 1863 ; must, out with company Jnne 18, 1864.
John Freeman, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 5, 1862.
Daniel C. Ford, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec.2,1863.
Brinton Fryer, must, in Aug. 29, 1861 ; wounded at Fair Oaks June 23,
1862 ; disch. date unknown.
William Fagan, must, in Aug. 19, 1863 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30, 1864.
Isaac Force, must, in May 31, 1861 ; not on muster-out roll.
Henry Goodwin, must, in aiay 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June
18, 1864.
John Grubb, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif July 21,
1861.
James Grubb, must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. from corp. to sergt.; reduced
Oct. 1, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 17, 1862.
James Gleason, must, in Aug. 19, 1861 ; drafted ; died of wounds received
at Spottsylvania Court-House May 15, 1864.
Joseph Grubb, must, in May 31, 1861.
William Hayes, must, in May 31, 1861; wounded at Spottsylvania May
10, 1864; must, out Aug. 12, 1864.
George Helms, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July 21,
1861.
John S. B
1862.
John Hammitt, i
30, 1864.
John K. Hammitt, must.
May 30, 1864.
Maxwell Hogarth, must, in Sept. 20, 18C2; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V.
May 30, 1804.
Joseph Hogarth, must, in Sept. 20, 1862; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30, 1864.
James Higgens, mnst. in May 31, 1861 ; killed at Bull Run Aug. 29,
1862.
John Jordan, must, in Sept. 20, 1862; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30, 1864.
Matthew Kersey, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. cerlif July 21,
1861.
Thursten Lowe, must, in .\ng. 20, 1861; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, date
Samuel Latch, must, in May 31, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30,1864; veteran.
John 0. Long, must, in May 31, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30, 1864 ; veteran.
Norton Lindsay, must, in May 31, 1861.
George Miller, must, in Jan. 18, 1864 ; not on muster-out roll.
William H. Miller, must, in June 4, 1861 ; trans, to Battery D,4th N. Y.
Art., May, 1862 ; must, out March 18, 1865.
William B. Michael, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July
21, 1801.
.lames Morris, must, in May 31, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30, 1804 ; veteran.
Francis Miller, must, in Aug. 19, 1863 ; drafted.
Robert McGrath, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Archibald McNeil, must, in June 6, 1861 ; trans, to Tet. Bes. Corps, date
unknown.
John McClem, must, in June 12, 1861 ; died at Yorktown, Va., April 21,
1862.
Robert McGatliy, must, in May 31, 1861.
Samuel Pullen, must, in May 31, 1861 ; wounded at Fredericksburg Dec.
13, 1802 ; absent at muster out of company.
William Phillips, must, in May 31, 1861 ; wounded at Chancellorsville
May 3, 1803 ; absent at muster out of company.
William Paster, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July 21,
1861.
r, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disc
1 Sept. 20, 1862 ; trans
Sept. 16, 1862 ; i
urg. certif July 1,
h Regt. P. V. May
D 99th Regt. P. V.
THE CIVIL WAK.
119
Andrew Phillips, must. Id May 31, 1861 ; died of wounds received at
Spottsylvaoia Court-House May 15, 1864 : veterau.
Beojamin Pine, must, in May 31, 1861.
William Kanibo, must, in May 31, 18G1 ; wounded at Gettysburg July 2,
1863 ; absent at muster out of compauy.
George W. Robinson, must, in April 14, 1864; trans, to 90th Regt. P. V.
May 30, 1864.
George Koan, m.ist, in Aug. 10, 1861 ; killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863.
Samuel Hadcliff, must, in May 31, 1861.
Stephen Kodgcrs, must, in May 31, 18G1.
Samuel Rodgers, must, in May 31, 1861.
Andrew Sample, must, in May 31, 1861 ; trsins to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30,1864; veteran.
Godfrey Smith, must, in Sept. 16,1862; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
Lig. 20,1863: drafted; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V.
) 99th Regt.
John Smith, must
May 30, 1864.
■n'iiliam S. Swain, must, in Aug. 20, 1S63 ; drafted ;
P. V. May 30, 1864.
Charles Shut, must, in Aug. 20, 1861 ; died at Washington, D. C, May
23, 1862; buried in Military Asylum Cemetery.
James Starr, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June 18,
1864.
Benjamin F. Sutch, must, in May 31, 1861 ; wounded at Spottsylvania
May 15, 1864 ; absent at muster out of company.
Alvis Simpson, must, in Ang. 19, 1863 ; drafted ; trans, to U. S. navy
April 18, 1864.
Daniel Sowers, must, in May 31, 1861.
Edward Shields, must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on snrg. certif. July 2,
1861.
Francis Scott, must, in Aug. 29, 1861; wounded at Bull Run Aug. 29,
1862 ; disch. on snrg. certif. October, 1862.
Thomas Senior, must, iu June 13, 1861.
William Studer, must, in Aug. 19, 1863; drafted.
William Sailor, must, in Aug. 20, 1863 ; drafted.
Henry Smith, must, in Aug. 20, 1863 ; drafted ; died Aug. 20, 1864, at
Andersonville; grave 6289.
George Toner, must, in May 31, 1861; wounded at Mine Run Nov. 27,
1863; must. o>it with company June 18, 1864.
William Wilsuu, must, in Aug. 5, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
30, 1864: veteran.
Malachi Walraven, must, in Sept. 5, 1861 ; trans, to 99th Regt. P. V. May
.30, 1864.
George Wood, must, in Aug. 20, 1861 ; killed at Gettysburg July 2,
were recruited for the Keystone Guards, as stated,
were quartered in the town hall, in Chester, for ;t
week or ten days, maintained by the voluntary sub-
scription of several citizens of the borough, and
finally, the name being changed to " Slifer Phalanx,"
in honor of Hon. Eli Slifer, then secretary of the
commonwealth, the organization was ordered to re-
l>ort at the Girard House, Philadelphia, where it was
mustered in May 31, 1861. While there a handsome
flag was presented to the company by the ladies of
Chester. Hon. Edward Darlington made the presen-
tation address. On June 4th the Slifer Phalanx left
for Camp Wayne, at West Chester, where it became
Company C, Thirtieth Regiment First Pennsylvania
Reserves, for a term of three years' service.
COMPANY A.
Edward Blaine, mm
1862 ; must, out
William C. Brogan,
1862.
Privates.
. in June 4, 1861 ; wounded at ,
vith company June 13, 1864.
lUSt. in June 4, 1861 ; disch. on si
in June 4, 1861 ; trans, to 190tl
t South Moun-
received at Cha
James Welsh, must, in fliay 31,
cellorsville May 3, 1863.
Selh Yelt, must, in May 31, 1861 : disch. on surg. certif., date un-
Thirtieth Regiment, First Reserves.— Early in
May, 1861, Samuel A. Dyer began recruiting men at
Chester for a company of infantry then termed the
" Key.stone Guards." So rapidly had troops responded
to the call of the President that the quota of Penn-
sylvania was filled, and for a time it seemed as
though no men save those who had already been ac-
cepted would be mustered into service. In this State
Governor Curtin, with a better conception of the
teaching of the times than any other man in oflScial
station in the north (excepting perhaps Simon Cam-
eron), knowing that additional troops would shortly
be required, determined to form several camps for
military instruction in the State, and to collect there
troops, who should be disciplined and equipped ready
for the emergency which be saw must come. This
purpose Governor Curtin carried into effect, and the
soldiers thus collected were subsequently known and
will ever be recalled in the annals of the com-
monwealth in which they played no inconsiderable
part, as " the Pennsylvania Reserves." The men who
Daniel Young, must.
31,1864; veteran.
COMPANY C.
Samuel A. Dyer,' capt., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. to lieut.-col. 176t
Regt. P. V. Nov. 2, 1862.
Joseph R. T. Coates, capt., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. from Ist lieut. t
capt. March 1, 1863 ; to brev. maj. March 13, 1865 ; must, out wit
company June 13, 1864.
Edward Larkin, Ist lieut., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. from 1st sorgt. t
1st lieut. March 1, 1863 ; to brev. capt. March 13, 1864; must, ol]
with compauy June 13, 1864.
John H, Taylor, 2d lieut, must, in Sept. 5, 1861 ; killed !
John M. Thompson, 2d lieut., must, in May 31, 1861 ; pro. from sergt.
to 2d lieut. March 1, 1863 ; to brev. 1st lieut. March 13, 1865 : must.
out with company June 13, 1864.
William 0. Ridgway, sergt., must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg.
certif. Jund 25, 1863.
Robert H.Welsh, sergt., must, in May 31,1861; trans, to 190th Regt.
P. V. May 31, 1864; veteran.
T. McNamee, sergt., must, in Feb. 28, 1864 ; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V.
May 31, 1864.
J. Ashbridge, Corp., must, in May 31, 1861 : must, out with company
June 13, 1864.
John Jones, Corp., must, in July 10, 1861 ; must, out with company June
13, 1864.
David Lascom, corp.,
June 13, 1864.
George McAffee, Corp., must, in Aug. 14, 1861 ; disch, for wouni
ceivcd at Bull Run Aug. 30, 1862.
Edward E. Flavill, Corp., must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. June, 1861
J. H. Williams, corp., must, in May 31, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certil
22, 1861.
John McDonald, corp., must, in May 31, 1861.
.\briun K. Vansant, musician, must, in May 31, 1861 ; trans, to
Regt. P. V. May 31, 1864 ; veteran.
Privates.
Samuel Ardis, must, iu May 31, 1861.
Edward Butler, must, in May 31, 1861.
John Booth, must, in July 10, 1861.
John Brophy, must, iu May 31, 1861.
William Rumford, must, in May 31, 1801.
William (;lineff, must, iu May 31, 1861 ; disch. July 24, 1861.
Aquilla Coates, must, in May 31, 1861 ; died Sept. 26, 1861.
1 The One Hundred and Seventy-fifth
drafted men for nine months' service, and was part of Gen. Spenola's
brigade; was in service in North Carolina, and subsequently acted with
the Army of the Potomac during Lee's advance into Pennsylvania. It
was mustered out of service at Pliiladelphia, April 7, 186:).
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
William Curry, must, in May 31, 1861.
James Dougherty, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out witli company Jun
13, 1864.
Cliarles Dougherty, mns
Daniel Dunelson, must.
May 31, 1864; veteran.
John Devlin, must, in May 31, 1861;
1863 ; veteran.
George Edwards, must, in July 8, 1861 ; trans, to 190tli Kegt. P. V. May
31, 1864; veteran.
George Elliott, must, in July «, 1861 ; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V. May
31, 1864 ; veteran.
Edward Elliott, must, in May 31, 1861 ; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V. May
Vet. Res. Corps Sept. 1
31,1864; veteran.
George Fields, must, in July 8, 1801; disch. by order of War Dept. Jan.
26, 1803.
George Farrend, must, in May 31, 1861.
Isaac Helms, must, iu May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June 13,
18G4.
Edward Hickman, must, in May 31, 1861; disch., date unknown.
William Howard, must, in July 8, 1861 ; disch. July 12, 1861.
John Huff, must, in July 8, 1861 ; trans, to 190th Kegt. P. V. May 31,
1864 ; veteran.
Luke Holsten, must, in April 1, 1804; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V. May
31, 1861.
Harry Hobaugh, must, in May 31, 1861; died Oct. 30, 1861.
John Hurst, must, in May 31, 1861.
Ralph Jones, must, in March 3, 1862 ; trans, to gen. hosp. July 18, 1862.
William Lammy, must, iu March 3, 1862.
Peter Miller, must, in March 3, 1862; not must, into U. S. service.
John n. Murry, must, in Aug. 13, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 30,
1 September, 1861 ; died May 31, 1864, .
. to 190th Begt. P. V. May
out with company June
1862.
B. Mills, must
Thomas Mills, must, iu May 31, 1861.
Joseph Merton, must, in March 8, 186^
31, 1864.
Frank McFate, must, in Aug. 13, 1861
13, 1864.
Thomas McGarvey, must, in Aug. 13, 1864; died May 31, 1864, of
wounds received in action; veteran.
Henry McClusky, must, in May 31, 1861.
William C. Paist, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June
13, 1864.
James Pollock, must, in May 31, 1861 ; died Nov. 10, 1862, of wounds re-
ceived in action.
William B. Boss, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June
13, 1864.
John Roebuck, must, in May 31, 1S61 ; not must, into U.S. service.
James Riley, must, in May 31, 1861.
Jesse Suplee, must, iu May 31, 1861 ; not must, into U. S. service.
David Stevenson, must, in May 31, 1861 ; not must, into U. S. service.
William Stillwell, must, in May 31, 1861 ; not must, into D. S. service.
James Stewart, must, iu May 31, 1861 ; not must, into U. S. service.
A. Shaw, must, iu May 31, 1861 ; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V. May 31,
1864 ; veteran.
J. T. Schofield, must, in May 31, 1861; killed at Bethesda Church,
May 30, 1804.
John Smith, must, in May 31, 1861.
William H. Taylor, must, in May 31, 1801 ; disch. Nov. 30, 1862, for
wounds received at South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862.
Joseph Turner, must, in May 31, 1861.
Thomas Vansant, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June
13, 1864.
Samuel Williams, must, in May 31,
13, 1864.
George Worsley, must, in May 31,
13, 1864.
Collins Walker, must, in May 31, 1864; disch. Aug. 9,1861.
Thomas Wilkinson, must, in May 31, 1861 ; not must, into U. S. service.
Thomas Wray, must. In July 13, 1861 ; not must, into U. S. service.
Patrick Waters, must, in July 9, 1861 ; not must, into U. S. service.
Robert Wray, must, in July'25, 1861 ; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V. May
31,1864; veteran.
Alfred G. Webb, must, in May 31, 1861 ; killed at Fredericksburg, Dec.
13, 1862.
t with company June
t with company June
Solomon Wesler, must, in Feb. 10, 1862 ; killed at Spottaylvania Conrt-
House Dec. 13, 1864.
George Welch, must, in May 31, 1S61.
Wheu the first intelligence reached Delaware
County that Fort Sumter had been occupied by the
Confederates, and the President had issued the call
for troops, William Cooper Talley began recruiting
at Crozerville and Rockdale an infantry company,
then called the " Rockdale Rifle Guards." Subse-
quently the title was changed to the " Archy Dick
Volunteers," so named in honor of Archibald T.
Dick, a deceased eminent member of the bar of Dela-
ware County. The quota of the State being full,
Capt. Talley encountered the like difficulty in having
the company accepted, as related respecting the
"Slifer Phalanx." The action of Governor Curtin
in forming the Pennsylvania Reserves, as heretofore
stated, furnished the opportunity to this company to
be accepted, and at Camp Wayne, on May 30, 1861,
the organization was mustered into the Thirtieth
Regiment, First Reserves, as Company F, for three
years' service. The following is the roll of
1861;
COMPANY F.
William Cooper Talley, capt., must, in May ;
Begt, P, V. March 1, 1863,
Joseph P, Drew, capt,, must, in May 30, 1861 ; pro. to 1st lieut. March
1, 1863; to capt. Oct. 28, 1863; must, out with company June 13,
1864.
Henry Huddleson, capt., must, in May 30, ISGl ; res. August, 1863.
John F. Gorman, 1st lieut., must, in May 30, 1861 ; pro. from Corp. to
sergt. March 1,1862; to 2d lieut. March 1,1863; to Ist lieut. Oct.
28, 1863; must, out with company June 13, 1864.
James S. Peters, 2d lieut., must, in May 30, 1861; disch. June 23, 1863.
John McDaniels, 1st sergt., must, in May 30, 1861; com. 2d lieut. Oct.
1, 1863; not must, ; missing in action at Bethesda Church May 30,
1864; trans, to 190th Begt. P. V. May 31, 1864; veteran.
Charles F, Sheaff, Ist sergt,, must, in June 4, 1861 ; trans, fr^^m Co, A ;
pro, 1st sergt. January, 1862; died August, 1862.
James P. Dean, sergt., must iu May 30, 1861 ; pro. lo corp. Aug. 30, 1862 ;
to sergt. March 1, 1863; must, out with company June 13, 1864.
Jacob C. Berstler, sergt,, most, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif.
July 26, 1861.
Samuel Batty, sergt., must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Nov.
1, 1862.
John Blair, sergt., must, in July 10, 1861 ; pro. to corp. Aug. 30, 1862;
to seigt. Jan. 1, 1864; trans, to 190th Begt. P. V. June 1, 1864;
John Blain, sergt., must, in July 10, 1861 ; pro. to corp. March 1, 1863;
to sergt. March 1, 1864; trans, to 19Ulh Begt. P. V. June 1, 1864;
John Fitzgerald, sergt., must, in May 30, 1861 ; pro. to corp. July 21,
1861; to sergt. Aug. 30, 1862; died Dec. 22, 1863.
Pratt Baldwin, corp., must, in May 30, 1861 ; pro. to corp, Aug. 30, 1S6J :
must, out with company June 13, 1864.
Joseph S. M. Honpt, Corp., must, in May 30, 1861 ; pro. to corp. March 1,
1862; must, out with company June 13, 1864.
Joseph S. Wilson, Corp., must, in July 10, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif.
Aug. 1, 1862.
Harrison Green, Corp., must, in May 30, 1861 ; trans, to I90th Begt. P. V.
June 1,1864; veteran.
William Gray, Corp., must, in May 30, 1861; trans, to 190th Begt P. V.
June 1, 1864; veteran.
John Hardy, corp., must, in May 30, isol ; trans, to gunboat service
Feb. 2, 1862.
James Lewis, Corp., must, in May 30, 1861 ; pro. to chief musician 30th
Regt
THE CIVIL WAR.
121
Hayes P. Griffith, musician, must, in July 10, 1861 ; disch.
certif. Feb. 2, 1862.
William B. Drake, musician, must, in May 30, 1861; trans.
Kegt. P. V. June 1, 1864 ; veteran.
Prirate.
John Alcott, must, in Slay 30, 1861 ; must out with
Squiri
13,
t with company June 13,
n May 30, 1861; must, out with comjuiny iune
in May 30, 1861 ; must, out witli con)pany June
St. in May 30, 1861 ; must, out with company
Joseph Bradley, m
13, 1864.
Edmund Bradley,
June 13, 1864.
William Burk, must, in May 30,1861; must, out with company June
13, 1864.
Henry Briggs, must, in July 10, 1861 ; disch. May I, 1863, for wounds
received at Antietam Sept. 17, 1862.
John Bropby, must, in July 10, 1861; disch. on Surg, certif. April 1,
1863.
John Butts, must, in Sept. 9, 1862 ; disch . on surg. certif. May 14, 1864.
William Bradley, must, in July 10, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July 26,
1861.
John Baker, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. June 14, 1861.
Isaiah Budd, must, in May 30, 1861; died at Gettysburg, Pa., Aug. 1,
1863.
Henry Bailey, must, in May 30, 1861 ; killed at Mechanicsville, Ya.,
June 26, 1862.
Washington Barr, must, in May 30, 1861.
John Cardwell, must, in May 30,1861; muet. out with company June
13, 1864.
Arthur Carroll, must, in May 30, 1861 ; must, out with company Juno
13, 18C4.
Caldwell Carr, must, in May 30, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps October,
1863.
Edmund Coyle, must, in July 10, 1861; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Sept.
27, 1863.
James Clark, must, in July 10, 1861 ; disch. January, 1863, for wounds
received in action June 30, 1862.
James Cohen, must, in May 30, 1861 ; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V. June
1,1804; veteran.
Leonard Carr, must, in May 30, 1861 ;
190th Regt.
, June
Charles W. Cheetham, must, in July 10, 1861 ; killed at Charles City
Cross-Koads June 30, 1862.
Wesley J. Cook, must, in May 30, 1861.
Patrick Doyle, must, in May 30, 1861 ; must out with company June 13,
1864.
William Dawson, must, in July 10, 1861 ; disch. on surg. cerUf. July 26,
1861.
Joseph Dougherty, must, in Nov. 9,
June 1,1864.
John C- Ferguson, must, in May 30, 1
13, 1864.
John P. Fryer, must, in May 30, 1861
1862'; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V.
861 ; must, out with company June
Edward Fitzgerald, must, in July 10, 1861 ;
June 1, 1864; veteran.
William Foulks, must, in May 30, 1801.
George Griffith, must, in May 30, 1861 ; mu
to 190th Kegt. P. V.
ivith company June
James Gorman, must, in Sept. 2, 1861 : killed at Antietam Sept. 17, 1862.
Samuel Gray, must, in May 30, 1861.
Henry Gilkin, must, in May 30, 1861.
Thomas Galloway, must, in July 10, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Jan.
16,1864.
Isaac Healy, must, in May 30, 1861 : disch. on surg. certif. July 26, 1861.
John Howard, must, in July 10, 1861 ; died of wounds received at Charles
City Cross- Roads, Va., June 30, 1862.
Thomas Harner, must, in May 30, 1861.
George Humphrey, must, in July 10, 1861.
George M. Jones, must, in July 10, 1861 ; must, out with company June
13,1864.
May 30, 1S61 ; trans, to Western gunboat sor-
Joshua Jeanes, must, in May 30, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 26,
Joseph C. Knox, must, in July 10, 1801; must, out with company Juno
13, 1864.
John Kilroy, must, in May 30, 1861 ; killed at Bull Run Aug. 30, 1862.
Haines J. Kernes, must, in July 10, 1861 ; died at Harrison's Landing,
Va., Aug. 13,1862.
Barney Kelly, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. May, 1862.
William Lees, must, in May 31, 1861 ; must, out with company June 13,
1864.
George Laird, must, in May 30, 1861; captured Feb. 14, 1864; must, out
March 3, 1865.
Alexander C. Mathews, must, in May 30, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps
October, 1863.
James Makeson, must, in May 30, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Sept.
27,1863.
Joseph S. Mott, must, in May 30, 1861 ; must, out with company June
13,1864.
Thomas Mills, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 2, 1862.
Micliael Maklem, must, in May 30. 1861 ; killed at Spottsylvania Conrt-
House May 12,1864.
Joseph Mills, must, in May 30, 1861 ; died at Baltimore, Md., July 10,
1864.
Wesley McBride, must, in May 30, 1S61 ; must, out with company June
13,1864.
Daniel W. McDade, must, in May 30, 1861 ; must, out with company
June 13, 1864.
John McDade, must, in July 10, 1861; disch. March, 1863, for wounds
received at South Mountain Sept. 14, 1862.
John McCracken. must, in May 30, 1861.
Michael Nolan, must, in May 30, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 26,
Jonathan R. Neal, must, in July 10,1861; discli. on surg. certif. Feb. 11,
1864.
Edward O'Neal, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July 26,
1861.
James Oakes, must, in July 10, 1861 ; disch. March, 1863, for wounds
received at Antietam Sept. 17, 1862.
James F. Pennypacker, must, in July 10, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps
Nov. 25, 1863. ■
Adam Pilkington, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Novem-
ber, 1862.
George W. Parker, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. March,
13,1
Willi!
Parker, i
1.
I May 30,1861; disch. on surg.
May 30,1861; disch. on surg.
if. July 26,
lif. July 26,
I May 30, 1861 ; must.
1 May 30, 1861 ; trans.
1861.
William T. Gatchell, must, in July 10, 1861 ;
June 13, 1864.
John Gamble, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch,
1862.
William Giulford, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disc
1861.
Res. Corps Sept. 27,
. out with company
urg. certif. October,
surg. certif. August,
in July 10, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Septem-
in July 10, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July 26,
May 30, 1861 ; killed, accidentally, at Camp Pier-
er, 1861.
William Richardson, must, in May 30, 1861 ; trans, to IQOlh Regt. P. V.
Jnnel, 1864; veteran.
John C. Roberts, must, in May 30, 1861 ; missing in action at Bethcsda
Church May 30, 1864; died in prison, date unknown.
Thomas Smith, must, in May 30, 1861 ; must, out with company June 13,
1864.
Moses Scott, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. November, 18^2.
William Stacy, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July 26,
John Stewart, must, in July 16,1861 ; killed, accidentally, at Camp Pier-
pont, Va., November, 1861.
Edward Smith, must, in May 30, 1861 ; killed at Mechanicsville June 26,
1802.
James Shum, must, in Sept. 9, 1862; trans, to 190th Regt. P. V. June 1,
1864.
122
niSTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
EdwardTownsend, must, ill May 30, 1861 : must, out with compan.v June
13, 1864. I
George W. Timbler, must, in July 26, 1861; absent, in arrest, at muster
James W. Turner, must, in May 30, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. April, :'
1862. I
Oliver Thomas, must, in July 10, 1861 ; died August, 1862. '
John Wilde, must, in May 30,1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 26, 1861.
James Willis, must, in May 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. July 26, 1861.
James Wyatt, must, in July 10, 1861 ; killed at Charles City Cross-Koads
June 30, 1862. '
Thomas Whiteman, must, in May 30, 1861. '
James Wilson, must, in May 30, 1801. |
Frazier Walter, must, in May 30, 1861.
Jacob Z Webb, must, in July 10, 1861. j
Joseph Whiteman, must, in May 30, 1861.
James Wilson, must, in July 10, 1861.
Although the Delaware County Compauies C and [
F were mustered into the service of the State in the
latter part of May, the organization of the regiment !
was not fully efTected until June 9, 1861, when Biddle j
Roberts was chosen colonel; and in making his ap-'j
pointments he selected Lieut. Joseph R. T. Coates, of j
Company C, for quartermaster. On July 4th Gover- '
nor Curtin reviewed the First and Seventh Reserves
at West Chester. On the 21st the First Regiment
was ordered to Washington, and at daylight the next
day marched for Baltimore, reaching that place at
nine o'clock the same evening. As Col. Roberts ap-
proached the city he was met by the jjolice authori-
ties, who advised him that, as the populace was much
excited, it would be well not to attempt to pass
through the streets. The colonel, however, ordered
ammunition to be distributed to his men, and he [
marched through Baltimore without molestation. On
July 26, at Camp Carroll, the regiment was mustered
into the United States service, and immediately
marched to Annapolis, where it was quartered in the [
naval school ; remaining there until August 30th, it I
was moved to Tenallytown, Md., and assigned to the
First Brigade under Gen. Reynolds, of McCall's '
division. In all the movements preceding the Penin-
sular advance it took part, and at Mechanicsville in !
that campaign it was on the extreme right of the [
Army of the Potomac, and under Fitz John Porter
was in the battle of the 26th of June, 1862. There
the First Regiment held the centre of the brigade,
and in a struggle of three hours repulsed the enemy,
sleeping on the ground it had held so valiantly.
The next morning it was ordered to fall back, and the
brigade retired in the direction of Gaines' Mills. On
the 27th, the First and Eighth Reserves moved to the
rear for ammunition. Fitz John Porter seeing this
movement galloped to Col. Roberts and exclaimed,
"Colonel, can't you form a line with the two regi-
ments and stop those Heeing troops?" The answer
was affirmative, if ammunition was furnished his men,
and that being promised, the two regiments formed
in line with a coolness and preci.sion which received ,
the warm approval 'of the general. On the 30th, at
Newmarket, the First Reserves for five hours main- <
tained its position, repulsing three distinct heavy
charges of the enemy, and its gallantry on that occa-
sion was specially mentioned in McCall's official re-
port.
In Pope's camjjaign, on August 29th and the day fol-
lowing, it was constantly under fire, marching most
of the time, and during the forty-eight hours was
totally without food. On Sunday, the 14th of Sep-
temper, 1862, at South Mountain, the regiment charged
the gorge and summit of the eminence held by a part
of Hill's corps. The column rushed onward with a
yell, driving the enemy before it, and gained the sum-
mit, where the First Reserve slept on their arms dur-
ing the night, ready to resume the struggle in the
morning, but the Confederates withdrew under cover
of the darkness. The next morning Hooker person-
ally came to the ground and thanked the regiment
for its valor. In that terrific charge, Second Lieut.
John H. Taylor, of Company C, son of Joseph Tay-
lor, recently deceased, fell leading his command. On
the 16th of September, the eve of Antietam, the First
was skirmishing with the enemy during the night,
and at daylight of the 17th it went in action and
continued until nine o'clock, when it was relieved.
Capt. Talley commanded the regiment in the greater
part of that battle. Col. Roberts having been thrown
in command of the First Brigade, and after Hooker
was wounded, March 1, 1863, Capt, Talley was pro-
moted to be colonel of the regiment.
At the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, the
First Reserves charged across an open plain under a
heavy enfilading artillery fire, and drove the enemy
two hundred yards beyond his intrenchments, when
finding that he was flanked on the right, the enemy
strongly reinforced in front, and no supporting troops
coming up in the rear. Col. Talley " was compelled
to retire after having opened the way to victory."
During Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania the regiments,
on the 29th of June, 1863, marched wilh the main
army for Gettysburg,- and when the State line was
crossed Col. Talley halted his men and announced
that they were then on their own soil, where they
must battle for their homes and families, and know
no rest until Pennsylvania had been freed from every
enemy in martial array.
On July 2d, arriving at Gettysburg, the regiment
went immediately to the front, and on the right of
Little Round Top charged the enemy with great gal-
lantrj', driving them back upon their reserve. On the
3d, in the brilliant charges made by the First Brigade,
the First Regiment, commanded by Col. Talley, occu-
pied the centre. The regiment took part in the battle
of Bristoe Station and in the numerous movements of
the Army of the Potomac during the latter part of
1863. In Grant's campaign, on the 5th of May, 1864,
it was engaged in the battle of the Wilderness, and
on May 8th, at the battle of Spottsylvania. Col. Tal-
ley was then in command of the brigade, and while
charging for the third time through a thicket of pine,
he was captured by soldiers of Ewell's corps, but the
THE CIVIL WAR.
123
following day he, with several hundred prisoners, was
rescued by Sheridan's cavalry. The last day of ser-
vice for the Pennsylvania Reserves was May 31, 1864,
and on that day the First Regiment (Thirtieth of the
line) took a conspicuous part in the battle of Be-
thesda Church. The next day, June 1, 1864, the Re-
serves were ordered home, and on June 13th were mus-
tered out of service at Philadelphia. On March 13,
1865, Col. Talley received the rank of brigadier-gen-
eral of volunteers, by brevet, for distinguished services
in the field.
Fifty-eighth Regiment (Three-Years' Service).—
The county of Delaware, which furnished nearly fifty
men to this regiment, in the official publications of
the State receives no credit therefor, a statement that
is equally true so far as it relates to other organiza-
tions, the general statement merely being made, " re-
cruited in Philadelphia and vicinity." The fact is
that nearly one-half of Company A was recruited in
this county, while in Companies B, C, and K, men
from this neighborhood were mustered into service
among the first that enlisted in the ranks of the regi-
ment. On March 8, 1862, the Fifty-eighth was or-
dered to Fortress Monroe, arriving at its destination
the next day, Sunday, the 9th, while the action be-
tween the ironclad " Merrimac" and "Monitor" was
in progress. On May 10th it led the advance under
Gen. Wool, and after the surrender of the city of
Norfolk ou that day, the flag of the Fifty-eighth was
unfurled over the custom-house, where it remained
until the regiment was ordered to Beaufort, N. C.
While at Norfolk, First Lieut. Thomas I. Leiper, of
Company A, who, while the regiment was in Phila-
delphia before being ordered to the front, had been
appointed adjutant, was assigned to the staff of Gen.
Thomas L. Kane, under whom he was in service at
the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg. On Sept. 9,
1863, Leiper was promoted captain of Company A,
and he thereupon returned to his command.
On June 27, 1862, the Fifty-eighth was ordered to
garrison Washington, N. C, at the head of navigation
of the Pamlico River, and while there it was daily
drilled in heavy artillery practice. Ou the 16th of
December, Capt. Theodore Blakeley, of Company B, a
gallant soldier from Chester, with a detachment of
one hundred men, made a foray into the country
fifteen miles southward, and captured a Confederate
cavalry encampment, a captain, and sixty men, with
all their horses and equipments, so absolutely sur-
prising the enemy that they yielded without a gun
being fired. For this Capt. Blakeley was complimented
in an order from department headquarters. On May
1, 1864, the regiment joined the Army of the James,
under Gen. Butler, in the operations against Rich-
mond, and on the 9th the Fifty-eighth was in action
near the Appomattox River, and the following day
destroyed for a considerable distance the Petersburg
and Richmond Railroad. The regiment was subse-
quently transferred to the army under Grant, and at
Cold Harbor, on the 3d of June, it charged the ene-
my's works, capturing the rifle-pits, and, as related by
a New York Herald correspondent, — " Here, however,
the men found themselves close prisoners, for it was
utterly impossible for a head or an arm to make its
appearance without being riddled by bullets. For
two long hours the regiment held its position until it
was reinforced." On the 15th, it having returned to
the Army of the James, it was in the attack on the
enemy's lines in front of Petersburg when the outer
works were carried. On June 24th the re-enlisted
soldiers were ordered to Philadelphia on the regular
furlough granted to all veterans re-entering the ser-
vice, and because of the good conduct of the regi-
ment twenty days beyond the usual lime was granted
to them. Capt. Leiper remained at the front in com-
mand of the men who had not re-enlisted, and the re-
cruits forwarded to the Fifty-eighth. The furlough
having expired, the regiment joined the army on the
north of the James, and on September 28th the Fifty-
eighth and One Hundred and Eighth Pennsylvania
made the desperate assault on Fort Harrison in face
of sixteen guns of heavy calibre, in which the colors
of the Fifty-eighth were three times shot away, and
out of the two hundred and twenty-eight men of that
regiment who had made the charge, one hundred and
twenty-eight were killed and wounded. Among the
former was the brave Capt. Theodore Blakeley, of
Chester. The fort, with its cannon, small-arms,
battle-flags, and garrison, was captured in this in-
trepid charge. The same day the two regiments were
ordered to assault the Star Fort, a mile to the left of
Fort Harrison, and although the brave fellows scaled
the works and spiked the guns, weakened by their
previous feat and unsupported, they were obliged to
fall back under the heavy fire played upon them by
the enemy's gunboats.
In the final campaign which resulted in the capture
of Lee's army it bore an honored part, and after the
enemy's force in the field was dispersed, it was as-
signed to duty in the lower counties of Virginia, and
was mustered out at City Point, Va., Jan. 24, 1866.
COMPANY A.
Tbomas 1. Leiper, capt., must, in Oct. 19, 1861 ; pro. to ndjt. May 1, 1862 ;
assigned to staft' of Gen. Thomas L. Kane from December, 1862, to
September, 1863 ; pro. to capt. Sept. 9, 1863 ; muat. out Oct. 24, 1864,
exp. of term.
William F. Jester, sergt., must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; pro. to sergt. Feb. 27,
1863; must, out with company Jan. 24, 1866; veteran.
John Brown, sergt., must, in Dec. 30, 1861 ; pro. to corp. May 3, 1863; to
sergt. Aug. 17, 186S ; must, out with company Jan. 24, 1866 ; veteran.
Benjamin F. Gradeu, sergt., must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; pro. to corp. May 3,
1863; to sergt. Aug. 17, 1865; must, out with company; veteran.
Thomiis Schoflcld, sergt, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; pro. to corp. May 1,
1862 ; disch. ou surg. certif March 1, 1863.
Calvert Cardwell, sergt., must, in Sept. 12, 1861 : pro. to ccim.-sergt. Feb.
21,1
I corp. March 1,
Hamilton Gillon, sergt., must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ;
1862 ; to sergt. March 3, 1863; veteran.
Samuel Blythe, sergt., must, in Sept. 20, 1861; pro. to sergt. March 1,
1X05 ; veteran.
Oliver Jacob, Corp., must, in Oct. 15, 1861 ; pro. to corp. Sept. 13, 1864;
must, out with company Jan. 24, 1866; veteran.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
James Stewart, Corp., must, in Nov. 18, 1861 ; pro. to corp. Aug. 17, ISGo ;
must, out with company Jan. 2'1, 1866; veteran.
Edward Develin, Corp., must, in Sept. 16,1861; pro. to corp, June 3,186:i;
must, out Nov. 1, 1864, exp. of term.
Samuel R. CrooliB, corp., must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; pro. to corp. Aug. 16,
1863 ; must, out Sept. 13, 1864, exp. of term.
James Graden, musician, must, in Sept. 24, 1861 ; must, out with com-
pany Jan. 24, 1866; veteran.
William W. Stewart, musician, must, in Aug. 21, 1862 ; disch. ^y G. 0.
June 12, 1866.
Privales.
William Bruton, must, in Sept. 17, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 23,
1862.
Bobert Blakeley, must, in Oct. 11, 1862; disch. by G. 0. June 12, 1866.
Michael Burk, must, in Aug. 25, 1862 ; disch. by G. 0. June 12, 1865.
Thomas Burk, must, in Aug. 28, 1862; captured at Chapin's Farm, Va.,
Sept. 29, 1864 ; died at Richmond, Va., Feb. 28, 1S65.
William Crossin, must, in Sept. 16, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. May 29,
1863.
John Cain, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 6, 1864, exp. of term.
Richard Crowther, must, iu Aug. 21, 1862; disch. on surg. certif, May
29, 1863.
Joseph Collison, must, in Oct. 7, 1861 ; must, out Oct. 6, 1864, exp. of
George Elliot, must, iu Sept. 16, 1S61 ; must, out Oct. 6, 1864, exp. of
John Feeney, must, iu Aug. 27, 1862; disch. by G. 0. June 12, 1866.
William Gorman, must, in Aug 26, 1862; disch. by G. 0. June 12, 1865.
Richard Green, must, in Nov. 5, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Jan. 16,
1865; veteran.
Samuel Huston, must, in Sept. 17, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. April 11,
1863.
Charles Hardy, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif, Feb, 26,
1864,
Thomas Hardy, must, in Sept, 17, 1861 ; died at Washington, N, C, March
5, 1864,
Frank McGrath, must, in Sept, 16, 1861 ; must, out Sept. 16, 1864, exp.
John News, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; must, out Sept. 11, 1864, exp, of
James Porter, must, in Sept, 16, 1861 ; veteran,
Bradford Reed, mu
1862,
William Schotield,
24, 1866; voter
Benjamin Schofield, must, in Aug. 27, 1862 ; disch, by G. O. June 6, 1866.
Robert Schofield, must, in Aug. 10, 1S64; disch. by G. 0. June 28, 1865.
William Vantine, must, in Sept.l6, 1861 ; killed in action April 29, 1863.
Smith Williams, must, in Oct. 21, 1862; absent, sick, at muster out.
John P. West, must, in Aug. 25, 1862 ; disch. by G. 0. June 12, 1865.
John M. Wood, must, in Aug. 2, 1862; disch. by G. 0. June 12, 1865.
COMPANY B.
Capt. Theodore Blakeley, must, in Dec. 10, 1861 ; pro. from 2d to 1st
lieut. Jan. 31, 1863; to capt. July 1, 1863; killed at Fort Harrison,
Va., Sept. 29, 1864.
COMPANY C.
George C. Healey, sergt., must, in Nov. 6, 1861; pro. to corp. Nov, 26,
1863; to sergt, July 1, 1864; must, out with company Jan. 24, 1866;
1 Sept. 16, 1861 ; dii
t. in Sept. 18, 1861 ;
certif. March 27,
th company Jan.
Edward Andrews, musi
of term.
Ber^amiu Quigley, muf
Nov. 6, 1
it. out Sept. 23, 1864, exp.
, 1861 ; must, out Sept, 10, 1864, exp,
of term.
COMPANY K.
James A. Finney, sergt., must, in Feb. 20, 18G2; pro. to corp. April 1,
1865 ; must, out with company Jan. 24, 1866 ; veteran.
Sixtieth Regiment (Third Cavalry).— Early in
July, 1861, Capt. William L. Laws recruited a com-
pany of cavalry in Delaware County, opening a sta-
tion in Chester for that purpose. The men were
enlisted for three years, and as the regiment was the
first of that arm of the service to organize for a '
lengthened period of duty, so it is believed that Capt. \
Law's men were the first in the State willing to enroll [
for three years. Pennsylvania's quota being filled at
the time. Col. William H. Young obtained permission
to raise a regiment in any part of the country, whicli
should be known as Young's Light Kentucky Cav- '
airy. Law's company, for some reason, was not ac- [
cepted as a whole in this regiment, the greater num-
ber of the men being assigned to Company I, under '
Capt. William K. Grant, and the remainder distrib-
uted among the other companies. Subsequently the
regiment, which was entirely recruited in Pennsyl-
vania, excepting Company D (from Washington City),
was credited to this State, and then Governor Curtin
requested Col. Young's resignation.
On Oct. 31, 1861, he appointed William W. Averill,
an officer of the Fifth United States Cavalry, n
Young's stead. At first the new commander v/as
very unpopular with the men because of the strct
discipline to which he subjected the regiment, 'it
under Young having been very loose, but its subse-
quent honorable story was largely the outgrowth of
the stringent measures then adopted. During the
winter and spring of 1862 it was constantly ii' '
advance, and was the first Union force to ente ■
works at Manassas and ascertain that the enem,, ;
abandoned the fortification there. In the Peni' ' I
campaign it was constantly in service, such as de-
manded from "the eyes of an army," and " the
change of base, during that week of battles, th.^ men
were almost constantly in the saddle, covering the
flanks of the columns. At Antietam it rendered effi-
cient service, and when the army, in October, crossed
into Virginia it covered the right flank, which brought
it constantly in collision with Stuart's and Hamp-
ton's command, and finally driving the latter i o their
hiding-places in the Blue Ridge. On Marc) 16th it
encountered Fitz-Hugh Lee and Stuart's c tfalry at
Kelley's Ford, and there taught the enemy hat the
Northern cavalry, which they heretofore had < idiculed,
was able to cope with the best horsemen of ,he Con-
federate army and defeat them. Previous to the battle
of Chancellorsville the Sixtieth Regiment rode in the
noted raid which traversed the country in " ee's rear,
and for a time severed his railroad com unication
with Richmond. On the 19th of June, 1' 3, it took
part in Buford's and Gregg's attack on tuart, be-
tween Culpeper Court-House and Bevei y Ford, in
which the latter, after a five-hours' fight, was so sig-
nally defeated that for a time it compelle ; delay in
the proposed invasion of Pennsylvania. And two
weeks later it was in the engagement at Aldie, which
resulted in cutting ofi' from Lee the whole of Stu-
art's command, so th.at the former was deprived of
the greater part of his cavalry until after the battle
of Gettysburg. On the 2d of July, at that battle,
the Sixtieth Regiment sustained the charge of Hamp-
ton's division in the hitter's attempt to gain the rear
THE CIVIL WAR.
125
of the Union army, and, although it was driven back
by weight of numbers, when Custer came to its assist-
ance it rallied and joined in the charge, in which the
enemy was defeated with heavy loss. It took part in
the action at Old Antietam Forge, on the 10th of
July, as well as that at Shepherdstown, on the 16th
of the same month. It led the brave charge near
Culpeper Court-House, on September 13th, and was
complimented in a general order for valor. On Oc-
tober 1-lth it was engaged at Bristoe Station, and on
the 15th, when the cavalry covered the army wagon-
train of seventy miles, the Sixtieth was the rear-guard
and sustained the attack of Gordon's division and re-
pulsed it, holding its ground for over two hours before
it was supported. Once again, for this brave deed,
Gen. Buford issued an order commendatory of the
skill and valor it displayed. On the 26th, at New
Bope Church, dismounting, it, with the First Massa-
chusetts, sustained the charge of the Stonewall Bri-
ga-de, maintaining its position for two hours, until
S- tes' regulars had time to advance to its support.
During the Wilderness campaign with Grant it was
constantly in service, and when Grant and Meade
crossed the James on pontoon bridges, the Sixtieth
aptpd as the escort. Its story in the engagements
• vjjling the surrender of Lee is part of the history
pse days of battle, and when, on the 3d of April,
.if and Meade entered Petersburg, it formed part
— : escort to the generals. When Lee surrendered,
the . .^stieth Regiment was in the advance between
the h ',es of battle of the two armies. It was subse-
quently mustered out of service at Richmond on Aug.
7, 1865.
COMPANY A.
:. in Sept. 15, 1862; captured; discb. by
, COMPANY I.
Matthias' fpper, sergt., must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; pro. to corp. Fob. 1862 ;
to ser^ ,,.Aug. 1863 ; must, out with company Aug. 24, ISM.
William H- ifield, sorgt , must, in Aug. 17, 1361 ; pro. from corp. April,
1863 ; ' ust. out with company.
George Phi tips, sergt., must, in Aug. 17, 1861; pro. to corp. 1863; to
sergt. J, ly, 1863 ; must, out with company.
Edward Crowther, sergt., must, in Aug. 17, 1861 ; pro. lo corp. 1863; to
sergt. Jdiy, 1863 ; must, out with company.
John Oaks, saddler, must, in Aug. 17, 1861 ; must, out with company.
W. McGinness, most, in Jan. 1, 1864; pro. l
1864 ; to sergt. Co. M, Dec. 1, 1864; trans.
65th Begt. P. v. June 6, 1865; veteran.
William Quinn, must, in Aug. 16, 1861; disch. on surg
battalion Sept. 18,
. July 27, 1864 ; to
. July 23,
up. ; (o sergt.
J sergt. March
Primtes.
. 17, 1861 ; wounded
William Blan..-, must, in Aug. 17, 1861 ; must, out with company.
John Byrani, tust. in Aug. 16, 1861 ; must, out with company.
William Brow> must, in Aug. 17, 1861.
James W. Carroll, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; absent, sick, at muster out.
William Cam bll, must, in Aug. 17, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Michael Cun-an, must, in Aug. 17, 1861; must, out with company,
Joseph Cook, must, in Aug. 17, 1S61 ; disch. on surg. certif. May 30,
1862.
Joseph Dalton, nmst. in Aug. 17, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Henry M. Fuller, must, in Aug. 17, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Eli Hamilton, must, in Aug. 17, 1861 ; must, out with company.
William H. Martin, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; must, out with company.
William Moore, must, in March 23, 1864 ; trans, to batt. July 27, isr4 ; ,
to 65th Regt. P. V. June 6, 1865 ; veteran. j
James McGahey, must, in Aug. 17, 1861 ; must, out with company. 1
John Ramsey, must, in Aug. 17, 1861; must, out with company.
Thomas Schofleld, must, in Aug, 17, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Isaac E. Wilde, must, in Aug, 17, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 9, 1862.
William T. West, must, in Aug. 17,1861; captured Nov. 27,1863; must,
out June 21, 1865, cxp. of term.
COMPANY C.
Thomas Riley, private, must, in Aug. 1, 1861.
COMPANY E.
George W. Rocas, bugler, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; trans, to batt. July 27,
1864; to 65th Regt. P. V. June 6, 1865 ; veteran,
COMPANY F.
Alexander Kiug, sergt., must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; pro.
Nov. 1,1863; must, out with company.
Oram Grigg, sergt., must, in .4ug, 16, 1861 ; pro, to con
25, 1864; must, out with company.
James A. Parcels, Corp., must, iu Aug. 16, 1861 ; pro. to corp. May 1,1864 ;
must, out with company.
James Knsk, bugler, must, in Aug. 10, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Privates.
George Booth, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; must, out with company.
David A, Brown, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; veteran.
Charles Dwight, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; pro. to corp. batt. May 1, 1865 ;
trans, to b.att. July 27, 1864; to 65th Regt. P. V, June 6, 1865;
William Mason, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; disch., date unknown.
John O'Brien, must, in Aug. 16,1861; died at Philadelphia Oct. 25, 1863.
Joseph L. Pedrick, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; disch., date unknown.
William Ramsey, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Samuel Shepherd, must, in Aug. 16, 1861 ; disch., date unknown.
George Weignnd, must, in Aug, 16, 1861 ; captured at Catlett's Station,
Va., Oct. 5, 1863*; must, out Feb. 14, 1866, exp. of term.
COMPANY K.
John A. Devers, 2d lieut., must, in Aug. 19, 1861 ; res. Dec. 5, 1861.
Patrick Ford, sergt., must, in Jan. 1, 1864; pro. to corp. batt, Sept. 20,
1864 ; to sergt. Co. M Dec. 20, 1864 ; trans, to batt. July 27, 1864 ; to
65th Regt. P. V. June 6, 1865 ; veteran.
Privates.
Johu Armstrong, must, in Aug, 19, 1861.
Thomas Dyson, must, in Aug, 19, 1861; must out with company,
Allen Gartside, must, in .Vug. 19, 1861 ; disch. on surg, certif,
COMPANY M.
Abel Wright, 1st lieut., must, in Dec. 10, 1861 ; trans, from 2d lieut. Co.
G to Ist lieut, March 14, 1862 ; to adjt. Sept. 17, 1862.
John W. Ford, 2d lieut., must, iu Aug. 16, 1861 ; trans, from 1st sergt.
Co. E to 2d lieut. Sept. 8, 1862; to 1st lieut. Co. I May 1 , 1863.
Michael Douohue, q-m.-sergt., must, in Aug. 26, 1861; captured; must.
out with company Aug. 24, 1864.
Albert Bradbury, sergt,, must, in Aug, 26, 1861 ; pro. from corp. to sergt. ;
to 2d lieut. Co. D May 1, 1863,
Benjamin McDonald, sergt., must, in Aug. 26, 1861 ; died Sept. 12, 1861,
of wounds received accidentally.
Joseph A. Ford, corp,, must, in Aug. 26, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Abel Ford, Corp., must. In Aug. 26, 1861 ; captured ; disch. on surg. certif.
Feb. 12, 1863.
Robert Coppock, farrier, must, in .\ug. 26, 1861 ; disch,. date unknown.
Thomas
William Crozer,must.
Nebemiah Ford, mnst.
1862.
Ftivalet.
must, in .Aug. 26, 1861 ; trans
1st. in Aug. 26, 1861 ; not on a
bait. July 27, 1864.
er-out roll,
in Aug. 26, 1861; disch. on surg. certif Feb. 1,
Aug. 26, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. March 7,
Samuel Gray,
1862.
James McFadden, must, in Aug. 26, 1861 ; must, out with
William McDonald, must, in Aug. 26, 1861 ; disch. on surg
27, 1862.
. April
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
James Willis, must, in Aug. 26, 1861; captured; paroled;
Thomas Donohu
Patrick Shenan,
1862.
Ninety-seventh Regiment.— In the latter part of
July, 1861, Henry R. Guss, of West Chester, was
authorized by the Secretary of War to raise a regi-
ment for three years' service. Company D, the Con-
cordville Rifles, Capt. William S. Menrlenhall, was
recruited in the western end of the county ; Company
G, the Broomall Guards (named in honor of Hon. J.
M. Broomall), Capt. Jesse L. Cummins, was recruited
mostly in Media and Chester and neighborhood; and
Company I, Brooke Guards (so called in honor of
Hon. Hugh Jones Brooke, post commissary of Penn-
sylvania, who contributed largely to the outfit and
comforts of the men), Capt. George W. Hawkins, was
recruited mostly from Springfield and Ridley town-
ships. Many of the men had been in the three-
months' service, and had some knowledge of military ;
duties. The companies rendezvoused at Camp Wayne,
near West Chester, where, on November 12th, the day
it left for Washington, Governor Curtin presented the
State colors to the regiment. It was shortly after
ordered to Fortress Monroe, and subsequently to Port
Royal, S. C, where it arrived off the harbor on the
11th of December, but heavy weather compelled the
vessel to put to sea, and it was three days before the :
men could disembark. In January, 1862, it took part j
in the expedition to Warsaw Sound, Georgia, which '
resulted in the capture of Fort Pulaski, and on March
5th the Ninety-seventh was landed from the transport '
in the Florida expedition, and captured the town of
Fernandina and Fort Church. In March, Gen. Hun- I
ter relieved Gen. Sherman, and the new commander i
ordered the evacuation of Florida. In a bold recon- '
noissance to Legarsville, S. C, in June, 1862, Com-
pany G (Broomall Guards) and Company H occupied
Legarsville. On the 10th of June, in the Confeder- !
ate attack at Secessionville, the Ninety-seventh stood i
the brunt of the fight until the gunboats could get
into position and open fire with effect. In the fall
of that year the regiment suflfered severely with inter- I
mittent fever, five hundred men being at one time on
the sick-list, and there were also many cases of yellow
fever, a number of which proved fatal. In April,
1863, it was at Folly Island, Charleston Harbor, dur-
ing the bombardment of Fort Sumter. At the storm-
ing of Fort Wagner the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts
(colored) Regiment, leading the assaulting column,
suffered dreadfully under the murderous fire from the
fort, and when the attack failed. Companies C, D ]
(Concordville Rifles), E, and I (Broomall Guards) i
stacked arms, and during the entire night were engaged
in bearing off the wounded colored soldiers, Brig.-
Gen. Stevenson urging them on in the merciful work ;
with the oft-repeaj;ed expression, " You know how j
much harder they will fare at the hands of the enemy 1
than white men." Never did troops expose them- I
selves more than did these brave men, who in the
darkness crawled on the ground to the very slope of
the enemy's intrenchraent, directed by the groans of
the wounded, and dragged away the suffering black
soldiers to where they would be taken and bo»ne
within the Union lines. Nowhere in all the scroll of
history is recorded a nobler or braver deed than this.
The regiment subsequently was active in the siege of
Fort Wagner, which the enemy evacuated on the
night of Sept. 6, 1863. The Ninety-seventh was or-
dered to Florida in October of that year, where it was
engaged in reconnoissances and breaking up supply-
stations of the enemy. In April, 1864, it was ordered
to the Army of the James, under Gen. Butler, where
it was attached to the First Brigade, Third Division.
On May 9th it led the advance on Petersburg, detailed
to destroy the railroad and telegraph wires, which
work it accomplished, and the same day took part in
the action of Swift Creek. When Beauregard, on the
18th, attacked the Army of the James, the pickets of
the Eighth Maine were driven back, and the Ninety-
seventh was ordered to retake the position, which was
done in the face of a hot and destructive fire of mus-
ketry. On the evening of the 19th, when four of the
companies had been driven back with fearful slaugh-
ter and the line broken, the remainder of the regi-
ment, which included all the Delaware County com-
panies, was ordered to advance and retake it. The
command was obeyed with alacrity, and the line
advanced, notwithstanding grape, canister, and mus-
ketry volleys tore frightful gaps in the ranks, until at
last they were recalled, after having sustained a loss
of nearly two hundred men killed and wounded.
During all the campaign it was constantly in the
advance, and on the 30th of June, Capt. Mendenhall,
of Company D (Concordville Rifles), with three hun-
dred from other regiments, was ordered to assault the
enemy's works in front of the cemetery, an attack
designed to direct the latter's attention from the real
point of assault. The order was bravely obeyed, the
works were captured and held until nightfall, although
the real attack was not made. Over one-third of the
force under Mendenhall was killed and wounded. On
the 30th of July, when the mine was exploded, Capt.
Hawkins (Brooke Guard), in command of five com-
panies, successfully charged the enemy's rifle-pits.
In this assault Capt. Mendenhall was wounded.
On the 15th of August the regiment took part in
the action at Deep Bottom, and on the 16th at Straw-
berry Plains. On the 25th, at Bermuda Hundred, it
was attacked by the enemy at the front while it was
being relieved, and a part of its line was captured,
which was afterwards retaken. It participated, on
September 28th, in the capture of New Market
Heights, and the same day took part in the unsuc-
cessful assault on Fort Gilmore. On Oct. 27, 1864,
the regiment had a short engagement with the enemy
at Darbytown roads, in which Capt. George W.
Hawkins was mortally wounded.
THE CIVIL WAR.
127
The story of the regiment, so far as it relates to the
history of Delaware County in the main, closes about
the end of October, 1864, when the period of service
of the troops expired; for, although the numerical
designation remained, the regiment after that time
had little of its original elements, but was made up of
drafted men and substitutes in nowise connected with
our annals.
ut with con
aded Sept.
I, must, in Feb. 29,1864; irn
puny Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Harmen B. Cloud, musician, must, in Jan. 1, 1864;
18M ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865 ; veteran.
David M. Claid, musician, must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; discli. Sept. 19, 1864,
at exp. of term.
James St. Jolin, musician, must, in Nov. 26, 1862 ; pro. to principal mu-
sician May 1, 1S63.
Samuel J. Buclctand, musi
. in Sept. 16, 1801
COMPANY D (CONCORDVILLE RIFLES).
W. S. Mendenliall, capt., must, in Sept. 20, 1861 ; wounded
Hundred, Va., May 20, and at Petersburg July 30, 1864 ; disch. Oct.
George \V. Williams, 1st lieut., must, in Sept. 9, 1861; discli. on surg.
certif. July 29, 1863.
Isaac Fawkes, 1st lieut,, must, in Sept. 20, 1801 ; pro. from 2d lieut. Sept.
1, 1863; died May 20, 1864, of wounds received in action ; buried in
National Cemetery, City Point, Va., Section A, Division 1, grave 88.
Henry Odiorne, 1st lieut., must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; pro. from 1st sergt. to
2d lieut. Nov. 9, 1863; to 1st lieut. July 10, 1864; com. capt. Dec. 3,
1864; not mustered; died Jan. 16th of wounds received at Fort
Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1865.
Darid W. Odiorne, 1st lieut., must, in Jan. 1, 1864; wounded Sept. 29,
1864; pro. to 2d lieut. Dec. 5, 1864 ; to 1st lieut. March 14,1865;
must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
John W. Brooks, 2d lieut., must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; wounded May 18, 1864 ;
pro. from sergt. April 6,1865; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865 ; veteran.
Philip E. Hannum, 1st sergt., must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded May 18,
1864 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865 ; veteran.
Charles H. Hannum, 1st sergt., must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; disch. Sept. 19,
1864, at e.xp. of term.
David Morrow, sergt., must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; pro. from Corp. Oct. 10, 1864 ; must, out with
company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
William McCarty, sergt., must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; wounded Sept. 29,1864,
and at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1865; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Alfred Young, sergt., must, in Jan. 1,1864; must, out with company
Samuel McBride, sergt., must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; disch. Sept. 7, 1864, at exp. of term.
Isaac Sapp, sergt., mnst. in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded May 18, July 30,
Aug. 4 and 16, 1864; died March 12, 1865; buried iu National
Cemetery, City Point, Va., Section A, Division 3, grave 36; veteran.
David H. Freus, Corp., must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; died at Point Lookout, Md.,
May 23, of wounds received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864;
veteran.
John Goodwin, Corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865; veteran.
Jacob H. Hall, Corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., Slay 20, 1864; pro. to Corp. April 1, 1865; disch. by G. 0.
Aug. II. 1865; veteran.
Thomas Kelly, Corp., must, in Jan. 1, 1864; pro. to Corp. April 22, 1865 ;
must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Thomas Butter, Corp., must, in Jan. 1, 1864; wounded Sept. 29. 1864 ;
pro. to Corp. April 23, 1865; mnst. out with company Aug, 28,1865;
1864 ; drafted ; must,
t, 1865; substitute; m
I Charles Anderson, must.
I pany Aug. 28, 1805.
Bermuda | Charles B. Aikins, must, in March 4,1865; substitute; must, out with
company Aug. 28, 1865.
Robei t Burley, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded at Petersburg, Va., June
30, 1864 ; absent, in hospital, at muster out ; veteran.
James Beaumont, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded June 3 and Aug. 16,
1864; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865 ; veteran.
William Beaumont, must, in March 1, 1865; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1805.
Edward Ballott, must, in Sept. 21, 1863; drafted; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Charles Brown, must, in Nov. 21, 1864 ; substitute ; disch. by G. 0. June
28, 1865.
William Berry, must, in Sept. 6, 1801 ; disch. on surg. certif. March 18,
1863.
Robert Babe, must, in Feb. 29, 1864; disch. August 20, for wounds, with
loss of foot, received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ;
William W. Bullock,
disch. Sept. 19, l»i
Daniel Burns, must.
James Barr, must in Sept. 16, 1861
19, 1864, at exp. of term.
James S. Bullock,
Oct. 25, 1864, !
Abraham Barrone,
ist. in Sept. 6, 1861: wounded Aug. 26, 1864;
at exp. of term.
Sept. 11, 1861 ; disch. Sept. 19, 1864, at exp. of
nded May IS, 1864 ; disch. Sept.
wounded May 18, 1864 ; disch.
1 Oct. 26, 1
n Sept. 30, 1864; drafted ; disch. by G. O. June
1st. in Sept. 24, 1863; drafted; wounded May 18 and
lisch. on surg. certif. June 12, 1865.
. in Sept. 24, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C, July
, in Sept. 19, 1861 ; died at Morris Island, S. C, Oct.
1 Jan. 1, 1864 ; died May 20, 1864, of wounds, with
John W. Carter, Corp.,
in Jan. 1, 1864;
Aug. 28, 1805, vei
Wilbur F. Flanuery, Corp., must.
William H. Snyder, Corp., must.
Robert Fairlamb, Corp., must, in
exp. of term.
Isaac N. Stout, Corp., mnst. in Ja
dred, Va., May 20, 1864; disc
Hamilton Humes, Corp., must, i
1865; veteran.
May 18, 1864;
unded May 18 and Sept.
out with company Aug.
in Sept. 6, 1861 ; disch. Sept. 19, 1864,
in Sept. 24, 1861 ; disch. Sept. 30, 1864,
Sept. 16, 1801 ; disch. Sept. 19, 1864, at
n. 1, 1864; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
h.on surg. certif May 8, 1865; veteran.
1 Jan. 1, 1804; disch. by G. 0. June 24,
Charles H. Blew, n
June 30, 1864;
Joseph Baker, mu
25, 1862.
Joseph Booth, must, i
3, 1863.
James Brierly, must.
loss of leg, received in action; veteran.
Richard Boyed, must, in Oct. 21, 1863; drafted.
John Booth, must, in Sept. 23, 1861.
William Cathcart, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; must, out
28,1865; veteran.
John F. Cloud, must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif Dec. 8, 1861.
Lewis C. Cloud, must, iu Sept. 6,1861; disch. on surg.,certif Dec. 10,
1862.
Henry A. Cloud, must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; wounded at Deep Bottom, Va.,
Aug. 16, 1864 ; disch. Sept. 19, 1864, at exp. of term.
Charles S. Cloud, must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; died near Petersburg, Va., July
1, of wounds received June 30, 1864; veteran.
John Dowling, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded at Petersburg, Va., July
30, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Emanuel Derckman, must, in Sept. 24, 1863 ; drafted ; wouuded at Deep
Bottom, Va., Aug. 16, 1864 ; absent at muster out.
John M. Dewall, must, in Sept. 19, 1864; drafted; disch. by G. O. June
28, 1805.
John Dodsou, must, in Sept. 21, 1664; drafted; disch. by G. 0. June 28,
Benjamin Davis, must, in Sept. 20, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S.C, Sept.
10, 1862.
Samuel Drake; must, in Sept. 6, 1.S01 ; died at Edisto Island, S. C, June
8, 1862.
Thomas Elliott, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; must, out witli company Aug. 28,
1865; veteran.
Joseph L. Eyre, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; killed on picket at Morris Island,
S. C, Aug. 4, 1863.
Robert J. Furgeson, must, in Feb. 29, 1S64; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Abner Frame, must, in Oct. 26, 1863 ; drafted ; wounded May 18, 1864;
disch. on surg. certif. April 4, 1865.
Francis Fairfield, must, in Oct. 26, 1»63; drafted: must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1866.
Abraliam Fawkes, must, in Sept. 9, 1861 ; disch. Sept. 19, 1S64, at exp.
John D. Fair,
Sept. 19,1864; drafted: disch. by G.
William H. Griffith, must, in Feb. 29, lSr,4 : wounded Sept. 29, 18r4;
must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Christopher Ciibbin, must, in Sept. 24, 18Ki ; drafted ; absent, sicli, at
muster out.
James Geary, must, in Sept. 23, 1864; drafted; wounded at Darbytown
road, Va., Oct. 27, 1864; disch by G. O. June 8, 1866,
John M. Geigel, must, in Oct. 22, 1863; drafted; trans, to Yet. Res. Corps
Sept. 39, 1864.
James Hamilton, must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; wounded July 26, 1864 ; must.
out with company Aug. 28, 1865 ; veteran.
Kennedy Humes, must, in April 15,1864; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1865 ; veteran.
John Heller, must, in Oct. 19, 1863; drafted; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Henry Heclt, must, in Nov. 16, 1864; drafted; must, out witli company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Benjamin Hughes, must, in Sept. 6,1861; disch. on surg. certif. Sept.
27, 1863. I
John C. Harmon, must, in Sept. 20, 1861 ; disch. Sept. 18, 1864, at exp. I
of term. I
Richard S. Howarth, must, in Sept. 21, 1861; wounded June 16, 1864; j
disch. Sept. 10, 1864, at exp. of term.
Levi Hadfield, must, in Sept. 16,1861; wounded June 16, 1864; disch.
Sept. 10, 1864, at exp. of term.
Edward H.Hogg, must, in Oct. 23, 1863; drafted; wounded June 6,1864;
disch. on surg. certif. April 8, 1864.
Michael Hnfner, must, in Nov. 12, 1864; drafted; disch. by G. O. June
16, 1865 ; burial record, died June 17, 1865 ; buried in Cypress Hill
Cemetery, L. I.
Casper Heibel, must, in Sept. 24, 1864; drafted; disch. by G. O. June
1 James McClune, must, in Oct. 19, 1863 ; drafted.
I Francis H. Pyle, must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1865.
Walter Pyle, must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; wounded June 18 and July 15, 1864 ;
must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865.
Jacob Putell, must, in Oct. 19, 1863; drafted; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; absent, in hospital, at muster out.
George K. Pierce, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; died July 26, 1864, of wounds
received at Petersburg, Va.
! Samuel Parker, must, in Jan. 1,1864; wounded and captured at Deep
j Bottom, Va., Aug. 16, 1864 ; died at Salisbury, N. C, Dec. 16, 1864 ;
John Quinn, drafted; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865.
James Rannels, must, in Sept. 24, 1863 ; drafted.
Solomon Shmach, must, in Feb. 28,1865; substitute: must, nut with
I company Aug. 28, 1865.
! John Singer, must, in Feb. 24, 1865 ; substitute; must, out with com-
, pany Aug. 28, 1865.
I Francis W. Starkey, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; disch. Sept. 19, 1864, at ex-
I Jolm Sheeu, must, in Sept. 6, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. May 9, 1863.
John Smith, must, in Oct. 20, 1863 ; drafted; died at Hampton, Va., June
5th, of wounds received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864.
I John Thompson, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded at Petersburg, Va.,
I June 30, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
I Oliver Tennant, must, in Nov. 21, 1864; drafted ; must, out with com-
in Sept.
William Watson, must, in Jan. 1, 1864 :
; drafted ; disch. by G. O. June
lust, out with company Aug.
; with company
William Jones (Ist), must, in Feb. 29. 1S64; must.
Aug. 28,1866; veteran.
William Jones (2d), must, in Oct. 19, 1863 ; drafted ; :
, with company
William Jackson, must, in Sept. 26, 1863 ; drafted ; must, out with com-
pany AufT. 28, 1865.
Smith Jones, must, in Sept. 24,1863; drafted; wounded July ;l, 1864;
trans, to U. S. Army Aug. 6, 1864.
Michael Karney, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1866, veteran.
John C. Keyzer, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 17,
1861.
John Kilroy, must, in Sept. 9, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 24, 1861.
William H. Kelly, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; died Aug. 29, 1864, of wounds
received n«ar Petersburg, Va. ; buried in National Cemetery, City
Point, Section D, Division 1, grave 2.
John H. Louis, must, in Oct. 22, 1863 ; drafted ; absent, sick, at muster
Thomas White, must, in Sept. 23, 1863; drafted;
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
John Wright, must, in Sept. 21, 1863 ; drafted ; mi
Aug. 28, 1865.
Anson Wheeler, must, in Nov. 11, 1.S64; drafted ; disch. on surg. certif.
May 29, 1865.
Caspar Wizling, must, in Nov. 12, 1864; drafted; disch. by G. O. July
29, 1864.
James Wright, must, in Sept. 9, 1661 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C, Oct.
23, 1862.
Joseph B. West, nmst. in April 15, 1864; died at Hampton, Va., May
26tb, of wounds received May 18, 1864.
Jesse D. Walters, must, in Feb. 29, 1864; killed near Petersburg, Va,
June 29, 1864 ; buried in National Cemetery, City Point, Section D,
Division 4, grave 65 ; veteran.
COMPANY G (BROOMALL GUARDS).
Jesse L. Cummings, capt., must, in Oct. 13, 1861 ; res. May 1, 1862.
Caleb Hoopes, capt., must, in Oct. 15, 1861 ; pro. from 1st lieut. July 1,
1863 ; disch. Oct. 14, 1864, at exp. of term.
Washington W. James, capt., must, in Nov. 16, 1861 ; pro. from com.-
sergt. May 26, 1866 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865 ; veteran.
Oasway O. Yarnell, 1st sergt., must, in Sept. 26,1861; pro. from sergt.
May 27, 1863; wounded at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ;
disch. Oct. 14, 1864, at exp. of term.
Joseph M. Burrcll, 2d lieut, must, in Oct. 15,1861; resigned Nov. 13,
John Lechner, must, in Sept. 19, 1864; drafted; disch. by G. 0. June 28, j
1865.
Andrew D. Long, must, in Sept. 24, 1803 ; drafted; disch. on surg. certif.
July 1, 1865.
Thomas M. Lancaster, must, in Sept. 11,1861 ; died at St. Helena Island,
S. C, Dec. 29, 1862.
Joshua Martin, mnst. in March 1, 1865; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1866.
Edward Maxwell, must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 10,
1861.
Ferdinand Martin, must, in Nov. 13, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C,
April 15, 1863.
James Myers, must, in Oct. 19, 1863; drafted.
William W. Mcintosh, must, in Jan. 1,1864; wounded June G, and at
Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. 16, 181.5; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865; veteran.
James McMannus, must, in Sept. 6, 1861 ; wounded May 18, 1864; disch.
H. Eve
July
Jan. 10, 1865.
Patrick McGec, must, in Oct. 19, 1863; drafted;
July 24, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 24, 1866.
anded Ju
2d lieut , must, in Oct. 3, 1861 ; pro. from 1st sergt.
vounded at Petersburg, Va., July 10, 1864; disch. Oct.
22, 1864, at exp. of term.
Jereiniiih Yost, 2d lieut., must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; pro. from 1st sergt. May
26, 1865 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1866 ; veteran.
Franklin P. Clapp, 1st sergt., must, in March 16, 1864; wounded at Ber-
muda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; pro. to Ist sergt. July 19, 1865;
absent on furlough at muster out; veteran.
William M. Colluui, let sergt., must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; disch. October,
1864, at exp. of term.
Reuben H. Smith, Ist sergt., must, in Sept. 30, 1861 ; pro. to hospital
steward Sept. 14, 1862.
Charles E. Ottcy, sergt., must, in March 16, 1864 ; pro. to sergt. July 19,
1865 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865 ; veteran.
John L. Ray, sergt, must, in JIarcb 16, 1864 ; wounded at Petersburg,
Va., June 30, 1864 ; pro. to sergt. July 19, 1865 ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865 ; veteran.
Charles Gray, sergt., must, in March 16,1864; absent on furlough at
THE CIVIL WAR.
Thomas H. Dickel, sergt., mnst. in Mureli 16, 1864; pro. to sergt. July
19, 1865 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Thomas J. McMuUen, eergt., must, in March 16,1804; disch. by G. 0.
May 26, 1805 ; veteran.
Thomas J. Wade, sergt., must, in Sept. 9, 1861; disch. October, 1864, at
exp. of term. ]
Ellas B. Grubb, sergt., must, in Oct. 10, 1801 ; disch. October, 1S64
John Barker, must, in July 22, 1863; drafted.
George Blanden, must, in Nov. 22, 1864.
William S. Coyle, must. In Oct. 3, 1861 ; disch. October, 1864, i
S. B. F. Chambers, must, in Oct. 3, 1861 ; disch. October, 1864,
, 1861 ;
i Co. I Jan. 1,
; Burg. certif. ,
L surg. certif.
David R. Cochran, sergt., must, in March 16, 1864; pro. to q.m.-serst.
July 19,1865; veteran.
Simon Litzeoburg, sergt., must, in Sept. 20, 1861 ; wounded May 18,
1804; killedat Petersburg, Va., July 30, 1864; buried in National
Cemetery, City Point, Section D, Division 4, grave 174.
Reese L. Weaver, sergt., must, in Oct. 10, 1861 ; died at New York Oct.
12, 1863 : buried in Cypress Hill Cemetery, L I., grave 897.
Albin Edwards, sergt., must, in March 16, 1864 ; killed at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., May 20, 1864; veteran.
Ezekiel T. Richie, corp., must, in March 16, 1864; wounded near Ber-
muda Hundred, Va., May IS, 1864 ; absent, sick, at muster out.
Francis Ebel, corp., must, in J?ov. 2, 1803 ; drafted ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Joseph B. Parsons, Corp., must, in March 16, 1864 ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Henry Hards, Corp., must in March 16, 1864 ; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., .May 20, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 20, 1865;
Matthias Kramer, corp., must, in Oct. 19,1863; drafted; pro. to corp.
July 19, 1865 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865.
Patrick H. Harrigan, corp., must, in Jan. 9, 1863 ; pro. to corp. July 19,
1865 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865.
William H. Cox, Corp., must, in Sept. 9, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. May
William N. Baker, corp., must, in Sept. 26, 1861 ; disch
May 25, 1862.
Heury Hoofslitler, Corp., must, in Sept. 30, 1861; disch
March 3, 1803 ; burial record, died March 17, 1863.
Johu S. Culvert, Corp., must, in Oct. 24, 1861 ; disch. October, 1864, at
exp. of term.
Thomas Dunn, corp,, must, in March 16, 1864; disch. by G. 0. October
7th, to date Sept. 11, 1865 ; veteran.
Henry G. Yocum, Corp., must, in Sept. 9, 1861 ; died at Fortress Mon-
loe, Va., Dec. 21, 1865 ; veteran.
Israel Oat, Corp., must, in Sept. 30, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C,
Aug. 10, 1862.
Patrick Hughes, Corp., must, in March 16, 1864 ; killed at Bermuda
Huudred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; veteran.
John Doyle, corp., must, in Sept. 10, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C,
Oct. 26, 1863.
John Edwards, corp., must, in Jan. 22, 1863 ; wounded at Petersburg,
Va., July 30, 1864 ; died at Weldon, N. C, Aug. 21, 1865. '
Jonathan S. Farra, musician, must, in March 16, 1864 ; must, out with
company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
Privates.
William Anderson, must, in Aug. 21, 1S63; drafted; must, out with
company Aug. 28, 1865.
Lasher Asberry, must, in July 15, 1863 ; trans, to Department South-
west July 13, 1864.
John B. Brady, must, in Sept. 22, 1863; drafted; wounded at Peters-
burg, Va, June 30, 1864; absent in hospital at muster out.
Anthony Bish, must, in July 22, 1863; drafted; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Michael Baiiny, must, in Nov. 22, 1864 ; absent, sick, at muster out.
Joseph Barber, must, in Oct. 19, 1864; dmfted ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
William A. Brooks, must, in Feb. 28, 1863 ; wounded May 18, 1804 :
disch. by G. 0. July 4, 1865.
Joseph H. Brensinger, must, in April 13, 1864 ; wounded May 18, 1864 ;
disch. by G. 0. July 6, 1865.
George P. Barr, must, in Sept. 23, 1861 : discharged, date unknown.
Nehemiah Baker, must, in Sept. 27, 1861 ; died at Fernandina, Fla.,
Jan. 8, 1864.
Lewis Bentz, must, in Sept. 24, 1863 ; dralted ; died at Point of Rocks,
Md., Aug. 19, 1864.
9
1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 18, 1865,
Charles Collum, must, in Nov.
Henry C. Carter, must, in Aug. 24, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 28, 1865,
Phillip Caul, must, in Nov. 3, 1863 ; drafted.
Thomas Carr, must, in March 1, 1865.
.fohn C. Chavanne, must, in Feb. 28, 1865.
John Dickson, must, in Oct. 7, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C, Oct. 21,
William Dawson, must, in Aug. 11, 1804 ; killed at Fort Fisher, N. C,
Jan. 16, 1865.
William Efoux, must, in Sept. 24, 1863; drafted; killed at Petersburg,
Va., June 30, 1864.
Samuel Fields, must, in April 13, 1864 ; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1865.
William B. Farra, must, in April 13, 1864 ; must, out with'company Aug.
28,1
Nov. 23, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28,
St. in Sept. 26, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 9,
John Frost, must.
1865.
Edward Fawkes,
1863.
Stephen J. Fletcher, must.in Sept. 24, 1863 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0. May
26, 1865.
Harry E. Foster, must, in Sept. 23, 1863 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0. May
17, 1865.
Joseph Gardhurse, must, in Sept. 9, 1861 ; disch. October, 1864, at exp.
of term.
George Green, must, in Sept. 17, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C, Sept.
20, 1862 ; burial record, Sept. 2, 1862.
William Henry, must, in March 16, 1864; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1865.
Ephraim Hutchinson, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif.
March 31, 1863.
Thomas L. Hinkson, must, in Sept. 23, 1861 ; disch., date unknown.
Charles Hatcher, must, in Sept. 26, 1864 ; disch. on surg. certif. Sept. 20,
1862.
Isaac A. Hoopes, must, in March 16, 1804; killed at Bermuda Hundred,
Va., May 20,1864; veteran.
Hend. L. Herkins, must, in March 16, 1864 ; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred May 20, 1864; died at Wilmington, N. C, March 19, 1865; vet-
Frederick Heitz, must, in Sept. 24, 1863 ; drafted ; killed i
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; buried in National Cemetery, City-
Point, Section F, Division 1, grave 128.
John Hamin, must, in Nov. 25, 1864.
John H. Henderson, must, in Nov. 5, 1861.
Stephen Johnson, must, in Sept. 23, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif., date
unknown.
Joseph S. Johnson, must, in Oct. 11, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Jan.
8, 1862.
Thomas T.Jones, must, in March 16,1864; died at Fortress Monroe
June 10th, of wounds received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20,
1864; veteran.
Charles Kuhu, must, in July 22, 1863 ; drafted ; wounded at Petersburg,
Va., July 20, 1864 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Jan. 7, 1866 ; disch. by
G. 0. Sept. 19, 1866.
Arthur Littell, must, in Aug. 15,1863; drafted; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
James C. Lane, must, in March 1, 1865 ; substitute ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
John Lightuer, must, in March 6, 1865 ; substitute ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Samuel Logadeo, must, in March 4, 1865 ; drafted ; must, out witii com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Samuel H. Lloyd, must, in March 16, 1864 ; wounded at Petersburg,
Va., June 30, 1864 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865.
John Laughlin, must, in Sept. 19, 1861 ; wounded at Bermuda Hundred,
Va., May 20, 1864; disch. October, 1864, at exp. of term.
Thomas Leauord, must, in Oct. 26, 1861 ; disch. October, 1864, at exp. of
Thomas J. Lewis, must.
I Sept. 30,
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
I Sept. 23, 1861 ; disch. on sarg. certif. Feb. 25,
Alexander Mille
1863.
Herman Meiser, must, in July 29, 1863 ; drafted; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864; diech.by G. 0., date unknown.
John Miller, must, in Aug. 27, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. July 28, 1865.
■William Maloney, must, in Sept. 9, 1861 ; died at Fernandina, Fla., Bee.
1. 1863.
William D. Murray, must, in March 6, ISlio ; died at Raleigh, N. C, May
18, 1865.
George Miller, must, in Aug. 21, 1863; drafted.
Thomas Mcintosh, must, in March 16, 1861; wounded June 16,1862,
Sept. 1,1803, and May 20,1864; absent, sick, at muster out; vet-
Alfred McKnight, must, in March 4, 1865.
Bernard McKinney, must, in Jan. 13, 1865; not on muster-out roll.
John Nish, must, in Sept. 24, 1863 ; drafted ; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Terrenco O'Brien, must, in March 16, 1864 ; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; killed at Strawberry Plains Aug. 17, 1864 ;
Johu O'Neil, must, in Nov. 22, 1863.
William Papjoy, must, in Sept. 23, 1861 ; wounded May 18, 1864 ; trans.
to Vet. Res. Corps Jan. 1, 1865 ; veteran.
James Rogers, mnst. in Sept. 23, 1863 ; drafted ; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Joseph Ray, must, in Sept. 9, 1861; wounded Sept. 1, 1863; disch. Oct.
1. 1864, at exp. of term.
Amos R. Rapp, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Sept. 21,
1862.
Merritt C. Beeves, must. in Oct. 24,1863; drafted ; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va , May 20,1864; disch. on surg. certif. April 23, 1865.
Philip Roothwig, must, in July 22, 1863; drafted; disch.on surg. certif.
Feb. 14, 1865.
James Russell, must, in Sept. 29, 1861 ; died at New York Jan. 8, 1864;
burial record, Jan. 30, 1864; buried in Cypress Hill Cemetery, L. I.
William Smith, must, in Oct. 15, 1863; drafted; disch. by G. 0. May 29,
1865.
Robert Scott, must, in Aug. 30, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865.
William T. Snyder, must, in March 16, 1864 ; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; absent, in hospital, at muster out ; veteran.
Edward Stein, must, in Sept. 23, 1863 ; drafted ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
David Samuel, must, in Sept. 23, 1803 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0. June 23,
1865.
Robert Smith, must, in Nov. 3, 1863; drafted; disch. by G. 0. June 23,
1805.
Alexandei- Seaborn, must, in Nov. 4, 1861 ; wounded May 18, 1864 ; died
at Alexandria, Va., October 10th, of wounds received at Petersburg
July 30, 1864.
Theodore Solomon, must, in Sept. 23, 1863 ; drafted; wounded at Peters-
burg, Va., Aug. 24, 1864 ; died at Raleigh, N. C, May 26, 1865 ; burial
record, buried in Cypress Hill Cemetery, L. I., grave 2887.
William Thomas, must, in Sept. 10, 1861 ; disch. October, 1S64, at exp.
of tei-m.
A. McD. Talbot, must, in Oct. 30, 1861 ; wounded at Petersburg, Va., June
30, 1864; disch. October, 1864, at exp. of term.
Samuel R. Walton, must, in March 16,1804; must, out with company
.^.ug. 28,1865; veteran.
Henry Walla, must, in March 16, 1804 ; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865; veteran.
Philip Worrell, must, in March 11, 1864 ; nmst. out with company Aug.
. 28,1866; veteran.
0. Reea Walker, must, in Sept. 23,1863; drafted; wounded May 18,1864;
must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865.
William Wright, must, in Sept. 23, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 7, 1861 ; ro-enl. Dec.
20, 1862 ; died at Fernaudina, Fla., Nov. 28, 1863.
James Weaver, must, in Sept. 30, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. November,
Thomas P. Waddell, must, in Oct. 15, 1801 ; wounded May 20 and June
25, 1804 ; disch. October, 1864, at exp. of term.
James F. Warnock, must, in July 24, 1863 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0. July
16, 1865.
James Wright, must, in Sept. 26, 1861 ; died at Fernaudina, Fla., Nov.
20, 1863.
Edward E. Wade, must, in March 16, 1864 ; captured at Deep Bottom,
Va., Aug. 16, 1864 ; died at Salisbury, N. C, Dec. 18, 1864 ; veteran.
John Worrell, must, in Sept. 9, 1861; died at Hilton Head, S. C, May
12, 1862.
Charles Youug, must, in Oct. 7, 1861; disch. October, 1864, at exp. of
Frederick Young, i
I Oct. 24, 1861 ; disch. November, 1801.
COMPANY I (BROOKE GUARDS).
George Hawkin
Edward Worrell,
in Oct. 7, 1861 : disch. October, 1864,
Patrick Waters, roust, in March 16, 1804 ; wounded Hay IS, 1S04; disch.
on surg. certif. May 16, 1865 ; veteran.
James H. Worrell, must, in Oct. 23, 1861 ; disch. November, 1861.
t. in Oct. 29, 1861 ; com. lieut.-col. Sept. 18,
d August 28th of wounds received at Dar-
bytown road, Va., Oct. 27, 1864.
George W. DutTee, capt., must. In Feb. 29, 1864 ; pro. from Ist sergt. to
2d lieut. March 6, 1864; to 1st lieut. July 19, 1804; to capt. May 1,
1865; wounded at Fort Gilmore, Vn.,Sept. SI, 1864, and at Fort
Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1865 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865 ;
Sketchley Morton, Jr., 1st lieut., must, in Oct. 19, 1861; died at Hilton
Head, S.C, Nov. 12, 1862.
William H. H. Gibson, 1st lieut., must, in Feb. 29,1864; wounded at
Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; pro. from Ist sergt. to 2d lieut.
July 28, 1864; to 1st lieut. May 1, 1865; must, out with company
Aug. 28,1865; veteran.
Annesley N.Morton, 2d lieut., must, in Nov. 16, 1861; res. April 16,
1862.
James Williams, 2d lieut., must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; pro. from 1st sergt.
April 16, 1862; res. Sept. 8, 1862.
John Knapp, 2d lieut., must, in Nov. 8, 1801 ; pro. from 1st sergt. Sept.
10,1862; res. Feb. 13, 1864.
George M. Middleton, 2d lieut., must, in Jan. 1, 1864 ; wounded at Ber-
muda Hundred, Va., May 10, 1864, and at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan.
15, 1865 ; pro. from 1st sergt. May 1, 1865 ; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
William Ottewell, 1st sergt., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded Aug. 26,
1865; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
James E. Engle, 1st sergt., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded, with loss
of arm, at Bermuda Hundred, Va.. May 20,1804; pro. to 2d lieut.
16th Regt. Vet. Res. Corps Aug. 24, 1864; veteran.
William K. Wood, 1st sergt., must, in Nov. 10, 1861; wounded at Ber-
muda Huudred, Va., May 20, 1804; disch. Oct. 29, 1864, at exp. of
William P. Haynien, sergt., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded at Ber-
muda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1865.
William H. Reese, sergt., must, in Oct. 19, 1861 ; wounded at Darbytown
Road, Va., Oct. 27, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. Aug. 15, 1865 ; veteran.
Edward Horn, sergt., must, in Jan. 1, 1864; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Jacob Cline, sergt., must, iu Feb. 29, 1804; must, out witli company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Thomas A. Watson, sergt., must, in Oct. 15, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif.
Sept. 20, 1862.
John C. Morton, sergt., must, in Oct. 11, 1861; disch. Oct. 21, 1864, at
Horatio A. Powell, sergt., must, in April 2, 1862 ; disch. April 2, 1865, at
Thomas Creigan, corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., and at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1865; must, out
with company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
James B. Neville, Corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1805 ; veteran.
George H. Barton, Corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
James Graff, Corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded Aug. 10, 1804; mus-
tered out with company Aug. 28, 1864; veteran.
Charles Stewart, Corp., must, iu Jan. 1, 1864; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1864 ;
en L. Smith, Corp., must, in July 24, 1863; drafted ; must, i
company Aug. 28, 1865.
THE CIVIL WAll.
in Feb. 29, 1864; must, out with company
Jabez Travis, Corp.,
Aug. 28, 18G5; v
Francis Todd, Corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded at Fort Fisher,
N. C, Jan. 16, 1865; pro. to Corp. July 24, 1865; must, out with
company Aug. 28, 1865.
Adolph Fry, Corp., must, in Oct. 23, 1863 ; drafted ; disch. May 20, 1865,
for wounds, with loss of arm, received at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15,
1865.
William F. Green, Corp., must, in Feb. 29, 1864; disch. July 10,1865,
for wounds received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864;
John L. Morton, Corp., must, iu Sept. 21, 1861; died at Femandina,
Fla., March 28, 1862.
Kobert Trowland, corp., must, in Nov. 15, 1861 ; died at Philadelphia,
Pa., Nov. 4, 1863.
William T. Thomson, musician, must, in Feb. 29, 18i;4 ; must, out with
company Aug. 28, 1865; veteran.
John Parsons, Jr., musician, must, in Feb. 29, 1864; pro. to principal
musician March 1, 1864 ; veteran.
Harry Hunter, musician, must, in Oct. 15, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head,
S.C, April 1, 1862.
■ith company Aug. 28,
led at Bermuda Huu-
1 Jan. I9-, 1865; drafted;
George Arnistronj
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
John Abner, must in Feb. 27, 1865 ; drafted.
John H. Brook, must, in Oct. 22, 1863; drafted; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Morton Brontzman, must, iu Sept. 23, 1863 ; drafted; wounded at Ber-
muda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; absent, sick, at muster out.
Charles Brown, must, out Sept. 24, 1863 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0. June
15, 1S65.
William H. Baker, must, in Sept. 22, 1863 ; drafted ; died at Hilton
Head, S. C, Aug. 2, 1864.
Philip Clark, must, in July 24, 1863 ; drafted; wounded July 16th and
Aug. 16, 1864; absent, sick, at muster out.
Thomas Conn, must, in July 24, 1863; drafted ; absent, sick, at muster
18, 1865 ; drafted ; must, out with company
John Cole, must.
Aug. 28, 1865.
Sylvester Camp, must, in Feb. 4, 1865; drafted; disch. by G. 0. June
15, 1865.
Henry Carney, must, in Oct. 24, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Sept. 27,
1863.
Eliafl Cole, must, in Sept. 22, 1863 ; drafted ; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 14, 1865.
William W. Chappin, must, in Sept. 28, 1864 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0.
June 28, 1866.
James Crosby, must, iu .Sept. 24, 1863 ; drafted.
William Connelly, must, in July 24, 1S63 ; drafted.
Daniel Crowley, must, in Oct. 23, 1863 ; drafted.
William Davis, must, in July 24, 1863; drafted; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865.
William J. Dunlap, must, in Oct. 9, 1861 ; wounded July 6, 1861 ; disch.
Oct. 29, 1864, at e.\p. of term.
James Donovan, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; disch. June 9, 1865, for wounds
received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864 ; veteran.
John Donovan, mu,st. in April 6, 1864 ; wounded July 15, 1864; trans.
to Vet. Kes. Corps March 4, 1865 ; disch. May 29, 1865.
James Donnelly, must, in Sept. 23, 1863 ; drafted ; killed at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864.
William R. Dicker, must, in Oct. 16, 1861; died on steamer *' Hero"
June 18, 1864.
Thomas Edwards, must, in Oct. 9, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 27,
1863.
C. C. Elbertson, must, in Oct. 17, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. May 9,
1863.
Evan H. Everman, must, in Feb. 29, 1864: died at Philadelphia, Pa.,
August 1st, of wounds received at Petersburg, Va., June 24, 1865;
Patrick Finley,
1864.
10, 1861 ; disch.
surg. certif. Sept. 3,
George Frace, must, in Nov. 11, 1864; drafted; died at Raleigh, N. C,
May 13, 1865.
Philander Foster, must, in Jan. 11, 1865; drafted ; died at Raleigh, N.
C, July 5, 1865.
John Gray, must, in Feb. 28, 1864; must, out «
1865 ; veteran.
William T. Gutterson, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; kil
dred, Va,, May 20, 1864; veteran.
David W. Gaul, must, in Feb. 29, 1864; killed at Bermuda Hundred,
Va., May 20, 1864 ; veteran.
Peter Goodrich, must, in Sept. 23, 1863 ; drafted.
Isaac D. Haines, must, in July 24, 1863; drafted; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Dennis Hawk, must, in Nov. 11, 1863; drafted; disch. by G. 0. June 10,
1865.
Edward Helm, must, in Feb. 22, 1863 ; disch. by G. 0. June 6, 1865.
Philip Henn, must, in Sept. 21, 1863; drafted; disch. June 23, 1865, for
wounds received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864.
Daniel Harrigan, must, in Feb. 29, 1864; wounded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., May 20,1864; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps May 15, 1865;
Nathan T. Harris, must, in Nov. 7, 1861 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C,
May 12, 1862.
Caleb Horn, must, in Oct. 31. 1861; died at New York June 27, 1864;
burial record, Jan. 30, 1864; buried in Cypress Hill Cemetery, Long
Island, grave 1006.
Charles L. Harris, must, in Oct. 22, 1863; drafted.
Sanford Irvin, must, in Oct. 24, 1861 ; disch. on writ otliabeas corpus Oct.
28, 1861.
Peter Johnsoi
Levi Kelly, i
1865.
John Krissell, must, in Sept. 22, 1363 ; drafted ;
Va., July 15, 1864.
Christian Kneedler, must, in Sept. 26, 1863; drafted.
Henry P. Lindsay, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; must, out with company Aug.
1 July 28, 1863 ; drafted.
feb. 23, 1865 ; drafted; disch. by G. 0. June 21,
Petersburg,
James Lynch, m
James Lafferty,
1 Oct. 17, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 22, 1863.
in Oct. 19, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. April 6,
Daniel W. Lukens, must, in Sept. 21, 1861 ; wounde
dred, Va., May 20, 1864, and at Darbytown Road, Va., Oct. 27, 1864 ;
disch. Oct. 29, 1864, at exp. of term.
Daniel Laurence, must, in Sept. 22, 1864 ; drafted ; disch. by G. O. June
28, 1865.
Frederick W. Leidtke, must, in Feb. 3, 1862 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. G, 11th
Eegt. P. v., Aug. 28, 1862.
James Lewis, must, in Sept. 23, 1863; drafted; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Ya., May 20, 1864.
Michael W. Mathias, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1866 ; veteran.
Peter Miller, must, in Oct. 23, 1863 ; drafted ; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Joseph E. Myers, must, in July 22, 1S63 ; drafted ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Dennis Mahoney, must, in July 30, 1863 ; drafted; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
James Mahoney, must, in July 24, 1863; drafted; wounded at Darby-
town Road, Va., Oct. 27, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865.
Enos Marshall, must, in Sept. 21, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Sept. 27,
1862.
James F. Maloney, must, in Oct. 27, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Oct. 12,
1863.
William Marrnyer, must, in Sept. 10, 1SG3; drafted.
William R. Morris, must, in March 27, 1862 ; not on muster-out roll.
John McDermott, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; wounded at Fort Fisher, N. C,
Jan. 15, 1865; absent, sick, at muster out.
Alexander G. McKeeweu, must, in July 24, 1863; drafted; wounded at
Bermuda Hundred, Va.,
ly 20, 1864 ; absent, in hospital, at muster
Nov. 16, 1864; drafted; must, out with
ut with corn-
Charles McMulligan, mi
company Aug. 28, 1865.
Robert McStraw, must, in Nov. 11, 1864 ; drafted
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
William McNeal, must, in Sept. 21, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 31, 1864,
James McCabe, must, in April 3, 1862 ; disch. April 3, 1865,
David T. Nuttle, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; absent at muster out
Howard S. Perlton, must, in Sept. 25, 1863 ; drafted.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
mst. out with company Aug. 21
drafted ; must, out with con
Adam S. Pride, must, in Nov. 11, 1864; drafted: must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
David Powell, must, in July 23, 1864 ; drafted ; wounded at Fort Fisher,
N. C, Jan. 15, 1865; disch. by G. 0. June 10, 1866.
William Pine, must, in Dec. 16, 1861 ; died at New York Oct. 11, 1864;
buried in Cypress Hill Cemetery, Long Island.
Thomas Rodgers, must, in Nov. 16, 1864; drafted; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
John J. Richardson, must, in Sept. 16, 1861; wounded at Petersburg,
Va., July 15, 1864; disch. Oct. 29, 1864, at exp. of term.
Enoch H. Kigby, must, in Sept. 16, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 29, 1864, at exp. of
Herbert Rodgers, must, in Sept. 21, 1861 ; disch. May 4, 1865, for wounds
received at Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 20, 18('4; veteran.
Michael Rhuri, must, in Oct. 22, 1863; drafted ; trans, to Keg. U. S. A
Aug. 6, 1864.
Joseph Sharp, must, in Jan. 1, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28,
1865; veteran.
David Simpson, must, in Jan. 1, 18e
1865.
Levi T. Slutter, must, in Sept. 20,
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
John Schreetzel, must, in July 25, 1863 ; drafted; must, out with
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Jacob Sipe, must, iu Nov. 16, 1864 ; drafted ; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Elijah Shaffer, must, in Nov. 11, 1864 ; drafted ; must, out with company
Aug. 28, 1865.
Henry Sage, must, in Sept. 26, 1864 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0. June 28,
1865.
John W. Shutt, must, in Feb. 29,1864; died at Fortress Monroe July 14,
of wounds received at Bermuda Hundred, May 20, 1864 ; veteran.
Levers Solverson, must, in July 20, 1863 ; drafted ; died Aug. 3, of wounds
received at Petersburg, Va., July 30, 1864.
Philip Schwartz, must, in Nov. 11, 1864 ; drafted ; killed at Fort Fisher,
N.C, Jan. 15, 1865.
Henry Schlutt, must, in July 13, 1863.
Lemuel J. Thompkins, must, iu Feb. 29, 1864; wounded at Bermuda
Hundred, Va., May 20, 1864; must, out with company Aug. 28, 1865;
Evan Thomas, must, in Oct. 19, 1861 ; disch. on writ of habeas corpm
Oct. 24, 1861.
James B.Thomas, must, in Sept. 27, 1864; drafted; disch. by G. 0. June
28, 1865.
John Taylor, must, in Sept. 21, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. June 27, 1863.
Jonathan Todd, must, in Jan. 24, 1862 ; transf. to Vet. Res. Corps Oct.
31. 1863.
George Wath, must, in July 30,1863; drafted ; absent, sick, at muster out.
Franklin Vreiland, must. In Sept. 21, 1863; drafted; trans, to Vet. Res.
Corps Oct. 26, 1864.
William H. Ward, must, in Feb. 29, 1864 ; must, out with company Aug.
28, 1865 ; veteran.
John Williams (Ist), must, in Oct. 22, 1863 ; drafted ; must, out with com-
pany Aug. 28, 1865.
Richard Walraven, must, in Sept. 21, 1861; wouaded at Bermuda Hun-
dred, Va., .May 20, 1864 ; disch. Oct. 29, 1864, at expiration of term.
John Williams (2d), must, in Sept. 23, 1863; drafted ; disch. by S. 0. Oct.
19. 1864.
Eobert Wangaman,mu8t.in Sept. 21, 1864; drafted; disch. by G.O.June
28. 1865.
Spencer W. Wilson, must, in Nov. 11, 1864 ; drafted ; disch. by G. 0.
Aug. 18, 1865.
Amos G. Webb, must, iu Nov. 19, 1861 ; died at Beaufort, S. C, July 6,
Fort Schuyler, N. Y., Oct.
1862.
John Ward, must, in Sept. 21, 186
28, 1863.
Isaac Wood, must, in Oct. 7, 1861 ; killed at Petersburg, Va., July 29, 1864.
Willard Waterman, must, in Nov. 11, 1864; drafted; died at Raleigh,
N. C, May 21, 1866 ; buried in National Cemetery, Section 20, grave 2.
Jacob Wagoner, must, in Nov. 16, 1864; drafted; died at Portsmouth
Grove, R. I., July 20, 1866.
George A. Wesler, must, in Nov. 16, 1864; drafted.
One Hundred and Sixth Regiment (Three-
Years' SeivU-e). — The regiment was recruited in
riiiladelphia during the late summer and early fall
I of 1861, and was part of Baker's brigade, and at the
battle of Ball's Bluff the One Hundred and Sixth was
; on the Maryland side, but for lack of transportation
were unable to cross to the assistance of their com-
rades, who were being overpowered by the superior
number of the enemy opposing them. At the battle
of Fair Oaks it supported Kirby's battery against Ma-
gruder's assault, the latter having sworn that as that
battery was formerly in the United States army under
his command, he was determined to capture it ; but
Magruder's repeated efforts to that end were unsuc-
cessful. At Savage Station, although exposed to a
severe fire of artillery and musketry, it repelled for
nearly three hours every charge made upon it, at one
time during the engagement being engaged in a des-
perate hand-to-hand struggle. At Antietam it suf-
fered severely; in ten minutes, at a fence near Bun-
ker Church, one-third of the entire regiment was
stricken down. At the battle of Fredericksburg, on
the 13th, it charged, under a terrific artillery fire, to
within seventy-five yards of the enemy's works, and
from mid-day to darkness it held its ground, and on
May 3, 1863, it advanced to the assistance of Sedg-
wick, commanding the Sixth Corps, at Salem Church,
when the latter was fighting against overwhelming
odds at that point.
At Gettysburg the One Hundred and Sixth came
on the field at midnight of July 1st and took position
behind the low stone wall on the right centre of the
line, in front of and to the left of Meade's headquar-
ters. On the afternoon of the 2d, when Sickles' line
was broken the One Hundred and Sixth was part of
Webb's brigade which marched to the gap in the line,
and when it reached the crest the enemy, not sixty
yards in front, were pressing on as to certain victory.
The brigade fired a close musketry volley at the ad-
vancing foe and then charged, striking the enemy on
the left flank, hurling back his advancing column.
The One Hundred and Sixth and two companies of
the Second New York pursued the retreating enemy
as far as the Emmettsburg road. The following day
it was at Cemetery Hill, to support the Twelfth Corps,
and stationed on the right of the Baltimore pike,
near Rickets' Battery, it remained under the terrific
cannonading of that day until the close of the bat-
tle. During the Wilderness campaign it was almost
constantly in action, and took part in Hancock's fa-
mous charge at Spottsylvania in the gray of the
morning of May 12th. It was engaged at the North
Anna, and in the battle of Cold Harbor the brigade
of which the One Hundred and Sixth was part at-
tempted to drive the enemy from his intrenchment,
but they were too strong, and the men, dropping on
the ground, remained until night, when they threw up
a breastwork, which they held. Crossing the James,
it took part in the action of June 14th before Peters-
burg, and the movement upon Jerusalem plank-road
a week later. The regiment was mustered out of ser-
vice Sept. 10, 1864.
THE CIVIL WAR.
COMPANY I.
■William A. Hughes, 2d lieut, must, in Aug. 24, 1861 ; pro. to 2(1 lieut,
June 10, 1SC.3 ; must, out with company Sept. 10, 1864.
James D. Witter, Ist sergt., must, in Aug. 24, 1861; pro. to 1st sergt.
Oct. 1, 1862 ; must, out with company Sept. 10, 1864.
Samuel Hill, Corp , must, in Aug. 24, 1861 ; must, out with company.
Jefferson Arthur, corp , must, in Aug. 26, 1861 ; captured at Petersburg,
Va , June 22, 1S64 : trans, to Co. II, date unknown.
Jacob Pyewell, Corp., must, in Aug. 28, 18l'l ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps
Dec. 15, 1863.
Reuben Dansfield, Corp., must, in Aug. 28, 1861 ; died Aug. 16, 1862.
Isaac Campbe]
Privates.
Aug. 28, 1861;
urg. certif. No
William Gamble, must, in Aug. 24, 1861 ; died Jan. 12, 1803.
Alfred J. Mudford, must, in Aug. 21, 1861 ; must, out with company
Sept. 10, 1864.
Charles Roxborough, must, in Aug. 28, 1861 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps;
died Aug. 28, 1864, at exp. of term.
John Stevenson, must, in Aug. 24, 1861 ; killed at Savage Station, Va.,
June 29, 1862.
John Knife. Howard Helms.
William McNeil.
COMPANY C.
Edward Lilley, private, must, in Sept. 21, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif.
March 22, 1863.
COMPANY E.
. in Aug. 28, 1861 ; killed at Antietam,
One Hundred and Twelfth (Second Artillery)
Regiment. — On the recommendatiou of Gen. McClel-
lau, Charles Augeroth, of Philadelphia, in October,
1861, was authorized by the Secretary of War to re-
cruit a battalion of heavy artillery, — afterwards en-
larged to a regiment, — the Second Pennsylvania
Heavy Artillery, the One Hundred and Twelfth of
the line. On Feb. 25, 1862, seven companies were
ordered to Washington. Remaining in the fortifica-
tion there until the spring of 1864, the regiment had
increased by enlistments to three thousand three hun-
dred men, when it was divided into two regiments,
the second body under the name of the Second Pro-
visional Heavy Artillery. The new regiment was
dispatched to the front, and, as infantry, assigned to
duty in the Ninth Corps. It took part in all the
battles of the Wilderness campaign, and suffered se-
verely, June 17th, in the charge at Petersburg. In
May, 1864, the original regiment was ordered to join
the Army of the Potomac, and assigned to the Eigh-
teenth Army Corps under Gen. Baldy Smith. The
story of this organization — two in one — is that of the
severe year of battle until the fall of Richmond and
surrender of Lee. The Second Division, or Provisional
Regiment, had hard service before Petersburg, losing
in four months about one thousand men. It was part
of the brigade which charged into the crater when
the mine was exploded, and on the 29th of Septem-
ber, 1864, after Fort Harrison had been captured, the
Second Pennsylvania Artillery and Eighty-ninth
New York were ordered to charge on Battery Gil-
more, but the movement not being supported it re-
sulted disastrously, the Second Artillery losing in
killed, wounded, and prisoners two hundred men.
The history of the regiment is most honorable, but,
' being intrusted with the defenses of Washingtou for
two years, it was deprived, until the last year of the
war, of displaying on the blood-stained battle-fields,
before Grant became commander of the Army of the
Potomac, that valor which in a few mouths earned
! for the One Hundred and Twelfth merited distinc-
] tion.
I The following men were recruited from Delaware
I County :
BATTERY L.
I Marion Litzenbnrg, Ist lieut., must, in Sept. 1, 1862; pro. to corp. Nov,
I 1, 1862 ; to sergt. June 1, 1863 ; to Ist sergt. November, 1864 ; to 2d
lieut. Dec. 3, 1864; to 1st lieut. Dec 17, 1864; absent in detailed
I service in Freodmeu's Bureau at muster out.
i BATTERY E.
Lewis Moulder, private, must, in Nov. 23, 1863 ; captured ; died at Sal-
isbury, N. C, Jan. 14, 1865.
Charles Barges, private, must.
. 23, 1863; killed at Petersburg,
John H. Weaver, private, must, in Nov. 23, 1863 ; absent, sick, at muster
out Jan. 29, 1866.
Samuel Long, 2d lieut., must, in Oct. 9, 1801 ; pro. to corp, Feb. 1, 1864 ;
to sergt. Jan. 1,1865; to 2d lieut. June 16, 1865; must, out with
battery Jan. 29, 1866; veteran.
Thomas Chambers,! corp., must, in Dec. 21, 1863 ; captured at Chapin's
Farm, Va., Sept. 29, 1864 ; pro. to Corp. June 20, 1865 : captured at
Salisbury, N. C; disch. by G. 0. July 14, 1865.
John Dover, private, must, in Oct. 28, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 27, 1S64, at exp.
John Moulder, private, must, in Jan. 4, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 8,
1866.
William Neal, private, must, in Oct. 7, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 6, 1864, at exp.
Alexander Phillips, q.m.-sergt., must, in Oct. 9, 1861; pro. to corp.
April 22,1864; to Ist sergt, Jan. i, 1865; must, out with battery
Jan. 29, 1866 ; veteran.
The One Hundred and Nineteenth Regiment
(Three- Years' Service).— On Aug. 5, 1862, Peter C.
Ellmaker, of Philadelphia, who had been authorized
by Governor Curtin to enlist a regiment, began re-
cruiting for the One Hundred and Nineteenth Penn-
sylvania. William C. Gray, of Chester, had raised a
company in Delaware Couuty known as the Delaware
County Guards, which he tendered to the authorities
here to be credited to this county, but was told that
the quota was full and the commissioners did not feel
justified in accepting them. Capt. Gray thereupon
otfered the company to Col. Ellmaker. The offer was
accepted, and the organization was mustered in as
Company E, of the One Hundred and Nineteenth
Regiment, on Aug. 10, 1862. The demand for troops
became so pressing that on August 31st, before the
regiment was perfectly organized, it was ordered to
Washington, the following day reported at the
capital, and was assigned for the protection of the
arsenal. About the middle of October it joined the
Army of the Potomac, then in camp near Antietam,
being assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division,
Sixth Army Corps. "Though suddenly thrown
among veterans of two campaigns," says Bates, "it
1 In 1867, Thomas Chambers contributed to the Delaware ComUy Re-
jjiifcWcan a series of noticeably well-written papers, entitled "Blemoiraof
Life and Death in Rebel Prisons," in which the incidents happening
134
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
was prepared by its thorough training to hold its |
place with credit." On Dec. 15, 1862, at Fredericks- !
burg, the regiment was for the first time in action, j
and, although exposed to heavy artillery fire, main- I
tained its ground like veterans. Subsequently, when j
the " Light Division" was organized, it was assigned j
to the Third Brigade, First Division, under Gen.
Russell. On April 28, 1863, when Hooker advanced,
under cover of night the brigade crossed the Eappa- i
hannock at Banks' Ford on pontoon-boats, drove in
the Confederate pickets and held the position on the
right bank of the river. The next morning it moved
forward in line of battle and drove the ememy from
the rifle-pits, which it held until May 3d, when the j
Confederates retreated and the corps was sent in pur- j
suit, the One Hundred and Nineteenth and Ninety-
fifth Pennsylvania Regiments detached and marched [
along the plank-road in the direction of Chancellors- |
ville. At Salem Church the latter force coming upon 1
the enemy po.sted in a woods, concealed from sight,
an immediate engagement followed at close quarters. [
The One Hundred and Nineteenth, posted on the j
left of the road, were confronted by a largely supe-
rior force, but gallantly maintained its position, al-
though it suffered severely, losing out of four hun- i
dred and thirty-two men twelve killed and one j
hundred and twelve wounded. The following day
Sedgwick, learning that Hooker had been defeated
and finding that the corps was outnumbered and I
would be overwhelmed, tecrossed the river.
On July 1, 1863, the brigade was at Manchester,
Md., when it was hastily summoned to Gettysburg,
and at nine o'clock began its march, which, without |
intermission, was continued until four o'clock the '
next afternoon, when it reached the field of battle.
On the morning of the 3d it moved to the extreme
left of the line, in rear of Round Top, to meet any ,
flank movement which might be made, but was not I
engaged, the enemy making no determined assault at
that part of the field. On the 4th it was stationed i
at Little Round Top, and on the 5th was in advance in
pursuit of the retreating enemy, with whom it had a
slight engagement at Fairfield. Pursuit was then aban-
doned by Meade, but the One Hundred and Nine-
teenth, on the 13th of July, came upon the enemy at \
Hagerstown, and at once engaged the latter's skir- j
mishers, but during the night the Confederates de- '
camped. |
On November 7th, at Rappahannock Station, the
Confederates were in strong position, covering three
pontoon bridges, when, at the earnest desire of Gen.
Russell, he was ordered to storm the works, and, in
the face of a murderous fire, the iutrenchments were
carried at the point of the bayonet, the whole of the
enemy being captured. Gen. Meade, in his order,
publicly thanked the storming party for their gal-
lantry in the assault,'in which four guns, two thou- I
sand small-arms, eight battle-flags, one bridge-train,
and sixteen hundred prisoners were taken. In this
short, fierce struggle the One Hundred and Nine-
teenth lost seven killed and forty-three wounded.
In the Wilderness campaign, on the 4th of May,
1864, the brigade crossed the Rapidan at Germania
Ford, and at noon on the 5th became engaged, the
One Hundred and Nineteenth holding the centre.
The fighting continued until nightfall, and during it
four color-bearers were killed or wounded. On the
10th the fighting was very severe, and in the terrible
charge through the iron storm of death that after-
noon the colors of the regiment were borne to the
front and planted on the enemy's works, but being
unsupported, it was finally forced to fall back, suffer-
ing fearfully as it retired. On the 12th it was in ac-
tion from seven o'clock in the morning until nightfall,
in the struggle known as the "Bloody Angle," or
" Slaughter Pen," where it expended two hundred
rounds of ammunition per man. From the 4th to
the 12th of May, out of four hundred men fit for
duty, the regiment lost two hundred and fifteen in
killed and wounded. During all this series of severe
engagements the One Hundred and Nineteenth was
led by Capts. Gray and Landell, Col. Clark resuming
command of the regiment on the 12th of that month.
On June 1st, at Cold Harbor, the brigade was
ordered to feel the position of the enemy, and on the
12th it lay within one hundred and fifty yards of the
Confederate line, under a constant fire. During all
the fierce fighting which had occurred from the 1st to
the 12th, Maj. Gray was in charge of the regiment,
and afterwards continued to direct its movements at
Bermuda Hundred and before Petersburg.
When Early was demonstrating in the valley of the
Shenandoah, the Sixth Corps was dispatched to the
support of the army there. On September 19th, at
the battle of Winchester, the One Hundred and
Nineteenth drove the entire rebel line for half a mile,
until the latter, falling back on a strong position, its
advance was temporarily checked. At four o'clock
the Union line was strengthened, and Sheridan lead-
ing it forward, the enemy were driven before it in
utter rout. On the 20th the brigade was detached for
garrison duty in Winchester, where it remained until
the following November.
During the last struggle of the war the One Hun-
dred and Nineteenth was highly distinguished, for
on April 2d the regiment, unaided, and under a fierce
fire from front and flank, stormed and carried part of
the enemy's iutrenchments in front of Petersburg,
capturing the opposing force, with all the artillery,
small-arms, and colors. Col. Clark having been
wounded early in the action, the command devolved
on Lieut.-Col. Gray. The enemy in fleeing, on the
6th, was overtaken, strongly posted on Sailor's Creek.
The brigade forded the stream, waist-deep in water,
and charging on the demoralized Confederates cap-
tured them in mass. This was the last engagement
in which the One Hundred and Nineteenth took part.
After the surrender of Johnston (the regiment had
THE CIVIL WAR.
marched to Danville, Va., to unite with Sherman's
arm}') it returned to Washington, and on the 6th of
June was mustered out at Philadelphia. On May 13,
1804, Maj. Gray was commissioned by Governor Cur-
tin lieutenant-colonel, and on April 6, 1865, the Pres-
ident commissioned him lieutenant-colonel by brevet,
for gallant and meritorious services before Petersburg
and at the battle of Little Sailor's Creek, on March
10, 1865.
The following is the roll of
COMPANY E.
William C. Gray, capt., must, in Aug. 10, 1802; pro. to maj. Juno 2a,
Francis Hall, must, in Aug. 20, 1862.
John Kincaid, must, iu Aug. 30, 1862 ; must, out with company June 19,
1S65.
Frederick Kyle, must, in Aug. 18, 181)2; must, out with company June
19, 1865.
■William Keers, must, in Aug. 19, 1862; disch. by S^ 0. April 15, 1863.
Matthew Linten, must, in Aug. 19, 1862 ; must, out with company June
19, 1865.
James Louther, must, in Aug. 19, 1862; wounded at Wilderness, Va.,
May 6, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June 5, 1865.
Thomas G. Lee, must, in Aug. 27, 1862 ; must, out with company June
Adam Lord, must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Nov. 9, 1804.
William Logan, must, in Aug. 29, 1862 ; not on muster-out roll.
Newton H. Morgan, must, in Aug. 20, 1862 ; trans, to Vet. Kes. Corps
Jacob Bardsley, 1st sergt,, must, in Aug. 11, 1862 ; pro. to Ist sergt. Nov.
16, 1864; com. 2d lieut. June 9, 1865; not must.; must, out with
company June 19, 1865.
Frederick Williams, sergt., must, in Aug. 11, 1862; wounded at Fort
Steadman, Va., March 25, 1865 ; disch. by 6. 0. July 5, 1866.
George McClintock, sergt., must, in Aug. 20, 1862; pro. to sergt. Nov.
ivith (
1 19,
Benjamin S. Tindall, sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862; pro. to sergt. Jan. 6,
1863 ; prisoner from May 10, 1864, to April 19, 1865 ; must, out with
company June 19, 1865.
Jeremiah O'Lcary, sergt., must, in Aug. 11, 1862; pro. to sergt. Dec. 31,
1864; captured: ret. March 17, 1865; must, out with company June
19, 1865.
Robert E. Cuskaden, sergt., must, in Aug. 33, 1861 ; trans, to Co. F, 88th
Eegt. P. v., Dec. 6, 1862.
Nathan Heacock, sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862; died at Winchester Oct.
4, of wounds received at Opequan, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.
James Elliott, corp., must, in .\ug. 22, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Feb. 24, 1863 ;
disch. by G. 0., date unknown.
Thomas M. Selh, Corp., most, in Aug. 25, 1862 ; pro. to corp. April 20,
1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 8, 1865.
Thomas Brunner, corp., must. In Aug. 20, 1862 ; absent, with leave, at
muster out.
Priitatm.
Henrj- Aull, must, in Aug. 19, 1862 : must, out with company June 19,
1865.
Samuel Braden, must, in Aug. 25, 1862; must, out with company June
19, 18B5.
John Baker, mnst. in Aug. 29, IS62; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Dec. 12,
1864; disch. by G. 0. July 10, 1865.
James Burns, must, in Aug. 20, 1862; died at Charleston, S. C, October,
ith company
roll,
■ith company June
1864.
David P. Congleton, must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; m
June 14, 1866.
Isaac CoUesin, must, in Aug. 26, 1862; prisoner from June 1, 1864, to
May 14, 1865; must, out with company June 19, 1865.
Jonathan Culbert, must, in Aug. 20, 1862; died at Fredericksburg, Va.,
May 20, of wounds received at Spottsylvania Court-House May 10,
Samuel Cla.vton, must, in Aug. 30, 1862; m
Joseph Denight, must, in Aug. 27, 1862 ; n
10, 1SC6.
William Ewing, must, in Aug. 20, 1862 ; wounded at Spottsylvania Court-
House, Va., May 10, 1864; absent, in hospital, at muster out.
Robert Elliott, must, in Aug. 22, 1862; wouuded in Wilderness, Va.,
May 5, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0., date unknown.
Armstrong Elliott, must, in Aug. 27, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 8,
1862.
Nathaniel Ewing, must, in Aug. 20, 1862 ; trans, to Vet. Ees. Corps Dec.
12, 1864.
Henry Hall, must, in Aug. 20, 1862; must, out with company June 19,
1865.
James C. Hughes, must, in Sept. 28, 1362 ; must, out with company June
19, 1885.
James McGee, must, in Aug. 25, 1862 ; wounded at Wilderness, Va., May
5. 1864; disch. by G. 0., date unknown.
John A. Peterman, must, in Aug. 20, 1862; captured; returned; disch.
by G. 0., date unknown.
Isaac Pike, must, in Aug. 20, 1862 ; died at Washington, D. C, Aug. 15,
1864, of wounds received at Wilderueas, Va. ; buried in National
Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
in Aug. 27, 1862; disch. by G. 0. May 26,
Robert Beaney, must, iu Aug. 20, 1862; com. 2d lieut. Aug. 20, 1863 ;
not mustered ; killed at Rappahannock Station. Va., Nov. 7, 1863.
William Roberts, must, in Aug. 28, 1862 ; died at Belle Plain, Va., Jan.
21, 1863.
William Rapine, must, in Aug. 25, 1862; died at Washington, D. C,
May 8, of wounds received at Salem Church, Va., May 3, 1863.
John Scull, must, in Aug. 25, 1862; must, out with company June 19,
1865.
John C. Steel, must, in Aug. 23, 1862; must, out with company June 19,
1865.
George S. Smith, must, in Sept. 28, 18«2; wounded at Fredericksburg,
Va., Dec. 13, 1862; disch. by G. 0., date unknown.
John Steel, must, in Aug. 20, 1862 ; died at Annapolis, Md., Dec. 8,
1863 ; burial record Oct. 9, 1863 ; buried in Camp Parole Hospital
Cemetery.
William Stewart, must, in Aug. 19, 1862 ; died at Washington, D. C, of
wounds received at Rappahannock Station, Va., Nov. 7, 1S63.
David Sloan, must, in Aug. 19, 1862; killed at Spottsylvania Court-
House, Va., May 12, 1864.
Joseph Stevens, must, in Aug. 22, 1862.
John B. Tetlow, must, in Aug. 20, 1862 ; killed at Salem Church, Va.,
May 3, 1863.
William J. Woriton, must, in Aug. 25, 1862 ; must, out with company
June 19, 1665.
Ebeuezer C. Welser, must, in Aug. 20, 1862; disch. by G. 0., date un-
Robert Wright, must, in Aug. 25, 1862 ; drafted; disch. by S. 0. March
24, 1864.
Ebenezer Wilson, must, in Aug. 20, 1862; not on muster-out roll.
Martin Wolf, must, in Aug. 30, 1862; not on muster-out roll.
Robert Walker, must, in Aug. 28, 1862 ; not c
David Young, must, in Aug. 20, 1862; not on
One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment
(Nine-Months' Service). — Three companies of this
regiment— Company B (the Delaware County Fusi-
leers), Capt. Simon Litzeuberg, Company D (Gideon's
Band), Capt. Norris L. Yarnall, and Company H
(Delaware County Volunteers), Capt. James Barton,
Jr. — were recruited in Delaware County. The regi-
ment rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, but before an or-
ganization was effected the One Hundred and Twenty-
fourth was ordered to Washington, and on Aug. 12,
1862, was hurried forward. At the national capital
it was organized, with Joseph \V. Hawley, of West
136
HISTOKY OF DELAWAEE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Chester, as colonel ; Simon Litzenberg, captain of the
Delaware County Fusileers, lieutenant-colonel ; and
Isaac Lawrence Haldeman (Major Haldeman was
previously on Gen. Dana's staff), first lieutenant of
Gideon's Band, major. The One Hundred and Twenty-
fourth was assigned to the First Brigade, First Di-
vision of the Eleventh Corps. On the evening of Sept.
16, 1862, having marched all day without rations, it
reached Antietam Creek, and the hungry men had
just received provisions, when an order came com-
manding it to move at double-quick to the support of
Gen. Hooker, on the right wing. In the early dawn
of the next morning, while the light was so indistinct
that the several captains could hardly distinguish their
companies, they were ordered to advance and became
engaged with the enemy. Here they fought, being
driven back and recapturing their position several
times, holding their ground finally when the enemy's
guns were silenced at three o'clock in the afternoon.
The weary men, who had been engaged for eight hours,
were then relieved and ordered to the rear, where Gen.
Hancock held it in readiness to support the batteries
on the right. That night it bivouacked on the field.
In its first battle fifty men were killed and wounded.
Col. Hawley being among the latter. The One Hun-
dred and Twenty-fourth was subsequently assigned to
the brigade commanded by Gen. Kane, and when it
was transferred to the Twelfth Corps, Kane still con-
tinued its brigade commander in Geary's division.
In the disastrous campaign culminating at Chancel-
lorsville it took an active part. On May 1, 1863, it
was on the right wing of the Twelfth Corps, and in
the advance had pushed the enemy before it until it
was in danger of being flanked, when it was ordered
to retire to the position it held the evening previous.
On May 2d it advanced along the Fredericksburg
plank-road, and the brigade being unable to dislodge
the enemy from their intrenchments, returned to their
breastworks, and had hardly reached them when the
demoralized Eleventh Corps came rushing in from the
extreme right wing. Geary's division was immediately
formed to check the pursuing enemy, and from ten in
the morning until three o'clock in the afternoon it
held its ground nobly until, outflanked, it was com-
pelled to return to a second position, at which it
readily repulsed every assault made upon it. On
the 6th it recrossed the Rappahannock, and on the
9th of May, its period of service having expired, it
was forwarded to Harrisburg, where it was discharged
on the 16th of the month.
The following are the roll of the Delaware County
companies :
COMPANY B.
Simon Litzenberg, capt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; pro. to lieut.-col. Aug.
16, 1862.
John Woodcoclt, capt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. from Ist lieut. Aug.
16, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17, 1863.
Balph Buckley, let lieul., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. from 2d lieut.
Aug. 16, 1862; must, out with company.
■William H. Litzenberg, 2d lieut., must, iu Aug, 9, 1862 ; pro. from 1st
sergt. Aug. 16, 181^2 ; mil8t. out with company.
B. T. Williams, let sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. from sergt. Aug.
16, 1862 ; must, out with company.
Alex. E. Crozier, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; pro. from corp. Aug. 16,
James Carrick, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company.
George Fields, sergt., must, in Ang. 9, 1862; pro. from private Oct. 10,
1862; wounded at CliancellorsTille, Va., May 2, 1862; must, out
with company.
John Shaw, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company.
Daniel Crowder, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; pro. to corp, Aug. 16,
1862 ; must, out with company,
John B. Silbey, corp., must, in Aug, 9, 1862; must, out with company,
William Major, corp,, must, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; pro. to Corp. Dec. 6, 1862 ;
must, out with company,
Edwin Bouden, corp,, must, iu Aug, 9, 1862 ; must, out with company,
Lewis P. Watkins, corp., must, in Aug, 9, 1862; must, out with com-
irp,, .
1862;
, with com-
Joseph McCoy, corp,, must, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; pi-o, to corp, March 10,
1863; must, out with company.
John Ashworth, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; pro. to corp. March 28,
1863 ; must, out with company May 17, 186,i.
Thomas H. Kay, Corp., most, in Aug, 9, 1862; disch, on surg, certif,
March 28, 1863.
Israel L. Thomas, corp,, must, in Aug. 9, 1852; disch, on surg, certif.
March 10, 1863.
George Heath, musician, must, in .\ug, 9,1862; disch, on surg, certif.
Albert M, Neal, musician, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; disch. on surg, certif.
Dec, 31, 1862,
Pnvates.
George W, Ayres, mu
t, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
1863,
R. James Abernethy
must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company
May 17, 1863.
John Baggs, must, in
Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 17,
. out with company May
Jacob Barlow, must, in Aug, 9, 1862; wounded at Antietam, Md,, Sept.
17, 1862; absent, in hospital, at muster (
Edwin Blakeley, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; mu
17, 1863.
Jerome Byre, must, in Aug, 9, 1862; wounded at Chancellorsville, Va,,
May 3, 1863; must out with company May 17, 1863,
Joseph H, Brensinger, must, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; must, out with conipaTiy
May 17, 1863.
Charles W.Broadbent, must, in Aug. 9,1862; must, out with company
May 17, 1863.
Peter Brands, must, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
1863,
I William Brewster, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
; 17, 1863.
I Abraham Brewster, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
I 17, 1803.
I William Baggs, must.in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
; 1863.
I Joseph Barlow, must, iu Aug, 9, 1862 ; killed at Antietam, Md„ Sept, 17,
I 1862,
Edward Cooper, must, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
upany May
Thomas Chambers, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with c
17, 1863,
Charles Creamer, must, iu Aug, 9, 1862; absent, in hospital, at muster
William A. Dobbins, must, in Ang, 9, 1862; mu
May 17, 1863.
Thomas H. Dulton, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, i
I 17, 1863,
William E, Daniels, must, in Aug. 9, 1802 ; must. •
17, 18B3.
John M. T. Doran, must.
, 1862;
with company May
with company May
surg. certif. Feb. 28,
with company May
Elmer Edwards, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; i
17, 1863.
Michael Fitzgerald, must, in Aug, 9, 1862; must, out with company Mi
17, 1863.
THE CIVIL WAR.
137
Iliam B. Faira, i
17, 186:!.
in Fields, must
1S63.
t. in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out \
Aug. 9, 1862; disch. on su
John Fryer, must, in Aug. 9, 1862.
Samuel Greenwood, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; mus
17, 1863.
Morris Green, must, in Aug. 9, 1862.
Thomas J. Herron, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; mus
company May
Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
n Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
;th Company May 17,
Thomas Hill,
1863.
William Hem
1863.
Hiram Hiyer, must, in Aug. 9, 1862;
1863.
William H. Hiyer, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
William H. Hendereon, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company
May 17,1863.
John L. Henderson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
George Hormott, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
17, 1863,
Abram Hunter, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
John Hoofstitler, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; absent, sick, at muster out.
William H. Haas, must, in Aug. 9. 1862; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
Henry Hackman, must, in Ai;g. 9, 1862 ; absent, sick, at muster out.
Joseph S. Johnson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
William H. Johnson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; missing in action at Chan-
cellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863.
Andrew Kiucade, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
Aug. 9, 1862 ; must.
Crawford Kugler, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
Thomas W. Kents, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Nov. 6,
1862.
Edward Kay, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; died at Washington, D. C, Jan. 20,
1863.
Thomas Lomax, must, in Aug. 9,1862; must, out with company May 17,
1863.
in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, i-ut with company May 17,
uust. out with company May 17,
Aug. 9, 1862 ; mu
Matthew Lomax, m
17, 1863.
James Logan, must.
1863.
John A. Leib, must, in Aug,
1863.
William Lary, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; died at Harper's Ferry, Va., Nov.
24, 1862.
Kufus K. Lear, must, in Aug. 9, 1862.
John Major, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
1863.
Chand. Marsh
17, 1863.
Miushall Martin, must, in Aug. 9, 186^
17, 1863.
Jonas Mellor, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
1863.
James Makin, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; died at Washington, D. C, March
1, 1863.
Arthur McConville, must, in Aug. 9,1862 ; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
William Nicholson, must, in Aug.9, 1862; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
Jesse W. Paist, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company Jlay 17,
1863.
John Patterson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with comiiany May
17, 1863.
Richard Pyotl, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 : must, out with c<.mpauy May 17,
1 company May
I company May
Alfred Roebuck, mi
17, 1SG3.
Edward D. Sipler, I
17, 1863.
George H. Shillingford, must, in Aug.
May 17, 1863.
John Schnfield, must, in Aug. 9. 1862 ;
1863.
Henry Shaw, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; o
George Robinson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
17,1863.
Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
I .\ug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
mt with company
company May 17,
company May 17,
1868.
Samuel Stork, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 17,
1863.
Samuel Squibb, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
1863.
George Shermik, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
William Taylor, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 17,
1863.
James Toomes, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 17,
1863.
Richard Toomes, must, in -\ug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
th company May 17,
with company May
out with company
1863.
Tho
Aug. 9, 1862 ; must.
■ith
npany May
James Trainor, must, in .\ug 9, 1862; must, out
1863.
John J. Wilkinson, must, in -\ug. 9, 1862 ; must. •
17, 1863.
Benjamin Walraveo, must, in Aug.9, 1862 ; mu
May 17. 1863.
Edward Worrell, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
Joseph Waddle, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
Frederick Young, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
17, 1863.
St. out with company May 17,
COMPANY r.
Norris L. Tarnall, capt., must, in Aug. 13, 1862 ; must, out with com-
pany May 15, 1863.
I. Lawrence Halderman, Ist Went., must, in Aug. 11, 1862; pro. to miy.
Aug. 16, 1862.
Joseph Pratt, 1st lieut., must, in Aug. 13, 1862 ; pro. from 2d to 1st lieut.
Aug. 16, 1862 ; must, out with company.
Joseph G. Cummins, 2d lieut., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. from Ist sergt.
Aug. 16, 1862; must, out with company.
C. D. M. Broomliall, 1st sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; pro. from sergt.
Aug. 16, 1862; must, out with company.
John Frank Black, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with com
pany.
William B. Broomall, sergt., must, in Aug. 11,1862; must, out with
company.
Benjamin Brooke, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862: must, out with com
pany.
Benjamin T. Green, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. from corp. Nov.
1, 1863 ; must, out with company.
Frederick Eckfeldt, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; disch. on surg. certif.
Jan. 19, 1863.
Edward W. Lewis, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Aug. 16,
1862; must, out with company.
W. J. MacPherson, corp., must, in Aug. 11, 1862; pro. to corp. Aug. 16,
1862; must, out with company.
W. Wayne Vogdes, Corp., must, in Aug. 11, 1862; pro. to corp. Aug. 16,
1862; must, out with company.
William H. Beatly, corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; pro. to corp. Aug. 16,
1862 ; must, out with company.
David \V. Eyre, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Oct. 2, 1862 ;
must, out with company.
William T. Innis, Jr., corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Oct. 2,
1862; wounded at Chaucellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863; absent, in
hospital, at muster out.
John F. Worrellen, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Oct. 2,
1862; must, out with company May 15, 1863.
Joel HollingBworth, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; pro. to corp. Nov. 1,
1862; must, out with company May 16, 1863.
138
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Joseph J. Hall, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Jan.
vVilliam H. Garrett, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863.
James Crazier, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; died September 21st, of
George W. Gardner, must, in Aug. 11, 1862; must, out with company
wounds received at Antietam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862.
May 15, 1863.
William H. Howard, musician, must, in Aug. 11. 1862; must, out with
Edward B. Green, must, in Aug. 11, 1862; must, out with company May
company May 15, 1863.
15, 1863.
H. H.Williamson, musician, must, in Aug. 11, 1862; died at StaBford
John H. Henderson, must, iu Aug, 11, 1862; must, out with company
Court-House, Va., Feb. 8, 1863.
May 15, 1863.
William G. Howarth, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
Privates
May 15, 1863.
Brioton J, Heyburn, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
James B. Aitken, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; died at Bolivar Heights, Va.,
May 15, 1863.
Oct. 27, 1863.
Andrew J. Haws, must, in Aug. 9, 1852; must, out with company May
Hunter Brooke, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863.
Alfred J. Hannum, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
Samuel Boker, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 15,
15, 1863.
1863.
John D. Howard, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
Joseph A. Brinten, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
16, 1863.
James H. Heacock, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
Stephen M. Blazier, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863.
William H. Hoops, must, in Aug. 11, 1862; must, out with company May
Harry H. Black, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
15, 1863.
Thomas Hance, Jr., must, in Aug. 11, 1862; must, out with company
William Batting, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
May 15, 1863.
15, 1863.
William Heyburn, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; died March 12, 1863.
Cyrus Baker, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 15,
Philip E. Johnson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; wounded at Chancellorsville,
1863.
Va,, May 3, 1863 ; absent, in hospital, at muster out.
William L. Bitlle, must, in Aug. 11, 1862; wounded at Antietam, Md,,
Edward Jackson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
Sept. 17, 1862; must, out with company May 15, 1863.
15, 1863.
David Bradbury, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Feb. 6,
Eufus King, must, in Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out with company May 15,
1863.
1863.
Daniel B. Baker, must, in Aug. 11,1862; disch. on surg. certif. May 21,
N. C. Longmire, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
1863.
15, 1863.
James Cheetham, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
James D. Linten, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863.
Richard R. Cummins, must, in Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out with company
George D. Miller, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; nmst. out with company May
May 15, 1S63.
15, 1863.
George W. Cowan, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
Charles Moore, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 15,
15, 1863.
1863.
John H. Cochran, must, in Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out with company May
William L. Martin, must, iu Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863,
Michael Grouse, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
James Moore, Jr., must, in Aug. 11, 1S62 ; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863.
liOienzo F. Davis, must, in Aug. 9, 18G2; must, out with company May
Millson L. Millson, must, in Aug. 11,1862; must, out with company
15, 1863.
May 15, 1863.
Jesse Darlington, Jr., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company
James Newsom, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
May 15, 1863.
15, 1863.
James Doughty, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 : must, out with company May
Casper Pike, must, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 15,
15, 1863.
1863.
William G. Davidson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
Richard A. Passmore, must, in Aug, 9, 1862 ; must, out with company
May 15, 1863.
May 15, 1863.
Hary R. Duey, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 15,
Caleb Y. Price, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 15,
1863.
1863.
Jesse Darlington, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
John Pugh, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 15,
15, 1863.
1863.
Eliaa Eckfeldt, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 15,
Samuel H. Palmer, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
1863.
15, 1863.
William Y. Esben, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
Henry Paulding, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
15, 1803.
Charles J. Eary, must, in Aug. 11, 1862; must, out with company May
John Palmer, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 15,
15, 1863.
1863.
Salkeld L. Fairlamb, must, in Aug. 9,1862; must, out with company
John M. Pyle, must, in Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out with company May 15,
May 15, 1863.
1863.
Jabez F. Fryer, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 15,
Jacob B. Richards, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ;must. out with company May
1863.
15, 1863.
Isaac N. Flounders, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
Menanda Slack, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out witli company May 15,
May 16, 1863.
1863.
MiltonFord, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 15,
Penel Stackhouse, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
1863.
15, 1863.
Thomas Fields, must, iu Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May 16,
George F. Springer, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
1863.
15, 1803.
Anderson Fielding, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
James C. Sorber, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863.
John L.Grimm, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
Stephen Smith, must, iu Aug. 11, 1862 ; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
16, 1863.
William Gamble, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
Mifflin W. Smith, must, iu Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
15, 1863.
15, 1863.
THE CIVIL WAR.
139
Benjamin F. Thomas, must.
May 15, 1863.
Walker T. Wells, must, iu A:
15, 1863.
James Wa'ters
1803.
Joel E. Watson, must, in At
1863.
Charles W. Watkins, must
May 15, 1863.
Henry Warburton, must, in Aug. I
May 15, 1863.
Christian A. Wall, must, in Aug. 9, 1:
Aug. 11, 1862; must, out with company
. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 15,
. Aug. 9,1862 ; nuist. out with company May 15,
ust. in Aug. 9, 1802 ; must, out with company
inst. out with company
, out \Yith company May
COMPANY H.
James Barton, Jr., capt., must, in Aug. 15, 1862; must, out witli com-
pany May 16, 1863.
Frank M. Niiglee, 1st lieut., must, iu Aug. 15, 1862 ; must, out with com-
pany May 16, 1863.
William H. H. Clayton, 2d lieut., must, in Aug. 15, 1862 ; must, out with
company May 16, 1863.
John M. Clayton, 1st sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1802 ; must, out with com-
pany May 10, 1863.
James McDade, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
May 16, 1863.
William G. Knowles, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1S02; ivoundeti at Antie-
tam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862; absent, in hospital, at muster out.
William T. Shoemaker, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1802 ; pro. from corp.
Jan. 19, 1863; must, out with company.
Charles B. Roberts, sergt., must, iu Aug. 9, 1802 ; pro. from corp. Jan. 1,
1863; mnst. out with company.
William Pusey West, sergt., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; pro. to com.-sergt.
Sept. 1,1862.
Thomas H. Jackson, sergt., must, in Aug. 14, 1862 ; died at Washington,
D. C, Jan. 19, 1863.
Samuel K. Crozier, Corp., must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with com-
pany May 16, 1863.
Lewis McGonegal, corp., must, in .\ug. 9, 1862 ; must out with company
May 16, 1863.
John B. McCay, Jr., Corp., must, in Aug. 14, 1S62 ; absent, in hospital.
Josepli Cathcart, must
16. 1802.
James P. Chadwick, E
May 16, 1862.
William H. Clair, nm
16, 1862.
William T. Chandler, must, iu Aug. 9,1862; must.
May 16, 1862.
William T. Clayton, must, iu Aug. 9, 1802; must, out
16, 1802,
John B. Cougleton, must, in Aug. 12, 1862; must, out with company
May 16, 1862.
William J. Crowther, must, in .\ug. 9, 1862 ; mnst. out with company
May 16, 1862.
Thomas J. Carmen, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Nov.
Aug. 9, 1S62 ; must, out with company May
, iu Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
1 Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
vith company
company May
Aug. 9, 1862 ; disch
in Ang. 9. 1862 ; mi
I George K. Cross, mi
IS63.
Frederick A. Davis,
16, 1863. "
Joseph Drake, must, in .\ug. 9, 1862 ;
1863.
John F. Duffy, must, in Aug. 12, 1862
1863.
Elias Eave, must, in Aug. 9, 1862;
1863.
John Files, must, in Aug. 14, 1862 ;
Ezekiel Ford, must, iu Aug
1863.
Alexander Gutterson, must.
May 16, 1863.
Robert M. Green, must, iu Aug. 12, 1862; disch
Samuel F. Heacock
10, 1S63.
Charles T. Hanthei
May 16, 1863.
Frederick Hartly, must, in Aug. 12,
Aug. 9, 1862 ; mnst. out with company
Aug. 9, 1802; must, out with company
^ug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
C. J. Rhoeback, corp., musl
May 16, 1803.
Enos W. Clair, Corp., must.
May 16, 1863.
William Trainer, Jr., corp., must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Jan. 19,
1863; wounded at Chancellorsyille May 2, 1863; must, out with
company May 16, 1863.
James C. Hinkson, coi-p., must, in Aug. 9, 1802 ; pro. to corp. Jan. 1, 1863;
must, out with company May 16, 1863.
James P. Evans, musician, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out with com-
pany May 16, 1863.
George B. Hinkson, musician, must, in Aug. 12, 1802; must, out with
company May 10, 1863.
F)-ivates.
Jose;ih A. .Viman, must, iu Aug. 14, 1862; must, out with
■g. certif. March 8,
must, out with company May
:. out with company May 16,
St. out with company May 16,
. out with company May 16,
, out with company May 16,
t. out with company May 16,
2: mnst. out with company
rg. certif. Dec. 30,
Ang. 9, 1S62 ; must, out with company May
in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company
with company May
with company May
with company May
out with company
, 1862; n
Aug. 9,
1863.
)mpany May
th company
Joseph L. Arment, must, in Ang. 12, 1862; must.
May 16, 1863.
George S. Bensen, must, in Aug. 9, 1802; must, out with company May
Charles Bonsall, Jr., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out i
May 16, 1863.
William Burnes, must, in Ang. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
Joseph H. Bonsall, must, in Aug. 14, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Sept.
Thomas Biirk. mi
3, 1862.
Elias S. Baker, must, in Aug. 9, 1862.
John W. Carr, mnst. in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must.
1862.
Robert Casey, Ji
16, 1862.
Aug. 9, 1862; died at Harper's Ferry, Va., Nov.
Aug. 9, 1862; mil
May 16,
any May
Jonathan Heacock, must, in Aug, 9, 1862; must.
16, 1863.
Robert J. Hanby, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, o
16, 1863.
Edwin U, Hickman, must, in Aug. 14, 1862; mi
May 16, 1863.
Benjamin F. Hurst, must, in Ang. 14, 1862 ; must, out with company
May 10, 1803.
William D. Howard, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company
May 16, 1863.
Charles Jackson, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
John Jackson, must, in Aug. 12, 1802; discharged, date unknown.
David T. Jones, must, in Aug. 14, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
J. Ephraim Lobb, must, in Aug. 14, 1802; died at Stafford Court-House,
Va., March 8, 186i.
J. Wesley Miles, must, in Aug. 14, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
George Mills, must, in Aug. 14, 1862 ; must, out with company May 16,
1863.
Jesse D. Minshall, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
John Mott, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 16,
1863.
Robert A. McCall, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
Daniel McCue, must, in Aug. 12, 1862; must, out with company May 16,
1863.
Philip Nawn, must, iu Aug. 9, 1802; must, out with company May 16,
1863.
Samuel W. Neald, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; wounded at Chancelloisville,
Va., May 3, 1863 ; mnst. out with company May 16, 1863.
Jesse Owen, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 16,
1803.
John F. Palmer, must, in Aug. 9, 1S62; roust, out with company May
16, 1863.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
John Petei-B, must.
1863.
1 Aug. 9, 1862; must, out witb company May 16,
1 Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
John W. Philips, must.
10, 1863.
James Piard, Jr., must, in Aug. 9, 1862; wounded at Chancellorsvitle,
Va., May 3, 1863 ; must, out with company May 16, 186:S.
Harvey E. Pierce, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
Horalio N. Piatt, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; wounded at Anlietam, Md.,
Sept. 17, 1862 ; must, out with company M:
George W. Poole, must, in Aug. 9, 1862; must.
16, 1863.
Isaac E. Price, must, in Aug. 9, 1SG2 ; must, out
1863.
Owen Z. Pyle, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, ou
1863.
with company May 16,
t with company Slay 16,
12, 1862 : must, out with company May
Maurice Bagan, mus
16, 186:5.
Jacob H. Rice, must, in Aug. 5, 1S62 ; must, out with company May 16, 1
1863. '
Thomas Ryan, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; must, out with company May 16, 1
Albert i
t with company May :
ust. in .\ug. 9, 1862 ; must, our wiin company luay lo, i
.\ug. 9, 18(52 ; must, out with company May I
t with company May 1
with company May 16,
Cheyney H. Smith, must
16, 1863.
John Standring, must, in Aug. 9, 1862
16, 1863.
Joseph Taylor, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ;
1863.
John W. Temple, must, in Aug. 14, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16,1863.
Daniel Trainer, must, in Aug. 12, 1862; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
Livingston Tally, must, in Aug. 12, 1862.
William S. Yanhorn, most, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out with company
May 16, 1863.
Nehemiah Vansant, must, in Aug. 12, 1862; must, out with company
May 16, 1863.
Ralph Welsh, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out with company May 10,
1863.
John Whittington, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
Simon H. White, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
Thomas Wildes, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out with company May
16, 1863.
Moses Williams, must, in Aug. 12, 1862 ; must, out witn company Jlay
16, 1863.
Samuel R. Zebley, must, in Aug. 9, 1862 ; killed at Antietam, Jld., Sept.
17, 1802.
COMPANY G.
Philip D. Haines, Ist lieut., must, in Aug. 15, 1862; must, out with com-
pany.
William S. Abel, 2d lieut., must, in Aug. 15, 18.V2; must, out with com-
pany.
The results of the disastrous campaign of Gen. Pope
in the summer of 1862, it was believed by the Con-
federate authorities had so depressed the North that
a bold invasion of the latter territory might possibly
cause a general popular movement to end the war
even by the acknowledgment of the Southern Con-
federated States, or at least secure the recognition of
the latter government by the English and French
nations. It was also thought that if there .should be
much accession to the Confederate ranks from Mary-
land it would be a strong argument to press on the
European governments that a war of subjugation
could never be successful, hence in the interest of
humanity steps would be taken by these powers to
terminate the hopeless struggle. The result of the
invasion, however, was just the reverse of these ex-
pectations. In the mean while the United States, on
Aug. 4, 1862, ordered a draft for six hundred thou-
sand men, three hundred thousand to be immediately
called to the field. On the 1st of September the au-
thorities of the State announced that no county in the
commonwealth had at that time sent as many soldiers
to the army as Delaware County, according to popu-
lation ; that it then had 1474 men in the service, and
its full quota was 1801. Upper Providence held the
proud prominence of having contributed the greatest
number of men, according to its inhabitants, of any
locality in Pennsylvania, having sent one hundred
and thirty-four soldiers to the field.
On September 5th, Gen. Lee with his entire com-
mand crossed the Potomac, and the whole North rose
to resist the invasion, while, contrary to Confederate
expectation, the desertions from the ranks of Lee's
army were greater in numbers than the recruits which
gathered under its standard in Maryland. On Sept.
4, 1862, Governor Curtin ordered the formation of
military companies, and on the 11th called fifty thou-
sand militia of the State to the field to protect the
threatened commonwealth. As a consequence the
utmost excitement prevailed, all business was sus-
pended, nothing occupying public attention but the
organization of militia companies and forwarding
them to the designated stations where State troops
were ordered to report. William Frick, at that time
a leading business man of Chester, within a few hours
after the call was issued, hastened to Harrisburg and
tendered his services to the State in any capacity in
which he was fitted to act. Governor Curtin imme-
diately appointed him colonel of the Third Regiment
of militia, but he declined to accept the position, sta-
ting that his knowledge of military movements was
too limited to have the command of such a body of
men, but the Governor insisted that at least he should
be major of that organization, and as such he was
mustered into service.
There was no Sunday in Delaware County on Sept.
14, 1862, but all day long recruiting went on and
men hastened their preparations to go to the front,
while the busy hands of the women were actively em-
ployed in getting their fathers, husbands, and sons
ready to march. On Monday, September 15th, at
Media, a company was fully recruited, of which Hon. •
J. M. Broomall was chosen captain, which, fully
equipped and mustered in, on the following day left
for Harrisburg. The same day the Chester Guards,
commanded by Capt. William R. Thatcher, and the
Mechanic Rifles of Chester, Capt. Jonathan Kershaw,
equipped partly by the Borough Council, which body
appropriated fifteen hundred dollars, which soon was
largely augmented by private subscriptions, was also
dispatched for the State capital. In Upper Darby the
Darby Rangers, Capt. Charles A. Litzenberg, a com-
pany from Thornbury and Edgmiint, commanded by
Capt. .lames Wilcox, the Delaware County Guards of
THE CIVIL WAR.
Concord and Aston, Capt. John H. Barton, and the
Upland Guards, Capt. James Kirkmau, were also dis-
patched to designated rendezvous. The latter organ-
ization had taken so many men out of the mills at
Upland that the factories there were compelled to
close, as every ahle-bodied operator had joined the
militia and gone for the front. Samuel Bancroft, of
Upper Providence, supplied the blankets for the
militia, and declined to receive any compensation for
the goods. At that time it is creditable to the patriot-
ism of Delaware County to record that out of a total
male population of six thousand men subject to mili-
tary duty nearly twenty-two hundred were under
arms. History nowhere records a more spontaneous
uprising of a people than that displayed by the men
of Delaware County in the face of this threatening
danger to the State. The troops from this section
were, after their arrival in Harrisburg, assigned to
various regiments and hastened to Chambersburg,
where they w-ere stationed at Camp McClure to await
orders. Just previous to the battle of Antietam it
was seriously considered whether it was not necessary i
to cross the borders into Maryland as far as Hagers-
town, that they might be in supporting distance of the j
Union army. When the militia companies were in-
formed of the contemplated movement the officers in-
formed the men that it was voluntarily on their part
whether they would go or not, that those who were
■willing to march beyond the State boundary, if so de-
sired, should advance two paces to the front, and in
response to this order not a dozen in all the Delaware
County companies declined to volunteer. However,
the fierce battle of the 17th of September was fought
and won, and when the defeated army of Lee in con-
fusion retreated across the Potomac, the emergency
having passed the militia were relieved from further
service in the field. The moral support these men
rendered in promptly taking the field was of the
utmost importance to the cause of the North at that
juncture, and the spectacle it presented to the Old
World was largely instrumental in preventing recog-
nition by foreign nations of the Confederate State
government.
The following is the roll of the various militia com-
panies from Delaware County :
TENTH REGIMENT MILITIA.
Organized Sept. 10-15, 1862, and discharged Sept. 25-2T, 1862.
C'OMPAXT K.— Captain, William B. Thatcher; Brst lieutenant, Lewis M.
Larkin ; second lieutenant, William G. Price; first sergeant, Henry
McIIvaine; sergeants, John M. Oniensetter, William G. Evans,
William C. Dubree, Joseph H. Hinkson; corporals, William N.
Pennell, James Morgan, Joel Lane, David M. Johnson, George E.
Darlington, John W. Otter, Ricliard F. Flickwire, Francis R. Shoe-
maker ; musician, Charles Dickerson.
Pru^nfes.— Walter J. Arnold, William Appleby, David Appleby, George
Bottomly, James E. Breckenridge, William Blakely, Joseph Blakely,
Elwood Black, Benjamin F. Bucha, Theodore Boll, Nathan Berry,
Joseph Brewster, John Cunlitf, J. Engle Cochran, Allen Carr,
George Cadmen, John Clark, Archibald Clark, Julius Dutton,
Alfred 0. Deshong, James Dunkerly, Joshua P. Eyer, Jr., Martin
Faraday, Henry G. Grubb, Ileniy Greenwood, James Glennan,
Heni-y M. Hinkson, Samuel Haigh, David E. Holstein, Edwin
Hewitt, Charles Hinkson, .Tohn Hinkson, Henry Hinkson, Amos
Holt, Joseph Holt, John Holt, J. Washington Irving, Benjamin
Irving, Frauds Harricks, John S. Israel, K. Morgan Johnson, Ben-
jamin D. Johnson, Theodore Lukens, Henry M. Lukeos, Mordecai
Larkins, Jr., Samuel W. Loveland, Benjamin Mason, Hamilton
Morris, William Mackey, John F. McFall, Daniel McCoUum, John
S. JIcFadden, William McConnell, James McClymont, Isaac New-
ton, Jr, William H. Neur, David F. Newlin, William J. Oglesby,
Samuel C. Price, William Pnttison, Charles D. Pennell, .Tohn S.
Robinson, Charles A. Story, Jr., John E. Shaw, Arnold Shaw,
Samuel Stevenson, George I. St. Leger, Henry B. Taylor, William
G. Vernon, Preston E. Wilson, Lewis D. Wheaton, Hiram Williams.
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT MILITIA.
Organized Sept. 17, 1862 ; disch. Sept. 25, 1862.
FiELi> AND Staff.— Colonel, Joseph Wilcox; major, Charles A. Litzen-
horg ; quartermaster, John J. Rowland ; quartermaster-Bergeant,
Isaac Johnson.
Company B. — Captain, Jonathan Kershaw ; first lieutenant, Abram
Lowery ; second lieutenant, John W. Bech ; first sergeant, George
W. Wilson; sergeants, George Smith, Charles R. Sweeney, Hugh
Hatton, William D. Pullen; corporals, Richard Turner, Thomas H.
Berry, Harry A, Hopple, Thomas H. Thompson, Nathaniel P. Chad-
wick, Peter Goff, Charles Stringfellow, William Schofleld ; musi-
cians. John CuUen, James G. Hunter.
Privates. — John Booth, Augelo D. Boiga, Charles Barger, John Brauken,
Edward Briley, Enos F. Cloud, Edward E. CuUen, George Clouser,
John J. Clark, William H. Dickerson, John Dunkerley, Jesse Galli-
gar, Jacob Greider, Jr., James Haws, William Latch, James Morris,
Charles Marline, Theodore V. Rosevelt, Joseph Rein, John Russell,
William Smith, William Sweeney, Robert Smith, Jr., John Sykes,
Richard T. Turner, John W. Warren.
CoMPANT C— Captain, John M. Broomall ; first lieutenant, William
Ormsby ; second lieutenant, John C. Price ; first sergeant, Terry
Reilly ; sergeants, Daniel McClintock, Fred. Fairlamb, John Davis,
Andrew T. Walker; corporals, Ephraim Stark, Owen W. Yarnall,
Charles J. Broomall, William James, Samuel P. Rush, John L.
Moore, Jesse Hibberd, Jolm Coburn.
friiate.— Philip Afllick, John H. Anderson, Levi Baker, Alfred Baker,
George W. Bartle, J. A. Bend, Israel Briggs, George W. Bishop, J.
H. H. Cline, John J. Cloop, Emlen M. Chalfaut, Joseph R. Camp-
bell, Clement B. Clingen, Jesse L. Cummins, Walter C. Curtis,
James Davis, Joseph Doling, Robins P. Dunn, Albert Dunn, George
Edwards, Nathan Edwards, William Eves, Jr., Michael Fern,
Thomas Forsythe, William G. Goodley, Samuel F. Gracey, Henry
Green, Thomas P. Grubbs, John G. Haddock, John M. Hall, W. W.
Harvey, Samuel M. Henderson, George W. Hill, Jr., Heury Huddle-
son, Henry James, W. S. Johnson, Isaac Johnson (pro. to q.m.-
sergt.), Isaac Kerlin, John Leland, Isaac C. Litzenberg, John Lowe,
Charles D. Manley. Jr., Thomas E. Malen, William Mitchell, William
Moore, Waldron C. McGuigan, William P. H. McCline, Benjamin
F. Niles, Henry Pennypacker, Pearson Pike, Charles C. Porter, John
W. Pile, Davis Reese, Eber S. Rigby, William A. Seal, John Shipley,
Joseph Shipley, James Taylor, David A. Vernon, NicholasF. Walter,
William H. Walter, Jacob Wheateley, Isaac Worrall, Jr., Joseph
Worrall, John E. Worrall, Thomas W. Worrall, Henry C. Worrall,
Edwin C. Worrall, John Y. Worrall, John Wrigley, James R. Wor-
rall, George H. Yarnall.
CoMPA.vv D.— Captain, John H. Barton; first lieutenant, William Wal-
ter ; Second Lieutenant, Emmor S. Leedom ; first sergeant, Joseph
Paschal; sergeants, Wesley Clayton, Mordecai Lewis, Edward Bar-
ton, Charles P. Walters ; corporals, Charles P. Peters, William Han-
unm, William Chandler, John Baker, Jesse Scott, George Dutton,
Zaddock Speakman, Charles McGinnis.
I'rivates. — Elijah Bassely, George Barnes, Samuel Barton , Jesse I. Brozier,
Edward E. Bartleson, Osborn Booth, Alfred Broadbelt, James Brace-
laud. Joseph Buckley, Heury Cheetham, William Conglelon, Jared
Darlington, James Finny, Shelley Ford, R.diert 1-ulton, Patrick
Gallager, Isaac Gilpin, Lewis Green, .' - ili i i ,[ ii!:, \\ ill iam Girth-
wait, John Greenley, George W. II .l t l „uin, Samuel
Hannnm, Samuel Hill, Jes.se JestiT, . I . I . , rue W.Lan-
caster, Samuel Lenderman, Jacob Mil!.-i Ih ■m i- Mri'all, James
McMullin, George McCracken, Joseph Osborn, Eli I'yie, William H.
Porler, William Palmer, Charles V. Peters, William K. Peters, Ver-
non Pyle, Michael Rail, William Rigby, John N. Smith, Robert
Smith, Aaron Swayne, Robert Taylor, George Turner, Aaron Tyson,
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
John L. Wcedon, Henry Walter, John S. Wells, Joseph L. Wells,
William Yarnall, Albert Darlington.
Company E.— Captain, Amos Bunaall ; Brat lieutenant, James Shilling-
ford; second lieutenant, Levi Lukens; first sergeant, Thomas
Kirk ; sergeants, John Toppen, William H. Garrett, Charles B. Lear,
Joseph Worrall; corporals, William Newton, Joseph B. Robinson,
Jacob Wise, Henry Hancock, Lewis Bryan, Joseph P. Neath, Henry
Sharkey, William Kirk; mUBicians, Morris Gilmore, John Welsh.
i¥i»a/M.— Thomas J. C. Allen, Robert Anderson, Thomas B.irr, William
F. Carter, James Cocker, William Garrett, Thomas Hanimel, Plinez
Holstein, James Hill, John Leedom, Henry Myers, Thomas Pyott,
William Pyott, Thoinaa Eeman, John H. Robinson, William S.
Bambo, George K. Smith, Charles Shillingsford, William Scott, Ed-
mund Smith, John Allen, Henry Burhouse, Israel Cooper, Lewis D.
Coolt, John Donnell, Thomas Green, Benjamin F. Hannuni, Eeece
C. Heacock, Richard Jones, Obern Lamey, Henry H. Major, Thomas
W. Palmer, Isaac Robinson, James Robb, Thomas Robinson, John
Smith, S. Charles Smith, John Schofield, Thomas Sharp, John Shil-
lingford, Charles M. Worrall, Frank Alexander, Ellwood Baker,
Cornelius Chadwick, Rolandis Cooper, William GefBng, James Gorm-
ley, Morris Hannum, John Holstein, George Long, Charles H. Lnnlar,
John Noden, William Palmer, Frank B. Ridgeway, Daniel Rively,
Michael Rambo, George W. Smith, Henry Shillingford, Robert Scho-
field, William Speak, James Wildes.
Company F.— Captain, Joseph Wilcox (pro. to col. Sept. 17,1862); first
lieutenant, William H. Miller; second- lieutenant, George W.
Eachus; first sergeant, Robert Sill; sergeants, Williiim Hall, Wil-
liam H. Huddleson, Edmund Green ; corporals, Isaac Malin, Thomas
Baker, Rufus Green, James Broomall, Davidson Baker, William
Eachus, Abil Green, Smedley Green ; musician, George Hall.
PHfoto.— Daniel Baker, John J. Baker, Walter A. Baker, L. Baker,
Edwin M. Bittle, William Broomall, Davis Broomall, Mark Broomall,
Robert M. Barnett, Charles M. Cheyney, George S. Clieyuey, Hugh
R. Cheyney, Timothy Donovan, Evans Eachus, Alfred B. Entrikeu,
Oliver Farra, John W. Fryer, Ellwood B. Fryer, Robert Gamble,
George S. Green, George L. Green, Pierce E. Hemphill, Thomas W.
Hemphill, Edward Hickman, William Hines, Edward Howard, Pass-
more Howard, John T. Huddleson, Ellwood H. James, Bish.ip King,
Holson Lamb, Henry Lodge, William H. Malen, Joseph R. Menough,
John Menough, William Miles, Sr., William Miles, Jr., John S. Pyle,
Charles P Pyle, Humphrey Pyle, Ellwood Pyle, Richard T. Plum-
mer, Joseph H. Kegester, Friend W. Russell, John D. Roney, Smith
Sharpless, Amos C. Sharpless, Enos P. Sbarpless, Thomas J. Sharp-
less, Joseph M. Stackhouse, Meredith Stackhouse, Elhannan B.
Stanley, John M. Steele, Joseph B. Taylor, John Yarnall, Albin
Yarnall, Walker Yarnall.
Company H.— Captains, Charles A. Litzenberg (pro. to major Sept. 17,
1862), J. Charles Andiews; first lieutenant, George S. Patchel ;
second lieutenant, Joseph L. Lewis ; firat sergeant, James D. Byerly ;
sergeants, John J. Hoopes, William H. Ferris, George Serrill, Rich-
ard Thatcher; corporals, Moses Bousall, Charles Willis, Mordecai
M. Shaw, Walker Hoopes, George Bonsall, John S. Hansell, Abel
Lodge, Jr., Hamilton A. Burk.
Privalri— George Ash, Jr., Henry Bonsall, William C. Bonsall, B. War-
ner Bonsall, Reese Bonsall, Joseph C. Bousall, Jesse Bonsall, Wil-
liam H. Bunting, Jacob S. Bunting, John Bunting, Joseph M. Bunt-
ing, Jr., Henry Burgoine, Edward Caine, James Carr, Samuel Carr,
Andrew Ooldy, G. Swayne Collier, Horatio P. Oonuell, George Davis,
John Davis, Edward Earl, Samuel EJner, John Gartin, John A. Hall,
Isaac H. Hibbert, J. Robert Howell, Henry Hoppin, George H. Lan-
ing, Henry M. Leech, Isaac B. Lincoln, William H. Morris, John
P. Ottey, William Palmer, Henry Palmer, George Plumly, Josiah
Preston, Henry H. Russell, Emmor E. Rudolph, Jacob S. Serrill,
James P. Serrill, Jacob K. Simpers, Samuel W. Shaw, William H.
Shiller, Valurius Sheller, James S. Swane, Albert G. Thatcher, Rich-
ard Thatcher, Edward Thatcher, John Verlenden, B. Krank Wor-
rall.
TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT MILITIA.
Company I (organized Sept. 1.3, 1862, and discharged Sept. 20-22, 1862).
—Captain, James Kirknian ; first lieutenant, Robert Britton ; second
lieutenant, Nathan Van Horn; first sergeant, George R. Vanzant;
sergeants, Andrew Lampert, Thomaa Clough, John Gilston ; cor-
porals, John W. Thompson, Patrick Carroll, John Ardes, William
Blythe.
Priuata— John Armstrong, William Anderson, David Beaumont, Thomas
Blakeley, Thomas Bradshaw, John Blythe, Ratcliffe Bridge, James
Buckley, John Bail, Jonathan Cliff, Robert Cornog, Joseph Cook,
Samuel Cottingham, Joseph Dickinson, William H. Dean, Robert
Davis, Henry Foster, Luke Hepworth, Samuel Hopkins, James
Hulme, Thomas Jolly, Joseph Kay, James Logan, George Marsbman,
William Mclutyre, John McGovern, Charles McBride, James Orry,
Henry Ogden, John Pretty, Samuel Pretty, David Pietty, Joseph
Parkinson, Thomas Parkinson, Benjamin Perrin, James Boss, Ed-
ward Taylor, John Thompson, Samuel Talbot, John Taylor, William
Vernon, John Wiser, James West, Joseph Wyatt, John Wyatt.
INDEPENDENT COMPANY MILITIA.
Organized Sept. 11, 1862. Discharged Sept. 25, 18B2.
Captain, Charles G. Andrews ; first lieutenant, Frank P. Wells; second
lieutenant. Perry Ware ; first sergeant, Charles Paul ; sergeants, E.
Pickett, James W. Wittermore, Henry Brown; corporals, Lnthrop
Farein, Laverin Pomroy, Loren B. Dewolf, Moses Brown.
Priuotes.— Obadiah Alderman, J. D. Abbey, Isaac Bowman, G. W. Batch-
elor, John Beaumont, Thomas Beaumont, John L. Brock, George
Boroughs, R. A. Barnes, Liberty Carn, Calvin Carn, Myers H. Cole,
J. N. Cook, John Campbell, W. A. Crane, Daniel Crouch, Loren
Davenport, Martin Duboyce, Edwin Duboyce, Perry Eaton, E. F.
Griffiths, S. J. Godfrey, G. J. Gorden, Albert Hartson, John Hilhert,
Henry L. Hewit, Ira Hartwell, E. C. Bedding, C. H. Jackson, Abner
N. Keep, William Kidder, Francis J. Kidder, Albert Keeler, 0. R.
Kirkland, R. J. Kennedy, Samuel Law, William Loomis, J. R. Mor-
rison, D. C. Hunger, Charles Newnhousen, Robert Okford, Samuel
H. Paul, John H. Paul, Lester Paul, Isaiah Pelton, Seymour Patter-
son, Edward Richards, Henry Ruunyau, John Runnyan, Earl Run-
nyan, Jacob Rubert, Benjamin N. Rogers, Wm. Spicer, F. M. Spauld-
ing, C. E. Stitt, Sherman Stitt, J. L. Salisbury, T. J. Swap, C. I,.
Scott, Charles Selden, William Thornton, Thomas Thornton, Reuben
Taylor, Augustus Weineeke, 0. Wood, John Ware, John H. Ward-
well, B. B. Wiser, H. J. Wright.
The story of Delaware County during those long
years of war is almost a counterpart of every locality
of the like character in the Northern States. The
enormous drain upon the resources of the nation, the
wholesale destruction of life and property stimulated
an unusual activity in business to keep pace with the
demand, and employed the surplus labor at high
wages. The various industrial establishments ran
day and night, and yet the market was often unable
to furnish goods as rapidly as they were required.
As the war advanced the Union armies were necessa-
rily compelled to increase their numbers ; every city,
town or State, which was won by Northern troops
required to be held by the bayonet, while long
lines of communication, lengthening as the armies
advanced, must be maintained uninterrupted. Hence
it became absolutely essential that a great number
of men should be called to the field, and as recruiting
began to flag, the government was compelled to pro-
vide by law for compulsory military service. To
that end, in the early summer of 1862, the President
notified the various States that unless the required
troops were furnished he would call for a conscription
in accordance with the act of Congre.ss. In Dela-
ware County, as throughout the North, there was a
popular feeling against the measure, and it was de-
termined, if possible, to avoid the enforcement of the
law, by offering bounties to men to enlist.
On July 26, 1862, a meeting of prominent citizens
was held in the court-house at Media, at which John
P. Crozer was chosen president, H. Jones Brooke and
Edward Darlington, vice-presidents; Y. S. Walter,
secretary; and addresses were made by ex-Judge
THE CIVIL WAK.
Haines and Joseph J. Lewis. It was finally deter-
mined to instruct the commissioners of the county to
borrow fifteen thousand dollars, which sum was to be !
expended in bounties, additional to those paid by the
general government, and for the protection of the
commissioners, indemnifying bonds were to be given, I
in the event of the Legislature declining to enact a !
law legalizing the expenditure. On Aug. 4, 1852, the
general government ordered a draft of six hundred
thousand men, three hundred thousand of which
number should be immediately called into service,
the several States apportioning the quota of the dif- !
ferent counties. On September 1st, the authorities at
Harrisburg announced that Delaware County had j
then more men in the field than any other in the !
commonwealth, according to population. On August !
10th, Samuel M. Felton sent one thousand dollars to i
John P. Crozer, a donation from the Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company, to aid i
enlistments. In the mean while Joshua P. Eyre, who I
was appointed deputy marshal to enroll the male resi-
dents of this county, began the work intrusted to him, ;
and so fully was it discharged that the list outnum- [
bered the election returns almost a thousand names.
As the autumn came and recruiting had again fallen
oflf, it was then found necessary to enforce the con- I
scription, and on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1862, the names i
of two hundred and twenty men, required to fill the
quota from Delaware County, were drawn under the
supervision of Abel Lodge, of Nether Providence,
draft commissioner, and the men so drafted were re-
quired to appear at Media on the following Wednes-
day, the 22d, for medical examination by Dr. Joseph
Rowland, of Upper Providence, examining surgeon.
On that day about one hundred presented themselves,
when they were told that in the interval the quota
had been filled. At that time substitutes could be
had for four hundred to five hundred dollars each.
One Hundred and Fifty-second Regiment, \
Third Artillery (Three-Years' Service).— The Dela- |
ware County men recruited in this regiment were
in the batteries ordered to the front to take part 1
in the siege of Petersburg, being posted on the Ber- j
muda front. Unfortunately, although the artillery j
regiments were as conspicuous as any other in the i
war, they never acted as a whole, and heace have not ;
received the full credit due them.
BATTERY G.
James Elliott, private, must, in Jan. 11, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. Ju
15,
Jan. 18, 1864 ; must.
battery
Elias Eaves, private,
Nov. 9, 1865 ; veteran.
Arthur Marten, private, must, in Jan. 11, 1864 ; must, out with battery.
Artemus C. Jenkins, private, must, in Dec. 30,1803; must, out with
BATTERY K.
Charles B. Roberts, private, must, in Jan, 15, 1S64; must, out with bat-
BATTERY M.
Horatio Nelson Piatt, 1st sergt., must, in Feb. 26, 1864; pro. to Corp.
Sept. 1,1864; to Ist sergt. May 1, 1865; must, out with battery
Nov. 9, 1865.
William D. Piatt, Corp., must, in Feb. 25, 1864; pro. to corp. July 1,
1865 ; must, out with battery.
Johu S. Fields, private, must, in Feb. 19, 1864 ; must, out with battery ;
One Hundred and Sixtieth Regiment, Fifteenth
(Anderson) Cavalry (Three-Years' Service).— In
the early part of August, 1862, William J. Palmer
began recruiting a battalion of cavalry in Pennsylva-
nia, which was subsequently increased to a full regi-
ment. When Lee crossed the Potomac and advanced
into Maryland two hundred and fifty picket men were
ordered to the front, while the remainder of the regi-
ment was directed to remain in the Cumberland Val-
ley. The detachment mentioned in the Antietam
campaign did etfective duty in skirmishing and as-
certaining the position of the enemy ; and on the loth
of September, when the Confederate troops were re-
treating from Hagerstown, it charged through the
village, capturing thirty stragglers. On Nov. 7, 1862,
the regiment was transported to Louisville, Ky., and
a mouth afterwards was ordered to join Rosecrans,
at Nashville. On December 26th, Rosecrans, then
preparing to give Bragg battle, ordered the Fifteenth
Cavalry to advance with Gen. Stanley's division, but
the greater part of the regiment stacked arms and re-
fused to obey the command. To the credit of Dela-
ware County, among the three hundred who, defer-
ring whatever grievances they might have to a future
time for consideration, volunteered to go to the front,
were the following : Captain, Edward Sellers ; Lieu-
tenants, Joseph R. Thomas, Edward C. Smith, An-
nesley N. Morton ; Sergeants, Isaac Bartram, Simeon
Lord, Jr., Marshall L. Jones, George W. Lukins,
Geottrey P. Denis, John W. Caldwell ; Corporals,
Hiram P. Eves, Thomas A. Jones, Henry W. Pan-
cost, Benjamin Bartram ; Privates, Horatio D. Sny-
der, Andrew J. Buchanan, Richard Pancost, William
Armstrong (the present sherifi'), Edward W. Jones,
Augustus W. Markley, Samuel Trimble, Charles P.
Sellers, Joseph S. Bunting, and William P. Powell.
The brave conduct of those three hundred volunteers
from this regiment on that occasion was made the
subject of a special commendatory order issued by
Gen. Rosecrans, and the historian Bates, in referring
to this incident, declares that " the conduct of the
men who followed the gallant Rosengarten and Ward,
even under the most discouraging circumstances, and
met death in the face of the foe, will never cease to
be regarded with admiration and gratitude."
Stanley, covering with his command the right flank
of the Union army, encountered the enemy on the
27th, whom he attacked, driving them nearly five
miles, and on the 29th, at Wilkinson's Cross-Roads, in
the engagement there, charged the largely superior
force of the enemy, and, finally overpowered, was
compelled to retire, not, however, until he again at-
144
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
tempted to dislodge the Confederates by a desperate |
attack. During the four daj's of battle at Murfrees- i
boro' the detachment was constantly on duty and suf-
fered severely. On the 20th of January, 1863, Kose- ;
crans made a proposition for the reorganization of the
regiment, which was accepted, and the Fifteenth
Cavalry was thereupon thoroughly organized and
equipped. On the 4th of April, after a successful |
scouting expedition, on its return to camp Rosecrans i
reviewed the regiment, expressing himself pleased |
with its good conduct and soldierly bearing. Not |
only did he do this, but, to show his good feeling, in I
the Chickamauga campaign he detailed three compa- i
nies of this regiment to act as his personal escort,
while the remainder was instructed to scout and learn
the topography of the country in advance of the army.
This service brought it in frequent collisions with the
enemy, in which its conduct was highly meritorious.
So expert had the regiment become in scouting, that
in January, 1865, it was especially ordered to watch
the enemy and harass their foraging parties. By a
bold dash it succeeded in capturing Gen. Vance, part
of his staff, one hundred and fifty horses, and fifty
men, besides recapturing twenty Union baggage-
wagons and prisoners taken by the enemy, and within
a week afterwards captured a train of eighteen wagons,
ninety mules, and seventy-two men of the enemy. It
was indeed the eyes of the army, and furnished im-
portant information to the general commanding.
The story of its daring expeditions is full of interest,
and its subsequent efficiency and valor amends for
whatever error it committed in its early history, and
several times, indeed, it gave occasion for compli-
mentary orders from brigade and general commanders.
Its pursuit of Hood's demoralized troops, after the
battle of Nashville, was eminently successful and ad-
vantageous to the Union cause, and on May 8, 1865,
when searching for Jefferson Davis, near the forks of
the Appalachee and Oconee Rivers, it captured seven
wagons, one containing one hundred and eighty-eight
thousand dollars in coin, one with one million five
hundred and eighty-eight thousand dollars in bank-
notes and other securities, one containing four mil-
lion dollars of Confederate money, besides consider-
able specie, plate, and valuables belonging to private
parties in Macon. Two days afterwards Company G
captured Gen. Bragg, his wife, and staff-ofiicers. The
war being at an end, the regiment went to Nashville,
where, on the 21st day of May, 1865, it was mustered
out of service.
COMP.'VNY A.
Samuel C. Black, neigt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862; pio, to Corp. March 1,
18G3; to sergt. March 10, 186S; disch. June 1, 1865.
Hiram P. Eves, corp., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. to corp. March 1,
1865; disch. June 21, 1866.
Harry G. Dennis, sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. from private
March 1, 1863; disch. June 21, 1866.
PHvateB.
Robert E. Hannum, Jr., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; must, out with c
, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; trans, to Co. C, date i
; disch. on surg. certif. Feb.
Harry C. John
Thomas SelTill, must, in Oct. 10, 1862 ; must, out with company.
COMPANY D.
Horatio D. Snyder, private, must, in Sept. 6, 1862; trans, to Co. M, date
COMPANY E.
Isaac Bartram, com.-sergt., must, in Oct. 3, 1862; pro. to corp Oct. 30,
1S62; to com.-sergt. March 1, 1863 ; must, out with company.
COMPANY F.
Simeon Lord, Jr., sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862; pro. to corp. March 1,
1863; to sergt. May 12, 1863 ; must, out with company.
Henry W. Pancost, corp.
FtivaUe.
William Armstrong, must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; must, out with company.
James Buck, must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; must, out with company.
Andrew J. Buchanan, must, in Aug. 22, 1862.
William Pancost.
COMPANY G.
H. McAllister, Jr., capt., must, in Oct. 3, 1862 ; pro. from 1st sergt. Co.
L to 1st lieut. March 1, 1863; to capt. May 8, 1863; com. m^.
June 1, 1865 ; not mu.^teied : must, out with company.
E. Middleton, Jr., 1st sergt., must, in Oct. 3, 1862 ; pro. from private to
sergt. March 1, 1863 ; to 1st sergt. May 8, 1863 ; com. 2d lieut. May
29,1865; not mustered ; must, out with company.
Geoffrey P. Lewis, sergt., must, in Aug. 30, 1862; disch. for promotion
Feb. 18, 1864.
Marshall L. Jones, q.m.-sergt., must, in Oct. 3, 1862; pro. to corp. May
14, 1863 ; to q.m.-sergt. June 5, 1863 ; must, out with company.
George W. S. Allen, sergt., must, in Oct. 2, 1862 ; pro. from private May
15, 1863; died in Delaware County, Pa., Aug. 20, 1863.
Charles Pugh, Corp., must, in Aug. 22, 1862; pro. to corp. March 16,
I860; must, out with company.
n Aug. 22, 1862
trans, to Co. L, date un
Augustus W. Markley,
Edward W. Jones, must, in Oct. 3, 1862; trans, to Co. A, date unknown.
John R. Pugh, must, in Aug. 22, 1862; must, out with company.
E. G. Shortledge, must, in Sept. 3, 1864; disch. by G. 0. July 7, 1865.
Samuel Trimble, must, in Aug. 30, 1862 ; must, out with company.
COMPANY H.
;. in Aug. 22, 1862; pro.
1 sergt.-maj. May
; pro. from q.m.-
Edward Sellers, capt., mu
8, 1863 ; res. March 6, 1865.
Theodore F. Ramsey, 1st lieut., must, in Aug. 22,
sergt. Co. M March 13, 1865; must, out with company.
Joseph R. Thomas, 1st lieut., must, in Aug. 22, 1862; pro. to sergt.
March 1, 1863 ; to 1st sergt. March, 1863; to 2d lieut. Co. A, 180th
Regt. P. v., Sept. 10, 1863.
John W. Caldwell, q.m.-sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. from private
March 1, 1863 ; must, out with company.
George W. Lukins, com.-sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. from private
March 1, 1863 ; must, out with company.
Charles P. Sellers, private, must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. to hosp. steward
Nov. 1, 1862.
COMPANY I.
Edward C. Smith, 1st lieut., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. from sergt.
Co. P to 1st sergt. May 1, 1863 ; to 1st lieut. July 22, 1864 ; must,
out with company.
Benjamin
COMPANY K.
p., must, in Oct. 3, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Feb.
1 company.
COMPANY L.
COMPANY
A. Jones, corp.,
Annerly N. Morton, 1st lieut., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Oct.
30, 1862; to 1st sergt. March 1, 1863; to 1st lieut. May 8, 1863;
must, out with company.
Ellis L. Vandling, com.-sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. to Corp. June
6, 1803; to com.-sergt. July 8, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John W. Zay, sergt., must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; pro. to corp. March 10,
1864; to sergt. June 1, 1866 ; must, out with company.
THE CIVIL WAR.
145
Joseph S. Bunting, must, in Oct. 10, 1862 ; (
ig. certif. Feb. 9,
Edward H. Engle, must, in Aug. 22, 1862 ; must, out with company.
William H. Powell, must, in Oct. 3, 1862; died at Nashville, Tenn., of
wounds received at Stone River Dec. 29, 1862 ; buried in National
Terrill Ulrich, must, in Sept. 4, 1864; must, out with company.
The defeat of Hooker at Chancellorsville, in May,
1863, again aroused the hopes of the Confederate
leaders that by a bold, rapid, and successful invasion
of the North the war might be brought to a speedy
termination. The unpopularity of the draft ordered
in the Union States, it was believed by them, would
be an important factor in bringing about the result
they desired. The active, vigilant Executive of Penn-
sylvania saw the gathering storm, and began making
preparations to meet it when it should come. Hence
on June 12th he issued a proclamation asking the co-
operation of the people of Pennsylvania in raising a
home force for the protection of the State. Rumors
of proposed Confederate invasions had been so often
current that the plan suggested by Governor Curtin
met with but slight public favor. The evidences that
such a move was in contemplation, however, became
so marked that on June 15, 1863, President Lincoln
called for one hundred thousand militia from four
States, — the quota of Pennsylvania being placed at
fifty thousand men. Shortly before midnight on the
15th a Confederate force occupied Chambersburg, and
the news was telegraphed all over the North.
On Monday, June 15th, the undoubted intelligence
was received that Lee had invaded Pennsylvania, and
the utmost excitement prevailed. In Chester a meet-
ing was immediately held and a company recruited, —
the Chester Guards and Linwood Guards consolida-
ting,— while many of the citizens, aroused to the re-
sponsibility of the hour, hastened to Philadelphia, and
united with military organizations there. In the
Crozer United States Hospital, at LTpland, eighty con-
valescent Union soldiers and a number of men from
Bancroft's mill, in Nether Providence, formed a com-
pany, with Lieut. Frank Brown, of the Twelfth New
Jersey, as commanding oiBcer, and the next day left
for Harrisburg ; but on Wednesday they were ordered
to return, transportation having been refused them at
Philadelphia, as it was thought they were in no con-
dition to undergo the fatigue of the campaign. At
Media the excitement was, if anything, greater than
at Chester. On Wednesday, the 17th, messages were
sent in all directions to call the people together, and
the court-house bell rang out a general alarm, so that
at noon an immen.se assemblage gathered in the court-
room, and steps were taken to enroll companies at
once to go to the front. John M. Broomall had al-
ready collected a company, and on that evening started
for Harrisburg. Dr. D. A. Vernon, and almost every
man in the Delaware County American office, volun-
teered and went to the front. The next day the Del-
aware County companies of the One Hundred and
10
Twenty-fourth Regiment, which had been mustered
out only a mouth previously, again offered themselves
to do battle for the nation, and the same evening
Company B, Capt. Woodcock, and Company D, Capt.
Yarnall, left for the State capital. The ranks being
incomplete, Lieut. Buckley was ordered to remain at
Media to collect the recruits, and on Monday, the 2l3t,
he too followed the troops with a number of men.
Capt. -James Wilcox, with a company from Glenn
Mills, and Capt. Benjamin Brooks, with a company
from Radnor, left for Harrisburg on the 17th. John
C. Beatty, of Springfield, suspended operations at his
edge-tool works that his employes might enlist. At
Darby, on Monday, when the news was received a
strawberry festival was in progress, given by the Union
League to the returned soldiers of the One Hundred
and Twenty-fourth Regiment from that neighborhood,
and a meeting was immediately organized, when in a
short time a full company was recruited. While the
enrollment was being made at one end of the porch,
where the festival was held, at the other end contri-
butions were being raised to provide for the families
of those who would enlist. One aged gentleman sub-
scribed a thousand dollars to the fund. The troops
went to the front under command of Capt. Charles
Andrews, on the Wednesday following. At Lenni, at
short notice, thirty men enrolled who joined the
Media company, and on Wednesday a meeting was
held at the Black Horse, in Middletowu, when a num-
ber of men were recruited. In Chester fifty or more
colored men proposed to raise a company of their race,
but the offer was not accepted.
The public was aroused to the true condition of
affairs when, on the afternoon of June 26th, Gordon's
brigade of Early's division of Lee's army occupied
Gettysburg, and moved on toward Hanover and York.
The same day Governor Curtin issued a proclamation
calling sixty thousand militia to the field for forty
days. The wildest rumors were in the air, and found
ready credence. On Sunday, the 28th, at Media it
was reported that a Confederate force was marching
for Philadelphia, had already advanced as far as Ox-
ford, and the excitement was intense. An old cannon
was charged and repeatedly fired as an alarm-gun,
while the bells in the town rang out a call for the
people to assemble. H. Jones Brooke was chairman,
and B. F. Baker secretary of the meeting. Before
the people assembled Charles R. Williamson and
Frederick Fairlamb collected two thousand three
hundred dollars, which money was to be used in
bounties, and when the people gathered the fund was
largely increased, Mr. Fairlamb promising, if it was
needed, to personally contribute one thousand dollars
beyond the sum he had already given. The rumored
advance of the Confederate soldiers spread over the
county like a wave, occasioning the utmost consterna-
tion. Plate and valuables were packed ready to be
transported to places of safety, while the money in
the vaults of the bank at Chester was hastily gathered
146
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and carted away by the oflBcers of that institution to
Philadelphia, in order that it might be shipped to New
York. In Chester, on Monday, June 29th, a meeting
of the citizens was held in the town hall, and Coun-
cil, also assembling, appropriated ten thousand dollars
for supjjlies for the families of volunteers. A call for
additional troops was then made, and in an hour
eighty men enrolled under Capt. William Frick. In
the case of George Baker, he and every man in his :
employment enlisted in the ranks, compelling the
closing of his store during their absence. The next
day the company left for Harrisburg, the ranks now
swollen to over a hundred men, many in the line
whose gray hairs testified that patriotism, not the |
law's compulsion, had called them to the field. At
Upland, on Monday morning, the 29th, a spontaneous
assemblage of the people took place, and as rapidly
as the names could be taken man after man presented
himself, until a company of seventy-two men was ob-
tained. George K. Crozer was elected captain, and
on Wednesday it went to Philadelphia, where it was
attached to the Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania
Militia (First Union League Regiment), Col. Frank ,
Wheeler, and was encamped for a day or two at the !
Falls of Schuylkill, when the whole regiment was
ordered to Shippensburg, soon after to Greencastle,
near the Maryland line, and after the retreat of Lee
it was stationed at Pottsville, returning to Upland
Saturday, Aug. 22, 1863, its term of service being ex-
tended beyond that of any Delaware County company
of militia. At Rockdale and Lenni, in addition to ;
the men already sent forward, in ten hours a company i
of fifty was raised, and on Tuesday, July 2d, hastened
to the State capital. Of the number of militia re- '
quired under President Lincoln's call on Pennsyl-
vania of June 15th from Delaware County all ex-
cepting two hundred and fifty-five men had been
forwarded by June 28th, and in two days thereafter
twice the number necessary to fill the quota was in
course of transportation to Harrisburg. Over a thou-
sand of the militia had responded.
The Army of the Potomac in the mean while was i
advancing to meet the audacious enemy, and Lee [
learning from his scouts that he would be shortly
confronted by that body of men, summoned Ms scat-
tered forces to concentrate at Gettysburg. So rapidly
followed the movements of the armies that scarcely i
had the militia assembled at Harrisburg when, for '
three days, the opposing veterans of the North and
South contended on the field of Gettysburg in the
greatest battle ever fought by man of which we have
authentic record, and at the conclusion of that strug-
gle victory perched on the standard of the Union, — ,
"the backbone of the rebellion" had indeed been
broken.
The militia companies were distributed as follows : ;
Company C (Capt. -Broomall), Company F (Capt.
Woodcock), Company G (Capt. Bunting), Company A |
(Capt. Andrews), ami Company I (Capt. Piatt, — Capt.
Yarnall having been appointed lieutenant-colonel),
were assigned to the Twenty-ninth Regiment, and
were stationed for a time at Huntington ; Company
G (Capt. Brooke) was assigned to the Twenty-eighth
Regiment ; Company A (Capt. Frick) and Company F
(Capt. Huddleson) became part of the Thirty-seventh,
and were at Harrisburg, Carlisle, Shippensburg, and
on the Maryland line, while Company F (Capt. Black)
was assigned to the Forty-seventh, Col. Wickersham,
and was stationed at Williamsport, afterwards at
Reading, and subsequently in the mining regions of
Schuylkill County, where outbreaks were feared. All
the companies from Delaware County returned be-
tween the 1st and 5th of August, excepting Capt.
Crozer's company, which was kept in service nearly
three weeks longer than any of the other military
organizations from this locality.
TWENTIETH REGIMENT.— EMERGENCY TROOPS OF 18G3.
Company C.
Mustered in June 17, 1S6J ; discharged Aug. 10, 1S63.
Second lieutenant, James Kirkman.
Privates.— John Ardis, John Bail, David Beaumont, John Blytlie, Jehu
Butler, Samuel Cliristy, Robert J. Eagleaon, John Gilmore, Artemus
C. Jenkins, Joseph Kay, John McLaughlin, John O'Hara, George
Openshaw, Joseph Openshaw, Johu Pretty. John W. Thompson,
Nathan Van Horn, William S. Van Horn, John Ward, James West.
TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT,— EMERGENCY TROOPS OF ISCa.
Mustered in June 19-24, 1803; discharged July 27-28, 18G3.
Company G.
Captain, Benjamin N. Brooke ; first lieutenant, Frank Fenuimore; sec-
ond lieutenant, Samuel L. Craig; first sergeant, Isaiah Matlack ;
sergeants, Joseph Baldwin, Emmor Childs, William H. Poller, George
W. Blanchard ; corporals, George Black, Charles H. Hale, Fleming
Park, Harrison C. Lewis, John Frick, Nathan Brooke, John Hen-
thorne, Randell C. Norris ; musicians, George Hampton, Nathaniel
Lewis, Frank C. Smith.
P.imffs.- Matthias P. Anderson, Maris D. Bijldwin, John W. Bolton,
Hugh Blakeley, Charles V. Bloom, Joseph P. Bloom, Isaac W. Davis,
Err Davis, Henry Dewees, William C. Duckett, Alfred W. S. Ed-
wards, Henry Eckert, James Eavenson, Penrose Garrett, Orison
Gleason, John Green, Samuel Godshall, Jeremiah Griflith, Carver
W. Hall, James C. Hayworth, Benjamin F. Howard, William T.
Heina, William Hunter, Joseph Huffty, Jeremiah G. Hughes,
James B. Jenkins, Lewis D. Lalferty, Isaac Leamey, Johu C. Lewis,
Phineas Lewis, John P. Litzenburg, Joseph Mann, John Mullen,
William Mullen, Isaac McCoy, George T. Phillips, Joseph T.Phil-
lips, Owen M. Phillips, Hartman Prizer, Jacob Reinhard, Harrison
Roberts, Isaac Roberts, Joseph Rowan, Marion Rossiter, Joseph
Sharploss, Samuel Snyder, Francis Stewart, George Stewart, Gilbert
H. Todd, Isaac Walker, Henry C. Wells, George W. White.
Company F.
Captain, John Woodcock ; fii-st lieutenant, Ralph Bulkley ; second lieu-
tenant, Horatio G. Hotchkiss ; first sergeant, Roswell S. Williams;
sergeants, Alexander E. Crozier, William Major, Edwin Boadio,
Daniel Crowder, Lewis P. Watkins, William B. Fana, John A.Lieb,
Alfred Kenyon, Frederick A. Davis, Hiram Hyzer, Thomas Lomax,
.Tonalhan Henrock ; musician, Ransaler McFarland.
fViiato.— John T. Adams, Enos Anson, Samuel T. -Allen, Charles W.
Broadbent, James H. Brenzinger, Ralph Crowther. Nilson R. Corap-
fort, Enoch Chidester, Jerome A. Chase, William Camp, William E.
Daniels, George F. Drake, John Dunkerly, William Eastwood,Sam-
uel Fields, John Ford, Edward F.i rrand, John Greenlee, David Green-
lee, Cyrus Greenwood, George Henderson, Kennedy Humes, James
R. Kinsey, William H. Litzenburg (promoted to sergeantmiyor June
23, 1801), Joseph Mulvaney, William Moore, Lyman Mayo, Charles
D. Majiley, Dennis McLaughlin, George McChan, Albert M. Neil,
Patrick Orin, Charles H. Pedrick, George Robinson, Henry J.Robin-
son, George Smith, John D. Shutts, Lord W. Scott, Aaron L. Shew,
THE CIVIL WAR.
Pennell Stetser, William Shields, James 0. Taylor, Joseph D. Tiick-
einian, Israel Thomas, Washington Thomas, Hezekiah P. Van-
bariger, George Westfiill, James Wilde, Bennett Wakeman, William
P. Worrall, Calvin L. Walker.
TWENTV-NINTH REGIMENT, EMERGENCY TROOPS OF 1863.
Mustered in June 19, 1863; discharged Aug. 1, 1863; Lieut.-Col.
Norris L. Ya
nail.
CoMPANV C— Captain, John M. Broomall ; first lieutenant, William
Ormsby ; second lieutenant, Thomas F, Beatly; first sergeant,
Hays P. Griflith ; sergeants, Orson F. Bullard, Davis N. Hannum,
Isaac Johnson, 4ndrew T. Walker; corporals, John M. Hall,
George Esrey, John Coburn, James Howard, Benjamin Crowther,
Samuel Ottey, William P. Brooke, William W. Warner, Philip
Afflick.
Prioafes.— James Albany, Edward Ashworth, William Black, Ezra Bailey,
Michael Bradley, William Branuen, John Cathcart, Reuben Crow-
ther, Elhvood Cornog, Albert Devers, John Doyle, Albert Dunn,
William Duell, Joseph A. Doling, David Ellingsworth, David S.
Edington, Michael Ferns, William F. France, John W. Fryer, Wil-
liam P. Frazer, William 0. Fryer, Elhvood H. Gilbert, William S.
Goodley, Robert N. Henderson, James Hill, Norris Hall, Joseph L.
Heacock, Daniel Hurenstein, Israel Hartzell, Samuel Ingham,
James H. Jacobs, Joseph Jones, Israel Jones, Jr., Henry Lowe, John
Lowe, James F, Lowe, Walter Markley, James Mullowland, Hamil-
ton P. Mason, Joseph B. Massy, Joseph P. Maris, David McAvoy,
Daniel McAvoy, William McCartney, Alexander McFate, Patrick
McGuigan, William Oaks, Mark Parker, James S. Pancost, Isaac
S Parsons, Joseph Perkins, James Patten, Henry Pennypacker,
Pearson Pike, George Riggs, Daniel Rivoly, Joseph Shipley, James
Stamring, James Stewart, Samuel D. Stickler, William Taylor,
James Taylor, Joseph TowTisend, William H. Walter, William Wat-
erson, Alfred N. Wier, Williams, Clayton Worrell, Mordecai
Worrell.
Company G.— Captain, Alfred Bunting ; first lieutenant, William H.
Thatcher; second lieuteuaot, Henry B. Taylor; first sergeant, Wil-
liam H. Churchman ; sergeants, Joseph F. Brewster, James E. Gif-
fin, Hamilton A. Burk, Charles W. Deors; corporals, Ezra Gray,
William M. Black, John Richardson, Henry H. Taylor, Carman
Richardson, James Hughes, John Clark, Jeremiah Zider, Richard
M. Johnston ; musicians. Shelly Sowers, John H. Weaver.
ftiiates.— Robert Anderson, George W. Appleby, George W. Arnold,
William Bennett, Benjamin W. Blakeley, Robert Bell, John Bow-
ers, John F. Barton, James Babcock, George Cadman, Archibald
Clark, Isaac A. Campbell, John Culin, Jacob Crider, Elisha Crouch,
John Q. Dartow, Charles Dougherty, Allison J. Dickerson, George
Dyson, James Denight, Armstrong Elliott, William C. Field, James
Feyer, John F. M. Forwood, James Fitzsimons, John H. Greenwood,
Job Green, William P. Henderson, Joseph P. Howard, Joseph How-
arth, Henry Hicken, Joseph G. Hampsou, Edward Haraday, Samuel
M. Hinds.David Harris.Henry Heacock, Wil me r Heacook, William
Hinkson, Andrew Jackson, Daniel Kelley, John Lee, Samuel Mather,
James B. McClelland, Thomas Nuttall, Jr., Peter Parson, Samuel C.
Price, John Robinson, Francis R. Shoemaker, Benjamin Smith, An-
drew Smith, John Taylor, Jacob Wagnor, Wright Wrigley, Levi
Walcott, Robert H. Wood.
CoMpiNT H.— Captain, J. Charles Andrews; first lieutenant, George S.
Patchel; second lieutenant, Joseph L. Lewis; first sergeant, James
D. Byerly; sergeants, John J. Hoops, William K. Ferris, Richard
Partson, Samuel Egner; corporals, John Field, Jacob K. Simpers,
Henry H. Russell, William H. Bandfield, Charles Willis, John Cain,
Joseph K. Printer, Frank B. Worrell; musicians, Annesley N.
Kelthler, George S. Sipler.
PriiMtes.— George Ash, Jr., Frederick Burkart, James Carr, Horatio P.
Connell, John Davis, William Dougherty, James A. Flanagan, John
Gorton, James Gormley, Thomas Green, Thomas W. Hawkins,
Reece Heacock, John Howtant, Alonzo Heaps, Dennis Hinchey,
Thomas J. M. Hoopes, William H. Johnston, Theodore Knight,
Francis Kunsman, Charles A. Litzenburg, Bufua Lord, William H.
Miller, Charles W. Moore, James Mnlholland, Denuis McBride,
William H. Norris, Samuel W. Ogden, Thomas J. Ottey, William
Palmer, Joseph F. Poster, Frank B. Ridgway, Samuel W. Rudolph,
Joseph S. Serrill, Valerius Sheller, Albert G. Thatcher, Edward C.
Thatcher, Benjamin Thomas, Milton H. White, William Witters,
William P. West, Enos Yates.
Company I.— Captain, Joseph Pratt; first lieutenant, C. D. M. Broom-
hall; second lieutenant, Benjamin Brooke; first sergeant, Edward
W. Lewis ; sergeants, William J, Macpherson, W. W. Togdis, Hun-
ter Brooke, Menander Slack ; corporals, Lorenzo F. Davis, John
Pugh, James H. Heacock, Richard R. Cummins, Stephen Smith,
Stephen M. Blazier, George Eplic, Robert Edwards ; musicians, John
L. Grimm, William Williamson.
r/i!;a(«.— Walter Bohanna, Alfred A. Bowen, Frank Brooke, James
Cole, Harry Carr, George Cheyney, William Chidester, John Cun-
ningham, Jesse L. Cummins, Charles L. Dubree, Gregory B. Elliott,
Alfred B. Entrekin, Eli Flounders, Joseph Fell, William Fai-son,
Andrew J. Groves, Joseph Hardcastle, Ralph M. Harvey, James T.
Haddock, John G. Haddock, John A. lunes, Daniel W. Jeffries,
Henry P. Johnson, Thomas J. Kitts, John W. Kay, John Lindsay,
Joel Lodge, George Long, William Mackintosh, Joseph Millsen,
Robert Masher, Edward Matlack, Lewis Moulder, Richard Mc-
Knight, Harry McKnigbt, Ambrose McDade, Joseph Y. Packer,
Joseph Pratt, Rowland Pugh, Edwin Palmer, Robert C. Roberts,
Thomas S. Ridgeway, Alexander Sherer, Jesse Scott, George
M. Tyler, Nelson L. Talley, Aaron M. Tyson, Nicholas F. Walter,
John Hunt, Robert Howarlb.
THIRTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT MILITIA OF 1863.
Mustered in July 16, 1863 ; discharged Aug. 2, 3, 4, 1863.
Company A. — Captain, William Frick; first lieutenant, Edward M.
Lyons; second lieutenant, William G. Price ; first sergeant, John E.
Shaw; sergeants, Thomas Donechy, Charles D. Pennell, William 0.
Dubree, George Baker; corporals, Charles A. Story, John McFall,
John Atkinson, David M. Johnson, Henry Hinkson, Robert M.
Green, Charles Hinkson, Frederick Engle; musicians, Hamilton
Sample, James Rawcliff'e.
Privates. — Aaron Allen, David Appleby, James R. Abernethy, Abram
Blakeley, Thomas Berry, Abram Birtwell, John Birtwell, Chris-
topher Blakeley, William Blakeley, Thomas W. Baker, Jacob Boon,
John Boon, Peter Boon, Henry Bradley, George F. Brinton, Thomas
Chambers, James Cochran, George P. Dall, William P. Derr, Alfred
0. Deshong, James Dunkerley, Julius A. Dutton, Joseph Eckersley,
Peter H. Engle, Samuel Etchells, William Ewing, Edwin E. Flavin,
J. Marshall Garrett, James Gartside, John Gartside, William H.
Geary, Thomas Gibbs, Peter Guff, George Gorby, Robert C. Gorby,
Jonathan Grant, Charles L. Grubb, James Hanse, William Harrison,
Joshua Hibberd, Jesse Hicken, Henry M. Hinkson, John Holt, Al-
fred Hooff, J. Washington Irving, John P. Jones, Jacob B. Kitts,
Joseph Ladomus, Henry Larkiu, Thomas Lees, Benjamin Mason,
Jonas Miller, William Mills, Robert Mirt, William Moore, James
Morgan, David W. Morrison, William P. Morrison, James Mont-
gomery, Daniel McKinney, William J. Oglesby, William Patterson,
Andrew Phillips, William R. Rice, George H. Ridgeway, William
Schofield, Arnold Shaw, John Slawter, Robert Smith, Jr., Thomas 0.
Stephenson, Jacob B. Stewart, Henry Sutliff, Charles Sweeney, Wil-
liam H. H. Taylor, George Turner, Richard E. Turner, Richard T.
Turner, Joseph Weaver, Thomas Wilkinson, Thomas Wood, Jacob
B. Yates.
Company F.— Captain, Harry Huddleson ; first lieutenant, Joseph Mc-
Coy; second lieutenant, Samuel Bowker ; first sergeant, Frederick
Y. Young ; sergeants, George Hastings, James Oakes, John McDade,
Samuel C. Gray ; corporals, David Jones, John C. Baker, John Keyser,
James Dougherty, Edward Evans, William Shields, Monroe Graham,
John Oakford; musician, John T. Husband.
Privates.— Isaac Anderson, Thomas Brobson, John Baggs, Joseph Cath-
cart, James Cleniff, George Cathcart, Nehemiah Ford, Joseph Ford,
John Gambol, Job H. Graham, John Gray, John Gugory, Henry
Gilken, Levi M. Houpt, Robert H. Hall, Bernard Hamill, Robert
Howard, William Hickey, J. Rowland Lewis, John Lane, Thomas
Lattimore, Terrence Landy, John Maloney, Enos Marshall, John
McMurray, Alexander McBride, John McGilligan, Thomas B. Ped-
rick, David Roberts, Jacob Roberts, John Roebuck, Thomas Reed,
John E. Smith, Samuel Scott, John Slater, John Silby, James Town-
send, William Thornton, Peter ThorTitoo, Edward Torbert, Reuben
Taylor, Benjamin Wallraven, William Waters, John Wildes, Thomas
Wildes, William Walters.
FORTY-FIFTH REGIMENT MILITIA OP 1863.
Mustered in July 16, 1863 ; discharged Aug. 29, 1863.
Company B. — Captain, George K. Crozer ; first lieutenant, John Graff;
second lieutenant, Thomas Stewart ; first sergeant, Robert S. Bent-
ley; sergeants, George R. Vanzant, Richard Crowther, Ratclitfe
Bridge, John Gilston ; corporals, William Anderson, Ezra Danfield,
148
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Thomas Clough, William H. Dean, John McGovern, Kobert L. West,
Agnr Castle, Henry Greenwalt.
ftioales.— Mark Allen, James Allen, William Burlej-, James Buckley,
Mattison Bail, George Blakeley, Edwin Blakeley, James Brecken-
ridge, Robert Cornog, John Cardwell, William Chalfant, James Cun-
liffe, James Canavan, Kobert E. Cardwell, Sylvester Canavan, James
Crowther, James R. Daniels, Richard Dawson, Isaac Dalton, William
Dalton, William Dawson, John Deitrich, George Elliott, Robert El-
liott, Andrew J. Fenton, Joseph Faulkner, John Faulkner, William
Finley, Sr., William Finley, Jr., Charles Firth, Henry Foster, Allen
Gartside, Robert Gartside, William Garthwaite, James Glennand,
William Henderson, Luke Hepworth, Richard Hepworth, William
Hill, Alexander Hopkins, Edward Howarth, Thomas Kay, James
Lockwood, John Lavery, George W. Loveland, Andrew J. Lambert,
William H. Makin, George Mousley, Arthur Martin, William
Mackey, Samuel Montgomery, Davis Minster, Hamilton Morris,
James Morgan, James Mills, Joseph McBride, William McClelland,
William McNamee, Charles McBride, David G. Pretty, Samuel T. j
Pretty, James Ross, Samuel Saxon, Alexander Struthers, William
Struthers, Joseph U. Scott, James Smith, Lewis Smith, Edward
Taylor, George Turner, John Thompson, Nehemiah Vanzant, John
Wyatt, William Ward, Casper Wilmer, William Whitaker, Joseph
Wyatt, George Waters.
FORTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT EMERGENCY MEN OF 1863.
Mustered in July 9, 1863; discharged Aug. 14, 1863.
Company E.— Captain, Harry H. Black; first lieutenant, Richard Mc-
Clellan; second lieutenant, T. Grover Price; first sergeant, An-
drew Beatty; sergeants, Joseph Morrell, Mordecai L. Lewis, J.
Hunter Moore, James Wielde, Charles Moore (promoted to quarter-
master-sergeant July 8, 1863) ; corporals, Cyrus H. Caley, Charles
Smith, Joseph M. Dickinson, Clement Lawrence, Morris Hannum,
William Scott.
iVfoaifs.— Jobhua Beatty, William Buckley, John Bradon, William B.
Braden, James Barrett, William Barrett, William Briggs, James
Blythe, Charles Bovell, Frederick Christ, Charles Clark, John Dick-
inson, George W. Davis, Andrew Flinn, Hugh Fox, William Farra,
William Garrett, William H. Gross, Richard Harrison, Isaac S.
Jones, Alexander Johnson, Edward Knight, Mordecai Lawrence, j
William Lister, Samuel B. Moore, John L. Moore, George Myers,
John Maitland, George McFarland, Mifford B. Note, Baldwin Pyle,
John F. Ruse, William Smith, Caleb Smith, David E. Steele, Robert
Schofield, George W. Sheaff, Henry A^iceroy, Robert Viceroy, James
H. Worrell, Ambrose Wood, Charles H. Worrall.
About the middle of the year 1863 conscription was
actually enforced in some of the Northern States. lu
New York it brought on a riot the like of which was
never known in that great city. In Delaware County
extraordinary exertions had been made, and it was
announced by those persons charged with the draft in
this district that the quota had been filled ; but the
authorities at Washington stating that there was an
error of one hundred and eleven men, a draft was
immediately made (on Wednesday, June 17th). A
public meeting was called at Media on Friday, the
19tli, when it was resolved to pay three hundred
dollars county bounty for recruits, and the quota was
filled. The people breathed more freely, but on Oct.
17, 1863, when President Lincoln called for three hun-
dred thousand men for three years or the war, and on
Jan. 5, 1864, a draft should be made to fill the remain-
ing quota assigned to every locality in the Northern
States, again the people were aroused to the occasion.
On Saturday, December 19th, a meeting was held at
Media to encourage volunteering and avoid the draft,
when it was urged that the commissioners should ap-
propriate a sum to pay sufficient bounties to induce
men to volunteer. On Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1863, a
county meeting was held in the court-house at Media.
John P. Crozer was chosen president and Samuel T.
Walker vice-president, when it was decided to ask the
commissioners to appropriate three hundred and fifty-
two dollars bounty for every recruit, and petitions
were prepared, which were given to committees of
three in every township to obtain signatures of tax-
payers obligating themselves to indemnify the com-
missioners in .so doing, and also asking the Legislature
to enact a law to legalize the expenditure. The draft
was again avoided.
One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Regiment
(Three-Years' Service).— This regiment was recruited
out of the artillery early in 1864 as infantry, and
assigned to the Eighteenth Corps, Third Division. It
took part in the battle of Proctor's Creek on May 10,
1864, and on June 1st was engaged at Cold Harbor,
where it. suffered heavily. On the 16th of June it
was in the battle before Petersburg, and on the 28th
of July it was part of the force which charged on
Fort Harrison, which it captured and turned the
guns of the fort on the retreating enemy. The same
day it attacked Fort Gilmore, but was repulsed, the
killed amounting to nearly sixty, and the wounded to
upwards of one hundred. It was mustered out of
service Dec. 14, 1865.
COMPANY B.
. in Jan. 29, 1864 ; pro.
COMPANY C.
irp. Sept. 1,1865;
John Davis, 1st lieut., must, in Nov. 3, 1862; pro. from corp. to sergt.
May 18, 1864; to 1st sergt. June 6, 1865 ; to Ist lieut. Aug. 30, 1865 ;
must, out with company.
Richard Renshaw, sergt., must, in Feb. 18, 1864; pro. to Corp. Oct. 1,
1864; to sergt. Feb. 1, 1865 ; wounded Sept. 29,1864; must, out with
company Dec. 14, 1865.
COMPANY F.
William Hen.y Williams, sergt., must, in Nov. 30, 1863 ; pro. to corp.
Dec. 1, 1864 ; must, out with company Dec. 14, 1865.
Privates.
Curnell Buckley, must, in Jan. II, 1864; must, out with company.
Samuel D. Evans, must, in June 22, 1863.
Henry Donaldson, must, in Feb. 17, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Andrew Kestner, must, in Dec. 13, 1862 ; diach. May 24, 1865, for wounds
received at Fort Harrison, Va., Sept. 29, 1864.
Edward Harity, must, in Feb. 25, 1864 ; must, out with company Dec.
William Howard Shindle, must, in Feb. 24, 1864; disch. by G. 0. May
John Cu
COMPANY E.
n Jan. 18, 1864; pro. i
I Corp. Jan.
1865;
must, out with company.
Armor B. Gallagher, must, in March 21, 1864 ;
COMPANY H.
Isaac E. Wilde, 2d lieut., must, in Feb. 27, 1863 ; pro. to sergt.. Battery
1, 162d Regt., April 16, 1864; died at Broadway Landing, Va., July
26, 1864.
One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Regiment
(Hundred-Days' Service). — This regiment was re-
cruited under the auspices of the Coal Exchange
Association of Philadelphia, and was known as the
THE CIVIL WAK.
Third Coal Exchange Regiment. It was organized
at Camp Cadwalader, July 22, 1864, with Capt. John
Woodcock, of Delaware County, major. Shortly
afterwards it was ordered to Mankin's Woods, near
Baltimore, and instead of heing sent to the front, as
was hoped by the regiment (who were mostly veteran
soldiers) would be done, it was ordered to Rock Island,
111., where it was assigned to guarding camp for pris-
oners of war. The number of prisoners — about nine
thousand — was so great, and the duties required of
the One Hundred and Ninety-seventh were so con-
stant, that the service bore almost as heavily on the
regiment as an active campaign, excepting casualties
of battle. Immediately after the arrival of the regi-
ment at Rock Island, Capt. Barton was appointed
assistant provost marshal of the island, in which
capacity he had immediate charge of the prisoners.
The prison covered about forty acres, surrounded by
a board fence ten feet high, on the outside of which
was a trench about twelve feet wide, filled with
water. The guard was mounted on an elevated
platform on the outside of the fence, and within
were barracks for the accommodation of the inmates.
Theprisonersof war were provided with good food and
comfortable clothing, and, notwithstanding, deaths
were frequently arising from melancholiness or home-
sickness. On Nov. 11, 1864, the One Hundred and
Ninety-seventh was mustered out at Philadelphia.
COMPANY A.
James Barton, Jr., capt., must, in July 15, 1S64 ; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11,1864.
James C. Hinkson, 1st lieut., must, in July 15, 1364; must, out with
company Nov. 11, 1864.
Thomas H. Berry, 2d lieut., must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864.
John M. Clayton, Ist sergt., must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with com-
pany Not. 11, 1864.
Ambrose McDade, sergt., must, in July 15,1864; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864.
Jesse D. Minshall, sergt., must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11,1864.
William T. Shoemaker, sergt., must, in July 15,1864; must, out with
company Nov. II, 1864.
■William Trainer, sergt., must, in July 15,1864; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864.
Cheyney H. Smith, Corp., must, in July 16,1864; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864.
Robert J. Kagleson, corp., must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864.
Joseph L. Arment, corp, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864,
Henry Larkin, Corp., must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1864.
Preston E. Wilson, Corp., must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864.
Henry C. Hinkson, Corp., must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with com-
pany Nov. II, 1864.
Benjamin Crowther, Corp., must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11,1864.
George G. Dutton, Corp., must, in July 1,!, 1S64 ; must, out with com-
pany Nov. 11, 1864.
George W. Schopeid, musician, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with
company Nov. 11, 1864.
11,1
, must, in July 15, 1864; must.0
1 July 16,1864; must, oul
fith company Nov.
ith company Nov.
James B. Berry, mi
II, 1S64.
Abram W. Birtwell, must, in July 15,1864; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1864.
John Birtwell, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
11,1864.
Frank Blagg, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov. 11,
1864.
Peter Boon, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov. 11,
1364.
Alilton J. Bowers, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
James E. Braceland, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out witli company
Nov. 11, 1864.
Mark Brewster, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
Hamilton A. Burke, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1864.
John Cannavan, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
Ed. W. Casey, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov. 11,
it. out with company
'ith company Nov. 11,
Samuel K. Chambers, must, in July 15,
Nov. 1 1, 1864.
Samuel Cook, must, in July 15, 1864 ; n
1864.
Samuel W. Chadwick, must, in July 16, 1864 ; trans. Sept. 4, 1864, organ-
ization unknown.
I George H. Derrick, must, in July 15, 1861; must, out with company
1 Nov. 11,1864.
James Dougherty, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
Albert Dutton, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov. 11,
! 1864.
Alfred B. Entrikon, must, in July 15,1864; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1864.
David Foster, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov. 11,
i 1864.
John Gallagher, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
Nelson G. Green, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
Theodore J. Gleason, must, in July 15, 1864.
Thomas Hance, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov,
11, 1864.
C. P. Hannaway, must, in July 15, 1864; nnist. out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
L. F. Hendrickson, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company
Nov.
1864.
William Hopworth, must, in July 15, 18M ; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1864.
Charles J. Hewes, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
William Hill, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov. 11,
1864.
Joseph P. Hindeley, must, in July 15,1864; must, out with company
Nov. 11,1864.
John M. Hinkson, must, in July 16, 1864 ; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1864.
George Horning, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
Spencer Howard, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
11, 1864.
Harrison Hoffman, must, in July 15, 1864 ; died at Rock Island, 111., Oct.
22, 1864.
Isaac Jones, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov. 11,
John
iVith
; with company Nov.
Martin Kelly, must, in
July 16, 1864; m
■St. ou
t with
con
pany No
v.U,
1864. •
John H. Kerlin, must
in July 15, 1864
must
out w
Ith
company
Nov.
11, 1864.
James D. Knight, mus
t. in July 15, 1864
must
out »
ith
company
Nov.
11,1864.
John C. Longbotham,
must, in July 15,
1864;
must.
out
with company
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Samuel W. Loveland, must, in July 15, 1864; must, out with company
Nov. 11,1864.
Benjamin H. Mason, must, in July 15,1864; must, out with company
Not. 11, 1864
Fleming Maloney, must, in July 16, 1864; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1864.
John McDade, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov. 11,
1874.
Daniel McKinney, must, iu July 15, 1864; mi
Nov. 11, 1864.
July 15, 1864; m
ith company
•ith company
William McDonald, mm
Nov. 11, 1864.
Henry D. McNeald, must, iu July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company
Nov. 11, 1S64.
Vincent Nichols, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must. (
11,1864.
Samuel Nuttall, must, in July 15, 1864; must, c
11, 1864.
Joseph Osborne, must, in July 15, 1864 ; must, c
11, 1864.
Gibbons L. Pharaoh, must, in July 15, 1864; m
Nov. 11, 1864.
Emmor W. Porter, must, in July 15,1864; mi
Nov. 11, 18C4.
Edwin L. Powell, must, iu July 15, 1864; must.
11, 1864.
John H. Pretty, must, in July 15, 1864; must. (
Samuel C.
11, 186
1 July 15, 1864 ; mu
July 15, 1864 ; mu
Silas L. Sample
11, 1SG4
Joseph B. Sample, must, in July 15, 1864; mu
11,1864.
Lewis J, Smith, must, in July 15, 1864 ; mus
11, 1864.
Nelson S. Talley, must, in July 15, 1864; mui
11, 1864.
William E. Traine
Nov. 11, 1864.
William Trainer, mu
11,1864.
George W. Turner, e
Nov. II, 1861.
Terrill J. Uhich, mu
tion unknown.
1. in July 15, 1864
[July 15, 1864; mu
in July 15, 1S64 ;
t with company Nov.
t with company Nov.
t with company Nov.
t. out with company
t. out witli company
it with company Nov.
t with company Nov.
t with company Nov.
t with company Nov.
It with company Nov.
t with company Nov.
it with company Nov.
St. out with company
It with company Nov.
t. out with company
James Mulholland, Corp., mu
pany.
Gardner Kelly, Corp., must, ii
William Donnelly, Corp., mu
pany.
John Scofleld, corp
1 July 14, 1864 ;
ly 14, 1864; must, out with company.
1 July 14, 1864 ; must, out with com
July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
.. out with company.
Samuel Fields, Corp., must, in July 14,1864; ii...oi. wul »hli vv/u.i-nuj.
in July 14, 1864; pro. to Corp. July 23,
D. Sippler, Corp.,
; must, out witli company.
I July 14, 1864; must.
John Armstrong,
Ed. Ashworth, mi
William Beaumor
Henry Barber, mi
Uriah Beaumont,
William Buckley,
John BaggB, must, in July 14, 1864
John Bargeley, must, in July 14, 1
in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
St. in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company,
in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
. in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
t with company.
out with company.
July 14, 1864; pro. to sergf.-maj. Aug. 19,
Theodore A. Vanzant, must.
Nov. 11, 1864.
John W. Warren, i
11, 1864.
William H. Weir, i
11, 1864.
William H. Willia
ganization unknown.
William W. Young, must, in July
July 15, 1864; trans. Sept. 4, 1864, orgauiza-
15, 1864; must, out with company
July 15, 1864; must, out with company Nov.
July 15, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov.
it. in July 15, 1864 ; trans. Sept. 8, 1864, or-
1864; must, out with company
COMPANY I.
John Woodcock, capt., must, in July 14, 1864 ; pro. to maj. July 22, 1864.
Ralph Buckley, capt., must, iu July 14, 1864 ; pro. from 1st lieut. July
23, 1864 ; must, out with company Nov. 11, 1864.
Boswell T.Williams, let lieut., must, in July 14,1864; pro. from 2d lieut.
July 23, 1864 ; must, out with company,
James Carrick, 2d lieut., must, in July 14, 1864 ; pro. from Ist sergt. July
23, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Edwin Bowden, 1st sergt., must, in July 14, 1864 ; pro. fiom sergt. July
23, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Matthew Bennett, sergt, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with com-
pany.
Abel Ford, sergt., must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Daniel Crowther, sergt, must, in July 14,1864; must, out with com-
pany.
Samuel Greenwood, sergt,, mu^t. in July 14, 1864; pro. from corp. July
23, 1864 ; must, out withtompany.
Frederick A. Davis, Corp.. must, iu July 14, 1864 ; must, out with com-
Tho
Lomax, Corp., mu
, July 1
vithi
Charles E. Bourne, t
1864.
James Bonner, must in July 14, 1864.
William Coppick, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with c
Miles Dickersou, must in July 14, 1864; must out with c
Samuel Duncan, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Joseph Drake, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
I James Duffee, must, iu July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
j William Douglass, must, in July 14, 1864: must, out with company.
John Edwards, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Amor Eaches, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Joseph Faulkner, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
John Faulkner, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John Ford, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Nehemiah Ford, mnst, in July 14, 1864; must out with company.
William France, mnst in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Daniel Flynn, must in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Michael Fearns, must in July 14, 1864; must out with company.
John Griggory, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
John Gilkins, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John Hibbitt, must, in July 14, 1864; must out with company.
James Hibbitt, must, in July 14, 1864; must out with company.
David Hortenstine, must, in July 14, 1864; must out with company.
John Heartgreaves, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Edwin Hunter, must, iu July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
William Howitb. must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John Holstein, must, in July 14, 1864 ; absent, sick, at muster out.
Jesse Haley, must, in July 14, 1864 ; absent, sick, at muster out
Samuel Heacock, mnst. in July 14, 1864; absent, sick, at musler out.
James Hannum, must, iu July 14, 1864; must out with company.
William Hickey, must, in July 14, 1864; must out with company.
John Heague, must, iu July 14, 1864.
William Johnson, must in July 14, 1864 ; must out with company,
ri July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
1 July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
July 14, 1864; must, out with company,
in July 14, 1864; must, out with company,
must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
i William Milner, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
William Mooney, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must out witli company.
Wright Martin, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
I Edward Mallin, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
I Alfred H. May, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
I John Moore, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must out with company.
Thomas Magee, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Tluirlow McMullen, must in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John McGill, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Dennis McLaughliu, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Daniel Neweome, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
John Otty, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John Parker, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Kichard Pyott, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Alvaen Quimby, must, iu July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
I John Redman, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
i John Rigley, must, in July 13, 1864 ; must out with company.
I Samuel Stnndring, must in July 14, 1864;
Thomas Key, must.
John Kieser, must.
Abram Lee, must, ii
Roland Lewis, must
Thomas Landimore,
Hugh Mo
THE CIVIL WAR.
151
William S. Sewell, must, in July 14, lSfi4; must, out with company
William Scott, must, in July 14, 1S64; must, out witli company.
H. Shillingsburgh, must, in July 14, 1864; absent, sick, at muster r
George W. Somers, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with compau}
John Scanlin, must, in July 14, 1864.
Samuel Thackery, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company,
John Thorp, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company.
Edwin Tolbert, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John Thackery, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must, out with company.
James Taylor, must, in July 14, 1864; must, ou
Thomas C. Vernon, must, in July 14, 1864; mu
John Viccary, must, in July H, 1864 ; must, on
William Whittaker, must, in July 14, 1864 ; mi
Edward Woriall, must, in July 14, 1864 ; must,
John Woriall, must, in July 14, 1864; must, oi
Jacob Wheatley, must, in July 14, 1864; must.
Edward Wells, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company,
James Whilde, must, in July 14, 1864; must, out with company
with company.
; with company.
out with company.
; with company,
'ut with company.
rode to Maj. Glenn, commanding the One Hundred
and Ninety-eighth, and exclaimed, " Major, can you
take those works and hold them?" The latter, turn-
ing to his troops, inquired, " Boys, will you follow
me?" and he dashed forward, followed by his men.
Twice the color-bearer was shot down, but the stan-
dard, caught up by another, was carried forward in
the charge and planted on the enemy's works. Cham-
berlain promoted Glenn on the field for this deed,
but later in the day the latter was fatally wounded.
This was its last battle, the regiment being mustered
out of service at Arlington Heights on June 3, 1865.
William K. Tha
COMPANY K.
, 1st lieut., must, in Sept. 10, 1SG4 ;
One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Regiment (One-
Year's Service). — This regiment was recruited under
the auspices of the Union League in Philadelphia in
the summer of 1864, its ranks being filled in five weeks.
On the morning of the 19th of September it was re-
viewed before the Le.ngue House and presented by
that association with regimental colors, and immedi-
ately proceeded to Petersburg, where it became part
of the First Brigade, Fifth Division, of the First
Corps of the Army of the Potomac. On the 30th of
that month it took part in the battle of Peebles'
Farm, and was scarcely formed in position when the
enemy opened upon it a heavy artillery and mus-
ketry fire, but it held its ground, and finally, in the
charge, drove the Confederates from their first line of
works. On October 2d it held its lines under a fierce ,
attack and severe firing from the enemy. On Feb. 5, j
1865, at the battle of Hatcher's Run, at three o'clock, '
the Second Brigade was being hard pressed, when
Gen. Sickles ordered the One Hundred and Ninety-
eighth to its relief, and at the double-quick it charged
across an open field and fell upon Mahone's " fighting
brigade." The enemy was driven back, but during
the night the Confederates succeeded, by massing
their troops, in capturing a part of the Union line.
At the first alarm the One Hundred and Ninety-
eighth delivered a volley and charged with the bay-
onet. "The struggle for a time was hand to hand,
muskets being clubbed and bayonets freely used."
The enemy was finally driven back and the works re-
gained. At the battle of Lewis' Farm, on March
29th, the One Hundred and Ninety-eighth encoun- j
tered the enemy near the old saw-mill, and across a |
clear field of a thousand yards this regiment and the j
One Hundred and Eighty-fourth New York, led by
Sickles, charged the enemy's works, reserving its fire
until near the fortification, when it delivered a close
and effectual volley, driving the foe. The regiment's
loss was terrific, it afterwards being learned that three
of the best Confederate brigades had confronted the
Union troops in that engagement. On the 31st it was
in action at White Oak Swamp and at Five Forks.
On April 1st, after the Union assault had failed. Gen. I
Chamberlain, who was in command of the division.
for.
Benjamin Jones, Corp., must, in Sept. 10, 1864 ; not
Joseph F. Brewster, Corp., must, in Sept. 10, 1864; prisoner from March
29 to April 5, 1865; disch. by G. 0. June 21, 1863.
Charles Logan, Corp., must, in Sept. 10, 1864 ; not accounted for.
Privates.
John H. Bartman, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
Levi Booth, must, in Sept. In, 1864; wounded at Hatcher's Kun, Va.,
Feb. 7. 1865; not accounted for.
William H. Blizzard, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
George E. Burk, must, in Sept. 10, 1864 ; not accounted for.
Miihael Brennan, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
Joseph F. Beeson, must, in Sept. 10, 1864 ; not accounted for.
William H. Costello, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
David Chambers, must, iu Sept. 10, 1804 ; disch. by G. 0. May 31, 1865.
John B. Crook, must, in Sept. 10, 1861; not accounted for.
Edward Carson, must, in Sept. 10. 1864; not accounted for.
Armstrong Elliott, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June 26, 1865.
James Fryer, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
John E. Holt, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
John Holt, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; wounded at Five Forks, Va., April
1, 1865; not accounted for.
Alfred T. Hart, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
Henry Hickson, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
Washington Hickson, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; wounded at Hatcher's
Run, Va., Feb. 7, 1865 ; disch. by G. 0. May 16, 186.5.
Kobert S. Johnson, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June 2, 1865.
George W. Kaissinger, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; disch. by G. 0. Juno 2,
1865.
George Latch, must, iu Sept. 10, 1864 ;
March 29, 1865 ; not accounted for.
Charles Logan, must, in Sept. 3, 1864 ; not a
Edward L. Morgan, must, iu Sept. Id, 1864;
James Morgan, must, in Sept. 10, 1864
March 29, 1865; not accounted for.
Edward T. Mason, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; wounded n
April 1, 1865; disch. by G. 0. June 9, 1865.
George Mills, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
Chandler Marshman, must, in Sept. 5, 1864 ; not accounted for.
Samuel Pullen, must, in Sept. 5, 1864; not accounted for.
John 0. Pike, must, in Sept. 5, 1864; not accounted for.
Jesse W. Paist, must, iu Sept. 5, 18G4; wounded at Lewis' Farm, Va.,
March 29, 1865 ; not accounted for.
Reuben Russell, must, in Sept. 5, 1864 ; not accounted for.
Charles G. Slawter, must, in Sept. 13, 1864; not accounted for.
James Schofield, must, in Sept. 1.3, 1864 ; not accounted for.
William Tomlinson, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
Frederick P. Taylor, must, in Sept. 10, 1864 ; uot accounted for.
Hiram Williams, must, in Sept. 10, 1864 ; wounded at Appomattox Court-
House, Va., April 9, 1865 ; not accounted for.
Robert Weir, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; wounded i
March 29, 1865 ; disch. by G. 0. June 26, 1805.
George Wilson, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; not accounted for.
Jetr. W. Wetherill, must, in Sept. 10, 1864; wounded at Peebles' Farm,
Va., Sept. 30, 1864, and at Five Forks, Va., April 1, 1865; disch. by
G. 0. July 17, 1865.
James Willis, must, in Sept. 5, 1864 ; not accounted for.
Lewis' Farm, Va.,
lunded at Lewie' Farm, Va.,
orks, Va
Lewis' Fai
152
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Two Hundred and Third Reg^iment (One-Year's
Service). — This regiment was recruited as sharp-
shooters for Gen. Birney's division, hut the general
dying they were treated as ordinary infantry. The
regiment was organized Sept. 10, 1864, and on the 27th
of the same month they reached the army before Pe-
tersburg, and were assigned to the Second Brigade,
Second Division, Tenth Corps, the same day. As the
action at Chapin's Farm and New Market Road the
Two Hundred and Third were employed in picketing
Malvern Hill and escorting prisoners. On October
7th it took part in the battle on that day, and repulsed
the assaults of the enemy, and was in action on the
27th on the Darlingtown road.
When the Army of tlie James was reorganized the
Two Hundred and Third was part of the Second
Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-fourth Corps. On
Dec. 13, 1864, it embarked on transports at Fortress
Monroe, and accompanied the naval expedition under
Admiral Porter for the reduction of Fort Fisher, North
Carolina. On Jan. 15, 1865, when the assault on the
fort was made, the regiment was in Pennypacker's
brigade, which drove the enemy from the palisadings.
Here the Two Hundred and Third charged through
an opening in the face of two guns, which it captured,
and traverse after traverse was carried, and just as the
fourth was charged Col. Moore, with his regiment's
flag in one hand and his sword in the other, urging
on the men, fell dead. From half-past three in the
afternoon until late into the night the fight was stub-
bornly continued until the enemy finally yielded. In
this memorable assault the colonel, lieuteuant-colonel,
one captain, and a lieutenant were killed, two cap-
tains and four lieutenants wounded; among the latter
was Capt. Benjamin Brooke, of Comp.any B.
Admiral Porter, in his report, states that Fort Fisher
was "really stronger than the Malakofi" Tower, which
defied so long the combined powers of France and
England, and yet it was captured by a handful of men
under the fire of the guns of the fleet, and in seven
hours after the attack commenced in earnest." On
February 11th the regiment was in the advance on
Wilmington, being thrown out as skirmishers, and
succeeded in getting possession of the rifle-pits of the
enemy in front of his works, but owing to the swampy
nature of the ground and the dense undergrowth the
line of battle could not advance. Hence the regiment
in possession of the pits could not withdraw until night,
when, stealthily, a few men at a time crawled away.
The works were finally captured by a flank movement,
which compelled the enemy to abandon his fortifica-
tion.
The Two Hundred and Third was active in all
the movements in North Carolina until April 26th,
when Johnston surrendered, after which it was assigned
to duty at Raleigh, where, on June 22, 1865, it was
mustered out of service. Capt. Brooke, on June 22,
1865, was promoted lieutenant-colonel of the regi-
ment.
COMPANY B.
, 1st lieut., must, i
, l8Gt ; must, out with com-
. from private
Geoige ]£. Vun7..xnt, 2d lient., nmat. in Aug. 24, ISei ;
Sept. 11), 1804 ; must, out with company.
Joseph M. Bon-ell, 1st sergt., must, in Sept. 12, 186-t ; absent witli leave
at muster out.
John B. Selvey, sergt., must, in Sept. 19, tSM ; must, out with company.
William G. Davidson, sergt., must, in Sept. 30, 1864 : ahsent on furlough
Alfred J. Kent, sergt., must, in Sept. 24, 1864; must, out with company.
Ezra Drainsfield, sergt., must, in Sept. 24, 1864; pro. from corp. May 1,
1865 ; must, out with company.
John Lee, sergt., must, in Sept. IS, 1864; pro. to Ist sergt. Co.D Oct. 12,
1864.
John A. Morrow, Corp., must, in Sept. 3, 1864; must, out with company.
John Famous, corp., must, in Aug. 26, 1864; must, out with company.
Samuel T. Allon, Corp., must, in Sept. 2, 1804 ; must, out with company.
Kichard Parsons, corp , must, in Aug. 24, 1864; must, out with company.
Charles T. Brooks, corp., must, in Sept. 5, 1864; wounded at Fort
Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1866 : must, out with company.
John J.Vanzant, coip., must, in Aug. 31,1864; must, out with company.
J. McGinly Willielm, corp., must, in Aug. 30, 1864; pro. to corp. Mayl,
1865 ; must, out with company.
Miller Cox, Corp., must, in Sept. 3, 1804 ; pro. to corp. May 16, 1866(
must, out with company.
Andrew Lamport, Corp., must, in Aug. 24,1864; wounded at Fort Fisher,
Va., Jan. 15, 1865; disch. by G. 0. May 15, 1866.
Jacob Deffenderfer, musician, must, in Sept. 2, 1864 ; must, out with corn-
Henry Nagle, musician, must, in Sept. 2, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John Allen, must, in Aug. 20, 1864; must, out with company.
Mark W. Allen, must, in Aug. 26, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June 10, 1866.
Thomas Armstfoug, must, in Aug. 29, 1864; must, out with company.
t. out with company,
t with company,
it with company,
t with company,
with company.
; John H. Anderson, must, in Sept. 3, 1864 ; n
1 Watson Bail, must, in Aug. 24, 1864; must.
j James Boweo, must, in Aug. 24, 1864; must.
I John J. Boyer, must, in Sept. 8, 1864; must.
John Booth, must, in Aug. 31, 1864; must, o
I James P. Boon, must, in Sept. 15, 1864; must, out with company.
William Burley, must, in Aug. 19, 1864 ; must, out with company.
I Jacob Boon, must, in Sept. 15, 1864; pro. to hospital steward Sept. 20,
j August Baum, must, in Aug. 25, 1864; disch. by G. O. May 15, 1865.
Gillead Carter, must, in Aug. 24,1864; must, out with company.
James Craggen, must, in Aug. 24, 1S64 ; must, out with company.
i William Chadwick, must, in Aug. 29, 1864; disch. by G. 0. Juue3, 1865.
i Thomas Clowgh, must, in Aug. 24, 1864; must, out with company.
i John J. Clar, must, in Aug. 24, 1864; died at Hampton, Va., Jauuary23d,
I of wounds received at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1865; buried in
I National Cemetery.
j William H. Camp, must, in Aug. 18, 1864 ; died nt New York, March
1 15th, of wounds received at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1805 ; buried
I in Cypress Hill Cemetery, Long Island.
] Henry Carmon, must, in Aug. 31, 1864.
' John Conner, must, in Feb. 10, 1865; not on mnster-outroll.
Joseph Carter, must, in March 3, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
Thomas Chubb, must, in March 3, 1865; not on muster-out roll.
Nathaniel Davis, must, iu Sept. 2, 1804; must, out with company.
Theodore Drainafleld, must, in Aug. 24, 1864 ; must, out with company.
I George Dilks, must, in Sept. 2, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Joseph Doyle, must, in Aug. 25, 1864; must, out with company.
John Duffee, must, in Sept. 6,1864; wounded at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan.
15,1866; disch. by G.O.June 14, 1865.
Robert Entwistle, must, iu Aug. 20, 1864; must, out with company.
Samuel Ewing, must, iu Aug. 29, 1864; must, out with company.
Orange M. English, must, in Sept. 14, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 3, 1865.
Hiram Erisman, must, in Feb. 2, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
1 Abraham Favinger, must, in Aug. 26, 1864; must, out with company.
1 William E. Fettere, must, in Sept. 2, 1864 ; wounded at Fort Fisher,
I N. C, Jan. 16, 1806 : must, out with company.
THE CIVIL WAR.
153
Wilmington, W.
Elwood D. Fryer, must, in Sept. 2, ISW; wounded
N. C, Oct. 27, ISei; absent, on detacbed service, at muster out.
John W. Fryer, must, in Sept. 2, 1864; absent, sick, at muster out.
■William 0. Fryer, must, in Aug. 31. 1864 ; must, out with company.
William J. Farra, must, in Aug. 29, 1S61 ; died at Hampton, Va., Jan.
23d, of wounds received at Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. lo, 18155 ; buried
in National Cemetery.
John Glim, must, in Sept. 2,1864; wounded near Wilmington, N. C,
Oct. 27, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June 10, 18C5.
Elwood H. Gilbert, must, in Aug. 31,1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 15, 1865.
Jesse Gore, must, in Sept. 3, 1864 ; must, out with company.
David Gordon, must, in Aug. 27, 1864; absent, in hospital, at muster ont.
Thomas Grant, must, in Aug. IS, 1864.
Thomas J. Harper, must, in Aug. 26, 1864; must, out with company.
Lewis Harper, must, in Aug. 26, 1864; must, out with company.
Charles Haas, must, iu Sept. 1, 1864; must, out witli company.
Edward Haycock, must, in Sept. 2, 1864; wounded at Fort Fisher, N. C,
Jan. 1,% 1865 ; absent, in hospital, at muster out.
Luke Hepworth, must, in Aug. 26, 1864; must, out with company.
James Hulme, must, in Aug. 24, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Davis N. Hahnem, must, in Sept. 3, 1864; disch. by G. 0. July 3, 1865.
John M. HofTstitler, must, in Sept. 2, 18H4; killed at Fort Fisher, N. C,
Jan. 15, 1865.
James Hogan. must, in Feb. 9, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
L. Hays, must, in Sept. 16, 1S64 ; not on muster-out roll.
David Hildebnind, must, in Jan. 28, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
Perry Hippie, must, in Feb. 4, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
Joseph Jones, must, in Aug. 26, 1864 ; must, out with cumpuny.
Annesley N. Keithler, must, iu Aug. 31, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June 16,
1865.
Edmond Kiuch, must, in Aug. 26, 1864 ; wounded at Fort Fisher, N. C,
Jan. 15, 1865; must, out with company June 22, 1865.
William M. Kitts, must, in Sept. 5, 1864; died at Fortress Monroe, Va.,
Jan. 8, 1865.
. in Aug. 23, 1864; must, out with company.
1 Aug. 29, 1864 ; must, out with company.
1 Aug. 19, 1864 ; must, out with company.
1 Aug. 29, 1864: must, out with company.
. in Sept. 2, 1864: must, out with company.
A. W. Longnecker, must, in Jan. 30, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
Mitchell Martin, must, in Aug. 24, 1864; must, out with company.
George Mooney, must, in Aug. 29, 1864; must, out with company.
William A. Mojisely, must, in Aug. 31, 1864; must, out with company.
James Mills, must, in Aug. 19, 1864; must, out with company.
George Major, must, in Aug. 27, 1864 ; died at Philadelphia, Pa., Sept.
11, 1864.
Archer Myers, must, in Feb. 9, 1864 ; not on muster-out roll.
Joseph Moyer, must, in March 8, 1865 ; r
Daniel McClean, must, in Aug. 29, 1864;
John McGilty, must, in Aug. 29, 1864 ; must, out with company.
George McFadden, must, in Jan. 30, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
John T. McElroy, must, in Jan. 30, 1865; not on muster-out roll.
Joseph Naylor, must, in Sept. 7, 1864; must, out with company.
Rufus W. Noble, must, in Aug. 30, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Joseph H. Ottey, must, in Sept. 3, 1864 ; must, out with company.
William Peoples, must, in Aug. 29, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Benjamin Pierce, must, in Aug. 31, 1864 ; must, out with company.
William H. Pool, must, in Sept. 2, 1864; must, out with company.
Samuel Playford, must, in Aug. 29, 1864 ; killed at Fort Fisher, N. C,
Jan. 15, 1865.
Emmor E. lludolph, must, in Aug. 29, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June 8,
1865.
Robert Sample, mu.st. in Sept. 2, 1864 : must, out with company.
James Sample, must, in Aug. 24, 1864 ; wounded in action Feb. 11, 1865 ;
must, out with company.
Joseph Smiley, must, in Sept. 2, 1864; must, out with company.
Theodore Smith, must, in Aug. 31, 1864 ; disch. by G. O. June 25, 1865.
Francis Stewart, must, in Aug. 29, 1864; must, out with company.
William H. Swayne, must, in Aug. 29,1864; wounded near Wilmington,
N. C, Oct. 27, 1864 ; must, out with company.
Henry Stover, must, in Aug. 31, 1864.
Lewis Smith, must, in Aug. 30, 1864.
Myers Sergent, must, in Jan. 31, 1865; not on muster-out roll.
Frederick Sanders, must, in Jan. 30, 1865 ; not on muster-out roll.
Martin Sullivan, must, in Oct. 7, 1864; not on muster-out roll.
Evan L. Thomas, must, in Aug. 29, 1864 ; absent, in hospital, at muster
Raleigh, N. C, May i
Francis Lachlan
Joshua Lodge, n
Joel B. Lodge, n
John Lindsay, m
Ebner Lewis, Jr.
I muster-out roll.
M. Vernon, must, iu Aug. 24, 1864 ;
1865.
Thomas Waddacor, must, in Aug. 29, 1864 ; must, out with company.
John C. Wilhelm, must, in Sept. 2, 1864; pro. to chaplain 46th Regt. 0.
S. Colored Troops, May 8, 1865 : must, out Nov. 4, 1865.
George W. Wolf, must, in Aug. 30, 1864 ; disch. by G. 0. June 3, 1866.
Robert L. West, must, in Aug. 26, 1864; disch. by G. 0. July 26, 1865,
James Wood, must.iu Aug. 29, 1864; must, out with company.
Winfield S. White, must, in Sept. 2, 1864; must, out with company.
Joseph Wyatt, must, in Aug. 19, 1864 ; must, out with company.
George F. Washington, must, in Aug. 24, 1S64 ; must, out with company.
Two Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment (One-
Year's Men). — This regiment was recruited under the
direction of the Union League Association of Pliila-
delphia, and was organized March 2, 1865. Two days
thereafter it was ordered to Annapolis, Md., where it
was assigned to duty in guarding Camp Parole, and
part of the regiment was ordered to Frederick City,
to protect the lines of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road. In April it was concentrated at Washington,
where it remained guarding the Northern defenses of
the city until Nov. 18, 1865, when it was mustered
out of service.
March 10, 1805 ; must. <
1865.
; with i
ny Not.
COMPANY G.
James Carrick, 2d lieut., must, in March 1, 1865; must,
pany Nov. 18, 1866.
Jonathan Kershaw, 1st sergt., mu.st. in Feb. 21, 1865 ;
company Nov. 18, 1865.
Abel Ford, sergt., must, in Feb. 24, 1865 ; must, out witl
18, 1865.
William Long, musician, must, in Feb. 18, 1805 ; must
pany Nov. 18, 1805.
Richard Alcutt, must, in Feb. 17,1865; must, out witl
18, 1S05.
John W. Beggs, must, iu Feb. 17, 1865 ; must, out witl
18, 1865.
Michael Crouse, must, in Feb. 21, ISOo ; must, out with company Nov.
18, 1865.
Edward Deterer, must, in Feb. 16, 1865; must, out with company Not.
18, 1865.
David Lynch, must, in Feb. 16, 1865 ; must, out with company Nov. 18,
1865. .
Franklin Mulford, must, in Feb. 18, 1865; absent, sick, at muster ont.
Daniel McBride, must, in Feb. 20, 1866; must, out with company.
Bernard McAtee, must, in Feb. 17, 1865; not on muster-out roll.
William A. Williams, must, in Feb. 24, 1865 ; must, out with company.
Following are the names of residents of Delaware
County who recruited in other regiments other than
those already given :
SURGEONS.
Dr. Joshua Owen, the first surgeon appointed in Pennsylvania, April 18,
1861 ; detailed to .o4th Eegt.; must, out Aug. 1, 1861.
Dr. John M. Allen, must, in Oct. 15, 1861, surg. of 54th Pa. ; subse-
quently medical director of the Department of Western Virginia,
and surgeon-in-chief of staff; his health failing be was honorably
discharged Nov. 4, 1864, after having been in hospital several
months.
Dr. Charles Matthews, asst.-surg., .'i4th Pa.
Dr. George B. Hotchkin, surg, of 44th Pa. ; must, in Nov. 12, 1862,
and must, out Sept. 9, 1864.
Dr. S. Chase King,«sst.-surg., 5th CaT. ; must, in Dec. 31, 1861 ; trans,
to 4th Cav. March 20, 1865; resigned Aug. 7, 1865.
Dr. Isaac T. Coates, asst.-surg., 77th Regt. ; must, in Sept. 19, 1866 ; must.
out Dec. 6, 1865. Dr. Coates had, previous to entering the army,
been a surgeon in the navy.
Dr. Magee, asst.-surg. U. S. navy.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Dr. William H. Porwavd, appointed asst.-surg. V. S. army June, 1861 ;
pro. to surg. 6th U. S. Cav. October, 1863, he was severely wounded
in the breast, and after the ball was extracted little hopes were en-
tertained of his recovery. After a protracted illness he was en-
abled to rejoin his command, and is still in the army.
Dr. Passmore Middleton, of Darby, appointed surgeon in regular army,
1863.
Dr. Mauley Emanuel, April, 1863, appointed asst.-surg.
43n PA. EEGT. (1st ARTILLERY, THREE YEARS).
Battery H, Martin Wolf, must, in Sept. 4, 1S62 ; must, out with battery
June 27, 186.'-..
64th pa. KEGT. (4tk CAVALRY).
Company C, H. Hawkins.
65th pa. REGT. (5th CALVARY, THREE YEARS).
Company C, John Booth, killed at Harrison's Landing, Va., Aug. 1,
1862.
Company D, Joshua E. Dyer, 2d lieut., must, in July 30, 1861 ; com. 2d
lieut. Dec. 3, 1864; not mustered; captured at Stony Creek, Va.,
June 29, 1864 ; died in Confederate prison-pen in Florence, N. C,
Feb. 10, 1803.
Company H, Samuel Wallace, Ist lieut.. must, in July 30, 1801; pro. from
sergt. Co. D to 2d lieut. Jan. 26, 1862; to 1st lieut. January, 1863 ;
killed near Williamsburg, Va., Jan. 15, 1863.
66th pa. REGT. (THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
William Lewis, lieut.-coL, must, in Nov. 1, 1862; disch. April 29, 1864.
Company C, Alisha Stetson, capt., must, in Jan. 26, 1802 ; must, out Oct.
10, 1864.
17th pa. REGT. (6tu CAVALRY, RUSH'S LANCERS).
Charles L. Leiper, col., must, in 1801 ; pro. to capt. Co. L ; to maj. Sept.
1, 1864; to lieut.-col. Feb. 1, 1865; to ciil. March 20, 1865; to brig.-
gen. (brevet) March 13, 1866 ; trans, to 2d Provisional Cavalry June
17, 1805.
Company L, Levis Miller, Jr., 1st lieut., must, in Oct. 5,1861; pro. to
sergt. Co. L ; captured May 10, 1864 ; pro. from sergt. June 22, 1864 ;
com. capt. March 20, 1865; killed before being mustered as such.
716T PA. VOL. (CALIFORNIA, THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
Company A, John T. Thatcher, sergt., must, in May 21, 1861 ; disch. on
Burg. certif. July, 1862.
Company F, William Farrady, private, must, in July 14, 1861 ; killed at
Antietam Sept. 17, 1862.
Company I, George W. Thatcher, Corp., must, in July 6, 1801 ; pro. to
Corp. Jan. 1, 1864 ; must, out with company July 2, 1864.
72d PA. KEGT. (THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
Company E, Phineas E. Kelley, private, must, in Aug. 10, 1801 ; must.
out with company Aug. 24, 1804.
Company E, Jesse A. Gibson, private, must, in Aug. 10, 1861; died at
Philadelphia March 10, 1864.
77th pa. REGT. (BAXTER'S ZOUAVES, THREE YEARS' SER-
VICE).
Company E, Joseph Groves, killed at Gettysburg.
SSth pa. REGT. (THREE TEARS' SERVICE).
Company C, John McFeeters, sergt., must, in Feb. 29, 1804 ; pro. to
Corp. May 1, 1865; to sergt. June 13, 1865 ; must, out with company
June 30, 1805.
Company D, Robert Anderson, corp., must, in Feb. 26, 1864; wounded
at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, 1864; pro. to corp. May 1,1865 ; in
hospital at muster out.
Company H, James M. Thompson, sergt., must, in Sept. 11, 1861; pro.
from private; died Nov. 16, 1862, of wounds received at Antietam,
Md., Sept. 17, 1802.
S9th pa. REGT. (8th CAVALRY, THREE TEARS' SERVICE).
Company L.Joseph Dyson, private, must, in Sept. 23, 1861 ; died near
Washington in service Jan. 25, 1862.
96th pa. REGT. (THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
Company A, John Macon, Corp., must, in Aug. 21, 1801 ; killed at Wil-
liamsport, Va.
iSept. 14,18Cl;diBoh.on
, must, in Sept. 17,
I Company F, Joshua M. Wilson, pri-
on surg. certif. Jan. 6, 1864.
1 Company H, J. B. W. Aydelott, Ist lieut., must, in Oct. 1, 1861; pro. to
I capt. Sept. 24, 1862 ; must, out for promotion July 3, 1863.
j 99th pa. REGT. (THREE TEARS' SERVICE).
I Company H, William H. Groundsell, sergt., must, in May 31, 1861;
' captured Sept. 10, 1804, and died at Andersonville, Ga.
113th pa. REGT. (12th CAVALRY, THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
\ Company H, Robert McCourt, 2d lieut., must, in April 9,1864; honor-
[ ably discharged Dec. 8, 1864.
Company I, Albert G. Bonsall, 2d lieut., must, in April 21, 1862; disch.
j Nov. 5, 1862.
I 118th pa. REGT. (THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
Company H, Edward T. Brogau, died Dec. 9, 1864.
Company G, George Elliott, must, in July 8, 1861 ; captured ; killed at
Salisbury, N. C, while attempting to escape.
161st pa. REGT. (16th CAVALRY, THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
Company I, Archer N. Martin, 2d lieut., must, in Sept. 23, 1802 ; pro. to
1st lieut. May 21, 1863 ; (o capt. Juno 4, 1803 ; brevet maj. March
13, 1865; must, out May 26,1865; part of time on Gen. Sheridan's
staff.
181st pa. BEGT. (20th CAVALRY, THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
George W. Eachus, q.m., must, in April 1, 1805; must, out June 23,
Company F, E. E. Bartleson,
lieut. April 25, 1866 ; mu
July 13, 1865.
6th new JERSEY VOLUNTEERS.
Company I, James B.Lilley, wounded in Wilderness May 6th ; died May
16, 1864.
48th ILLINOIS VOLUNTEEltS.
George B. Thatcher, adjutant, 1863.
6th CALIFORNIA REGIMENT.
Henry M. Black, col., graduate of West Point; 2d lieut. 4th U. S. In-
fantry, detached to take command of regiment.
UNITED STATES LIGHT ARTILLERY.
John Lilley.
As soon as the government of the United States
I announced that colored men would be recruited, a
number of Delaware Countians entered the service.
The following is a partial list of those soldiers :
I THIRD U. S. REGIMENT.
I Company D (mustered 1863).— Edward Brown, Joseph Preston, William
I Summers, Samuel Brown.
Company E (mustered 1863).— Samuel R. Deny.
Company ^(mustered 1863). — William B. Hall, George .\nderson, Ben-
jamin D. Read.
Company G (mustered 1863).— Perry Allen, George W. Potts, Jr., Samuel
Jones, Isaac Rolhwell.
SIXTH U. S. REGIMENT.
Compiwj A (mustered 1863).— Daniel Hopkins.
Company D (mustered 1863). — Benjamin Harris.
THIRTIETH U. S. REGIMENT.
Company A (mustered 1865).— Corp. Nesbert Hall.
THIRTY-SECOND D. S. REGIMENT.
FIFTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS.
Company C (mustered 1864).- John Ballard.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVENTH U. S. REGIMENT.
Compamj C (mustered 1804).— David Hall.
Company F(mustered 1864).— Charles Johnson.
THE CIVIL WAR.
155
BEGULAR ARMY.
Mnj. H. Stacey, of Chester, appointed 1st lient. 12tli U. S. Inf Mny 14,
1861; in 1862 took part in siege of Yorktown and battle of Uiiines' I
Mill, Vs., June 27, 1S62, when he was wonnded ; was adjutant of
1st Battalion, 12th Inf. at second battle of Bull Run, Aug. 30, 1862,
and at Antietam ; was in battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 11, 12, and
13,1862; severely injured by an accident, was detailed to light duty •
in Washington, D. C, until Februarj-, 1863, and was on duty with
company during draft riots in New York ; in 1864 took part in Wilder- i
ness campaign, with his regiment, until June S, 1864, when he was i
appointed acting aide-de-camp to Brig.-Gen. R. B. Ayres, command- 1
Ing 2.1 Div., 5th Corps; pro. capt. Aug. 17, 1864; was with Gen.
Ayres at explosion of mine in front of Petersburg, July 30, 1864,
and took part at battle of Weldon Rmlroad, 18th, 19th, and 2lBt of
August, 1864; appointed, September, 1864, commissary of musters
of 2d Army Corps, Gen. Hancock, commanding, and retained posi-
tion until close of war and disbandnient of corps, and while in the
discharge of that office was in battle of Armstrong's Mills, Hatch- :
er's Run, and operations terminating in surrender of Gen. Lee's j
army. He was brevetted capt. U. S. A. for gallant services in the j
campaign, and brevetted lieut.-col. U. S. A. for services at Weldon |
Railroad, since which time he has been in service at Washington, Cal- I
ifornia, Nevada, and Arizona, where he was in several of the en- j
gagements with the Indians ; in 1882-83 commandant at Platts- '
burg Barracks, N. Y. ; at present on duty with his company.
Delaware Countians in the Navy.— It is unneces-
sary under this head to refer to the remarkable race j
of naval captains, — the Porter ftimily, — William Da- j
vid, David D., and Henry Ogden Porter, except to I
claim for our county these distinguished officers in i
our nation's history. Even Farragut himself, when
appointed, resided in Chester, and was educated here.
We have others, however, who " have done the State
some service" in that branch of the national forces.
The following list of Delaware County's representa-
tives in the navy during the civil war, I Ijnow, must
be very incomplete, but that much is " at least se-
cured."
Rear-Admiral Frederick Engle was born in dies- '
ter in 1799, and was fifteen years of age in 1814, when
he entered the navy as a midshipman, sailing with |
Commodore Porter when he swept the seas of pirates, ■
particularly the West Indies, and in many of the en- i
counters with those enemies to mankind Midshipman
Engle highly distinguished himself. During the
Mexican war, he had then become a captain, was in
command of the steamship " Princeton," at that time
the only steam vessel of War afloat in the navies of I
the world, and in the bombardment of Vera Cruz
and the castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, March 22, 1847,
a shot from his vessel made the first breach in the
walls of the fortress. During the war of the Crimea
he was on duty in the Mediterranean and Black Seas,
and visited the scene of battle. In May, 1861, he
was dispatched to the East India station to relieve j
Commodore Stribling, whose loyalty was suspected, |
of command of the flagship " Hartford." Engle jour-
neyed overland from England to Hong Kong, where
he took command of the vessel, which afterwards be-
came famous in our national history under Farragut,
and brought it safely home to Philadelphia, in De-
cember, 1861. He also brought with him the sloop |
" John Adams," twenty guns, and steam sloop " Da-
cota," six guns. He was subsequently in command :
of the "Wabash." The forty-seven years of active
service in the navy began to press heavily on him,
and on Dec. 11, 1861, he was placed on the retired
list as captain. On July 10, 1862, he was made com-
modore on the retired list, and in 1867 rear-admiral.
He died in Philadelphia, Feb. 12, 1868, aged sixty-
nine years.
Commodore Pierce Crosby was born in Chester,
Jan. 16, 1824, entering the navy June 5, 1838, as mid-
shipman, and in 1844 he became a passed midship-
man, and in that rank served with distinction in the
Mexican war. He was promoted to lieutenant in
1853, and held that rank in 1861, when he was em-
ployed in Chesapeake Bay and in the Sounds of
North Carolina, being complimented by Gen. Butler
for his conduct at the capture of Forts Hatteras and
Clark. In April, 1862, he was in command of the
gunboat "Pinola," and during the night of the 23d
that vessel and the " Itasca" led the fleet when Farra-
gut determined to run by Forts Jackson and St. Philip,
and broke through the chain-barrier stretched across
the Mississippi at these forts. He was present at the
capture of New Orleans, April 25, 1862, and when
Farragut and his fleet ran the batteries at Vicksburg,
June 30th, and returned July 15th, in the same year,
Crosby, in command of his vessel, shared in the glory
of that daring act. On Sept. 13, 1862, he was pro-
moted to captain, and during the year 1863-64 as
fleet captain did efiective service in command of the
" Florida" and " Keystone State," North Atlantic
Squadron. Oct. 3, 1864, he was promoted commo-
dore, and in April, 1865, in command of the " Meta-
comet," he was active in the dangerous services pre-
ceding the capture of Mobile.
Rear-Admiral Thatcher in his dispatches of April
12th to the Navy Department, said, " I am much in-
debted to Commodore Crosby, who has been untiring
in freeing the Blakeley River of torpedoes, having suc-
ceeded in removing one hundred and fifty, — a service
demanding coolness, judgment, and perseverance."
In the year 1872 he was in command of the frigate
" Powhattan," and in 1877 was ordered to the navy-
yard at League Island, retaining command there until
1881.
Commander De Haven Manley, son of Charles D.
Mauley, entered the United States navy Sept. 25,
1856, and rose step by step until he reached the rank
of commander, April 5, 1874.
Capt. Henry Clay Cochrane was appointed by Pres-
ident Lincoln second lieutenant in the Marine Corps,
and passed the examination Aug. 29, 1861, but his
age precluded him from being commissioned as such
immediately, hence he served as master's mate until
March 10, 1863, when, having attained the required
age, his appointment as lieutenant was confirmed by
the United States Senate. On Oct. 20, 1865, he was
promoted first lieutenant. During the war he was in
active service under Admirals Goldsborough, Dupont,
Farragut, Porter, and Lee in the North and South
156
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Atlantic, Gulf, and Mississippi Squadrons, and at the I
bombardment of Port Royal, S. C, Nov. 7, 1871, was
a division officer on the gunboat " Pembina." In
1880, Lieutenant Cochrane was promoted captain, and
is now on the flagship " Lancaster" on a three years'
cruise in the Mediterranean and visiting European
stations.
THIRD ASSISTANT ENGINEERS U.S. NAVY.
Robert S. Taylor, cooi. Aug. 27, 1864 ; served on U. S. steamer " Prim-
rose :" dis. July 5, 1865.
Martin L. Taylor, com. Sept. 6, 1864 ; served on U. S. ste.amer " Perri-
winkle," monitor "Monadnock," and "Jacob Bell;" dis. Sept. 22,
1865.
William F. Cutler, com. 1864; served on D. S. steamer "Juniper."
Thomas H. Thompson, com. 1864 ; served on U. S. steamer " Verliena."
Thomas J. Reancy, com. Aug. 22, 1864; served on U.S. steamer "Iron-
sides" and " Seneca ;" dis, July 26, 1865.
William G. Vernon, com. 1804: served on U. S. steamer " Wyandank"
and "Commodore Read."
Thomas Lees, com. Sept. 8, 1864; servid on U. S. steamer " Wyan-
dank," " Dragon," and " Anicostia ;" dis. July 8, 1866.
.Tames Brannon, com. 1864.
Samuel Anderson, com. 1864; assistant paymaster U. S. steamer " Jacob
Bell."
William Smead, engineer.
William Coverdill, engineer.
John P. Gartside, com.l8C4; engineer department, U.S. steamer " Iron-
sides."
Henry Pedlow, com. 1864 ; engineer department, U. S. steamer " Iron-
J. 0. Wilson, com. 1864; engineer department.
John Wolf, com, 1S64; engineer department,
James Stevenson, carpenter, frigate " Wabash."
Samuel Oglesby, com, April 27, 1864; served on " New Hampshire," and
frigate "Wabash ;" took part in engagement at Fort Fisher, which
resulted in its ca])ture ; trans, to gunboat " Etitaw," and disch. May
15,
William Gelston,
Thomas Gillespie Coch
1864,
e, captain's clerk, U. S, steamer ** Alabama."
Herman Wolf, enl, 1864; engineer's department.
Robert C. Rennie, quartermaster " Ironsides."
James Christie, quartermaster " Ironsides,"
Edmund Pennell, messenger.
James Phillips, yeoman.
Drafts were made jn several of the townships in
Delaware County, and the last time the wheel was
put in motion was April 7, 1865. The men who were
drafted in Upper and Lower Chichester responded,
and the greater part of them held for service. On
April 13th, Secretary Stanton ordered all enlistments
and drafting to be discontinued in the United States,
hence on Monday, April 25th, the drafted men in
Delaware County were ordered to return to their
homes.
The war had terminated, and the North was in a
tumult of exultation over the success that had at last
crowned its efforts, the like of which history furnished
no parallel. Hence it was to be expected that the
attention of the nation should be centred at noon of
April 14, 18*5, on those shattered, fire-marked ruins
in Charleston harbor, where Maj.-Geu. Anderson —
in the presence of the survivors of his garrison, who
on that day four rears before had evacuated Fort
Snniter — would with imposing ceremonies again un-
furl over the broken masses of masonry the old flag.
which had been hauled down without dishonor. In
Chester, on the afternoon of that day, the Invalid
Corps and the soldiers in the United States hospital
(now Crozer Theological Seminary), under command
of Lieut. Campion, and headed by the Union Brass
Band, marched through the streets of the ancient bor-
ough, cheering and being cheered. From the town
hall, over factories, workshops, stores, and dwellings,
the American flag was displayed, while almost every
building was draped with the national colors. Early in
the evening the populace assembled in Market Square,
where addresses were made by John M. Broomall and
Rev. Messrs. George and Meredith, at the conclusion
of which Professor Jackson gave a beautiful exhibi-
tion of fire-works. At nine o'clock a general illu-
mination of the town took place, and the streets were
crowded with people, on foot and in carriages, moving
from point to point to view the display.
While the inhabitants of many of the surrounding
townships in Delaware County had come to Chester
to rejoice over the long-hoped-for and glorious con-
clusion of the civil war, at half-past nine o'clock that
night, at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, during a
pause in the play of "Our American Cousin," the
report of a pistol was heard, and a deed had been
wrought which, in a few short hours, should change
the national rejoicing into public mourning and mis-
givings. Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated.
The telegraphic operator in the town heard the
alarming intelligence as it flashed over the wires to
the press of the great cities, but the injunction of
silence (of war time) kept him mute, and it was not
until six o'clock the following morning (Saturday)
that the news of the dreadful deed reached Chester.
All business ceased, the industrial establishments
suspended operation, and no business place was
opened save that of the news agents, which was fllled
with people, jostling each other in their anxiety to
secure the morning papers giving the particulars of
the tragedy. By eight o'clock the death of the Presi-
dent was confirmed, and the proprietors of dry-goods
stores were compelled to open their places of business
that the people might replace the tricolored hanging
of the preceding day with sombre black. By ten
o'clock all the buildings were draped in mourning.
The like scene was enacted in every town and village
iu the county, for the people were stricken with grief
for the great dead and with apprehension for the
future. On Wednesday, when the funeral of the
murdered President was in progress at Washington,
all business was suspended and every mill in the
county closed on that day, while at the same hour in
all the sanctuaries services were held, aod the bells
of the churches were tolled in every steeple. At
Chester the revenue cutter "William H. Seward,"
lying off the town, fired minute-guns. At Media the
court-room was crowded, and religious services were
held therein. The deep feeling of uncertainty and
grief prevailing at that time will never be forgotten
CKIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
by those who were of suflScient age to recall that
period in our history.
After the surrender of the Confederate armies the
troops were mustered out, and the soldiers of Dela-
ware County returned to their homes to resume the
peaceful routine of life. This period had been looked
forward to with apprehension, but the result showed
one of the most remarkable features of that remark-
able period, — the quiet absorption of a great army
into the ranks of the people with hardly a ripple in
the social realm.
List of West Point Graduates.— Since the estab-
lishment of West Point the following persons ap-
pointed from Delaware County have graduated from
that institution :
FraDcis Lee, Chester, admitted Sept. 2, 1818 ; graduated second lieuteu-
ant, Twentieth Infantry, July 1, 1822.
William H. Price, Chester, admitted July 1, 1830; brevet second lieu-
tenant. First Infantry, July, 1834.
Henry M. Black, graduated 1847 ; attached to Fourth Infantry, with
rank of brevet second lieutenant.
David Porter Heap, Chester, admitted July 1, 1800; first lieutenant.
Corps of Engineers, June 13, 1S64.
Officers of United States Navy.— Delaware County
has furnished a number of officers to the United
States naval service besides those already mentioned,
and the noted Porter family, to whom reference will
be made elsewhere. On Oct. 28, 1844, Lieut. Ferdi-
nand Piper, United States navy, a native of Chester,
was lost in the bay of Pensacola. He had left the
ship " Falmouth" that morning in a cutter, designing
to bring supplies to the vessel. When about midway
to the landing a sudden flaw of wind struck the boat,
and before sail could be shortened she was overturned.
All the men were encouraged by the good conduct
and presence of mind of Lieut. Piper, and were cling-
ing to the overturned boat, when a heavy sea washed
Piper, Professor William S. Fox, and six of the seamen
away and they were lost. The schooner " Otter"
rescued the survivors that evening.
Midshipman James Anderson, son of Dr. Samuel
Anderson, a promising officer of the navy, died in
1840 while on a visit to his father, then residing at
Rockdale.
Lieut. Samuel Edwards, United States Navy, who
had charge of the battery which made the first breach
in the walls at Vera Cruz in the Mexican war, died
March 23, 1861. He was a nephew of Hon. Samuel
Edwards, of Chester, and his parents having died
while he was a child he was reared by his uncle, who
took just pride iu the young man's rapid promotion.
He died just at the eve of the war of 1861.
Edward Fayssoux Leiper, son of John C. Leiper,
appointed to the naval school at Annapolis since the
war, is the only person from Delaware County who has
graduated there since Commander Mauley, twenty
years ago. He is now in temporary command of the
" Arago" on South Atlantic coast survey service.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
We have little or no information as to the criminal
code which maintained among the early Swedish and
Dutch settlers on the Delaware.' The fragmentary
1 The first trial recorded on the Delaware was the following : " In the
year 164.o, November 25th, between ten and eleven o'clock, one Swea
Wass, gunner, set Fort Gottenburg on fire. In a short time all was la-
mentably burnt down, and not the least thing saved excepting the dairy.
The people escaped naked and destitute. Tlie winter immediately set
in, bitterly cold; the river and all the creeks froze up, and nobody was
able to get near us (because New Gottenburg is surrounded by water).
Tlie sharpness of the winter lasted until the middle of March, so that
if some rye and corn had not been unthreshed I, myself, and all the
people with me on the island would have starved to death. But God
maintained us with small quantities of provisions until the new harvest.
By the sad accident the loss of the company, testified by the annexed
roll, is four thousand riUdaler, The above-mentioned incendiary, Swen
Wass, I have caused to be brought to court, and to be tried and sen-
tenced ; so I have sent him home in irons, with the vessel, accompanied
I by the whole record concerning him, submissively committing and re-
' ferring the execution of the verdict to the pleasure of Her Royal Maj-
' eaty and Eight Honorable Company."— -Repoii o/ Goiiemor PrinU for
I 1647, Peiiiia. Miiaazme of History, vol. vii. p. 273.
i Under the Dutch, the first instance of a criminal proceeding occurs
I in a letter from .\lrich8, dated at New Amstel (New Castle), May 14,
! 1659, to Stuyvesant He says, "In regard to the four men-servants of
Cornells Herperts de Jager, who established in the county near here a
\ brick-kiln, and employed four persons at it, one of them, Peter by
: name, has come from Fort Orange as a brick-maker, and was married
to a woman who came from Amsterdam, and with him owed a large
sum to the city. He has committed wicked crimes of theft of small
cattle, as sheep, also of the city's weapons from the former ensign of
the citizens, and has stolen several other things, for which he was pub-
licly flogged and banished this town or place, but allowed to do his
] work outside in the country to earn his living and get out of his debts.
' This one has been the leader, and he stirred up the others under this or
! that pretext. They have together taken away four good muskets and
I other goods belonging to their master, and thus run away to the Man-
1 hatans." Alrichs desires Stuyvesant to arrest and return the men by
"Uie first vessel" to New Amstel (Penna. Archives, local series, vol.
I vii. p. 561). William Beekman, April 28, 1660, writes to Stuyvesant
that at " the last court day" Oele Stille and he had a difficulty in re-
gard to a fine imposed on the Swedish priest. On the lath of August,
165'J, and on the 7th of .\pril, 1660, court w.as held at Christiana, at
which Peter Mayer, who was charged with an assault and battery, did not
I appear ; was fined for his contempt ten guilders {lb., 636). In 1661
I there was a prison at Christiana (lb., 655).
I Certain it is that the first record we have of a capita! conviction and
I execution on the Delaware is related in a letter from William Beekman
: to Stuyvesant, dated Oct. 24, 1662 (Penna. Archives, second series, vol.
I vii. p. 691). It appears from this and other authorities that Alexander
D'Hinojassa (who held that part of the river from New Castle to Cape
Henlopen in opposition to the authority of Governor Stuyvesant, claim-
ing that he had been appointed Governor over that territory to look
after the company's interest, under the will of Jacob Alrichs) ordered
the prisoner to be tried. The circumstances are briefly these : A vessel
was wrecked on the coast, and a Turk on her succeeded in gaining the
land, where ho was taken by the Indians, who sold him to Peter Al-
ricks, a resident of New Castle, who in turn sold bim to an English
planter in Maryland. Tbo Turk, with several other servants, made his
escape to the Delaware, where he was pursued. He was subsequently
captured, and while being taken up the river in a boat, at Bombay Hook
attempted and 3U(*:eeded in making his escape. In doingso he wounded
two of the men seriously and the third slightly. He was, however,
again captured, taken to New Castle, and thrown into prison. D'Hino-
jassa refused to deliver the man to his English master, who claimed
him, but ordered him to be tried before "Van Sweeringham, who sat as
judge. The Turk was convicted of resisting and wounding his captors,
On Sunday, Oct. 19, 1662, the man was
off and placed on a
uted at Lewistow^n, his head afterwards '
or stake in Uie Horekill" (Penna. Archivi
.p. 728; Duke
158
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
records which have been preserved incidentally in
correspondence and official reports do not enlighten
us as to the manner of trial or the authority exercised
by those holding the courts at that early day. Hence
the most important criminal case which presents
itself in our annals, if the proceedings can be desig-
nated a trial, when the instructions given by Gov-
ernor Lovelace and Council are considered, wherein
the sentence is actually pronounced on the prisoner
nearly two months before he was arraigned, is that of
the "Long Finn." The circumstances of the case
are briefly these : It was near the middle of the year
1669 that an adventurer, one Marcus Jacobson, alian
John Brinckson, etc., but better known to the then
inhabitants of the Delaware as the " Long Finn," be- j
cause of his lofty stature, had succeeded in imposing |
himself on the Swedes as the son of Konnigsmark,
of York's Buok of LaWB, p. 459). The following accouut of the Bedi-
tious false Konigsmark in New Sweden was translated by ProfKSsor G.
B. Keen (the original manuscript, date 1683, is preserved in the Koyal
Library at Stockholm), and published in Perm. Nag. of Bislonj, vol.
vii. p. 219: "In Provost Acrelius's 'Beskrifning om de Swenska Tiir-
samlingare TilstAnd uti Nya Swerige,' p. Ii3, is introduced what Pastor
Rudman noted in the Wicaco Church-book about the rioter among the I
Swedes, who called himself Konigsmark. These are the particulars I
which I received from the oldest Swedes. This impostor was by birth |
a Swede, but, for some crime committed by him in England, he was
sent to Maryland, to serve there as a slave for a number of years. He
ran awav from there, however, and came to the Swedes in New Sweden,
who were then subject to the English government. Here he made the
Swedes believe he was descended from a great and highly-honorable
family in Sweden; that his name was Konigsmark; that a Swedish
fleet of war-ships lay outside of the bay, and were, as soon as they en-
tered, to take the land again from the English ; and that he was sent to
encourage the Swedes who lived here to shake off the foreign yoke, and
to fall upon and slay the English as soon as they had heard that the
Swedish iieet had arrived. A great many of the Swedes permitted
themselves to be persuaded by this. They concealed the pretended
Konigsmark for a long time, so that no one else knew anything of him,
supplying him with the best meat and drink they had, by which means
he fared very well. Moreover, they went to Philadelphia* and bought
powder, balls, shot, lead, etc., to be ready at the first signal. Hereupon
he caused the Swedes to be summoned to a supper, and after they bad
been drinking somewhat e.-chorted them to free themselves from the
yoke, reminding thera what they suffered from the English, and how
the latter, partly by fraud and partly by force, had taken from them one
large piece of land after another, and finally asked them whether they
held allegiance to the king of Sweden or to the king of England. A
part immediately declared themselves for the king of Sweden ; but one
of the most honorable of the Swedes, Peter Kock by name, said that as
the country was English, and had been surrendered by tlie king of
Sweden to the crowu of England, he deemed it just to hold with the
king of England. Thereupon Kock ran out and closed the door again,
laying liimself against it, that the so-called Konigsmark might not slip
out, and called for help to make him prisoner. The impostor labored
with all his might to open the door. Kock endeavored to prevent him
by hurting hint in the hand with a knife. Notwithstanding, he effected
bis escape, wherefore Kock immediately hasteued to give information
to the English, who then made search for him, and in a short time took
him prisoner. The above-named Peter Kock then said to him, 'Tou
rascal, tell me what is your name, for we can see well enough that you
are no honorable person?' The impostor then answfred that his true
name was Marcus Jacobson. He proved, besides, to be so ignorant that
he could neither read nor write. Thereupon he was branded and sent
to Barbadoes, where he was sold as a slave. The Swedes who permitted
themselves to he imposed upon by him were punished by the confisca-
tion of half their property,land, cattle, goods, clothes, etc."
* This of course, is a mistake. In 1669 Philadelphia had not been
noted general of Sweden. Jacobson, it was alleged,
was inciting the settlers of that nationality to rebel-
lion against the English authority, with the design of
re-establishing the Swedish power in the province.
With him was associated a wealthy Finn, Henry
Coleman, while Kev. Lawrence Lock, the former
Swedish chaplain, was said to have "played the
Trumpeter to the disorder," and Mrs. Pappegoya,
the daughter of Governor Printz, was charged with
intermeddling " in so unworthy a design." Governor
Lovelace, Aug. 2, 1669, issued an order for the arrest
of the Long Finn and his fellow-conspirators, accom-
panying the order with instructions as to the manner
in which the trial should be conducted. In accord-
ance therewith Capt. Carry caused the arrest of the
Long Finn, who was thrown into the fort at New
Castle, in irons (in those days the irons were riveted
on the limbs of a prisoner, and at West Chester,
among the records in the commissioners' office, in
the next century, are bills paid to blacksmiths for
removing the fetters from culprits), while Henry
Coleman, learning of his intended apprehension,
abandoned his property, fled to the Indians, with
whom he seemed to have had great influence, and is
never more heard of. Dominie Lock and Mrs. Pap-
pegoya gave security for their appearance to answer
the charges against them when required. The com-
missioners appointed by the Governor to try the case
sat at New Castle, Dec. 6, 1G69, and, as was to be
expected, the jury returned a verdict of guilty against
Jacobson, who was thereupon sentenced in accordance
with the punishment prescribed by Council, the 18th
of October previous, which was, "that the Long Finn
deserves to die for the same, yet in regard that many
others concerned with him in that insurrection might
be involved in the same Premunire, if the rigor of
the law should be extended, and amongst them divers
simple and ignorant people, it is thought fit and or-
dered that the said Long Finn shall be publicly and
severely whipped and stigmatized or branded in the
face with the letter R, with an inscription written in
great letter and put upon his breast, that he receive
that punishment for attempted rebellion, after which
he be secured until he can be sent and sold to the Bar-
badoes, or some other of those remote plantations."
On Jan. 25, 1670, the Long Finn was placed on board
the ship " Fort Albany," to be transported and sold
to the Barbadoes, after which date nothing further
respecting him is now known. His accomplices were
sentenced to forfeit to the kingone-half of their goods
and chattels, while a small fine was imposed upon
those of lesser note who had taken part in the rebel-
lion. The case will always be an interesting one to
the annalist, for therein is the first recorded trial
under English procedure on the Delawaie, in which
a prisoner was formally indicted, arraigned, and a
jury of twelve men impaneled, subject to challenge
on the part of the prisoner, who are charged to render
a verdict in accordance with the evidence.
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
159
The peual laws of the early English settlers par- \
took in a large degree, so far as the punishment pre-
scribed for their infraction was concerned, of the
fierceness which characterized the criminal code of
the mother-country at that period, while many of the
legislative enactments were intended to correct, by
severe penalties, those matters which are now re- I
garded as subjects purely of personal concern and in |
no wise coming under public police regulation. The i
rigor of the law was then so extended that servants I
tipling at inns or liouses of public entertainment
were punished by being put in the stocks for at least
an hour ; unruly children and servants, on complaint
of their parents or masters, if the oii'ender was six-
teen years old, were whipped not exceeding ten stripes, i
while a servant who was convicted of assaulting his [
master, dame, or overseer, was to receive corporal i
punishment, in the discretion of the court, " saving '
life and member." The denial of God or his attri-
butes was punishable with death, as was also the kid-
napping of any person within the province. He that
bore false wituess against his neighbor in a capital
case was to be put to death, as was also the child that
smote his natural parent. The publisher of false
news from the mother-country was subject to fines, I
and for the third offense was whipped not exceeding
forty lashes. No marriage could be solemnized unless
both parties swore that they were single and legally
qualified to enter into that relationship, while, in case
of perjury, the party ofl'ending was ordered to " be
bored through the tongue with a red-hot iron," besides i
incurring the penalties for adultery, which inflicted
whipping, as well as fine and imprisonment. Forni-
cation between single persons was punishable by
enforced marriage, or whipping, in the discretion of
the court. Laborers and servants were compelled to ;
work the whole day, and " Sundays are not to be pro- !
phaned by Travellers, Laborers, or Vicious Persons."
The Duke of York's laws, however, announced full
freedom of religious opinion to all Christian sects, as
follows :
" No congregation shall be disturbed in their pri-
vate meetings in the time of prayer, preaching, or
other divine services, nor shall any person be mo-
lested, fined, or imprisoned for differing in judgment
in matters of religion who profe.ss Christianity."
After Penn acquired the title to the province of :
Pennsylvania, and the great body of laws was enacted |
at the Assembly convened at Chester, Dec. 4, 1682,
much of the severity of the criminal code was done i
away with. Profanity was made punishable by fine or
five days' imprisonment ; adultery subjected the party
convicted to public whipping and one year's imprison-
ment, while for a second offense the terra of incarcera-
tion was for life. Under the act of 1705 adultery was
punished by whipping with twenty-one lashes and im-
prisonment for one year, or a fine of fifty pounds ; a
second conviction increased the imprisonment to seven
years, and on the third conviction, in addition to the ■
foregoing penalty, the culprit was directed to be
branded on the forehead with the letter " A." For the
crime of rape the convict forfeited half his estate to
the party aggrieved, was publicly whipped, and under-
went one year's imprisonment, while for the second
offense he was incarcerated for life. Drunkenness
was punished by a fine, " or five days in the house of
correction at hard labor, and being fed only with
bread and water." A conviction of aroon made the
criminal liable to pay double damages, undergo in-
carceration for one year, and be subjected to such
corporal punishment as the court thought proper to
impose. Bigamy made the party convicted liable to
imprisonment for life, while burglary was punished
by imprisonment at hard labor for three months ; the
prisoner was compelled to make fourfold satisfaction,
and failing to do so, was imprisoned for seven years.
The child who should assault his parent was com-
mitted to the house of correction at hard labor during
the pleasure of the parent. Forgery was punished
by three mouths' detention at hard labor. If the
crime was forging the seal of any county, the pris-
oner should undergo twelve months' imprisonment
and be fined, while, if the offense was forging the seal
of this province, he should suffer seven years' impris-
onment and be fined at the discretion of the Gov-
ernor and Provincial Council. The theft of hogs or
other cattle was punished, for the second offense, by
a fine threefold the value of the articles taken and im-
prisonment for six months, while for a third offense
the convict should be whipped with twenty-nine
lashes and banished never to return again. Persons
convicted of premeditated murder, " according to the
law of God, suffer death." This punishment did not
work an entire forfeiture of his estate, but one-half of
his possessions was " to be disposed of as the Gov-
ernor shall see meet." The robbery of orchards, or
the theft of any linen, woolen, or other articles left
without doors, rendered the party convicted of any
of these offenses liable to pay threefold the costs of
the articles taken, or to be publicly whipped by the
constable not exceeding twenty-one stripes ; while
the forcible robbery from any person of money or
other articles was punishable by restoring fourfold
the value of the goods stolen and being whipped not
exceeding twenty-one stripes.
The minor regulation interdicted all persons from
taking part in stage plays, revels, masques, or offering
of prizes, under a penalty of five shillings or ten days
imprisonment, while card-playing, dicing, lottery, and
evil sports and games were punishable by a like fine,
or five days' detention in the workhouse at hard labor.
The drinking of healths was punishable by a fine of
five shillings or five days' imprisonment, while rail-
ers and scolders were incarcerated at hard labor for
three days, which, at the next General Assembly, was
made punishable by gagging, and in that condition to
stand one hour in a public place. Subsequently horse-
racing, shooting-matches, and such idle sports were
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
interdicted, and if the offenders chanced to be ser-
vants, negro or Indian slaves, they were whipped with
fifteen lashes and imprisoned six days, while for the
second offense the whipping was increased to twenty-
one lashes and the imprisonment to ten days.
The humane penal laws prepared by Penn and
enacted at his suggestion, were summarily repealed
by the act of May 31, 1718. William Bradford, who
had been attorney-general and a judge of the Su-
preme Court of Pennsylvania, and died while dis-
charging the oflBce of Attorney-General of the United
States, in an essay on the criminal law of this com-
monwealth, declares that the privilege which the act
just alluded to conferred on Friends— that of testify-
ing in court of justice on their solemn affirmations,
instead of taking a corporal oath — was the induce-
ment for adopting, in 1718, the sanguinary rigor of
the English law, in violation of the humane policy
which had previously influenced the Legislature of
Pennsylvania on the subject of crimes and punish-
ments. By the act mentioned high treason, petty
treason, counterfeiting the currency, murder, robbery,
burglary, rape, sodomy, manslaughter, witchcraft, and
conjuration were punishable by death. Receiving
stolen goods or concealing robbers, and murder where
benefiting of clergy was craved, was punished by
branding on the fleshy part of the left thumb the let-
ter T for the first crime, and M for the latter, which
branding was ordered to be done in open court by the
jailer. By the act of Feb. 21, 1767, knowingly re-
ceiving stolen horses subjected the party convicted
thereof to public whipping, not exceeding thirty-nine
lashes, standing in the pillory one hour, and to be
imprisoned at hard labor not exceeding three years,
while by the same act counterfeiting gold and silver
coins was punished by standing in the pillory one
hour, to have both ears cut off and nailed to the pil-
lory, to be publicly whipped not exceeding twenty-
one lashes, and to forfeit a hundred pounds, which
was divided equally between the government and the
informer. The severity of the punishment, it seems,
did not lessen the number of horses stolen. There-
fore, March 10, 1780, the Legislature increased the
penalty, providing that in the case of a second con-
viction, in addition to the foregoing punishment, the
culprit should be branded on the forehead, " in a plain
and visible manner, with the letters H T." That
hardly over a century ago men were branded as a
punishment we know, for at the special court for the
trial of negroes, held at Chester, March 3, 1770, be-
fore William Parker and Richard Riley, justices, Ne-
gro Martin, the slave of Thomas Martin, was con-
victed of an attempted rape, and sentenced " to be
whipped with thirty-nine lashes, well laid on his Bare
Back, at the common whipping-post, between the
Hours of one and three this afternoon, and be branded
with the letter R oil his forehead, and be exported
out of this Province by his master within six months,
never to return unto the same upon pain of death.
and to be kept in Prison till exportation at his
master's charge, and to pay the costs of Prosecution."
And on Jan. 4, 1772, in the case of Negro Dick, the
slave of mulatto Dinah, otherwise Dinah Jones, tried
at a like special court, before John Morton and Wil-
liam Parker, Esqs., the defendant was convicted of a
similar crime, and sentenced to a like punishment.
On Sept. 15, 1786, the act was passed by the General
Assembly which swept away many of the harsh fea-
tures of our criminal code, substituting therefor in
many cases a milder form of punishment.
In the early times public acknowledgment by the
party accused of the wrong he had done, in many
cases seemed to fill the measure of atonement de-
manded by the judges who dispensed justice among
the first settlers of our county. Hence we find that
at the court held at Chester, the 3d day of first week.
Tenth month, 1689, Allen Robinett, Sr., who was ar-
raigned " for writing scandalous and abusive papers
against John Bristow, one of ye King's Justices and
representatives in Council of ye People of this county,
contrary to ye 29 law of this Province," having pleaded
guilty, was sentenced that "he shall here in Publick
acknowledge in particular his fault and crimes for
which he stands Indicted, and pay all county charges,"
while at the same court Nicholas White and William
Thomas, who were indicted for " Speaking words
tending to sedition and breach of Peace, and persuad-
ing people (contrary to an order of court) not to pay
ye Publicke Levies of this County, when thereunto
lawfully required," who acknowledged the fact and
prayed the mercy of " ye King and government," were
acquitted, paying their fees. On the 14th day of the
First month, 1693, Thomas Poe and Sarah Butler, con-
victed of fornication, were sentenced "to stand at the
common whipping-post and for the offence to declare
their offence to the People and also to pay a fine of
twenty shillings and court charges." And at the same
court John Clowes and Eleanor, then his wife, were also
convicted of the like offense. They were sentenced to
pay a fine of fifty shillings, and " Eleanor shall stand
at the common whipping-post for one-quarter of an
hour, with a paper upon her breast that I stand here
for an example to all others for committing that most
wicked and notorious sin of fornication." As late as
February court, 1753, Owen Oberlacker, alias John
Bradley, convicted "of speaking seditious words,"
was sentenced to stand in the pillory one hour, with
the inscription, " I stand here for speaking seditious
words against the best of Kings, wrote in a large
hand, to be affixed to his back." Oberlacker was also
subjected to the punishment of twenty-one lashes
upon his bare back, well laid on.
Tills whipping of convicts, as is seen by the brief
summary of the provincial criminal laws, heretofore
given, was a favorite form of punishment in the early
days, and continued to be inflicted until after the
Revolutionary struggle had ended. One of the first
cases I have found when this penalty was imposed is
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
161
at the court held at Chester, 3d day, Twelfth month,
1684, when the record states that "John Martin being
convicted of stealing money out of ye house of Wil-
liam Brown, was ordered twelve stripes on his bare
back, well laid on, at the common whipping-post at
Chichester, the 4th inst., between the ten and eleven
hour in the morning." Samuel Jury, Aug. 29, 1704,
for being the father of an illegitimate child, was sen-
tenced " to be whipt with twenty -one lashes on his
bare back, well laid on, and pay for the maintaining
of said child as the law directs." This is the only
instance, so far as I have learned, of a man being
subjected to corporal punishment for this offense.
May 25, 1708, " Grace Phillips was sentenced to be
whipt with twenty-one lashes, well laid on, at the
common whipping-post in Chester." The last time
when I find records of this corporal punishment be-
ing imposed is at the November court, 1788, when
John Tully, convicted of horse-stealing, was sen-
tenced to be whipped. The case will be referred to
hereafter.
The punishment by whipping, to our modern ideas,
was most cruel, and that it was extremely painful we
have the authority of the editor of the London Medi-
cal Times, who a few years ago witnessed the flogging
of a wife-beater at Newgate. The degradation of the
punishment and the effect the shame had upon per-
sons of sensitive natures is well shown in a case re-
corded by Watson, wherein a negro, in 1743, who was
brought to the whipping-post in Philadelphia to be
scourged, took a knife from his pocket, and in the pres-
ence of the crowd, cut his throat, dying immediately
of the self-inflicted injury.
May 10, 1698, the Assembly passed a supplemental
law respecting " robbing and stealing," whereby for
the theft of any article amounting to five shillings or
upwards, in addition to fourfold restoration of the
value and public whipping, the punishment was in-
creased, the culprit being " ordered by the court, upon
penalty of banishment, to wear such a badge or mark
of his or her thievery upon the outside of his or her
outer garment in open view, upon the outer part of
the Left Arme betwixt Elbow & Shoulder att all
times when ever hee or shee shall travel or be seen
from his or her habitation or plantation where hee or
shee shall live on every day from Sun rising unto Sun
setting, for the space of six months, which mark or
badge of his or her thieving shall be thus, with a Ro-
man T, not less than foure inches in length each way,
and an inch in breadth, of a different colour from his
or her said out garment either Red, Blew, or Yellow,
as the Justices of the said court shall direct." This
law, or rather the similar one of 1700, remained in
force until superseded by the act of Feb. 24, 1721.
Under its provisions we And that at the court held at
Chester, Third month 26, 1702, Benjamin Patterson
being convicted of breaking into the house of Josejih
Baker, of Upper Providence, and stealing ten pieces
of eights, " the court gave judgment for two pounds
eight shillings, to be paid to Joseph Baker, with law-
ful fees and" (Patterson) "to be whipt with eleven
lashes on his bare back and wear a T according to law
of yellow colour." Patterson was also sentenced to
serve Joseph Baker, his master, one and a half years
in consideration of the damages he had sustained.
The graphic picture which Hawthorne, in the " Scar-
let Letter," has drawn of Hester Prynne, who " on
the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded
with an elaborate embroidery and fastastic flourishes
of gold thread, appeared the letter A," will recur to
almost every reader. Although the persons who wore
the insignia of their shame among their fellows in this
county, in colonial days, may not have as romantic a
story as that the novelist has elaborated, doubtless
they felt keenly the degradation the hated letter en-
tailed upon them. It is unnecessary to refer to all the
cases in which this punishment was imposed. Suifi-
cient is it to my purpose to state that the last instance
which I find of this penalty being inflicted was at the
court held Aug. 28, 1716, when John Eburnethy, con-
victed on two indictments, was sentenced to receive
twenty-one lashes on each judgment and to wear a
Roman T, of a blue color, not less than four inches
each way and one inch broad, for six months, and also
to wear a Roman T, of a red color, of the like size,
for six months.
Standing in the pillory was one of the ordinary
punishments of our colouial days. The first case in
which this penalty was imposed that I have found
was at the court held at Chester the third day of the
first week, 1689, when Thomas Lasy, an indentured
servant of Richard Few, who was convicted on his
own confession of counterfeiting pieces of eights,
"and a bartering and exposing ye same for goods and
other merchandize," was sentenced to stand " at ye
Public Place of Correction att ye Town of Chester
two Several Court days three hours each day with a
Paper of his Crimes written in Capital letters afixed
upon his Brest, and that he remaiue in ye Sherifes
Custody until he gives good Security to perform this
Judgment and pay his fine." That this sentence was
carried out we know, for John Simcock informed the
next court that Robert Wade was passing the place
where Thomas Lasy was " Suffering ye last Courts
sentance," and that Wade said aloud, " What law has
he broken? or what King's law hath he Broken ?" The
court, very sensibly, seems to have taken no notice of
Wade's remarks, although in those days the dignity
of the bench was sternly maintained, as the following
instances disclose : Abraham Bufiinjall, at the court
held the 3d day of Fourth month, 1685, being " lawfully
convicted for abusing and menacing the magestracy
of this county was ordered Twenty-one lashes at the
public whipping-post on his bear back well laid on
and fourteen days imprisonment at hard labour in the
House of Correction ;" and at the court held at Ches-
ter the " 3d day of 1st week of ye 8th month, 1687,"
Jeremy CoUett, " for his Insolency and abuse of ye
16^
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Court and asserting laws which he could not Produce
being thereunto required by the Court." was ordered
to find security for his appearance at next court and
to be of good behavior, "Butt upon refusal was Com-
mitted to ye Sherifes Custody." At the following
court he was fined five pounds, which fine he pe-
titioned might be remitted, and " the Court considering
his Petition and that he putts himself upon ye King
and Govern't milligates his former fine and admitts
him to a fine of ten shillings to be levied upon his
goods, &c., and all manner of Court charges to Sherife
& Clerks, &c." Standing in the pillory for stealing
or receiving stolen horses after the act of 1767 meant
something more than merely being exposed to the
gaze of the idle populace. John Bartiff, at Chester,
Aug. 9, 1780, was found guilty of horse-stealing, and
was sentenced by the court to receive " twenty-nine
lashes on his bare back well laid on, to have both his
ears cutt off and nailed to the pillory, to pay all costs
of prosecution, to be imprisoned six months and to
stand committed until this sentence be complied
with." On Nov. 28, 1780, Chi-istian Gotlibb, con-
victed of the like ofiense of an aggravated nature,
was sentenced "to pay a fine of one thousand pounds,
to restore the stolen property or the value thereof, to
stand one hour in the Pillory to-morrow morning
between the hours of eight and ten o'clock, to be
whipped on his bare back with twenty-nine lashes well
laid on, to have his ears cut off and nailed to the Pil-
lory, to pay all costs of prosecution and to be impris-
oned six months and to stand committed after till fine
and fee is paid."
It is rather a peculiar circumstance in our county
annals, then including Chester County, that after
the passage of the act of Sept. 15, 1786, which specif-
ically abolished the punishment of the pillory, whip-
ping, branding, cutting off the ears of criminals and
nailing them to the pillory for certain crimes, that on
Nov. 27, 1788, John Tully, who was convicted of
horse-stealing, was sentenced "to stand one hour in
the pillory between the hours of nine and twelve
o'clock to-morrow morning, to be whipped with thirty-
nine lashes on his bare back, well laid on, to have
both ears cut oft' and nailed to the pillory and to be
imprisoned six months," besides the payment of a
fine and the costs.
From the time of the promulgation of the "Duke
of York's Book of Laws," in 1676, until the Constitu-
tion of 1790 gave jjower to the judges of the several
counties to hold Courts of Oyer and Terminer, all
cases of great crimes were under the duke tried by
the Court of Assizes, under Penn, by the Provincial
Council, until the law of March 10, 1685, made it the
duty of the judges of the Provincial Supreme Court
to hear and determine " heinous and enormous crimes
in the respective county courts where the said crimes
were committed." Although this act was repealed in
1690, the same rule prevailed until changed by the
second Constitution of the State. The first sitting of
the Supreme Court in a criminal case in Chester which
I find was on Oct. 3, 1705. The suit is an interesting
one, hence I give the proceedings somewhat at large :
"Whereas Jamea Gibbons, of the county of Chester, yeoman, being
bound over to this court (county court held May 28, 1705) to answer
such matters and things as on the Queen's behalf shall be laid to his
chai-ge by John Hoskins, High Sheriff of the said county, appeared,
whereupon the Attorney-General gave the court to understand that the
crime laid to the charge of the said Gibbons amounts to Burg:ulary, and
for the court further satisfaction then he produeth the Sheriffs examina-
tion which being read as followeth:
"Chester the 30th day of April 1704 the deposition of John Hoskins,
High Sheriff of the County of Chester, aged about twenty-seven years,
being solemnly attested in the presence of God saith that last night
about one o'clock James Gibbons, of the county, aforesaid, came with
another person with him to this deponent unknown, and did break open
the lock of his stable door and took out a sorril horse with a bald face
which this deponent as Sheriff had taken on execution and when this
deponent ran to him he with the other person with him made his escape
tliro' the lot and broke down the pails, whereupon this deponent seized
on the horse with a halter on his head, which he supposes the said Gib-
bons brought with him, and also found a club in the stable, he presumes
they brought with them and further saith not.
"The circumstances of the fact being considered it is ordered that the
said James Gibbons shall he and is hereby by the Justices committed into
the jail of this County of Chester there to remain till he shall be deliv-
ered by due course of law."
The case being called at the Supreme Provincial
Court, Oct. 3, 1705, " the Sheriff" was ordered to set the
prisoner at the bar, which being done the indictment
was read." (The indictment had been found by the
grandjury at the county court.) " David Lloyd moved
that he may be admitted to speak of matters of Law
unto the indictment before the prisoner plead, which
is granted unto him, whereupon he desire it may be
inspected by this Court whether or no the Justices ses-
sion had power by their commission at that time of
taking that indictment to enquire of that burgulary
in the indictment mentioned." The court concluded
to hold the matter under advisement until the after-
noon session, when they decided that the justices had
no jurisdiction, and on motion of David Lloyd the
defendant was admitted to bail. Gibbons appears,
from the silence of the record, never to have been
called on further to answer the charge.
The first trial for homicide in this county, so far as
has been ascertained, was that of Hugh Pugh, a mill-
wright, and Lazarus Thomas, laborer, who were in-
dicted for the murder of Jonathan Hayes, a resident
of Marple and a justice of the county, in the year 1715.
At the October court of that year the following refer-
ence to the trial will be found :
" This Court request Henry Worley, Robert Carter and James Saude-
lands to see if they can procure some place yt may be more Convenient
tlian the Court house for holding the Supreme Court for ye Tryall of
those persons yt are holden in ye Gaol of ye County on Snspition of
murder and to make such agreement as they may see needful for change
and damages to bo payd out of the County stock."
The records of the coutity at West Chester, from
1710 to 1720, are very meagre, and little or no infor-
mation can be had by an inspection of the court paper
of the circumstances surrounding the case. We know,
from the minutes of the Provincial Council, that the
accused " had for several years appeared at the head
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
163
of a lawless Gang of Loose fellows, common disturb-
ers of tlie public peace," and that for some reason
they had been admitted to bail. The records of our
county, however, are silent as reference thereto further
than already given. April 17, 1718, before David
Lloyd, chief justice, and his associates, at Chester, the
case was tried, resulting in a verdict of guilty. Dep-
uty Governor Sir William Keith was also present.
The prisoners were sentenced to be hanged on May
9, 1718.' The following is a copy of the death-warrant:
! Sheriff of the Cm/Ui/ of Chester :
" Whereas Hugh Pngh & Lazai-us Thomas have this Day before us at
a Court of Oyer & TerniiDer & Gaol Delivery held for the sd County
been convicted of the murder of One Jonathan Hayes & have received
Sentence to be Hanged by the neck until they be Dead.
" These are therefore in his migestiea name by virtue of the Power to
us Granted by the Governours Comission Comand you that upon Fryday
the Ninth day of May next betwixt the hours of Eight & Twelve in the
forenoon of the same Day you Cause the ad Sentance to be put in Exe-
cucon, ffor which this shall be your Warrant. Given under Our Hands
& Seals at Chester aforesd the Seventeenth day of April In the ffourth
year of the Reigo of our Sovereign Lord George King of Great Britain
Ac. .\nnoq Dom. 1718.
Teates
The day previous to that fixed for their execution —
May 8th — the condemned men petitioned the Governor
for a reprieve until the pleasure of the king could be
known, they having appealed to the crown, alleging
that the following legal errors invalidated the whole
proceedings :
"Ist. Because seventeen of the Grand Inquest who found the bill of
Indictment against them and eight of the Petty Jury who found them
guilty were Quakers or Reputed Quakers, and were Qualified no other-
wise than by an affirmacon or Declaracon contrary to a statue made in
the first year of your Mat'ies Keign.
"2d. Because the Act of Assembly of this Province by which Judges,
Jury & Witnesses were pretended to be Qualified was made & past the
Twenty eight Day of May, in the first year of your Majesties Reign,^
which was after sd murder was supposed to be committed, and after
another Act of Assembly of the same nature was repealed by her Late
Majesty, Queen Anne.
"3dly. Because sd Act of Assembly is not consonant to Reason, but
Repugnant & Contrary to the Laws, Statutes and Rights of your Majes-
ties Kingdom."
Tlie petition for a reprieve was rejected, and doubt-
less the culprits were executed at the lime designated
in the warrant. Although the legal matter suggested
in the prisoners' petition was never passed upon by a
competent tribunal, for we have no record of any action
of the supreme judges thereon, yet the points taken
aroused such public alarm as to the legality of the
proceeding, that in twenty-two days after the execu-
tion of Pugh and Thomas— May 31, 1718— the law
was passed, which adopted the fierce criminal law of
1 See for full particulars of the matter before Provincial Council,
Colonial Records, vol. iii. pp. 40, 41.
= 1715. The act designated was "for the case of such as conscien-
tiously sought to take the solemn affirmation formerly allowed in Great
Britain." It was repealed July 21, 1719.
England in the province, simply in exchange for the
right to use affirmations in place of " corporal oaths,"
the Assembly well knowing that the king would ap-
prove and confirm the act, which was done early in
the following year.'
At the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held at Chester,
June 20, 1722, by David Lloyd, chief justice, and as-
sociates, the case of Rex vs. William Hill and Mary
Woolvin, was tried on an indictment for murder.
They were convicted, and as the sentence ran, " must
be hanged by ye neck until they and each of them be
dead." The case of these convicts, together with one
William Batten, who was then in Chester jail under
sentence of death, was considered by the Provincial
Council, Aug. 3, 1722, "and it was the advice of all
the members present, to which the Governor was
pleased to agree, that the said William Hill and Mary
Woolvin be reprieved for the space of twelve months,
in case no orders shall come from the Crown for the
execution before the expiration of the said term ; that
the said William Batten, being convicted of divers
horrid complicated crimes, be executed and hung in
irons in the most public place at such times as the
Governor shall appoint, and that the warrant for the
execution be issued before the Governor set out for
Albany." *
Aug. 27, 1723, Edward Murphy was tried for mur-
der and acquitted. " Same day Elizabeth Murphy
was indicted for murder and found guilty by ye Petty
Jury and must be hanged by ye neck until she is dead.
And ye Sherif is ordered to Execute her accordingly
on ye 13th of 7 month 1724."^ Sept. 1, 1724, the bill
of costs in the above cases, amounting to £2 6s. 6d.
each, signed by Robert Assheton, was allowed by the
commissioners and assessors."
At a Court of Oyer and Terminer, held May 21,
1727, " John Hendricks who was indicted for shooting
by misfortune one Albert Hendricks, late of the county
3 See also in confirmation of this statement "the humble address and
representation of the Governor and General Assembly," the — day of
May, 17IS (Frond's " History of Pennsylvania," vol. ii. p. 101), wherein
the address to the king sets forth, "That for this end we have laboured,
more generally of late, to regulate the proceedings in our Courts of
judicatnre, as near as possibly could be done, to the constitution and
practice of the laws of England,
"That, from many years experience, we are not only convinced that
j the solemn o^rTnalion allowed in Great Britain to the people called
Quakers, doth, in all respects, and in every case, here answer the legal
and essential purpose of an oath."
< The last case wherein I find that a man was gibbeted in Pennsylva-
' nia was that of Thomas Wilkinson, who had been found guilty of piracy
April 23, 1781, and sentenced to be hanged. The Supreme Executive
; Council, May 17, 1781, directed the execution to take place Wednesday,
; May 26, 1781, between 10 a.m. and 2 o'clock p.m. that day, on Windmill
Island, in Delaware River, and that "the body of the said Thomas
Wilkinson be taken down to Mud Island, in the said river, and hanged
in chains on the north end of the said island." (Colonial Records, vol.
xii. p. 730.) Some doubt arising as to the legality of the prisoner's con-
I viction, on May 22d Council reprieved Wilkinson for twenty-one days
(Z6., 732), after which the record is silent as to his fate, except on Oct. 6,
1781 (M., xiii. p. 7fi), David Henderson was paid £17 ICs. Od. specie,
"amount of his account for making a gibbet for Thonia.'! Wilkinson."
5 Supreme Court Docket, Prothonotary's office, Media, Pa.
' Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County," p. 4U7.
164
HISTOEY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of Chester, Labourer and found guilty by his own con-
fession, whereby ye Goods and Chatties of the said
John Hendricks become forfeited to our Sovereign
Lord, ye King. Upon which he puts himself on the
mercy of our sd Lord the King and produces in court
his pardon from ye Governour of this Provence, under
ye Great Seal of the said Provence and prays ye same
may be allowed and ye same is allowed per cur.'" At
the same court Rachel Lindley and Robert Box, in-
dicted for murder, were acquitted.
In April, 1728, a few Indians belonging to the
Twetchtweys, a tribe without the borders of the
province, made their appearance near the Warwick
Iron Work, on French Creek, and, being well armed,
created wide-spread alarm among the settlers. The
air was filled with rumors of Indian outrages and \
murder. John and Walter Winter, two brothers, re-
spectable farmers, it is thought under the apprehen-
sion of the savages, and believing that they were [
doing the State a service, fell upon a party of Indians ]
at Cassea, when Walter Winter shot and killed an
aged man named Toka Collie, who was friendly to the i
whites. John Winter, at the same time, shot one of |
the Indian women, and then ran and knocked out
the brains of an old squaw, '' Quilee," otherwise I
"Hannah." The Winter brothers, with Morgan Her-
bert, bore the corpses of the two Indian women from !
the road where they had fallen, and covered them !
with leaves. The two former men carried two Indian !
girls (one a cripple) before one of the county officers,
demanding a reward for what they had done. Samuel
Nutt, the iron-master at the forge, dispatched John i
Petty to the Governor with a letter informing him of
the occurrence. The latter had warrants issued for
the arrest of the men, and, on a " hue and cry,'" the
two Winters, together with Morgan Herbert, their
neighbor, were taken into custody and lodged in the ;
jail at Chester, in all probability the old prison on
Edgmont Street. John and Walter Winter were tried
before David Lloyd, Richard Hill, and Jeremiah
Langhorne, for the murder of the Indian woman,
Quilee, June 19, 1728, and the jury found the de- j
fendants " Guilty of ye murder afd and must be
hanged by the necks until they and each of them be
dead." ''
Governor Gordon issued the warrant, fixing
Wednesday, July 3, 1728, as the date of the execu- <
tion. Morgan Herbert was convicted at the same
court as an accessory to the murder, but he was 1
recommended in a petition numerously signed by j
citizens, as well as by the judges who tried the case,
setting forth that " though in strictness of law Her-
bert's oflience may be adjudged murder, yet it ap-
peared to them that he was not active in perpetrating ■
thereof, but unhappily fell into ye company of those I
that committed it." The Governor granted a reprieve I
to Herbert, who was finally pardoned. The Winters
seem to have done the deed under the impression that
the Indians were at war with the whites, " and they
felt justified in killing any of the natives with whom
they met.'' A reason which, considering the times
in which they lived, takes from the act that wicked
animus which constitutes morally the crime of mur-
der.
At the Oyer and Terminer, held at Chester, " 27,
7 ber, 1728," William Davis was indicted for murder-
ing his master, William Cloud. The jury returned a
verdict of guilty, " And ye sd William Davis being
asked what he had or could say why sentence of Death
should not pass against him says no more than what
he has sayd before.
"Therefor it is considered by ye Court here that h
be taken back to prison from whence he came an
from thence to ye place of execution and there 1
hanged by ye neck untill he be Dead and his body
ye Disposal of ye Governor." '
On Saturday, Aug. 1, 1752, at the house of Elea> ,,
Davis, in TredyflFrin, a brutal murder was commii 1
by Bryan Doran, James Rice, alim Dillon, and The ,s
Kelley. It seems that Rice and Kelley were told .y
Doran that Eleanor Davis, an old woman, J' n
Thomas, an aged man, and Rachel Jones, a yo' g
woman, lived together in the house; that they ' pt
good cider, and "that the old woman had a grea al
of money, he believed three or four hundred po as,
in the house." It was thereupon arranged that Doran
should go to the dwelling and ask a night's lodging.
At bedtime he was to come to the door and cough
once, which was the signal to the men outside that no
persons save the usual inmates were there. Ri"'! and
Kelley, who had disguised themselves by r ng
black earth on their faces, loitered about the p .ses
until the signal was given, when they, with lUon,
entered the house. The latter, armed with short
broad-bladed sword, then called "a hanger," ■ clared
that he was going to England, and demands all the
money the old people had. Receiving no an iver, he
began to strike and stab the parties who hfd given
him shelter. Rice and Kelley, who were arj ad with
sticks, joined in the base assault. The inm tes suc-
ceeded in escaping at the doors, were follow 1 by the
assassins and knocked down, but the old .dy con-
tinued to scream, which so alarmed the ro oers that
they fled without plundering the house, ma'Mng their
escape on two horses which they appropria ' to their
use. Eleanor Davis and John Thomas were killed,
and Rachel Jones was dangerously wounded. The
Provincial authorities offered a reward of one hundred
and fifty pounds, and the friends of the slain man and
woman forty pounds, for the apprehension of the
murderers. Rice and Kelley were shortly afterwards
arrested, and tried at Chester, November 27th of the
same year, the latter pleading guilty to the indict-
ment, while Rice was found guilty by the jury. James
i
1 Supreme Court Docket, Media, Pa.
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
Kice was executed Dec. 9, 1752, and Kelley (who had
been respited to identity Bryan Doran, as a person of
that name had been arrested in Maryland, but subse-
quently shown not to be the assassin) was hung Dec.
16, 1752.
At a Court of Oyer and Terminer, held at Chester,
Aug. 25, 1760, John Lewis was convicted of the murder
of his wife, Ann. The Provincial Council, Sept. 8,
1760, issued a warrant directing his execution.
In 1705 an act creating a special court for the trial
of negroes was passed by the colouial authorities, and,
although a Supreme Court for the trial of negroes was
created and judges commissioned by Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor John Evans, in February, 1706-7, our records
'how nothing respectingany tribunal under that enact-
lent until May 28, 1762, at which time a " Special
^ourt" was held at Chester, "before John Hannum and
' hn Morton, Esqs., two of his Majestys Justices of the
-ace within the County aforsd particularly Commis-
'ifiled," with the assistance of six of the most sub-
s^'ntial freeholders of the neighborhood, who were
"^'ly & legally summoned, returned, Sworn & af-
fin.^ed well and truly to give their assistance and
j' fgment on the tryal of such Negro or Negroes as
sl''Hl be charged or accused before them of committing
an^^VTurder, Manslaughter, Buggery, Burglary, Rapes,
at'' 'pts of Rapes or any High or Heinous offence
coilii'/iitted acted or done within the sd county." The
first case was that of Negro Abraham Johnson, a slave
of Humphrey Marshall, who was arraigned on an in-
formation exhibited by Benjamin Chew, attorney-
general, charging the defendant with " murdering a
cert?-' ' negro man named Glascow, the slave of Alex-
an" ' ^^oyd." The court assigned Joseph Galloway,
Es4'.^. '^) defend the accused. "The court find de-
fendaVu not guilty of murder, but that he is guilty of
homic,':!e xe defends," and thereupon discharged the
prison;'" from arrest on the charge, but held him for
paymefirt of costs.
At a Tike special court held March 2, 1764, Phoebe,
the Slav* of Joseph Richardson, was tried for " Felo-
niously''?; Burglarily breaking and entering the Man-
sion ho '-se of Thomas Barnard, and stealing there-
out divt'^s Goods and Chatties, the property of the
said Th6'.!as Barnard." ..." And now on hearing
proof in ''us Case It is considered and adjudged by
this Cou:^' that the said defendant Negro Phwbe is
Guilty o^'-{ne Felony & Burglary aforesaid in Manner
and form &c. And thereupon it is further considered
and adjudged by this Court that the said defendant
Negro Phcebe be led to the prison from whence she
came and from thence to the place of Execution
and there be Hanged by the Neck till she be dead."
By the act of March 5, 1725-26, negro slaves convicted
of capital offenses were to be valued, and such valua-
tion was to be paid to their masters out of the colonial
treasury. In this case Phcebe was valued at fifty-five
pounds, which it seems was paid to her master, Joseph
Richardson.
On Nov. 30, 1754, Chief Justice William Allen and
! Alexander Steadman, the latter commissioned that
year one of the puisne judges of the Supreme Court,
', presided at the Oyer and Terminer, at Chester, at
which Jane Ewing was tried and found guilty of the
I murder of her bastard male child, on April 3d of the
previous year, and was sentenced to death. " It being
I reported to the Governor by the Justices of the Su-
preme Court that they discovered on her trial no kind
of remorse," and that the evidence showed that her
I crime was an aggravated one, a warrant for her exe-
cution on Saturday, Jan. 29, 1765, was issued.
Aug. 15, 1768, John Dowdle and Thomas Vaughan
j were tried for having, March 31, 1768, murdered
! Thomas Sharp. The prisoners were convicted and
sentenced to be hung. The Provincial Council or-
dered that they be executed in the county jail on Sat-
urday, September 17th, of the same year.
I At the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held by the
justices of the Supreme Court at Chester, June 11,
1770, Matthew McMahon was tried and convicted of
the murder of John McClester, laborer, of Middle-
town. A warrant directing his execution on Saturday,
June 30, 1770, was issued.
At a similar court held at Chester, March 23, 1772,
Patrick Kennedy, Thomas Fryer, Neal McCarther,
and James Dever were tried on a charge of rape, com-
mitted on Jane Walker, of Thornbury, in November
of the year previous. They were all convicted and
sentenced to death. Patrick Kennedy was ordered to
be executed on Saturday, May 2, 1772, but the others
were reprieved during the pleasure of the Lieutenant-
Governor, Richard Penn.
On Saturday, Dec. 26, 1772, Henry Philips, a la-
borer, who had been convictedof the murder of Rich-
ard Kelley, was executed at Chester by order of the
Provincial Council.
John Jones, Aug. 23, 1773, was convicted of burg-
lary and sentenced to death, but Lieutenant-Gover-
nor Richard Penn commuted his sentence to trans-
portation, conditioned that he should " never return
unto the Province."
In the summer of 1775, James Willis was convicted
of the murder of Daniel Culin, and Governor John
Penn ordered his execution to take place Saturday,
Sept. 30, 1775.
During the gloomy days of the Revolution several
murders appear to have been committed, the perpe-
trators of which, so far as the records show, were
never discovered, or at least not brought to justice.
On Sept. 16, 1775, John Faughnar, a peddler, was
brutally murdered and robbed on the highway, near
the Red Lion Inn, in Uwchlan township, in the
county of Chester. Suspicion pointed to Fleming
Elliott, who could not be found, and the Governor
offered a reward of fifty pounds for his arrest, appar-
ently without success. Early in 1778, Benjamin
Harmon was murdered under aggravating circum-
stances in Chester County, and Henry Skyles was
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
charged with being the principal in the crime, while
Thomas Boyd, James Wilson, John Hastings, and
Charies Caldwell, all of Lancaster County, were said
to be accessories thereto. They all escaped arrest,
although Thomas Wharton, Jr., president of the Ex-
ecutive Council, on March 24th of that year, offered
a reward of one thousand pounds for the appre-
hension and delivery to justice of the men named,
or two hundred pounds for any one of them. In
the fall of the year 1779, Jesse Jordan, who had
brought suit in Philadelphia against Gen. Benedict
Arnold several weeks before, was found murdered in
Chester County, the place of his residence, and again
the perpetrators of the act escaped " unwhipped of
justice."
James Fitzpatrick. — The character of " Sandy
Flash," in Bayard Taylor's "Story of Kennett," is
founded on the adventures and the deeds of a sturdy
freebooter, who for more than a twelvemonth kept
the good people of the county of Chester in constant
alarm and dread by his audacious and frequent
crimes. The name of James Fitzpatrick in Chester
and Delaware Counties is still surrounded with that
peculiar glamour of crime which is so often associated
with the acts of bold, bad men, and to this day his
deeds are recalled by the representatives of the old
families of this section with no little local piide, for
the subject of their themo was, at least, no ordinary
desperado.
James Fitzpatrick was born in Chester County, and
when quite a lad was indentured by his father, an
Irish emigrant in indigent circumstances, to John
Passmore, of Doe Run, as an apprentice to the trade
of blacksmithing. His early life was distinguished
by no unusual incidents. He worked faithfully at
the anvil until he attained his majority and acquired
some local prominence as a shoer, and was known the
neighborhood round as an excellent judge of horses.
His bodily strength is said to have been enormous,
his physical endurance noticeable, and he conspicu-
ously excelled all the young men of the locality where
he resided in athletic sports. Personally he was hand-
some; above the average height in stature, he was
erect and graceful in carriage, his complexion florid,
his features well formed, his eyes a clear bright blue
in color, and his hair sandy and luxuriant. On sev-
eral occasions he had exhibited extraordinary per-
sonal courage, circumstances which, subsequently re-
membered, increased the alarm of the Whigs when
Fitzpatrick became an active, unscrupulous partisan
of the cause of the king.
After serving the full term of his apprenticeship
with Mr. Passmore, he worked as a journeyman at
several forges in the county until the outbreak of the
Revolutionary war, when he enlisted in the military
service of the province. Subsequently, in the shaping
of events, he became'attached to the Flying Camp, and
accompanied that organization to the city of New
York. There, for some slight breach of military dis-
cipline, he was punished by flogging. The penalty
imposed for his dereliction was more than he would
bear, and deserting in the night-time, he swam the
Hudson River, and made his way across New Jersey
to Philadelphia, intending to proceed to his home in
j Chester County. In the latter city he was recoguized,
apprehended, and being absent without leave of his
commanding officers, was lodged in the old Walnut
Street prison, whence he was released on consenting
to re-enter the Continental army, for at that time men
were eagerly sought for to bear arms. The imprison-
ment was resented by Fitzpatrick as a wrong that had
been done him ; therefore, at the first opportunity
which presented itself, he again deserted and returned
to his home in Chester County, where, for a time, he
I worked honestly at his trade and in odd jobs at har-
j vesting for the farmers in the neighborhood.
During the summer of 1777, Fitzpatrick, with sev-
[ eral other men, was mowing in the field of his late
j master, John Passmore, in West Marlborough town-
ship, when he was taken into custody as a deserter by
! two Continental soldiers, who had been sent from
j Wilmington to arrest him. Fitzpatrick having been
I captured by surprise, was compelled to resort to sub-
terfuge to recover his liberty. By a plausible story
respecting clothing that he would require, and a re-
quest to be permitted to bid good-by to his aged
mother, he prevailed upon the soldiers (who were in-
structed to bring their captive to Wilmington) to ac-
I company him to his mother's residence, a tenant-
j house on Mr. Passmore's land. When they reached
■ the dwelling, Fitzpatrick opened the door and quickly
I grasped his rifle from behind it, where he was ac-
customed to keep that firearm, leveled it at the sol-
diers, and swore that he would kill them if they did
not leave immediately. They had learned suffi-
ciently of the determination of character of their
' prisoner to believe that he would n.ot hesitate an in-
I stant to make his threat good ; hence, acting upon
the better part of valor, they hastily retreated. Fitz-
patrick, as soon as the men had fled, returned to the
meadow where he had been at work, and renewed his
labor as coolly as if no unusual incident had occurred
to disturb the placidity of his every-day life.
j The implacable hatred to the patriot cause which
! was engendered in the mind of Fitzpatrick as the re-
' suit of corporal punishment inflicted on him while
j with the Continental army in New York soon had
1 the opportunity to vent itself upon the Whigs of
' Chester County, whom he believed had betrayed his
I whereabouts to the colonial military authorities. On
the 25th of August, 1777, the British forces, eighteen
thousand men, under Gen. Howe, landed at the head
' of the Elk, in the movement against Philadelphia
which resulted in the capture of that city. Fitzpat-
j rick promptly repaired to the camp of the British
j army, was subsequently present at the battle of Bran-
dywine, and accompanied the victorious enemy to
! Philadelphia, from which city he made many petty
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
167
plundering excursions into Chester County, in which
predatory expeditions he was accompanied by Mor-
decai Dougherty, a Tory from the same neighborhood '
whence Fitzpatrick came. The latter had been ,
reared in the family of Nathan Hayes, residing near I
Doe Run, and, as supposed, the two worthies had
known each other in their youth. After Fitzpatrick
joined the English forces, he always spoke of himself
as captain, and dubbed Dougherty with the title of
lieutenant ; but whether either of them were ever
commissioned as such by Sir William Howe is very
doubtful. i
In June, 177.S, while Fitzpatrick and his associate |
were engaged in one of these predatory raids, the Brit- j
ish army evacuated Philadelphia, and the two men '
determined to remain in Chester County and carry ;
on the war as an independent, irregular body. To j
that end they made their headquarters at a point
known as Hand's Pass, near the present town of ■
Coatesville, and had also secluded hiding-places along
the Brandywine in Newland and West Bradford town- |
ships, one of which, J. Smith Futhey says, " was on
the high hill on the west side of the creek, near the
present Marshall's Station, on the Wilmington and
Reading Railroad." From these retired places of
concealment Fitzpatrick and Dougherty issued to
make desperate expeditions, or to undertake daring
adventures, which, in a short time, rendered their
names a terror to the Whigs of that neighborhood,
for, as to the Tories, they regarded them as their
friends, and never molested them. The collectors of |
the public revenue, however, were their especial prey,
and oftentimes unfortunate tax-gatherers who fell in
their way were made the victims of the utmost bru-
tality. Frequently, after stripping them of all their
money, they would tie the unhappy officials to con- |
venient trees and flog them unmercifully. On one ',
occasion, one of these men was not only robbed of a ;
large sum of money by Fitzpatrick and his companion,
but he was taken to one of their hidden lurking-
places in the woods, where he was detained for two
weeks, to the consternation of his fami-ly, who could i
only account for his absence by the supposition that |
he had been murdered.
At another time two tax-collectors, armed with
muskets, met a man walking alone whom they did
not know, and entered into conversation with him.
During the interview one of the officials inquired of
the stranger whether he had seen Fitzpatrick, or if
he could give him any information as to the where-
abouts of that individual, remarking at the same time
that he rather preferred that he should encounter
that person, for if he did, he, Fitzpatrick, should not .
escape from him so easily as he had done from other
collectors who had fallen in with him. The stranger
continued the conversation a few minutes longer,
when, turning suddenly upon the men, he disarmed
them both, then quietly informed them that he was
Capt. Fitzpatrick, and that he would be obliged to
them for their money. From the boastful Capt. Mc-
Gowan, one of the collectors, he took his watch, but
as the latter said it was a family relic, doubly valuable
to him on that account, he returned it promptly.
Capt. McGowan wore his hair in a ueat queue, of
which he was very vain, and as a particular indignity
Fitzpatrick cut it off close to his head. He also de-
spoiled the unfortunate military officer of his sword
and pistols, and then tied him to a tree and adminis-
tered a sound flagellation. At its conclusion Fitzpat-
rick informed the crestfallen man that he had heard
him, McGowan, boasting while at an inn a few miles
distant, what he would do with him should he encoun-
ter him, and he had therefore given him the opportu-
nity to make his boast good. A local writer of rude
verse of the period in commemorating Fitzpatrick's
exploits alludes thus to this incident :
" Some he did rob, then let them go free.
Bold Capt. McGowan he tied to a tree.
Some he did whip and some he did spare,
He caught Capt. McGowau and cut off his hair."
Subsequently, when the outlaw was in chains in
his cell in the jail at Chester, Capt. McGowan visited
Fitzpatrick to inquire what he had done with the
sword and pistols he had taken from him. The pris-
oner asked him if he remembered the tavern where
he had expressed his wish to meet him, and the tree
to which he was tied to be flogged by the man he was
looking for. These questions were answered in the
affirmative. Thereupon Fitzpatrick told him that
about three hundred yards to the southwest of that
tree he would find his sword and pistols, concealed
between the bark and wood of a decayed oak log. It
is stated that the arms were found at the place thus
designated.
The audacious courage of the man Irequcntly mani-
fested itself in the most reckless acts of bravado on his
part. On one occasion fifty or more persons, all well
armed, gathered together with the avowed purpose of
taking Fitzpatrick, dead or alive, but being unsuc-
ceessful in their search they repaired to an inn, where,
seated upon the porch, they discussed the recent ex-
ploits of the outlaw and the liquors of the tavern at
the same time, until the crowd became excited, and
many of the men expressed a desire to meet Fitzpat-
rick, who was well known to almost every one present.
Suddenly, during the heat of the conversation, the out-
law, with his rifle in his hands, presented himself before
them, called for a glass of liquor, drank it, and after
paying for it withdrew as quietly as he had come, ex-
cepting, as he backed off', he announced that he would
shoot the first man who stirred to molest him. Then
walking backward, holding his rifle menacingly
toward the body of men, he moved away until he
had attained, as he regarded, a sufficient distance
from his enemies, when he turned and fled into the
woods.
Several weeks before the British army evacuated
Philadelphia, Fitzpatrick and Dougherty, in one of
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
their expeditions from that city, repaired to the houses
of Joseph Luckey and Peter Burgardine, where they
committed acts of the most flagrant lawlessness. The
whole neighborhood was aroused by the outrages, and
Col. Andrew Boyd, the then lieutenant of the county,
wrote to the Executive Council of Pennsylvania that
he had caused diligent search to be made for the cul-
prits, but unsuccessfully, as the loyalists of Newlin
and adjoining townships aided and secreted the male-
factors. Council thereupon declared the two men
outlaws, and offered a reward of a thousand dollars
for their arrest, or a like sum for that of Fitzpatrick
alone. The Whigs of Chester County thereupon made
cause against the men, and repeatedly large bands as-
sembled to capture the outlaws, and numerous plans
were resorted to to effect that object. Nevertheless
the best-laid schemes looking to that end miscarried,
the proscribed men eluded every ambushment, and by
fresh outrages, in other sections of the county, added
to the consternation which their deeds had created
among the patriots. It is related that on one occa-
sion a meeting of the Whigs was called at a tavern
on the West Chester road to devise plans for the cap-
ture of Fitzpatrick and his companion. With amazing
effrontery Fitzpatrick presented himself in disguise at
the a.ssembly. A militia captain present rendered
himself peculiarly conspicuous by his repeated decla-
rations that he wanted to see Fitzpatrick, whom he
had never met, and volunteered to capture him and
bring him to justice. The outlaw, who had heard
these boasts, unperceived took a candlestick from the
mantel-shelf, secreted it in his pocket, and then ap-
proaching the noisy captain, told him if he would
withdraw with him into another room he would in-
form him how, when, and where he could see the
brigand, and have an opportunity to capture him.
The latter consented to go with him. Fitzpatrick,
after they had entered the room designated, shut and
locked the door, then leveled the candlestick at the
captain's head, saying as he did so, —
" Young man, you want to see Captain Fritz. I am
that person. I'll trouble you for your watch and the
money you may have about you."
The entrapped hero hastily complied with the re-
quest, whereupon Fitzpatrick tied his hands behind
him with his own handkerchief.
" Now, sir," he said, as he unlocked the door, " you
may go back to your friends and tell them that you
wanted to see Captain Fritz and you have seen him."
The prominence given to Fitzpatrick by the Exec-
utive Committee in proscribing him and offering a
large reward for his capture was accepted by the lat-
ter as a flattering recognition of his abilities, and the
alarm with which his deeds were regarded by the
Whigs. He was repeatedly shot at by concealed
marksmen, but always escaped unscathed, until the
notion became prevalent that his was a charmed life ;
his shrewdness in avoiding snares to entrap him, his
ability, courage, and readiness in eluding pursuit, to-
gether with his apparent recklessness in thrusting
himself almost witliin the clutches of his enemies
merely to disappoint them afresh, served to deepen
the general impression heretofore mentioned. A short
time after a price was set upon his life, to manifest
his contempt of the proclamation and his mean opin-
ion of the bravery of his foemen, in broad daylight,
armed only with a pair of pistols and a dagger, he
entered the hamlet of Kennett Square, deliberately
walked through its streets, the people whom he met
making way for him to pass, and repaired to the
" Unicorn," the ancient and most noted hostelry in
the village, destroyed by fire in January, 1875.
He unhesitatingly entered the bar-room, in which a
crowd of twoscore men were assembled, talking of
the outlaw — for he was the constant topic of conver-
sation— and making copious draughts upon the good
cheer of "mine host," the jolly, jovial Maj. John Bell,
until they had become boisterously intoxicated. In
that condition many of the men — as seems to have
been customary on those occasions — expressed the
desire to meet Fitzpatrick, whose personal peculiari-
ties were well known to almost every one present.
The reckless man, apparently as if an accustomed
frequenter of the inn, called for a glass of liquor,
drank it, and quietly walked away, without the least
molestation by word or sign from any one. The inso-
lent intrepidity of the act so utterly astonished the
crowd that they did not recover their amazement
until Fitzpatrick was out of range of their firearms.
His robberies were bold, and to the sheer effrontery
of many of his deeds was he indebted for his immu-
nity from arrest. On one occasion, when a number of
men were harvesting in a field on the farm of James
Shields, Fitzpatrick and Dougherty presented them-
selves, and the former informed Mr. Shields that he
had called at his house and borrowed his watch, his
silver shoe-buckles, and his shoes. Shields said,
promptly, —
" You must return them."
" That will depend altogether upon your behavior
towards us," was the reply of the outlaw, with a
laugh.
Archibald Hambleton, a young man who was reap-
ing in the field at the time, was taken into custody by
Fitzpatrick and his companion, who compelled him
to go with them to his parents' home. There the out-
laws appropriated to their own use a rifle, powder-
horn, and shot-pouch, and Fitzpatrick forced Ham-
bleton to swear on a Bible that he would not follow,
betray, disturb, or molest any of his (Hambleton's)
neighbors, many of whom were Tories, in retaliation
for the theft. He also told Hambleton if he violated
his oath in any respect he and Dougherty would
return there and burn not only his parents' house,
but the houses of every rebel in the neighborhood.
i The brutal punishment of flogging, — then a part of
! the military law of every nation, — which had caused
i Fitzpatrick to desert the cause of the colonies and
CKIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
sustain that of the loyalists, seemed, after his per-
sonal experience in the Continental army, to have
become his favorite mode of punishment. On all oc-
casions he employed castigation as a remedy for every
wrong, suppositious or actual, which he had sustained.
It is related that on one occasion a man from Not-
tingham township, when in pursuit of Fitzpatrick,
went to the house of the latter's mother, where he
behaved in an insolent manner, hoping thereby to
compel her to tell him the whereabouts of her son.
Among other things, to show his authority when
dealing with a proscribed outlaw, he broke her spin-
ning-wheel. Fitzpatrick, when informed of the in-
dignities which had been shown his parent, vowed
that he would be revenged, and contrived to have a
message delivered to the offender, in which he ap-
prised him that he might expect a visit from him
shortly, and could, if so disposed, make whatever ar-
rangements he deemed necessary to receive his guest
in a proper form. The man laughed at the threat,
said he would be glad to see Fitzpatrick (they all
said that), and if he came he would not, in all prob-
abilities, have occasion to ask the hospitality of any
other person after he had gotten through with him.
Nevertheless, Fitzpatrick kept his promise. One
morning he suddenly confronted the man who had
ill-treated his mother at the door of his own house,
and commanded him, in a peremptory manner, to
immediately follow him to the woods. He who had
been so prolific in defiances when the danger was re-
mote had not the courage to resist when Fitzpatrick
presented himself in person, but cowardly obeyed his
orders. The outlaw tied him to a tree and adminis-
tered a castigation, which was laid on with a strong
arm, and, perhaps, with more good will on the part of
the whipper than in any case when Fitzpatrick pun-
ished his enemy by flagellation.
Despite his many crimes, there was a rough chivalry
in the character of the man which exhibited itself
in his marked gallantry towards women, in his open,
generous disposition to aid them on when ill fortune
bore heavily ; indeed, he was never known to rob a
poor man or ill-treat a female. Many are the in-
stances related when he bestowed upon the destitute
that which he had taken from those in good circum-
stances, and the weak or defenseless never suffered at
his hands. On one occasion an old woman, who
made a meagre living by peddling from house to
house odds and ends of female apparel, encountered
Fitzpatrick in the neighborhood of Cain Friends'
meeting-house. She was at the time on her way to
Philadelphia to buy goods, and all the money she
possessed was on her person. She had never seen
Capt. Fitzpatrick, and she informed the tall, hand-
some stranger that she was told that the outlaw had
made some demonstrations in that neighborhood a
short time before, and she was afraid that she might
fall in with him and be robbed of all her money.
Fitzpktrick, by a few questions, drew from her the
particulars of her business, and her difficulty in win-
ning an honest livelihood. He then good-naturedly
told her she need be under no apprehension, Fitz-
patrick never warred upon the weak or defenseless,
that she was talking to that personage ; and taking a
j jjurse from his pocket containing several gold pieces,
j he gave it to her to aid her in increasing her scanty
i stock of goods. Then, wishing her a safe journey, he
I turned into the woods and disappeared.
[ The short but eventful career of the outlaw was
1 rapidly drawing to an end. On Saturday afternoon,
I the 22d day of August, 1778, shortly after five o'clock,
Fitzpatrick went to the house of William McAffee, a
well-to-do farmer, who resided in Edgmont township,
in the present county of Delaware, near Castle Rock,
a cluster of peculiar rocks, bowlder upon bowlder in
picturesque confusion, a place often visited by tourists
I as a natural curiosity, not far from Crum Creek, where
that stream is crossed by the West Chester road, and
about ten miles from old Chester, on the Delaware.
The house stood on a plantation known as the Castle
Rock Farm, now owned by Mr. William Taylor,
whose present dwelling stands on the site where
McAffee's house was then located. It seems that
Fitzpatrick had visited the family, who were ardent
Whigs, on a former occasion, and had taken from
them some articles of value. On the afternoon above
mentioned, Mr. and Mrs. McASee and their son,
Robert, a captain of a military company, were at tea,
when the latter glancing out of the door saw a man
armed with a rifle, a pair of pistols in his belt, and a
sword at his side approaching on horseback. As he
came from the direction of the American camp, the
captain supposed the horseman was a soldier in the
Continental service. The latter rode to the door, dis-
mounted, and asked whether William McAffee lived
there. An afiirmative response was made to this in-
terrogatory, whereupon the stranger entered the room
and inquired, —
" Are you Capt. Robert McAfiee ?"
" I am Robert McAffee," was the rejoinder of the
son.
" And I am Capt. Fitzpatrick."
" If that be so," quietly said the young man, " sit
down and take a cup of tea with us ; you are welcome
^ to it."
But Fitzpatrick, who seemed to have entertained
personal enmity against the McAfliees, rudely refused
the invitation, declaring, with an oath, that he would
neither eat nor drink, nor would he leave the house
until he had stripped its inmates of all the money
they had ; that he was levying contributions from
the rebels, and that he had fixed upon one hundred
and fifty pounds as the sum to be paid him by the
McAflfees. Thereupon presenting his pistol at Capt.
McAffee, he ordered the members of the family to de-
liver to him all articles of jewelry and money they
had upon their persons. A pair of well-made low
shoes, or pumps, with silver buckles, worn by the son,
170
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
particularly pleased Fitzpatrick's fancy, and, kicking
off those he wore, he immediately appropriated those
articles to his own use. The shoes, however, were
rather small, for the outlaw, and when he put them
on his heels pressed the counters down. During a
moment when Fitzpatrick's attention was drawn else-
where, Capt. McAft'ee threw the ke3's of his chest, to-
gether with some Continental hills which he had had
in his pockets, behind the door. His mother obtain-
ing possession of the keys went up-stairs, and unlock-
ing the chest in which a large sum of money was, se-
creted it under a quantity of wheat which was stored {
in the garret. Fitzpatrick, as soon as he became
aware that Mrs. McAflee had left the room, threatened |
to kill her son if he did not immediately cause her to ,
descend. In response to the call the mother promptly
appeared, accompanied by Rachel Walker, the hired
woman. Fitzpatrick having ransacked every place
in the lower rooms where he supposed money or plate i
could be secreted, ordered all the inmates of the
dwelling to ascend to the upper apartments. In the
passage the outlaw observed Capt. McAffee's rifle, :
which he discharged and threw out of the door,
remarking that it could lie there until it was
wanted. At the foot of the stairs William McAffee
endeavored to dissuade Fitzpalrick from ascending,
promising him immunity from punishment for what
he had already done to them ; but the latter, believing
that there was a large sum of money in the house, '
adhered to his purpose, and drawing his sword, placed j
the point of it at the breast of the old man, threaten-
ing to run him through if he did not immediately
proceed.
When in the upper rooms, Fitzpatrick commanded
Capt. McAffee to unlock his chest and produce the
one hundred and fifty pounds already demanded.
The latter, in a tone of well-assumed astonishment,
exclaimed, — •
" How can you expect that so young a man as I am
would have so large a sum of money in my posses-
sion?"
However, he promptly opened the chest, the keys
of which his mother had returned to him, and told
Fitzpatrick to search it. The outlaw complied with
this invitation, but not finding the money, which, it
is supposed, he had learned was in the possession of
Robert McAffee, his disappointment was great, and,
turning to the captain, said that in lieu of the money
he would compel him, as he was his prisoner, to take
part in his next campaign, and to that end he must
provide himself with a horse and clothing, for it would
be a long and severe expedition. The threat was not
to be misunderstood, and Capt. McAffee was convinced
that his only hope for liberty, possibly life itself, was
in the capture of the outlaw.
Fitzpatrick ordered Capt. McAffee, his father and
mother, in the order given, to stand in a row on his
right hand, while Rachel Walker stood a short dis-
tance from and in front of him. The pumps which
the outlaw had appropriated to his own use, being
down at the heels, seemed to have annoyed him. He
laid his arms, except a pistol which he kept in his
hand, on the bed, and placing one of his feet on the
side of the bedstead, he strove to force, with both
hands, the shoe on his foot. Capt. McAffee, who was
a large and muscular man, saw that the opportunity
to put his resolution into effect was now presented,
and, springing suddenly, he seized Fitzpatrick from
behind in such a way as to prevent the latter the full
use of his arms, and then, after some struggling, man-
aged to throw him to the floor. The outlaw strove
desperately to free his hand in which he still clutched
the pistol. Rachel Walker thereupon caught the
weapon, and, although in the .»cuflle her hand was
badly hurt by the lock, she stoutly maintained her
hold until she wrested the firearm from his grasp.
As the men were still struggling, Rachel threw a
double woolen coverlid over the head and face of
Fitzpatrick, holding it in that position, which partially
smothered him, and gave McAffee complete mastery
over the prostrated man.
David Cunningham, a hired man on the farm, who
had entered the house, hearing the noise of the scuf-
fling, came up-stairs. He was immediately ordered
by Capt. McAfee to get a rope and secure Fitzpatrick.
While Mrs. McAfee was striving to bind his feet, he
kicked her so violently in the side that she fell against
the partition at the other end of the room. After the
unhappy man was firmly bound, he begged earnestly
of his captor that he would blow out his brains and
make an end of his misery. Capt. McAffee told him
that he would deliver him to the proper authorities,
and to that end he sent David Cunningham to inform
the nearest Whig neighbors of the capture, with a
request that they would aid in guarding the prisoner
from any attempted rescue. This being done, Cun-
ningham was instructed to proceed to the American
camp, and ask that a guard be sent to take Fitzpatrick
to a place of safety.
Rachel Walker, after the capture had been made,
armed with the pistol she had wrested from the out-
law, stood sentinel at the door of the apartment, but
when David Cunningham rode away on his errand,
she remembered that Dougherty and other compan-
ions of the outlaw might be lurking in the neighbor-
hood, and she immediately started to bring Miss Jane
McAftee home from the house of a friend near by be-
fore night came on. As the two women were return-
ing they met a young man and woman walking to-
gether. The news the former had was too momentous
to be kept, and they therefore imparted to the latter
the fact that Fitzpatrick had been taken and was then
a prisoner at McAffee's. This iuformation aroused
the latter's curiosity, and together the lour repaired
to the house. When they came into the room the
young woman seated herself on the bed on which
Fitzpatrick was lying, and apparently deeply moved
with pity at the sight of the handsome man pinfoned.
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
171
her womanly sympathies exhibited themselves in an
effort to comfort him. She smoothed his hair with
her hand, and when he complained of being chilly,
she threw a covering over him.
The immediate neighbors of the McAffees were
loyalists, and the nearest Whigs were about two
miles distant, hence it was between eight and nine
o'clock before any assistance was had to prevent a res-
cue. Capt. McAtfee then, exhausted by the struggle
and the excitement which he had been under, repaired
to an adjoining apartment to rest himself. Some time
after he had retired it was discovered that Fitzpatrick,
whose body was covered by the quilt, had freed his
arm from the rope, and it was suspected that the
young woman had been mainly instrumental in loos-
ing the bonds. He was speedily rebound, and the
rope was drawn so tightly that he complained that it
hurt him. No attention was paid by the men present
to the remonstrance of the prisoner, and he appealed
to Miss Jane McAffee, who called her brother. The
latter declared that Fitzpatrick should not be ill used,
and although he must be bound, the ropes should not
be drawn unnecessarily tight to cause him pain.
About eleven o'clock one of the men who were guard-
ing Fitzpatrick sat near the window, when he was
immediately fired at, the ball lodging in the weather-
boarding of the house beneath the sill. A number
of the men present made search for the assailant,
whom they believed to have been Dougherty, but
failed to apprehend him. They merely found a sword,
which was recognized as one that Fitzpatrick had
taken from a patriot officer. Two hours after mid-
night the guard dispatched from the American camp
to escort Fitzpatrick to a place of safe detentiou ar-
rived, and taking him in charge, conveyed him to Old
Chester, where he was lodged in jail early the follow-
ing morning. Dougherty, after the capture of his
superior, passed entirely out of public notice, and
nothing is known of his subsequent career. He may
have taken part in the series of annoyances to which
Capt. McAffee and family were subjected after the
capture of Fitzpatrick. Two stacks of oats were
burned, the spring-house opened, all the milk-pans
therein ruined, and the manes and tails of the horses
on their farm cut off, and other outrages perpetrated.
On the 15th of September Fitzpatrick was tried
and convicted of burglary and robbery, and sentenced
to be hanged. The Executive Council of the State
approved the sentence, and designated the 26th day of
the same month as the time when the execution should
take place. While confined in the old jail in Chester,
after conviction, Fitzpatrick made an effort to escape.
He filed his chains and would have succeeded in his
attempt had it not been that iron bars, imbedded in
the masonry of the flue of the chimney, prevented
his egress in that way, and the noise made in striving
to break them out aroused his keepers. He was, there-
fore, removed by order of Council to the then recently-
erected prison on Walnut Street, Philadelphia, as a
place of greater security. There he twice broke his
handcuffs off in one night, but was prevented from
effecting his escape by the vigilance of the guards.
The day previous to his execution he was conveyed
to Chester.
On the morning of the 26th day of September, 1778,
at the intersection of Providence and Edgmont Ave-
nues, in North Ward, Chester, James Fitzpatrick met
his fate. Tradition hath it that after the rope was
adjusted about his neck and the cart drawp from be-
neath the gallows he fell to the earth on his feet, and
that by standing on his toes the strain on his neck
was removed. This the hangman saw, and springing
upon the shoulders of the doomed man, the increased
weight forced the body down until James Fitzpatrick
was actually strangled to death.
Joseph Bates, who had been convicted of burglary,
was ordered by the Executive Council to be hung
May 20, 1780, at two o'clock p.m., " at the usual place
of execution' in Chester."
In May, 1780, William Boyd, a collector of the public
taxes in Chester County, while in the discharge of his
duties, was murdered by John and Robert Smith, who,
after the commission of the act, fled. President Jo-
seph Reed, with the approval of the Executive Coun-
cil, offered a reward of twenty thousand dollars for the
arrest of the murderers. They were making their way
across New Jersey to join the British army, in New
York, when they were apprehended by Sheriff Furman,
of Monmouth Countj'. They were brought to Chester,
where, June 26, 1780, they were tried, convicted, and
ordered to be hung, at the usual place of execution,
on Saturday, July 1st, four full days alone intervening
between their condemnation and death.
On Oct. 26, 1784, the Executive Council directed a
warrant to the sheriff of Chester County requiring the
execution of Joseph Clark, John McDonnell, and John
Varnum, aHas Benson, who were then under sentence
of death for burglary, on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 1784.
Elizabeth Wilson.— The unhappy life-history of
Elizabeth Wilson is one of the most popular tradi-
tions of Delaware and Chester Counties, and for
nearly a century has been told and retold by the old
residents of Delaware and Chester Counties and by
their descendants, until many of the details, as so
related, have gathered about the true narrative much
that is unreliable if not absolutely false. Although I
have striven to substantiate every item by careful in-
vestigation, perchance some of the imaginary par-
ticulars which have clustered around the sad, true
history of Elizabeth Wilson may yet cling to the
story in the present narration.
Elizabeth Wilson was the daughter of a farmer
residing in East Bradford township, Chester Co.,
who in the conflict of political opinions preceding
and during the Revolutionary war was earnest and
honest in the advocacy of the crown. His means
1 The iutersection of Edgmont and Providence Avenues.
172
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
barely raised liim above poverty, but he was esteemed
and respected by the community in which he lived. -
His daughter, a bright, sprightly lass at the age of i
sixteen, was noted for her personal beauty, which as
she matured was more and more conspicuous. At
that time she became much interested in the religious
exercises conducted by Elder Fleeson, an itinerant
Baptist clergyman, who was earnest in his efforts to
establish permanently the peculiar tenets of his faith ;
in Chester, County, wherein several congregations of
that religious belief had existed from an early date.
The strong Tory sympathies of her parents caused j
him to regard the capture of Philadelphia, in 1777, as
the harbinger of the good time approaching when the I
king should come to his own again, and Elizabeth,
during the occupancy of the British army of that city,
visited it, and remained for several weeks at the Indian
Queen Inn, on Fourth Street, which at that time was
kept by a distant relative of her parents. While there
her loveliness attracted the attention of a young man,
an incident which years afterwards brought her to an
unnatural death, — that of a convicted felon.
After the war had ceased Elizabeth Wilson .again
visited Philadelphia, for the attractions of the metrop-
olis of the commonwealth, the glare and glitter of
the city, had made such an impression on her mind
that the quiet stillness of the country became distaste-
ful to her, while the drudgery of rural life, much
greater than in our day, she endeavored to avoid by
seeking employment at the Indian Queen Inn, where i
as a relative, by rendering some service in the house- I
hold affairs, she was received as one of the family.
The young man heretofore mentioned resided at the
inn as a boarder, and Elizabeth, then in the full
maturity of her beauty, became warmly, devotedly
attached to him. His attentions were so marked that
no doubt was entertained by her relatives in the city
that a marriage between the young couple would ulti-
mately result. They, like Elizabeth, did not suspect
the traitorous heart of the young man, who, during
the war, had acquitted himself as a bold, dashing
officer. Sufficient it is to my purpose to state that
the poor girl, unmarried, when on the eve of be-
coming a mother, was informed by the parties with i
whom she was living in Philadelphia that she must |
withdraw herself from their dwelling.
Whither to go she knew not, but at length she de-
termined to seek the shelter of her father's house, |
and learning that a farmer living in the same neigh- j
borhood with her parents was in the city, she asked
the privilege of riding thither in his market-wagon.
It was late in the night, in those days of early hours,
that she alighted from the vehicle at the gate of her
childhood's home, and, in great agony of mind and
body, she wearily made her way to the door of the
house, which stood some little distance from the high-
way, and when there she was so exhausted that she
could not rap for admission, but sank on the steps.
Her moanings, however, aroused her father, who
raised the window and inquired, " Who's there ?"
" A poor sick woman," was the faint response to his
question. The old man's feeling of humanity was
touched, and he and his wife — Elizabeth Wilson's
step-mother — hurried to the door, and raising the
poor girl, bore her to a settee, without recognizing
her as their child. And then before morning Eliza-
beth gave birth to two male children.
As soon as the mother had again strength she rode
to Philadelphia to find the father of her sons, who
had, a little while before their birth, absented him-
self from the Indian Queen, giving out that he had
gone away on business and would be absent some
time. On her arrival in the city she found him. He
received her apparently with pleasure, and after they
had been together several hours she remounted the
horse and returned to Chester County.
The Sunday following, while her parents were
absent at worship, she dressed herself, and taking
her babes with her left the house, stating that she
was going to meet their father and be married. She
walked in the direction of Newtown Square, and for
a week (excepting a neighbor going along the road
conveyed her a short distance in his wagon, from
which she alighted on the King's Highway leading
to Philadelphia, and seating herself on a rock on
the roadside, near the farm of Mr. Cope, in East Brad-
ford, where he last saw her nursing her infants)
nothing more was heard respecting her for a week or
more ; although it afterwards appeared that about
dusk the same day she came to the Indian Queen Inn,
in Philadelphia, haggard, and exhibiting all the in-
dications of an unsound mind. Her children were
not with her.
A week or so after the disappearance of Elizabeth
Wilson, while some gunners were traversing the
woods on the east side of the Edgmont road, above
Street road, their dogs discovered the bodies of two
murdered babies hidden beneath a felled tree, a little
earth and twigs having been thrown upon the corpses
to conceal them from sight. The remains were imme-
diately taken to her father's house, — for she was at
once under suspicion, — where they were fully identi-
fied by the clothing as her children. A coroner's
jury was impaneled, and a verdict rendered charging
the crime of murder on the absent mother. She was
shortly thereafter arrested and lodged in the old jail
in Chester. When taken into custody she remained
silent, refusing to make any statement as to the deed,
and a sluggish apathy marked her demeanor, saving
at times when she would weep passionately and
appeal to heaven for mercy.
When the Court of Oyer and Terminer for Chester
County was held, the grand jury indicted her for
murder and she was arraigned for trial, but to the
clerk's inquiry, " How say you, prisoner at the bar,
are you guilty or not guilty?" she made no response
save weeping violently. Judge Atlee (William
Augustus Atlee, one of the puisne judges of the
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
173
Supreme Court, appointed Aug. 17, 1777), kindly
turning to the unfortunate girl, asked her whether |
she had counsel, and receiving a shake of the head in
reply, he ordered that the plea of " not guilty" be
taken, assigning also counsel to defend her. The ^
latter asked that the trial might be delayed until the '
following day, so that he would be afforded an oppor- |
tunity to consult with his client and make prepara-
tion for her defense, a request which was immediately j
granted. i
The next morning when court assembled the pris- !
oner's counsel announced that he did not know, under
the circumstances, what to do ; that he had failed,
despite his utmost efforts, to obtain a single word in
answer to his questions from Elizabeth Wilson ; that
he was impressed that there was something in this
case so exceptionally out of the ordinary course of
crime, that the ends of justice might be reached and
an endeavor made to fathom the mystery he asked
the bench to defer the trial to the next court. Judge
Atlee, knowing that to proceed meant conviction for
the prisoner, in the goodness of his heart ordered that
the trial should go over to the following term.
During the interval an effort was made to solve the
mystery which shrouded the murder in obscurity,
while, notwithstanding the terrible consequences that
would ensue to her if she still remained obstinately
silent was made plain to Elizabeth Wilson, not a word
could she be induced to say respecting the crime, but
every interview with her terminated in an outburst of
tears, which would continue for hours. When her
case finally came up for trial, although the sympa-
thies of the court and lookers-on were decidedly with
the prisoner, the evidence produced all led to the
conclusion that she was guilty of the crime for which
she had been indicted. Attorney-General Bradford,
at the conclusion of the address of the prisoner's
counsel, refused to marshal the evidence for the gov-
ernment, and when Judge Atlee came to charge the i
jury he turned to the accused and asked her, even at [
that late moment, to make some declaration, to say |
something in the terrible condition in which she then |
stood, but she merely shook her head, muttering, j
"I cannot! Jesus, have mercy on me!" Atlee, in
his remarks, was brief, and simply defined the law of
murder, without in any wise intimating to the jury
his conclusions on the focts in the case. The latter,
although no testimony had been offered for the de-
fense, as an evidence of the general sympathy existing
in the community, were several hours deliberating on
the verdict, and it is related that as the foreman re-
turned their finding, " Guilty," his voice was scarcely
audible to those nearest him, notwithstanding the
stillness in the court-room was intense. The judge
immediately, as was then the custom, pronounced the
sentence of the law, fixing the date of execution for
Wednesday, the 7th of December, 1785.
While the friendless girl — for her parents, who had
not forsaken her in her misfortune, now turned from
her when she was charged with murder, and had re-
mained obstinately silent as to the accusation — was
on trial, her only brother, William Wilson, was em-
ployed on a farm in a retired part of Lancaster
County, and, as news traveled slowly in those days,
he was absolutely ignorant of the great danger in
which his sister was then placed. But one morning,
less than a week before the time fixed for her execu-
tion, William, while engaged in his ordinary labor,
suddenly stated to those with whom he was at work
that he must immediately go to Chester, for he was
wanted there. When he repaired to the house and
informed his employer (Dr. Fahnestock's grandfather,
and the doctor narrated this incident), the latter
strove to persuade him to remain, and desired to
know why he was so anxious to go at that time.
William merely responded, "I do not know, but I
must go and find out what it is." And he immedi-
ately set out for Chester, stopping as he journeyed
thither at his father's house, where he learned for the
first time of the children's birth, their death, and that
Elizabeth had been indicted, tried, and in a few days
would be hanged for their murder. Without further
delay he hastened to Chester, reaching here on the
afternoon of Monday, the 3d of December, hardly
forty-eight hours before the time designated for her
execution. The imprisoned girl had been daily vis-
ited, after her sentence, by Elder Fleeson and the
rector of St. Paul's Church, and the former .stated to
Dr. Fahnestock that her constant prayer for several
days before her brother actually came was that the
Lord would direct William to her in her great ex-
tremity. As soon as the latter had access to the
prison, although he had partly promised his father
that he would make no effort to have an interview
with the woman who had brought such deep sorrow
to her aged parent, and after the excitement conse-
quent on his visit had in a measure subsided, Eliza-
beth stated that she had something to communicate
to him in private. He, however, replied that if it
was purely a personal matter, he would consent, but
if it was aught relating to the crime, he would not
hear her unless two other witnesses besides the cler-
gymen who were with her were present. It was
court-week, and her brother requested Judge Atlee,
Attorney-General Bradford, Sheriff Gibbons, and the
prisoner's counsel to come to the cell, and in their
presence, at the repeated solicitation of William Wil-
son, the condemned woman made a full confession,
the substance of which was as follows :
That when she visited Philadelphia after the birth
of her children, at the interview she had with her
"undoer," he promised to meet her at Newtown
Square on the Sunday following, at which time they
would be married, and he would provide for the
mother and her offsprings. On the day designated
he met her, but it was several miles beyond the place
appointed, where the road led through a dense woods.
He received her with warmth of manner, and re-
174
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
quested her to walk some distance aside, where they !
would be removed from the observation of persons ;
who might be passing along the highway. The weary
woman seated herself on the trunk of a felled tree,
having both the children in her arms. After some
conversation the man asked Elizabeth to permit him
to take one of the children, that he might see whether
it resembled him. He held the baby in his arms for
a moment; then, after a pause, he laid it on the
ground, and, snatching the other from its mother's j
embrace, deposited it alongside of its brother. The |
inhuman father thereupon demanded that Elizabeth
should destroy her infants. She unhesitatingly re-
fused to injure them, but in turn besought him to
spare their lives, promising that if he did she would |
never more trouble him, but would work willingly, j
or even beg her and their daily bread, for the chil-
dren were dearer to her than her life. He, however, |
brutally replied that he could have no mercy for a
fallen woman or her sinful ofispring; and thereupon
drawing a pistol, he pointed it at her, while at the
same time he placed his feet on the infants' breasts,
and, before she could prevent him, he crushed them
to death. The murderer then compelled the un-
happy woman, on peril of her life, to swear by her
soul's everlasting welfare that she would never reveal
the dreadful deed nor the name of the chief actor in j
the crime, but that she would tell all persons who '
might inquire for the children that they had been
taken to New Jersey to nurse and be reared. In
conclusion, Elizabeth Wilson declared, " To the truth
of this statement I appeal to the Searcher of all
hearts, before whose dread tribunal I am to appear
next day after to-morrow."
The declaration of the prisoner was reduced to
writing, and she swore to its truth, while the sig-
natures of all present were attached to the document,
attesting that the confession had been made in their
hearing. Armed with this paper, William Wilson,
night as it was, with all speed hastened to Philadel-
phia to obtain a respite from the Executive Council,
with what success the following extract from the
Pennsylvania Colonial Record (vol. xiv. p. 591) ex-
hibits:
"The petition of William Wilson, brother to Elizabeth Wilson, now
confined in jail of Chester under sentence of death, accompanied by a
confession of the said Elizabeth, was read, and, in consideration of the
circumstances stated therein, it was Ordered, — That the warrant issued
by the Board for the Execution of Elizabeth Wilson on Wednesday, the
Seventh instant, be revoked, and that another issue, dii-ectory of her
execution on the third day of January, 1788."
William Wilson, immediately after he had given
proper notice to the authorities of Chester County of
the action of the Supreme Executive Council, set off
for West Jersey, where his sister's betrayer was said
then to be living. He found him, and when con-
fronted by Wilson, he declared that he did not know
his sister, and had -not been in Philadelphia for two
years. Wilson thereupon returned to Chester, had
an interview with Elizabeth, and succeeded in find-
ing a witness who would testify that the man whom
she accused had not only been in Philadelphia and
lodged at the same house with her, but he had pro-
cured other important testimony to substantiate her
charge, when he was taken severely ill. The time
granted by Council had nearly expired, and sick as
he was, William Wilson made his way to Chester,
intending to go thence to Philadelphia for a further
respite. When he reached this place in the after-
noon he was astonished to learn that the stay of exe-
cution would expire the next day, whereas he had
thought it was not out until the day following. Im-
mediately on learning of this error he hastened to
Philadelphia through a heavy rainfall, and, accord-
ing to a statement of one of the members of Council,'
" unfortunately he went to the President's (Dr. Frank-
lin), where, notwithstanding all his entreaties, it was
some time before he could get to see him, and when
he did he stayed, endeavoring to persuade the doctor
to give him a line to the sheriff', which the former,
thinking it improper, refused, and directed him to me.
I was just leaving the Council-chamber when he
came, all the other members but one having gone.
I immediately wrote, ' Do not execute Wilson till
you hear further from the Council,' and directed it
to the sheriff". I well knew the board intended to
grant a further respite."
Wilson started immediately on his return, the rain
in the mean while having increased until it irow de-
scended in heavy torrents, and the road in places was
submerged in the water which the wayside ditches
could not carry away as fast as it fell. On reaching
the Middle Ferry over the Schuylkill — there was no
bridge at that time — he found it was impossible to get
conveyance over the river on such a night as it was
and in the pelting storm. At daylight the next morn-
ing William was at the ferry, but the river, swollen by
the preceding day's rain, was so threatening that the
ferryman refused to attempt the passage of the stream,
and, although Wilson told him that a human life
hung on his movement, it was all in vain, he declined
to endanger his own existence on any consideration.
The hours were passing, and at last, fully assured
that nothing would induce the ferryman to cross the
river with the boat, William Wilson fastened the
respite in the lining of his cap, which he placed on
his head ; then spreading a handkerchief over all, he
tied the ends securely under his chin, and with great
diflSculty forced the horse he rode into the water.
Right nobly did the animal breast the swiftly-flowing
current which washed down the wide channel with
terrific force, and in all probabilities it might have
made the way safely to the other side had his course
not been frequently impeded by drift-ice, and even
heavy pieces of limber came driven onward by the
flood, which, striking the beast, turned him repeatedly
aside. At length, just when the edge of the current
1 Martin's " History of Chester," p. 185.
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
175
on the western side of the river had been passed, and
the most difficult part of the crossing had been over-
come, the horse, completely exhausted, sank, leaving
William Wilson to battle with the wildly-rushing
waters. By this time a number of persons, despite
the storm that was raging, had gathered at the ferry-
house, and the utmost anxiety prevailed among
them as they watched the bold swimmer struggling
with the stream, which ran like a sluiceway to the
Delaware. The remarkable muscular strength of the
man served him well, and although, physically, he
was greatly exhausted when he landed on the oppo-
site shore, two miles below the point where he en-
tered the river on the Philadelphia side, he imme-
diately set about procuring another horse, and, after
considerable delay, he started for Chester under spur
and whip. The highway by this time was mid-leg
deep with pasty mud.
About mid-day at the latter place the storm abated,
and as no reprieve had come, Sheriff Gibbons ordered
the preliminary arrangements to be made for the
execution. Nevertheless, he determined to delay
carrying out the sentence of the law to the last mo-
ment possible under his warrant, and even after the
prisoner had been placed in the cart and the proces-
sion, followed bj' a large number of persons, was on
its way to the usual place of execution, he stationed
duly qualified deputies at some distance on the road
to Philadelphia to notify him by white flags of the
approach of William Wilson with the papers he
believed he would bring staying the work of death.
The solemn cortege bad reached the place desig-
nated,— a wild cherry-tree on " Hangman's Lot,"
at the intersection of Edgmont and Providence Ave-
nues, one of the branches extending some distance at
right angles to the trunk, and whereon a little over
seven years previouslj' James Fitzpatrick had met his
fate, — and the last moment designated for the execu-
tion was at hand. The unfortunate culprit was or-
dered to stand up in the cart, and the fatal noose was
placed about her neck. There, in the presence of
death, she reiterated that her former statement was
true in every particular, then, after a few moments
were spent in prayer, the last moment for carrying out
the mandate of the law had come, and the cart in
which she stood was drawn from beneath her feet.
Elizabeth Wilson had been landed into eternity, but
so engrossed were the spectators with anxiety for the
coming of her brother that but few in the assembly
knew when she was swung off, so intently were they
watching the line of white flags leading to the Queen's
Highway.
A deep silence followed, hardly a word was spoken
for more than a quarter of an hour save in whispers,
when in the far distance a tiny white flag was ob-
served to be waved to and fro, to be caught up and
repeated by the other flagmen, and a few moments
thereafter a haggard, travel-stained man, bespattered
with mud, bestriding a horse struggling from weak-
ness, that put forth renewed effort under the goading
whip and spur, came into sight, holding in his hand
at full arm's length a paper. The sheriff immediately
cut the rope. The hoarse voice of the man shouting
j " A reprieve ! a reprieve !" was now audible, and a few
moments thereafter William Wilson's horse fell,
throwing the rider senseless, almost under the bough
j where his sister's body had lately been suspended. He
came twenty-three minutes too late. The neck of the
unhappy girl had been dislocated, and she had died
without a struggle.
When resuscitated, to the surprise of all beholders
the man's face was stamped with lines of age and the
dark locks of youth had turned to snowy whiteness.
j Agony in a few moments had done the work of years.
j The Pemisylvania Packet for Jan. 12, 1786, refers to
the execution as follows :
1 " On Tuesday, the 3d inst, the woman who was tried and convicted at
Chester, of murdei'iug her two bastard children, ten weeks after their
birth, was hanged at that place pursnant to her sentence, the respite
I given by the Honorable Council having expired."
The sequel to this extraordinary case is peculiarly
! marked with dramatic features. When William Wil-
j son was restored to health, for he lingered for some
j time after his sister's execution with a low fever, in
which he, in delirious dreams, re-enacted his remark-
! able efforts to save Elizabeth's life, he withdrew him-
j self from the haunts of men, and taking up his abode
j in the Hummelstown cave in the Swatara Mountains,
Dauphin County, led a solitary life, employing him-
! self at his trade in making grindstones, which he sold
j to Mr. Wolfersberger, of Campbellstown. His cave
i was furnished with a table, a stove, a bed of straw,
I and a few cooking utensils. He was cleanly in his
j habits, and (a noticeable thing in these days) never
\ shaved his face, but let his long, snowy beard sweep
his breast, and he employed all his time when not at
work with reading diligently his Bible and religious
I books. He was popularly known as the " Pennsyl-
I vania Hermit."
In the Harrisburg Intdligeiicer of Oct. 13, 1821, I
find the following notice of his death :
" Died lately at his lonely hovel among the hills,
twelve miles southeast from Harrisburg, Pa.,
Wilson, who for many years endeavored to be a soli-
tary recluse from the society of men, excepting as far
as was necessary for his support. His retirement was
principally occasioned by the melancholy manner of
the death of his sister, by which his reason was par-
tially affected. She had been condemned to die near
Philadelphia for murder, in the hope of concealing
her shame from the world, and the day of execution
was appointed. In the mean time her brother used
his utmost means to obtain her jiardon from the
Governor. He had succeeded, and his horse foamed
and bled as he spurred him homeward. But an un-
propitious rain had swollen the stream, he was com-
pelled to pace the bank with bursting brain and gaze
upon the rushing waters that tbreateued to blast his
176
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
only hope. At the earliest moment that a ford was
practicable he dashed through, and arrived at the
place of execution just in time to see the last struggle
of his sister. This was the fatal blow. He retired to
the hills of Dauphin Countj', where he employed
himself in making grindstones for a livelihood. He
was very exact in his accounts, but was observed fre-
quently to be estranged, and one morning was found
dead by a few of his neighbors, who had left him the
evening previously in good health.''
Long years ago the residents of Chester would fre-
quently relate the occasional appearance of a spectral
white horse and rider which on stormy nights could
be seen and heard clattering along Fourth Street at a
headlong pace to the prison door, and that reached,
the noise ceased and the apparition faded into the
darkness. Many of the superstitious people of that
day firmly believed that the phantom steed bore the
unhappy William Wilson, whose fruitless ride to
Philadelphia to obtain a respite for his sister that I
have narrated still lingers in the traditions of our
county.
Jan. 21, 1786, Eobert Wilson, or Elliott (for the
" Colonial Record" uses both names in referring to this
prisoner), was under sentence of death in the old jail
at Chester, but the Executive Council saw fit to defer
the execution until February 11th of the same year.
Before that date came the Council pardoned him, on
condition that " he transport himself beyond the seas,
not to return to the United States."
On June 5, 1786, from the proceedings of the Ex-
ecutive Council we learn that at that date John Mc-
Donough and Richard Shirtliffe were in jail at Ches-
ter, under sentence of death for rape, and that the
sheriff of the county was ordered to execute them on
Saturday, June 17, 1786. Subsequently, with a re-
finemeut of cruelty hardly to be looked for from the
men at the head of the State government. Council
ordered that Richard Shirtliffe should be reprieved
until further orders, directing, however, that the wel-
come intelligence should not be imparted to him
until he had been taken under the gallows. What
became of him subsequently I have not learned, but
in less than four months there was a general jail de-
livery from the old jail at Chester, when, under the
act of Sept. 25, 1786, Sheriff Gibbons removed all the
prisoners to the new jail in Goshen township (now
West Chester), and the " black stage, the cross-beam,
the rope, and all the hideous apparatus of death" was
removed, not to be erected again in this locality for
the third of a century.
Although no capital conviction was had in Dela-
ware County for twenty-nine years after its creation
in 1789, it must not be supposed that no trials for
murder occurred during that interval, for such would
be a serious error. At the Court of Oyer and Ter-
miner held April 25,. 1797, Jacob Rudolph, of Darby
township, was tried for killing John Barr by striking
him on the head with an iron rake. The defendant
was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and sen-
tenced to six months' imprisonment and costs. At a
like court held in April, 1801, Samuel Black, Catha-
rine Black, and Sarah Campbell, of Marple, were
tried for having beaten a negro girl named Patt with
sticks so severely that she died from the injuries sus-
tained. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty as
to all the defendants. Patrick Gallahoe, laborer, was
tried Oct. 28, 1802, for the murder of Alexander Mc-
Kettuck by striking him with a stick. The jury
found the prisoner guilty of murder in the second de-
gree, and he was sentenced to sixteen years' imprison-
ment, four of which was to be solitary confinement
I and the remainder of the term at hard labor. On
I Jan. 30, 1806, Samuel Howard, a laborer, was tried
[ for the murder of Abraham Stevenson. The accused
[ had thrown the deceased into the river, where he was
; drowned. Howard was convicted of manslaughter,
and sentenced to five years' imprisonment in the
I penitentiary at Philadelphia.
I At the October sessions, 1806, Francis Patterson
j was indicted and convicted of challenging Curtis
j Lownes, of Ridley, to fight a duel. The accused was
] sentenced to pay costs of prosecution, a fine of five
I hundred dollars, and to undergo an imprisonment in
the county jail at hard labor for one year. In addi-
' tion he was deprived of all rights of citizenship
j within the commonwealth for the term of seven years.
On April 14, 1818, John H. Craig was tried for the
I murder of Squire Hunter, of Newtown, an account of
which crime will be found in the history of that town-
I ship.
j At the January Oyer and Terminer, 1819, Charles
! Norton was convicted of rape, attended with aggra-
vated circumstances. Judge Ross sentenced him to
I be confined " in the goal and penitentiary-house of
; Philadelphia for a period of twenty-one years from
this day, and to be confined and kept at hard labour,
fed and clothed, as the Act of Assembly directs, and
be placed during one-fourth of the said term in the
solitary cells, that he pay the costs of prosecution,
and be committed till the whole sentence is complied
with." Thomas Prevard, who was convicted at the
same court, of a similar offense, received a like sen-
tence. Henry Duffey, at the January Oyer and Ter-
miner, 1820, was convicted of rape, and sentenced to
imprisonment for fifteen years.
At the April court, 1820, Benjamin Bevan was tried
for the manslaughter of Ebenezer Cook by a blow on
the head with a stick, causing death in three days
thereafter. The jnry by their verdict acquitted the
accused.
At the October Court of Oyer and Terminer, 1824,
Michael Munroe, a/ias James Wellington, was con-
victed of the murder of William Bonsall, and Wash-
ington Labbe of murder in the second degree. An
account of this case will be found in the history of
Upper Darby townshiji.
On Jan. 16, 1827, James Fleming was tried for the
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS.
177
murder of Patrick Gill. The prisoner had a knife in
his hand when he was attacked by Gill, and in the
quarrel Fleming struck the deceased with the weapon
in the left side near the groin, causing the latter's
death the same day. The defense was that the act
was done in self-protection, and the jury acquitted j
Fleming.
On Oct. 23, 1829, Thomas Brooke was arraigned for |
the murder of William Brook, a Revolutionary sol- j
dier, the indictment setting forth that the accused
had struck the deceased on the head with a stick, ;
which killed him instantly. Hon. Edward Darling- 1
ton, the then deputy attorney-general, abandoned the '
case after a few witnesses had been examined for the I
commonwealth, stating that " there was not a shadow
of proof to support the accusation." The jury, with-
out leaving the box, acquitted the defendant. |
Charles Williams, a colored man, who had been I
convicted of burglary, on Oct. 24, 1829, was taken by
Sheriff Broomhall, of Delaware County, to undergo a
term of imprisonment at Cherry Hill. It is stated
that Williams was the first prisoner from any part of
the State ever confined in the present Eastern Peni-
tentiary, i
At November court, 1836, Kichard Milner Martin,
a colored man, was tried for killing William Patton
by striking him on the head with a stick of wood. (
He was acquitted. On Nov. 29, 1838, Thomas Mc- |
Laughlin was tried for the murder of William Pierce.
The defendant, November 16th of the same year, i
struck the deceased on the head with a handspike,
and from the injury death ensued the same day. j
The jury convicted the accused of manslaughter, ac-
companying their finding with a recommendation of
the prisoner " to the most extended leniency of the j
court." McLaughlin was sentenced to two years' !
imprisonment in the penitentiary.
May 28, 1841, Thomas Cropper was convicted of
the murder of Martin Hollis, and executed Aug. 6,
1841, in the jail-yard at Chester. This was the last
capital conviction in Delaware County. A full ac- |
count of this case will be given in the history of j
Birmingham. }
On Nov. 23, 1841, Thomas Vanderslice, known to
the detectives as " Old Tom Vanderslice," was tried ;
for passing counterfeit money. He refused to employ
or have counsel assigned to conduct his defense, but
managed his own case, and made a speech to the court
(Judge Bell was on the bench) which was remarkable
for its boldness and impudence. He was convicted,
and sentenced to three years' incarceration in the
penitentiary. After his discharge, on March 24, 1848,
he fell into the river at Dock Street wharf, Philadel-
phia, and was drowned.
On May 27, 1845, Alexander Harris, alias Dobson,
was tried for the murder of Ruth Harris, an infant.
The accused was a colored man, and the child was the
fruits of his criminal intimacy with a white woman.
The body of the infant was found at " Deep Hole,"
12
in Darby Creek, at Calcoon Hook, in a bag, in which
was a heavy stone to sink it in the water. The jury,
after three hours' deliberation, found the prisoner not
guilty.
Nov. 27, 1846, Isaiah Spencer, indicted for shooting
William Davis in the left breast, from which wound
the latter died instantly, was arraigned. Spencer
plead guilty to manslaughter, and was sentenced to
two years in the penitentiary.
May 28, 1862, Martha J. Long, of Chester, was
tried for the murder of her bastard child. The pros-
ecution strove to show how she had strangled it, but
the jury acquitted h^ of murder, but found her guilty
of concealing the death of a bastard child. The
court sentenced her to three months' imprisonment.
On Feb. 23, 1864, George Wilkinson was indicted
for the murder of Ellen Jones and John Blair, in
Middletown. The particulars of this crime are nar-
rated in the history of that township.
On Feb. 26, 1866, John Ward, charged with en-
gaging in a prize-fight with Farrell, near Linwood,
which brutal exhibition took place on February 3d
of the same year, was tried and convicted. The court
sentenced him to two years' imprisonment in the
Eastern Penitentiary.
Jan. 6, 1869, James Weir, a lad thirteen years of
age, living in Chester, was tried for the murder of
John Thomas, a youth of sixteen. The boys were
employed in Patterson Mill, had quarreled, and in
the scuiBe Weir, with his pocket-knife, stabbed
Thomas, who died almost immediately. The jury
convicted the prisoner of manslaughter, and he was
sentenced to one year's imprisonment. On Novem-
ber 26th of the same year Thomas Bryson, a shoe-
maker, of Marple, was tried for the murder of William
Stinson. The deceased and the accused had a difli-
culty on September 22d, during which Bryson struck
Stinson on the head with a stone, inflicting an injury
from which death ensued the following day. The
jury found a verdict of manslaughter, with a recom-
mendation to the mercy of the court. Bryson was
sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
Aug. 22, 1870, Sarah Seaburn, a widow, was tried
for the murder of her father, Geo. Clay, of Upper
Darby. She had struck him with a hatchet on the
head, producing almost instant death. The jury ac-
quitted her on the ground of insanity, and she was
committed to the county-house.
Nov. 25, 1872, Joseph Worrall, Jr., was tried for
the murder, in August preceding, of David Neidig.
The deceased, with a number of ladies and gentle-
men, were walking near Lima, when all of the party,
excepting the deceased, went into the yard of Mr.
Stork's dwelling for a drink of water. One of the
party in the yard cast a stone, striking the house, and
Worrall, who was in the house, came out and threw a
stone violently at the crowd, who were then in the
road, which struck Neidig on the head. 'He died
three days afterwards. The jury found the accused
178
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and he was sen-
tenced to one year and nine months' imprisonment.
On Sept. 22, 1875, Charles McDevitt, a peddler,
sixty years of age, living in Upper Darby, was tried
for the murder of James Fletcher, of Haverford. On
May 21st McDevitt was ordered away from Fletcher's
house, was put out of the gate, and his bundle was
tossed over in the road to him. " Throw my stick
over, too," he said to Fletcher. From this a quarrel
resulted, and during the scuffle the peddler stabbed
Fletcher near the heart, killing him almost imme-
diately. The jury convicted McDevitt of man-
slaughter, and he was sentenced to imprisonment for
one year.
James Sheridan, a hired man on the farm of Samuel
H. Hibberd, of Haverford, was killed Dec. 6, 1875,
under the following circumstances : Six young men,
accompanied with dogs, were gunning on Mr. Hib-
berd's farm, where persons were interdicted from tres-
passing. The owner of the place took a double-bar-
reled gun, and, going to where the parties were, shot
one of the dogs. This brought on a serious difficulty
between the trespassers, Mr. Hibberd, and his hired
men. In the struggle Sheridan grappled with John
Baird, and the prosecution strove to show that Thomas
Cromie, who had a gun, fired the shot killing Sheri-
dan, or that Frederick Troup had deliberately shot
him from a lot adjoining. The case was tried March
10, 1876, the jury retired on Saturday night, and on
Monday afternoon returned a verdict of voluntary
manslaughter. The court sentenced Frederick Troup,
John Baird, and Thomas Cromie each to three years'
imprisonment in the county jail.
On March 8, 1876, Josiah Porter, a colored man,
was tried for the murder of Joseph Murray. The
supervisors of Ridley were repairing the Lazaretto
road, just above the Queen's Highway, and Porter,
Murray, and a number of other men were there work-
ing. Some difficulty occurred between the two men
respecting a shovel, which Murray took from Porter
and then threw it batk. The latter seized the shovel,
and as Murray turned to walk away struck him over
the head with it. Murray died several hours after
receiving the blow. The jury found the prisoner
guilty of murder in the second degree, and he was
sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in the county
jail.
On the night of July 29, 1876, Lewis Kershaw, a
police officer of Chester, arrested three young men in
South Ward, and while he was taking them to the
lock-up several persons interfered, and James Mc-
Ginley broke away and ran, pursued by the officer.
The latter overtook his prisoner, a scuffle followed,
during which the officer's pistol was discharged, the
ball lodging in McGinley's side, wounding liim so se-
verely that he died before morning. The grand jury
at the September couct ignored the bills of indictment
against Kershaw which were laid before them by the
district attorney.
John Duffey, charged with the murder of Thomas
Conner, at Rockdale, on the night of Aug. — , 1880,
was tried Sept. 27, 1880. The commonwealth sought
to show that Dutfey and William Frame had had a
dispute, and a short time afterwards, when at the
Rockdale depot, where there were a number of per-
sons, Duffey fired at Frame, the ball striking Conner,
a young man in no wise party to the difficulty, killing
him instantly. The defense alleged that in drawing
his pistol it was accidentally discharged, and there
was no intention on Duffey's part to injure any one.
The jury convicted him of involuntary manslaughter,
and he was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment
in the county jail.
On Sept. 23, 1881, Patrick Kilcorse was tried for
tlie murder of his wife on the 4th of July previous.
The prisoner had quarreled with his wife the night
before, and she had sought shelter in an outhouse,
where she remained all night. In the morning the
neighbors heard a heavy blow, and going in found
Mrs. Kilcorse lying on the floor, blood trickling from
her head. It was proposed to send for a doctor, but
the prisoner said, "No, d u her, let her die." The
jury convicted Kilcorse of murder in the second de-
gree, and he was sentenced to twelve years' imprison-
ment in the penitentiary.
On June 7, 1883, Dennis Green, a colored man of
Chester, was tried for the murder of James Clark.
The defendant struck the deceased on the head with
a blackjack, on the night of the 23d of February.
Clark, after receiving the blow, went home, and was
found dead in his bed the following morning. The
jury convicted Green of murder in the second degree,
but recommended him to the mercy of the court. He
was sentenced to ten years' solitary confinement in the
penitentiary.
William H. Collins, on Sept. 26, 1883, was arraigned
for the murder of his wife, near Lee's Dam, at Leip-
erville. The prosecution sought to show that on June
5th the accused, an intemperate man, had beaten his
wife, also of intemperate habits, and had stamped on
her with his feet, inflicting such injuries that she died
the same night. Collins was convicted of murder in
the second degree, and sentenced to twelve years' im-
prisonment in the penitentiary.
CHAPTER XIX.
MANNERS .\ND CDSTOMS— HOW INHABITANTS OP
DELAWARE COUNTY LIVED IN FORMER YEARS.
Houses. — -The progress of a nation is traced not in
the life of an individual, who, from some personal or
fortunate circumstance, was elevated for the time
being above his fellows, but is found in the narrative
of the daily lives of the people, whereby we learn
how they were sheltered, fed, and clothed, and the
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
179
manners and customs which marked them as a whole.
Hence, believing as I do that civilization means
nothing more than advanced cultivation, which
brings as its results comforts and luxuries before un-
known, as well as the general diffusion of knowledge
in the arts and sciences, constituted the true annals
of a people, I purpose, as briefly as I can, to present
a sketch of how the inhabitants of Delaware County
lived from the early settlement until within recent
years.
We have little record of the Swedish settlers along
the Delaware previous to the coming of Penn in 1682,
but from these meagre accounts we learn that the
houses of the early Swedish settlers were built of
logs, and the doors were so low that a person of ordi-
nary stature was compelled to stoop in entering or
leaving the buildings, while the apartments within
had low ceilings, hardly over six feet in the clear,
and the roughly-hewed rafters supporting the roof
were devoid of laths and plaster. The windows were
small, mere frames set iu the logs, and although the
families who indulged in more costly luxuries than
their neighbors had the openings glazed with isin-
glass, in general only a rough board slide shut out
the cold on extreme winter days, and was usually
closed during the night. The chimneys, with huge
fireplaces, were occasionally built of gray sandstone,
but often the stacks were erected of turf on the out-
side of the houses. In many of the early dwellings
small rooms just large enough to spread a bed were
partitioned off from the main lower apartments, and
the floors were laid in stone, or, oftener, simply clay,
which by constant use became very hard.
With the English settlers came many of the im-
provements which the progressive age between 1640
and 1680 had introduced into general use, but so
rapid was the influx of immigrants, mostly Friends,
fleeing from the religious oppression they had been
subjected to in the mother-country, that habitations
could not be erected quickly enough to supply the
demand, even where the simple form of building
suggested by Penn' was constructed, and many fam-
1 " To build there an House of thirty foot long and eighteen foot
broad, with a partifion neer the middle, and an other to divide one end
of the House into two small Rooms, there must be eight Tree of about
sixteen Inches square, and cut off to Posts of about fifteen foot long,
which the House must stand upon, and four pieces, two of thirty foot
long and two of eighteen foot long, for Plates, which must lie upon the
top of these Posts, the whole length and breadth of the House for the
Gists to rest upon. Tliere must be ten Oists of twenty foot long to bear
the Lofts and two false Plates of thirty foot long, to lie upon the ends
of tlie Gists for the Eiifters to be fixed upon, twelve pair of Rafters of
about twenty foot, to bear the Roof of the House, with several other
small pieces, as Wind-beams, Braces, Studs, etc., which are made out of
the Wasie Timber. For covering the House, Ends and Sides, and for the
Loft, we use Clabboard which is Rived feather-edged of five foot and a
half long, that well Drawn, lyes close and smooth. The Lodging Room
may be lined with the same and fiUd up between, which is very Warm.
These bouses usually endure ten years without Repair.
For the carpenter's work for such a House. I and my
servants assisting him, together with his Diet 7 00
For a Barn of the same Building and Din
ilies sought shelter in great trees, while others of the
new-comers were compelled, in many instances, to
dig caves in the ground, near the river-bank and •
those of the creeks, wherein they took up their abode
until they could construct permanent habitations.
These caves were mere excavations or cellars in the
bank, and were about three feet in depth, while over
these openings brush was placed so as to form an
arched roof about six feet in the clear, which was
covered with sods. In such a cave as this Emanuel
Grubb was born, near Upland, in 1682. The suffer-
ings of these settlers were great, for it should be re-
membered that most of them were " not people of
low circumstances, but substantial livers," and in the
work of constructing these rude habitations women
who had been used to all the refinements and com-
forts of English life at that day were compelled to
take part, and aided their husbands and fathers
therein, for hired labor was scarce and could hardly
be had at any price.
The log cabins of the early settlers were generally
built on low ground for a twofold purpose, to be near
a spring of water and for protection from the bleak
and piercing winds of winter. In the construction of
these habitations the logs were notched together at
the corners, which after being raided were hewn
down both inside and outside, while the spaces be-
tween the logs were filled in or " chinked" with stones
or wood, and then plastered over with mortar or clay.
The roofs were covered with oak shingles. Locks in
ordinary use were unknown; the doors were opened
by strings, which on being pulled from the outside
raised heavy wooden latches within, to which they
were made fast, and intrusion was prevented when
the inmates pulled the latch-strings in at the outer
doors. From this common practice originated the
ancient saying descriptive of generous hospitality,
"The latch-string is always out." The chimneys of
the English settlers, as well as those of the Swedish
houses, were of immense size, frequently capable of
receiving a cord-wood stick, in those days when wood
was abundant and the cold intense. Frequently, too,
benches would be placed at each side of the chimney
so that persons could seat themselves near to and en-
joy the blaze, particularly when the heat therefrom to
a large percentage was drawn up the stack and dis-
charged into the atmosphere outside.
As heretofore stated, a number of the English set-
tlers were in good circumstances, and before many
years brick and stone dwellings were erected. In the
towns this was noticeably the case, and as bricks were
made at Chester^ as early as 1684, and previous to
The lower floor is the Ground, the upper Clabboard. This may seem
ean way of Building, but 'tis sufficient and safest for ordinary be-
Rinners." (Direction to such persons as are inclined to America, 1682,
Penn. Mat), nf Hiil., vol. iv. p. 334.)
« Vice-Director Alricbs, under date of Sept. 1, 1C57, wrote to Stuyve-
I sant from New Castle, and among other things states, " Since S' Corne-
HISTOEY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
that date at Burlington and Philadelphia, the wealth-
ier classes employed that material for building pur-
poses. The houses then erected were generally large
and roomy, giving the inmates almost all the comforts,
so far as the buildings were concerned, then known
to the mother-country. The old Porter house in
Chester, built by David Lloyd thirty-nine years after
Penn first landed in Pennsylvania, was an imposing
structure even to the hour of the explosion which de-
stroyed it, and affords to the present generation the
opportunity to learn with what stability the buildings
were constructed in the early time.
Early Schools.— The settlers were not unmindful
of intellectual training, and in the act of March 10,
1683, which set forth that "to the end that the Poor,
as well as the Rich, may be instructed in good and
commendable learning, which is to be preferred above
wealth," is given thefirst outline of the public-school
system which promises to be in the future, as it has
been in the past, the anchor of safety to the nation in
times of public peril. It is difficult to determine
when the first school was established in our county,
but certain it is that at the middle of the last century
there were quite a number scattered throughout the
territory now included within our boundaries. These
structures were generally of logs, and the urchins sat
on frames fashioned in every case from the side
slabs from the saw-mills, while books were scarce.
Townsend Ward ' describes the manner of teaching
practiced towards the end of the last century by no
less a person than Alexander Wilson. " His scholars
were instructed in the mode of those days, which has
become so obsolete now that the very first steps in it
are a puzzle to the adult. The alphabet in the form
of a cross was called the Christ Cross Row. Each
vowel had to be sounded ' by itself,' when it was
reached, and the word ' by itself repeated. The
rapidity of pronunciation, however, soon turned ' by
itself into 'bisself,' so the anxious urchin rushed
through his alphabet in this way, ' A, bisself a, B, C,
D, E bisselfe, F, G, H, I bisselfi, etc. He ended with
a z as now, but called it izard, and the flourish at the
end, Ampeisand, he called Ann pussy Ann."
In a letter- dated Chester township, Tenth month,
1725, from Richard Park to his sister, Mary Valen-
tine, then in Ireland, the writer states that " Uncle
Nicholas Kooper lives very well, he rents a Planta-
tion & teaches School and his man doe his Planta-
tion work," which is the first mention of a peda-
gogue by name since Evans Petterson, in 1672. The
schoolmaster of that day was a local despot ; the chil-
Hutter's, therefore he goes there to visit the same and to speak (with
them), also to see if he can persuade them to come with him." Alrichs
urges Stuyvesant to use liis inflnence to liaye Hogeboom locate on the
Delaware. (Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. p. 516.) May 14, 1669,
Alrichs states that Cornells Herperts de Jagor had "established in
the country near hear a briuk-kiln and employed 4 persons at it." (lb.,
p. 601.)
1 " A Walk to Darby," Pernio. Mag. of Bulory, vol. iii. p. 268.
! Pffllii... Hag. of HifUiry, vol. v. p. 351.
dren were under his absolute sway from the time they
i left their homes until they returned thereto again in
' the afternoon. His sceptre was the birch, and often
j would he wield his emblem of power to the discom-
' fiture of the unhappy lad who had aroused his wrath.
! Household Duties of the Women.— At home the
I matron and her growing daughter had their daily rou-
tine of labor, which, beginning oftentimes long before
daybreak, extended into the night until the old saw,
"A man's work is from sun to sun,
was often proved a truth. Her household duties were
severe and varied, demanding some knowledge of
medicine sufficient to open a vein in a case of emer-
gency, or the preparation of certain infallible reme-
dies to cure intermitting, remitting, and bilious fevers
and children's disorders, composed of the most nau-
seating herbs, simmered to a sickening decoction, which
was doled out to the unfortunate patients in generous
, potation. With the exception of her husband's Sun-
day coat, which was the one, carefully preserved, that
' he had worn at his wedding, the mother had to make
all the garments worn by the father and boys from
i the flax and wool ; all the bedding and household
I linen had to be made at home, as well as the beds,
which required that a goodly flock of geese be kept
to supply the feathers, which had to be steamed and
cured for that purpose ; the poultry came under the
supervision of the women, as did also the care of the
young calves ; cheese and butter had to be made for
the market ; frequently, too, the gardening for the
family table was left to the care of the females of the
household, and the gathering and drying of herbs
always was a part of their duty. In the butchering
season pork and salt meat must be cured sufficiently
for the whole year, sausage and lard made for the
winter. These were extra matters just thrown in to
! fill out the odds and ends of the matron's time, for
the duties mentioned did not include the every-day
work of cooking, milking, carrying water, scrubbing,
darning, and for the first twenty odd years of her
married life to still the crying babe or nurse it, and
often then, as she hushed the sobbing child asleep,
her busy fingers plied the knitting-needles, so that
not a moment of her time should be idled away, and
the weekly washing and ironing, nor yet the day set
apart for dipping candles, which entered into the
domestic economy with the regularity of the annual
county taxes. It was an interesting and intellectual
occupation ou candle day, when several huge kettles
filled with melted tallow were suspended from the
crane over the blazing logs, while at the opposite side
of the kitchen two or more long poles, about two feet
apart, stretched their full length from one chair-seat
to another, the abutments on which the ends of the
rods rested. Across these poles were pendent strands
of tow at designated distances, for at the time of
which I now write candle-wick had not been invented.
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
181
Near these poles were great kettles containing melted
tallow, which floated on the top of hot water, and
into the kettles the women would dip the strands of
tow and hang them, each in its place, on the stick to
dry. Before the proper amount of tallow was depos-
ited by this slow process on the wick — for the thicker
the candle the more brilliant the light — the weary
dipper would walk many a mile before her work was
finished. After the candles were made they had to be
carried on the poles to a dry, sunny spot in the garret,
where they could harden and become thoroughly dry.
The good wife, however, had to see that the best room
was sprinkled with clean white sand, and it was a mat-
ter of pride to draw various figures thereupon with the
broom. The high-backed walnut, and (after the intro-
duction of the wood as appropriate for furniture during
Queen Anne's reign) mahogany chair and tables were
waxed and polished till they reflected like a mirror.
In every house there were the warming-pans of brass,
which must be kept scoured and hung in easy reach, so
that they could be used to take the chill off the sheets
in bedrooms that were as cold " as Greenland's icy
mountains." And when flax was prepared for spin-
ning the matron sat early and late ; particularly dur-
ing the long winter evenings the humming noise of
the big wheel was constantly heard.
To be sure, the lads and lasses of that day had their
merry-making, although their sports to us seem some-
what like hard work. Flax-pulling, when the boys
and girls pulled along together and bound it into
small sheaves, was regarded as fun, while the " husk-
ing" parties at night were looked forward to with
great expectations and much preparations; quilting
and carpet-ball sociables— the latter after the Revo-
lution, when people discovered that from rags a
strong, serviceable covering for floors could be made
— were much in vogue, and were concluded usually
with dancing and boisterous games.
Evening Amusements.— Usually at night, when
the winter evening meal was ended and the room had
been put to rights, the family would assemble round
the open-mouthed fireplace in the kitchen, where on I
the hearth the massive andirons sustained a crackling
mass of hickory-wood, lapped by the flaming tongues
as the blaze " went roaring up the chimney wide."
Along the heavy, unplastered joists of the floor above,
darkened with age and smoke, from iron hooks were
suspended a goodly number of portly hams, dried
beef, long ropes of onions, and dried apples. On the
deal table, without a cover, a tallow candle shed a
dim, uncertain light around the apartment, and often
the black and crisped wick required to be snuffed,
while not unfrequently a thief would get in the can-
dle, and the tallow on one side would run to the base
of the stick in a rivulet of melted grease. In one of
the angles of the room a large corner cupboard af-
forded through its glass doors glimpses of an array of
blue china which at this day would have been the
idol of the collection craze, and an eight-day clock in
a tall mahogany case ticked in the chilly hall, while
the moon moving along the opening in the dial,
represented usually by a cherub's face, plump and
florid-cheeked, told' the farmer when and when not to
plant his crops. Around the cheery fire the family,
seated on hard, uncushioned chairs, gathered, the fe-
males spinning, or perchance Miss-in-her-teens, who
had paid a visit to her relatives in the city, would be
busily employed working in crewel geometrical fig-
ures of a dog, sheep, or other fabulous animal or
plant, the like of which never existed " in the heav-
ens above, the earth below, or the waters under the
earth." The hunting- or watch-dog, curled close to
the fire, dozed as his owner smoked, talked of the
weather, the crops, the state of the market, his or
others' stock, or laid out the next day's work. J
Perchance, when a neighbor dropped in, the con-
versation would relate to the social happenings of
the vicinity, or at intervals of that great world, the
city, but it usually drifted into recollections of the
old people, narrations of hunting adventures, and
marvelous tales of witches, goblins, and haunted
places. The old people would relate traditionary
stories of Margaret Mattson, the witch of Ridley
Creek, and her divers ill-doings; they would tell how
it was recorded by Hesselius, the Swedish priest, that
in the early time of the settlement rain fell on a par-
ticular black oak for fiiteen days, while not a drop of
moisture touched the other trees in the neighborhood ;
and how a captain of a certain ship, noted for his pro-
fanity and crimes, while sailing up the Delaware, was
seized bodily by the devil, who hurled him into the
river, where he was drowned, in full sightof many
lookers-on.' But, strange as it may seem, no stories
of men suddenly and mysteriously changed into
wolves, the were-wolf of Swedish folk-lore, seem
ever to have taken root in this soil. There would
be, however, narration of the terrible and supernat-
ural. It would be told how Blaekbeard, the pirate,
used to anchor his vessel off Marcus Hook, where, at
the house of a Swedish woman whose name, Mar-
garet, he transformed into Marcus, because of the
locality of her dwelling, he and his crew held mad
revels there, and the expression "Discord Lane" be-
came so connected with the town's story that it has
ever since been preserved as the title of one of its
streets. So, too, would they describe the Bloody
Tree, near Chester, on the King's Highway, whose
leaves were spotted with gore, and from whose
branches, if a twig was cut or broken off, oozed a
sap-like blood,"— the indelible mark of a brutal, un-
1 Acrelias, "History of New Sweden," pp. 279-80.
- This story is really of Mao'Iand origiD, and was transplanted here,
as such narratives are usually transitory in character. The legend of
the " Bloody Holly-Bush" is as follows: "There is also a legend current
among the old citizens of Elk Neck, which may properly be called the
legend of the ' Bloody Holly-Bush,' which originated from a murder
cunjmitteil on the Ferry farm while it was occupied by Hans Rudolph,
the proprietor of the fi-rry. Kudolph had a negro slave, who for some
reason was confined in .jiiil at the point, and who made hia escape and
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
atoned murder that nature would not permit to be I
effaced. Sometimes a swaggering braggart would
declare that as he rode along the Wliite Horse level,
on the Queen's Highwa)', througli Ridley, he had en-
countered the ghost of Luke Nethermarke, who, about I
the middle of the last century, in galloping his horse at
night amid the storm and the darkness as he hastened
homeward, rode into ^ tree which had been blown ;
down by the gale and was killed ; while others would
tell the story of the phantom sentinel, who, when an
English vessel of war was lying off Tinicum during
the British occupation of Philadelphia, was stationed
to walk post over one of the boats sent ashore with i
a foraging party, was shot and killed by the Whigs
in the neighborhood, and whose spectre annually re- I
appears on the anniversary of the night on which he !
was slain. Sometimes the tradition was of Moggey,' {
who refused to rest quietly in her grave ; of the phan-
tom white steed and rider, who dashed semi-occa-
sionally on dark and stormy nights through the streets
of Chester; of the murdered peddler at Munday's
Eun, who showed the ragged cut in his brawny
throat; or the slain woman who made the archway
of the old granary at Chester a spot to be avoided
after dusk; while the mere school-lads in the vicinity
of Chester would tell of the evil spirit, a caco-demon,^
who inhabited the cellar of the old school house at
Welsh and Fifth Streets.
Sometimes the stories would relate to money buried
along the shores of the Delaware and its tributary
streams by pirates, who had slain a comrade or a captive
that the murdered man should guard the blood-stained
treasure ever from all save the hands of those who had
sold themselves to perdition for the accursed gold.
I can remember as a lad how some of the old people
told me as a truth the adventures of three men from
the neighborhood of Chester, who strove to obtain a
hidden treasure buried on the river-shore on Laws' or
Jeffery's farm (I do not remember the exact location) ;
how they dug in silence until the top of a large iron
box thickly covered with bosses was uncovered ; how
one of the men in the exuberance of his joy spoke,
and the box sank out of sight, amid heavy thunder,
which growled and muttered overhead, and strange
swam across the river, and procured a gun and hid himself beside a log
»bout a mile from the old ferry-house. His master, while hunting for
him, approached his place of concealment and shot him, his blood be-
spattering the green leaves of a holly-bush near where he stood. The
leaves of a bolly-bush still Rrowing there are flecked with crimson spots,
as is alleged, from some supernatural cause. There is no doubt of the
red spots being on the leaves of the holly-bush, but they are caused by
some peculiarity of the soil in which it grows."— Jo/mson's Hittory of
Geca Counlji, Ud., p. 200.
1 "The site of Knowlton, up to the year 1800, was a perfect wilder-
ness. Near the head gates of the mill there was formerly the mark of
a grave the occupant of which tradition named Moggey, and from that
circumstance tlie crossing of the creek was named Moggey's Ford. As
Moggey had the reputation of making lier appearance occasionally, it
required no little courage in the traveler in early times to cross the
ford at night."— Dr. Smith's History of Delaware Omvttj, p. 309.
2 Sketches of Public Schools of Chester, by W. B. Broomall, Delaware
County Republican.
lights which flashed and danced through the darkness
as the disappointed men hastened away. This was
only one of the number of narratives of treasure-dig-
gers in various locations, while along Chester and Ship
Creek, Darby and Marcus Hook Creeks, many places
were designated where treasures had been buried. The
belief in witchcraft had not died out absolutely tlurty
years ago, for a case occurred in this county wherein
charms were used to thwart the evil eye of an old
woman, whom it was believed had cast a spell over
the cattle of a person of the same township ; and the
myth of the divining rod was accepted as true by
many persons. Samuel Breck, as late as 1820, states
that Alexander Wilson, a Quaker preacher, was noted
as possessing " the gift of finding water with a divin-
ing rod."'
Snake stories then as now were much relished by
the rustic populace, and awakened general interest.
William Moraley^ relates that "In a Wood near a
Place called Ophoginomy (Appoquinimink, New Cas-
tle Co., Del.), I espied a Snake lying in a Pathway;
endeavoring to shun it by going out of the Road, I
accidentally trod upon another, which immediately
twined itself about my Eight Leg and squeezed it so
hard that I was afraid it would have broken. After I
had stood sometime, expecting to be bit, the snake
dropped upon the Ground and I came off unhurt. I
viewed it and found I had tread upon the Head, which
prevented its Biting. I look'd upon this as a Mercy,
and return'd Thanks to the Author of Good for my
Deliverance. It was a Horn Snake, Six Foot Long."
The latter statement, of course, brings Moraley's
adventure within the line of snake stories, for most
persons of the present day would believe he saw a
unicorn, if he said so, as readily as they do that he
saw a horn (?) snake. But Capt. Heiurichs, of the
Yager Corps, in 1778,^ writing from Philadelphia to
friends in Germany, records a snake story that fills the
measure to overflowing. He says, "There is nothing
more terrible than the big rattlesnake, which is from
twelve to sixteen feet long, and which, as it is believed
here, kills at its glance. A countryman in my quar-
ters lost a relative of his in this way some years ago.
He had gone hunting, and seeing a bear standing still,
aimed at and shot it; scarcely had he reached the
bear when he too was obliged to stand motionless,
remaining thus awhile, fell and died; all this was
caused by a rattlesnake, which was perched in a high
tree."
Marriages.— Governor Printz recognizes the Bib-
lical injunction in his report for 1647 " to the West
India Company, wherein he set forth the wants in the
infant colony of certain skilled labor, adding, "All
these are of great necessity here, and, above all, a
3 Breck'a " Eecollections," p. 303.
4 "The Voyages and Adventures of Willii
himself. Newcaelle (England), 1743.
' Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol. i. p. 43.
«Ib.,vol. vii.p. 270.
Moraley," written by
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
good number of unmarried women for our unmarried i
freemen and others;" but whether this request was
complied with by the home authorities does not appear,
so far as I have ascertained. After the territory had
passed into the ownership of the English crown, and
subsequently under Pcnn's, we learn that spinsters i
were one of the rarities of the province, for quaint
old Gabriel Thomas informs us that " old maids were
not to be met with, for all commonly marry before
they are twenty years of age."
The state of marriages soon became the subject of
legal enactment, which, under the Duke of York laws,
was not to be entered into unless the bans had been
asked in the church three several days, or a special
license had been procured, and the marriage must be
registered. If there was no church or meeting-house
in the locality where the parties lived, notice must be
given by posting the names on the door of the con-
stable's house, and on those of two of the overseers
of the poor. The legal age for females was as now, — '
twenty-one years, — excepting in cases when the par- j
ents were dead, when it was eighteen years. '
Among the laws agreed upon in England by Penn
before he came to the province were the following
regulating marriages :
" That all marriages (not forbidden by the law of
God, as to the nearness of blood and affinity by mar-
riage) shall be encouraged ; but the parents or guar-
dians shall be first consulted, and the marriage shall
be published before it be solemnized, and it shall be
solemnized by taking one another as husband and
wife before credible witnesses, and a certificate of j
the whole, under the hands of parties and witnesses,
shall be brought to the proper Register of the county, |
and shall be registered in his oflice."
To prevent clandestine marriages, the person per-
forming the ceremony in violation of law, by the act
of March 10, 1683, was fined twenty pounds, while .
the parties married were fined ten pounds. Under i
the administration of Governor Fletcher the notice
of an intended marriage must be posted on the meet- [
ing- or court-house door one full month before the I
ceremony was performed, and when solemnized it !
must be in the presence of at least twelve persons. I
By the act of 1693 a justice of the peace was required '
to be presenf at every marriage, and the certificate
must be signed by twelve persons who were present
on the occasion. This requirement was, however, not
applicable to parties who were married according to :
the form of the Church of England. The act of
1700 imposed a fine of five pounds on all persons pres-
ent at a clandestine marriage, and they were also
liable to pay to the party aggrieved all damages that
they may have sustained by reason of such marriage.
Under this law a servant who married without the
consent of his or her master being first had thereto
was compelled to serve one year after the expiration
of his or her indentured term, and if a free man mar-
ried a bonded servant woman, he was required to pay !
whatever damages the master could prove he had suf-
fered by the act, and where a free woman married a
bonded servant man, she was subject to make pay-
ment to her husband's master for the damage her
marriage had occasioned the latter, the sum to be
assessed by the justices.
Robert Wade, a good man and true, who lived up
to the law, and so far as was in his power insisted that
others should do so, at the court held first and second
days of first week, Tenth month, 1684, presented
Joseph Cookson " for taking a wife contrary to the
good and wholesome Laws of this Province," and the
court ordered that Cookson should find security for
ten pounds.
At the court held 3d day of Tenth month, 1685, a
case was tried that showed that practical jokes were
played in early times which, as now, resulted to the
disadvantage of some person. The circumstances in
the instance mentioned were briefly these: Matthew
Risley was at the public-house of Henry Hollings-
worth, on Edgmont Avenue, Second Street, Chester,
when a company " came from Maryland to the inn.
Some of the latter knew Risley, and the conversation
turned on marriage, when one of the Marylanders
asked Risley whether he could marry a couple now?"
to which interrogation he replied, " Yes, for twenty
pounds;" but afterwards said that he would do it for
two pieces of eight. The former then stated " she
was an heiress." Risley, however, declared that for a
pot of beer he would clear them even if she was an
heiress. Thereupon the Marylanders called for two
pots of beer and gave them to Risley, who told the
woman she mu.st get up very early in the morning
and mount the horse first, and then take the man she
desired for her husband up behind her on the horse.
If she did this he promises " to clear them all." The
arrangement, however, seemed not to meet their ap-
proval, but they earnestly insisted on being married
that night. Whereupon Risley " went and got a Bible,
and so proceeded as far as they thought they could
well let him, and then one of the company untied a
morning gown, as the man had on, and so he dis-
covered him to be a man and not a woman that he
was marrying." This circumstance coming to the
ears of the grand jury, that body presented Risley,
who, at the next court, on being arraigned, acknowl-
edged the facts as herein stated, whereupon the court
sentenced him to receive thirteen lashes, pay the costs
and be for the term discharged. The clerk records
(the only instance I find where such an entry is made),
" which said number of lashes were laid on his bare
back." Under what law this corpora! punishment
was inflicted I have failed to learn.
At the December court in the previous year the
grand jury presented " Edward Beyer and Jeane Col-
lett for being unlawfully married about the 13 of the
7th month last 1697." The defendant, Edward Beyer,
" came into Court and proffered a petition and de-
clared it was thro' ignorance, and the Court, consider-
184
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ing of the same, moved that he pay the charges of l
the Court and to make his address to the Governor."
The court records afford several instances of the t
violation by and punishment of indentured servants I
under the act of 1700 for marrying without the con- I
sent of the masters having been had thereto; but I i
will refer only to one interesting case, which was
heard Feb. 26, 1633-34. Job Harvey, by petition, in- i
formed the court that Joseph Fisher, his servant, had \
married Mary Jones, a free woman, without his con-
sent, and asked that the offenders may be dealt with \
according to law. " Therefore it is considered by the ;
Court whereby adjudged that the said Joseph Fisher ;
for his said Offence Serve his sd Master or his Assigns
one year after the Expiration of his former Servitude I
and that the sd Mary Jones (or by what other name j
she may be now called) pay the sd Job Harvey for ,
her said offence the sum of Six pounds or serve the '
said Job Harvey or assigned one year in Lieu thereof"
Dr. Smith states' that at a meeting of Friends at
Haverford, in 1699, it was ordered, in respect to
courtship in the future, " that all young men among
Friends make known their intentions to their parents
or guardians before they acquaint the young woman's
relations, and to make it known to the woman's
parents or guardians, before they speak to them, and
if they do otherwise, that they shall condemn the !
same before they proceed any further." This restric- j
tion, at this time, was general in the society. The |
records of Friends' meeting in those early days is
largely composed of matters appertaining to mar-
riages among the members, and in faded ink is noted
these matters which, to the then living, was the most
momentous step in life. In the minutes of Chester
Meeting, under date of Sixth month 27, 1705, is re- !
corded the wise act of a young woman, who learned ■
before, not after the ceremony was performed, that
there was wanting on her part that true affection
without which marriage life is utterly miserable. ;
In the case alluded to, Thomas Martin and Jane
Hent had passed meeting, but for some reason the
ceremony had not followed this approval, and the
woman's meeting, where matters of that kind would j
more likely be talked about, briefly informs us "the
above sd marriage not being accomplished, two wo- I
men Friends, viz.: Alice Simcock and Rebecca Fau-
cett spoak to Jane Hent to know the Reason thereof
and her answer was that shee could not Love him well
enough to bee her Husband. She also said that shee
was very sorry that shee had proceeded so far with
him."
In the early part of the last century the wedding-
day was held as a festival, and William Moraley in-
forms us that, about 1735, among the Pennsylvania
colonists, " Their marriages are very chargeable,
many times Wife's Fortunes being expended at the
Celebration of the Nuptials." At that time the bride
» History of Delaware County, p. 1
going to church, or after the ceremony to her future
home, wore a long black hood over her head instead
of a bonnet. Two yards of rich paduasoy, Watson
tells us, was required to make this hood, and it was
the custom to loan this article of apparel, so that one
hood covered the heads of many brides before it was
discarded as too shabby for further use. Towards the
middle of the last century marriages were usually cel-
ebrated about noon, and generally at the house of the
bride's parents. The utmost good feeling prevailed,
and the cheer made up in its abundance whatever it
might lack, according to our modern notions, in va-
riety or display of the confectioner's skill. About
the beginning of this century it may be questioned
whether any person then residing within this county
of Delaware had ever tasted ice cream, but the wed-
ding dinner was something to gladden the eyes of a
hungry man, while punch was dealt out in profusion.
In addition to the feast at home, it was the custom to
send out cakes, meats, and punch to everybody in the
neighborhood, rich or poor alike, whether visitor or
not of the family. In the evening usually the bride
and groom were escorted to their home by a long pro-
cession of old-fashioned chairs or gigs containing
their friends or relatives, and, if the family permitted
such vanities as dancing, after the supper had been
cleared away an old negro, who played by ear on a
sharp, rasping violin, would strike up the music of
some contra (country) dance or jig, keeping time
to the air with his feet, the beat of which on the bare
floor could be heard above the squeaking sounds of
his fiddle. When the company formed in two long
rows and the smiling musician played " Sir Roger de
Coverley," or, as we of this generation term it, the
"Virginia Reel," each couple at the head of the line
knew it was their turn to begin by a signal from the
dusky Orpheus, which consisted of a profound bow,
accompanying the motion by an emphatic stamp on
the floor. The gentlemen, in their pumps, would
then exhibit some extraordinary figures, interspersing
the merriment with the double-shuttle or cutting the
pigeon-wing, while the smiling girls would bounce
about on the tips of their toes very much as they do
in this year of grace, 1884. Sometimes, when a few
of the more ambitious young people, who had visited
the city, desired to astonish the native's, they would
go through the mazy movement of the minuet to the
astonishment of the rustics. Many games of forfeit
filled in the hours, while the elders would have a
rubber at whist with something depending on the
result to add zest to play, or try their fortune at high-
low-Jack and the game. About nine o'clock, or ten
at the latest, the bride would be spirited away by her
maids, and shortly after the groomsmen would con-
duct the newly-made husband to his wife. At a later
hour the company would ascend to the bridal cham-
ber, taking with them refreshments to the married
couple, generally in the form of liquor. Then one of
the bride's stockings would be thrown across the bed
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
185
among the guests, and the person that it struck, it was
believed, would be the next one of the company to be
married. After good wishes for the future welfare of
the wedded pair, and a kiss to the bride by every man
present, the assembly would depart to their respective
homes.
Burials. — Death is surer even than taxes, hence it
is to be expected that early in our county annals we
should learn of provisions being made to inter the
dead. As ftir back as 1746, Campanius records that
at the Swedish graveyard at Tinicum " the first corpse
that was buried was Andrew Hansan's daughter, Cath-
erine, and she was buried on the 28th of October,
which was Simon's and Jude's day."
In the Duke of York's laws it is stated that the pri-
vate burial of servants and others had occasioned
much scandal, that by such a custom it could not be
ascertained if death had resulted from natural causes
or violence, " for remedy whereof, and for the greater
decency of burials," it was provided that a public
burial-place should be set apart and fenced in each
parish, and before any corpse should be buried three
or four of the neighbors should be called in, one of
whom must be an overseer of the poor, whose duty it
was to view the body, and if there were not suspicious
circumstances, " yet according to the decent custom
of Christendom they may accompany it to the grave."
The burial of a free person or an indentured slave in
any localities other than the public graveyard was in-
terdicted by law, unless in their lifetime the deceased
had signified their desire of being interred elsewhere.
Funerals in the early days were as extravagantly
costly, the circumstances of the people considered, as
at the present day ; not in the undertaker's bill or car-
riages used, for the corpse was borne to the place of
interment, we are told by William Worrall, during
the greater part of the last century on men's shoul-
ders, the coffin being swung on poles, so that the
funeral procession, generally walking, might wind
along the pathways with more ease, for they often fol-
lowed the footpaths over the fields to the place of
sepulture, but in the feasts given to those who at-
teuded the ceremonies. The poles spoken of by Mr.
Worrall must have been the primitive bier, which are
alluded to in the records of Chester meeting, under
date of Seventh month 30, 1706, in which " it is agreed
at this meeting that a decent bear bee Kecpt att every
Grave Yard, and that every preparative (meeting)
within the limits of this meeting do get one made
speedily."
As soon as a death occurred in a family the neigh-
bors came in and made arrangements for the funeral,
scouring the brass-work until it shone like new coin,
for the old furniture was decorated with many brass
ornaments, scrubbing the uncarpeted floors, dusting,
baking, and cooking, until the house of mourning was
fairly put to rights and the repast prepared for the
funeral day. Warners were started out on horseback
to ask persons to be present at the burial services,
who on riding to the door of the dwelling would an-
nounce in monotonous tones, "Thyself and family are
respectfully invited to attend the funeral of Thomas
Smith, Fourth day next at two o'clock," while others
would make frequent visits to the cross-road store to
lay in groceries and other necessary articles needed
for the table. Others of the neighbors would take
their place as watchers over the body, which, stretched
on a cooling board with a sheet over it, was never left
alone. At night lighted candles were placed in the
room, and refreshments provided for those who were
sitting up with the corpse. The pictures and looking-
glasses in the room where the body lay were covered
with white muslin, so that the dead figure would not
be reflected therein.
After the body was interred, in the case of the
death of a man of means, nil the company would re-
turn to the house and the will would be read. The
disposition of his estate by the deceased would afford
a topic of conversation in the neighborhood for a
week at least.
The following is a bill for funeral services of one
John Middleton, of Delaware County, Pa., in 1719.
The original copy is in the possession of Ta^'lor
Tliompson, undertaker in New Garden township,
Chester Co. It is as follows, verhaiim :
"All account of John Middleton's funen II c h ir,. i- i i li 1710
to 634 gallons of wine at 6s-6<i per L' i i ■. : J . M.
to 3 galons of rum at 4s 6d per galnii " ■■ l- K
to quar. of a hundred sugar an siiicr ^i i,, u
to flowar ■«• 1- u
toabarroU aider "H VI 0
to butter and ches UO IS 0
to a huland sheet 01 00 6
to the cofins and digiiig tlio grate OJ 19 6
"6 mu 1 1719 paid to the doct.r gandr wit for £00 16 6."
The custom then was, and it was continued until
the beginning of this century, when a young unmar-
ried woman died, the body was borne to the grave-
yard by young girls, doubtless introduced by the early
Irish settlers, and a like custom prevailed at the
funeral of a child. Miss Sarah Eve,' in her journal,
under date of July 12, 1773, records : " In the even-
ing, B. Rush, P. Dunn, K. Vaughan, and myself car-
ried Mr. Ash's child to be buried ; foolish custom for
Girls to prance it through the streets without hats or
bonnets." The custom of young girls acting as pall-
bearers at the funeral of their female companions anJ
young children seems to have continued in Philadel-
phia during the second decade of this century, for in
the diary of Miss Hannah M. Wharton, under date of
Dec. 19, 1813, it is recorded : " We have had a mel-
ancholy occurrence in the circle of our acquaintance
since I last wrote, in the death of the accomplished
and amiable Fanny Durdin. Six young ladies of her
intimate acquaintance, of which I was one, were asked
to be the pall-bearers. We were all dressed in white,
with long white veils." Mrs. Catharine Ulrich in-
forms me that she can remember, about 1S25, when
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the grandchild of the tenant, then occupying the old j
Brobson house, at the northeast corner of Third and
Peun Streets, Chester, died, that four young girls,
dressed in white, bore the corpse on a bier to the
graveyard.
Food and Dress. — The Swedes on the Delaware
River, we are told, in a letter addressed by one of j
themselves, in the year 1693, to John Thelin, of Got- I
tenberg,' " were almost all husbandmen, and our meat i
and drink is after the old Swedish custom. The
country is very rich and fruitful, and we send out
yearly to our neighbors on this continent and the
neighboring islands bread, grain, flour, and oil. We I
have here, thank God, all kinds of venison, birds, and |
fishes. Our wives and daughters spin wool and flax, \
and many of them weave." The Swedish clergy- j
man. Rev. Eric Biork, a few years afterwards, states j
that there were " no poor in the country, but all pro-
vide for themselves, without any cases of want."
The first English settlers give us an interesting ac-
count of the sturdy race of the North which had pre-
ceded them in subduing the wilderness of the Western
World. Thomas Parker, under date of Feb. 10, 1083,=
writes, — •
" There are Swedes and Finns who have lived here
forty years, and lived an easy life through the abun-
dance of commodities, but their clothes were very
mean before the coming of the English, from whom '
they bought good ones, and they begin to show them-
selves a little proud. They are an industrious people.
They eavploy in their buildings little or no iron. 1
They will build for you a house without any other ;
implement than an axe. With the same implement
they will cut down a tree and have it in pieces in loss
time than two other men would spend in sawing it, j
and with this implement and some wooden wedges
they split it and make boards of it or anything else
they please with much skill. The most of them
speak English, Swedish, Finnish, or Dutch. They
plant a little tobacco and a little Indian corn. The
women are good housekeepers. The most of the linen
they wear they spin the flax and make themselves."
In the early part of the last century among the ■
English settlers, under ordinary circumstances, bread
and milk and pie formed the breakfast meal, or often -
only pop-robbin, a combination of eggs and flour made
to a batter and boiled in milk, appeased their wants.
For dinner a bountiful dish of pork or bacon with
a wheat-flour pudding or dumplings, with butter or
molasses, was the bill of fare, while mush or hominy,
with milk and butter and honey, sufficed for the even- j
ing repast. On important occasions, when venison
and other wild game was in season, chocolate, which
was sweetened with maple-sugar, formed the basis of I
the entertainment. William Worrall, of Ridley, stated i
that he never saw tea or coflfee until about 1750, when j
his father brought some tea from Philadelphia, and
his aunt, who then lived with them, and had charge
of the house, did not know how to use it until she
had received the proper information from one of her
neighbors who had been instructed in the art of tea-
drawing in the city. The prudent conduct of Wor-
rall's aunt was not imitated by one of her friends,
residing in the vicinity, who, when she first had tea
introduced into her house, boiled the leaves and served
them with butter. It was at this time such a rarity
that even in the houses of the wealthy the hostess
would measure with scales the amount of leaf neces-
sary to draw tea for the company, or as in modern days
we put it, " count the noses" of her guests. Later on
in the rural districts, before and after the Revolution,
the daily fare consisted of salt pork or beef, — fresh
meat was an occasional dainty, — rye bread, potatoes,
cabbage, hominy, and turnips, while in summer-time
beans and peas made their appearance on the table.
The latter were eaten with the knife, no one having
the patience to chase peas over a dinner plate with
the wide-spreading, two-tined forks, with massive
buck handles, which were then in general use.
During the latter part of the last century silver
plate was in every household, and each article had its
history, as it was handed down from parents to child
as heirlooms, and was often made the subject of dis-
position by will. But for ordinary use pewter plat-
ters, porringers, and tankards were employed, and
were kept so bright that they shone like a mirror,
while pewter pots filled the place of our modern glass
tumblers and goblets. In many instances it was cus-
tomary for the family, including the domestics and
hired men, to gather around the same board, the
slaves at the bottom of the table. If perchance some
acquaintance came to tea, which was a popular cus-
tom among the women of the wealthier class in town
and country just previous to the Revolution, the party
always dispersed so that the company might get home
before it was time for candle-lighting, and to put their
children to bed.
In 1745, Dr. Franklin invented the open stove,
which he called the Alter Idem, but which is still
known by his name, and it won its way almost imme-
diately to popular favor. At one time all the old
houses in this section of the country, whose owners
were in easy circumstances, had in the parlor a
Franklin stove. In the ancient stone dwelling stand-
ing on the left-hand side of the Queen's Highway,
about five hundred feet above where the mill, race,
and quarry railway crosses the road at Leiperville, is
still to be seen one of these stoves.
On the night of the battle of Brandywine, nL ■•
writing a letter from Chester to Congress, apprising
that body of the defeat of the American army, Wash-
ington joined his troops, that had gathered "back of
Chester," between Leiperville and Darby. Tradition
states that the general sat for some time in the old
house, before the stove, silently watching the fire that
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
187
burned brightly on the iron hearth, for the night was
chilly and the autumnal equinox was then threaten-
ing which broke so violently five days thereafter as
to compel a suspension of hostilities in the pitched
battle which Washington tendered to Gen. Howe near
Goshen meeting-house. Perhaps that night in Rid-
ley, in the firelight, the whole plan of the proposed
but interrupted battle was digested and arranged in
the mind of the commander-in-chief, whose mental
balance no disaster could disturb.
Less than seventy years ago the usual cooking uten-
sils in a well-regulated kitchen consisted of a large
iron stewing pot, a tea-kettle, Dutch oven, a frying-
pan, skillet, a gridiron, and earthen dishes for baking
bread and pies, while on the window-sill or on the
floor was the mark which told by the sunlight the
hour of noon.
The usual dress of the Swedish people on the Del-
aware in early days was strongly but rudely fash-
ioned of skins of animals, and their heads were cov-
ered with caps of the same material, the hair clinging
to the hide. Their shoes, very similar in form to the
Indian moccasins, were made from the skins of ani-
mals slain in the chase. The women were all com-
pelled to employ the same material in making their
jackets and petticoats, and the beds were covered with
deer-, wolf-, and bear-skins. Many of the heads of
families had the apparel they had worn at home in
Europe safely packed away, which, on occasions of
public festivals, were ceremoniously brought forth
and donned by the owner, to the admiration of the
young folks born in the colony.
The dress of the great body of the people previous
to the Kevolution, — those, I mean, who had their daily
labor to do, — was very simple, many of the descendants
of the first settlers clinging tenaciously to the buck-
skin of the early days of the province, out of which
material their breeches and jackets were made. In
1725, from the letter written from Chester township,
by Robert Park to Mary Valentine, already men-
tioned, we find the writer stating that "In Summer
they wear nothing but a skirt and linneu drawers.
Trowses, which are breeches and stockings, all in one
made of Linnen; they are fine Cool wear in Sum-
mer." Underclothing such as we now require was
at that time seldom worn. Oznaburg, a cheap, heavy
shirting, made of hemp-tow, was the material of
■vybich boys' shirts, and often those worn by men,
were made, and a coarse tow-cloth was used for
trousers. Shoes, which were seldom worn in sum-
mer-time, were generally, in the country, made of
neat leather, fastened by large brass buckles on each
Mbstep, unless that was more costly than the wearer
could afford, when shoe-strings answered instead.
The men and boys from the rural districts were
easily recognized on the streets in Philadelphia,
because, in winter and on unusual occasions, they
wore leather breeches and apron. Almost all me-
chanics before the Revolution — carpenters, masons,
coopers, painters, and similar tradesmen — wore, when
at work, great leather aprons, which covered the most
of their breast and reached down below their knees,
such as blacksmiths now use at the forge, and their
ordinary apparel was yellow buckskin breeches, check
shirts, and red flannel jackets. All of them wore real
j beaver hats, an article that then formed a part of their
' freedom outfit. Hired women dressed in linsey-wool-
sey or worsted petticoats, and wore coarse leather shoes,
of which they were particularly careful. It is often re-
i lated of those "good old days," when people deemed
I it a mark of efleminacy to ride to church, that it was
not uncommon to see both men and women trudging
along the highway barefooted, their shoes and stock-
ings in their hands, and when they came near to their
I place of destination they would seat themselves by
the road, put on their shoes and stockings, and adjust
their apparel into proper trim to enter the church,
meeting, or dwelling-house.
As previously stated, about the middle of the last
century wealth began to manifest itself among the
inhabitants of the cities, towns, and in the country
immediately under the influence of the centres of
trade. The education of the people, of course, largely
reflected the aristocratic tone of the mother-country,
hence special privileges and oflSces of honor and
profit came to be monopolized by a few families,
who soon learned to regard themselves as better than
the general public. This class dressed in a style
which peculiarly marked them as of the higher order
of society. Wigs, which were in use in Penn's time,
continued to be worn until the disaster at Braddock's
field, when the British and colonial officers, in fleeing
from that fatal place, cast aside in their flight their
wigs as incumbrances, and afterwards appearing in
public with their natural hair, the fashion soon
changed to the queue. In the days of big wigs it was
no infrequent incident at the dinner-table for the
I large buttons on the sleeve of the servant's livery to
; catch in the mass of horse-hair, leaving the bare pate
I of the guest exposed, while the wig dangled from the
servant's arm. The dress of gentlemen at that period
was of varied colors. It was no uncommon sight to
' see a scion of the aristocratic families attend in a
black velvet coat, green waistcoat embroidered with
t silver figures, yellow velvet breeches fastened at the
j knee with diamond buckles, and the legs incased in
I blue stockings. The calf-skin shoes were clasped
with large silver buckles, studded with imitation or,
i in some cases, real diamonds. Fine lace neckerchief
and wristbands, with a cocked hat, completed the
costume, saving when a dress sword hung at the left
■ side, the scabbard protruding between the stiflened
skirts of the coat. After and during the Revolution
white coats, embroidered with gold, were fashionable,
I but the prevailing color among all classes was indigo
I blue, and, as the dyer's art was indifferently under-
I stood, it is said that in a hasty shower the color
would often wash out or be transferred to the skin of
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the wearer, and, in addition, when the rain caused
the powder in the hair to trickle down the back in a
pasty mass, the plight of the individual must have
been extremely disagreeable. Those persons whose
duty required them to be abroad in all kinds of
weather used oil-cloth cloaks, and a like covering
protected their hats from the wet.
The dress of society women in the olden times was
as much the subject of fashion's capricious whims as
it is to-day. I here propose briefly to mention a few
articles of apparel worn during the last century, and
notice some of the demands the mode made upon its
votaries. When elaborate hair-dressing (requiring
several hours to be consumed in curling, crisping, and
arranging one's head) was in vogue it was no unusual
circumstance for a lady to have her hair dressed forty-
eight hours before a ball, and to sit dozing in a chair
during the intervening nights, for it would have utterly
destroyed her toilet had she lain down. Hoops were
enormous during the greater part of the last century,
until shortly before the Revolution ; not the light
elastic skirt worn recently, but heavy clumsy affairs
which had to be tilted to one side in jiassing through a
narrow doorway. When they began to subside, calli-
manco padded with wool, made into petticoats, took
their places, while over the latter were worn finely-
quilted Marseilles, silk, or satin petticoats, the gown
open and without a front, so that it might be dis-
played. Caps were generally used, and the style
which is now known as " The Martha Washington"
was at that day called "The Queen's Nightcap." Stays
were worn by the wealthy, as a rule ; costly affairs they
were, finished in quilted silk or satin. Worsted dresses,
withaplain whiteapron reaching almostto the ground,
were used for ordinary every-day life, and matrons and
maids had long, large pockets strapped around their
waist beneath their gowns (Lydia Locket, we remem-
ber, lost her pocket) , and a round pin-cushion, inclosed
in a silver rim, and a pair of scissors were pendent
from the girdles with silver chains. Large cloaks of
red cloth were very fashionable, and for many years
no bonnets for ladies were made of any other material
than black silk or satin. During the early part of
this century beaver bonnets were much worn, and
when that addition was made to a lady's toilet, like a
camel's-hair shawl of to-day, she was expected never
again as long as she lived to need another best hat
for winter. All women in moderate circumstances
wore pattens in 1772, and as they stamped over the
streets the racket of these unwieldy affairs could be
noticed a long way off, and going late to church the
delectable clatter they made drew eyes on the tardy
comers and aroused the sleeping Christians. Women
in middle life in the last century wore worsted dresses
and check aprons to church, and very few females,
unless the wife or daughter of a lawyer, doctor, or
clergyman, or merchants in large business, thought of
wearing silks, satin, or velvet. The servants wore
short gowns and petticoats of coarse domestic goods,
and their dress indicated at once their station in life.
j They stood in awe of their employer, and called him
usually master and his wife mistress.
Use of Liquors. — The custom of drinking, so far as
I we have information, was generally indulged in by all
classes throughout Christendom (Mohammed forbade
the use of intoxicating liquors among his followers as
a religious obligation) until within a comparatively
recent period, for, as is well known, in the first quar-
ter of this century it was a reproach to a man among
j the upper class if he could not drink his three bottles
of sherry after dinner without falling beneath the
I table, while "the four-bottle man" was looked up to
as a social hero. Hence it is not surprising that we
I find in our earliest annals that among the Swedes
who settled on the Delaware both men and women
were addicted to an over-indulgence in intoxicating
beverages. We are told by Peterson DeVries that
Governor Printz " weighed upwards of four hundred
pounds, and drank three drinks at every meal," and
the same writer describes the Swedes "as not very
sober, as they bought from the captain of the vessel a
good quantity of wine and sweetmeats, and that neither
j here nor in Virginia was intoxication punished by
I whipping." Of Dominie Laurence Lock, the Swedish
I chaplain, we learn his "great infirmity seems to have
I been an overfondness for intoxicating drinks," but he
certainly must have gotten over this weakness, for
Campanius records " that he died in the Lord in
1688."
After the coming of Penn, from the court records
it appears that drunkenness was of frequent occur-
rence. At the court held 3d day of 1st week. Tenth
month, 1686, " Haunce Urian was fined five Shillings
for being drunk upon Tinicum Island," while at the
court held at Chester, 3d day of 1st week, Seventh
month, 1687, many cases of drunkenness were tried.
I give extracts from the records of that session as a
[ few instances of the manner in which infractions of
the law against intemperance were punished in these
! early days :
*' Robert Stephens was presented by ye Grand Inquest for being Drunk
at Chester since ye last Court for which he was fiued by Ye Court 5«.
Jnniee Sandelains wa.'i fined is. for suffering Hubert Stephens to be
' "John Chard was Presented by Ye Grand Inquest for being Drunlte
about ye beginning of July last, for which he was fined by Ye Court
" Jolm Edge being convicted before John Blunstone and George Maria
for being Drunlce was fined by Ye Court 5s."
" Neales Quist paid 5.s. for being Drunii at Chester."
} The two following cases, which I cite at large from
the old court records (tried at the session just men-
tioned), will present a general idea of the importance
' given to the breaches of the law against intemper-
ance:
" Thomas Bowles being summoned to appear att this Court to answer
ye Complaint of our Sovereign Lord ye King and Chiefe Proprietary for
Buffering the King's Leidge People to be drunk att his house was upon
the same Indicted. The Grand Inquest tind the Bill, Whereupon he is
Called to ye Barr and Pleads not Guilty and refers himself to God and
' ye Country.
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
189
" John Taylor being attested deolareth that Thomas Bowles told him
that he lett Lasia Coleman have soe much rum till ho was soe drunk
that he was forct to be carried to his canow. Albertus Henrickson
being attested declareth that he did see Harmon Johnson soe drunk att
Thomas Bowles' that . . . Thomas Usher beinj; attested declareth that
Samuel Weight did call for tifei att Thomas Bowles' house and he
heard Thomaa Bowles say why might he not have it since he doe pay
for it. Andrew Friend being attested declareth that Thomas Bowles
sold him and William Cob two bowtes of Punch and att another time
he sold ye Trumpeter's soune (sou) a Canu of Tife.
"The jury's verdickt know this thai wo doe finde Thomas Bowles
Guilty according to ye ludicktment. Hereupon Judgment is granted
that he pay 10s. and costs of suit."
At the same court Thomas Bowles was also " Pre-
sented by ye Grand Inquest for selling rum by small
measures without lysence. Remitted upon condition
that he doe soe no more and that he pay his fees."
The second case is as follows :
'*Richd. Crosby being sumoned to appear at this Court to answer
the Complaint of our Sovereign Lord the King and the Chiefe Proprie-
tary for being Drunke and committing other misdemeanors, was for ye
same Indicted. Tlie Grand Inquest find tlie bill. Thp testimony of
Anne Sanderlnine declareth that upon ye 29th day of ye 4th month last,
Richard Crosby was in Drink att Chester and very unruly. Philip
Denning declareth that ye same day Richard Crosby was very much dis-
ordered by drinke and that he was very abusive. William Goford de-
clareth that Richard Crosby being much in Drink Cliallenged ye
Sweads or English or any other man att Cudgells, Wrasling or any
other such violent exercise and further more did strike him upon ye
head and did trip up his heels twice and yt he beard him say ye Sweads
were rogues and did take part with ye Indians. John Clue declareth
ye same. Johannes ffriend declareth tliat he heard Richard Crosby call
ye Sweads Rogues and that they did take part with ye Indians against
ye English.
"Before ye Petty Jury went out upon ye cause, he submitting bim-
selfe unto ye Court, was fined 5s. and ordered to pay Court charges,
and soe to be acquitted."
Crosby was not simply an arrant braggart in his
liquor, for the court records show that he kept the
settlers in fear by his prowess, and was not choice of
his words in expressing his opinion of the justices be-
fore whom he was frequently required to appear. But
Crosby was not the only person who was belligerent
in his cups in that early day, for at the court held at
Chester on 3d day of 2d week, Seventh month, 168.S,
"Thomas Robins and Thomas Woodmans being con-
vickted before John Bristow for Drunkeness, breach
of Peace, breaking ye great Cabin doore and ye head
of Samuel Harrison, mate on board of ye ship Tryall,
was for ye same called to yu Barr. But upon their
submission to ye Court was ordered to pay ox. with all
Court charges."
Dr. John Watson strives to account for the im-
moderate use of liquor among the early settler.-^ by argu-
ing that rum and tobacco were regarded as preven-
tives of dumb agues, fever and ague, and similar
disorders, aad that the people, imagining the air and
water of " this hot climate" to be unwholesome, em-
ployed the luxuries named as antidotes. From the
immediate ill effects of drinking cold water when
overheated with labor in the summer-time, and the
fevers and agues which attacked them in the fall of
the year, the populace became confirmed in the opin-
I ion that liquor, at least, was essential for their well
' being, and as they had no conveniences to make beer
I that would keep in hot weather, they adopted the
[ practice of the laboring people in the West Indies
and drank rum. Hence he ascribes the general and
continued use of intoxicating liquors to this opin-
{ ion, which having "once so far gained ground as to
I influence general habits and customs on an erroneous
I principle, it requires much labor and a long time to
wear them (the customs) out." ^ The true reason was
j that each of the settlers brought with him the man-
ners and customs of his native land, and, as stated
before, all Christian people at that period used liquor
! to excess.
To the Society of Friends the first protest against
the immoderate use of liquor can be traced, and to
them is justly due the credit of curtailing much that
was certainly injurious in the custom during the last
century.
At taverns in the colonial days it was not the rule
as now to hand the bottle to the guest to help himself
according to his capacity, but the landlord filled small
I glasses, known as "jiggers," and if the party was not
satisfied therewith, he was compelled to pay for his
! second drink. At that time, 1730, we are told by
! William Moraley that " Cyder is the most plentiful
I here of all Liquors, besides which they have Mead,
j Methlegin, Perry, and Peach Drink. The Beer not
I good. Madeira Wine is the only Wine used. Rum
I is sold for Three pence the Half Pint, or Ten pence a
I Quart. Haifa Pint of Rum being mixed with three
Half Pints of Water or Small Beer, makes Bombo,
I but mixed with Cyder, makes Sampson, an Intoxica-
j ting Liquor."
I In the early part of the last century nothing, it
; seems, could be done without liquor. At the birth
of an infant the women of the neighborhood collected
at the house, and wine or cordial waters was distrib-
uted to the guests, while rum, either buttered or made
into hot tiff, was given to the mother, as it was then
: deemed to be e.ssentially necessary for her speedy re-
i covery. '
At the raising of hoilses and barns liquor was an
imjiortant element, and the cedar branch on the top
of the building announced that good cheer would
supplement the work. No crop, it was thought, could
be garnered without a liberal use of stimulants, and
in 1700 at funerals it was then the custom for a ser-
vant (usually a negro) to carry around among those
assembled sugar cakes, hot liquor, and wine, of which
all present, both young and old, partook. It was
given to every person, those as well standing in the
street or sitting at the door. It was then not an un-
! usual thing for a person fond of his glass to take a
position so that he might be served among the first,
and then to take another station so that he would re-
ceive, like Benjamin, a double portion. The abuse of
I Watson's Annals, vol.
190
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
this hospitality became so marked that Chester's
Monthly Meeting (Twelfth month 22, 1724-25) took |
definite action thereon, as follows:
" At our Quarterly Meeting it was desired ye friends
take care at Burralls not to make great provision as i
to provide strong Liquors & hand it about; but lett
Every one take yt is free to take it as they have oca-
tion and not more than will doe them Good."
Notwithstanding this testimony against the absurd
custom, it continued to be practiced almost to the be-
ginning of this century, and often families, to furnish
" the funeral baked meats," cramped themselves to
such an extent that in many households where death
had intruded the most rigid economy was entailed on
the survivors for months to discharge the costly hos-
pitality of the funeral day.
For years at public sales it was the practice to hand
bottles of liquor and hot rum round among the crowd,
until it had grown such an evil that in 1750 the Gen-
eral Assembly took notice of it, and gave the reason
for the then enactment, that '" inasmuch as a perni-
cious custom has prevailed in many places of giving
rum and other strong liquors to excite such as bid at '
vendues to advance the price, which, besides the injus- I
tice of the artifice, leads to great intemperance and :
disorder." Hence it was declared a penal offense for i
any person in the future to give or sell liquor on such
occasions, subjecting the party convicted thereof to a
fine of four pounds for the first, and five pounds for
every subsequent, violation of the law.
Justice, too, it seems, must needs invoke the use of
liquor to rightly adjust the scales. At the Court of
Oyer and Terminer, held at Chester, November, 1752,
James Rice, alias Dillon, and Thomas Kelly were
tried and convicted for the murder of Eleanor Davis
and John Thomas. The following bill paid the com-
missioners for " the Justices' Expenses at the Court of
Oyer and Terminer, November, 1752," gives an idea i
of the entertainment required by the judges of th(
Supreme Provincial Court while making their circuit
Three dinners
8 half-peck ol 0;i
Bowel of pun. h..
Bowel of pun.ti..
Oats
Bowel of punch..
Bowel of punch..
Wine
Puuch 0
Liquor 0
8 half peck Oats 0
Punch
8 hiilfpeck of Oats
6 suppers
Corcliall
Two nights' pay for 8 1
No public business, it seems, could be properly
done without the use of liquor. It was customary to
allow jurors in capital cases the use of liquor when
deliberating on their verdict. In the commissioners'
oflice, at West Chester, the following bill, dated 1745,
is on file paid by the county :
" For commissioners, assessors, justices, and grand jury ;
£ J. d.
Wine 0 2 8
Punch 0 3 0
Mare Wine 0 5 4
Punch (13 0
Niml.o 0 2 8
One hole broke 0 2 0
Total 0 18 8"
The Origin and Brief Notice of the Temperance
Movement in Delaware County.— As stated before.
Friends, as early as February, 1725, gave testimony
at Chester Meeting against the inordinate use of
liquor at funerals, and from time to time tliereafter
they moved in the endeavor to check the widespread
habit of drinking to excess, until by degrees their in-
fluence extended beyond their own society, and grad-
ually a general sentiment was aroused, until much of
the evil was done away by the force of public opinion.
There was at that time no effort looking to a prohibi-
tion of the manufacture or sale of liquors, and it is
doubtful whether the latter movement extends back-
ward in our national history half a century. In this
county, so far as I have knowledge, the first society
organized for temperance work was known as "The
Darby Association for Discouraging the Unnecessary
Use of Spirituous Liquors;" and from the address
issued by that body on the 17th of Sixth month, 1819,
I find they protested against the fashionable custom
of treating, and called upon farmers to discard liquor
from the harvest-fields and meadows, which, if done,
they say in a few years workingmen would cease to
expect it as a privilege or claim it as a right. The
association advised the formation of similar associa-
tions throughout the land.
A Delaware County temperance society was organ-
ized in 1835, and strongly urged the formation of aux-
iliary societies in each township. So rapidly did the
movement develop, that on Monday, Oct. 5, 1835, a
temperance harvest home was held at Zion meeting-
house. Darby, while at the county meeting of the or-
ganization, in the Methodist Church, Chester, March
22, 1837, there were delegates from Waterville, Leiper-
ville, Marple, Lima, Chester, Wesleyan, Haverford,
Haddington, and the Union Society of Shoemaker-
ville present. Lodges in Lower Chichester, Darby,
and other townships were also established.
The movement had so spread in 1842 that many
merchants throughout the county announced that they
kept "temperance grocery-stores;" and in August,
1844, John Hawkins, in Upper Darby, on the West
Chester road, opened a temperance hotel, — the How-
ard House, on which occasion the temperance people
of the county assembled in large numbers, and appro-
priate services were held, while in the same year the
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
191
^Vasllington Hotel, in Chester, ceased to be a license
house. When it was opened as a temperance tavern
flags were suspended across Market Street, a great
concourse of people gathered, a brass baud furnished
music, and speeches were made by prominent tee-
totalers.
The question of license soon became a political
issue, and so concentrated was the pressure brought
upon the Legislature that that body passed a bill,
which was approved by Governor Porter April 7,
1846, authorizing a vote by the people of the State,
by which the electors of cities, boroughs, and town-
ships could determine whether liquor should legally
be sold therein. On March 19, 1847, the following
vote was cast for and against license in the localities
named :
For. Against.
Betljel 31 22
Birmingham 20 54
Chester borougli 88 103
Chester townsiiip 40 90
Concord 60 15
Upper Chichester 18 27
Lower Chichester .'J6 60
Darby 70 G2
Upper Darby 3 119
EtJgiuont 51 46
Haverford 36 85
Marple..: 45 82
Midtlletown 113 77
Newtown 40 65
Upper Providence 50 59
Northern Providence 41 88
Radnor 86 107
Ridley 79 79
Springfield 31 77
Thorubury 4il 21
1094
1471
As will be seen in Bethel, where there had never
been license granted, so far as I have ascertained, and
where the only application ever made to the court of
Delaware County, in 1802, was rejected, the majority
was for license, and in Ridley the vote was a tie. In
the western part of the State a case was made and
carried to the Supreme Court to test the law, and at
the September term, 1847, Judge Bell delivered an
opinion holding the act unconstitutional, inasmuch
as it delegated to the people part of the functions of
the Legislature, which the fundamental law had re-
posed solely in the latter body. This decision abso-
lutely paralyzed the "Sons of Temperance," their or-
ganizations disbanded, and for some years only a
desultory contest against license was continued by a
few individuals, noticeable in Upper Darby, until
finally even their protest ceased.
After the war of the Rebellion terminated an or-
ganization known as Good Templars was formed in
Delaware County, and grew rapidly, until in August,
1869, a mass meeting was held at Media. The court-
room was crowded by members from the various
lodges in the county. So formidable had the roll be-
come in numbers that they demanded and procured
the passage by the Legislature of the special act for
Delaware County of March 9, 1872, better known as
the "Holiday Law," which was followed by a move-
ment throughout the State, on the part of the tem-
( perance associations, resulting in the act of March
27, 1872, providing that every three years thereafter,
at the cities, boroughs, and township elections, the
electors therein should vote whether liquor should or
should not be sold in such cities and counties, which
act is better known as the " Local Option Law."
The following is the vote in this county in the spring
I of 1873, when the question was submitted to the peo-
' pie:
.^s'on 110 77
Bethel 23 36
Birmingham 31 49
Chester township 38 110
South Chester 80 112
Concoril 66 96
Upper Chichester 16 .35
; Lower Chichester 52 99
, Darby borough 86 69
I Darby township 45 29
Upper Darby 82 109
Edgmont 45 39
Haverford 85 78
Media 70 154
Marple 43 89
Middletown 158 104
: Newtown 63 39
Upper Providence 71 69
I Lower Providence 23 78
Radnor 92 93
Ridley ,51 82
Springfield 49 81
Thornbury 49 40
Tinicum 15 6
Upland 3u 117
1462 1880
Miyority against license, 418, e.\clusive of Chester City.
Chester City.
Northward 2!)3 242
Middle Ward 302 125
Southward 201 246
j Majority for license 203
I Subsequently the Legislature by the act approved
by Governor Hartranft, April 12, 1875, repealed the
I Local Option Law of 1872, and the special law for
\ Delaware County, of March 9, 1872, was repealed by
: the act of April 18, 1878.
i In concluding this chapter I have written to little
' purpose if I have failed to show that the present age
is much better than " the good old times of Adam and
of Eve." It is only by throwing in bold contrast the
I past with the present that we mark the great progress
of mankind. I unhesitatingly state my belief that in
I morals, in education, in general health, the people of
' to-day are as much improved over those who lived
i and acted during our Revolutionary struggles as the
latter were superior in that respect to the early settlers.
I If we could place the old manners of life side by side
j with those of the present generation, we would be
easily convinced that the comforts which now surround
the families of moderate means far exceed that main-
tained among the comparatively wealthy classes of
[ our land a century ago. When we remember that in
Penn's time not a floor in the province was covered
with acarpet, that tooth-brushes were unknown, and, in
fact, that it was regarded as a mark of etfeminacy for
many years after his day to clean the teeth at all, that
personal cleanliness was not considered essential either
to comfort or health, that less than a hundred and
fifty years ago, among the aristocratic ladies, their
192
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
enormous head-dresses when once fixed were not dis-
turbed or altered for a month, until they became as
intolerable to the wearer as they had long been
offensive to all who drew near; when women wore
scratch-backs suspended at their girdles (a pretty
picture it must liave been to watch these big head-
dresses bobbing about as the wearer twisted and pulled
one of the scratch-backs up and down, to allay the
intolerable itching on that part of the body) ; when
pewter plates were used in place of china or delft, a
miserable tallow candle, or at best a wax taper, at
night alone shed a flickering uncertain light; when
only the wealthy could buy books, and when the young
high-born lady pored over the pages of " Tom Jones,"
" Joseph Andrews," or " Roderick Random," unre-
strained, and the farmer, if he could read, was re-
stricted to the almanacs, which, stitched together as
the years passed by, hung suspended on a nail near
the chimney -place; when the pious church-goers sat
bolt upright in an uncushioned pew, and for two or
three hours in midwinter remained shivering in the
church without a fire, while the tedious clergyman
hurled weighty sermons on doctrinal points, which he
himself did not comprehend, at his unfortunate audi-
ence ; when on cold mornings the fire was out, the dis-
mal housewife gouged great pieces of ilesh out of her
fingers in trying to procure a spark from the flint and
tinder, while men among us now of middle age can
recall when they as boys sat in an out-house breaking
great lumps of coal with a hammer to make it fit the
stove, until they cursed the day that gave them birth.
Notwithstanding our comforts, those who follow us
in a hundred years will be thankful that they have
not to endure the hardships of the present age, and
that they enjoy many things conducive to man's hap-
piness which are now unknown.
CHAPTER XX.
TRAVELING AND TRANSPORTATION, WITH AN AC-
COUNT OF THE RAILROADS IN THE COUNTY.
In these days of rapid transit, when inside of
eighty days a man can "put a girdle round about the
earth," it is a difficult matter to comprehend the slow
journeys of the olden time, or that hardly three hun-
dred years ago travelers had no choice but to ride on
horseback or walk. Nor was that all they had to
contend with, at least in this colony, for as early as
Sept. 22, 1676,' it was a law, "That if hereafter any
Stranger or person unknown shall come to or Travill
through any Towne or place within this Government
without a Passport or Certificate from whence hee
came and wither hee is bound, shall bee lyable to bee
Seized upon by any Officer of the Towne or Place
1 Duke of York's Laws, p. 72.
unto which hee comes, or through which he shall
travill, there too bee Licenced untill hee can Cleare
himselfe to bee a free Man, and shall defray the
Charges of his Detention there, by his worke of
Labour (if not otherwise able to give Satesfaction)
in the best way and Manner hee sliall bee found
capable."
Indeed, previous to the year 1700, strangers were by
law forbidden to travel from place to place, and so
strict was the regulation that ferrymen were com-
pelled to enter into bond not to carry any person un-
known to them, unless he could produce a traveling
pass signed bj' a magistrate; and innkeepers were
required to notify the officers of the law when
strangers sought lodgings at their houses, so tiiat the
authorities miglit inquire into the antecedents of
their guests.
Under William Penn it became almost as difficult
to get away from the colony as to travel in it. For
the fifty-fifth law provided " that Every person in-
tending to depart or leave the Province & Territories
thereof, Shall publish his or her intention in writing,
affixed to the door of the County Court, where hee
or shee inhabits thirty days before his or her Depart-
ure, and Shall have a pass under the County Seal."
All captains of vessels were forbidden to carry a
person away unless he or she was provided with such
a pass, and the violation of that injunction rendered
the captain responsible for all damages any one
might suffer by reason of the passenger having
absconded. Similar laws were enacted in 1700 and
1705.
The first mention of a pass being granted occurs at
the court held in Chester, 6th of Eighth month, 1685,
where it is recorded that " Robert Cloud had a pass
granted him to depart the Province, dated ye 26th day
of ye 9th month, 1685, his brother William Cloud,
of Concord, being his security to Safe ye Country
Harmless."
All men then traveled by land on horseback.
Ladies at that time rode on pillions (a pad or cushion
attached to the hinder part of the saddle and fixed
on the horse), behind some relative or servant-man,
unless, like Queen Christina, of Sweden, they pre-
ferred to ride astride the animal, as men did. In the
latter part of the year 1678 it is recorded in the jour-
nal of Peter Sluyter and Jasper Danekers, the Laba-
dist missionaries, that Ephraim Herman, who accom-
panied tlie travelers from New York to New Castle,
had his wife with him, and she rode all the way,
excepting that part which was made in boats, on a
pillion behind her husband. In the first quarter of
the last century it is told of John Salkeld, the noted
public Friend (who, about 1708, built the house which
now stands partly in the roadway on Norris Street,
above Third, South Ward, Chester), that on one occa-
sion, during a religious visit to New Jersey, he was
accompanied by his daughter, Agnes, riding on a pil-
lion behind her father; that after meeting he rode
TEAVELING AND TRANSPORTATION.
away, leaving his daughter at the house of worship,
and that he did not notice that she was not with him
until he had gone several miles. The late William
Worrall, of Ridley, who was born in Marple in 1730,
used to relate that in his youthful days, at marriages,
the bride rode to meeting behind her father or next
best friend, seated on a pillion ; that after the cere-
mony was over and the wedded couple were ready to
return, the pillion was then placed behind the saddle
of the husband, and his wife would in that manner
be conveyed to her new home. At that time, and
until a very recent period, all houses, in the country
at least, had high horse-blocks for women to use in
mounting behind the men who rode the animals.
These blocks were iisually three stone steps, and were
also located near by all the old churches and meet-
ing-houses. In more modern days they were used to
mount into side-saddles.
In the early times all merchandise and freight was
transported on pack-horses. Grain was thus carried
to market in large sacks, holding between two and
three bushels, which were placed on pack-saddles, and
a lad mounted on one animal would lead three or four
in a line behind the one he rode. Mr. Worrall also
stated that in his youth " there were no carts, much
less carriages. They hauled their grain on sleds to
the stacks. He assisted his father to carry on horse-
back one hundred bushels of wheat to Charles Hum-
phrey's mill, in Haverford township, which he sold
for two shillings a bushel." In this statement he was
partly correct. We know that by means of pack-
horses the most unwieldy articles were then trans-
ported,—bars of iron, barrels of whiskey, and other
necessaries.
Mr. Worrall was not, however, accurate in declaring
that there were no carriages in the province in his
early manhood, for in 1725 there were eight gentlemen
of means, including the Governor, each of whom was
reported to own a four-wheeled carriage drawn by two
horses, and at that time one of the number was kept
in the present county of Delaware by Chief Justice
David Lloyd, who lived in the old Porter house, as it
was known to the present generation, at the foot of
Welsh Street. That they were clumsy vehicles can-
not be doubted, for even the chair or old-fashioned
sulky, that many of the older people can yet recall,
was nothing but a common arm-chair on leather
braces, suspended over a pair of wheels. The latter
conveyance was. exceedingly light in weight, which
was only proper at that time, when between the high-
waymen, who perchance would bid you " stand and
deliver" at any moment, and the miry road, almost
hub-deep in winter, which might stall you for half a
day, no prudent man was justified in traveling a hun-
dred miles without first making his will and so far as
he could winding up his affairs, for he had no assur-
ance that he would ever return alive, hence the
lighter the vehicle he rode in the greater would be his
chance of getting safely home again.
The roads in early times were simply narrow passes
for horsemen, and the bridges, as shown by the court
records, were built for the passage over the streams of
persons traveling in that manner. On Nov. 24, 1708,
the justices ordered James Hendrickson to repair the
bridge over Chester Creek, and also the same day the
court " further agreed that the said James Hendrick-
son shall build a bridge over Marcus Hook creek in
the Queen's Road, where the old bridge now is, and
erect it 10 foot broad and so long as is sufficient and
necessary for the same to extend, and to build it all
of white oak timber completely finished." The roads,
too, previous to 1700, were impassable for horsemen,
and travel by water was even intercepted in these
times. At a court held in Chester, Seventh month 14,
1692, a case was called, and neither party to the suit
appearing, the records show this entry, " The Court
considering that the weather was so bad that it was
impossible for anyone to get down the River they
I thought fitt to continue the action until the next
j Court."
The people residing near the navigable streams,
certainly before the beginning of the eighteenth cen-
tury, traveled from place to place by water. It was
not until about 1720 that any carriages, save that of
Penn's family, were used in the province, and they
I were then so rare that in passing along the road they
I excited as much attention from the rustics as a circus
j does at this time. About the middle of the century
they had come into fashion among the grandees of
( our colonial days. We are informed that Col. Har-
[ rison, of Virginia, in 1755, passed through Chester in
his chaise ' on his way southward, having Mrs. Bel-
I chior, of Maryland, under his protection. We know
that Gen. Washington rode through the country with
I a coach and four, with two postilions and an out-
[ rider in showy livery. Frequently he passed through
j Chester in this style, or rather his family would be in
j the carriage, while he, mounted on a handsome horse,
which he rode remarkably well, would follow, the
wonder and admiration of the dwellers in the ancient
borough, who would gather along the streets to see
him pass. He generally stopped at the Washington
House, and when his imposing equipage would halt
j before the door of the old tavern, the entire business
' of the town would cease, aud the people would loiter
j around until the great man and his coach had rum-
bled away in the distance.
In 1732 a line of stages ran from Burlington to
Amboy, across New Jersey, connecting at each end
of the route with sail-boats. These fast stage-coaches,
for such they were called, showed at that period re-
j markable progress in means of passenger transporta-
tion. A journey then was no unimportant event,
I when by the clumsy stage a man could travel about
! forty miles a day ; that is, if the roads were in good
i condition ; while even to do this, if the highway was
I I " Maryland Gossip in 1T55," Peiiiia. Mag. of Hisl., vol. iii. p. 146
194
HISTOKY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
heavy, he must rise at three or four o'clock iu the
morning and prolong the ride far into the night. In
the winter, if the road was much traveled, it soon be-
came a quagmire, into which the horses would fre-
quently sink to their knee.s in the adhesive mud.
Then all bands would have to get out and help pry
the great lumbering vehicle, which was hub-deep, out
of the trouble. As recent as Jan. 10, 1834, the
Queen's Highway between Chester and Darby was so
bad that the mail-coach from Washington stuck fast
in the mud below Darby, and had to be drawn to that
village by oxen ; while on Jan. 9, 1836, a heavy lum-
ber box on runners, used as an omnibus between
Darby and Philadelphia, stuck fast in a snow-drift
near the former place, and it was two days before it
could be moved.
I have not definitely ascertained when the first
stage-line was established between Philadelphia and
Baltimore, but Martin' gives the abstract of a long
advertisement which appears in the Independent Gaz-
etteer, or the Chronicle of Freedom, published in Phila-
delphia, Jan. 2, 1788. Greeshorn, Johnson & Co., of
"the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Eastern Shore
Line of Post Coach Carriages," state that carriages
will set out on Fourth Street, nearly opposite the old
Indian Queen Tavern, during the winter on Mondays
and Thursdays of every week, at ten o'clock in the
forenoon, and arrive in Baltimore on Wednesdays
and Saturdays in good season for dining. The pas-
sengers on their way from Philadelphia will dine at
the " Queen of France Inn," kept by Mr. John Jar-
vis, twenty-two miles from the city. In the issue of
the same paper, July 12, 1788, the notice is some-
what changed, and the rates of fare are given thus :
Miles. £ s. d.
" From Phila. to Chester 15 0 5 0
" Chester to Qu. of France 7 0 2 6
" Q. of F. to Wilmington 6 0 2 6
" Wil. to Christiana Br 10 0 3 4
" Ohiisliaua Br. to Env 12 0 4 2
" Elk to Snaquehanua 16 0 7 6
" Phila. to Susque. Br 66 15 6
" Susque. to Baltimore 37 Gratis
" The passengers sleep the firit night at Christiana bridge."
In the same journal, issue of Feb. 11, 1788, the
following note is given : " The proprietors of the Old
Line of Stages, having united with the lines from
New York to Philadelphia, and thence to Baltimore,
will begin to run on Monday, the 18th inst. The
stages will leave the New York and Baltimore Stage
Office on 4th Street, two doors from the Indian
Queen, Kept by Mr. James Thompson, at 6 o'clock
on the mornings of Mondays, We<lnesdays, and Fri-
days, and will return again on Tuesdays, Thursdays,
and Saturdays each week during the Winter Season."
At the time mentioned there must have been rival
lines I'unning to Baltimore, that of Greeshorn, John-
son & Co., and G. P. Vanhorne, Kerlin & Co. The
following advertisement appears in the Pennsijl rania
Packet, MAKh 11, 1790:
1 History of Chester, p. 194.
"PUBLIC STAGES.
"The well-established Mail Stages between the City of Philadelphia
and Baltimore continue their regular Tours respectively from each place
by the way of the Susquehaunah, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fri- '
days, fieturning on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. To facili-
tate the dispatch and arrival of the Public Mails is an obligation indis-
pensable, and every exertion to accommodate engages the duty and
interests of the proprietors. The passengers are therefore requested to
be early in their preparations for the Stages starting, as the most assid-
uous efforts are requisite and will be practiced, to render general and
complete satisfaction.
"G. P. Vanhoene, Keeun &. Co.
" N.B.— Regulations to be seen in the Stage office at the George Inn."
William Kerlin and Matthias Kerlin, Jr., were both
interested in stage coach companies, by which occu-
pation they became wealthy ; Matthias Kerlin retiring
from business about 1792 with an ample fortune, re-
turned to Delaware County, his native place, to
reside.
The American Annual Regkter for 1796, published
Jan. 19, 1797, presents the unattractive picture of the
post-road through the county at that period, and the
unpleasant experiences that then awaited the trav-
eler. It says, " The roads from Philadelphia to Bal-
timore exhibit for the greater part of the way an
aspect of savage desolation. Chasms to the depths of
six, eight, or ten feet occur at numerous intervals. A
stage-coach which left Philadelphia on the 5th of
February, 1796, took five days to go to Baltimore.
The weather for the first four days was good. The
roads are in a fearful condition. Coaches are over-
turned, passengers killed, and horses destroyed by the
overwork put upon them. In winter, sometimes, no
stage sets out for two weeks." Isaac Wild, Jr., of
Dublin, in 1796 visited this country, and describing
his journey by stage from Philadelphia to Baltimore,
he records, "The driver had frequently to call to the
passengers in the stage to lean out of the carriage,
first on one side, then at the other, to prevent it from
oversetting in the deep ruts with which the road
abounded. ' Now, gentlemen, to the right,' upon
which all the passengers in the stage stretched their
bodies half out of the carriage to balance it on that
side ; ' Now, gentlemen, to the left,' and so on.
These performances took place about every half-mile.
If the road was contiguous to a wood, they just cut
down a few trees to open a new passage, an operation
which they called making a road."
During the first thirty odd years of the present cen-
tury there were several lines of stages running be-
tween the points named, — Beeside, Stockton & Stokes,
Murdock & Nasp, and Janviers' rival lines of coaches.
They changed their horses and stopped for meals at
designated places, and made certain inns their head-
quarters. The large stable-yards around the old
Washington Hotel (Reeside's line stopped at that
house), the Columbia House, and the City Hotel
(then known as the Eagle and afterwards as the Na-
tional), in Chester, were necessary for the change of
horses and coach stopping-places. It was a busy
scene in those times when the lumbering stage, with
TRAVELING AND TRANSPORTATION.
195
its coachman, in the winter-time, wrapped in a great
coat of many capes, expertly throwing a whip with a
long lash that sounded in the frosty air like the crack
of a pistol, the horses at a full gallop, came into sight,
the coach-body surging on its heavy leather springs,
rumbling over the hard-frozen, lumpy road, and at
last turning into the spacious inn-yard. The ear-
splitting blast from the guard's horn, which was
always blown in coming into the town, brought every
one to the windows of the houses, for it was some-
thing to be regretted, for twenty-four hours at least,
in those days if the stage clianeed to go by unob-
served. Often, too, the guard, out of very wantonness,
would " toot his horn" just to see the horses in the
field, who came trotting to the roadside fences to look
at the passing wonder, scamper at the noise, and
sometimes to alarm the farmers jogging along in the
road before the stage. About the beginning of this
century, at the run which crosses the King's High-
way just below Thurlow Station, the guard once blew
a blast to quicken up a lady's horse that was ambling
along in a sleepy manner, and did it so eflectually
that the rider was thrown to the earth and into the
run,"receiving such injuries that she died within a few
minutes.
After the commissioners appointed by Governor
Snyder had laid out the street or State road, in 1815,
which was afterwards known as the Baltimore, Phila-
delphia and New London turnpike, lines of stages
were placed on that highway, and John Way, the
then landlord of the Concordville Hotel, stated, in
his petition in 1830, that his house was located " on
the road leading from Philadelphia to New London
cross-road, at which the stage teams are now daily
changed on their tours between Philadelphia and
Baltimore."
Albert Gallatin, in 1807, then Secretary of the
Treasury, in a report to the Senate of the United
States, states that " the Lancaster road, the first ex-
tensive turnpike that was completed in the United
States, is the first link of the great western communi-
cation from Philadelphia." The road passes through
the extreme northeastern verge of Haverford and
diagonally through Radnor, and at an early date
lines of stage-coaches ran along this noted highway.
Shortly after the Revolution Chester seems to have
been a place of considerable attraction as a Sundaj'
resort, and that the public, desirous of visiting the
ancient borough, might not lack transportation a
Sunday line of stages was run to supply that demand,
as we learn from the following advertisement in the
Philadelphia Gazetteer for July 3, 1789 :
"The Subscriber intends to run a Carriage from this city to Chester
every Sunday and means to carry passengers at a lower rate than the
regular stage; and in order that they may arrive in Chester in time for
the Sermon, the Coach will leave the Indian Queen, on Fourth Street
at half-past 6 o'clock in the morning At Chester a fresh set of able-
bodied Horses will be provided to return, so that the company may
start thence in time for an agreeable refresbmeut at Messrs. Grays, and
arrive in Philadelphia as early as they wish.
"Matthias Keelin, Jr."
The general local travel from the neighborhood of
Chester to Philadelphia was sadly cared for in the
beginning of this century. Persons living on the
King's Highway, below Chester, and the Queen's
Highway, above that town, would have their trunks
brought to the front gates of their houses and wait
for the Baltimore or Wilmington stage to come, and,
if there chanced to be a vacant place, they were taken
in and carried to their destination, but frequently the
coachman .shook his head and drove by without stop-
ping. To meet this want, about 1830, Chester rose to
the dignity of having a line of stages to Philadelphia.
I I copy the following advertisement from the Weekly
Vhifor of Dec. 9, 1831 :
"PHILADELPHIA AND CHESTER COACHES.
" John Pucians respectfully informs the inhabitants of Chester and vi-
I cinity that he has commenced running a line of stages between Philadel-
phia and Chester, leaving Philadelphia every morning at S o'clock, start-
I ing from the Sign of the Camel on North Second street and stopping for
1 passengers at the Sign of the Cross Keys, corner Second and Lombard
I streets, and leaving Chester every afternoon at three o'clock, starting
{ from the hotel of Samuel R. Lamplugh."
I Lamplugh at that time kept the Columbia House,
] but the steamboats were then furnishing compara-
tively excellent transportation, and the enterprise
languished, and finally the coaches were discontinued.
In alluding to the difiiculties that beset the traveler
by the public roads, mentiou was made of highway-
men. Perhaps it would have been better had the
! term foot-pads been used, for in no instance that I
have found did the thief present himself handsomely
appareled, mounted on a dashing steed, with a black
; silk mask covering the upper part of his face; but, in
truth, he had usually a hang-dog appearance, with-
\ out any of the mythological accessories that are al-
ways present in the highwaymen of the novelists.
In the fall of 1798 Richard Flower, of Chester
Mills, was stopped on the Queen's Highway near the
run that crosses the road below Thurlow Station by a
man who demanded his money. Mr. Flower appar-
ently was complying with the unwelcome request
when, seeing his opportunity, he struck the thief a
blow on the head with his heavy riding-whip, which
felled him to the ground, and then urging his horse
into a run he made his way safely home.
In the Post Boy for May 25, 1824, is the following
account of a highway robbery committed in this
county on the night of the 21st of May of that year:
" Robbery. — On Friday evening last Mr. Samuel Black, of this
county, being in his market-cart, on his way home from Philadelphia,
was attacked on the West Chester road by five robbers, armed with
clubs, an axe, etc., who led the hoi-se and cart into the woods, bound
Mr. Black in the cart, and after heating him, took what money they
could find in his pockets, and left him in a mangled and insensible con-
dition. On their first appearance Mr. Black succeeded in concealing
his watch and pocket-book (which contained the principal part of his
money and some papers) where they were not discovered. One of the
robbers, who was very much intoxicated, threatened to take the life of
Mr. Black, and there is no doubt he would have put his threat in exe-
cution had he succeeded in getting into the cart, which he attempted to
do. After they had left him some time, Mr. Black recovei ed sufficiently
to unbind himself, and succeeded in getting to the nearest house. It
would be well for persons who travel in the night to be prepared for the
reception of such villains,"
196
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The last case I shall mention occurred about ten
o'clock on the night of Feb. 8, 1838, when Warren
Gibbon, returning from market, was stopped on the
highway, a short distance west of Darby, by three
men, who caught his horse by the head. Two of the
men then held Gibbon, while the third presented a
pistol at his breast with one hand and robbed him
with the other. They took from him seventy-five
dollars, his watch, and some of his clothing.
There was, of course, during all the time of which
I write, the natural highway, the Delaware, and the
early emigrant made constant use of it in going from
settlement to settlement. Among the first mention
respecting transportation the canoe is prominent, and
we know that after Governor Markham's coming
there appears to have been constant communication
by water between the settlements from Burlington to
the Capes of the Delaware. Gabriel Thomas, in his
" History of Pennsylvania," published in 1698, states
that " Chester, the German town, New Castle, and
Lewistown'' are the four great market towns, and
" between these towns the watermen constantly ply
their wherries." In October, 1698, Joseph Holt and
Isaac Warner were drowned in the river, near Tini-
cum, by the upsetting of the ferry-boat going from
New Castle to Philadelphia, and on the 23d of the
preceding month John Barnskill was a passenger
from Chester to Philadelphia in a ferry-boat, when it
was overturned by a sudden gust of wind and he was
drowned. Shallops constantly plied between the vil-
lages of Marcus Hook and Chester to Philadelphia in
the last century, and during the months of June,
July, August, and September, 1790, John Fitch ran a
steamboat, the " Perseverance," as a passenger- and
freight-boat on the Delaware, between Philadelphia,
Trenton, Burlington, Chester, Wilmington, and
Gray's Ferry, advertising her trips regularly in the
newspapers of that day. During that summer his
steamboat ran over three thousand miles in these
trips. This was seventeen years before Robert Fulton
made his noted journey in the " Clermont," in Sep-
tember, 1807, from New York to Albany. Fitch was
a watchmaker, and during the Revolution repaired
old muskets. One day, it is stated, he was walking
along the stage-road near Newtown, N. J., suffering
with rheumatism in his feet, and was so much an-
noyed by passing wagons that he declared, "I will
make steam carry me." He did so, but the ma-
chinery of the " Perseverance" was so defectively
constructed that it was constantly breaking down, and
ultimately ruined its inventor.
In the last decade of the last century and in the
early part of this the "Chester Planter," a shallop,
built by Richard Flower to carry flour from the Ches-
ter Mills (the present site of Upland) to Philadelphia,
would frequently take passengers to and from the
places named, but in time the vessel became so old
and decayed that it was run on the bank at Mount
Mellick, on the opposite side of the creek from Up-
land, where its frame remained many years, until it
entirely rotted down.
Previous to 1819, Capt. John D. Hart ran the sloop
" John Wall" as a passenger- and freight-boat between
Chester and Philadelphia, leaving the former place
on Mondays and Thursdays, and returning every
Wednesday and Saturday. The " Wall" continued
on the line until and including the year 1828. In
1824, John Ashmead Eyre owned the sloop " Mary
and Louisa," commanded by Capt. James Eyre, which
he ran as an opposition packet from Chester, and
in 1830 the sloop "Hunter," Capt. Harrison, made
regular trips. In 1827, Peter Deshong ran the sloop
" Mary and Louisa" as a regular packet between
Chester and Philadelphia, leaving the former place
every Tuesday and Friday, and returning Thursdays
and Saturdays. Joshua P. and William Eyre built
the sloop " Jonas Preston," which for many years,
commanded by Capt. H. J. Gibson, was the noted
packet between Chester and Philadelphia. She sub-
sequently became the property of John Larkin, Jr.,
and William Booth, who were engaged in freighting
between the points mentioned for several years, run-
ning a daily line of packets. In 1849 the firm 'had
the sloops " John G. Johnson," Capt. Green, and the
" John M. Broomall," Capt. Huston, on the line, and
in 1851 the " Jonas Preston" was added, so that one
vessel would leave and another arrive at Chester the
same day. The " Jonas Preston" ultimately became
the property of J. & J. Baker, and on April 6, 1868,
when off" the light-house near Fort Mifflin, heavily
laden with coke, she was struck by the swell from the
" Eliza Hancock," which caused her to capsize and
sink. In 1850, Pancoast Levis ran the packet " Mary
J." between the points named, and the same year
William T. Crook established a line of packet
schooners, making weekly trips between Chester and
New York, employing therein the schooners " Wil-
liam," Capt. Collins, and the "Rebecca," Capt.
Russell.
In 1865 the steam freight-boat " Chester" was built
by P. Baker & Co., and ran between Philadelphia
and Chester, and in the following year the propeller
" Lamokin" was placed on the same route by J. & C.
D. Pennell, as an opposition boat. In 1871 the lines
were consolidated, and in 1872 the Delaware River
Transportation Company (a new organization) was
formed. The latter company built the " City of
Chester," and subsequently became the owners of the
Union lines. They have now on the route the freight
steamboats " Eddystone," " Mars," and the " Mary
Morgan," a large and commodious passenger steamer.
The officers of the company are : President, J. Frank
Black ; Treasurer, J. Howard Roop ; Secretary, Capt.
Frank S. Baker.
In April, 1870, the Electric Line between Wilming-
ton and New York, via the Delaware and Raritan
Canals, in connection with their lines, established
direct tri-weekly communication from Chester to New
TKAVELING AND TRANSPORTATION.
197
York, placing additional steamers on the route for
the purpose. The facility thus afforded to dispatch
and receive goods without transshipment was recog-
nized by the manufacturers and business men in the
southwesterly part of the county, and the enterprise
proved a success from the beginning.
In the fall of 1883 a new organization, the Chester
Steamboat Company, was formed, and the steamboat
" Artisan" placed on the route, running as a freight-
boat between Chester and Philadelphia.
In 1882 the steam barge "Sarah," of which Capt.
Deakyne was manager, began running daily between
Chester and Philadelphia, but after a few months'
service withdrew.
In the spring of 1883, E. W. Ramsden, who was
proprietor of the Pioneer Stage Line from Chester to
Upland, started a freight line from Chester to Phila-
delphia, running the steam barge " M. Massey." He
continued in this enterprise until the fall of that year,
when his boat was burned at the foot of Edgmont
Avenue.
Railroads. — That part of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road which passes through a small part of Haverford,
and diagonally through Radnor township, was origi-
nally the Columbia Railroad, built by the State. That
part of it nearest to Philadelphia was not completed
and opened to trade and travel until 1834. The cars
at first were propelled by horse-power, the distance
between Columbiaaiid Philadelphia, eighty -two miles,
requiring nine hours for the trip, the horses being
changed every twelve miles. The cars were built
after the form of the old stage-coaches, only larger,
the entrance door at the side, and the driver seated
on an elevated box in front.
The first locomotive put on the road was the
" Black Hawk," which had been built in England.
As the eastern end of the railroad for steam purposes
was not completed, the engine was drawn to Lancas-
ter over the turnpike road. When the wonderful
curiosity was to perform the trial-trip between Lan-
caster and Columbia, Governor Wolf and most of the
State officials were present to witness the novel sight.
The " Black Hawk," however, disappointed the audi-
ence, who had been informed by an Irishman em-
ployed by the road to keep the track clear of the
crowd. " Get out of the track !" he shouted; "when
she starts, she'll go like a bird, and ye'll all be kilt!"
But when the moment came, and the engineer applied
the lever, the locomotive would not move, and did
not until by pushing the train was started.
The eastern end of the road having been completed,
on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1834, the first train of cars
from Lancaster to Philadelphia passed over the road,
drawn by " Black Hawk," the distance between Lan-
caster and the head of the Inclined Plane having
been traversed in eight and a half hours. Levi G.
James, of Chester, who then resided in Radnor, can
recall the excitement along the railroad on that day,
the people flocking for miles around to witness the
I novel spectacle, and how the crowd cheered when the
I laboring engine, groaning, passed along with the
I train. The experiment had been successful, and so
superior to horses did the locomotive demonstrate
I itself, that in 1837 there were forty engines in use on
the road, and the horses, as a power, ceased to be
used.
The extension from the Pennsylvania Railroad to
West Chester, which was opened Dec. 25, 1833,
aroused a rivalry in Old Chester, and a number of
citizens of Delaware County procured the passage of
the law of April 11, 1835, incorporating the Delaware
County Branch Railroad Company, authorizing the
construction of a railway from Chester, along the
creek of the same name, to intersect at West Chester
with the extension road there. The movement first
received shape in November, 1833, when a meeting
was held at the Black Horse Hotel to ascertain the
probable cost of the proposed road ; and as there
were then nine cotton-mills, eight grist-mills, two
paper-mills, three iron-works, and eleven saw-mills
I along the proposed route, it was believed the freight
from these industries would pay a handsome profit on
the costs. The capital invested in manufacturing was
then a million of dollars, while the estimated cost of
the road — eighteen miles — was twenty thousand dol-
lars per mile, or three hundred and sixty thousand
dollars for the road laid.
After the passage of the act, on June 18, 1835, sub-
j scription-books were opened at the Coffee-House, kept
' by John Bessonett, Jr., No. 8G South Second Street,
i Philadelphia, and no person was permitted to sub-
scribe for more than ten shares on any one day. The
books were to remain open for three days. A survey
was made and stakes driven, but beyond that the
project languished.
It was revived in the spring of 1848, and a survey
was again made. The stakes driven at that time
by the engineers were much the same course as those
of twelve years previous, and those which followed
twenty years afterwards, when the Chester Creek
Railroad was built. The flicker of hope of 1848 was
only a forerunner of the time when such a work must,
in the necessity of public accommodation, be con-
structed. The latter was built under the provisions
of the acts of Assembly of April 16, 1866, and April
17, 1867, and by the aid and assistance given to the
enterprise by Samuel M. Felton, the public believed
it must be pushed forward to completion. And it was.
The first time the whistle of a locomotive was heard
on that road was Nov. 4, 1868, when the engine at-
tached to the construction train passed some distance
along the line, and the horses and cattle in the neigh-
borhood, unused to such screeching, scampered from
the roadside in alarm. In the spring of 1869 the road
was completed and opened to public travel.
On April 2, 1831, the Legislature of Peuusylvania in-
corporated the Philadelphia and Delaware County
Railroad Company. The charter lay dormant until
HISTOEY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1835, when an organization was effected, and a board
of directors elected. On Jan. 18, 1832, the Legislature
of Delaware chartered the Wilmington and Susque-
hanna Railroad Company, with power to build a
railroad from the Pennsylvania State line through
Wilmington to the Maryland State line, towards the
Susquehanna River; and on March 5, 1832, the Leg-
islature of Maryland incorporated the Baltimore
and Port Deposit Railway Company, with power to
construct a road from the points named, and nine
days subsequent the same authority incorporated the
Delaware and Maryland Railroad to build a road
from a point to be selected by the company at the
Maryland and Delaware State line to Port Deposit, or
any other terminus on the Susquehanna River. All
of these companies had organized previous to 1836,
when in January of that year the Philadelphia and
Delaware County Railroad applied to the Legislature
for power to increase its capital, which was granted,
and at the same time the title of the company was
changed to the Philadelphia, AVilmington and Balti-
more Railroad. Negotiations were entered into by
the latter company with the Delaware and Maryland
Railroad, which finally resulted in the latter granting
the former the right of way from the Delaware State
line to Wilmington. And on Dec. 20, 1837, the road
was completed from Wilmington to Chester, so that
an engine and train of cars came from the former to
the latter place, but did not cross the bridge over
Chester Creek, the rails not having been laid over
that stream. On January 15th the road was opened
for public travel from Philadelphia to Wilmington.
The railway from Wilmington to Perryville had
also been opened on the 4th of July, 1837, and the
road from Baltimore to Havre de Grace on the 6th
of July on the same year. At this time, although
there was but one road, it was owned by three corpo-
rations, but on Feb. 5, 1838, they consolidated with a
capital of two million two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, Matthew Newkirk being elected the first
president.
" Although the road was now in condition for use,
it was, as compared with modern roads, very incom-
plete. The track was constructed of iron bars nailed
upon wooden string-pieces, called mud-sills, which
rested on the ground, and consequently were continu-
ally getting out of position. It was not until after
the lapse of some years that this defect was remedied
by the introduction of wooden ties."^
It is doubtful whether the foregoing statement ap-
plies to the road so far as the Pennsylvania Division
was concerned. Martin tells us that "the track of
the railroad was originally laid with flat bars, called
strap-rail, weighing about fifteen pounds per yard,
fastened upon a continuous stringer with cross-ties
and mud-sills, and with a gauge of four feet eight
and a half inches."
'History of Cecil County,
iryland," p. 430.
The road was surveyed, so far as its construction
through Delaware County is concerned, by William
Strickland and Samuel H. Kneass, and in their report
to the president and directors of the Philadelphia and
Delaware County Railroad in 1835, they state that
the whole length of the line of survey from Broad
and Prime Streets, Philadelphia, to the Delaware
State line was sixteen and three-fourths miles, and
they, not without apparent glee, felt "justified in es-
timating the amount of passengers from data which
their investigation aiforded" at about one hundred
and fifty persons per day. They also express the be-
lief that if the proposed route to Baltimore be adopted
(as was done), the distance being thereby reduced to
ninety-three miles, the time of passage " may be
readily performed in five hours." ^
The contract for grading the roadway through
Delaware County was awarded to John Cochran,
William Eves, and John J. Thurlow, the latter having
purchased Spencer Mcllvain's interest in the orig-
inal contract. The road was laid the greater part of
the distance on the low, level meadow-land between
Gray's Ferry and Chester, the earth for grading being
supplied from the excavation of the ditches on each
side of the track. While the men were working on
I the road, six laborers, in May, 1837, attempted to
cross from one side of Darby Creek to the other in an
old boat which lay on the shore, but it leaked so that
when in the middle of the stream it sunk, and two of
the men were drowned.
The annoyance to the railroad of being compelled
to maintain a draw-bridge at Darby Creek was exces-
sive, and after a year or so trial, the company peti-
tioned the Legislature, in 1839, for right to build a
permanent bridge across that stream. The proposi-
tion met with general opposition from the people of
this county, and John K. Zeilin, then representative,
obtained a report adverse to the bill. The railroad
made no further efibrt looking to the removal of the
draw-bridge at that point.
It is said that the plan of connecting a rope to the
bell of an engine drawing a train of cars, so that the
conductor might communicate with the engineer, was
an idea of John Wolf, a noted conductor in the
early days of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal-
timore Railroad history. It seems that he had a cord
running through the cars and made fast to a log of
wood in the cab of the locomotive, which gave notice
to the engineer when to stop or go ahead. On one
occasion the former and Wolf had a disagreement,
and at that time in railroad management the train
was supposed to be in charge of the engineer while in
motion, the conductor being but a secondary figure.
Wolf had pulled the rope once or twice to indicate
that he wanted the train to stop at the Blue Bell, but
the engineer paid no attention, and rushed past the
station without even slacking speed. The conductor
s Hazard's Register, vol. xvi. p. 245.
TKAVELTNG AND TRANSPORTATION.
in anger clambered over the tender, and demanded '
why his signal to stop had not been obeyed. " I'm in
charge of this train, and will stop when I think best
at any point not a regular station," replied the engi- |
neer. This put Wolf to his mettle, and it resulted |
finally in the train being stopped, and, in the jires- I
ence of the passengers, the conductor and engineer
fought until the latter was completely conquered.
Never after that time was Wolf's signal disregarded,
and the connecting cord was found to work so advan- ;
tageously that it was adopted on all the railroads in
the United States.
After the completion of the road, the consolidated j
companies, now the Philadelphia, Wilmington and j
Baltimore Railroad Company, found that while their |
capital was two and a quarter millions, the cost of the !
road and equipping it had amounted to nearly four
and a half millions of dollars. The original sub-
scribers to the stock, which promised such a golden
harvest, soon found that the day when a dividend
would be paid was uncertain, while creditors were |
clamorous for pa^'ment, and to liquidate these press- \
ing claims two mortgages, amounting to three mil- 1
lions, had to be given. The sturdy farmers who had
placed a few hundred dollars in the stock of the com- '
pany began to grow uneasy of waiting for dividends
which never came, and by degrees their holdings
passed into the market, where they were purchased \
as investments by wealthy capitalists of the Eastern
cities. In 1851, Samuel M. Felton was elected presi-
dent of the road, and during his administration the
track, rolling stock, and landed estate of the company,
which had deteriorated in the endeavor to relieve the ,
road of its heavy debt, was relaid, increased, and im- ,
proved. ThePhiladelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
Railroad was put into a position to meet the great
demand which came upon it ten years later in for- |
warding troops to the national capital. So admirable !
was Mr. Felton's management that the stock paid !
heavy dividends, and as a consequence it was rarely
seen in the market, and if so, it was quickly purchased
at a premium. In 1866, Mr. Felton resigned the [
presidency of the road, and as a testimonial of the '
great service he had rendered to the company a pres-
ent of one hundred thousand dollars was made to him
on his retiring from the position he had so admirably
filled.
Isaac Hinkley was elected to fill the place made
vacant by Mr. Felton's retiracy, and during the
latter's presidency the improved line of railway was
laid from Gray's Ferry through Darby, Sharon Hill,
Prospect Park, Norwood, Ridley Park, Crum Lynne,
and other stations which have been located on the
line of the new road, now dotted along almost its
entire length by handsome villas and country resi-
dences. Ground was broken on Nov. 11, 1870, and
the first train passed over the Darby improvement, as
it was popularly known, early in 1873. In the late
spring of 1881 the Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad passed into the hands of the
Pennsylvania Central Railroad, H. F. Kenney, the
superintendent of the former road, having been re-
tained in charge of the Delaware and Southern Divis-
ion of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which includes the
old Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore, the
Che.ster Creek, the Baltimore Central, and the Phila-
delphia and West Chester Railroads, besides other
roads in the State of Delaware.
The West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad was
incorporated April 11, 1848, and on Jan. 17, 1852, the
contract for building the road, except laying the rails,
entered into with Gonder, Clark & Co., who were to
receive three hundred thousand dollars in cash and
two hundred thousand dollars in stock of the road
for the work. On Monday, July 16, 1855, the middle
span of the railroad bridge, then being constructed
over Ridley Creek, gave way, precipitating five men to
the earth, one hundred and nine feet below, and three
were instantly killed. In the autumn of that year the
road had been completed, and trains were running to
Media ; at the close of 1856 the road had extended
from Rockdale to Lenni, and by Jan. 1, 1857, to
Grubb's bridge, the present Wawa. The road was an
expensive one to build, due to the deep valleys and
many streams it crossed, so that at one time its stock
had fallen to almost nominal value. In the latter
half of the year 1858 the road was pushed onward
with remarkable rapidity, the rails being laid from
Wawa to West Chester, so that the first train of cars
from Philadelphia by the direct road reached West
Chester on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 1858, and on the follow-
ing Thursday a celebration was held in the borough
in honor of the event. In May, 1880, the Philadel-
phia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company
purchased the West Chester and Philadelphia Rail-
road, and on the subsequent transfer of the former
road to the Pennsylvania Central, the West Chester
road was included.
The Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad
was incorporated March 17, 1853, and by act of April
6, 1854, was authorized to form a union with a cor-
poration chartered by the State of Maryland. On
Jan. 3, 1855, ground was broken for the road on the
farm of Darwin Painter, in Birmingham, Delaware
Co., Dr. Frank Taylor, the president of the road,
turning the first sod between Chad's Ford and Grubb's
bridge. On Monday, June 1, 1857, the laying of the
track from Grubb's bridge was begun, but it was not
completed to Chad's Ford for public travel until some
time in the year 1858, when trains ran as far as that
point. The road, which became the property of the
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
Company, passed with the transfer made by the latter
corporation to the Pennsylvania Central Railroad,
already mentioned.
The Chester and Delaware River Railroad Com-
pany was incorporated in 1872 by letters patent under
the free railroad law of Pennsylvania. Its terminal
200
HISTORi' OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
points were from Thurlow to Ridley Creek, a distance
of about four miles. The incorporators were John
M. Broomall, William Ward, William A. Todd, Sam-
uel Archibald, Amos Gartside, James A. Williamson,
James Kirkman, William H. Green, and Samuel H.
Stephenson. Previous to the date of incorporation,
Messrs. Broomall and Ward had constructed a spur
track from a point below Thurlow Station of the
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
to the bridge works in South Chester, for the accom-
modation of those works. The Philadelphia, Wil-
mington and Baltimore Railroad Company furnished
the rails and cross-ties at an annual rental. The de-
mand of other manufacturing establishments along
the river soon became urgent for similar accommoda-
tions, and the owners of those industries joining with
the original projectors, and the authorities of South
Chester borough acting iu unison with reference to
granting privileges on Front Street, the railroad was
extended up to the city limits. When the boundary
was reached the same demand arose from establish-
ments in Chester, and the city authorities, following
the example of the Borough Council, gave a hearty
support to the enterprise, and the result was the ex-
tension of the road to Penn Street. At this period,
(1872) the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Com-
pany became the lessee of the old bed of the Phila-
delphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad from
Gray's Ferry to Ridley Creek. The Reading com-
pany being owners of a large tract of land on the
river near Marcus Hook, assumed control of the rail-
road on Front Street, finished its extension across
Chester Creek, and connected it with its branch pur-
chased from the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal-
timore Railroad Company. The Chester and Dela-
ware River Railroad Company still preserves its
separate corporate existence, the present officers being
those of the Reading company, excepting William
Ward, who is one of the directors. The completion
and operation of this railroad has been followed by
the most marked results. Many manufacturing es-
tablishments of the largest capacity have been erected
on the line, owing to facilities afforded for transporta-
tion of heavy freights.
CHAPTER XXL
REDEMPTIONERS AND SLAVERY IN DELAWARE
COUNTY.
When the system of redemptive servitude first ap-
peared in our history I fail to ascertain, but certain it
is that it I'elated in the first instance to English emi-
grants solely, and did not show itself until after the
territory had been subjugated by the arms of Great
Britain. I am aware that Professor Keen states that
the only person, so far as known, who came to New
Sweden on the "Griffin," on the first expedition in
1637, and remained iu the colony, was Anthony, a
bought slave, who served Governor Printz at Tini-
cum in 1644, making hay for the cattle, and accom-
panying the Governor on his pleasure yacht, and was
still living there on March 1, 1648. But he was a
slave (the first on our shore), and was not a redemp-
tioner, who, to reimburse the owners and master of a
ship for his passage and provender on the voyage,
agreed that his services might be sold for a stipulated
period. In the Duke of York's Laws occurs the first
notice of the system, which, while it had many harsh
and objectionable features, gave to the colonies great
numbers of energetic and thrifty settlers, who, by
reason of their poverty, never could have come to
the New World had it not been for the redemptive
system. The law mentioned provided that " no
Christian shall be kept in Bondslavery, villenage, or
Captivity, Except Such who shall be Judged there-
unto by Authority or such as willingly have sould
or shall sell themselves." '
The first record of the transfer of a redemption or
indentured servant previous to the grant to Penn was
at a court held at Upland, June 13, 1677, and is set
forth in the quaint phraseology of that period :
" Mr. John Teat brought In Court a certaine man-servant named Wil-
liam Still, being a taylor by traede, whome liee the sd Test did acknowl-
edge to have sold unto Capt'n Edmond Cantwell forthe space and tearme
of foure years, beginning from the first of Aprill Last past; The sd Wil-
liam Still declared in Court to bee willing to serve the said Capt'n Cant-
well the aboved tearms of foure yeares."^
After Penn came to the province, in 1682, the sub-
ject of indentured servants received the immediate
attention of the Governor, and among the laws en-
acted by the first and succeeding General Assemblies
were those requiring a registration of persons so held
to servitude ; forbidding the assignment of servants to
persons residing without the province; exempting
them from being levied on in executions against their
masters; forbidding the harboring of a servant for a
longer period than twenty-four hours without giving
notice to a justice of the peace of the whereabouts of
such servant; interdicting bartering with a servant
for goods belonging to his master, and limiting the
period of servitude for all unindentured servants of
seventeen years of age at five years, and those under
that age until they should attain the age of twenty-
one years. Masters were also required to bring such
servants before the court within three months after
their arrival in the province, that the term of service
might be determined by the justices. The early
records contain many cases growing out of this spe-
cies of servitude, which for a century and a half
maintained in this State, and gave to it many of its
most respected families.
At the court held the 3d day of 1st week, Seventh
month, 1686, Thomas Usher, the then sheriff, com-
plained that William CoUett was holding Thomas
Book of Laws, p. 12.
2 Ilecord of Upland Court, p. 61.
EEDEMPTIONERS AND SLAVERY IN DELAWARE COUNTY.
201
Cooper " in his service by an unlawful contract,
upon which it was Ordered that William Collett doe
forthwi"* Sett the said Thomas Cooper att Liberty,
and allow him the Customs & Law of the Country in
that case Provided for Servants."
This is the first case I have found in which the
custom of the country is alluded to, although it is
frequently mentioned thereafter. The act of March
10, 1683, provided that at the expiration of the term
of servitude a bonded servant was entitled to receive
" One new Sute of Apparell, ten bushels of Wheat
or fourteen bushels of Indian corn, one Ax two howes,
one broad and another narrow, and a Discharge from
their Services." By the act of 1693 the custom
was declared to be " two suits of apparell," together
with the other articles named in the law of 1683, and
by the act of 1700 the servant was to have " two com-
pleat suits of apparel, whereof one shall be new, and
shall also be furnished with one new axe, one grub-
bing hoe, and one weeding hoe, at the charge of their
master or mistress." This continued to be the law
until the act of March 9, 1771, repealed so much of
the act of 1700 as related to the furnishing of a new
axe, a grubbing- and a weeding hoe.
The great body of mechanics in the early colonial
days originally came to the province as redemptioners,
and the cases are frequent showing that this was the
rule. The first instance, save that of William Still,
heretofore mentioned, and the only one I shall cite,
as to this statement, occurred at the court held 1st
3d day of First month, 1689-90, when " James Hayes
Petitioned this Court to have his Toles [tools] from
Jemmy Collett w"" according was Ordered that the
said Toles was to be delivered Imediately into the
hands of James Sandelands for the use of the said
Hayes. The said Hayes paying to Jeremy Collett
what he Justly Owes him. The said James Hayes
Promised Here in open Court to searve James Sande-
lands his Heirs, Exs., Adms. or Assigns the Residue
of the Tymeof his Indenture Excepting Two Months
and fifteen days w"'' James Sandelands gave him."
The freeman who was unfortunate to contract debts
in those days, when the body could be taken in exe-
cution in a civil suit, to save himself constant trouble,
frequently sold himself to liquidate the claims against
him. The case of George Chandler at the court held
first 8d day of 1st week, First month, 1689/90, shows
how debts were discharged by personal service.
Thomas Rawlins complained that Chandler was in-
debted to him in 34s. SJ'/., and the creditor was
clamorous for payment. The court thereupon liqui-
dated all Chandler's obligations in this wise :
" Ordered that the said George Chandler by his
Consent doo sell himself a servant for Two years and
five Mouths w"" Edward Beazer, the said Edward
Beazer paying to the said Rawlins the said sum of
34«. 8i(/. and the Remainder w"" would make up the
Sume of Ten pounds w'" was £8 5s. 3irf. to be paid
to his fi'ather in Law, William Hawkes."
In the court held Feb. 6, 1739/40, James Reynolds
informed the justices, " by his petition that being in-
debted to sev" psons, as by a list p'^"""* appears To the
sum of Eight pounds, thirteen shill. and five pence
with Costs and liaving no other way to satesfy these
Debts prays to be Admitted to pay by Servitude which
is allowed, And ordered to Serve his Creditors Two
Years in full satisfaction for ye said Debts and Costs."
Indeed, in satisfaction of court charges, sale of the
defendant's services has been ordered.
The court records often show that when a question
of more than ordinary importance was to be pre-
sented to the justices, the latter would call into their
counsel those persons whose position seemingly gave
them peculiar opportunities for information on the
matter under consideration. Hence we find at an
Orphans' Court held at Chester, Nov. 29, 1705, Peter
Evans, register-general of the province, was present,
occupying a place on the bench, when Richard
Adams presented a petition " Concerning the estate of
Thomas Clayton, dec'd," as followeth, in these words :
"Chester. — To the Worshipful Commissiouers & Register General
now sitting in the Orphan's Court held for the County of Chester, the
humble petition of Richard Adams, of Edgmont, of this County, Car-
penter, shewest, —
" ' That whereas Thomas Clayton, a bond servant unto your petitioner,
about G years ago, on his voyage from England unto this province, died
at sea, leaving behind him Elinor, a child of about the age of seven
years, and a boy of about 5 years of age, named Richard, for which
children's p.i8aage your petitioner paid in England, & hath ever since
maintained them with meat, drink, and apparill.
" ' May it, therefore, please your Worship to consider the premises, and
to malie such order thereupon as to your Worship may seem most con-
venient, and your petitioner shwll ever pray, etc.
" ' Nov. 2, 170.5.'
" Upon reading of which petition the Court orders the said Richard
Adams to bring an inventory of the estate of the said Thomas Clayton,
which he was sworn to do and return to next Orphans' Court, and the
Court appointed Thomas Barnsley and William Pickle to appraise the
sjiid goods, and make return to the said court.
" The Court having considered Richard Adam's charge against the
two orphans, Richard & Elinor Clayton, does allow 26 pounds to Richard
Adams, Pennsylvania money, for their passage & diet in England, and
diet on board ship, diet in Maryland, and bringing them up in Penn-
" Ordered that Elinor Clayton, an orphan, of the age of 14 years
shall serve Daniel Hoopes for the term of 7 years from this day, on con-
ilitiim tliat the said Daniel teach her to read, knit, and sowe, and pay
12 pounds according to the order of this Court. Richard Clayton, an
Orphan, being brought to this Court, is ordered by said Court to serve
Edward Danger, of Chester, Cooper, for a term of 9 years from this day,
on consideration that the said Edward teach, or cause to be taught, the
said Richard the trade of a cooper, and find and allow sufficient meat,
drink, lodging, and apparill during the said term, and also to teach
him to read & write, it pay 14 pounds 5 shillings to the order of this
Court." 1
As the provinces increased in population and wealth
the trading in redemptioners became a business. A
1 Of this Richard Clayton nothing now seems to be known. The
Claytons of Delaware County are descended from William Clayton, a
passenger with his family on the ship " Kent," who purchased an es-
tate at Marcus Hook, the deed to which was acknowledged at the Court
held March l:i, 1678 9. Gilbert Cope states that he died in 1689, while
Thompson Westcott says his death occurred in 1682. If Westcott is
right, there were tive William Claytons in unbi-oken succession. If
Cope is correct there were four William Claytons, the eldest son in each
generation, including the first settler of the name, in the list.
202
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
few men speculated in these emigrants as they would
cattle. They would purchase the redemptioners from
the master of the vessel, or the merchants to whom
they were consigned, at wholesale, and then drive
them through the country to be sold at retail at an
enormous profit. The men engaged in this trade were
known as soul-drivers. But finally the business be-
came precarious, so many of the redemptioners escap-
ing from their owners while traveling through the
country to find a market, that about the year 1785 the
trade was absolutely discontinued. One of these
dealers, named McCullough, became noted in the
trade in Chester County, iind prospered so that he
would go to Europe and gather a drove of redemp-
tioners, which he would sell at a greater profit than
he could make by buying of the intermediate dealer.
The late Joseph J. Lewis has recorded an amusing
incident of the trade, 'in which McCullough, instead
of selling, was sold by one of his herd, as follows :
" The fellow, by a little management, contrived to be the last of the
flock that remained unsold, and traveled about with his master without
companions. One night they lodged at a tavern, and in the morning
the young fellow, who was an Irishman, rose early and sold his master
to the landlord, pocketed the money, and marched off. Previously, how-
ever, to his going he used the precaution to tell the purchaser that his
servant, although tolerably clever in other respects, was rather saucy
and a lUtle given to lying — that lie had even presumption enough at
times to endeavor to pass for master, and that he might possibly repre-
sent himself as such to him. By the time mine host was undeceived the
son of Erin had gained such a start as rendered pursuit hopeless."!
The last reference to the sale of redemptioners in
Delaware County is related in a sketch of Abraham
Peters, of Lancaster County, written by the late Col.
John W. Forney, which was published in Frogrcvs
in 1879. The colonel stated that in 1811 Peters was
hauling grain from Lancaster County to the mills on
the Brandywine, and was requested by his sister to
buy a small German girl from a vessel for her.
" The vessels stopped at Chester. So, after he had
disposed of his grain, he mounted one of his horses
and rode to Chester. He went on board an emigrant
vessel, and as he spoke German, he was soon sur-
rounded by a crowd, each one reque.sting to be bought,
as they preferred to get into families where German
was spoken. He called the captain and made known
his errand. The captain told him he had two small
orphan girls on board, their mother having died on
the voyage. He asked forty dollars for the two, but
as Mr. Peters only wanted one, and could take but
one on horseback with him, the captain said he would
charge him twenty-five dollars for one, and if he sent
him a purchaser for the other, he would give her for
fifteen dollars. . . . Before parting the girls were
going to divide their dead mother's eflects, but Mr.
Peters would not allow this, as he assured them
that Kaly, the girl he was taking with him, would
find plenty, and therefore insisted on the other keep-
ing all except the clothes that Katy was wearing.
Again assuring the captain that he would try and find
another purchaser, he started for Wilmington, and
was soon on his way home. Katy was a bright and
lovely girl, and soon forgot her sorrow as she stood at
the front of the wagon looking at and admiring the
horses. He had proceeded but a short distance from
Wilmington when he met a fine old Quaker gentle-
man and his wife driving to town. The lady saw the
little girl, and admiring her, stopped and wanted to
buy her. But Mr. Peters told her that he had bought
the girl for his sister, and therefore could not sell her,
but told her of the little sister that was left behind
on the vessel, and requested them to go to Chester
and buy her. He gave a few lines to the captain, and
reminded him of the fifteen dollars he had agreed to
take.
" The Quaker promised to go and buy the sister.
They gave each other their addresses, and promised
to write and keep the girls in communication with
each other. Katy was installed in her new home,
and under the kind, motherly treatment of Mrs.
Bausman grew up to be a fine woman. Her sister
also found a good home with the Quaker family.
Correspondence was kept up between the families,
and yearly visits were made alternately with the girls,
and very friendly relations sprung up between the
families, which were kept up long after the girls were
free. When Katy had served out her time and ar-
rived at a proper age, she was married to a worthy
German baker in Philadelphia. She esteemed it a
great pleasure to visit her former mistress, to whom
she was ever thankful for the good, religious training
she received from her."
Slaves. — When slavery of the negro and Indian
races first showed itself in the annals of Pennsylvania
is difiicult of ascertainment, for it is well known that
previous to the grant of the province to William Penn
the Swedes and Dutch settlers had the pernicious
system of servile labor implanted in the territory.
In 1677, James Sandelands was the only person on the
Delaware River from Upland northward who owned
a slave. The wrong, however, did not go long un-
challenged after the English power had acquired
ownership of the soil, for as early as 1688 the Friend
settlers at Germantown issued their now famous pro-
test against the holding of their fellow-men in bond-
age. Although the movement was purely addressed
to the conscience of the public, and did not prevent
the importation of negroes to the colony, it was the
corner-stone on which the principles of emancipation
of slaves in every Christianized nation of the earth
were subsequently erected. In 1696 the Yearly Meet-
ing of Quakers put themselves broadly on record as
follows: " Friends are advised not to encourage the
bringing in any more negroes." From tiiese small
beginnings the sentiment adverse to slavery extended,
and when Penn made his second visit to this province
in 1700, he was instrumental in incorporating in the
discipline of the society provisions regulating the
REDEMPTIONERS AND SLAVERY IN DELAWARE COUNTY.
treatment of slaves among those members of that re-
ligious order who, at that time, did not regard the
holding of bondsmen as a moral wrong. Not only
did the proprietary take that step, but he proposed to
the Assembly two bills, one regulating marriage among
negroes and the other establishing trials of slaves be-
fore magistrates, instead of leaving them as thereto-
fore entirely under the control of their masters. The
latter bill only became the subject of legislative en-
actment.
The Quarterly Meeting held at Chester for the
county of Chester, Sixth month 1, 1700, prohibited
the members of the meeting from purchasing Indians
as slaves, and in 1711 the same meeting declared that
it was " dissatisfied with Friends buying and encour-
aging the bringing in of negroes." Four years after
Chester Monthly Meeting again brought this matter
prominently before the society, and determined to
press it at the Yearly Meeting. That this was done
is evidenced by a letter of Isaac Norris in 1715, quoted
by Watson, wherein the writer says, "Our business
would have been very well were it not for the warm
pushing by some Friends of Chester, chiefly in the
business of negroes. The aim was to obtain a minute
that none should buy them for the future."
The agitation of the subject had so attracted public
attention to the evil of slavery that the Assembly as
early as 1705 levied an impost duty on slaves brought
within the province, and in 1710 again enacted a sim-
ilar law. In 1711 an act was passed absolutely for-
bidding the importation of slaves, but the English
ship-owners, at that time largely interested in the traffic
in negroes, influenced the crown to declare the colo-
nial law nugatory. The Assembly in the following
year imposed a duty of twenty pounds a head on
every slave brought into Pennsylvania, and again
Queen Anne crushed the provincial statute at the in-
stance of those who were growing wealthy in the trade.
The opponents of the system of slavery were not
dismayed into silence by the royal mandate, but in
1716, 1728, and 1730 Chester Quarterly Meeting, with
no uncertain sound, pressed the matter on the atten-
tion of the Societj' of Friends, and in 1761, Dr. Smith
tells us a member of Chester meeting was dealt with
by that body for having bought and sold a negro, but
having made a proper acknowledgment he was not
disowned.
That slaves were generally owned and kept by per-
sons of wealth and by farmers in Chester County at
an early date is fully established by an examination
of the records, which show in settling estates frequent
mention of negro slaves. The first case in this county
where slaves were manumitted that I have found is
in the will of Lydia Wade, widow of Robert Wade,
dated the 30th day of Fourth month, 1701. Lydia
Wade, in all probability, died in July, and her will,
probated Aug. 8, 1801, before Register-General Moore,
at Philadelphia, has the following clauses respecting
her slaves :
"161y. My will is that my negroea John and Jane his wife shall be
sett free one month after my decease.
" 171y. My will is that my negro child called Jane shall be sett free
after it have lived with my negro John twelve years and after that with
my kinsman John Wade five years."
As the spirit of liberty spread abroad among the
people during the colonial difficulties with Europe,
the impression that it was unjust to keep mankind in
bondage became so general that it caused many per-
sons in the colony, whose principles were more dear
to them than money, to manumit their slaves. In
the year 1776 a number of slaves were so made free.
William Peters, of Aston, in that year manumitted
four bond-servants, — a man, woman, and two children.
The document relating to the two last I copy in full :
" To all people to whom these presents shall come : I, William Peters,
of Ashtown, in the Connty of Chester and Province of Pennsylvania,
having a certain nialattoe boy named Jack, aged about foure years
under my care and in my service and also a Mulatto Gerl named Grace
aged about two years Likewise under my care. Now Know Ye, that
for and in Consideration that all mankind have an Equal, Natural and
Just Right to Liberty I do by these Presents promise and Declair that
the said Jack and Grace, he when he shall arive at the age of twenty-
one that is to say on the first day of the Eighth month in the year of
our Lord one thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-three and She when
she shall arrive at the age of Eighteen, that is to say on the first Day of
the Eighth month in the year one thousand Seven Hundred and
Ninety-two, they shall he and is hereby Declai-ed, Discharged, Manu-
mitted and at full Liberty and for myself, my Heirs, Executors, Admin-
istrators and Assigns and all other persons Claiming under me or any
of them do quit all Claim after that time to the said Jack and Grace
which by the Laws oi Customs of this province or any other Govern-
ment might have subjected them to Slavery or Deprived them of the
full Enjoyment of Liberty. In witness whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal the Seventh Day of the Eighth month in the year of
our Lord one thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Six.
" Wm. Peters, [t. s.]
" Signed and sealed in the presence of ^
" Benjamin Hough, >
"Samuel Tkimele." J
In 1777 the public sentiment among Friends against
slavery had become so general that the ownership of
a bondsman for life was regarded as a sufficient cause
in itself for the meeting to disown members thus of-
fending. As stated before, the conviction of the wrong
and evil of slavery made permanent lodgment in the
opinion of the people, when the struggle between the
colonists and England began, increasing as the spirit
of liberty increased until, March 1, 1780, the Assem-
bly enacted a law providing for the gradual abolition
of the entire system of servile labor in the common-
wealth. Its provisions required a registration of all
slaves to be made prior to the 1st day of November
following in the office of the clerk of the Court of
Quarter Sessions in the several counties, and declared
that all persons born after that date in Pennsylvania
should be free, excepting the children of registered
slaves, who should be servants to their parents' mas-
ters until they had attained twenty-eight years, after
which age they also became freemen. Under this law
a registry of the slaves of Chester County, giving the
name, age, sex, and time of service of each person
held as a slave, as also the name of the owners aad
the township where they resided, was carefully made.
The record shows the following slaves, the number
204
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
owned by each master, as well as the residences of
the latter in the territory now comprising Delaware
County :
Robert Magorgaii, of Haverford townsliip, farmer, registers a mulatto
child then aged 0 months, a servant until he shall attain the age of 31
Hugh Goveen, of Haverford, farmer, registered a negro woman, Phil-
lis, aged 'Zl ; a negro boy, Peter, aged 7 years, slave for life ; and a mu-
latto girl, Poll, aged 16, a servant until she is 31 years.
Samuel Johnson, of Haverford, farmer, registered a negro woman, I
Dinah, 45 ; a negro girl, Sail, 14 ; a mulatto boy, Jem, 8 ; a mulatto boy,
Joe, 5U years ; and a mulatto boy, Peter, 2 years old, all slaves for life.
Hester Hortright, of Haverford, gentlewoman, records a negro boy
named Joe, agod lo, a slave for life.
Richard Willing, of Haverford, farmer, records a negro man, Dick,
40; a negro man, lahmael, 28; a negro man, 21 ; and a negro woman,
Molly, aged 42, all slaves for life.
John Lindsay, Haverford, farmer, records a negro girl 7 years old, a
slave for life.
Edward Hughes, of Haverford, carpenter, records a negro boy. Will,
aged 1 year and 8 months, a slave for life.
Charles Humphreys, of Haverford, miller; his sister, Elizabeth Hum-
phreys, and the estate of Rebecca Humphreys, deceased, record a negro
woman, Nancy, 70 ; a negro man, Cezar, 36 ; a negro man. Tone, 34 ; a
negro woman, Nancy, 44 ; a mulatto woman, Judy, 25 ; a mulatto girl,
Alice, 10; a mulatto boy, Tommey, 8; and a mulatto female child,
Fanny, 13 months, all slaves for life.
Jacob Richards, of Aston, yeoman, records a negro man, Dick, 64; a
negro man, Jym, 30 ; a negro girl, Flora, 12 ; a mulatto boy, Peet, 5 ; a
negro girl. Rose, 3; a female child, Sylvia, 16 months, all slaves for life,
and a negro servant woman then 22, until she attains the age of 25
The heirs of Philip Evans, of Aston, deceased, register a negro woman,
Diuab, 27 ; a negro boy, Adam, 6 ; a negro girl, Abby, 4; and u negro
girl, Sylvia, aged 2 years, all slaves for life.
William Twaddle, of Aston, forgemaster, registered a negro man,
Sam, 35 ; a mulatto boy, Tom, 6 ; a negro wench, Seal, 19, all slaves for
i negro wench, Bet, aged
life.
Isaac Maria, of Marplo, yeoman, registered
17, a slave for life.
Dr. Bernard Vauleer, of Marple, registered a negro boy, George, aged
15, a slave for life.
Archibald Dick, of Lower Chichester, registered a negro man. Cuff,
40; a negro woman, Nance, 20; a negro boy, Statia, 14 ; a negro girl,
Flora, 7 ; and a mulatto boy, Benn, aged 2 years, all slaves for life.
Joseph Walker, of Lower Chichester, yeoman, registered a negro boy,
Jack, aged 10, a slave for life.
Samuel Price, of Lower Chichester, farmer, registered a negro man,
James, 26 ; a iiegro man, Oliver, 24, slaves for life ; and a mulatto boy,
Joe, aged 4 years, a servant till he attiiins the age of 31 years.
George Craig, of Marcus Hook, clerk, registered a negro woman,
Phebe, 32 ; a negro boy, Phil, 7 ; a mulatto boy, Jack, 3 years and a
half; and a mulatto girl, Amy, aged 1 year and 9 months. At a later
time, for the date is not given, George Craig records a negro man,
Thomas, aged 50 years. All of these slaves for life.
Richard Baker, of Middletown, yeoman, records a negro girl, Kassee,
13 years, a slave for life, and a mulatto servant-boy, Phineas, 17 years
old, until he attains the age of thirty-one years.
Mary Ann Doyle, of Middletown, seamstress, records a negro girl,
Ruth, aged 10 years, a slave for life.
William Doyle, of Middletown, records a negro girl, aged 5 years, a
1- life.
Joseph Gibbons, of Springfield, inn-holder, records a negro girl, Phebe,
aged 8 years, a slave for life.
Thomes Levis, Esq., of Springfield, records a negro boy named Scipio,
aged 16 years, a slave for life.
James Crozer, of Springfield, farmer, records a mulatto servant-man,
Anthony Walsh, aged 22, until he attains 31 years; and a negro woman-
servant, Amelia, aged 19, until she attains the age of 21 years.
Lewis Davis, of Springfield, yeoman, records a mulatto servant, Re-
becca, aged 21, until she attains the age of 31.
Caleb Davis, Esq., of Springfield, records a negro boy, Frank, aged
15, a slave for life.
Samuel Levis, of Spriu^eld, paper-maker, records a negro boy, James
Knox, IS, and a negro girl, Flora Knox, aged 10 years. Both slaves for
John Levis, Sr., of Springfield, yeoman, records a negro boy, Essex,
aged 12 ; a negro boy, Frank, 10; a negro boy, Harry, 6 ; and a negro
boy, Milford, aged 4, all slaves for life.
George Lownes, of Springfield, cutler, records a negro man, Tom,
aged 26, and a negro woman, Hannah, aged 19, servants until they
attain the age of 31.
John Ogden, of Springfield, yeoman, a mulatto girl, Poll, aged 15, a
slave for life.
Nicholas Diehl, of Tinicum, grazier, records a negro man, Lounon,
aged 26; a negro man, Cojo, 24; a negro girl, Dinah, 7 ; and a negro
boy, Cffisar, aged 5, all slaves for life.
Benjamin Rue, of Tinicum Island, grazier, records a negro girl, Jude,
aged 13, a slave for life.
John Taylor, of Tinicum Island, grazier, records a negro girl, Jude,
aged 6, a slave for life.
William Smith, of Tinicum, yeoman, records a negro girl, Nance, aged
5 years, a slave for life, and a negro servant girl, Eamy, 12 years old,
till she attains the age of 31 years.
John Miller, of Tinicum, yeoman, records a negro boy, Jesse, aged 13,
a slave for life.
John Odenheimer, of the borough of Chester, farmer, records a negro
man, Anthony Welsh, aged 45, a slave for life.
Mary Withey, of the borough of Chester, gentlewoman, records a
negro woman, Phillis, 58, and a negro woman, Sophia, aged 32 years.
Both slaves for life.
Capt. Edward Vernon, of the borough of Chester, inn-holder, records
a mulatto woman, Kate, 20 ; a mulatto boy, 16 ; a negro man, Jym, 65 ;
a negro woman, Jinn, 21 ; and a negro child, Dann, aged 9 months, all
slaves for life. He also records a mulatto servant-boy, aged 12 years,
until he attains the age of 24 years.
Rachael Weaver, of the borough of Chester, inn-holder, administratrix
of the estate of Valentine Weaver, deceased, records a negro man, Joe,
60; a negro woman, Dinah, 60; a negro boy. Jack, 15; a negro boy, Peter,
13 years ; and a negro girl, Violet, aged 11. All slaves for life.
Elisha Price, Esq., of the borough of Chester, records a negro man,
Peter, aged 24 years, a slave for life.
Samuel Shaw, of the borough of Chester, miller, records a negro man,
Peter, 36, and a negro man, Buff, age 23. Both slaves for life.
Boaz Matthews, of Upper Darby, blacksmith, records a negro man
named Ciesar, aged 37, a slave for life.
Sarah Harman, of Upper Darby, seamstress, records a negro woman,
Clarissa, aged 19, a slave for life.
Samuel Smith, of Darby township, yeoman, records a negro man,
Milford, 58, and a negro man, Tom, 23. Both slaves for life.
John Crosby, Jr., of Ridley, yeoman, records a negro girl, Fann, aged
■ life.
Sketchley Morton, of Ridley, grazier, records a negro boy, Jeffrey,
aged 14, a slave for life.
John Morton, of Ridley, farmer, records a negro man , George, 52 ; a
negro womun, Dinah, 47; a negro girl, Hannah, 7; and a female negro
child, 1 year old, all slaves for life.
Thomas Smith, of Ridley, farmer, records a negro man, Jim, 20; a
negro. boy, Cato, 10; a negro girl, Phebe, 14; and a negro girl, Hannah,
aged 9, all slaves for life.
John Quandril, of Ridley, weaver, records a negro man, Jack, aged
60, a slave for life.
John Crozer, executor of the estate of John Knowles, late of the town-
ship of Ridley, deceased, records a negro man, Scipio, 24; a negro
woman, Pathena, 41 ; a negro girl, Fanny, aged about 14 ; a negro girl,
Tabitha, 11 ; and a negro girl, Jane, aged 8, all slaves for life.
Isaac Hendrickson, of Ridley, farmer, records a negro man, Tone, 40;
a negro woman, Nance, 36; a nt*gro boy, Frank, 12; a negro girl, Bett,
10 ; a negro boy. Tone, 7 ; a negro boy, Joe, 5 ; a negro girl, Pol, 3 ; and
a negro girl. Dine, aged 6 months, all slaves for life.
Morton Morton, of Ridley, yeoman, records a negro man, Cresar, 28 ;
a negro womau, Liz, 30; a negro boy, Annias, 8 years and 7 months ;
and a negro boy, Samuel, aged 8 years and 7 months; a mulatto boy,
John, aged 6 years and 4 months; and a mulatto boy, Jacob, aged 6
years and 4 months (Mr. Morton may possibly have had a pair of twins
in his household); a mulatto girl, Sarah, 3 years and 3 months ; and a
mulatto boy, Peter, 1 year and 10 months, all slaves for life.
Lewis Trimble, of Ridley, yeoman, records a mulatto woman. Peg, 23 ;
and a negro girl, Liz, 13, all slaves for life.
John Worrall, of Ridley, yeoman, records a mulatto servant boy,
Philip Brown, aged 3 years and 9 months, until he shall attiiin the age
Harvey Lewis, of Ridley, yeoman, records a negro servant-man, James,
KEDEMPTIONERS AND SLAVERY IN DELAWARE COUNTY.
205
21, and a negro servant-woman, Hannali, 16, until they shall have
attained the age of 31 years.
Thomas Cheyney, Esq., of Thombury, records a negro girl, Lizey, 9,
and a negro boy, Isaac, aged 6 yeai-a, slaves for life.
Joshua Way, of Thornbury, yeoman, reports a negro woman, Phillis,
21 years, a slave for life.
Mark Wilcox, of Concord, paper-maker, records a negro man. Prince,
55 ; a negro man, Csesar, 2.^ ; a negro woman, Pegg, 30 ; a negro boy,
Luke, 8 ; a negro hoy, Tim, 8; and a negro girl. Suck, aged 3, all slaves
for life.
of the estate of Thomas Wil-
jrds a negro girl. Luce,
records a negro woman, Venus,
Mark Wilco.\, of Concord, ex.
cox, late of the same township,
aged 14 years, a slave for life.
John Jerman, of Newtown, ye
aged 32, a slave for life.
Jonathan Hunter, of Edgmunt, yeoman, records a negro woman,
Phillis, 30; a negro lad, Paddy, 10 ; a negro boy, Samson ; a negro girl.
Prude, G; and a negro girl, Phillis, aged 3 years, all slaves for life.
lu addition to the foregoing list the following per-
sons made returns of slaves, but the residences of the
owners are not given, hence I cannot designate how
many, if any, were residents in the territory now com-
prising Delaware County :
Thomas May, four slaves ; John Cuthbert, one ;
James Boyd, two; John Vanlasey, four; .Tames Mc-
Cainent, two ; George Boyd, one ; Capt. Thomas
Wiley, one; Catherine Kelso, one; Robert Carry, one;
Thomas Scott, one; William Steel, two.
Under the provisions of the foregoing act, after the
creation of Delaware County, the following births of
negro children of slaves belonging to the persons
whose names are given are recorded :
Jan. 28, 1794, Adam Beihl, of Tiuicum, grazier, negro female child,
Nancy Norris, born Sept. 24, 1794.
April 29, 1794, William Burns, of Marcus Hook, inn-keeper, two negro
children, — first, female named Flora, born 14th day of February, 1794 ;
second, male named Cuff, born 16th day of March, 1794.
Jan. 6, 1795, Israel Elliott, Esq., of Tinicum, grazier, female negro
child named Phebe, daughter of Dinah McCormick, born 10th day of
September, 1794.
Nov. 12, 1796, Israel Elliott, Esq., of Tinicum, grazier, female negro
child named Elizabeth, daughter of Dinah McCormick.
In 1799, Elizabeth Evans, of Aston, was asse-ssed for one woman slave
valued at two hundred and fifty dollai-s.
The act of Assembly, March 29, 1798, provided for
the registration of all children born of slaves within
six months after their birth, declaring that only chil-
dren thus registered could legally be held as slaves
until the age of twenty-eight years. Under its pro-
visions the following births are' recorded :
Feb. 27, 1799, Mark Wilcox, Esq., of Concord, negro male child named
Charles Gibson, son of Susanna Gibson, born 2d day of September,
1798.
July 2, 1806, William Anderson, of Chester, male mulatto bastard
child named Francis, born 17th day of February last.
Sept. 22, 1809, Mary Calhoun, female negro child named Margaret
Reddon, bom 5th day of April last.
The foregoing is the last record of the birth of a
slave-child in Delaware County.
Among the records of the county will be found a
paper executed by the heirs of Isaac Levis, of Mid-
dletown, under date of Aug. 4, 1801, setting forth that
the decedents owned "a negro boy named John, now
about twenty-three years of age, and it being appre-
hended that the heirs may have some claim on the
said negro," they release all rights they may have to
his person or services.
In the same year, August 1st, Israel Elliott, Esq., of
Tinicum, being the owner of "negro Primus Neid,"
a slave for life, — then in his twenty-eighth year, — "in
consideration of his Integrity, honesty and upright-
ness. . . during his servitude" manumitted "Primus,"
requiring all " the Lieged people of the United States
of America" to recognize his late slave as a free man.
The return of deaf and dumb and slaves in each
township in the State in 1829 shows one slave in
Delaware County, held in Chester.' The census of
1790 showed fifty slaves in Delaware County ; that of
1800, seven, while in 1810 not one was returned. In
1820 there was one, and in 1830 the number had
swollen to two.
The last notice of the eflete system of slavery, so
far as the official records of the county are concerned,
will be found on file in the office of the prothonotary,
at Media, whereby Elizabeth H. Price, of Cecil
County, Md?, under date of Nov. 15, 1830, in consid-
eration of one hundred and ten dollars, " released
from slavery, manumitted and set free, Rasin Garnett,
being under forty-five years of age, of a healthy con-
stitution, sound in mind and body, and capable by
labor to i)rocure to him sufficient food and raiment,
with other requisite necessaries of life."
The old colonial law which authorized the appre-
hension and imprisonment of negro or white persons
suspected of being runaway slaves or servants was
continued in practice until the beginning of this
century.
The record of the Court of Quarter Sessions shows
that on Jan. 27, 1795, "Negro Jacob committed
on suspicion of being a runaway, there appearing
no claimant, he was, on motion, discharged from
his confinement,'' while on "Jan. 27, 1801, Lewis
Thoston, a prisoner charged with being a runaway
servant," was discharged by proclamation.
I have not learned who was the last slave owned in
the county of Delaware, but I know that in 1828
" Aunt Sallie" died at Lamokin Hall, in the borough
of Chester. She had been the slave of John Flower,
formerly of Marcus Hook and Chester, who moved
to Philadelphia during the Revolutionary war, where
he became a prominent and wealthy merchant. He
had manumitted Sallie many years before his death
(which occurred in 1824), but she refused to leave
her owner's house, where she tyrannized over the ser-
vants and regulated his diet, telling him what he
could and could not have for dinner. Her supreme
contempt was bestowed on " the poor niggers of no
family." By the will of her master the interest of
several thousand dollars was to be used for her sup-
port for the remainder of her life. She declared that
she was the daughter of a negro king, and had been
purchased by the captain of a slaver from the tribe
' 1 Hazard's Register, vol. iv. p. 376.
206
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
that had captured her in war. After her master's |
death she refused to live with any of lier race, but
came to Chester, to the house of Richard Flower, the
brother of her late owner, where she insisted on re- i
maining, because, as she declared, she " was one of de ;
family."
John Hill Martin says, "John Crosby (the judge) |
owned the last two negro slaves in Delaware County,
' Old Aunt Rose' and her husband, ' Sampson.' After
they were freed by law, this ancient couple lived in an
old log cabin on the left-hand side of the road running
from the old Queen's road, northwest from near Jacob
Hewes' residence, below Leiperville, then called Rid-
ley, to ' Crosby's mill.' They died at an extreme old i
age." '
After the war of 1812, when the system of servile
labor, which previous to that struggle had grown into
almost general disfavor in the Southern States, was
found to be a source of enormous wealth in raising
cotton, the acreage devoted to the cultivation of that
staple increased rapidly, so that slaved more than
doubled in price, while the demand exceeded largely
the supply. To meet this want arose a class of des-
perate, lawless men who made the kidnapping of free
negroes in the Northern States and spiriting them
away to the sunny South a regular trade, having des-
ignated stations, hiding-places, and accomplices in
the nefarious business. Although Delaware County
was on the border, very few attempts, so far as I have
learned, were made to kidnap negroes within our ter-
ritory. The first case I find occurred on Sunday,
Jan. 7, 1835. John Paschall, a farmer, residing on
the highway leading from the West Chester road to
Darby, in the evening of that day was foddering his
cattle in the barn, assisted by a black boy about
twelve years old. When Paschall returned to the i
house he missed the lad, and diligent search was im-
mediately made for the boy, which was continued
during the greater part of the night without success. !
Shortly before noon the day following the boy re- ;
turned, and related that two men, one of them a negro, [
had seized and tied him in the barn, after which they [
put him in a wagon and carried him to a house in
Chester, where his captors and the people in the house
drank until they became grossly intoxicated. While
they were in that condition the lad managed to get a
knife from his pocket, and with his teeth opened it.
Then cutting the cords which bound his hands and
feet, he escaped from the window, fled to the woods,
where he remained all night, and made his way to his
master's house the next day. j
On Sunday, Aug. 12, 1844, the quiet of Chester was
broken by a hue and cry in pursuit of four colored
men who had, it was said, murdered George Sliarp, of !
Wilmington, Del., at the " Practical Farmer," about \
seven miles distant. A number of horsemen and foot- [
men joined in the ohase. Within a mile of Darby
History of Chester, p. 213.
three of the fugitives were overtaken, and brought to
the jail at Chester. The truth appeared the next day.
No murder was committed, but in attempting to arrest
one of the colored men as a fugitive slave a struggle
took place, and the man broke from the grasp of Sharp,
who fell to earth. The latter had died of heart-dis-
ease. The three men were, however, held in custody ;
but on Wednesday, the 28th, when the owner of the
slave came to claim him, it was found that they all
had escaped. The incarcerated men had taken the
pump-handle and spear, and had tied them together,
and with their blankets had made a rope, with which
they scaled the prison-yard walls, and decamped.
They were never recaptured.
In August, 18.52, a colored camp-meeting was held
at Cartertown, where it was noticed that a negro from
Delaware, in company with two worthless white men,
had been acting in such a way as to excite suspicion
that his intention was to kidnap some of the colored
persons present. A committee was appointed to watch
his movements, and, being convinced that his purpose
was as mentioned, he was taken into the woods, where
he was strapped to a tree and "beaten with many
stripes." When released he fled hastily away, never
to show himself again in the neighborhood.
On the evening of the 25th of January, 1853, Rich-
ard Neal, a colored man in shackles, was brought in
a carriage to Chester, and the intelligence that he was
so detained spread, creating unusual excitement in
the ancient borough. It soon became known that
the man was charged by one Capt. Mayo, of Anne
Aruudle County, Md., with having excited his wife
and children, slaves of Capt. Mayo, to run away.
Neal was a freeman, but had been arrested on a requi-
sition from the Governor of Maryland, and Capt.
Mayo proposed to take the prisoner to that State in
the midnight train. While awaiting the cars here a
habeas corpus was served on the ofiicers, which the
Marylanders at first were disposed to resist, drawing
their pistols and swearing they would not recognize
the writ. Townseud Sharpless, conspicuous by his
height and a light-colored overcoat he wore, coolly
held the writ, and defied the angry men to disobey the
order of the court. Neal was finally placed in the
lock-up, where he remained all night. The following
morning several hundred persons, residents of Ches-
ter and the neighborhood, assembled at the depot,
determined that the law should be carried out.
When the south-bound train stopped, an oflioer got
oft' and read a warrant commanding the appearance
of Col. Mayo and his party in Philadelphia to answer
the writ. The whistle sounded, and the train at
length started on its way to Baltimore, amid the
shouts of the populace. The ofiicers then removed
the shackles from the prisoner, and he was taken to
Philadelphia. It was subsequently learned that Neal
had formerly been a slave, had been manumitted, and
had married a slave of Col. Mayo. He afterwards
came to Philadelphia, where he was employed by
AGRICULTUKE, WITH A BRIEF MENTION OF OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
207
Townseiid Bharpless as a coachman. During the in- !
terval he strove to raise money to purchase the free-
dom of his family, but his wife, before he had sue- 1
ceeded in gathering the sum required, ran away, got
to Baltimore, where she was captured and sold to a
planter —
"Way down Soutb, in the land of cotton."
The story of the unfortunate negro became known,
several parties were warmly interested in his behalf,
and three thousand dollars was raised, his family pur-
chased, and brought to Philadelphia, where they were
living when he was arrested. As soon as the true
facts were made known to Governor Bigler, he re-
called his approval of the requisition.
CHAPTER XXII.
AGRICULTURE, WITH A BRIEF MENTION OF OUR
DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
Gabriel Thomas, the first historian of our State,
in his quaint volume published in 1698, in describing
the productions, says, " Their sorts of grain are wheat,
rye, peas, barley, buckwheat, rice, Indian corn, and
beans, with great quantities of hemp and flax, as also
several sorts of eating roots, such as turnips, potatoes,'
carrots, parsnips, etc., all of which are produced yearly
in greater quanties than in England, those roots being
much larger and altogether as sweet, if not more de-
licious. Cucumbers, coshaws, artichokes, with many
others ; most sorts of saladings, besides what grows
naturally wild in the country, and that in great plenty ;
also as mustard, rue, sage, mint, tansy, worm-wood,
penny-royal, and most of the herbs and roots found
in the gardens of England."
The corn (wheat) harvest, the same author tells us,
•was ended before the middle of July, and in most
years the yield was twenty and thirty bushels of wheat
for every one sown. While another writer, in 1684, re-
cords that "the corn of this province, which the In-
dians use, increases four hundred for one. It is good
for the health, put in milk or to make bread." Gabriel
Thomas states that there were several farmers, who at
that time (prior to 1698) sowed yearly between seventy
and eighty acres of wheat each, besides barley, oats.
1 Watson records that potatoes " were very slow of reception among
us. It was first introduced from Ireland in 1719 by a colony of Presby-
terians settled at Londonderry, in New Hampshire." (Annals of Phila-
delphia, Tol. ii. p. 420.) The quotation from Thomas' " History of Penn-
sylvania," published in London, twenty-one years before the date,
according to Watson, when potatoes were first introduced into the Eng-
lish American colonies, shows thiit the latter assertion in not correct.
The latter statement of Watson (same volume, page 48B-87), that potatoes
during his mother's childhood were little esteemed as food, may be
literally true, as also the record ho made of the remark of Col. A. J.
Alorris, that in the earlydays that vegetable was called £>panisb potatoes,
"and were very sharp and pungent to the throat and smell." Ho (Col.
Morris) said Tench Francis first imported our improved stock, which by
frequent cultivation he much improved.
rye, peas, beans, and other crops, and that it was com-
mon to have two harvests in the year, — " the first of
English wheat and the second of buck or French
wheat."
The labor of the men on the farm in early times
was much more arduous than at the beginning of this
century, and absolutely appalling when contrasted
with that of the present day. Thomas Cheyney,
of Thornbury, in July, 1796,'^ in describing the
laborious manner of life at that time states that
"every one that is able to do anything are as busy
as nailers. I know many men that are worth thou-
sands of pounds that will mow, make hay, reap, and
draw hay and grain into their barnea as steady as
hirelings, and those that are able, if they do not work,
are looked upon with kind of contempt. Here in the
country they are slighted and are not company for
anybody."
The plow which was in use during the colonial
period resembled in almost every respect those repre-
sented in the sculpture on the rained temples of
ancient Egypt, and like those, in most cases, were
drawn by oxen. The entire implement was of wood,
the mould-board a heavy block of the same material,
which was sometimes covered with pieces of iron or
the skin of a gar-fish to assist it in shedding the
earth. As a whole it was clumsy and defective, hence
it is not to be wondered that many of the farms in
Delaware County, about the middle of the last cen-
tury, after the same crop from the same laud had
been raised for years without rotation, and without
manure, were deemed so poor and exhausted that
their owners sold them to any one who would buy,
almost at any price, so that they might emigrate to
Lancaster County and " the back woods," where the
unbroken mould was so rich that " if tickled with a
hoe it yielded an abundant harvest." One of the
plows in common use towards the end of the last
century is now owned in West Chester, Pa. The
wooden mould-board, nearly three feet in length, shod
with iron, is very heavy, but shallow; the beam is so
low that in use it frequently became choked with
grass, stubble, or manure, hence a boy had often to
walk by its side all day long and clear it of the rub-
bish thus gathered.^ The English historians claim,
and perhaps justly, that James Small, of Berwick-
shire, Scotland, in 1785, was the first to introduce
the plow with a cast-iron mould-board and a wrought-
iron share. That he so introduced these improve-
ments may be true, but Townsend Ward and John F.
Watson both state that previous to the date given
" William Ashmead, of Germantown, made for him-
self a plow with a wrought-iron mould instead of the
customary board. This great improvement was much
admired by Gen. Lafayette, who purciiased four of
these plows for his estate, — La Grange. The improve-
! Futhey and Cope's " History of Cheater County," p. 337.
208
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA,
ment was soon adopted by another person, who made
the mould-board of cast iron." ' It was fortunate for
Ashmead that he did not attempt to introduce his
plow into general use, for many years afterwards
Charles Newbold, of New Jersey, in the effort to have
the agriculturists adopt a cast-iron plow he claimed
to have invented, expended thirty thousand dollars in
the attempt, and was at length compelled to abandon
it, because the farmers were of the opinion that the
cast iron poisoned the ground.
The harrow was early introduced, since Gabriel
Thomas, in 1698, refers to that implement. " Their
ground," he states, " is harrowed with wooden tyned
harrows, twice over in a place is sufficient." And in
colonial days, as was practiced until about the begin-
ning of this century, the harvests were reaped by the
sickle, all hands — men, women, and children — la-
boring in the fields from sunrise to sunset, with a
short interval at noon for rest. The wages then, as
contrasted with those at present paid for such work,
were very low, but a pint ilask of whiskey was always
given each hand in the morning. It was severe toil,
the position in reaping requiring the bending over of
the body, the right arm swinging the sickle, and the
left gathering the bunches of grain, which were
thrown into heaps and bound into sheaves. The
custom i)revious to the Revolutionary war was for
the reaper to take two corn rows, cutting through al-
ways in one direction, and then, with his sickle on
his shoulder, binding the sheaves as he came back.
Twenty-five or thirty dozen was an ordinary day's
work, but sometimes a rapid hand would reach forty
dozen.
It is not surprising that redemption servants, many
of whom had been reared in the cities of the old
world, frequently ran away from their masters before
the period of their indenture had expired, to avoid
the incessant labor which farming then entailed upon
them. Scythes were, of course, in use in our earliest
annals, but it was not until the beginning of the
present century that the cradle, with its many fingers,
began to take the place of the sickle and the reaping-
hook, and although there were men who predicted
that it would never be brought into general use, as
was the case in more recent times with the reaping-
machine, it soon won its way to popular favor. Every
man of middle age can recall, when the harvest was
ready for reaping, how all the able-bodied men on the
farm, together with several additional hands hired for
the occasion, would take their stations, the man at
the extreme right starting ahead of the one to his
left, and the latter following in order until, with a
swinging motion, all at the same time would cut a
swath from five to six feet in width from one side of
the field to the other, while frequent pauses would be
made to sharpen the scythe, the stone for the purpose
being carried in a leather girdle around the waist of
the reaper. The sound made by the stone on the
steel blade would be heard at considerable distance.
In early times, when the bundles were ready to be
taken to the barn or stack they were loaded on sleds,
and in that manner transported thither. Bishop ^
informs us that in 1750 only the best farmers had
carts on their farms, while the most of them used
sleds both in summer and winter, a statement cor-
roborated by William Worrall, of Ridley, who, speak-
ing of the older manners about the middle of the last
century, says " there were no carts, much less pleasure
carriages. They hauled their grain on sleds to the
stacks, where a temporary threshing floor was erected."
On these floors the grain was thrashed out by horses,
which were driven in a circle, and after the heads
were deemed to have been well cleared of the seed
the straw was thrown to one side with forks and the
grain swept up, ready for another lot of bundles to be
unbound and submitted to a like process. In the
barns, however, the thrashing was usually done with
the flail, and on a still day the sound of the heavy
thump of the oaken breaker on the floor, which acted
like a drum, could be heard a long way ofl". In 1770,
John Clayton, doubtless of this county, who had in-
vented a machine for thrashing wheat, received from
the colonial government the exclusive privilege of
making and selling this machine within this province.'
This was sixteen years before the thrasher invented
for the same purpose by Andrew Meikler, of Scotland,
and the one still used in England, was patented. We
have no description of Clayton's invention nor of the
manner in which it was received by the farmers, who
at that time were loath to take hold of new ideas,
believing that agriculture was so thoroughly under-
stood that nothing, let it promise never so much in
saving of time or labor, was worth investigation.
I have been unable to ascertain when the fan was
j first used to winnow cereals, but in the early days, in
i all probability, the grain was held in the hand, which
I was shaken as the contents were permitted to fall
through the fingers, so that the breeze might blow
the chaflTaway from the heavy seeds, which fell directly
to the ground, in the same manner that many of
the aborigines now employ to separate the grain
from the chaft'. It is known that previous to the
Revolution fans were in use in Chester County, al-
though the work was not performed as thoroughly as
is now done by the modern machines.
In the old colonial days the woodland was brought
into condition for tillage by girdling the trees, and two
I men could thus destroy the forest on twenty or thirty
1 acres in one year. There was little underbrush, owing
to the custom among the Indians, annually in the fall,
of setting fire to the grass and leaves in the woods, so
that " a cart or wain," we are cold by Gabriel Thomas,
AGRICULTURE, WITH A BRIEF MENTION OF OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 209
" may go through the middle of the woods betweea
the trees without getting any damage." The rich
soil, exposed to the sun through the leafless branches
of the dead trees, was prolific, and, as we learn from
a writer in 1684, if an emigrant arrived in Pennsyl-
vania in September, two men could easily prepare
that fall land for corn sufficient to return "in the fol-
lowing harvest twenty quarters, which are a hundred
and sixty bushels English measure, and this should
not cause astonishment when it is considered that a
bushel of wheat sown produces forty bushels at har-
vest." Wheat, until after the Revolution, was seeded
between the rows of corn at its last plowing in August,
and the seed was chopped in around the hills with a
hoe. During the war of independence the Hessian
fly, which is said to have been brought to this country
in the provender transported hither for the use of the
mercenary soldiers, multiplied so rapidly that they
destroyed the early sown wheat, and this circumstance
changed the season of planting. Rye was grown
largely, for it not only made a favorite whiskey and
sold readily, but it supplied almost all the coffee used
in the rural districts, and until manufactured goods
did away with home spinning every farmer had a
patch of flax sown on his place. Many old jjersons
can remember how pretty the sight was when the blue
blossom was on the flax and " the bloom was on the
rj'e." The apple- and peach-orchards in early days
were always planted near the house, from the fruit of
which the family distilled cider, apple-jack, and peach
brandy, as well as kept barrels of the former fruit,
while large quantities of apples and peaches were
always dried for winter use.
When Governor Printz first came to this country,
it is reported that the grass even in the woods grew
to the height of two feet, but as that statement was
made by an aged Swede, whose father came over with
the Swedish Governor, to Professor Kalm, in 1748, it
may be accepted with some grains of allowance. It
has also been claimed that Col. Thomas Leiper, one
of the most public-spirited men the State has ever
had, introduced clover to the colony, a statement that
will not bear investigation, for in 1709, Jonathan Dick-
inson, in a letter, speaks of buying red clover-seed, re-
marking that "the white clover already tinges the
woods as a natural production."' The ohl system of
husbanding, in vogue until tlireatened starvation com-
pelled the fiirmers to change the ruinous plan, is set
forth in a letter from Squire Thomas Cheyney, of
Thornbury, written in 1796 to relatives in England.^
He says,—
"Our land is mostly good, but we have dropt our
old method of farming. We used to break up our
fields in May, cross or stir them in August, and sow
them with wheat and rye in September. This was
done once in three or four years in rotation : in the
intermediate spaces between them were pastured.
The land would produce from twelve to twenty
bushels per acre. This way was followed until the
land run out, as we call it. We planted corn, sowed
barley, oats, and flax, likewise buckwheat, in small
portions of land allotted for that purpose, which took
the greatest part of our dung to manure it ; our
meadows got some, and we had very little left for our
Winter grain. We followed this old way until we
could scarcely raise our bread and seed."
Dr. Smith records that as early as 1734 silk was
made in the colony, the insects being fed on the na-
tive mulberry leaves. In 1770 an eflbrt was made to
arouse general interest in the culture, and to that
end premiums were given to the person sending the
greatest weight of cocoons to " a public filature es-
tablished in Philadelphia." In 1771 Chester County
sent three hundred and thirty-five pounds, the fol-
lowing being the names of the contributors :
Pounds. Ounces.
Grace Beale 4 11
Mary Parker (Chester) 10 n
Mary Pearaon (Diirbv) 61 11
Abigail Davis (Chester) :i 3
Sarah Kordham (Darliv) G IJ
Ann Cochran (Darl.yl 26 12
Rachel Haves (Darl.y) l:'. 12
James Millhouse .62 »
Ann Davis 2 15
Elizabeth Bonsall 7 U
Mary Davis 2 4
Sarah Diclis 47 10
Catharine Evans 14 44
Mary Jones 19 12
Jane Davis (Chester) 28 12
Jacob W..rraH 2 0
Margaret Riley 11 10
John Hoopes (Chester) 23 10
Henry Thomas (Chester) 8 0
Mary Newlin, of Concord, died in 1790, in her one
hundred and second year. She was born in Thorn-
bury in 1688, and it is stated that she " remembered
when her father and others deaded the timber and
burned the leaves, and hoed in their wheat by hand,
their being few horses and scarce a plow in the settle-
ment."^
Goats we know were early sent to the Delaware
River settlement, and we have reason to believe that
other domestic animals were transported to New
Sweden with the colonists. Horses are spoken of
long before the coming of Penn. In 1679 the journal
of Sluyter and Danckers mentions them as used for
riding, and many other references to these animals
occur in our early annals. Penn, when he came in
1682, brought with him "three blooded mares, a fine
white horse, not full blooded, and other inferior
animals, not for breeding, but for labor," while in
1699, when he returned the second time, intending
to remain in the province, he brought with him
Tamerlane, a colt by Godolphi Barb, to whom the
best horses in England trace their pedigree. But
previous to Penn's last coming we have the statement
of Gabriel Thomas, that the "horses in Pennsylvania
210
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
are very hardy, insomuch that being very hot with
riding or otherwise, they are turned out into the
woods at the same instant and yet receive no harm."
Robert Rodney, in a letter written in 1690,' in speak-
iog of the trade of the colony and the articles shipped
to the West Indies, mentions horses, " of which we
have very good," and also states that " a good breed-
ing mare" is sold for five pounds, in the currency of
the province. In 1683 the Assembly had forbidden
the exportation of horses or mares without permis-
sion, under a fine of ten pounds. Under the Duke's
law (1676) the owner of horses which were running
at large, as was then the custom, was compelled to
have a private brand or mark, and the town(ship)
was required to have its brand to be burned on the
horses owned by persons living within its boundary,
while an officer was designated to register the age,
color, and natural and artificial marks of the animal.
A person buying or selling an unmarked horse was
subject to a fine of ten pounds. In 1683 horses in
the woods had so multiplied that an act was passed
providing that no stallion under thirteen and a
half hands should run at large, under a penalty
of five pounds, and by act of May 10, 1699, the
height was made thirteen hands, and a horse under
that size could be taken up and impounded by any
freeholder or ranger. While by the act of May 9,
1724, no stallion, unless thirteen hands high from the
ground to the withers, reckoning four inches standard
measure to one hand, and of a comely proportion,
" was permitted to run at large in the woods." Dur-
ing all our colonial history an officer, termed ranger,
was appointed by the court to enforce the laws re-
specting domestic animals, and to impound those
found roaming at large unmarked. The office con-
tinued until the beginning of this century, for at the
January Court of Quarter Sessions, 1804, Joseph
Neide, of the borough and township of Chester, was
appointed ranger for the county of Delaware. In a
letter written by Robert Park, from Chester town-
ship. Tenth month, 1725, to Mary Valentine, in Ire-
land, he desired that a saddle and bridle may be
brought to him by his sister, who was about emigrat-
ing, and states, " Lett the tree be well Plated & In-
different Narrow, for the horses here are Large as in
Ireland, but the best racers and finest pacers in the
World." Horses were not shod until about the
middle of the last century.
Rev. Israel Acrelius, in 1758, mentioned the fleet
horses owned by the descendants of the Swedish set-
tlers on the Delaware. The horses were then broken
to pace, that being the favorite gait. It was a pacer
which bore Squire Cheyney to Gen. Washington on
the morning of Sept. 11, 1777, with the intelligence
that the bulk of the British army had crossed the
Brandywine at the upper ford, and it was a pacer
which Jeflierson made- fast to the railing of the capitol
1 Penna, Mag. of Hial.^ vol. vi. p. J
at Washington while he went in and took the oath as
President of the United States. In June, 1879, the
residents of Chester and vicinity had an opportunity
of seeing the pair of dappled-gray Arabian stallions
which were presented to Gen. Grant by the Sultan of
Turkey. By the personal request of Gen. Beale the
animals were sent to this city, and the horses, whose
pedigree could be traced more than a thousand years,
were viewed while here by a large number of people.
In early days, and in fact until the first decade of
this century, cattle, as before stated, ran wild in the
woods. Capt. Heinricks, of the British army, in 1778,
stated that " perhaps the reason why the domestic
animals are not half so good as ours is because they
are left out winter and summer in the open air."
Gabriel Thomas informs us in the infancy of the prov-
ince some farmers had " forty, some sixty, and from
that number to one or three hundred head of cattle ;
their oxen usually weigh two hundred pounds a
quarter. They are commonly fatter of flesh and
yield more tallow (by feeding only on grass) than the
cattle in England."
William Worrall stated that before the Revolution
the natural meadows and woods were the only pasture
for the cattle of Delaware County, " and the butchers
from Philadelphia could come out and buy one, two,
or three head of cattle from such of the graziers as
could spare them, for the supply of the market." To
distinguish the cattle of one owner from those belong-
ing to others, the early laws required every person to
brand his cattle with his individual mark. Under
the Duke of York all horned cattle were to be branded
on their horns. After Penn acquired possession of the
province the act of 1683 compelled owners to brand
their cattle when six months old. In 1685 the time
was extended to one year, and in 1690 the age of the
stock when it must be branded, or deemed strays, was
extended to eighteen months. These brands and
m'arks were regularly entered on record on the docket
of the Quarter Sessions. At a court held at Chester,
Fifth month 1, 1684, we find " George Maris's cattle
mark. A slit on the tip of the near ear, his brand
mark G. M." On Sixth month 5, 1684, the record
sets forth, " The ear mark of John Blunstone, of
Darby, a crop in the near ear and a hole in the farr
ear, his brand mark I. B." On 3d day of 1st week,
Fourth month, 1686, "John Hannum's ear mark, a
crop under slit of both ears, his brand I. H. on the
near buttock." While at court 3d day of 1st week,
Seventh month, 1686, the record is made of "John
Harding's ear mark, a crop on the inside of ye far ear,
his brand mark I. H. on the farr buttock." That the
cattle did not increase as rapidly as was desired at an
early period we inferentially learn from the act of First
month, 1683, which interdicted the killing of a cow,
calf, or ewe lamb for three years under a fine of five
pounds, one-half of which was to go to the informer.
In 1876 the Be/aware Count;/ Amerwan published
the recollections of William Sheldon, of Upper Provi-
WILD ANIMALS, FISH, ETC., OF DELAWARE COUiNTY.
211
dence, respecting the price at which cows sold for forty
years preceding that date. From it we learn that
previous to and including 1835 good cows could be
bought from S18 to §24, in 1836 for $20, in 1837 and
1838 for $23. In 1839 and 1840 the price advanced to
S39, while the following year (1841) they fell to $19, \
and continued at those figures for 1841 and 1842. In j
1845 the price was $23, in 1846, $25, and fluctuated :
between $22 and $25 during the next two years. In
1849-53 the average price was $26. In 1854 the price
advanced two dollars, and in 1855 and 1856 it had
advanced to $30. In 1857, $34, but in 1858 and 1859 ^
it fell to $28. In 1861-62 the price was $35, and
during the next three years $65 was the average, and
since then the market has been high.
Sheep were early introduced, and we learn from
Gabriel Thomas, that previous to 1698 of these useful
animals there were " considerable numbers, which
are generally free from these infectious diseases which
are incident to these creatures in England, as the rot,
.•<cab, or maggots. They commonly bring forth two \
lambs at once, some twice in one year, and the wool
is very fine and thick and is also very white." Capt. |
Heinricks in 1778 records that "there are plenty of
sheep, but as the farmer drives them into the wood.s
he loses the wool ; however, he sells the skin for S-s.
York money."
In the early times hogs were a very important part
of the stock of the planters, for in most cases salted
swine-flesh comprised the daily animal food consumed
during the winter months. Hence it is not surprising
that attention was early had to laws protecting the
owner in his property, particularly when the hogs
were turned out in the woods to shift for themselves.
They must have found abundant food, for we learn
that hogs about a year old when killed weighed about
two hundred pounds and the flesh was remarkably
sweet, which, it was believed, was the result of the
animals feeding on fruit which then abounded in a
wild state.
Capt. Heinricks, a German officer, who saw almost
nothing to praise in Pennsylvania, at least had a good
word to say for the swine. " Hogs," he writes, "are
quite as good here as the best in Holstein, for there is
a good mast for them in the woods, and they feed there
the whole year." Under the Duke of York's laws,
hogs were required to be branded, and the " theft of
swine or other cattle" was punished for the first offense
with a fine and the cropping of one ear. Under Penn,
by the act of March 10, 1683, the party convicted of
this offense was compelled to pay threefold the value
of the hog stolen ; for a second offense a like punish-
ment and six months' imprisonment, and for the third
conviction a fine of twenty-nine lashes and banish-
ment, never to return to the colony, under such penalty
as the County Court saw proper to impose in its dis-
cretion. At the December court, 1687, the grand jury
presented Ann Neales, widow, of Ridley, for keeping
a dog which worried and killed her neighbors' hogs.
and also harboring an Indian boy named Ohato, who
was detected in urging the dog to kill the hogs. The
widow declared that the dog belonged to Peter Cox,
but when the case was called she submitted to the
court and "Putts herself upon ye mercy of ye King
and Governor," whereupon she was fined ten shillings
and costs. The Indian boy was held in twenty pounds
to be of good behavior, and Andrew Friend became
his surety.
When the meadow-land in Chester borough began
to be improved, swine running at large was found to
be very objectionable, especially to those who were
" Improving the Marshes and Ditches and Drains,"
and to remedy the evil the Assembly in 1699 forbade
unringed and unyoked hogs and goats from being at
large in that town, and all such animals so taken up
were forfeited to the county of Chester, while all dam-
age done by hogs or goats owned by parties living out-
side the boundaries prescribed were to be made good
to the party injured by the owner of the animal. The
act designated the limits of Chester, — to be southward
by the Delaware River, westward by Chester Creek,
northward by the King's road, and eastward by Rid-
ley Creek. The act of 1705 declared that no swine
without rings or yokes should be permitted to run at
large within fourteen miles of the navigable parts of
the Delaware River, and that in the towns of Phila-
delphia, Chester, or Bristol they should not be allowed
to run at large " whether yoked or ringed or not."
The fine imposed was to be equally divided between
the government and the informer.
The ordinaiy domestic fowls seem to have been
abundant in the province in the early time. Gabriel
Thomas tells us that " chickens, hens, geese, ducks,
turkeys, &c., are large and very plentiful all over the
country," and eighty years after this statement was
made Capt. Heinricks records, " There are plenty of
Guinea fowls, but not so many as in the Jerseys and
Long Island. Turkeys belong to the wild animals,
and are in the woods in flocks like partridges. Ducks
and geese are common and as good as ours, but no
better."
CHAPTER XXIIL
WILD ANIMALS, FISH, ETC., OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
When the first European settlers located in Dela-
ware County the territory abounded with wild game,
and for more than a hundred years thereafter large
animals in a state of nature were common. Gabriel
Thomas informs us in his " History of Pennsylvania,"
that when he lived in the province, previous to 1698,
" there are in the woods abundance of red deer —
vulgarly called stags — for I have bought of the In-
dians a whole buck — both skin and carcass — for two
gills of gunpowder. Excellent food — most clelicious.
HISTORY
DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
far exceeding that in Europe, in the opinion of most
that are nice and curious people," while Mablon
Stacey, writing to a friend in England, says, " We
have brought home to our houses by the Indians
seven or eight fat bucks in a day, and sometimes put
by as many, having no occasion for them." '
Deer seem to have been abundant until after the
middle of the last century in the more remote town-
ships, for in 1824, William Mode, then living on the
west branch of the Brandywine, East Fallowfield
township, Chester County, in his eighty-second year,
related that as a boy he remembered when deer were
so plentiful that their tracks in the wheat-fields in time
of snow were as if a flock of sheep had been driven
over them, and on one occasion his father returned
home, having the carcasses of two, which he bad shot,
on his sled. Samuel Jefferis, who died at West Ches-
ter, Feb. 28, 1823, aged eighty-seven, stated that deer
were common in his neighborhood in his early man-
hood, while Watson records that in 1730 a woman in
Chester County (then including Delaware County)
"going to mill spied a deer fast asleep near the road.
She hit it on the head with a stone and killed it."
Black bears were frequently slain in the early days,
and they generally met their fate because of their par-
tiality for swine-flesh. The animal in searcli of this
dainty morsel would approacli near the settlement,
and when he had selected a hog to his taste, he
would spring suddenly upon his victim, grasp it in his
fore-legs, and, erecting himself on his hind ones,
would walk away with the porker squeaking at his un-
happy situation. The cry of the hog usually brought
the owner to the rescue of his property ; but if he
failed in overtaking the bear, he would in all proba-
bility capture the animal before many hours, for after
eating sufficient to satisfy his appetite, he would re-
turn to devour the remainder of the carcass at his
leisure. The settlers knowing this weakness, would
set a heavy smooth-jawed steel trap, attached to
which was a long drag-chain ending with iron claws.
The bear once caught in the trap, would drag the chain
along the ground, and the claws catching upon the
bushes would compel him to such exertion in freeing
himself that he would become exhausted, and when
overtaken, as his track would be readily followed,
he fell a comparatively easy prey to the huntsman.
In 1721 a bear was killed near Darby, and yet ten
or fifteen years later, when Nathaniel Newlin, of Con-
cord, married Esther Midkift', of Darby, her parents
objected to the marriage, not because they had any
disinclination to the suitor, but for the fact that he
lived in the backwoods of Concord, and there were
bears there; while of Mary Palmer, wile of John Pal-
mer, of Concord, one of the first settlers of that town-
ship, it is recorded that she drove a bear away from a
chestnut-tree with a fire-poker or poking-stick.'^
1 Proud's " History of Pennsylvania," vol. i. p. 152.
2 Genealogical Record of Palmer and Trimble Families, by Lewis Pal-
mer, p. 27.
But bears sometimes came closer to the settlement
I than " the backwoods of Concord." In the winter
I of 1740^1, so memorable for its extreme cold weather,
I it is related by Mrs. Deborah Logan that one night
i an old man, servant of Joseph Parker (then owning
and living in the old Logan house, still standing on
I the north side of Second Street, above Edgmont
i Avenue, Chester), rose from his bed, and, as he was
I a constant smoker, he descended to the kitchen to
light his pipe. The watch-dog was growling fiercely,
and he went to the window to ascertain the cause.
The moon was up, but partly obscured by clouds,
and by that light the old man saw an animal which
he took for " a big black calf" in the yard. He
thereupon drove the creature out of the inclosure,
when it turned, looked at him, and he then saw it
was a black bear. The beast, it is supposed, had
been in some way aroused from its winter torpor and
had sought shelter from the cold, which may account
for its apparent docility. The next morning it was
killed in the woods about a half-mile distant from
the house. William Worrall stated that when a lad
in Marple a large bear made an inroad into the neigh-
borhood and escaped with impunity, although great
exertions were made to secure it.
The early settlers were much annoyed by the wolves,
I who preyed on their flocks and herds. In the Duke
of York's laws, promulgated on the Delaware, Sept.
22, 1676, it was provided that if any person, " Chris-
tian or Indian," brought the head of a wolf to the
constable he was to be paid, " out of the publicque
charge, to the value of an Indian coat," and the con-
stable was required to nail the head over the door of
his house, previous to which he must cut off both the
ears, " in token that the head is bought and paid for."
In 1672 the amount paid for wolves' heads was found
to be burdensome, and it was ordered that the sum of
twenty-five shillings per head should be reduced to
twenty shillings, and the several towns were obliged
to maintain wolf-pits. This was the law respecting
the killing of wolves in force in the province from
the date of the promulgation of the Duke's " Book of
Laws," until the coming of Penn in the latter part of
the year 1682. The eighty-sixth law, enacted by the
first Assembly at Chester, provided that if any person,
excepting an Indian, should slay a he wolf he should
receive ten shillings, and for a she wolf fifteen shil-
lings, out of the public fund. The wolf's head must
be brought to a justice, who should cause the ears
i and tongue to be cut out. If an Indian killed a wolf
I he was paid five shillings " and the skin for his pains,"
which latter clause was stricken out of the law May
10, 1690, by the Assembly which met at IJew Castle,
and Indians were placed on a like footing with the
whites, receiving the same reward.
! The law was more easily enacted than the money
j could be raised to pay the wolf-head bounty. The
court previous to 1700 seemed constantly compelled
I to take action looking to the collection of taxes
WILD ANIMALS, FISH, ETC., OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
sufficient to discharge these pressing demands. At
the court held at Chester, the 3d day of 1st week,
Tenth month, 1687, it was " Ordered that Warrants
be Directed to ye respective Constables of each Town-
ship in this county for raising of a levy to be used
towards ye destroying Wolves and other Hurtful Ver-
min, as follows, viz.: For all lands taken up and in-
habited one shilliug for every hundred acres ; for all
Lands taken up by non-residents and so remaining un-
occupied eighteen pence for every hundred acres ; All
freemen from sixteen years of age to sixty, one shil-
ling; All servants, soe qualified, six pence." This
order did not secure the sum necessary to keep the
county and the wolf-hunters square in their accounts,
so that ou the 6th day of 1st week. Tenth month,
1688, "The Grand Inquest doe alsoe allow of ye Tax
for ye wolves' heads and that Power be forthwith
Issued forth to Compel those to pay that are behind
in their arrears, And that receipts and disbursements
thereof be made to ye grand Inquest at ye next I
County Court." But this action of the grand jury
did not result as desired, so that Oct. 2, 1695, the
grand inquest reported that the county was in debt, ]
not only on account of the prison, which was not
completed, but that " there were several wolves' heads
to pay for," and they therefore levied a tax of one
pence per pound on personal and real estate and three
pence poll-tax. The jury also gave the rule by which
the valuation should be made thus: " All cleared land i
under tillage to be assessed at 20 shillings per acre; '
rough lands near river £10 per hundred acres ; land !
in woods" (that is, uncultivated land on which no set- ]
tlement had been made), " £5 per hundred acres; i
horses aud mares at £3 ; cows and oxen at 50 shil-
lings ; sheep 6s. ; negro male slaves from sixteen to !
sixty years of age at £25, and females at £20. Ches-
ter Mills (at Upland) £100 ; Joseph Cochran's mill
(where Button's now is), £50; Darby Mill, £100;
HaTerford Mills (on Cobb's Creek), £20; Concord
Mills (now Leedom's), £50," and all tavern-keepers
were assessed at twenty pounds. This is the last
mention I find of wolves as forming the subject of a
grand jury's action in our county annals, but many
bills are on file in the commissioner's office, in West
Chester, for the wolf bounty.
In 1705 the constantly-increasing flocks of sheep
caused the wolves to venture nearer the settlement to
prey on those domestic animals- hence, in 1705, the
law was changed, so that if any person would under-
take as an occupation to kill wolves, devoting three
days at least in each week to that pursuit, and enter-
ing into recognizance at the County Courts to that
effect, such person was entitled to receive twenty-five
shillings for every head he brought in. This was not
extravagant when we remember that at Gerraautown
as late as 1724 wolves were reported as often heard
howling at nights, while in 1707 they approached so
closely to the settled parts of Philadelphia as to render
the raising of sheep a precarious business.
By the act of March 20. 1724/5, the Assembly pro-
vides the following rewards for killing wolves and red
foxes: For every grown dog or bitch wolf, 15s.; for
every wolf puppy or whelp, 7s. M. ; for every old red
fox, 2s., and for every young red fox or whelp, Is. I
do not know whether the reward for killing foxes
was ever repealed, for the accounts in the commis-
sioner's office at Media show that on Second month
12, 1791, James Jones was paid 13s. 6d. for fox
scalps. These animals were v. ry numerous in the
last century, for William Mode, heretofore mentioned,
stated that in his early days foxes carried off their
poultry, and "on one occasion a man threshing espied
one in the evening coming towards the barn, lay in
ambush with a club, with which he knocked it over
and killed it." ' The smaller animals, such as squir-
rels, raccoons, and "that strange animal the 'pos-
sum,'" as Gabriel Thomas calls them, "she having a
false belly to swallow her young ones, by which means
she preserves them from danger when anything
comes to disturb them," were numerous. In the year
1749, we are told by Kalm, six hundred and forty
thousand black and gray squirrels were shot, the
bounty paid in the several counties that year amount-
ing to eight thousand pounds at three pence a head.
The drain was so great on the county treasuries that
the premium was reduced one-half Great numbers of
pheasants and partridges were found in all sections
of the county, while wild turkeys in winter were often
seen in flocks in the corn and buckwheat-fields feed-
ing, and Mr. Worrall could well remember when there
were great quantities of wild turkeys. The latter re-
lated that he once saw a flight of pigeons which lasted
two days. "They flew in such immense flocks as to
obscure for a considerable time the rays of the sun.
Thomas Ooburn, Caleb Harrison, and Peter Heston
went out at night in Martin's Bottom, and they told
him (Worrall) that when they were in the woods
where the pigeons roosted the noise was so great that
they could not hear each other speak. On viewing
the place the next morning, they found large limbs
of the trees broken off from the immense weight and
pressure of the lodgers." About the time of Penn's
coming the wild pigeons flew in such masses " that the
air was sometimes darkened," and, flying low, great
numbers were knocked down with sticks by those per-
sons who had no firearms. The birds not imme-
diately used were salted down for future consumption.
The act of 1700, offering a reward for killing black-
birds and crows, states in its preamble that " by the
innumerable quantities of blackbirels and crows that
continually haunt in this province and territories, to
the great prejudice, hurt, and annoyance of the in-
habitants thereof, being very destructive to all sorts of
corn and grain that is raised therein, so that people's
labor is much destroyed thereby," a reward of three
1 Statement of William Mode in 1824, Village Becord, West Chester,
214
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
pence per dozen for blackbirds and three pence for
every crow killed was offered out of the public fund,
the party killing the birds being required to produce
their heads before the proper officer in each county,
and by the act of March 20, 1724/5, the person claim-
ing the reward for killing crows was required to bring
not less than six at one time to the nearest justice,
who should "see their bill cut off," after which the
magistrate was authorized to give an order for the re-
ward on the county treasurer.
In 1748, Peter Kalm, the Swedish naturalist, records
that the old residents stated that the number of birds
was then diminishing; that in the days of the early
settlers the water was covered by all kinds of water-
fowl, and that about 1688 it was no unusual thing for
a single person to kill seventy or eighty ducks of a
morning, while an old Swede, then ninety years old>
told Kalm that he had killed thirty-three ducks at one
shot. Capt. Heinricks, of the Hessian troops, how-
ever, who could see nothing agreeable in our country,
says that " like the products of the earth, animals too
are only half developed. A hare, a partridge, a pea-
cock, etc., is only half grown. Wild game tastes like
ordinary meat."
In early times swans were said to abound on the
Delaware, but it is a circumstance to which William
Whitehead, in his interesting sketch of Chester, di-
rected general attention, that at that time " we do not
hear of the more modern rail- and reed-birds, which
now afford profit and pleasure to the sportsman in the
fall season." It has always been a question among
ornithologists as to the locality where the rail-bird
breeds, but in 1876 James Pierce picked up an un-
fledged rail-bird on Chester Island whose feathers were
not sufficiently grown to enable it to fly, which inci-
dent furnished strong evidence that the birds breed
on the marshes and meadows along the Delaware, a
proposition which had been stoutly maintained by
some well-informed persons and as earnestly denied
by others.
It is worthy of record that a gentleman in Ches-
ter in 1851 caught a white blue-bird, an albino, its
plumage being of snowy whiteness.
Of our fishes, William Penn, in his " Further Ac-
count of the Province of Pennsylvania," published in
1685, refers to the fact that " mighty whales roll upon
the coast near the mouth of the Bay of Delaware."
A century and a quarter after he wrote this, in 1809,
a clever-sized whale was caught in the Delaware, near
Chester. Watson informs us that it " became a sub-
ject of good speculation," and was exhibited at Phila-
delphia and elsewhere. " Thomas Pryor, who pur-
chased it, made money by it, and in reference to his
gains was called ' Whale Pryor.' The jaws were so
distended as to receive therein an arm-chair, in which
the visitors sat." In April, 1833, near Chester, three
seals were seen, and one of them was caught inashad-
seine, and kept on exhibition. Previous to this, on
Jan. 21, 1824, a seal was shot in the Delaware, near
Repaupo, by Jonas Steelman, a resident of New Jer-
sey, and occasionally sharks of the man-eating species
have been seen or caught in the river above Chester.
On Aug. 4, 1851, William Haines, Henry Post, and
George Ennis caught a shark in a seine while fishing
for catfish near the Lazaretto. It measured nine feet
in length and five feet across the fins. In August,
1876, Captain Smith, while fishing for herring, saw a
shark in the river just above Chester.
William Penn, in the pamphlet mentioned, states
that "sturgeons play continually in our rivers in
summer," and it is said could be counted by dozens
at a time, leaping into the air and endangering the
boats, while of shad, which he tells us are called
"allocs" in France, by the Jews "allice," and by
" our ignorant shad," ' " are excellent fish, and of the
bigness of our largest carp. They are so plentiful
that Capt. Smyth's overseer at the Skulkil drew
600 and odd at one draught; 300 is no wonder, 100
familiarly. They are excellent Pickeled or smok'd
as well as boyld fresh. They are caught by nets
only." He also informs us that six shad or rock
were sold for twelve pence, and salt fish at three
farthings a pound. The rock-fish Penn stated were
somewhat larger and rounder than the shad, while he
mentioned a whiter fish, little inferior in relish to the
English mullet, which were plentiful, and the herring,
he tells us, " swarm in such shoals that it is hardly
creditable. In little creeks they almost shovel them
up in their tubs." There is among the lesser fry " the
catfish or flathead, lamprey eale, trout, perch, black
and white smelt, sunfish, etc." The eels in former
time must have been monstrously large, for, as late
as 1830, one measuring nearly six feet in length and
of proportionate girth was reported as having been
caught off the mouth of Chester Creek, which was a
giant as compared with that captured by Capt. Peter
Boon, in June, 1869, which was over three feet in
length and weighed ten pounds.
I^ocusts were known in early days, and in 1749,
Kalm alludes to them as returning every seventeen
years, showing that even then the peculiar interval
of time between their coming in great numbers had
been noted. The first mentioned, however, of locusts,
so far as I have seen, is recorded in Clay's "Swedish
Annals," as follows :
" lu May, 1715, a multitude of locusts came out of the ground every-
where, even on the solid roitds. They were wholly covered with a shell,
and it seemed very wonderful that Ihey could with this penetrate the
hard earth. Having come out of the earth, they crept out of the shells,
flew away, sat down on the trees, and made a peculiar noise until even-
ing. Being spread over the country in such numhers, the noise they
made was bo loud that the cow-bells could scarcely be heard in the
woods. Tliey pierced the hark on the branches of the trees, and depos-
ited their eggs in the openings. Many apprehended that the trees
1 It is stated that the timid nature of these fish gave it the name of
shad. The early settlers noticed that the overhanging of trees on the
river or streams frequented by this fish, casting a shade upon the water,
frightened them, and hence from this peculiarity they were called
shadow-fish, or the fish that is frightened at a shadow, and in time the
first part of the word alone came to bo used as the name of the fish.
DELAWARE COUNTY CLIMATE.
215
would wither in consequence of this, but no symptoms of it was oh-
served next year. Hogs and poultry fed on them. Even the Indians
did eat them, especially when they first came, boiling them a little.
This made it probable that they were of the same kind with those eaten
by John the Baptist. They did not continue long, but died in the
month of June."
In the early days flies were more abundant than in
our times, and during the occupation of Philadelphia
the flies were very annoying to the residents of that
city. " You cannot conceive," wrote Capt. John
Heinricks, in 1778, "of the superabundant swarms
of flies." ' If flies attracted attention, certain it is
that the early settlers, as well as all subsequent Eu-
ropean visitors, were much surprised and interested
in our phosphorescent beetles, or, as more commonly
called, fire-flies. Thomas Moore has used these in-
sects with efl^ect in one of his most admired ballads.
The origin of our common bees has long been a mooted
question, because the Indians always declared that |
they were unknown in this country until the advent '
of Europeans, and termed them " the white man's fly."
" Bees," writes Gabriel Thomas, in 1698, " thrive and ,
multiply exceedingly in these parts. The Swedes
often get great stores of them in the woods, where
they are free for anybody. Honey (and choice, too)
is sold in the Capital City for five pence per pound.
"Wax is also plentiful, cheap, and considerable com-
merce." That nocturnal pest, the mosquito, was
general in the early time, and, within the recollec-
tion of the writer, in the vicinity of Chester they
were more numerous thirty years ago than at the
present day. They were certainly abundant in the
early days of Swedish sway on the Delaware, for we
learn that shortly after Governor Priutz built Fort
Elsinborg, near the mouth of Salem Creek, Cam-
panius records " At last within a few years it was de-
molished by the Swedes themselves, who could not
live there on account of the great numbers of mos-
chetoes. After they left it they used to call it Mi/r/-
yenborg, — that is to say, Moscheto Fort."
CHAPTEE XXIV.
DELAWARE COUNTY CLIMATE, TOGETHER WITH
NOTICES OF REMARKABLE WEATHER.
In 1633 it is recorded that De Vries was frozen up
in Wyngaert's Kill from January 17th to February 3d,
and that he did not return to Swansdale until the 20th
of February. The Dutch colonists " did not imagine
that we had been frozen up in the river, as no pilot or
astrologer could conceive that in the latitude from
the thirty-eighth and a half to the thirty-ninth such
rapid running rivers could freeze." Governor Printz
states in the early days of the colony, that the " winter
1 Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol. i. p. 41.
is sometimes as sharp that I have never felt it more
severe in the Northern parts of Sweden." -
The winter of 1657 is the first record of in-
tensely cold weather we find in the annals of this
colony, for the Delaware River was frozen in one
night so that a deer could run over it, which, the In-
dians stated, had not occurred within the memory of
their oldest living person, nor was there any tradition
of it ever happening before that time. On Jan. 14,
1660, William Beekman wrote, " We are bravely
blockaded by frost, but we are not affraid of it, as we
are, on the contrary, well provisioned." And on the
25th of the same month he records, " Two days ago
the ice broke up, so that we shall shortly have free
water." ' The winter of 1681 was also remarkable for
its severity, for on the 11th of December the river was
closed in one night so that all navigation was inter-
rupted, while the succeeding winter, that of 1682, was
very mild, scarcely any ice forming, to be followed the
next year with intense cold. In that year William
Penn, in a letter to Lord North, says, " The weather
often changeth without notice, and is constant almost
in its inconstancy !" while a writer in 1684 says,* " The
air is generally clear and agreeable. The summer is
longer and warmer, and the winter shorter and some-
times colder than in England." The latter statement
was certainly true of the winter of 1697-98, when the
river was frozen so solidly that wagon-loads of hay
were repeatedly dragged across the Delaware at Chris-
tiana.
The summer of 1699 was extremely warm, and the
winter of 1704 was so cold that snow fell over a yard
in depth, the deepest on record, and birds, deer, and
other animals perished, unable to find sustenance.
The winter of 1700 wiis very mild, while in February,
1714, flowers were seen in the woods near Philadel-
phia. The summer of 1724 was known as " the hot
summer," which certainly must have been true of
1730, when eight persons dropped dead in the streets
of Philadelphia in one day ; while the winter of that
year was bitterly cold, and the summer of 1734 was
so warm that many men in the harvest-fields died, and
great numbers of birds were found dead, owing to the
heat. In the winter of 1739-10, when the cold was so
intense in Europe, snow fell to a depth of three feet;
the tops of the fences were covered, and sleds passed
over them in every direction on the hard crust. The
Delaware was frozen over until the 15th of March.
The suflering among the exposed settlers in Lancas-
ter County, then on the borders of civilization, was
extreme, the Pennsylvania Gazette recording that they
were compelled to subsist on the deer which had
died, and it was no unusual event to find ten or twelve
of those creatures lying within a comparatively short
distance of a spring, while great numbers of squirrels
• Keportfor 1617, Pernio. Mag. of Hist., vol. vii. p. 272.
' Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. pp. 619, 628.
I Pemia. Mag. of Hut., vol. vi. p. 312.
216
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and birds were frozen to death. The horses, cows, and
other domestic animals exposed in the woods without
shelter perished. In many instances the stags and
does fed at the hay-ricks with the cattle and became
domesticated.
On the 17th of March, 1760, the Gazette informs
us, occurred " the greatest fall of snow ever known
since the settlement." The roads in every direction
were closed. The majority of the members of the
Assembly were unable to get to Philadelphia, the
snow, it is recorded, being in some places seven feet
deep. Dec. 31, 1764, the river was frozen over in a
night, and in 1770 the river closed on December 18th,
and remained so until Jan. 18, 1771.
Capt. John Heinricks, of the Hessian Yager Corps,
in his letter from Philadelphia in the early part of the
year 1778, states, in reference to our climate and
seasons, "The cold in winter and the heat in summer
is quite moderate, but the thunder-storms in summer
and the damp reeking air in spring and autumn are
unendurable. In summer mists fall and wet every-
thing, and then in the afternoon there is a thunder-
storm. And in winter, when the trees are frosted in
the morning it rains in the afternoon. Such phe-
nomena are common here." ^
This officer of one of the crack regiments of the
mercenary troops, in his comfortable quarters on the
Schuylkill, might thus complacently write of the
moderate cold of that winter, but the ill clad and ill
fed Continental troops at Valley Forge, as they clus-
tered about the camp-fires, record a different impres-
sion of the weather, although Capt. John Montressor,
of the British army, states in his diary, under date of
March 14, 1778, " Weather very warm for the season ;
Layloche and Gooseberry leaves starting," while on the
17th of the same month he mentions, " Fine weather;
frogs croaking in swamps, indicating spring." ^
The summer of 1778 was intensely warm, while the
winter of 1779-80 was bitterly cold, the Delaware re-
maining for three months closed. At Philadelphia an
ox was roasted on the river, and the ground was frozen
to the depth of five feet.
The strength of the ice can be imagined when we
remember that that winter the British army crossed
from New York to Paulus Hook, drawing their can-
non and wagons as on the solid earth. The winter
of 1784 was very cold, and on Feb. 6, 1788, the ther-
mometer registered three degrees below zero. The
midsummer of 1789 was very warm, but in August the
weather was so cool that fires had to be lighted in
houses for the comfort of the inmates. Jan. 2, 1790,
the air and water were so warm that boys bathed in the
river, while in the following winter the thermometer
was five degrees below zero.
The winter of 1801-2 was milder than any which
had preceded it since 1700, which it very much resem-
bled, and Watson records that shad were in market on
Penna. Mag. of HUL^ vol.
! lb., vol.
the 17th of February, 1802, while the early winter of
1805 was so mild that farmers plowed their land until
within a few days of Christmas, but the new year
ushered in intensely cold weather, while February of
1807 was extremely cold, extending even to the South-
ern Gulf States. On the 19th of February, 1810, the
mercury at eight o'clock in the morning registered
seven degrees below zero. The year 1816 is known
as " the year without a summer," and it was equally
remarkable in that respect in Europe as on this con-
tinent. Frost and snow were common in every month
of the year. June was the coldest ever known in this
latitude. Snow fell in Vermont to the depth of ten
inches; in Maine, seven; in Massachusetts and Cen-
tral New York, three inches. Fruit and vegetation
was scarce and did not fully mature.
On the 20th of July, 1824, a noticeable storm of rain
and hail is recorded as having occurred at Chester.
Jan. 19, 1827, the Delaware was frozen over at Chester,
and up to that date that winter no snow liad fallen,
nor did it snow until some time after the river had
closed.' The winter of 1824 was so mild that on the
9th of February a shad was caught at Bombay Hook.
On Friday evening, Jan. 12, 1831, one of the most
severe snow-falls on record in this vicinity occurred.
The storm continued all of the next day. The result
was that the mail and stages were much impeded for
three days on the roads from Philadelphia to Wil-
mington, but the cross-roads leading westward from
the river were blocked with snow nearly to the tops
of the fences, and in that condition was almost every
road in the county. On Monday, Jan. 15, 1831, court
began in Chester, and the juries and witnesses found
their way across the fields, a few on horseback, but
mostly ou foot. The president judge did not arrive,
and on Wednesday the associate judges, who trans-
acted some business, adjourned the court.' During
the winter of 1833-34 the river was closed, and Theo-
doric and Hamilton Porter drove a pair of horses in
a sleigh from Chester to the navy-yard, Philadelphia,
on the ice, and returned in the same manner. On
May 7, 1846, the snow fell for two days, blocking up
the roads so that access to Chester by the highways
was interrupted for several days. Trains on the Phil-
adelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad could
not run for two days because of the great drifts, and
during that time no mail passed north or south over
that road.
The year 1838, Dr. Smith records, " was remarkable
on account of a great drought that prevailed through-
out a large extent of country, embracing Delaware
County. From about the 1st of July till nearly the
1st of October, no rain fell except a few very slight
showers. The earth became parched and vegetation
dried up. All the later crops tailed, and, what added
greatly to the injurious effects of the drought, myriads
of grasshoppers made their appearance and vora-
s Hazard'B Register, vol. vii. p. 248.
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTS.
217
ciously devoured nearly every green blade of grass
that had survived to the period of their advent.
Even the blades and ears of Indian corn were greatly
injured in many places. Cattle sufl'ered much for
want of pasture, and many persons were obliged to
feed them on hay during the months of August and
September, or upon corn cut from the field." '
The winter of 1855 was remarkable. Up to March
16th the weather was comparativel)' mild, but on that
date the cold was so intense that the Delaware was
closed, and many persons living in this neighborhood
crossed over the river on foot and in sleighs. On the
night of March 6, 1858, the Delaware was frozen
solidly in one night, the preceding winter months
having been so mild that no ice had formed until the
middle of February. The steamer " Keystone State,"
from Savannah, on the evening of March 5th, had to
lay to at the pier at Chester, where she was compelled
to discharge her cargo and transport it the remainder
of the distance by rail.
On Sunday, Jan. 7, 1866, a cold wave visited Ches-
ter, increasing until by Monday morning the ther-
mometer was ten degrees below zero, and nothing to
compare to it had been known for thirty odd years.
Even now it is recalled as the " cold Monday."
On the 20th and 21st of March, 1868, the most vio-
lent snow-storm known in the neighborhood for a
quarter of a century occurred. The trains on the
railroad were delayed several hours, no mail reaching
Chester on Saturday, March 21st, until after raid-day,
while the roads throughout the county were impass-
able by reason of the drifts.
The winter of 1872-73 was cold, while that of 1873-
74 was mild. But the following year, 1874-75, was
intensely cold. On February 10th the river was sol-
idly frozen, and many persons walked from Chester
piers to the bar on the ice, and the day previous the
thermometer stood at two degrees below zero. The
winter of 1876-77 was mild, while that of 1880 was
cold, and, taking the mean temperature, it is said to
have been the coldest winter since 1856. The streams
leading into the Delaware were frozen six inches in
thickness, and the depth of snow estimated at one
foot to sixteen inches on a level.
CHAPTEE XXV.
THE COURT, BENCH, AXD BAR OF DELAWARE
COUNTY.
Beyond the possibility of refutation, it can be
asserted that at Tinicum, in the present county of
Delaware, justice was first dispensed within the limits
of the State of Pennsylvania, and in all probabilities
this remark will hold good as to the entire Delaware
1 History of Delaware County, p. 369.
River territory. Crude and capricious doubtless was
the code of laws administered by Governor Printz,
who was required, in obedience to the instructions
given him, to "decide all controversies according to
the laws, customs, and usages of Sweden," and in
these matters he was expected to "adopt and follow
all the laudable manners, customs, and usages of the
Kingdom of Sweden."^ This was certainly a task
more difficult to perform than to require, for the codi-
fication of all the Swedish statutes, manners, and cus-
toms had then but recently been made,- hence it is no
wonder that his Excellency the Governor of New
Sweden, who, in 1647, reported " the whole number
of men, women, boys and girls and children now
living here is 138 souls,"* occasionally, even in the
sparsely-settled colony, found himself face to face
with nice points of law which his military education
furnished him no precedents to meet, and particularly
was his position embarrassing because he was ex-
pected to maintain a sharp outlook for the interest of
the company, which would necessarily compel him
I to act in the dual capacity of plaintiff and judge in
I the same case. Under the circum.stances we can
I understand why he says, " Again, I have several times
solicited a learned and able man ... to administer
justice and attend to the law business, sometimes
very intricate cases occurring, in which it is difficult,
and never ought to be that one and the same person
appear in the court as plaintiff as well as judge."*
The Governor was clothed with civil and criminal
jurisdiction ; he was especially directed to enforce
obedience and order, and could punish great offenders
not only with imprisonment but even with death,
" according to the crime;" in the latter cases, however,
execution could only be done " according to the ordi-
nances and legal forms, and after having sufficiently
considered and examined the afiair with the most
noted persons, such as the most prudent assessors of
justice that he can find and consult in this country.""
Beyond the foregoing brief mention of the admin-
istration of justice on the Delaware under Swedish
rule, I have been unable to find any further reference
thereto. Truly is it, as a recent accomplished writer
remarks, " A mere trace, fitful at best, and rendered
more faint by the shadows of time." ' The Dutch
records, unfortunately, are hardly more explicit than
the Swedish on the subject of legal tribunals among
the early settlers on the Delaware before the conquest
of the territory by the English. Jean Paul Jacquet,
who was appointed vice-director Nov. 29, 1655, was
instructed to " administer law and justice to citizens
as well as soldiers," while Andrew Hudde, the sec-
- Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 773.
s Record of Upland Court, p. 30.
' Penna. Mag. of HUt., vol. vii. p. 273.
s lb., p. 278.
» Instructions to Governor Printz, Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v.
773.
• Duke's Book of Laws, Historical Notes of Beiuamln M. Head, p.
218
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
retary, was " to book all matters . . . complaints,
defaults, arrests, with the reasons thereof, also all
judgments, sentences, and decisions," while the vice-
director was enjoined to " strictly observe and have
observed the placards and ordinances made and pub-
lished heretofore against the sale of brandy or strong
drinks to the savages, regarding the robbing of gar-
dens or plantations, the running about the country,
drinking on the Sabbath, and profanation of the
same." The court where breaches of these ordinances
were to be tried was a meeting of Council, which was
to be called only by the order of the vice-director,
and all matters pending before that body were to be
decided by " a majority of votes," and in case of a tie
the vice-director was " to have a double vote." In
cases of military or concerning the company's prop-
erty, the vice-director, beside the members of Coun-
cil, was instructed to add two sergeants, who were to
sit as part of the court; but where the matter was
purely a civil one, " between freemen and servants of
the company, two suitable freemen were to be substi-
tuted instead of the sergeants."'
This tribunal seems to have exercised legislative as
well as judicial powers, for it is recorded that on Feb.
13, 1666, all persons at New Castle were required to
inclose their lots before the 15th of March following,
and, failing to do so, were punishable by a fine of six
guilders. The owners of goats were also instructed to
provide keepers for these animals. On May 22d
Council directed that the swine at that place should
be yoked within twenty-four hours, under the penalty
of having the creatures killed by the soldiers.^ At
the February court, before mentioned, Thomas Broen,
who was charged with having beaten a servant so that
he was rendered unable to labor, was ordered to pro-
vide for the latter until he was restored to health.
The defendant, for having spoken disresisectfully of
Vice-Director Jacquet, possibly because of the sen-
tence, was placed under arrest. In July a Swede and
Finn, charged with violating the law respecting the
sale of liquor to Indians, in extenuation of their act
pleaded ignorance of the law, which seems to have
been regarded as a valid excuse, for they were dis-
charged.
Early in 1657, Jacob Alrichs was appointed vice-
director of the city's colony on the Delaware (part of
the Delaware territory, for Christiana River to Bom-
bay Hook had been transferred to the city of Amster-
dam by the Dutch AVest India Company for moneys
advanced), and in the latter part of April he arrived
at New Castle. That there then was a court held on
the river is established from the prayer of the Swedish
inhabitants that a court-messenger and provost might
be appointed for them. Sheriff Van Dyck proposed
" one Jurgen, the Fin on the Crooked Kil," for the
office, which suggestion received, June 12, 1657, the
approval of Governor Stuyvesant. From this, how-
ever, the inference naturally is that the court was
held at New Castle or Christiana, and was lacking in
every essential the received ideas of a judicial tri-
bunal, inasmuch that Alrichs, on March 30, 1658, in a
letter to Stuyvesant, says, "I found the government
here to consist and be attended to by the Vice-Director
or Commander, sitting over military delinquents with
military persons, and over citizens with citizens, as
ordered by your Honor, to whom I, upon my arrival,
represented and showed the charges which were to be
taken in consideration afterwards."^ From the fore-
going remark, Mr. Nead maintains that a regular
set of laws or ordinances had been promulgated for
the general government of the Delaware River set-
tlement shortly after the conquest by the Dutch, and
that Alrichs' instructions clearly contemplated the
continuance and enforcement of these ordinances,* a
conclusion which is doubtless correct. Certain it is
that an attorney practiced before the court, for March
30, 1658, Alrichs writes, " I have also to pay the at-
torney, Schelluyn, for salary earned by him in the
suit against Dirck Cornelissen Heunich, skipper of
the ship ' Prins Maurits,' but it seems that the ex-
penses ought to be paid out of the deposited sum, the
proceeds of the sale of the goods, unless your Honor
understood that we should not consider this." ^ This
is the first recorded appearance of an attorney in our
annals. On Oct. 10, 1658, Alrichs informed the au-
thorities at Amsterdam that he had " received the
police and law books which were sent out, consisting
of 2 parts and a duplicate of each, and we shall make
use of them ; but (not) the by-laws of the city, at the
end of which the customs of Antwerp are annexed
and printed," whereof mention is frequently made in
the dispatch."
On May 8, 1658, the Swedish magistrates at Tinicum
presented a petition to Governor Stuyvesant, who was
then visiting the settlements on the Delaware, re-
questing that they might be properly instructed re-
specting the discharge of their duties, and that a
court messenger or officer should be appointed to
serve summons, make arrests, and enforce the sen-
tences of the courts.' The meagre information we
have seems to indicate that the Holland conquerors
deemed it wise policy to continue the old Swedish
magistrates in office, the latter nationality being
largely that of the majority of the inhabitants; obe-
dience would be more easily rendered to their former
rulers than to new men, with whose language and
person the people were generally unacquainted. The
sitting of the court was at Fort Altena, for the com-
pany's colony, which included all this locality, and
they were held " three or four times during the year
Penna. Archives. 2d series, vol.
Duke's Bouk of Laws, p. 435.
Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol.
lb., vol. V. p. 304.
■ lb., vol. vii. p. !i31.
THE COURT, BP]NCH, AND BAE OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
219
according to demand or circumstances." The letter
wherein the foregoing facts appear was written by ■
William Beekman, vice-director, to Stuyvesant, April
28, 1660,' and is particularly interesting to the annal-
ist, for it furnishes a more comprehensive insight as
to the manner in which judicial affairs were con- :
ducted, together with the scope of inquiry and the
jurisdiction of the courts under the Dutch ascending
on the Delaware, than any other paper of that time.
From it we learn that Peter Ramho, a Swede, and one
of the commissioners, had already grown weary of j
public cares and desired to resign the office ; that at
the court held the 19th of August in the preceding
year twelve or fifteen of the " Swedish or Finnish Na-
tionj' who had been summoned to appear by Jager,
the court messenger, failed to attend the session, and
that thereupon Beekman made a rule that hereafter
for any similar default " committed wantonly and in-
tentionally, without the hindrance of sickness or
God's weather and wind," the party so offending [
should be fined ten guilders, the reason for the rule
being "that no one should be delayed in his claim"
because of the voluntary absence of those persons who 1
should be in attendance. It was difficult, however, to
compel the rude settlers to recognize the law's power
to correct wrong or the province of the court to med- \
die in personal affairs. In the same letter Beekman
relates that Mr. Learsen, the Swedish priest at Up-
land, having been violently assaulted and "fearfully
beaten" by Peter Mayer, complained to him, and that
he had ordered both parties to the quarrel to be sum-
moned, but before the day fixed for the hearing " the !
affair was settled between them, thus asserting that i
the judge had nothing to say about it." Peter Mayer,
who it seemed was inclined to indulge in assaults
and batteries, paid his fine for non-attendance. The
judges, then as now, did not always agree in their
conclusion as to the law or the jurisdiction of the
court. Beekman complained that Oele Stille, one of
the Swedish magistrates, had " made strong opposition
to him" at the last court-day, because the former had
suspected Stille of permitting the Swedish priest to :
perform a marriage in his presence without proclama- j
lion having been first made in church, and against
the will of the parents of the contracting parties.
Beekman, as president judge, imposed on the clergy- j
man a fine of fifty guilders, to which decision Stille j
dissented, stating that the court had no jurisdiction
to correct such affairs ; that it was a matter for the
Consistory of Sweden alone to inquire into. The ,
priest seemed to be governed by the dissenting opin-
ion, for when summoned to appear he informed the
oflicer that he had nothing to do with the court of
Christiana, and did not attend. Proceedings in di-
vorce, it would appear, were not within the province
of the tribunal, for the letter states that there was
then " among the Fins at Opland" a married couple
1 Penna. Archives, ad series, vol. vii. p. 635.
" who live very wretchedly together, and the wife is
often fearfully beaten, and daily driven out of the
house like a dog," which condition of matrimonial
infelicity had continued for several years. The trouble
was so generally known that at length a Swedish
priest at Upland, the neighbors, the sheriff', and the
commissioners, at the request of the man and wife,
applied to Vice-Director Beekman, desiring that they
might be divorced, and the few animals and personal
property they owned be divided between them. The
whole matter was referred to Stuyvesant, but whether
the divorce was ever granted does not appear in any
record now published. Dr. Smith was of the opinion
that the parties to this unhappy marriage resided near
Marcus Hook, the territory in that neighborhood then
being known as Finland.
The matters thus set forth from Beekman's letters
peculiarly relate to our history, and are exceedingly
interesting, since all the persons mentioned resided
within the limits of the present county of Delaware,
and because it is conclusive of the fact that at that
time no court existed within the territory belonging
to the present State of Pennsylvania.
Notwithstanding the di^erences in opinion between
Vice-Director Beekman and Stille, the latter still
continued as one of the magistrates, for on the trial
of Evert Hendrickson for a dastardly assault on Joran
Kyn, at Upland, on the 6th and 16th of April, 1663,
the court at Fort Altena, where the case was heard,
consisted of Vice-Director Beekman, Oele Stille, Mats
Hanson, and Peter Cock, commissioners.
The plaintiff in this proceeding had been worried
by the defendant's hog running on his land, and he
had pointed his gun at the animal, when the defend-
ant assaulted him with a stick, endeavoring to break
his head. The plaintiff in warding off the blows re-
ceived a stroke on the elbow which disabled his arm
for a month. Hendrickson not satisfied with this,
went home and brought his gun, saying at the same
time to Kyn, " I would like right well to shoot you
down uow, you scoundrel." The evidence established
that the preceding autumn the defendant had threat-
ened the life of the plaintiff, at which time he put a
knife to the plaintiff's throat, stating he had a mind
to cut his head off. The first assault had been over-
looked by Kyn, on condition that he would give him
no further trouble. The witnesses united in the
opinion that Hendrickson was a desperado " who
troubled the place at Upland's Kil." '^ The defend-
ant was banished for his ill doings, and removed to
the neighborhood of New Castle.
In the early fall of the following year Sir Robert
Carr, in command of the English forces, subjugated
the Dutch provinces on the Delaware, but in the
articles of capitulation, dated Oct. 1, 1664, it was
stipulated that " the Scout, the Burgomaster, Sheriffe,
2 Documenta Relating to the Ck)lonial History of New York, vol. xil.
220
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and other inferior magistrates shall use and exercise
their customary Power in Admins'on of Justice with-
in their precincts, for six months or until his Ma'ties
pleasure is further known." '
Under the terms of this agreement the Dutch magis-
trates continued in office until April 21, 1668, when
Governor Lovelace commissioned Sir Robert Carre,
scout, and Hans Block, Israel Helme, Peter Rambo,
Peter Cock, Peter Alricks, or any two of them, as
councilors, " to advise, hear, and determine by the
major vote what is just, equitable, and necessary in
the case or cases in question." ^ Steadily but slowly
Governor Lovelace from that time began bringing the
judicial system of England into use, retiring that of
the Dutch, which had prevailed, as speedily as circum-
stances permitted, but so gradually that the radical
change would be made, and at the same time do no
violence to the colony by unsettling at one swoop the
whole body of ordinances, manners, and customs with
whicli the people had grown familiar by long usage.
The attempted rebellion of the Long Finn, in the
summer of 1669, aftbrded the Governor an opportu-
nity to make some sweeping innovations in the crimi-
nal procedure, and that case will ever be memorable
in our annals, inasmuch that for the first time we
have undoubted record of a trial on the Delaware,
wherein the defendant was formally indicted and a
jury of twelve men impaneled, who were subject to
challenge on the part of the prisoner, and charged,
after the testimony was concluded, by the commis-
sioners to find " the matter of fact according to the
evidence."'
Governor Lovelace, knowing well the power which
appearances lend in controlling the ignorant classes,
early in our history, under English rule, hedged the
bench about with all the pomp and circumstance
necessary to impress the citizens of that day with the
importance and dignity of the judicial ofiice. In
1671, Governor Lovelace instructed Capt. Carr, on
the Delaware, to set up the king's arms in the court-
house, and to have the same insignia of majesty borne
on the staffs carried by the officers in attendance.'
At that date in all probability there were inferior
courts held on the Delaware at several designated
places by the justices to determine controversies in
trifling cases and petty infractions of criminal law,
although the records do not absolutely establish the
fact other than that on May 17, 1672, a town court
was directed to be held at New Castle, to be presided
over by the bailiff and six assistants, with jurisdiction
to try all cases of debt or damage to the value of ten
pounds, from whose decision there was no appeal ; it
inferentially appears that about that date a court was
already established at Upland. On Aug. 8, 1672, on
petition of Jan Cornells, Mattys Mattyson, and Mar-
' Penna. Archives, 2d
' lb., Tol. Tfi7p. 722.
» lb., p. 728.
' lb., p. 757.
tin Martinson, of Calcoone Hooke, in the present
township of Darby, which set forth that Iszael Holmes
had obtained a patent to land " upon the island" (sub-
sequently known as Smith's Island) "over against
Calcoone Hooke," without ever having had posses-
sion or pretence thereunto before," Governor Love-
lace, on the date given, made an order " to Authorize
& Empower the Court at Upland with the Assistance
of one or two of the High Court to examine unto the
matter and make report of the Truth thereof," that
he miglit make " some Order thereupon according to
Equity and Good Conscience." ° Certain it is that
when, on July 30, 1673, the English standard was
supplanted by that of their High Mightinesses the
Lord States-General, and the flag of the Netherlands
again floated over this territory, the Dutch Council
at New York, Sept. 12, 1673, established "one court
of Justice for the inhabitents of Upland, to which
provisionally shall resort the inhabitents both on the
east and west banks of Kristina Kill and upwards
unto the head of the river." At the same time
Council instructed the inhabitants of the Delaware
River territory, "for the maintenance of good order,
police, and so forth," to nominate eight persons in
each of the judicial districts as magistrates, and from
the names thus submitted Council would select and
appoint those officers.** These courts were of very
limited jurisdiction, for on the 26th of the same
month Council issued instructions for the government
of the Delaware River settlement, in which it was
distinctly announced that all criminal offenders
should be referred to the Governor-General and
Council; the sherifi" in those cases was directed to
arrest, detain, and forward the prisoner, " under
proper safeguard, to the Chief Magistrate, together
with good and correct information for or against the
offenders. . . . Smaller offences, such as quarrels,
abusive words, threats, fisticuffs, and such like, are
left to the jurisdiction of the magistrates of each par-
ticular village." In civil cases where the amount in
dispute was sixty florins (Beaver)' or under, the de-
cisions of the magistrates were final ; and where the
sum was oversixty, and amounting to two hundred and
forty florins, the party aggrieved could appeal to the
sherifl!' and councilors, — one person to fill the latter
office being annually appointed from each judicial dis-
trict,— whose decisions should be final. The courts
also possessed restricted legislative powers, such as en-
acting laws providing for the laying out of highways,
erecting churches, school-houses, or similar public
works, observances of the Sabbath, and the manner of
"setting off lands and gardens," and other matters ap-
pertaining to agriculture. They could also make or-
dinances against fighting, wrestling, and " such petty
offenses," provided such regulations were as far as pos-
sible conformable to the laws of the " Fatherland and
6 lb., vol. V. p. 621 ; Hazard's Annals, p. 398.
•5 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 631.
7 Then the standard of value.
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
221
the statutes of that (this) Province," but all such en-
actments " of any importance" were required to be pre-
sented to the Governor for his approval before being
promulgated. In the same document will be found
instructions as to the manner of electing persons to
fill the higher offices, a system which was adopted by
the English authorities when the territory again
passetl into their posse.ssion, and maintained in a
measure for many years after the State of Pennsylva-
nia had in turn cast off the British yoke. It was
that "towards the time of election the SheriflT and
Schepens (magistrates) shall nominate as Schepens a
double number of the best qualified, the honestest,
most intelligent and wealthiest inhabitants ... to
be presented to the Governor, who shall make his
selection therefrom." His Excellency, however, re-
served the right to reappoint any of the old justices
he might desire to continue in office.' There was no
stated time for holding these courts, but they were
called in session as occasion required.
The Dutch authority, however, by the terms of the
treaty between Great Britain and Holland, ceased on
Feb. 9, 1674; but as Major Edmund Andross, the
representative of the Duke of York, to whom the king
had reconfirmed the province after it became an Eng-
lish dependency, did not take formal possession until
the 31st of October following, it is to be presumed
that judicial matters up to that date were conducted
according to the Dutch form of procedure. Two days
thereafter the Governor ordered that the old magis-
trates on the Delaware, excepting Peter Alricks, who
were in ofiice when the Dutch captured the province
in July, 1673, should be '■ established for the space of
six months or further orders."^ On November 4th
Capt. Edward Cantwell, who had been the former
sheriff under the English rule, was reappointed to
the same office. The magistrates thus reappointed
were Peter Cock, Peter Rambo, Israel Helme, Lars
Adrecksen, Woolle Swain ; and William Tom was ap-
poirited clerk.
The jurisdiction of the courts on the Delaware Elver
seems not to have been extended so as to give them
cognizanceof high grades of criminal oflFenses. Hence
we find that on Feb. 21, 1675, Governor Andross
issued a commission for holding a Court of Oyer and
Terminer at New Castle, for the trial of several pris-
oners charged with rape, which commission was ad-
dressed to five justices of New Castle Court, and Jus-
tices Cock, Rambo, Holme, Andriesen, and Swain, of
Upland Court, requiring any seven or more of them,
as soon as conveniently may be, " to sitt one or more
Times during the space of one whole week, if Occa-
sions require, for the hearing, trying, giving Jugde-
ment, & causing the same to be put in Execution, ac-
cording to Law."''
Early in the same year it was generally reported
that James Sandelands, of Upland, in ejecting a
drunken Indian from his house, had so roughly treated
the latter that he had died from the injuries received.
On April 23d of that year Governor Androsse wrote to
Capt. Cantwell, that " as to James Sandyland (if you
are not sure of him being criminally guilty) you ought
to have had a court, that he might have a Legall
Tryall and so either be justly detained, punished, or
releast."* In pursuance of these instructions, a
special court was held at New Castle on May 13, 1675,
Governor Sir Edmund Andross presiding in person,
assisted by three commissioners, one from New Castle,
from Upland, and Whore Kill. " The bench," old
documents tell us, was "called over and placed on
the Governor's left hand. Governor Philip Carteret
of New Jersey, on the right with Mr. Samuel Edsall,
Mr. T^mas Wandall, Mr. Joseph Smith, Mr. John
Jackson, Mr. William Osburne." The jury, as pro-
vided by the Duke of York's laws, which, however,
had not been extended to the Delaware River settle-
ments, consisted of seven freemen. The court being
in session, James Sandelands was " brought to answer
a presentment by the Sheriff for suspicion of being the
cause of the death of an Indyan." The presentment
was read, and the defendant " pleads to it not guilty."
Sandelands thereupon related "the whole story of the
Indyan being at his house and him putting him out
of doors." The aboriginal witnesses did not relate a
consistent story ; one stated the deceased had died in
five days after his fall, while others made the interval
of life after being ejected from the tavern six and eight
weeks. It should, however, be remembered that while
the Indians were giving their testimony, Sandelands,
by leave of the court, went to them " and had a talk
with them." The jury, after being charged, withdrew
to deliberate, and finally rendered a verdict : " They
find the prisoner not to be Guilty, Hee is ordered to be
cleared by Proclamacon."
On Sept. 22, 1676, Governor Andross promulgated
an ordinance introducing the Duke of York's laws,
and establishing courts of justice on the Delaware in
conformity therewith. One of the tribunals was lo-
cated at Upland, and was to consist of justices of the
peace, three of whom would constitute a quorum, the
oldest justice presiding, having the powers of a Court
of Sessions, with jurisdiction over all matters under
twenty pounds in civil causes and in criminal cases,
excepting those where the punishment extended to
life imprisonment or banishment, when appeals
i were to be allowed to the Court of Assizes. In pro-
'< ceediugs in equity and suits where the claims were
! less than five pounds, judgment could be given by
the court without a jury, unless the latter was claimed
by the parties litigant. The sessions were to be held
quarterly, beginning on the second Tuesday of the
mouth, and rules governing practice, unless repug-
nant to the laws of the government, could be made
222
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
by the court, and were to continue for one year. A
record of all proceedings was to be kept in the Eng-
lish language, to which every person should have
free access "at due or seasonable times," and for that
purpose a clerk was to be appointed by the Governor,
on the recommendation of the court.'
In pursuance of this ordinance, on Nov. 14, 1676,
the first court under the new code of laws convened
at Upland, when Capt. John Colier and Capt. Edmund
Cantwell, specially authorized by Governor Andross,
administered the oath of office to the newly-com-
missioned justices, — Peter Cock, Peter Rambo, Israel
Helme, Lace Andriesen, Woole Sweinsen, and Otto
Ernest Cook.^ Ephraim Herman' was appointed clerk.
The first order made by the court was " that Mr. Wil-
liam Tom, the former clarke, should deliver unto the
present dark, Eph. Herman, the Records and other
publicq bookes and wrytings belonging to the court," *
while the first case called was that of Thomas Spry
against the estate of Hendrick Johnson, deceased, and
the plaintiff not appearing in person or by attorney,
the court ordered a non-suit, with costs.^ Executions
were also ordered against all the persons who had re-
fused to pay William Tom, the former clerk, the costs
of court, and the clerk was likewise directed to write
to the Governor respecting compensation claimed by
Justice Helme for services rendered as interpreter with
the Indians. Jan Jansen and Morten Mortensen were
appointed guardians for the heirs of Hendrick John-
son, deceased, it being represented to the court that
the estate of the minors was being wasted. This is
the first instance of record in this State of such ap-
pointment, and while the guardians were instructed
to prepare an inventory of the estate, they do not seem
to have been required to give bond for the faithful
performance of the trust.
Ephraim Herman appears to have kept a full record
1 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. pp. 783, 784.
2 From this date to the second Tuesday of September, 1681, the original
records of the Upland court are in possession of the Historical Society
of Pennsylvania. In 1860 these valuable documents were published by
the society, with copious notes and an introduction by Edward Arm-
strong. The original records were found by Deborah Logan in an old
book-case, which had formerly belonged to her grandfather, Joseph Par-
ker, deputy register for Chester County, which had stood for years in
the Logan house, in Chester. The existence of the document was un-
known almost for a century, until accidentally discovered in a secret
drawer in this old book-case.-
3 Ephraim Herman resided in New Castle, and held the appointment
for the same office in the court at that place.
* This order was obeyed, for on Aug. 14, 1677, Governor Andross
wrote to justices in New Castle: "I have also by Mr. Ephraim Herman
returned you the old Records, the Confusedness or ill Order of which I
can no other wayes remedy, butt thatt Mr. Tom, the then Clerke, do
forthwith putt ye same in Order, and write or cause them to bee fairly
coppyed in a litt booke, and attested by him and answer for any defects."
(Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. p. 789.) This appears never to have
been done, for, under date of Feb. 25, 1677-78, it is related that Tom, who
had been thrown in prison for debt, had died therein. (Documents re-
lating to the Colonial History of New York, vol. xii.)
6 For the next five years, until nearly the end of the year 1681, the
references being to "Tiie Records of Upland Court," it is unneces-
sary to furnish the citation of the authority relied on for statements
made in the text.
of all matters coming before the tribunal, for he not
only gives a brief statement of the evidence in many
of the cases, but he spread in full on the minutes the
commissions of the justices and his own, as well as
the correspondence he was instructed by the court to
have with the Governor. He particularly invites the
latter's attention to " how the Charges of this Court
when they sitt may bee found, Conciedering thait wee
all Live att a Great di.stance from our Court place and
the Amercem" (by Reason of the small number of
actions) amounting to Little."
The court, when it adjourned until the second Tues-
day in March next, was emphatic, for it adds, " and
no sooner by Reason of the Ceason, and so it is to
Continue and be kept quarterly ;" an order which, so
far as it related to the Quarter Sessions, continued in
practice for about a quarter of a century.
The next court convened on the 13th of March,
1676/7, when the tendency to the continuance of a
cause, when called, exhibited itself as decidedly as it
does now, after the lapse of two centuries. In one
case where Morton Mortensen, of Ridley, sued Mouns
Staecke for the value of an ox, which the defendant
and his servant had killed, the plaintiff's witnesses
" being supened," but failed to appear, the case was
continued, the court stating that if the witnesses did
not appear at the next term " they to be fined." At
this session we find the first mention in our annals of
a deed being acknowledged in open court, a practice
which still prevails respecting sheriffs' deeds.
The next Quarter Sessions was held June 13, 1677,
and the proceeding shows us that at that time redemp-
tive servitude was a recognized system, for at this
court John Test, in the presence of the bench, made
acknowledgment that he had sold William Sill, a
tailor by trade, to Capt. Edmond Cantwell, for nearly
four years, the unexpired term of his servitude.
Many suits were pressed to judgment at this session
against John Ashman, who, appearing to have pur-
chased a number of articles on credit, and then left
the province and his creditors, the latter, then as
now, scrambled for the insolvent's estates, and no less
than five judgments were entered and two attach-
ments allowed that day. The court appointed Lace
Cock and Mathias Holsteyn to appraise the goods and
chattels of John Ashman, and they were sworn to
the performance of the trust. It also appeared that
there was a dispute respecting "the fly (meadow) of
those of Carkoen's Hock"" and Lace Dalbo ; "the
court taking into consideration the fact that before
the next court " itt will bee too Late to mow the Hay,
doe order that bans Peterse and the Reste of Carkoens
hoeck doe mow the hay of the sd fly for the present
and untill their case bee heard." An interesting fact
in this term was that the first rules of court respect-
6 Mr. Armstrong states that this was the point formed by the juuction
of Ccbb's Creek with Darby Creek, and had for its western boundary
Darby, and for its northern Cobb's Creek. (Records of Upland Court,
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
223
jng pleadings and attorneys we have record of were
announced. "That all declarations must be Entered |
at Least the day before the cort at which the clarke
is to attend att Upplands," and " That no persons bee
admitted to plead for any other person as an attorney j
In Cort without hee first have his admittance of the
Cort or have a warrynt of Attorney for his so doing
from his Clyant." It was hardly necessary for the
court to have made any rule in relation to attorneys,
for on the 19th of May the Governor and Council
adopted an ordinance "that pleading attorneys bee
no Longer allowed to practize in ye government, but
for ye depending cases." At the November session
we find record that this ordinance was for the second
term " openly Read in full Cort."
The most important case tried at this .session was
an action for assault and battery committed on Justice
Helme by Dele Oelsen. The justice in his evidence
stated that the defendant " first with Evil words
abused" and afterwards beat him " and his shirt all
torne In peeces by the sd deft.," and as he, the plain-
tiff, was one of the members of the court, he desired
that " hee may bee so maintained." The defendant
testified that he was first struck by the plaintiff", but
Sheriff' Cantwell " desires that the court will take the
Case in Consiederacon and not suff'er that a Justice
of the Peace shall be so abused." After other wit-
nesses had been examined by the court " and heard
the debates of both parties," the defendant was fined
two hundred and ten guilders, sixty to the poor or
church, the remainder to the sheriff", and " doe further
order yt the sd Oele Oelsen doe humbly aske forgive-
ness of Justice Israeli helm and the Cort for his sd
offence." The defendant having publicly asked
pardon for his act, " The Cort and High Sherife
Conciedering that the Sd oele was a poore man with
great Charge of Childeren ; uppon his humble sub-
mission did Remit and foregive him the one hundred
and fifty Gilders fyne."
At the subsequent court, Sept. 11, 1677, the diffi-
culty respecting the meadow-land at Calcon's Hook
was heard, and it was ordered that the plaintiff's
should select " indiff"erent men," who should view
the land and ascertain whether they had not their
quantity, after which, if the parties could not agree,
the case was referred to the Governor for adjudication.
Many applications were presented at the court by
parties desiring to have certain lands surveyed and
set apart to them, while the clerk was allowed two
hundred guilders for his " last year's service, trouble
and expenses," to be paid out of the tax to be laid.
In the olden times, as now, litigation arising from
absurd disputes was occasionally brought before the
court, hence at the November session of 1677, Neeles
Laersen, the innkeeper, brought an action against
John Test, in which he complained that the defend-
ant had " been troublesome to his son about a kuyf"
(knife), and he " desires to know the Reason of the
same. The Court haveing heard the debates of both
parties ; and finding the businesse and diff"erence of
noe vallue, did order the partees to be friends and
forgive one the other, to which the parties agreed
Neeles Laersen Ingaging to pay the Clercq and sher-
refs fees."
On April 3, 1678, the first meeting of the justices
of Upland in private session, as such assemblages
afterwards were called, is noted as being held at the
house of Justice Peter Cook, " in ye Schuylkill,"
where the public accounts were audited and approved.
At the court held on the second Tuesday of June,
1678, for the first time is mentioned proceedings for
the foreclosure of a mortgage. In that case Christo-
pher Barnes had mortgaged his plantation and crops
of corn and tobacco for fourteen hundred and ninety-
four guilders and six styvers. The court appointed
James Sanderlauds, Albert Hendricks, and Oele Frans- .
sen to appraise the farm and crops of wheat and
tobacco, and the mortgageor, then in court, " Ingaged
to make a good Tytle of ye Land & plantation to ye
Pit. if not fully paid otherwise." So also at the same
session is presented the first application of an inden-
tured servant to be discharged (freed) at the expira-
tion of the term of servitude, where the master ille-
gally held him beyond the period specified in the
agreement. The court ordered Oele Swensen, at the
next court, to produce the indenture of Benjamin
Goodman, his servant, or bring " witnesses that can
Testify about ye business." This Swensen failing to
do at the November term, Goodman was discharged.
At the same term an application was made to the
court by Jan Conelisson, of Amesland, for the protec-
tion and maintenance of his son, Erik, who was
"bereft of his natural Sences, and is turned quyt
madd," the father pleading that his poverty prevented
him supporting his son. The unfortunate maniac
must have been dangerous to be at large, for the court
ordered " that three or 4 persons be hired to build a
little Blockhouse at Amesland for to put in the sd
madman, and att the next Court, order will bee taken
yt a small Levy bee Laid for to pay for the building
of ye house." Dr. Smith believed that this " little
blockhouse," built under this order, may properly be
regarded as the first lunatic asylum in Pennsylvania.'
To provide for the maintenance of the tribunal, at
this term was ordered a " Levy or small Tacx of fyve
gilders pr head on every Tydable person for defraying
of the Courts setting Charges, as heretofore, the Levy
to bee paid by Every prson upon (at) Trimeconck
(Tinicum) Island between this & the 6th of October
next Ensuing."
There seems to have been corporal punishment in
a case at this court, of which no record appears other
than that James Sandelands was ordered to be paid
one hundred and one guilder " for payment of the
1 Provision was made under the Dulce of Yorlt^s laws (pages 58-64}
for the manner in which the charge for the support of " distracted per-
sons" was to be levied.
224
HISTORy OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Indians that whip, &c.," which sum Sandelands seems
to have advanced out of his private purse; and at the
same session, in a cross-action between William Orian
and Jan Jansen, each alleging that the other threat-
ened his life, the court ordered both parties to be
bound " to their good behavior & order Each to pay
halfe Costs."
The most important order made at this court was
that which required that " Every person should within
the spaces of twoo months, as far as his Land Reaches
make good and' jiassable ways, from neighbour to
neighbour, with bridges when itt needs. To the End
that neighbours on occasion may come together.
Those neglecting to forfeit 25 gilders." This is the
first record of any action respecting highways made
by a court acting in the territory now Pennsylvania,
although nearly four years previous to this date, at a
special court held at New Castle, on the 13th and 14th
of May, 1666, Governor Andross presiding, it was
" ordered that Highways shall be cleared from place
to place within the precincts of this government." '
At the court held on the 12th of March, 1678-79,
James Sandelands, as attorney of Marmaduke Ran-
dall, presented a claim against the estate of Walter
Wharton, deceased, for eighty guilders, which was for
rent due for a house in Upland, and prayed that he
might be ordered payment out of the estate, with
costs, as also a personal claim of Sandelands against
the estate for four hundred and twenty-eight guilders.
In both cases judgment was awarded. Wharton was
the surveyor for the Delaware River settlement.
From a letter from Justice Moll, of New Castle Court,
to Secretary Nicolls, of New York, under date of Jan.
20, 1680, we learn that Ralph Hudgjson had buried
Wharton, and had charged about twelve hundred
(guilders) for the funeral expenses, and that the court
had promised to grant an order on Capt. Cantwell at
the next session for that sura. The amount was so
exorbitant that Justice Moll hesitated, for he says,
" Others have been buried as handsome for one-third
of ye money. . . . The Chancellor of Maryland, I
know, allows all administrators alyke for funeral
charges. If they will be astravigand they must doo
itt upon their owne meanes not upon ye creditor's
account." ^
Edmund Draufton brought suit against Dunck
Williams, demanding two hundred guilders as com-
pensation for services rendered in "teaching the deft.
Children to Read one Year." Richard Ducket, a
witness for the plaintiff, testified " that hee was pres-
ent at ye makeing of ye bargaine, & did hear that ye
agreem't was that Edmund draufton should Teach
Dunkes Children to Read in ye bybell, & if hee
1 Dr. Smith's " HiBtory of Delaware County," pp. 101, 102. That au-
thor, who had inspected this record, states that the manner of making the
roads was left to the respective inferior courts. That order, of course,
was binding in this jurisdiction.
2 Documents relating to the Colonial History of New York, vol. xii.
p. 643.
could doe itt in a yeare or a halfe yeare or a quart
then hee was to have 200 gilders." The court awarded
" Judgment in favor of the plaintiff for the amount
claims and costs of suit." This is the first record in
i our annals of children being in anywise educated,
[ other than the clause in the Duke's Book of Laws
admonishing the people to care for the instruction of
children and servants in matters of religion and the
laws of the country, while at the same time parents
and masters were strictly enjoined " to bring up their
Children and Apprintices in some honest Lawfull
Calling, Labor or Employment," — one of the few
regulations of the olden times which the present age
might readopt with advantage to the State.
At the November court was heard a matter which
it seems strange to our modern ideas could have oc-
cupied the attention of the most potent, grave, and
reverend judges whose duty it was to hold aloft the
balance of justice in our early colonial days. The
church-wardens of Tinicum and Wicaco Churches
brought to the notice of the bench " that the fences
about ye Church Yards and other Church buildings
are much out of Repair, and that some of the People
members of ye sd churches are neglective to make
the same up." The court, after due consideration,^
determined "to order authorize & Impower the
Respective church wardens of ye sd Twoo Churches
... do order & summons the Repective members of
ye sd churches from tyme to tyme and att all tymes
when it shall be found necessary, to build make good
and Keepe in Repair the sd Churchyard fences as
also, the Church and all other the appurtenances
thereof and if any of the sd members upon warning
doe prove neglective In the doing of their Proportion
to the same. They and Each of them to forfeit fifty
gilders for Each such neglect to be Levyed out of
their goods and Chatties Lands and Tenneraents."
This intermeddling of the court in purely church
matters was in accordance with the spirit of the Duke
of York's laws, wherein much attention was devoted
to ecclesiastical topics. The church-wardens were,
under its provisions, required twice in each year, on
the second day of the June and December sessions,
in open court, to deliver a written " true presentment"
of all misdemeanors, such as swearing, profane Sab-
bath-breaking, drunkenness, fornication, and adul-
tery, "and all such abominable sinnes," which to
their knowledge had been committed and the guilty
parties remain unpunished. Tlieir powers were so
extended that they could compel the attendance of
any person whom they believed had knowledge of
such misdemeanors to testify respecting such charges,
and if the latter failed to attend they were liable to
be fined by the court.
At the same court Francis Steevens sued Claes Jan-
sen on balance of an account for goods sold and de-
livered. The defendant pleaded in defense that " hee
proffered & paid ye Plf. in pompkiens according to
agreement." The plaintiff in rebuttal called Thomas
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR. OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Stroud, who testified that " hee being sent by frank !
Stevens to fetch ye pompkiens did demand them, but
Claes Jansen did refuse to bring them down to ye
water syde." After a summing up of the evidence on
both sides the court ordered " that ye deft., Claes Jan-
sen, pay unto ye pit. Twenty gilders in wheat and
Twenty-six in pumpkiens, after ye rate of sixteen
gilders pr. hundred. Together with costs of suite."
Sometimes then, as now, the patience of the court
gave way ; but in one case the majority of the bench
managed to thrust the tedious matter upon one of their
fellow-justices. Hans Petersen had sued Henry Col-
man for an accoant of forty-three guilders, and when
the case was called the defendant was absent. There-
upon the court said " the matter in dispute being so
Inconsiderable that itt is not worth ye Longer Con-
tinuance. The Court therefore Impowered Justice
Otto Earnest Cook to hear & Examine the act. &
Case and to make a Final End & determination
thereof as he shal find Just and Equitable."
Courts cannot be maintained without expense to the
public, particularly to suitors, a view of political econ-
omy which soon dawned on the understanding of the
justices. Early in the record, Nov. 13, 1677, the court
made an order that '• the Levy or Pole money for de-
fraying the publicq charges" amounted to twenty-six
guilders for every taxable person, and that payments
would be received in the following species : wheat at
five, rye and barley at four, and Indian corn at three
guilders per bushel; tobacco at eight stivers per pound;
pork at eight, and bacon at sixteen stivers per pound.
Skins were to be received at current prices, as was
also wampum. Sheriff Cantwell was instructed to
collect the tax, and if necessary to levy on the delin-
quent's goods, which he was to have appraised by two
of the neighbors of the party whose articles were
seized. For collecting the tax, the sheriff was to re-
ceive at the rate of five shillings to the pound.
The litigants soon began to learn that lawsuits were
luxuries which must be paid for, for at the March
term, 1679-80, the bench took action on the matter of
unpaid costs, and entered the following order on the
quaint old record :
"Whereas the Law nn(.«t'>5 tu ve cort for Every Judgment Given by
the cort 2«. 6d., aiiil iln -:u:i: l.in.- Iiitherto not Collected or paid, and
the cort being in _: i , ; iji> meunes to pay and defray their
necessary Chari^i-^ 1 ::. -Ic. It is tlierefore lli is day Re-
solved and the iiudci^li^ miu- \\ ilit.ua Warner, is hereby Impoured to
Collect & Receive from ye following persons for Each action, that is to
say Judgment accord : to ye annexed List the sunie of 2s. 6d,, and that
hee bee accountable & give a Just and Exact account of his Receipt tu
ye Court att next Court day."
Then followed a list of forty suits, criminal and civil,
wherein the costs were still unpaid. Possibly the jus-
tices soon learned, as lawyers do, that of all hard col-
lections the hardest is to gather in the cost of a law-
suit where the party to pay
"Expects a reversion and gets a reverse."
courtal expenses of the tribunal by the following
modes :
" Itt was this day by the Cort taken Into Conah
for ye defraying of ye charges of this Ciul'.s >illi
pay Yearly one scipple of wheat or 5 glMr , ,,
& Practice, and also That all the arrier ,.r > . i 1 1,
& brought into Justice Otto Earnest (Cock ; :ni Tin
eraCHti i^- ordered that
• E.i.-h jiersoD shall
>i :i;;<riiL: I.sland, such
hy way of restraynt."
Hence it occasioned no surprise to find at the next
term, on June 8th, the judges striving to meet the
as prove neglective to be fetched by ye Con
Even this order did not altogether satisfy the court,
" being in want of monneyes for ye defraying of ye
publicq Charges of their sitting ;" but just before
the adjournment the justices ordered the clerk to pre-
pare a list of those persons who were in arrears, and
particularly a fine of two hundred guilders, which list
was directed should be delivered to " ye high sheriffe,
whoe is hereby ordered to collect ye same . . . and to
be accompatible att ye next Court, with further power
that In case any should refuse ye payment of ye sd
Just Cort fees that in such a Case hee should use ye
uttmost extreamity by ye Lawe allowed."
On the 8th of June, 1680, the commissions of the
new justices appointed by Governor Androsse " was
Kead publicqly att Upland." The newly-commis-
sioned magistrates, however, did not fully compre-
hend the responsibilities connected with the office, for
the court at the June term, 1680, finding that Upland
Creek, where the court hitherto had held its sessions,
was at the lower end of the county, for the benefit of
the majority of the people " thought fitt for ye future
to sitt & meet att ye towne of Kingsesse on j-e Schuyl-
kill ;"' and at the June sessions of 1681, Justices Henry
Browne and George Brown failing to "be present, they
" were boath fyned for not attending ye Court to sup-
ply their places Each ten pounds according to ye Law
books." These fines, however, were in all probability
never collected, for, before the next court assembled,
the territory had been transferred by the king's
charter to William Penn, and under the new power
a thorough reorganization of the provincial authority
was made.
It is necessary, however, to retrace our narrative in
order of time, so as to notice a few important cases
which were tried before that event took place.
At the October sessions, 1680, Claves Craw sued
Hans Peters for slander. The defendant had called
the plaintiff a thief, and on the trial, the defendant
not being able to prove the truth of his assertion, the
court ordered that " ye deft openly declared him selfe
a Lyar, & that he shall further declare ye Pit to bee
an honest man & pay 20 gilders to ye Pit for his Losse
of tyme, together with Costs of suite." At the same
court a case was continued on the application of the
1 The site of the town of Kingsesse Sr. Smith has fully established
was located below the old Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Kail-
road (now Reading Railroad extension to Chester), and east of the Island
road, in late township of Kingsessing, county of Philadelphia. (Smith's
" History of Delaware County," p. 123, note.) Armstrong, in a note to
"Record of Upland Court" (p. 171), had located it in the inunediale
vicinity of the Swedish mill erected by Governor Piintz near the Blue
Bell Tavern on llie Darl.y road.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
plaintiff, who alleged that four of the material wit-
nesses bad been subpcenaed but did not attend. This
session was prolific of suits for defamation. Justice
Otto Earnest Cock brought an action against Moens
Peterson Staecket for having called bis honor a bog-
thief, and the justice indignantly demanded that the
defendant, " if he or any other can, will prove ye same
or otherwise that bee may bee punisht according to
Lawe." The defendant protested that he bad no rec-
ollection of ever having made such an assertion, and if
he had, " that itt must have been in his drink." The
court, however, after the witnesses were examined,
that the high character of a judge should not be
lightly assailed, ordered the defendant to pay one
thousand guilders, and to acknowledge that be bad
"wrongfully, falsly & malisiously slandered & blamed"
the plaintiff. The defendant, in order to escape the
dire wrath of the bench, " did willingly in open court
declare as above & humbly desires forgiveness &
prayes that ye fyne may bee remitted. Upon ye In-
tercession of Justice Otto Earnest the cort did remit
ye fyne abovesd."
During the whole period covered by the record of
Upland Court, there are but two cases in which juries
were impaneled to try questions of fact, and that tliis
was so was doubtless owing to the provision in the
Duke's laws that where a plaintiff desired the issue
tried by a jury he was required to give bonds, when
he entered suit, that he would pay " One Day's Cost
of a jury.'" Tlie first case wherein a trial by jury is
set out on the record was Nov. 12, 1678, and was had
in an action brought by William Orian against Job.
D'Haes on a disputed account. The plaintiff bad
craved a jury, and twelve men were impaneled, who
returned a verdict for the plaintiff for an amount
somewhat less than his demand. " The court thought
fitt to suspend the verdict of the Jury and the deter-
minacon of this case till next court day, att wch
tyme both pit and deft are to bring their bookes In
court." That is the reason given in the record for
setting aside the verdict, but it is very likely that this
was an easy way the bench took of getting out of
acknowledging that they had made a mistake. Per-
haps a suggestion was received at side bar that the
law explicitly directed that " no jury shall exceed the
number of seven, nor be under six, unless in special
causes upon Life and death the justices shall thinke
fitt to appoint twelve."^
Two years thereafter, on Oct. 13, 1680, the next
jury trial took place. The jury in this case, as in the
former one, consisted of twelve men, and their finding
was sustained, for we are informed " the court doe
allow of ye jury's verdict & passe judgment accord-
ingly." Doubtless the finding was just, yet as the
jury numbered twelve, and it being a civil suit, it
was a body clearly unknown to the law, and on ap-
peal, if pressed, the verdict must have been set aside.
1 Duke of York's Book of Laws, p. 07. ~ lb., p. 33.
But in those early times, the magistrates being un-
learned in legal matters, firmly believed and acted
on the doctrine announced in latter years in Phila-
delphia by a well-known lay judge, that " natural
equity abhors sharp points of law." As we progress
in our narrative an instance will be cited in our
judicial history sustaining this declaration. It is,
however, not uninteresting to note that at the last
session of court, before the province passed into the
ownership of Penu, a technical point was raised by
Jonas Neatson, who had been apprehended on the
suit of Andries Peters, Esq. The defendant appeared,
alleging that he was not timely " arrested." This
was a knotty point the judges desired to think over,
for the record informs us that " the Case is referred
til next court." The term fixed upon at the adjourn-
ment for holding the next session was Sept. 13, 1681,
but although a court did convene on that date, it was
with new justices and at the ancient town of Upland,
where Deputy Governor William Markham had lo-
cated the capital of the province of Pennsylvania.
The new justices were William Clayton, William
Warner, Robert Wade, Otto Earnest Cock, Lassey
Cock. All of the foregoing were also members of
the Governor's Council, while William Byles, Robert,
Lucas, Swan Swanson, and Andrew Bankson were
not iu such intimate relationship with his Excellency.
All the bench were new to that ofiice, save two Swedes,
who were formerly justices, but the English element
now outnumbered the former nationality. The first
act of moment at this session was the proclamation
by Markham that the duke's laws were abrogated,
and all legal proceedings thereafter were ordered to
be conducted " according to the good laws of Eng-
land." A most admirable change if there had been
any one in commission on the bench having any ex-
tensive knowledge of these laws, but as there was not,
criminal actions were entertained by the court and
tried by petit juries without the intervention of a
grand inquest.^
Every controversy of fact was now submitted to
the conclusion of a petit jury's verdict, but the old
manner of computing values by the Dutch guilders
could not be so quickly set aside, for the last verdict
at that session was for sixty-two guilders. If the
court records are of any value in showing how quickly
3 Br. Smith says (" History of Delaware County," p. 136), " The first
Grand Jury that evor sat in Pennsylvania, of which there is record,
was summoned to attend at this Court" (tliat of Sept. 12, 1682, a year
subsequent to the time mentioned in the text). " Tlieir names, as given
in the minutes of the Court, are William Clayton, Tliomas Brassey,
John Symcock, Tho. Sary, Robert Wade, Laurence Cock, John Hart,
Nath'll Allen, William Woodmanson, Thos. Coebourne, John Otter, and
Joshua Hastings, being one-half the usual number. Tliese jurore were
summoned in the case of Lassey alias Laurence Dalboe, and are called
his ' Grand Jury.' " It was merely a petit jury, as we now understand
the term, the word " grand" doubtless being used by the clerk witliout
comprehending the import of that term, for the record sliows that the
jury passed upon the fact of the person's guilt, and did not present him
for anotlier jury to finally acquit or-convict him of the charge. How-
ever, the first grand jury did sit in Chester at tho June term, 1G83.
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
227
the new system of computation was adopted, it dem-
onstrates thiat the people of that day more speedily
accepted the new order of things than did our Revo-
lutionary sires in discarding the pounds, shillings,
and pence to substitute in their stead the American j
standard of money.
On Nov. 30, 1681, the next session of the court
began. It was presided over by Markham, and at
that term we learn in the olden days, as at the pres-
ent, the calendar sometimes melted away, for only
four cases were tried, one was withdrawn, and one
continued. At the next court, March 14, 1682, Mark-
ham also presided, and before the bar Henry Rey-
nolds was arraigned for "selling strong drinks by
small measure in his house contrary to the Governor's
and Council's order." The defendant pled guilty to
the charge, but on his submission to this court was
discharged. The indiscriminate sale of liquors early
demanded the attention of the authorities ; the Dutch
records frequently mention the desire of the govern-
ment to prevent abuses in that respect, while, under
the Duke of York, the sale was hedged about with
many restrictions. Not only were these provisions
spread on the statute-book, but Governor Androsse,
under date of Aug. 14, 1677, in his letter to the mag-
istrates respecting the administration of justice, di-
rected the special attention of the courts to these
enactments. " Pray take care and fitting Orders for
Ordinaryes," he says, " that they bee fitt persons duly
Lycenced, and well provided according to Lawe, and
that none else be admitted to retaile." '
The clear, good sense which was conspicuously ex-
hibited by William Penn on many occasions was per-
haps never better illustrated than when in coming to
his province in 1682, he determined to continue the
courts already established therein, with whose manner
of administering justice the people had grown famil-
iar. Certain it is that he advocated radical changes
in the civil and criminal code, removing much of the
severity of the latter, while he enlarged the respon-
sibilities of individuals to the community ; but these
innovations were made by legislative bodies, drawn
from the people, and the means he employed to efiect
the end in view was conducive to the public weal,
the discussion of measures of government resulting in
enlarging the intelligence of the masses. The law
enacted Dec. 7, 1682, requiring all persons who were
not by birth subjects of Great Britain within three
months thereafter to make declarations of their inten-
tions to become " freemen," resulted in retiring, for
the time being, all the Swedish justices. Hence, at
the February session, 1682-83, John Simcock, a newly-
appointed justice, acted as president of the tribunal,
which then consisted only of five magistrates. But
Otto Earnest Cock must have declared his intentions
soon afterwards, for at the June term, 1683, when
Penn personally presided, the familiar figure of Jus-
tice Cock once more appeared on the bench.
1 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. p. 790.
To this court, held June 27, 1683, the first grand
jury of record in Pennsylvania was summoned.- That
grand inquest consisted of seventeen persons, — James
Kennerly, James. Sandelands, George Foreman, Neal
Lawson, John Corncleus, Richard Buflington, Thomas
Minshall, John Harding, Mans. Stankitt, Oele Raw-
son, George Wood, Albert Hendrickson, Herman
Johnson, Nathaniel Evans, Robert Robinson, Wil-
liam Woodmanson, Richard Few. The jury, as the
old docket emphatically records the lesser body, was
composed of twelve persons, and it seems at that time
the traverse jury was sworn at the beginning of the
court, to "justly try & deliver in your verdict in all
cases depending that shall be brought before you
during this session of court." '
One of these cases was brought by John Day against
Henry Reynolds for £4 i)s. 2d., the balance of an ac-
count which the defendant was to discharge by de-
livery of a cow and calf at a designated time. This
the latter failed to do, hence the litigation. The jury
rendered the following curious verdict: "The jury
find for ye Plaint'd give him a cow & calf, ye same to
be deliv'd with in 7 dayes, or £4, 19s, 2d, at ye choyce
of ye Plaint, or ye value thereof in Porke, Beefe or
corne in ye 8 mo next, & 40s down, and costs of
Suite."
The first clause of the duke's laws imposed a fine
of ten pounds on justices and high constables for
each and every day's absence from the sessions of the
court. Twenty years thereafter, on May 20, 1685, the
General Assembly enacted a law making a justice
who should not attend court finable in any sum not
exceeding thirty shillings. The custom of acknowl-
edging deeds openly in court, so that a record might
be spread on the minutes, which had prevailed under
the duke, continued in practice, as did the registra-
tion of the brand-marks of the owners of cattle run-
ning at large in the woods.
The court exercised the power of laying out roads,
excepting the King's Highway, which was the duty
of Council, of protecting indentured servants from
their masters' exactions or abuse, settling disputes as
to term of servitude, and compelling the bondsmen to
perform their duties by corporal punishment, or when
they attempted to escape, adding on their detection,
2 Proud states (" History of Pennsylvania," vol. i, p. 240) that " the first
Grand Jury in Pennsylvania was summoned on the 2d of Third month of
the year (1683) upon some persons accused of using counterfeit silver
money. . . . They convicted a person whose name was Pickering and
two others, his accomplices." On the 25th of Eighth month, 1683 (Oc-
tober), Council ordered, "That an Indictment be Drawne against Chs.
Pickering .S: Samll Buckley, grounded upon evidence taken before that
board." In the afternoon, *' A Grand Inquest were Impaneled and At-
tested whose names are as follows:" (Here is given the names of
twenty-four men, and Council adjunrned until the ne.xt morning, Octo-
ber 26th, when the following record was made: " The Grand Jury being
called Over went forth to find the Bill against Charles Pickering and
returned and found ye Bill as being a Heynous and Grevious Crime. A
Petty Jury were Impannelled and Attested," which consisted of twelve
men. (See Colonial Records, vol. i. pp. 86 to 88.)
3 Forms of attestation for juries adopted by Penn. Records at New
Castle, quoted in Futhey and Cope's '* History of Chester County," p. 25.
228
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
as the law directed, additional time to serve, where
the latter by their misdeeds occasioned a loss to their
owners. Some of the peculiar duties then devolving
on the court were contracting for_ county building,
bridges, levying the taxes and similar matters now
discharged by the county commissioners, as also audit-
ing the public accounts, — a work now incumbent on
the county auditors,— and many other matters became
the subject of the court's consideration. It had juris-
diction of all breaches of the peace, misdemeanors
and other offenses, excepting in cases of heinous or
enormous crimes. In this the scope of inquiry had
been eularged after Penn's coming, but burglary and
arson, which were punishable with death on a third
conviction, under the duke's law, now made the party
liable to imprisonment, -and in the latter crime, whip-
ping. The jurisdiction of the county courts was re-
stricted so far as the high grade of crimes were con-
cerned, until the Constitution of 1790 gave the judges
of the Court of Common Pleas in each county the
right to act as justice of oyer and terminer and gen-
eral jail delivery for the trial of capital and other of-
fenses.
A peculiar adjunct of the county courts provided
by the act of March 10, 1683, were the peacemakers,
three persons in every precinct chosen yearly,' to
whom the parties litigant could refer their difficulties
by agreement in writing, and the decision of these
peacemakers was as conclusive as that of the court,
and the judgment so rendered was registered as " other
judgments are.^ One of the awards made by the
peacemakers at Chester, at the court held 3d day 1st
week Eighth month, 1687, in a suit for assault and
battery brought by Samuel Baker against Samuel
Eowland, is worthy of notice. It was that " Samuel
Eowland shall pay the lawful charges of this court
and give the said Samuel Baker a Hatt, and so Dis-
charge each other of all manner of Differences from
the Begining of the world to this Present day." Al-
though the Assembly on May 11, 1692, declared that
the law relative to peacemakers was inoperative, the
remnants of that system linger still in our practice,
in arbitration, the modern form of the ancient peace-
makers.
The provisions for summoning jurors, under the
Duke of York's laws, instructed the constables "to
warn so many of the overseers to attend as juryman"
as the pending causes might seem to require, and
in the event of the panel being exhausted, the jury
could be supplied " with so many able and discreet
men as shall attend the court, ... or shall happen
to be inhabitants of the Towne where the court shall
1 Lawrence Lewis, Jr., in Lis learned sketch of " Courts of Pennsyl-
vania in tbeSeTenteenth Century" {Pema. Mag. of Hist., \o]. v. p. 16a),
Bays, "These peacemakers were not elected by the people, but appointed
annually by the county courts," citing as his authority the address of
Hon. James T. Mitchell on adjournment of District Court of Philadel-
phia, 1875, pp. 4 and 6.
" Duke of York's Book of Laws, p. 128.
be held.'" In cases where the law was obscure, "as
the jury cannot be satisfied therein," they could re-
turn an alternative verdict, viz., " If the law be so
on such a point we find for the plaintiff, but if the
law be otherwise we find for the defendant," in which
case the court must determine, as a matter of law, in
whose behalf the verdict was to be recorded. A ma-
jority of the jury could find a verdict. By the law of
March 10, 1683, under Penn's government, it was pro-
vided that a grand inquest should attend in every
county court, and bring in their presentmevts' twice
a year, when, on that presentment, an indictiient was
regularly framed and the prisoner admitted ^o bail to
the next court, so as to give him an oppoi inity to
make a proper defense. The traverse jury ^\ '--iwn
in the following manner: "The names of thf .>'
shall be writ in small pieces of paper and p ^1>
hat and shaken, forty-eight of whom shall ' ..lawn
by a child, and those so drawn shall stanf' for the
Sheriff's return. And the first twelve, not rt isonably
excepted againstshall stand and serve for the tryal." ^
A remarkable jury was summoned at Chester on the
27th of Sixth month, 1689, which for nearly two hun-
dred years was the only instance on record in the '
United States until 187S, when a similar jury was
impaneled at Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory. At the
date first given, a servant girl pleaded guilty to the .
charge of Ibrnication, and being sentenced to be
whipped, she alleged that she was enceinte and could
not undergo corporal punishment. The man had also
pled guilty to the charge. The record states, " Upon
which they were both called to the bar, where they
made their appearance, and upon her further confes-
sion and submission a jury of women, whose names
are underwritten, ordered to inspect the said Mary
Taberfield's condition." The jury consisted of Lydia
Wade, Sarah Usher, Hester Rawlence, Mary Carter,
Jane Hawkes, Mary Hoskins, Elizabeth Musgrove,
Mary Bayless, Elizabeth Hastings, Mary Little, Jane
Moulder, and Ann Sanderlands. " They make return
that they cannot find that she is ' enceinte,' neither be
they sure she is not." At the court held 3d day 1st
week Eighth month, 1689, the female defendant was
called to the bar and further examined, when she de-
clared that, notwithstanding her testimony "she doe
now freely declare to ye contrary and submitts to ye
mercy of ye King and Governor." Whereupon she
was sentenced to "receive 10 strips upon her bear
backe well laid on at ye Common Whipping Pos' att
Chester." John Eldridge was discharged on ].a; g
a fine of three pounds and all the court charges.
This, however, is not the first record of corporal
punishment being inflicted, for at the June court,
four years previous thereto, Abraham Effingall .s
convicted of " abusing and menacing the majestrucy
of this county," and was sentenced to receive "twenty-
one lashes att the Publicke Whipping-Post on his bear
1
'lb.,
I lb., p. ■
' lb., p. 129.
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY".
Backe, well laid on and 14 dayes Imprisonment at
hard labour in ye House of Correction." j
By the provisions of the act of March 10, 1683, the I
justices of each county court were directed to sit twice
in every year " to inspect and take care of the estates,
usage and employment of orphans, which shall be
called the Orphans' Court," which was to be held the
first 3d day of the week in the First and Eighth months
annually, the reason of the law being stated " that care
may be taken of those that are not able to take care
of themselves." ^ The records of the county of Ches-
ter showthat the first court, under the title " Orphans'
Court," Vas held on the " 3d day in ye 1st week of ye
8th m' 'th, 1687." Under the act of May 10, 1688,
""■ ' '^riiction of the court was extended to the con-
an '^cedents' estate, with power to order sales of
the i*xerty for the payment of debt, or the mainte-
nari'ci 't'r education of children, the support of the
widow, '^or the disposition of a part of the land, to
raise furtds to improve the remainder. These powers,
bowevei', were exercisable only " with the approbation
of the Governor or Council." - Although this law dis-
tinctly stated it was. to be in force for one year and
" no longer," the Orphans' Court had come to stay,
and although it subsequently was the object of many
statutes defining its powers and proceedings, it be-
came so entirely a part of the machinery of govern-
ment that it could not be done away with.
Previous to the act of May 10, 1684, there was no
high Appellants' Court in the province other than the
Governor and Council, but at the time designated a
Provincial Court consisting of five judges was created,
which was to sit twice a year in Philadelphia, and two
members of the court at least, every fall and spring
annually, were directed to " goe their circuits into
everie respective county in the Province," to hold a
court of appeals, as well as to try all criminal causes
of a high grade, questions of title to land and other
cases^ of which the county courts had no jurisdiction.
The following year the inconvenience of this court
only having cognizance of cases involving the title of
real estate, was the subject of much complaint, and
the Assembly abolished that part of its jurisdiction,
while at the same time it defined more explicitly its
appellant's powers and the criminal cases, which were
to-be in the first instance the subject-matter of its
inq iiry. The number of judges was to be reduced to
three, but subsequeutly they were restored to five.
• binder the colonial government and under that of
'"■^■'■fe'- commonwealth until a change was made by the
Constitution of 1790, all criminal cases punishable
with death were tried before the judges of the Pro-
vincial or Supreme Court, and for that reason a search
''■.V(uoug the old county court records to find mention of
. criminal cases of a high grade is always attended with
Jittle or no success. That much of the records of the
Duke of York's Book of Laws, p. 131.
•■ lb., p. 180. 5 lb., p.
Provincial Court must be lost beyond hope of re-
covery is evident from the reply of David Lloyd to
Governor Blackwell, for on the 2.5th of Twelfth month,
1688-89, when ordered to produce the records of the
courts, he stated that " they were not recorded other-
wise than on a quire of paper."*
A little over a year after Penn first came to his
province — no Provincial Court had been then estab-
lished— he was called upon to preside in a case of more
than ordinary interest, it being nothing less than the
trial of an alleged witch. This proceeding was had
eight years before the stupid excitement at Salem,
Mass., ran its course. At that period, in all the British
American colonies the statute of England passed in
1603 was in force, which punished the impossible crime
of witchcraft in some of the provinces with death.
Indeed, in the commission and instructions to the jus-
tices of Chester County from Governor Keith, dated
Nov. 24, 1719, they were directed to inquire of all
" Witchcrafts, Inchantments, sorceries, Magic Arts,
&c."^ and this absurd law continued in force in Penn-
sylvania until the act of Sept. 23, 1794, by which it was
repealed.'' The case mentioned was that of Margaret
Mattson and Yetho Hendrickson, — the former the wife
of Neels Mattson, a Swedish settler who owned and
resided on a plantation on the river on the west side
of Crum Creek, in Ridley township, while the latter
was the spouse of Jacob Hendrickson, who, it is be-
lieved, also resided in that neighborhood.
On Feb. 7, 1683/4, they were brought before Penn
and the Council at Philadelphia, and "examined and
about to be proved witches," when it was ordered that
Mattson and Hendrickson should enter bonds in fifty
pounds each for the appearance of their wives to an-
swer the charge on the 27th of the same month.
At the time designated the trial was had, Attorney-
General John White being present. Penn charged
the grand jury, and that body found a true bill against
Margaret Mattson. The defendant being unable to
speak English, Lasse Cock was qualified as interpre-
ter. The traverse jury was impaneled, on which
appeared Robert Wade, John Gibbons, Jeremiah
Collet, Walter Martin, and others, from this county.
The first witness produced was Henry Drystreet, who
testified that for twenty years he had lieard that the
prisoner was a witch, and had cast spells on several
cows. James Sandelands' mother had told him that
Mrs. Mattson had bewitched one of her cows, but that
Mrs. Sandelands had afterwards said that she had
been mistaken, it was uot her cow, but that of another
persons which would die. Charles Ashcom testified
that the defendant's daughter-in-law, her son An-
thony's wife, had told him that she had sold her cows
because her mother-in-law had bewitched them, and
that afterwards, having taken the spell oflfof Heudrick-
1 Colonial Eecords, vol. i. p. 246.
' Duke of York's Book of Laws, i
5 DaUas' " Laws of Pennsylvania,
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
son's cattle, she had put it on their oxen. He also
stated that the defendant's daughter-in-law one night
had called him up hastily, and when he came to her
she told him that she had seen a great light and that
the old woman, with a knife in her hand, stood at the
foot of her bed crying out, desiring " John Symcock
to take away his calves, or else she would send them
to hell." Annakey Coolin stated that her husband
took the heart of a calf which had died, as they !
thought, by witchcraft, and boiled it, whereupon the
prisoner came into their house and inquired what they
were doing? They answered they were boiling the
flesh, when she replied that it would have been better
had they "boiled the bones," with several other un-
seemly expressions. Margaret Mattson, in her defense, j
asserted that she did not care anything for the evi-
dence given by Drystreet, but had " Sandelands
mother come, she would have answered her;" as for i
Charles Ashcom's testimony on "her soul" she de-
nied it, and demanded where was her daughter?
" Let her come and say so."
As to Annakey Coolin's attestation concerning the 1
geese, she denied it. The notes of evidence do not
show what this assertion was. She declared she was
at the time never out of her canoe, and as respected
the calf's heart, she denied ever having said anything
concerning it. The prisoner at its conclusion again
denied everything, declaring that the witnesses had
all spoken "by hearsay." Penn thereupon charged
the jury, who retired, and brought in a verdict of
"guilty of having the common fame of a witch, but
not guilty in manner and form as she stands in-
dicted." Neal Mattson and Anthony Neelson gave
bonds in fifty pounds each for her good behavior for
six months, as did also Jacob Hendrickson for Yethro
Henderson, and the prisoners were discharged.^ j
The foregoing, however, is not the only instance of 1
the hidden art in our annals. In 1695, John Roman
and his two sons, residing in Chichester, were re- ;
ported to be students of astrology and other forbidden I
mysteries. The public tongue had so discussed the |
matter that on the 9th of Tenth month, 1695, Con- i
cord Monthly Meeting gravely announced that " the j
study of these sciences bring a vaile over the under- \
standing and a death upon the life." John Kings-
man and William Hughes were ordered to speak to j
the parties, and have them attend at next monthly i
meeting. The oflenders were seen, and stated that if I
it could be shown wherein it was wrong, they would !
desist from further investigation in those arts. For
several months the matter was before Concord Meet-
ing, without resulting in suppressing the dreaded
evil, and early in 1695, Chester Quarterly Meeting
had the case of the Romans before that body for
having practiced Rhabdomancy, or consulting with a j
staff, and such like things. In other words, the ]
Romans had faith in the efficacy of the divining-rod,
1 Colonial Records, toI. i. pp. 94-96 ; Hazard's Register, vol. i. p. 108. I
a belief which has not entirely died away. The grand
jury, however, learning of the matter, presented Robert
Roman for the dire offijnse, and, in order to eradicate
the wickedness, they presented the following books:
"Hidons Temple of Wisdom, which teaches Geo-
mancy, and Scot's discovery of Witchcraft, and Corne-
lias Agrippas teach Necromancy." Whereupon the jus-
tices ordered " as many of these book as can be found,"
should be brought to the court. We have no infor-
mation whether the books were brought, but Robert
Rowan was, when, on submission to the court, he was
fined five pounds and costs, promising that he would
never more practice the art, but behave himself well
for the future. He was discharged. Since which
time our records show no further allusion to witch-
craft.
In the case of David Lloyd vs. James Sandelands,
called at the court held 3d day of Fourth month, 1690,
John White appeared as attorney for plaintiff, and
doubtless at the suggestion of Lloyd, who was a well-
read and shrewd lawyer, the former interposed a tech-
nical challenge to the array of the jury, or as the
quaint record states it, " alleged that ye jury was not
Lawfully summoned .soe would not com to tryall."
The defendant, who appeared in person, therefore
craved a nonsuit on the refusal of the plaintiff to pro-
ceed with the case. The justices, as previously stated,
abhorring sharp points of law, summarily disposed of
the legal difficulty, for it " being referred to ye court
ye court granted the same." This decision may have
been just; but surely there was no occasion for the
justice at the court held on the 10th day of Tenth
month, 1700, when complaint had been lodged before
that tribunal, stating that liquor was sold by a par-
ticular individual without having received the ap-
proval of the session, to have tantalizingly told George
Oldfield, when called before the bar to produce his
license, " but he having none, the court ordered him
to get one if he can forthwith."
The reasons assigned by William and Mary, when,
on Oct. 20, 1693, they superseded Penn's authority by
appointing Col. Benjamin Fletcher Governor of Penn-
sylvania, were doubtless not the true motives prompt-
ing the act, but certain it is, that in the end their
Majesties' bad faith resulted beneficially for the peo-
ple. The difficulties which had occurred between the
legislative body and the executives of Penn's select-
ing, showed that the popular mind was determined to
adhere to constitutional rights and forms under the
charter, but the natural feeling of respect for the pro-
prietary personally softened the bitterness of the
struggle. When, however, a stranger, a usurper in
a measure, and an overbearing man with whom the
people were not in sympathy, was placed in authority,
nothing but the naked possession of power remained
to hold the public in obedience. But when that man
undisguisedly informed the General Assembly that
the laws and model of the government were dis-
allowed and at an end, and threatened the province
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
231
with annexation to New York or Maryland, it awak-
ened the open resistance of David Lloyd, the master-
mind in the colony, whose courage was of that un-
flinching kind which never hesitates in the defense of
honest opinion, and whose address in debate and
knowledge of law peculiarly fitted him to lead at that
juncture the party advocating the rights of the people.
To this day the citizens of Pennsylvania and the
Union are reaping the benefits resulting from the
sturdy battle made by that brave Quaker lawyer for
popular liberty nearly two centuries ago, for be it un-
derstood, David Lloyd dared even to stand between
Penn and the accomplishment of the purposes of the
latter when he believed that the object could only be
obtained by interfering with the general welfare of
the province. David Lloyd was the first lawyer we
have knowledge of residing within the county. His
first appearance in the Assembly was as a Represen-
tative from Chester County in 1693. The following
year he was Speaker of that body, and in that capacity
bore the full blunt of Governor Fletcher's wrath. He
was the father of the bar of Pennsylvania, and to
him, above all others, is due the credit of assimila-
ting the crude legislation of that early period into a
system of jurisprudence, while the acts which moulded
our tribunals of justice into form, and invested them
with clearly-defined powers and jurisdiction, were in
the majority of instances either drafted in whole or
revised by that eminent lawyer, whose learning and
integrity lent lustre to the Supreme Court, wherein
for fourteen years he presided as the chief justice of
the province. David Lloyd should ever be held in
grateful remembrance by the people of the State, for
whose lasting welfare he did so much.
By the act of Oct. 27, 1701, county courts were re-
quired to be held at the town of Chester on the third
day of the last week in February, May, August, and
November. Three justices constituted a quorum, and
they were empowered to deliver the gaols, award pro-
cess, and hold all manner of pleas of the crown, ex-
empting felonies punishable with death. The civil
jurisdiction covered all classes of actions, and the
practice was to conform as nearly as possible to that
of the Common Pleas of England, while in declara-
tion and pleas brevity, plainness, and verity were re-
quired, and " all fictions and color in pleadings" to
be avoided. They had equity powers, and all matters
of maritime disputes not cognizable in the Court of
Admiralty were to be heard and determined at the
county courts. Appeals were allowed from the final
judgment of these tribunals, the party appellant en-
tering security as at present.
The judges of the Supreme Provincial Court were
to go on circuit twice in each year, the act requiring
such court to be held in Chester on the 2d day of
Eighth month and on the 18th day of Second month,
for the trial of all felonies and to hear appeals in
civil cases. By the act of Feb. 10, 1710, the Supreme
justices were not required to go semi-annual circuits
in the counties outside of Philadelphia unless cases
were pending there for trial, and commissions of oyer
and terminer were issued by the Governor. The act
of 1710 was in 1713 repealed by Queen Anne, and on
the 20th of July, 1714, Lieutenant-Governor Gookins,
following the precedent of Governor Evans, pub-
lished an ordinance of like tenor establishing the sev-
eral courts in the province. One of the three Supreme
justices could hold circuit court under the act of May
22, 1722, but by the act of May 20, 1767, although
the Supreme bench was increased to four members, it
would seem that all the judges were required to ride
circuit twice a year if occasion demanded, and the
expenses of the judges and clerk of the Supreme
Court, with their servants, in the event of there being
court held in any of the counties, were to be paid by
that county during the session therein. The judges
and their attendants were to be conveyed over any
ferry in the province " without paying any ferriage,
fee, or reward for the same."
The Courts of Common Pleas in the several counties
continued to exercise in main the jurisdiction con-
ferred on the county courts by the act of Oct. 27, 1701.
During our colonial history all the courts were fre-
quently subject-matter of legislative enactments. When
Governor Evans and the Assembly could not agree
on a law relative to the courts, for the act of Oct. 27,
1701, had been repealed by the order of Queen Anne's
Council, Feb. 7, 1705, and his Excellency had on two
several occasions ordered all the courts in the province
to adjourn because of her majesty's action, on the
Eleventh month 2, 1707, the Governor published an
ordinance establishing courts of justice. This au-
thority he claimed he could exercise under the charter
to Penn when the welfare of the province required it.
The particulars of the protracted struggle between the
Assembly and Governor Evans belong to the history
of the State as a whole, hence do not come within
the scope of this work. In this ordinance, however,
the Governor provided for special sessions of the
County Court of Common Pleas every six weeks,
which should be held by two justices for the return
of process. It also provided that a special Court of
Common Pleas could be held in cases where the de-
fendants were about to remove out of the province,
such defendant or defendants making request for such
court to sit. In these extraordinary courts the costs
were double those at ordinary sessions. The Courts
of Quarter Sessions, as distinctive from the County
Court, first appear in Governor Evans' ordinance in
1707, and were directed to be held in Chester on the
last Tuesdays of February, May, August, and Novem-
ber, the Common Pleas beginning on Wednesday fol-
lowing. By act of Feb. 28, 1710, the Court of Quarter
Sessions could not be held in Chester "above the space
of two day," which provision was incorporated into
the act of 1715 and May, 1722. On Aug. 26, 1727,
the term of the sessions was extended to three days.
By the act of May 28, 1715, the justices of the Court
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of Quarter Sessions were directed "to set sucli reason-
able price on all Liquors Retailed in publick houses
and provender for horses in publick stiibles, from time
to time, as they shall see fit, under the like penalties
as in such cases are enacted by the laws and statutes
of Great Britain." The records show that this act,
and a subsequent one providing for regulating the sale
of these articles, was not a dead letter on the statute-
book.
By the act of 1710, already mentioned, the judges
of the county courts were authorized, in case of dis-
puted accouuts between copartners and joint tenants,
to appoint an auditor or auditors, who " for their
pains in awarding such accounts to be paid by the
party on whose side the balance appears." This pro-
vision was taken from the English statute passed two
years before the colonial act was approved, and is the
first appearance in our jurisprudence of the appoint-
ment of auditors by the court. In the act of Feb.
28, 1710, we find the title prothonotary used for the
first time in reference to the county courts, and on May
28, 1715, those officers were directed, after issue joined
to prepare a trial list, " which sd Lists shall be pub-
lickly set up in the court house during the sitting of
the court."
By the act of Sept. 29, 1759, the justices of the
Court of Quarter Session were interdicted from being
commissioned justices of the Common Pleas. The
salary of the justices of the County Courts in colonial
days was twenty shillings each for every day so em-
ployed. Notwithstanding the meagre pay, the justices
held their office in high esteem, and were quick to
resent anything which appeared to be contempt of
the person or process of the court. The early records
furnish many instances in support of this assertion.
On 26th of Sixth month, 1702, " John Worrelow,
being one of the petty jury for contempt of court by
departing from his fellow-jurors and going into an-
other province before they gave in their verdict is
fined fifty shillings," and on the " 1st day of the 7th
mo., 1702," Edward Prichett " for his contempt of
court in spitting in the face of Walter Faucett in open
court is fined twenty shillings."
JUSTICES PBEVIOUS TO THE ERECTION OF DELAWARE
COUNTY.
leST— Magistrates /or the SoKtk River : OloCf Stille, Matliys Hanson,
Peter Eambo, Peter Cock.
November, IBli.— Justices for Upland : Peter Cock, Peter Rmubo, Israel
Helm, Liice Andries, Oelle Sweuson.
Oct. 3, 1676.— Peter Cock, Peter Rambo, Israel Helm, Lace Andries, Oelle
Swenson, Otto Ernest Cock.
M!i.yiS,WSO.— Commimoned by Sir Edmund Aitdros: Otto Ernest Cock,
Israel Helm, Lasse CmcU. Henry James, George Browne.
16S1.— Commissioned by Oovcrnor Marlcham: William Clayton, 'William
Warner, Koliert Wade, William Byler, Robert Lucus, Hendrias
Bankson, Thomas Fairnian, James Sandelands, Swen Swenson, An-
dries Bankson, Otlo Ernest Cock, Lassey Cock.
1682. — Commissioned by Pemi : John Simcock, Thomas Brassey, William
Clayton, Robert Wade, John Bezcr, Otto Ernest Cock, Ealph
Withers.
1682.— Christopher Taylor, WHliam Wood, Robert Wade, John Bluns-
ton, Nicholas Newlin, George Maris, James Saunderiaine, John
Harding, Thomas Usher.
April 6, 1685.— John Simcock, William Wood, Nicholas Newlin. Robert
Wade, George Maris, Thomas Usher, Robert Piles, John Blunston.
1686.— Bartholomew Coppock, Samnel Levis, Francis Harrison.
1687.— John Bristow, Edward Bozer.
March 19, 1689.— John Simcock, John Bristow, Bartholomew Coppock,
Jr., John Blunston, George Maris, Francis Harrison, and Nicholas
Newlin.
May 4, 1689.- William Howell.
Jan. 2, 1689-90.— John Bristow, John Bevan, .Tohn Blunston, Nicholas
Newlin, Francis Harrison, Samuel Levis, James Sandelands, William
Howell, Joshua Fearne.
Seventh, 6, 1690.— John Simcock.
Tenth, 8, 1691.— William Jenkins, present at court.
May 13, 1693 —George Foreman, Jeremiali Collet, Thomas Smith,
Thomas Withers.
Sept. 11, 1C94 —At Court : Jasper Teatea.
1698.- Caleb Pnsey, Philip Roman.
1700.— Ralph Fishbourne.
Sept. 2.5, n03.— Commissioned : John Gwest, Jasper Teates, Caleb Pusey,
Philip Roman, Jonathan Hayes, Ralph Fishbourne, Jeremiah Col-
lett, Walter Martin, Nathaniel Newlin.
1704. — Commissioned by Governor Evans before May SOtk: Jasper Yeates,
Caleb Pusey, Jeremiah Gollett, Philip Roman, Jonathan Hayes.
1709.— Thomas Powell, Nicholas Pyle, Henry Pierce.
Nov. 24, 1711.— Jasper Yeates, Robert Pyle, Caleb Pnsey, Nicholas Pile,
Jonathan Hayes, William Hayes, William Davis, Henry Nayle,
Richard Webb.
May IX, 1713.— Caleb Pusoy, Nicholas Pile, William Davis, Henry Nayle,
Richard Webb, Nicholas Fairlamb, John Blunstou. Jr, Thomas
Edwards.
May 30 and June 11, 1715.— Caleb Pusey, Nicholas Pyle, Richard Webb,
Henry Pierce, Henry Nayle, Nicholas Fairlamb, John Blunston, Jr.,
Richard Hayes.
Aug. 26, 1717.— Jasper Yeates, Caleb Pusey, Richard Webb, Henry Nayle,
Richard Hayes, Henry Pierce, John Wright, John Wood, David
Harry, John Worrall, Joseph Coeburn, Henry Hayes, Joseph Pen-
July 4, 1718.— John Wright (to be next to Jasper Yeates, Nicholas New-
lin, Andrew Job, Elisha Gatchell, John Cartledge, Francis Wor-
ley.
Aug. 19, 1718.— Same commission, with Andrew Hamilton.
Nov. 24, 1718.— Jasper Yeates, John Wright, Caleb Pusey, Richard Webb,
Henry Nayle, Richard Hayes, Henry Pierce, Nathaniel Newlin, John
Wood, Joseph Coebourne, Henry Hayes, James Gibbons, Andrew
Job, Elisha Gatchell, John Cartledge, Francis Worley.
Nov. 24, 1719.— Isaac Taylor.
May 22, 1722.— John Wright, Caleb Pusey, Henry Nayle. Richard Hayes,
Henry Pierce, Nathaniel Newlin, John Wood, Joseph Coebourn,
Henry Hayes, James Gibbons, Andrew Job, Elisha Gatchell, Francis
Worley, Isaac Taylor, James Mitchell.
November 22d, — Same justices (except Andrew Job), and James Smith,
Thomas Reid.
Feb. 18, 1723.— John Wright, Caleb Pusey, Henry Nayle, Richard Hayes,
Henry Pierce, Nathaniel Newlin, John Wood, Henry Hayes, James
Gibbons, Elisha Gatchell, Francis Worley, Isaac Taylor, James
Mitchell, John Crosby, Thomas Reid, Abraham Emmit, Jr., James
Roddy.
1724.— John Wood, Samuel Nutt, John Crosby, Abraham Emmit, Jr.,
Tliomas Reid, George Aston, T.ibias Hendricks, Andrew Cornish,
Mercer Brown, Evan Lewis, William Pyle.
May 12, 1725.— John Wright, Henry Nayle, Henry Pierce, Nathaniel
Newlin, John Wood, Henry Hayes, Isaac Taylor, Samuel Nutt, John
Crosby, Thomas Reid, George Aston, James Roddy, Tobias Hen-
dricks, George Stewart, Andrew Cornish, Mercer Brown.
Aug. 25, 1T26.— John Wright, Richard Hayes, Henry Pierce, Nathaniel
Newlin, John Wood, Henry Hayes, Isaac Taylor, Elisha Gatchell,
Samuel Nutt, John Crosby, Abraham Emmitt, Jr., Thomas Reid,
George Aston, Tobias Hendricks, Andrew Cornish, Mercer Brown,
Evan Lewis, William Pyle.
Oct. 10, 1727. — James James.
Aug. 25, 1729.— Richard Hayes, John Wood, Henry Hayes, Elisha Gat-
chell, Samuel Nutt, John Crosby, Abm. Emmet, Jr., George Aston,
Mercer Brown, Evan LewLs, William Pyle, James James, John
Parry, James Gibbons.
Feb 19, 1729-30.— Richard Hayes, Henry Pierce, Henry Hayes, Elisha
Gatchell, John Crosby, Abraham Emmit, Jr., Mercer Broun. James
James, John Perry, James Gi bbons, Joseph Pennock, Samuel Hoi-
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ird
lingsworth, Joseph Brinton, Nicholas Pyle, and the chief btirgess of
the borough of Bristol (Chester;.
c. 1, 1733. — All acting justices recommissioned, and Caleb Cowpland.
, 17:)4.-
Haiii
Dec. 2, 1737.— John Evans.
Nov. 22, 17.^8 —Caleb Cowpland, Joseph Haines, John Evans, Richard
Hayes, Henry Pierce, Henry Hayes, Elisha Gatcliell, John Crosby,
CalebCowpland, Abraham Emmit, James James. John Parry, Joseph
Penuock, Samuel Hollingsworth, Joseph Brintoo, Joseph Haines,
William Pim, Joseph Bonsatl ; the chief burgess of the town for the
time being, Joseph Parker.
April 4, 1741.— Henry Pierce, Henry Hayes, Elisha Gatchell, John
Crosby, Caleb Cowplaiul, William Moore, Abiaham Emmit, Joseph
Peunock, Joseph Brinton, William Pim, Joseph Bonsall, Joseph
Parker, William Webb, John Mather, Ralph Pyle, John Taylor,
Job Ruston, Charles Grant, the chief burgess of Chester for the
time being.
Dec. 17, 1745.— John Crosby, Elisha Gatchell, Caleb Cowpland, William
Moore, Abraham Emmit, Joseph Peunock, Joseph Brinton, William
Pim, Joseph Bonsall, William Webb, John Mather, Job Ruston,
Charles Grant, Samuel Flower, Thomas Cuinmings, John Parry,
Andrew McDowell; the chief burgess of Chester for the time being,
Joseph Parker.
May 19, 1749.— Caleb Cowpland, Elisha Gatchell, William Moore, Joseph
Pennock, Joseph Brinton, William Pim, Joseph Bons;ill, John
Majher, Charles Grant, Samuel Flower, Thomas Cummiugs, Thomas
Worth, Aaron Ashbiidge, John Churchman, John Miller, Richard
Richison, Isaac Davis, John Scott, William Read, the chief burgess
of Chester for the time being.
Aug. 21, 1751.— Joshua Pusey and Samuel Lightfoot.
May 25, 1752.— William Moore, Elisha Gatchell, Joseph Bousall, .Tohn
Matlrer,Charles Grant, Samuel Flower, Thom.asCuramings, Thomas
Worth, Aaron Ashbridge, John Churchman, John Miller, Isaac
Davis, John Scott, Joshua Pusey, Samuel Lightfoot, Edward Brin-
ton, Mordecai Moore, Mordecai James, the chief burgess of Cliester
for the time being.
Feb. 22, 1757.— William Moore, John Mather, Samuel Flower, Thomas
Worth, Aaron Ashbridge, John Miller, Isaac Davis, John Scott,
Samuel Lightfoot, Edward Brinton, Mordecai Moore, the chief bur-
gess of Chester, Alexander Johnston, John Morton, John Culbert-
son, William Clingan, John Paschall, William Parker, Timothy
Kirk.
Feb. 23, 1761.— Thomas Worth, Samuel Flower, John Miller, Isaac
Davis, Edward Brinton, the chief burgess of Chester, Alexander
Johnston, John Morton, Johu Culbertaon, William Clingan, William
Parker, Timothy Kirk, John Hauuum, John Price, Roger Hunt,
John Fairlamb, George Currie, Henry Hale Graham.
The Governor issued a supersedeas to Samuel
Lightfoot, Edward Brinton, Thomas Worth, and
John Morton, forbidding them to act as judges of
the Common Pleas, the law under which they had
been appointed having been abrogated by the king.
Nov. 19, 1764.— Memfcers of ComicU: William Moore, Thomas Worth,
Samuel Flower, John Miller, Isaac Davis, Edward Brinton, Alex-
ander Johnston, John Culbertson, William Clingan, William Parker,
John Hannum, John Price, Henry Hale Graham, Richard Riley,
Charles Cruikshanks, Richard Baker, James Gibbons, James Moore,
William Swaffer, Evan Evans, Thomas Hockley, Joseph Pyle,
Thomas Temple, Warwick Miller.
At court, May, 1771, and after. — Joshua Cowpland.
At court. May 28, 1776,— Nicholas Fairlamb. (No court was held in
Chester County from this date until Aug. 26, 1777.)
April i, 1777.— Isivac Davis, Evan Evans, James Moore, Benjamin Bar-
tholomew, John Mackey, William Gibbons, Joshua Evans, Isaac
Pearson, Daniel Grifflth, Patterson Bell, John Hannum, Robert
Smith, Philip Scott, Thomas Taylor, Thomas Cheyney.
July 25, 1777.— Thomas Levis, Thomas Boyd, Robert Ralston, John
Hart, and Richard Reiley, who had been elected, were commis-
Aug. 22. 1777. — Caleb Davis, Esq.. qualifii
Court of Common Pleas, be being
County at that date.
July 30, 1778.— William Evans appointed
for the county of Chester.
d as one of the justices of the
the prolhonotary of Chester
3of the justices of t
The following is a list of the justices of Chester
County from the Revolution to May 28, 1779, as gath-
ered from a letter of Caleb Davis to Council :'
Isaac Davis, Evan Evans James Moore, Benjamin Bartholomew, Daniel
Grimth, Patterson Bell, John Hannum, Robert Smith, Philip Scott,
Thomas Taylor. Thomas Cheyney. Thomas Levis. Thomas Boyd,
William Evans. William Clingan.
From the same letter we learn that at that date
there were no justices in the First District, — Chester,
Upper and Lower Chichester, Aston, Bethel, and
Middletown; and in the Second District,— Darby,
Radnor, and Haverford; or in the Third,— Newtown,
East Town, Willistown, and Goshen. Hence almost
the whole territory now comprising Delaware County
was unrepresented in the bench of justices.
June 4, 1779, Alexander Johnston ; Sept. 15, 1779, David Mackey, t>ice
Johnson, declined; March 21, 1780, John Pearson; Nov. 18, 1780,
William Clingan appointed presiding justice of the court ; Dec. 7,
1781, William Haslet; March 9, 1782, David Mackey ; June 26, 1782,
James Beaton, Common Pleas and Orphans' Court; July 31, 1783.
John Bartholomew ; June 5, 17S4, George Pierce, Daniel Grifflth,
Common Pleas ; Sept. 24, 1784, Thomas Levis, Common Pleas ; Oct.
1, 1784, John Ralston ; Oct. 9, 1784, Thomas Cheyney ; Oct. 13, 1784,
Cheyney commissioned justice of Common Pleas; Jan. 21, 1785,
Philip Scott, Common Pleas; June 16, 1786, Persifor Frazer, Com-
mon Pleas; June 22, 1786, William Clingan, president Court of
Common Pleas, Quarter Sessions, and Orphans' Court ; Oct. 9, 1786,
Adam Grubb, Richard Hill Morris, Common Pleas; Dec. 22, 17S7,
John Pearson, Common Pleas; Sept. 16, 1788, Charles Dilworth, John
Hannum, Common Pleas; Feb. 16, 1789. William Haslet, Common
Pleas; April 11, 1789, John Worth, Common Pleas; June 5, 1789,
David Mackey, Common Pleas ; Juno 16, 1789, Walter Finney.
The last court held at the borough of Chester
before the division of Chester County was on Aug.
29, 1786, and continued by adjournment from day to
day to August 31st, when the session ended.
The first court held after the erection of Delaware
County was on the 9th of November, 1789, when it
was discovered that the commission of Henry Hale
Graham, as president judge of the Court of Common
Pleas, was irregular, inasmuch that he was not a jus-
tice of the peace at the time of his appointment.
However, the justices held the court, Justice John
Pearson presiding. There being no bar, William
Tilghman, who, seventeen years thereafter, was ap-
pointed by Governor McKean chief justice of Penn-
sylvania, addressed the court and finally moved his
own admission. After Mr. Tilghman had been sworn,
he moved the admission of William L. Blair and
other lawyers. That day eight gentlemen were qual-
ified as members of the bar of Delaware County.
Henry Hale Graham, the first president judge, was
born in London, July 1, 1731. His father, William
Graham, emigrated to the colony of Pennsylvania in
1733, first settling in Philadelphia, subsequently at
Darby, and, finally, at Chester. His son entered the
oflSce of Joseph Parker, then deputy register of Penn-
sylvania for the county of Chester, and on the former's
death, in 1766, was appointed to the vacant position,
which included that of prolhonotary, register, and re-
234
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTy, PENNSYLVANIA.
corder. He had been commissioned one of the jus-
tices of the county in 1761, and again in 1775. When
the Revolutionary struggle was at hand Graham's
feelings leaned toward the support of the mother-
country, his wife teaching him to yield obedience to
constituted authorities. Hence, in March, 1777,
Thomas Taylor was appointed to succeed him, and
seems to have entered into the discharge of the
duties of the office, for Taylor's name appears on
some of the documents on file in the Orphans' Court
at West Chester. For some reason now unknown, on
April of the same year Benjamin Jacobs was ap-
pointed, but refused to serve, when Caleb Davis was
appointed in his place. The latter accepted, but it
appears from the proceedings of the Supreme Execu-
tive Council, under date of July 28, 1777, "that
Henry Hale Graham, Esq., late Prothonotary, had,
under divers pretences, neglected to deliver up to
him, the said Davis, the Books, Records, Papers &
Seals belonging to the said office," whereupon Coun-
cil issued a warrant directing Davis " to enter in the
day time, with proper assistants, the dwelling House
& Out Houses of the said Henry Hale Graham, Esq.,
& search for and take possession of & secure in some
safe place the Books, Records, Papers & Seals belong-
ing to the said Office.'"
After the Revolution, November, 1783, Henry Hale
Graham was a practicing attorney in the courts of
Chester County. On Nov. 7, 1789, he was appointed
by Governor Mifflin president judge of the courts of
Delaware County ; but it appearing that, not being a
justice of the peace at the time, he could not act as
president of the Quarter Sessions and Orphans' Court,
on Nov. 9, 1789, Governor Mifflin requested the re-
turn of the former commission, and the same day
Graham was commissioned a justice of the peace."
On the next day, November 10th, he was appointed
president judge of the court. At the fall election in
that year Henry Hale Graham was chosen one of the
delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1789-90,
and while attending the meeting of that body in Phil-
adelphia he died, Jan. 23, 1790. John Pearson, the
first named in the commission to the associate justice,
became the president judge of the courts, ad interim.
Under the judicial districting, on the adoption of
the Constitution of 1790, the First Judicial District
comprised the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Mont-
gomery, and Delaware, and in pursuance of that divis-
ion James Biddle, who was commissioned by Governor
Mifflin, Sept. 13, 1791, president judge of the Com-
mon Pleas of Philadelphia, became president judge
of the First Judicial District, and continued in the
discharge of that office until June 19, 1797, when
John D. Coxe was commissioned president judge.
I have little or no information respecting either of
these judges, but on July 31, 1805, Governor McKean
. Arcliives, Ist £
appointed William Tilghman president justice. The
latter, a conspicuous figure in a line of distinguished
jurists, was a native of Talbot County, Md., and early
in 1772, when sixteen years of age, began reading
law under the direction of Benjamin Chew, of Phil-
adelphia. In 1783, after eleven years' study of law,
Tilghman was admitted to the bar of his native State.
Before 1789 he removed to Philadelphia, where he
rose rapidly to the front rank of the profession. In
1801 he was appointed chief judge of the Circuit
Court of the United States. The organization of this
court was stoutly opposed, and from the fact that the
appointments were made on March 3, 1801, and that
night sent to the Senate and confirmed before Presi-
dent Adams vacated to make room for Thomas Jef-
ferson, the judges were facetiously termed " the mid-
night judges." The act creating this court was re-
pealed at the next session of Congress, April 29, 1802,
and Tilghman resumed the practice of the profession.
However, as previously stated, he was appointed
president judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the
First District in 1805, a position he held less than
seven months, for the death of Chief Justice Shippen
making a vacancy, on Feb. 25, 1806, Tilghman was
appointed chief justice of Pennsylvania. He died in
1827.
On Feb. 24, 1806, the State was redistricted, the
counties of Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and
Bucks becoming the Seventh District, and in April,
1806, Governor McKean appointed Bird Wilson pres-
ident judge. The new judge was then in his thirtieth
year, having been born early in 1777. He was the
son of Hon. James Wilson, a signer of the Declara-
tion of Independence, who, it will be remembered,
successfully defended some Tories charged with trea-
son in Philadelphia, which so enraged the populace
j of that city, that a riot resulted on the 4th of Octo-
; ber, 1779.'' Bird Wilson, at fifteen years of age,
graduated from the University of Pennsylvania,
whereupon he began reading law with Joseph
Thomas, of Philadelphia, and after being admitted
was employed in the office of the commissioner of
bankruptcy. For eleven years he presided over the
courts of this county, sitting for the last time at the
October sessions, 1817, when he resigned to become
a clergyman of the Episcopal Church. In 1821 he
was appointed a professor in the Theological Semi-
nary of that denomination in New York, retaining
the chair for almost three decades. Out of respect to
his distinguished worth, he was appointed, June 25,
1850, emeritus professor in his department. Judge
Wilson edited an edition of Bacon's " Abridgment
of the Law," in seven volumes, afterwards enlarged
by Bouvier to ten. Bird Wilson died April 14, 1859,
3 In Frederick D. stone's " Philadelphia Society One Hundred Tears
Ago," Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol, iii. pp. 389-392, will be found a graphic
account of this riot. Col. Thomas Leiper, of Ridley, was among the
number of prominent men who voluntarily entered "Wilson's house and
defended it and him from the fury of the mob.
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
235
at New York. He reached the advanced age of
eighty-two.
Governor Findlay, on Jan. 28, 1818, appointed
John Ross, of Easton, to the vacant judgeship of the
Seventh District. At the time of his appointment
Mr. Ross was a member of Congress from tlie district
comprising Northampton, Bucks, Leliigh, Wayne,
and Pike Counties, having served in that body in the
Eleventh, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Congresses, re-
signing during the latter term to accept the appoint-
ment of judge. He presided in our courts for the first
time on April 13, 1818, at which term Craig was tried
and convicted of murder. By the act of March 12,
1821, the Fifteenth Judicial District was erected, com-
prising the counties of Delaware and Chester, and
Ross remained judge of the Seventh District, — Bucks
and Montgomery. Hon. John Ross, in April, 1830,
was appointed an associate judge of the Supreme
Court, to the seat made vacant by the death of Judge
Todd. On May 22, 1821, Governor Heister appointed
Isaac Darlington, of the borough of West Chester,
president judge of the Fifteenth District, and the lat-
ter sat as such for the first time at the old court-house
in Chester, Oct. 23, 1821.
Isaac Darlington was in his fortieth year when ap-
pointed to the bench, his birth having occurred Dec.
13, 1781. He was by trade a blacksmith, having
worked at the forge with his father, but disliking that
occupation, he taught school a short time, and finally,
when in his eighteenth year, entered the office of
Joseph Hemphill, at West Chester. At the Novem-
ber term, 1801, he was admitted to the bar, although
lacking two or three weeks being of age, his exam-
iners remarking that a few days more or less was of
little consequence when the student had passed an
examination so creditable to him. He rose rapidly at
the bar, and having served a term in the Legislature
in 1807-8, declined further election, believing that it
was a hindrance in his profession. During the latter
part of the war of 1812 he served with the militia of
Pennsylvania, encamped at Marcus Hook for the de-
fense of Philadelphia. In 1816 he was elected a mem-
ber of the Fifteenth Congress, again declining renomi-
nation. At the time of his appointment as judge he
was deputy attorney-general of Chester County. By
the Constitution of 1838, his term of office would have
expired on Feb. 27, 1839, and to avoid the operation
of that clause the bar suggested that the judge should
resign before the provisions of the Constitution went
into effect, it being the unanimous desire of the pro-
fession that he should continue on the bench. In ac-
cordance with this request he tendered his resignation,
it was accepted, and shortly thereafter he was reap-
pointed judge of the district by Governor Ritner. On
Jan. 15, 1839, Governor Porter was inaugurated, and,
he knowing that the object was to give Judge Dar-
lington a further term of ten years, instructed Attor-
ney-General Douglass to sue out a quo warranto. On
Monday, April 29, 1839, the matter was to have been
heard by the Supreme Court, but the Saturday pre-
vious Judge Isaac Darlington died at his home in
West Chester of gout, to which he had been subject
for years. When his death was announced in the
Supreme Court, Chief Justice Gibson dismissed the
proceedings, at the same time paying a high tribute
to the character and learning of the dead justice.
The judges of the Supreme Court in their circuits
occasionally held sessions in the old court-room at
Chester. On Thursday, Aug. 1, 1828, Chief Justice
Gibson presided at the trial of a feigned issue upon
an appeal from the Orphans' Court, in a suit by the
executor of the estate of John Crosby, the late judge,
against John F. Hill. The case occupied three days,
and was ably tried, Benjamin Tilghman and Samuel
Edwards representing the plaintiff, and Joseph R.
IngersoU and Archibald T. Dick the defendant. The
jury retired on Saturday evening, and returned a ver-
dict for the plaintiff on Monday morning. The
Weekly Vkitor, published at Chester, for Aug. 8, 1828,
stated :
" To show the unwearied industry and perseverance
of Judge Gibson in his oflScial duties, it is worthy of
remark that, on Monday morning at six o'clock, he
left Philadelphia for this place, where he arrived at
about eight, received the verdict of the jury, and at
nine was on board the boat returning to the city."
On May 16, 1839, Governor Porter appointed
Thomas S. Bell to the judgeship made vacant by
Darlington's death. He was a Philadelphian by
birth, and, like his predecessor, was admitted to the
bar six months before he attained his majority. In
May, 1821, he located at West Chester, and in two
years thereafter was deputy attorney-general of Ches-
ter County, continuing in that office for six years.
He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of
1837, and was returned as elected to the State Senate
in 1838, and took a prominent part in the difficulties
characterizing the beginning of the legislative pro-
ceedings in January following, known as the " Buck-
shot War." His seat in that body was contested by
and awarded to his competitor. Judge Bell was in
his fortieth year when he was appointed to the bench,
which he certainly adorned by his learning and his
courteous bearing to the bar and public alike, al-
though, on one occasion, in Delaware County, he
aroused considerable feeling in sentencing a child ten
years of age to a protracted term of imprisonment for
stealing a small sum of money.
On Dec. 18, 1846, Governor Shunk appointed him
one of the puisne judges of the Supreme Court, a po-
sition he filled until Dec. 1, 1851, when the office be-
came elective. Judge Bell died June 6, 1861, in his
sixty-first year, a cancer with which he had long been
troubled finally terminating his life.
The vacancy occasioned in this district by the re-
moval of Judge Bell to the Supreme bench was at-
tempted to be filled by Governor Shunk, who, in
December, 1846, appointed John M. Forster, of Har-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
risburg, to the office. His bearing on the bench was
excessively polite, but he did not create a favorable
impression ; and, although his appointment, when first
presented in the Senate, had been confirmed, the ob-
jection from the district was so unanimous that it was
reconsidered and finally rejected. Governor Shunk
thereupon appointed James Nill, of Chambersburg,
early in February, 1847, to the vacant seat on the
bench. Judge Nill had a fair knowledge of law, but
the feeling that the appointment was not one which
should have been made was strong enough to secure
Judge Nill's rejection by a tie vote in the Senate when
the name was presented to that body for confirma-
tion.
The courts of Delaware County being without a
president at the March term, 18-IS, the session was
held by Associate Judges Engle and Leiper, the
former charging the grand jury. Although the crim-
inal side of the court had been conducted as well as
usual, the civil cases (many of them involving ques-
tions of nice distinctions of law) were continued, and
the bar of Delaware as well as Chester County was
anxious that the vacant place on the bench should be
filled. To that end the lawyers in the district united
in the request to Governor Shunk that he would
appoint his son-in-law, Henry Chapman, of Doyles-
town, president judge. The Governor assented to the
petition, but he was named too late to take part at the
March term in Delaware County, as just stated. Per-
haps a more acceptable selection could not have been
made, for in all respects Judge Chapman filled the
measure demanded by the bar and people.
It was during his incumbency that the county-seat
was removed to Media, the last court being held in
the old building at Chester May 26, 18S1, and when it
adjourned, on Friday, the 30th, the ancient structure
was dismantled of its furniture.
Under the provisions of the amendments to the
Constitution changing the judicial office from an ap-
pointive to an elective one, the term of Judge Chap-
man, as also those of the associate judges (Leiper and
Engle), expired by limitation at the close of the year
1851. So acceptably had the former presided in the
district that both parties signalized their willingness
to continue him on the bench if he would allow his
name to be presented to the people, but as the Con-
stitution positively required the judges should be resi- [
dents of the district during the period in which they |
served, which he could not do without serious incon- i
venience, he was compelled to decline the nomination. I
Ou Monday, Nov. 24, 1851, for the last time Judges i
Chapman, Leiper, and Engle held court, the session j
continuing until Wednesday, the 26th of that month. I
All business having been disposed of, the court was |
about to adjourn, when Hon. Edward Darlington rose
and with a brief and appropriate address presented ]
the following resolU'rions: i
" At a meeting of Uie bar of Delaware County, held at the Charter
House, iu tlie borough of Media, Monday, Nov. 24, 1851, on motion, Ed- ]
ward Darlington, Esq., was appointed chairman, and Joseph E. Morris,
"The object of the mooting was stated Iiy the chair, whereupon Jolin
M. BronniiiU, Esq., offered tlie following resolutions, which being sec-
onded by Kobert McCiiy, Jr., Esq., were unanimously adopted ;
"fleso/wrf. That we look with profound regret upon the approaching
period which will terminate the judicial career of the Uon. Henry
Chapman as president judge of the court of this county.
" R'solved, That his well-tried legal abilities and his strict integrity
and impartiality have entitled him to the respect and confidence, as well
of ourselves as of the people of the county, who have not willingly
parted with bis services.
"ItcsolKd, That the judges of the court carry with theni iu their vol-
untary retirement from the bench our best wishes for their future hap-
piness and prosperity, and we tender to them our sincere thanlis for the
uniform kindness and courtesy which has always characterized their
'On
lotion of Ciiarles D. Manly, Esq., the chair was instructed l
copy of the foregoing resolutions to the bench in open court
The judges were entirely unprepared for this testi-
j monial of good feeling from the bar, but Judge Chap-
man rose, thanked the bar and the people of the
county for the forbearance they had ever shown
toward his failings, and the uniform kindness and
respect which had been extended him while on the
bench. Remarks of a similar tenor then followed
from Judges Leiper and Engle. The proceeding was
not an empty form or ceremony, but was prompted
on the part of the bar and responded to by the bench
by the mutual esteem entertained by the one for the
other.
Judge Chapman having declined nomination, at the
election held in October, 1851, Townsend Haines, of
West Chester, was chosen president judge of the
courts. Judge Haines, when elevated to the bench,
was sixty years of age, his birth occurring Jan. 7,
1792. His early life was passed on his father's farm,
but during the intervals of labor he applied himself
diligently in acquiring information which was useful
to him in after-years. In 1815, in his twenty-third
year,— previous to which time he had taught school, —
he entered the office of Isaac Darlington (afterwards
judge), and was called to the bar in 1818. His prac-
tice the first year was very meagre ; indeed, it never
was extensive, although he was very able in criminal
cases, but in heavy civil litigation he was rarely en-
gaged. His brilliant powers of advocacy were recog-
nized, and when a jury was the tribunal to decide a
controversy, Mr. Haines was often employed to make
the address to that body; but when questions involv-
ing great principles of law were being discussed he
never appeared to advantage. He was an adroit
cross-examiner, but he relied on his natural talent in
debate, and was averse to the laborious study which
always characterizes a great lawyer. Mr. Haines
drifted naturally into politics. In 1826-27 he was a
member of the Legislature, and the following year
was nominated for Congress, but was unexpectedly
defeated, the popularity of Andrew Jackson carrying
the Democratic ticket in a strong Federal district
onward to victory. On the resignation and death of
Governor Shunk, William F. Johnson, the Whig
Speaker of the Senate, by virtue of that office, as-
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
237
sumed the gubernatorial office under the Constitu-
tion, and in July, 1848, he appointed Mr. Haines
Secretary of the Commonwealth, which position he
retained under Johnson, who was re-elected in the
fall of the year 1848. After serving the full term as
secretary, in February, 1850, Mr. Haines was ap-
pointed treasurer of the United States by President
Taylor. While discharging the duties of that office
he was nominated to the judgeship of the Fifteenth
Judicial District, to which position he was elected,
defeating Judge Thomas S. Bell, whose term on the
Supreme bench under the Constitution ended iu De-
cember of that j'ear. Haines thereupon resigned the
treasurership of the United States and returned to
West Chester. He was commissioned by Governor
Johnson Nov. 6, 1881.
On the bench he was respected as a lawyer, and his
social qualities ever rendered him a favorite with the
bar and public. He was a noted conversationalist,
and it is said no man could relate an anecdote better
than he. While holding court at Media the judge,
on one occasion, desired to consult the Digest, and
asked Eeuben Litzenberg, then a newly-appointed
tipstaff, to bring " Purdon" to him. The name was
new to Litzenberg, but off he started to hunt the
man, whom he supposed he was directed to straight-
way carry before the court. He searched through
the building without success, and at length returning,
he went to the judge at side bar, and stated in a low
voice, "Judge, I guess the man's gone; I can't find
him anywhere." " Man ! man !" wrathfuUy exclaimed
the judge, "you're a stupid ass. I don't want any
man. I sent you for a book." It is also told of the
judge that on one occasion, as he was entering the
court-house, a hardened offender, who at almost every
Quarter Session was present, charged with selling
liquor without license, and who had recently under-
gone a senlence for that misdemeanor, accosted him.
" Well, judge," he said, " I'm out now." " Yes, yes,
I see," was the reply, "but it's no fault of mine. I
gave you all I had in my pocket that I could give
you."
Judge Haines presided for the last term at Novem-
ber court, 1861, and on the 28th of that month the
bar of Delaware County presented resolutions of es-
teem to him on retiring from the bench.
At the expiration of his term of office Judge Haines
declined to be a candidate for re-election, but returned
to practice in West Chester, continuing therein until
his death, in October, 1865, in his seventy-fourth
year. He possessed rare talent for versification, his
ballad of " Bob Fletcher" being a rustic picture which
still deservedly maintains its popularity.
At the October election, in 1861, Hon. William But-
ler was chosen to succeed to the judicial office vacated
by Judge Haines. Mr. Butler had at the time of his
election been sixteen years in practice at the Chester
County bar, having been admitted in 1843. In the
fall of 1856 he was elected district attorney of Chester
County, continuing in that office until the fall of 1859.
Judge Butler was commissioned by Governor Curtin
Nov. 20, 1861, entering upon the duties of the office
i in the following December, presiding for the first time
I in Delaware County at the February court, 1862. He
' soon rose to high rank among the judges of the State.
! His mind was analytical, and with such rapidity in
i the trial of a case he grasped and understood the
I point at issue, that the lawyers engaged often stood
1 amazed in finding how soon the case, under his judi-
cial sifting, was divested of all redundant circum-
stances or immaterial pleading. As a nisi pri us judge
he had few equals and never a superior. He presided
j at the trial of Udderzook for the murder of Gross at
the Oyer and Terminer of Chester County, October,
1873. The case was one which attracted much atten-
tion throughout the country, and the charge of Judge
Butler was a model for its clearness and comprehen-
siveness. On Feb. 12, 1879, he was appointed to the
United States district judgeship made vacant by the
death of Judge Cadwalader, an office which he still
! fills.
The vacancy on the bench occasioned by the erec-
tion of the Thirty-second Judicial District was filled
in April, 1874, by Governor Hartranft, who appointed
Hon. John M. Broomall president judge. The latter
was born in Upper Chichester township, and his family
had taken a prominent part in the history of Delaware
County for nearly two centuries. In early life, while
still a student at Friends' Academy, at Wilmington, he
taught in that institution with much success. In 1837
he began reading law under Judge Bouvier, of Phila-
delphia, and on Aug. 24, 1840, was admitted to the bar
of Delaware County. At first he was inclined to de-
I vote himself to agricultural pursuits on the liomestead
I farm in Chichester, but by degrees, and apparently
I without effort on his part, it began to be noised about
that he was a bright, smart fellow, and knew as much
; law as any of the attorneys. So, imperceptibly, he
drifted into practice, and soon found pleasure in the
I clash of argument and excitement of a sharply-con-
tested trial. Politics and law usually go hand-in-
hand; hence in 1851 and 1852, very naturally, Mr.
Broomall was a representative of Delaware County in
: the Legislature, and in 1854 a member of the State
Revenue Board. He was a member of the Thirty-
eighth, Thirty-ninth, and Forlieth Congretses, being
first elected thereto in 1862.
In tlie lall of 1862, when W^ishingtou City was
threatened, as also the invasion of Penn.sylvania, by
Lee's army, John M. Broomall commanded Company
1 C, Sixteenth Eegiment Pennsylvania militia. In the
summer of 1863, previous to the battle of Gettysburg,
, Mr. Broomall was mustered in as captain of Company
\ C, Twenty-ninth Regiment, emergency men, being in
■ service from June 19th to August 1st of that year.
I Twice Mr. Broomall has been a member of the
Electoral Cqllege of Pennsylvania, first, in 1860, at
I Abraham Lincoln's first election, and in 1872, when
238
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Gen. Grant was chosen President for the second term.
In 1873 he was a delegate to the Constitutional Con-
vention, and on the floor of that assemblage his
remarks were always listened to with attention and
consideration, and he was recognized as among the
leaders in thought in that body. When that Constitu-
tion was adopted, under its provisions the county of
Delaware became the Thirty-second Judicial District,
and as before stated, in April, 1874, Mr. Broomall was
appointed the first president judge, and was qualified
on May 2d. At the Republican County Convention
of the same year Judge Broomall was nominated for
the oflSce for the term of ten years, but at the ensuing
election he was not successful.
Judge Broomall has been a busy man throughout
his whole career. Far-sighted, and possessed of com-
prehensive views and remarkable executive abilities,
shortly after being called to the bar he became im-
pressed with the belief that Chester was peculiarly
advantageously located for a manufacturing centre,
and with that purpose in view he and several others
labored to give the ancient hamlet a direction to that
end, and how well that object was obtained the thriv-
ing city of Chester and its growing suburban districts
fully attests. As an orator Judge Broomall will be
recalled by his "Remarks on the Life and Character
of Thaddeus Stevens," delivered in the House of Rep-
resentatives, at Washington, Dec. 17, 1868, and his
oration at the Bi-Centenary of the Landing of Wil-
liam Penn at Chester, Oct. 23, 1882. Judge Broomall,
notwithstanding his active, useful life, had kept abreast
with modern thought in science and literature. As
a writer he is vigorous and comprehensive, remem-
bering Lord Coke's reference to "apt words." In
1876, on the appointment of the Delaware County
Institute of Science, he wrote the " History of Dela-
ware County for the Past Century," an admirable
resume of the happenings in this locality during the
first hundred years of the nation's life, and in 1872
wrote a highly creditable " History of Chester" for
Moran's " Delaware River and West Jersey Railroad
Commercial Directory."
Judge Broomall was succeeded on the bench by the
present incumbent. Judge Clayton, who, on Jan. 4,
1875, assumed the duties of the ofiice. Thomas J.
Clayton was also to the manor born, his ancestry
having settled at Marcus Hook previous to the royal
charter to Penn.
The future judge was born in Bethel township, Jan.
20, 1826, and in early life proposed studying medicine,
but changing his intentions he read law in Wilming-
ton, and was admitted to the bar of Delaware County,
Nov. 24, 1851, this being the second time court was
held at Media, and the last time Judge Chapman
presided in the district. Mr. Clayton removed to
Philadelphia in 1852, where he entered the ranks of
the profession and rapidly acquired a large and re-
munerative practice,' in jury cases his forensic powers
soon bringing him into prominence. In 1856, Gov-
ernor Pollock appointed him on his staff with the
rank of colonel, the only oiBce he ever held of a
political character outside the line of his profession.
In 1868 he made a tour of Europe, and while abroad
contributed a series of letters to the Delaware County
Republican descriptive of his travels, which were sub-
sequently published in book form. In 1873 he again
passed the summer vacation in the Old World, and, as
on his former visit, he furnished from time to time an
account of his journeying to the county press. In the
fall of 1874 he was nominated by the Independent
Republicans for the office of president judge of this
district, the Democrats making no nomination, and
at the election on October 3d of the same year he was
chosen to that office, the duties of which he is still
discharging. Judge Clayton is social in his dispo-
sition, an agreeable conversationalist, and speaks
French with fluency. As a lawyer he stands well
with the profession throughout the State, many of
his opinions, as published in the Delaware County Re-
porter, being frequently cited in other districts with
approval. In January, 1880, the bar of Chester
County tendered a complimentary banquet to Judge
Clayton at West Chester, he having been called to
preside in the courts there in cases with which Judge
Futhey had been connected as counsel previous to the
latter's being raised to the bench. The printed bill
of fare on that occasion was a rare specimen of legal
wit, which the bar of Chester County may well recall
as creditable to those who prepared it.
The act of Sept. 26, 1789, creating the county of
Delaware provided that " the justices of the Courts
of Quarter Session and Common Pleas now commis-
sioned within the limits of the county of Delaware
and those that may hereafter be commissioned or any
three of them, shall and may hold courts," and the
act conferred on those justices all the powers, rights,
jurisdiction, and authorities of justices of the county
courts of other counties.^ Some doubts having been
suggested as to the validity of this clause in the act,
the Supreme Executive Council on Oct. 9, 1789, de-
termined to be advised on the constitutionality of that
section, hence it was
" Resolved, Tliat the opinion of the attorney-general be taken upon
tlie following question, viz., ' Whether justices of the peace and pleas
who have been conmiissioned for a certain county, and a p;irt of tliat
county erected into a separate county, can continue to exercise the
powers of the peace and pleas in that j)art erected into a new county
and separated from the old one ?' "
The same day Attorney-General Bradford wrote his
opinion, which was submitted to Council the follow-
ing morning. He states, —
" I have considered the clause in tlie act of Assembly for erecting Del-
aware County. ... As the Constitution vests the appointment of all
judges in the Supreme Executive Council, and a new court is here
erected, I am of the opinion that no actof the Legislature can appoint the
judges of that court, or give any pei-sous authority to act as such witli-
out being commissioned for that purpose by the President and Council ;
1 2 Smith's " Laws of Peunsylv
Digest," pp. 2 and 39.
' Delaware County
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
239
tbat partof tlie act, therefore, must be merely void. As to juslicesof the
peace, they having beer, already elected by the people and residing in
their proper districts, I am of opinion tbat such authority may be con-
tinued by an act of the Legislature, and that such an act would uot in-
fringe upon the Constitution."!
The Supreme Executive Council, acting on this
opinion, appointed the judges of the courts two days
thereafter, excepting in the case of William Richard-
son Atlee, whose commission being subsequently to
the act of Sept. 26, 1786; was valid. Following is a j
list of all the associate justices and judges of the j
courts of Delaware County from its erection until i
the Constitution of 1874 abolislied the office :
William Kichardson Atlee Sept. 28, 1789
Hiclmrd Hill Morris Oct. 12, 1789
Thomas Levis Oct. 12, 1789
.lohn l\'iu,son Oct. 12, 1799
Gp.Tb;.- r.uice Oct. 12, 1789
Eli^ll:l Price March l(i, 1790
Jo.1 Willis July 15, 1790
Under Couslitution of 1790:
John Selli-rs .Sept. 17, 1791
Richard Rilev Sept. 17, Hal
Mm k Will, ,.x Sept. 17, 1791
I!ii-i. II > I .\pril 24, 1792
i; "I 1> ' :- Iiinc .1. 1794
.i. ! ■ .\pill 2r,, 1799
.1' I I' .lull. 6, 182:i
Wi;. .::, \ > .!, Jan. 5, 1826
Jusriii, Kiigk- Jan. 5, 1827
Henry Myer Dec. 27, 1833
George Smith Dec. 28,1836
Under Constitution of 1838:
Joseph Eiigle J,in. 20,1842
Joseph Eii;;le March 11, 1847
Geurge G. L.ip.r Feb. 25, 1S43
Gfoi-f G, L.i|.,'i Feb. 16, 1848
.I.,,iH.« \n.li,.,v^ Nov. 10,1851
Sk-; ^'1, ll..!i.ii Nov. 10,1851
li I M • ■! Nov. 12,1856
.1:>- Nov. 12,1856
ih,: I, \\i,i,iii-"ii Jan. 10,1860
G..-i^. .-mill Nov. 23, 1861
Jiiiii.s .\i„litws Nov. 23,1861
Tlii.miia lieese Nov. 8, 1866
Bariiiie Smith Nov. 8, 1806
Thomas Reese Nov. 17, 1871
Biirline Smith Nov. 17, 1871
William Richardson Atlee was commissioned one
of the justices of the Court of Common Pleas of Del-
aware County Sept. 28, 1789, two days after the act
erecting the county of Delaware became a law. The
bounty of the Supreme Executive Council did not stop
at this, but they showered on Atlee that day the offices
of prothonotary, clerk of the Quarter Sessions and
Orphans' Court. Under the resolution of Council,
June 11, 1777, prothonotaries sat as judges of the
Court of Common Pleas. In November, 1790, he
was married to Margaret, only daughter of Gen.
Wayne, settled at Chester,' and on May 9, 1791, pur-
chased a greater part of the triangular lot between
Market Street and Edgmont Avenue, and i'rom Fifth
Street to the railroad. There he lived in a stone
dwelling, which was torn down to make place for the
house of the late Mrs. Gray. On Sept. 4, 1791, he
was reappointed by Governor Mifflin to the offices of
1 Colonial Records, vol. xvi. pp. 186-88.
- Judge Engle was appointed in 1827, but the date of the commission
I have not learned. Either it is not of record or I have overlooked it
in my researches.
K Martin's " History of Cheater," p. 252.
prothonotary, etc., and again on March 16, 1792. At
the next court following, April term, 1792, the grand
jury made this presentment:
*' To the Hoiiorahle Court of Quarter Sessions now sittitiij :— The Grand
Inquest for the Court of Delaware, Present William Ricbaideon Atlee,
Prothonotary and Register for the Probate of Wills, &c., for said county
for extortion in the following instances, viz.:
"For charging of his fees on the several writs of Partition hereinafter
mentioned, three pounds, viz.; First, For issuing a writ for the division
of the estate of Jacob Richards. Second, For issuing a writ for the di-
vision of the estate of Margaret Smith and the heirs of Rebecca Garrett.
Third, For issuing a writ for the division of the estate of John Mcllvain.
Fourth, For issuing a writ for the division of the estate of David Gibson.
Fifth, For issuing a writ for the division of the estate of William and
Reese Peters.
"For charging John Travis his fees on an action brought against him
and ended the first court, thirteen shillings and sixpence. For charg-
ing Peter Defield, on an action brouglit against Charles Lindsay ended
before the court, fourteen shillings and sixpence. For charging Jo-
seph Lewis fourteen shillings and sixpence, ended in like manner.
" As Register for charging and receiving from the executors of the
estate of John Hunt two pounds, eleven shillings and sixpence for pro-
bate and granting Letters of Administration.
" Also for charging and receiving from the executors of the estate of
Joseph Davis, two pounds, eleven shillings and sixpence for Probate and
Granting Letters of Administration and also for charging and receiving
a fee of one pound, two shillings and sixpence for answering the simple
question whether a bond was real or pei-sonal estate, which we are of the
opinion is illegal, he not been an attorney or counsellor of record in
nty.
" Also for charging and receiving of Alice Spear, a poor woman, one
pound, five shillings and sixpence for two guardianship orders, altho*
she has paid Miles McCarty three shillings for drawing petitions to pre-
sent to the Court to obtaiu the same.
" By order of the Grand Jury,
" David Bevan, Foreman."
At the July session the grand jury found true bills
of indictment against Atlee on all the charges; the
cases were called ou trial at the October term, and on
all the prosecutions the defendant was acquitted. At-
lee understood the fee bill, and notwithstanding the
assaults thus made upon him, held his office with a
tenacious grasp, until, desiring to enter the list of at-
torneys, he yielded the place to Davis Bevan April 6,
1796, and on the 26th of July following was admitted
to practice in the courts of Delaware County, after
which date he passed out of our annals so far as I have
information.
On Oct. 12, 1789, Richard Hill Morris was com-
missioned by President Mifflin justice of the Court of
Common Pleas. He was appointed a justice of the
Court of Quarter Sessions of Chester County in 1786,
but beyond that fact I have uo knowledge of Judge
Morris. The same day George Pearce, of Aston, was
commissioned Justice of the Common Pleas. He was
a justice of Chester County in 1784, and during the
Revolutionary war was lieutenant-colonel of the Third
Battalion of militia. Other than these facts, I know
nothing of Judge Pearce's career. John Pearson was
also commissioned the same day. He was a resident
of Darby and a Revolutionary soldier. He was first
lieutenant in the Eleventh Pennsylvania Line, and
was promoted captain Sept. 7, 1777. The regiment
suffered so severely at Brandywine that ou July 1,
1778, it was consolidated with the Tenth Regiment,
in which organization Capt. Pearson was still retained
240
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
in command of a company. On Jan. 17, 1781, he was
transferred to the Second Pennsylvania, and on Jan. 1,
1783, held a commission on the 3d, hut appears to j
have resigned about that time. In October, 1778, he
was on recruiting service in Philadelphia, and on the j
6th of that month addressed a letter to the Supreme I
Executive Council, complaining that Timothy Mat-
lack, secretary of that body, had spoken discourag-
ingly to him respecting the money required to pay re-
cruits, and he had then on his personal credit bor-
rowed one hundred pounds to pay " five fine fellows,"
and could not " get a farthing of it." At the January
sessions, 1793, while he was on the bench, an indict-
ment was sent before the grand jury, in which he was
charged with having written a libelous article against
Nathaniel Newlin, which appeared in Bradford's j
Pennsyh-ania Journal in October, 1792, but the bill
was ignored. In the fall of 1793, Judge Pearson was
active in soliciting funds in Delaware County, to be
applied to the relief of the sufferers in Philadelphia
during the yellow fever scourge in that city, after
which date I have no further information respecting
him.
On Oct. 12, 1789, Thomas Levis was appointed one
of the justices of the Court of Common Pleas of Dela-
ware County. My impression is that he resided in
Springfield. The first record I find of Judge Levis is
in 1770, when he appears as one of the assessors of
Chester County, — a board of six persons performed the
duty at that time in the entire county, — and continued
in the oflice until 1773, when he became one of the
county commissioners. At the election held in Ches-
ter County, July 8, 1776, to choose delegates to the
Constitutional Convention of 1776, he was one of the
judges at Chester borough. During the war he was a
captain of a militia company, and Oct. 1, 1777, was
directed, with six other militia ofiicers, to seize arms,
blankets, shoes and stockings, etc., in that district for
the use of the Continental army, the levy to be made
on persons believed to entertain feelings not in accord
with American independence. On May 6, 1778, he
was appointed one of the commissioners of confiscated
estates, and in a letter dated July 18tli of that year, he
complained that the printer had made a mistake by
misplacing a letter so that a Whig was transposed by
the proclamation into a Tory, and he was not pleased
with the change. He was one of the sub-lieutenants
of Chester County, and Sept. 24, 1784, was commis-
sioned one of the justices of the Common Pleas for
Ridley, Springfield, Marple, Upper and Nether Provi-
dence, a position which was not new to him, for he
was appointed to the like ofiice in July 25, 1777. He
was county treasurer in 1778, and probably in 1782-
84. No record appears at West Chester for those
years, which is the only break for a number of years,
and we learn from the minutes of the Supreme Execu-
tive Council that on Feb. 21, 1788, a certificate was
filed from Edward Burd, "that Thomas Levis, Es-
quire, hath entered sufiicient security to prosecute
with effect an appeal from the settlement of his ac-
counts as late Treasurer of the county of Chester by
the Comptroller General was read, and the said ap-
peal allowed." He was appointed a justice of the
Court of Common Pleas in 1789. In 1799 he was
lieutenant-colonel of the Sixty-fifth Regiment Penn-
sylvania militia, after which date I lose all record of
Col. Levis.
Elisha Price was commissioned justice of the Court
of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions, March 16,
1790, but as I have given the main particulars of his
life in a note to the ballad " Lament over Chester's
Mother," it is unnecessary to reproduce it here; and
of Joel Willis, who was commissioned justice of the
Common Pleas July 15, 1790, I know nothing other
than that fact.
On Sept. 17, 1791, Governor Mifflin appointed John
Sellers one of the associate judges of the courts of
Delaware County. A sketch of Judge Sellers will be
found in the history of the township of Darby.
Sept. 17, 1791, Governor Mifflin appointed Richard
Riley an associate judge of Delaware County, in which
office he continued to serve until 1808, sitting for the
last time at the October court of that year. He was
of English parentage, and was born at Marcus Hook,
Dec. 14, 1735. At twenty-nine years of age, in 1764,
he was one of the county assessors, and the same year
he was appointed one of the justices of the county,
whose commission then required that they should
hold court. In 1770 he was one of the justices com-
missioned to hold a special court in Chester County
for the trial of negroes ; and on the 3d day of March,
in that year, he, with William Parker, held such a
court in Chester, at which was tried " Negro Martin,"
the slave of Thomas Smith, of Tinicum, on a charge
of rape. Riley was an earnest Whig during the Rev-
olution, and was one of the. thirteen members of the
Committee of Correspondence of Chester County ap-
pointed at the meeting held at Chester, July 13, 1774,
and was one of the eight delegates to the Provincial
Conference at Philadelphia, July 15th, of that year,
which took decided action advocating resistance to
the encroachments of Great Britain on the rights of
the colony, and requesting the Assembly to appoint
delegates to the Continental Congress, which met in
Philadelphia, September 3d following. He was one
of the delegates to the second Provincial Convention,
which met in Philadelphia, Jan. 23, 1775, when he
advocated instructing the delegates from Pennsyl-
vania, appointed by that convention to Congress,
which assembled May 10, 1775, to vote for inde-
pendence. On June 30th of that year he was ap-
pointed by the Assembly one of the Committee of
Safety, representing Chester County; and on Jan.
17, 1776, was, with Cols. Wayne and Johnson and
Mr. Bartholomew, appointed an inspector of arms
provided by the Committee of Safety for Chester
County. That he was earnest in his efforts to render
an attack on Philadelphia almost impossible, by ex-
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
24t
tending the fortifications below Marcus Hook, is shown
in his letter of Feb. 15, 1776, to the committee. In
1777, Riley was again commissioned a justice of the
county. After the erection of Delaware County, he
was elected a member of the Legislature for the year
1790-91, and, as before mentioned, in 1792 was com-
missioned associate judge. It is related that he was
a nervous man and easily irritated. One cold night,
in the early part of this century, an Irishman, know-
ing this peculiarity, knocked at the door of his resi-
dence in Marcus Hook, after the judge was in bed.
His honor, putting his head out of the window, in-
quired who it was, and what was wanted. The
stranger replied that he had an important matter, re-
specting which he wanted his opinion. The judge
hastily dressed and came down. " What is it, my
man, you want to see me about?" " I was awanting
to know, your honor, which side of the river this is."
"This side, you infernal fool!" roared the judge, as
he slammed the door to with a bang. Judge Kiley
died Aug. 27, 1820, in his eighty-fifth year.
On Sept. 17, 1791, Governor Mifliin commissioned
Mark Wilcox one of the associate judges of Delaware
County, an office he retained until about 1822. Mark
Wilcox was the son of Thomas Wilcox, who settled
in Concord in 1727, on the west branch of Chester
Creek, where about that date he built the second
paper-mill in the United States, now known as Ivy
Mills. The settler died in 1779, leaving the business
to his son, Mark, who was born on the estate in 1743.
During the Revolutionary war much of the paper
used in printing the Continental money, as well as
the official blanks required by Congress and the State
authorities, was made at the old mill on Chester Creek.
He was judge of the election held to select delegates
to the Constitutional Convention of 1776. In 1777
the Executive Council impressed forty-eight reams of
writing-paper at his mills for the use of that body, and
it was not paid for until March 19, 1783, when an order
for sixty-eight pounds in specie was given to Mark
Wilcox in settlement of the claim. In 1777 he was
one of the county assessors, and in 1780, under the
law requiring registration of slaves, he reported six
slaves for life as his property. On April 3, 1788, the
Supreme Executive Council appointed five commis-
sioners, under the act of March 28th, of that year, to
open certain roads in the counties of Northampton
and Luzerne, in which commission Mark Wilcox was
included. The work confided to the committee was
performed satisfactorily, for on April 28th, of the
same year. Council decided that one thousand pounds
should be paid to the committee for their trouble. In
1788, Mark Wilcox was a member of the General As-
sembly from Chester County, in 1799 he was lieuten-
ant-colonel of the One Hundred and Tenth Regiment,
and, after the erection of Delaware, was for nearly
thirty years one of the associate judges. He died in
1827, aged eighty-four years.
Governor Mifflin, April 24, 1792, commissioned
16
Hugh Lloyd, of Darby, one of the associate judges of
the courts of Delaware County, and he continued on
the bench a third of a century, the longest terra in
our judicial history. He was born in 1742, and when
the difficulties preceding the Revolutionary war were
dividing the populace, he took active sides with the
colonists. He w^as one of the committee of thirteen
appointed at the county convention, held at Chester,
July 13, 1774, as delegates to the convention of similar
committees from the other counties in the province,
which assembled in Philadelphia July 15th, of that
year, and from whose action the Continental Congress,
which met in the same city on the 5th of September
following, had its origin. He was one of the com-
mittee appointed at the county convention, Dec. 20,
1774, to carry into execution the association of the late
Continental Congress, and he was also one of the ten
delegates from Chester County to the Provincial Con-
vention which met in Philadelphia, Jan. 23, 1775.
Just previous to the Declaration of Independence he
was one of the thirteen delegates from the county to the
Convention in Philadelphia on June 18, 1776, which
declared that all authority of Great Britain should be
suppressed in the province, and called a convention
to meet on the loth of July following to frame a con-
stitutional government. Strange as it now seems, he
was one of the judges of election in the borough of
Chester on July 8th, when delegates to that conven-
tion— he being a candidate — were voted for. Early in
the war he was appointed colonel of the Third Bat-
talion of Chester County militia, and his command
was frequently called into service during the latter
part of 1777 and the first six months of the year fol-
lowing. After peace was declared Col. Lloyd pursued
the even teuor of his way, but when Delaware County
was erected, in 1789, he was one of the representatives
in the General Assembly, and was re-elected to the
same office in 1791. In 1792 he was appointed one of
the associate judges of the county of Delaware in the
place of Joel Willis, serving faithfully on the bench
until finding the weight of years pressing upon him
he tendered his resignation to Governor Shulze as
follows :
" I, tbe within named Associate Judge of Delaware County, aged S3
years 10 months and 9 days, by attending every court for 33 years— one
Orphans' Court only excepted — having performed the duties of the
within commission to the best of my judgment and ability, do by these
presents resign and surrender up my said commission to his Excellency,
the Governor, with the hope that a successor may be appointed to the
satisfaction of the majority of said county. In testimony whereof I
have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of December, a.d. 1S25. With
sentiment of regard, &c.,
"Hugh Llovd."
Tradition relates that Judge Lloyd, who, on one
occasion, being asked if the duties devolving on an
associate judge were not onerous, replied, " Yes,
very. I sat five years on the same bench in the old
court-house at Chester without opening my mouth.
One day, however, towards night, after listening to
the details of a long and tedious trial, the president
leaning over towards me and putting his arms across
242
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
my shoulders, asked me a question : 'Judge,' said he,
' don't you think this bench is infernally hard ?' To
this important question I replied, 'I thought it were.'
And tliat's the only opinion I ever gave during my
long judicial career." '
At the advanced age of ninety-three. Judge Lloyd
died of paralysis. " The old machine had broken
down and can't be repaired," he remarked to those
•who, hearing him fall to the floor, ran to his assist-
ance. Two days thereafter he died.
Benjamin Brannou was appointed by Governor
Mifflin, June 5, 1794, one of the judges of the courts
of Delaware County. I have gathered very little in-
formation respecting Judge Brannon. He resided in
Upper Darby, was an earnest Whig, and during the
year 1776 was appointed to instruct the people of
Chester County in the mode of making saltpetre for
the State powder-mills. In 1777 he was one of the
sub-lieutenants of the county, and on June 11th of
that year applied for cannon to arm several artillery
companies formed in his jurisdiction, and on July
29th five hundred pounds was given him to pay
bounty to substitutes. He was county commissioner
in 1779, and in 1782 he was a representative in the
Assembly from Chester County. Other than the facts
stated I have no record of Judge Brannon.
John Crosby, of Ridley, was appointed by Governor
Mifflin, April 26, 1799, one of the associate judges
of Delaware County. He, like his fellow-associate,
Hugh Lloyd, was a descendant of the early English
settlers who emigrated to Pennsylvania when Penn
acquired title to the province. He was born at the
family homestead, on Eidley Creek, March 11,
1747/8. In 1776, in his twenty-ninth year, he entered
the service as first lieutenant in a company of the
First Battalion of Pennsylvania militia, attached to
the Flying Camp, which had been recruited by his
brother-in-law, Capt. Culin. It is related that on the
day the organization was mustered in at the White
Horse Tavern, one of the privates, enraged at some-
thing said by Capt. Culin, shot that officer, inflicting
a wound of which he died. Crosby thereupon suc-
ceeded to the command, and as such marched the
comisany to the encampment at Perth Amboy. After
the capture of Philadelphia by the British, in the fall
of 1777, Crosby (a militia officer and not in the Penn-
sylvania troops enlisted for the war) was with Gov-
ernor Porter, intercepting the foraging parties of the
enemy.
One night in the winter of 1777-78 he was at his
home in Ridley when a boat's crew from a British
man-of-war, lying off Chester, ascended the creek and
took him prisoner. Crosby was in the act of washing
his face at the pump, near the house, when he was
captured. He was taken to New York and confined
.on the British ship " Falmouth." During his im-
prisonment, which lasted six months, his hair turned
1 Martin's " History of Cheater," p. 196.
white, consequent on the harsh treatment received
and insufiicient food then furnished to the American
prisoners of war. He was finally released on parole,
his wife going to New York, at great personal risk,
to intercede with the English authorities in his be-
half. John Crosby, as stated, was commissioned, in
1799, associate judge of Delaware County, and con-
tinued on the bench until 1826. He died about the
date given as the conclusion of his judicial career.
On Jan. 5, 1823, John Peirce was appointed asso-
ciate judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He died
in Nether Providence in December, 1833, aged sev-
enty-nine years, but beyond his appointment and
death I have no further information respecting Judge
Pierce. Henry Myers was appointed to the place on
the bench made vacant by his death.
William Anderson was born in Virginia^ in 1762,
and although only fifteen years of age, joined the
Continental army, serving therein five years, and was
present at the siege of Yorktown and the surrender
of Lord Cornwallis. After the war he settled in Ches-
ter, and became the landlord of the Columbia House,
which hostelry he purchased in 1796. In 1803 he
erected the Anderson mansion, at Fifth and Welsh
Streets, Chester. He was a member of the Eleventh
and Twelfth Congresses of the United States, and
served for a third term in the Fifteenth. In 1824 he
was chairman of the committee of Delaware County^
on the reception of Lafayette. When the commit-
tees from Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery Coun-
ties, together with a committee from the immediate
vicinity of "Valley Forge, met the marquis at the
State-House, in Philadelphia, September 29th of that
year, Maj. Anderson, being a Revolutionary soldier,
was selected to make the address, on behalf of all the
committees, to the " Nation's Guest," and when the
latter came to the borough of Chester he accepted the
major's hospitality. On Jan. 5, 1826, Governor Shulze
appointed Maj. Anderson one of the judges of the
county courts, which position he resigned to accept an
office in the custom-house in Philadelphia. His
daughter, Evelina, became the wife of Commodore
David Porter. Maj. Anderson died Dec. 16, 1829,
aged sixty-seven 5'ears.
Joseph Engle, of Nether Providence, was born Jan.
10, 1770. He was thirty-six years of age before he
attained any office of prominence in the county, being
elected in 1806 one of the commissioners, and on May
24, 1809, was commissioned prothonotary, recorder,
register, and clerk of the courts, to which office he
was recommissioned on Jan. 14, 1812, and again on
Dec. 20 1814. In 1824 he was one of the committee
2 Lanman'a " Dictionary of Congress" asserts that Maj. Anderson was
born in Chester Connty, a statement which conflicts with family tradi-
tions, and, besides, his name does not appear among the Revolutionary
ofBcers from Pennsylvania.
3 The committee from Delaware County consisted of the following
gentlemen; William Anderson, Dr. Samuel Anderson, Joseph Engle,
George G. Leiper, Samuel Edwards, Esq., Archibald T. Dick, Esq., Wil-
liam Martin, and Uenry Myers.
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
243
of five appointed by Delaware County to receive La-
fayette, and in the fall of that year he was again
elected one of the commissioners. In 1826-27 he was
a member of the Legislature, and in the latter year
was appointed by Governor Shulze to the associate
judgeship made vacant by the resignation of Maj. An-
derson. His long association with the courts as clerk
gave him considerable knowledge of the manner in
which legal matters were therein conducted, and fre-
quently during Judge Darlington's term as president
judge— the latter was subject to severe attacks of gout
— Associate Judge Engle was compelled to preside,
charging the grand jury and trying the cases. Jan.
26, 1842, he was recommissioned, although on that
occasion his nomination had been sent to the Senate
over a year before the date given, and was not con-
firmed, owing to the fact that at the December court,
1840, Judge Engle had been presented by the grand
inquest for an alleged disturbance at the preceding
Presidential election at Chester, the complaint being
made by William Eves, Sr., Isaac Lloyd, and James
McClarum. The proceedings failed in court at the
February sessions, but the quarrel was carried to
Harrisburg, and prevented for a time the confirma-
tion by the Senate of the appointment of Judge Engle.
In 1851, his term having expired, and being advanced
in years, he retired from public life. Judge Engle
died Oct. 18, 1857, aged eighty-seven years and nine
months.
Henry Myers was prothonotary, recorder, register
of wills, and clerk of the courts of Delaware County
for three terms, being commissioned Jan. 17, 1824,
Dec. 21, 1826, and Jan. 18, 1830. In 1824 he was
one of the committee from Delaware County appointed
to receive Gen. Lafayette. On Dec. 27, 1833, he was
commissioned one of the associate judges, and while
discharging the duties of that office was elected, in
1836, senator from this district, then comprising Dela-
ware, Chester, and Lancaster Counties, serving in that
capacity for four years. At the expiration of the
term he retired from public life. On Feb. 23, 1855,
Judge Myers died. He left his home, in Upper
Darby, on the morning of that day, and when night
came, not having returned, his family immediately
instituted a search for him, but without succe.ss until
the following day, when his body was discovered near
Cobb's Creek. The intense cold had benumbed him
so that he sank to the earth and perished.
Dr. George Smith was appointed by Governor
Ritner, Dec. 8, 1836, one of the associate judges,
and subsequently elected by the peojile to the same
position in 1861. I present a sketch of the useful
life-work of this eminent native of Delaware County
in the article on physicians, and it is unnecessary to
repeat it here.
On Feb. 25, 1843, George Gray Leiper wa.s ap-
pointed by Governor Porter an associate judge of the
courts of Delaware County. He was a son of Col.
Thomas Leiper, of Ridley, and was born in Philadel-
phia, Feb. 3, 1786. He graduated from the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania in 1803, when in his seventeenth
year, and after his marriage made his home perma-
nent on the Leiper estates, in Ridley township. Here
in 1811 he established the first Sunday-school in the
annals of the county. During the war of 1812 he was
first lieutenant in Capt. James Serrill's company, the
Delaware County Fencibles, which organization was
mustered into service Sept. 21, 1814, and December
6th, of the same year, was discharged. In 1818 he
built, at his own cost, the Ridley (Leiper) Presby-
terian Church. In 1822-23 he was a Representative.
in the Legislature, and while there he so strongly and
successfully urged State appropriation for the mainte-
nance of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, in Philadel-
phia, that in recognition of his services he was chosen
a director of that institution, and continued until his
death. In the fall of 1824 he was one of the commit-
tee from Delaware County appointed to receive Gen.
Lafayette. In 1828 he was elected a member of the
Twenty-first Congress, and although strongly pressed
to be a candidate for re-election, refused, even when
President Jackson, a warm personal friend of Mr.
Leiper, personally requested him to allow his name
to go before the people for a second term. In 1843,
as above stated. Governor Porter appointed Mr. Leiper
one of the associate judges, to which position be was
reappointed by Governor Shunk, Feb. 16, 1848, and
continued on the bench until the office was made
elective. Judge Leiper retired from active public
life, devoting his attention to the care of his large es-
tate. He died at Lapidea, his residence on Crum
Creek, Nov. 18, 1868, in his eighty-third year.
At the October election of 1851, James Andrew, of
Darby, was chosen to the office of associate judge, and
was commissioned Nov. 10, 1851. He and Sketchley
Morton were the first associate judges elected by the
votes of the people. James Andrew held no other
county office than that of judge, but so acceptably did
he discharge the duties of the position that he was re-
elected in 1856, his commission being dated Novem-
ber 12th of that year, and in 1861 he was again
called to a seat on the bench. At the expiration of
his term, having attained threescore and ten, he re-
tired from public service.
Sketchley Morton was born in Springfield, Oct. 12,
1810, his father's (John S. Morton) farm constituting
much of the present village of Morton, on the West
Chester and Philadelphia Railroad. From his early
manhood he devoted himself mainly to merchandising
and other business enterprises in which he was en-
gaged, declining to take any very active part in po-
litical movements. He was, however, elected a mem-
ber of the Legislature, serving during the session of
1847-48, at a time when the question of removing
the seat of justice had divided the people of the
county into removalists and anti-removalists, and
although he was adverse to the change, his action in
the House in pressing a bill to carry out that pur-
244
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
pose, after the question had been submitted to a
popular vote, was highly commendatory. In the fall
of 1851 he was elected one of the associate judges of
the courts, his commission dating Nov. 10, 1851, and
he served one term on the bench. In 1852 he was
chosen president of the Delaware County Mutual In-
surance Company, and was continued in that position
until October, 1878, when he resigned. Sketchley
Morton died Feb. 9, 1878, aged sixty-seven years.
Frederick J. Hinkson, Sr., was elected one of the
associate judges of Delaware County courts in 1856.
. An account of Judge Hinkson will be found else-
where in this volume.
Only two of all the persons who have been asso-
ciate judges of the county of Delaware are living.
The oldest, in point of commission, is Charles R.
Williamson, he having been commissioned by Gov-
ernor Packer, Jan. 10, 1860, to fill the position on the
bench made vacant by Judge Hinkson's resignation.
The other is Judge Thomas Reese. In the succeed-
ing October, Dr. George Smith was elected to the
oiBce. Mr. Williamson had also been county treas-
urer. He resides in the borough of Media.
Bartine Smith was chosen one of the associate
judges of the courts of Delaware County at the Oc-
tober election in 1866, his commission bearing date
November 8th of that year. He was born in 1803,
and was for many years a merchant in Haverford.
On April 14, 1840, he was appointed a justice of the
peace, was reappointed April 15, 1845, and elected to
the same position in the spring of 1862. In 1861 he
was clerk to the county commissioners, continuing as
such until he was elected to the bench. In 1871 he
was re-elected to the judicial office, and continued
therein until the expiration of his term, when the
provisions of the Constitution abolishing the office
became operative. Judge Smith died Dec. 12, 1877,
aged seventy-four years.
Judge Thomas Reece was born in Middletown
township, Delaware County. He was elected asso-
ciate judge in 1866, and served a continuous period
of ten years. A further sketch of Judge Reece will
be found in the history of Media.
On Nov. 23, 1876, just previous to the termination
of the official career of Associate Judges Smith and
Reece by the limitation of the Constitution of 1874,
a banquet was given at Media to the retiring judges by
the members of the bar and county officers. Highly
complimentary resolutions were adopted, handsomely
engrossed, and presented to Judges Smith and Reece,
and speeches appropriate to the occasion were made.
On Dec. 1, 1876, the associate judges retired from the
bench and the time-honored office ceased to be, and
henceforth became simply a part of the annals of the
county.
As a rule it may be accepted that from the estab-
lishment of the colonial government until 1790, crim-
inal cases, excepting those of trivial character, were
prosecuted on the part of the government by the i
attorney-general in person. This statement, how-
ever, is not without exception, for at the court held
at Chester on the 3d day of 1st week Tenth month,
1684, on the trial of Edward Hulbert Taylor, who
was indicted for larceny, the records state that
Charles Pickering " pleads as attorney to ye King,"
which is the first case in which it is directly asserted
that counsel appeared on behalf of the government,
although it is evident that Attorney-General John
White was present in that capacity at the trial of
MagaretMattson,at Philadelphia, before Penn and the
Council, 27th of the Twelfth month, 1683. In Taylor's
case, as in that of Mattson, the appearance of an attor-
ney for the prosecution was of slight effect, for the
prisoner was acquitted by the jury. At the Court of
Quarter Sessions at Chester, May 25, 1708, Thomas
Clark, who was commissioned attorney-general on
the 8th of that month, "appeared in open court and
was qualified attorney-general for the county of Ches-
ter, according to law." The county records on the
subject furnish us with but meagre information, and
that not of much general interest. By the act of
Feb. 28, 1710, the justices of the county courts, and
the mayor and recorder of Philadelphia, respectively
were empowered to admit attorneys to plead in these
courts, and on misbehavior could suspend or prohibit
attorneys from practicing before their tribunal. The
act of May 31, 1748, provided that "in trials of all
capital crimes, learned counsel shall be assigned the
prisoner." On May 22, 1722, the Assembly passed a
law providing for the admission of attorneys in any
of the county courts, " which said attornies so ad-
mitted may practice in all the courts of this province
without any further or other license or admittance."
A note in 1st Dallas" " Laws of Pennsylvania," on this
section of the act of 1722,' conveys the impression
there were no other statutory enactments respecting
attorneys until that of Sept. 25, 1786, but such im-
pression is erroneous ; the act of Aug. 26, 1727, pro-
vided "that there may be a competent number of
persons, of an honest disposition and learned in the
law, admitted by the justices of the said respective
courts to practice as attornies there, who shall behave
themselves justly and faithfully in their practice."
That this act was generally observed is evident from
the fact that the oath administered to attorneys at the
present day is almost identical with that set forth in
the enactment. It was : " And before they are so ad-
mitted shall take the following qualification, viz.,
'Thou shalt behave thyself in the office of Attorney
within the Court according to the best of thy learn-
ing and ability, and with all good Fidelity as well to
the Court as to the Client ; thou shalt use no False-
hood, nor Delay any Persons Caused for Lucre or
Malice."'' The admission in any of the county courts
was as before an admission to all in this province,
and attorneys in all civil cases were compelled to file
Has, p. 185.
2 Duke of York's Book of Laws, j
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
245
their warrant of attorney, or ftiiling to do so no statu-
tory fee could be taxed in the bill of costs to the party
so in default. The act of Sept. 25, 1786, gave to the
courts in the several counties power to make rules
goveruiug their own practice, after which date the
admi.ssion of attorneys appear constantly on the min-
utes of our courts, although previous to that time on
the record a number of lawyers were required to be
regularly qualified before they were permitted to
practice.
The following is a complete list of deputy attorneys-
general and district attorneys from the erection of the
county to the present time :
, 1790.— William Bradford, Jr
ney-gen
February Bessio
July session, 1790.— Thomas Boss, under William Bradford, Jr.
August session, 1790. — losepb Thomas, under William Bradford, Jr.
October session, 1791.- Joseph Thomas, under Jared Ingersoll.
October session, 1795.— William Sergeant, under Jared Ingersoll.
January session, 1796. — Thomas Ross, under Jared Ingersoll.
October session, 1797.— William Sergeant, under Jared Ingersoll.
January session, 1799. — Thomas Ross, under Jared Ingersoll.
April session, 1809.— Richard Bache, Jr., under Walter Franklin.
January session, 1811 — John Edwards, under Joseph Reed.
January session, 1812.— Edward Ingersoll, under Jared Ingersoll.
January session, 1813. — Benjamin Tilghman, under Jared Ingersoll.
April session, 1S1:J.— Edward Ingersoll, under Jared Ingersoll.
January session, 1814. — John Edwards, under Jared Ingersoll.
April session, 1814 — Edward Ingersoll, under Jared Ingersoll.
January session, 1815.— Robert H. Smith, under Jared Ingersoll.
April sessi.m, 1815.— William H. Dillingham, under Jared Ingersoll.
January session, 1817.— Henry G. Freeman, under Amos Ellmaker.
October session, 1818. — Samuel Rush, under Thomas Sergeant.
January session, 1821.— Archibald T. Dick, under Thomas Elder.
April session, 1824.- Edward Darlington, under Frederick Smith.
April session, 183U. — John Zeilin, under Samuel Douglass.
August session, 1833.— Robert B. Hannum, under Ellis Lewis.
March session, 1836.— John P. Giiffith, under Williiim B. Eeed.
February session, 1839.- P. Frazer Smith, under Ovid F. Johnston.
February session, 1845.— Robert Frazer, under John K. Kane.
November session, 1845. — Joseph J. Lewis, under John K. Kane.
November session, 1848. — John M. Broomall,! under James Cooper.
February session, 18.30. — Charles D. Manley, by appointment of court.
May session, 1850.— Thomas H. Speakman, under Cornelius Darragh.
By act of Assembly May 1, 1850, the office of deputy
attorney-general in the several counties was abolished,
and district attorneys were directed to be elected, of
persons learned in the law, at the ensuing election in
October, to serve for a period of three years.
At the October election in 1850, Thomas H. Speak-
man was chosen by the popular vote, and at the No-
vember court he presented his certificate asking to be
qualified. A petition was also presented to the court,
signed by a number of citizens (sworn to by Charles
D. Manley and Joseph Weaver, Jr.), stating that
Speakman was not a resident of Delaware County,
and not eligible for that reason to the office. It also
set forth that Robert McCay, Jr., was elected, inas
much as the votes cast for Speakman were illegal
The matter was continued under advisement, and at
the May court, 1851, it was decided that " in con
sequence of the inability of Thomas H. Speakman
Esq., to serve the oflBce of District Attorney, Robert
^ John M. Broomall resigned.
McCay, Jr., Esq., be appointed to discharge the duties
of the office for the remainder of the year."
1851.— Robert McCay.
Nov. 24, 1861.— Edward Darlington.
1864.— Jesse Bishop.2
1857.- Edward A. Price.
I860.— John Hibbard.
1863.— Francis M. Brooke.^
1866.— Charles D. M. Broomhall.
1869.— George E. Darlington. '
1872,— David M. Johnson.
1876.— Vincent Gilpin Robinson.
1879.— Vincent Gilpin Robinson.
1882.— Jesse M. Baker.
The early records are confused respecting attorneys,
for in many cases where that word is used it refers to
attorneys-in-fact and not attorneys-at-law, while in
many of the cases persons not learned in the law
appeared on behalf of the parties litigant. As early
as 1683, John White and Abraham Mann, known to be
attorneys-at-law, appeared on the court records. At
the court held first Third day of first week. Seventh
month, 1690, iu the case of Thomas Holmes vs. Charles
Aston, Charles Pickering and Patrick Robinson ap-.
peared as attorneys for plaintiff, and John White and
Caleb Pusey for the defendant. The jury finding in
favor of the defendant, the attorneys for the plaintiff
"craved an appeal to ye ne.xt Proviuciall Court in
law," and his attorneys, Charles Pickering and Robert
Longshore, became surety in one hundred pounds that
the plaintiff would prosecute " ye appeal now Granted
to ye next provinciall Court in Law against a judg-
ment now obtained & to pay all costs and damage if
ye appellant be again cast." All the persons herein
mentioned as attorneys were laymen, excepting John
White.
In 1698, John Moore and David Lloyd were prac-
ticing attorneys.
That there were but four lawyers in the province as
late as 1709 we learn from two petitions presented to
the Provincial Council. The first was that of James
Heaton, read April 2, 1708, in which he set forth that
he had been sued in an action of trover and conver-
sion, in Bucks County, by Joseph Growden, and that
he had obtained a writ of error to the Supreme Pro-
vincial Court, that in the mean while the plaintiff had
arrested him on the same cause of action by process
of the court in Philadelphia; that the cases were
likely to be heard nearly at the same time, and that
the plaintiff was a judge of the Provincial Court,
"and further, that he has retained all the lawyers in
the county (that have leave to plead) against him."
' The petitioner then asked that an impartial judge
should be appointed to hear the case, assign him
counsel, or " set the day for trial," so that, " if he be at
2 Jesse Bishop resigned, and on Nov. 24, 1856, Edward A. Price was
appointed by the court in his place. Mr. Price was the youngest man
ever holding the office, havingbcen admitted the preceding March of that
year.
3 Francis M. Brooke resigned, and the court appointed C. D. M. Broom-
hall to flU the unexpired term, and the latter was elected at the ensuing
election.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the charge of procuring some from New York he may
not be disappointed." Growden was present, and
verbally replied that the actions were not for the like
cause, and that he had only employed one attorney,
John Moore, but that he was not able to attend, and
therefore had a brother lawyer to appear for him, " by
which means, without any design of his (Growden's),
two became Concerned in it." Counsel decided that
the petitioner "himself be left to procure his own
Counsel," and directed Jasper Yeates, the second
judge of the province, "without fail to attend^ the
Provincial Court at Bucks to prevent any Disappoint-
ment." ' On March 1, 1708/9, Francis Daniel Pas-
torius presented his petition to Council in respect to
a suit in ejectment, brought by one Sprogel, against
the Frankford Company, in the courts of Philadel-
phia, in which he stated that the plaintiff had "fee'd
orret.ained the four known Lawyers of the Province,"
to prevent the defendant from obtaining any advice
in law, " w"' sufHciently argues his cause to be none of
the best." "
The following persons, known to be attorneys
learned in the law, appear on the record in the courts
of Chester County at the dates given :
1726.— Ralph Assheton, John KidBey, Peler Evans, Francis Sherrard,
Joseph Growden, Jr.
1Y30.— .Alexander Keith (admitted February 23d).
1734.— William Rawle.
1735 —John Ross (admitted August 27th), James Hamilton, John Rob-
inson, Thomas Hopkinson.
1736,— Alexander Piercey (admitted December Ist), James Keating,
Andrew Hamilton.
1738.— William Assheton (admitted November 28th).
1739.— William Peters.
1740.— John Webb.
1741.— Trench Francis, Edmund Acworth (February 23d), Neil Harris.
1742.— Robert Hartshorue, Richard Peters, John Maths
(admitted September 1st).
1743.— John Molnnd, Townsend White.
1744.— David Edwards.
1745.— Benjamin Price.
1747. — John Lawrence.
1748.— Edward Sbippen, Jr.
1749. — Joseph Galloway, John Evans.
, James Bead
The foregoing list is doubtless far from being per-
fect, but it is all that was found by Judge Futhey and
Gilbert Cope, and in my researches I have not discov-
ered any names omitted by them.
In the early days of the province it was the custom
for students-at-law to make application for admission
by petition, and the following one, on file at West
Chester, presented by John Ross, was generally the
form used : '
" To the Worshipful, the Justices of the County Court of Common Pleas at
Chester :
"The humble Petition of John Ross. Gent, showeth:—
" That Your Petitr. has served as an apprentice to an attorney at law
in the province of Pennsylvaniii for the space of five years last past.
Therefore Your petitr. pfays to be admitted as an attorney of this Court.
"John Ross.
" Chester, Aug. 27th, 1735."
The following is a_ list of attorneys admitted pre-
vious to July 4, 177(5:
■ Colonial Records, vol.
David Finney...
Thomas Otway..
John Price
TliomHS McKean
David Henderson
William Whitebred..
Georpe Ross
John Armond
John Morris..
Niclic
Wain
James Tllghman
Hugh Hughs
John Currie
Elisha Price
Lindsay Coates
Alexander Porter
Nicholas Vandyke
Alexander Wilcocks..
Joshua Yeates
Stephen Porter
Richard Peters, Jr
James Riddle
James Allen
Henry Elwes
Admitted.
...Februarv, 1762.
..May, 1753.
..August, 1753.
...August, 1753.
..November, 1754.
...February, 1755.
...May, 1755.
...August, 1755.
...November, 1755.
...November, 1756.
...November, 1756,
...August, 17611.
...February, 1763.
...August, 1703.
„. Februarv, 1764.
„.Mav, 1764.
...Mnv,1764,
.., November, 1764,
,.. Februarv, 1765.
.■,'May, 1
James Wilson
Jacob Rush
Miers Fisher
Daniel Clymer
John Ruley
Stephen Watts
Abel Evans
James Lnkens
Thomas Good
Joseph Read
George Noarth
Jacob Bankson
Asheton Humphreys,,
Richard Tllghman
John Lawrence
Peter Zachary Lloyd .
Christian Hook
William L Blair
PhineasBond
...August, 1765.
,„ August, 1765,
...Ai'ignst, 1765.
...August, 1765,
,, August, 176S,
„,Augilst, 1765.
...November, 1705.
...August, 1766,
,.. August, 1766,
,,. August, 176H.
„. November, 1767,
„,November, 1767.
,„ February, 1769,
.„Angust, 1769,
.„August, 1769,
.,. August, 1769.
...November, 1709,
...May,
"Angi
1770.
Join
John McPherson
William Lewis
Edward Tilghman
Gunning Bfdford
Andrew Bobson
John Vannost
William Prince Gibbs,,
Collinson Read
„August, 1770,
„Augu8t, 177L
„August, 1771,
„August, 1771,
„August, 1771,
,. August. 1771,
„February. 1772.
., August, 1772,
,„August, 1772.
„,February, 1773.
..May, 1773.
...May, 1773,
.„August, 1773,
„. August, 1773,
.„November, 1773,
„,May, 1774,
...November, 1774.
,,. February, 1775
„,May. 1775,
„,Februarv, 1776,
„,May, 1776,
Admitted after July 4, 1776 :
Andrew Robeson,,
William Lewis
William L. Blair,.
Elixb
;uler Wilcocks,.,
Gunning Bedford
John Pancost
Francis Johnston
Henry Osborne
George Campbell
Jacob Bankson
Jared Ingersoll
William Bradford, Jr.,
Moses Levy
Nicholas Vandyke
.lohnCoxe
William Moore Smitli.
John Lawrence
Nathaniel Potts
Joseph Reed
John F, Mifflin
Daniel Clymer
John Vining
John Wilkes Kitter,,,
Henry Hale Graham,.
William Kawie
Samuel Sitgrave
William Ewing
Peter Zachary Lloyd,,
Jacob B. Howell
..August, 1777,
.,. August, 1777.
..August, 1777,
„,Augnst, 1777,
,,. August. 1777.
...August, 1778.
...August, 1778.
...August, 1778.
„,August, 1778,
.,.Au-ust, 1778,
„,August, 1778.
.„August, 1778,
„,February, 1779.
„,February, 1779,
„,May,n79,_
,,, August, 1779,
.,, November, 1779,
„. November, 1779,
,.. November, 1780,
„,rebrnary, 1791,
...Februarv, 1791,
,.August, 1781,
,.AugU3t, 1781,
„,Nov.
r, 1781,
..Februarv, 1782.
..May, 1782.
„August, 1782,
..August, 1782,
,.May, 1783.
..November, 1783.
. November, 1783,
...Feb, 24, 1784.
,„November, 1784,
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OP DELAWARE COUNTY.
247
Admitted.
Thomas Boas May, 1785.
Joseph B. McKean August, 17S5.
John Todd November, 1785.
Robert Ho.tson May, 1786.
Charles Smith May, 1786.
John YollDff May, 1786.
Benjamin Chew, Jr August, 1786.
B. K. Morean, Jr August, 1786.
Kichani Wharton August, 1786.
Tliomas Menimiuger August, 1786.
James Hanna Aug. 13, 1786.
David Smith February, 1787.
James Wade February, 1787.
John Joseph Henry February. 1787.
William Richardson Atlee February, 1787.
William Montgomery August, 1787.
Sampson Levy August, 1787.
James Uopkins .August, 1787.
Samuel Roberts August, 1787.
Samuel Bayard November. 1787.
Matthias Baldwin November, 1787.
James A. Bayard November, 1787.
Thomas Armstrong February, 1788.
Peter S. Duponceau May, 1788.
Jasper Yeates August, 1788.
Peter Hoofnagle August, 1788.
Jo3.-ph Hubley August, 1788.
William Graham November, 1788.
John Hallowell February, 1789.
Joseph Thomas May, 1789.
Robert Porter May, 17.S9.
Charles Heally May, 1789.
Anthony Morris May, 1789.
John a'aig Wells August, 1789.
John Cadwallader August, 1789.
John Moore August, 1789.
As heretofore stated, when the county of Delaware
was erected, as a matter of course, there was no attor-
ney of record. The diflSculty was met by William
Tilghman, who addressed the court, and finally in his
own behalf moved his admission to the bar of Dela-
ware County, which motion received the approval of
the bench. The record, therefore, shows :
William Graham, the only son of Judge Graham,
was born in Chester in 1767, and, studying law, was
admitted to the bar at the date given. During the
Whiskey Insurrection in Western Pennsylvania, in
1794, at which time he was chief burgess of Chester,
he commanded a troop of cavalry from Delaware
County, and while in that command the exposure
brought on a disease of the throat, which affected his
voice at times so that he could not speak above a
whisper. This vocal difficulty became permanent a
few years afterwards, owing to the fact that in com-
pany with several gentlemen, he went gunning to
Chester Island, and became separated from his com-
panions. When darkness came he could not be found,
and his friends returned to Chester, determining at
early dawn to resume their search for him. All that
night he remained on the bar, and as he was short in
stature, the tide rose until his head and shoulders
were alone out of the water. When rescued next
morning his voice was entirely gone, and he never
again recovered it so as to be able to speak in public,
and even in conversation he was often almost in-
audible. He died Dec. 19, 1821.
Admitted.
Benjamin Morgan Nov. 9, 1789.
Anthony Morris —1789.
John Todd —1789.
Alexander Wik-ox Feb. 9,1790.
William Bradford, Jr Feb. 9, 1790.
Jacob Bankson Feb. 9, 1790.
Elisha Price Feb. 9, 1790.
Robert Porter Feb. 9, 1790.
Thomas B. Dick Feb. 9,1790.
Thomas B. Dick was born near Marcus Hook,
March 12, 1766, read law with Thomas Ross, Esq., and
admitted to the bar of Delaware County at the date
mentioned. In 1794 he removed to Eastern Pennsyl-
vania, but returned to Chester in 1798, where he ac-
quired a large practice, owing to his reputation as an
able advocate. He was commissioned prothonotary,
recorder, register, and clerk of the courts of Delaware
County, Feb. 22, 1806, retaining that office until Jan.
2, 1809. On April 21, 1811, he was gunning in a
row-boat on the Delaware, and a severe snow-storm
coming on, he was drowned. How the accident oc-
curred is not known, he being alone at the time. His
body was not recovered until eight days thereafter.
Admitted.
Moses Levy Feb. 9, 1790.
William Rawle Feb. 9,1790.
Benjamin Morgan Feb. 9, 1790.
Anthony Morris Feb. 9, 1790.
Sampson Levy May 11, 1790.
Matthias Baldwin May 11, 1790.
Jonathan D. Sergeant Nov. 9,1790.
George Campbell Nov. 9, 1790.
John Thompson Nov. 9,1790.
Nicholas Diehl May 10, 1791.
Robert H. Dunkin May 10, 1791.
John C. Willis May 10, 1791.
Isaac Telfall Aug. 10, 1791.
Seth Chapman Nov. 7, 1791.
Thomas Armstrong Dec. 2, 1791.
Robert Frazer July 30. 1792.
Robert Frazer was, we are told by Dr. Smith, a
resident of the upper part of the county, and he it
was who drew the petition to the Legislature in 1820
for the removal of the county-seat from Chester to a
more central location. Martin relates the following
anecdote of Mr. Frazer: "A client, a well-known
close-fisted old miller, called on him one day for
some advice in reference to a difficulty about his mill-
dam and water-power privileges. He found Mr,
Frazer in his office, legs in comfortable position
higher than his head, taking his ease and smoking.
The miller, taking a seat, proceeded to relate his
grievance at length, and then asked what he should
do. Frazer, still leaning back and puffing his cigar,
paid no attention to the question. At last the im-
patient client burst out with ' D -n it, Mr. Frazer !
Did you hear what I said V With a humorous twinkle
of his eye, Frazer replied : ' Oh, yes ; but do you
expect a mill to run without water?' " '
Admitted.
John Ross July 31, 1792.
Thomas W. Tallman Jan. 29, 1793.
John D. Cox April 30, 1793.
Joseph Hemphill October, 1793.
John Horn= Ian. 29, 1795.
Caleb Fierce^ Jan.' 29, 1795.
William Sergeant April 27, 1795.
James Hunter October, 1795.
David Moore Jan. 23, 1796.
William Martin April, 1796.
■ Historj- of Chester, p. 476.
= Admission moved by Samuel Price, Esq., whose admission I do not
find on record.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PEiXNSYLVANIA.
A sketch of Dr. Martin appears in the chapter on
physicians of Delaware County, for in that calling-
he was a member of both professions — he was most
prominent.
Admitted.
William Ricbardaon Atlee .July 26, 1796.
Michael Kepple July 26, 1796.
Alex. James Dallas Nov. 1, 1796.
Bird Wilson April 7, 1797.
William Kwiiig Oct. 30, 1797.
Wash. Lee Haunum April, 1798.
Joseph Reed May 2, 1798.
Jonathan T. Haigbt Jan. 28, 1799.
Charles Chauncey Jan. 28,1799.
John Sergeant July 3U, 1799.
John Taylor April, 1800.
William Hemphill July, 18UD.
Nicholas G. Williamson January, 1801.
Jona. W Condeyi April, 1801.
Rich. Peters, Jri April, 1801.
Richard Rushl April, 1801.
John Ewing, Jr July 29, 1801.
William Bohinson, Jr Jan. 25, 1802.
Isaac Darlington Jan. 26, 1802.
Thomas Bradford July 29, 18U3.
James Day Barnard April 30, 1804.
Peter Arrell Brown May 3,1804.
Charles Fisher Frazer Oct. 30,1804.
Charles Kisselman Oct. 30,1804.
Richard Bache, Jr May 3,1805.
Samuel Edwards April 30, 1806.
Samuel Edwards was born in Chester township
March 12, 1785. He was a descendant of William
Edwards, who, coming from Wales early in 1682,
settled in Middletown. He read law with William
Graham, and was admitted to the bar April 30, 1806.
He was at that time a Federalist, and as such, with
his party, was opposed to the second war with Great
Britain. Hence we find him acting as chairman of
the meeting of the young men of that political faith
held in the court-house at Chester Aug. 22, 1812.
But the war actually begun, he threw aside all fealty
to party, and when Admiral Cockburn was threaten-
ing the borders of Pennsylvania and had applied the
torch to all the property he could not steal at the
head of the Chesapeake, Samuel Edwards was one of
the first to advocate arming the militia and marching
against the invaders. In April, 1813, he and Thomas
D. Anderson made application to the State for mus-
kets to arm the Chester company of infantry, giving
their personal bonds to the commonwealth for the
arms, and that body marched to Elkton to resist the
British forces at that place. In the fall of the year
1814 he was in active service as a private in the
Mifflin Guards, commanded by Capt. Samuel Ander-
son. This organization was a company of the First
Kegiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Col. Clem-
ent C. Biddle. Mr. Edwards acted as secretary of
the company, and the orderly book, the greater part
in his writing, is like copper-plate in beauty of chi-
rography. While in the military service he was
elected a member of the Legislature, and during the
session of 1814-15 he represented Delaware County
in that body, and was re-elected to the session of
1815-16. Ill 1819, Mr. Edwards, then a Democrat,
was elected to the Sixteenth, and again in 1825 to
the Nineteenth Congress, serving therein as a col-
league of James Buchanan, towards wliom he was
t Admission moved by Thomas B. Adams, Esq., whose admission I do
not find on record.
during the remainder of his life a warm personal
friend. Although Mr. Edwards served no other term
in Congress, yet during Jackson's and Van Buren's
administration, it was charged throughout the coun-
try that five persons — Samuel Edwards, George G.
and Samuel M. Leiper, Levi Reynolds, and James
Buchanan — were the powers behind the throne. In
1824, Mr. Edwards was one of the committee ap-
pointed by Delaware County to receive Gen. Lafay-
ette. In 1832 he was chief burgess of Chester, and
from 1838 to 1842 was inspector of customs at that
port. For many years he was a leader of the bar, and
he and Benjamin Tilghman were counsel for John H.
Craig, convicted of the murder of Squire Hunter, in
1818. Never was a case better tried on the part of the
defense than this was. For many years he was a
director of the Delaware County Bank and Delaware
Mutual Insurance Company. He was also counsel
for the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
Kail road.
Mr. Edwards died at Chester Nov. 25, 1850, aged
sixty-five years. A meeting of the bar was held on
the 26th, at which Judge Chapman presided, and
J. R. Morris acted as secretary. Associate Judge
Leiper announced the death of Mr. Edwards, and an
address was made by Judge Thomas S. Bell, then on
the Supreme bench, who came to Chester that he
might take part in the memorial services of his de-
ceased friend. Speeches were also made by Hon.
Edward Darlington and Hon. Joseph J. Lewis.
Admitted.
Joseph Barnes Oct. 23, 1S06.
Benjamin Shober Jan. 21, 1807.
John Edwards, Jr Oct. 19, 1807.
He was the great-grandson of William Edwards,
the Welsh settler at Middletown, and was born July
15, 1786, at the Black Horse Tavern, in that township,
his father, Nathan Edwards, being then the landlord
and owner of the inn. John Edwards studied law,
and was admitted to the bar of Delaware County at
the date stated. In 1811 he was deputy attorney-
general for Delaware County, and in 1824 was one of
the counsel for the defense in the trial of Wellington
for murder of Bonsall. After that date he seems to
have devoted his attention to the iron business at the
rolling-mills, near Glen Mills, which he owned, and
to politics, a pursuit in which he was unusually suc-
cessful. In the fall of 1838 he was elected a member
of Congress from the Fourth District, then compris-
ing the counties of Delaware, Chester, and Lancaster,
serving in the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Con-
gresses, for he was re-elected a second term. He died
in October, 1845, aged fifty-nine years, and was buried
at Middletown meeting-house.
Admitted.
Bayse Newcomb, Jr Oct. 19, 1807.
William H. Todd April 17, 1809.
Thon)as K.Ross April 17, 1809.
Ziba Pyle July 17, 1809.
Samuel H. .lacobs Jan. 21, 1«11.
Jonathan Dunker July 24, 1811.
Edward Ingersoll ,Tan. 2>, 1812.
Randall Hutchinson Jan. 20, 1812.
Thomas D. Anderson Jan. 23, 1812.
^iiiibiiii
-^y
THE COURT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
249
Thomas Dixon Anderson, the only son of Maj.
William Anderson, was born in Virginia, in 1790,
just previous to the removal of his father to Chester.
He was admitted to the bar at the above date. When
the British fleet under Admiral Cockburn had taken
Frenchtown, in April, 1813, and destroyed it, the
alarm was extreme in Southern Pennsylvania and
Delaware. Mr. Anderson and Samuel Edwards, Esq.,
made immediate application to the State authorities
for arms to equip an infantry company at Chester,
and sixty muskets and equipments were forwarded to
that place in compliance with this demand.
In the official rolls of the militia called into service
in the fall of the year 1814, I do not find Thomas D.
Anderson's name. Perhaps he had removed to Ten-
nessee, of which State he was attorney-general. He
was subsequently appointed United States consul at
Tunis and Tripoli, where he continued a number of
years. As he advanced in life his eyesight became
so much impaired that he retired from public life and
returned to Chester, residing in the old Anderson
house at Fifth and Welsh Streets, where he died.
Eoss..
Willinm Bowen
William A. Dillingha
Thomas F. Peasauts..
James Ilenderson
AdmitteJ.
..April l:), 1812.
..April 13, 1812.
..July 26, 181:).
..July 26,1813.
..July 2I>, 1813.
, 1814.
. April 12! 1814.
.July 28,1814.
. July 28, 1814.
..July 28,1814.
Jan. 17,
.Apr
John Kerlin was prominent in politics and business
in the county. He was the fourth president of the
Bank of Delaware County. In 1824 he served four
years in the State Senate from the Sixth District, then
including Chester County, and in 1828 was re-elected
to the same office for a like period. He died in Phil-
adelphia, May 21, 1847, aged fifty-four years.
Robert H. Smith..
Benjamin Chew...
Isaac D. Barnard...
. Jan. 16, 1815.
..April 1(1, 1815.
..Jan. IC, 1816.
Isaac D. Barnard was born in Aston township,
March 22, 1791. When thirteen years old he was
placed as a clerk in the prothonotary's office at Ches-
ter, then held by Thomas B. Dick, and subsequently
for two years was in the prothonotary's office at Phil-
adelphia. In 1811 he began reading law with William
Graham, and was admitted to the Delaware County
bar at the date given, and on May 17th of the same
year was admitted to the bar of Chester County.
During the war with England he wa,s commissioned
captain of the Fourteenth United States Infantry,
and took part in the battle at Fort George, where his
signal bravery and ability earned for him promotion
to the rank of major. He served faithfully in the
campaign of the Northeastern border, and at the battle
of Plattsburg, owing to the death and disability of
his superior officers, the command of the corps de-
volved on him. He also so dislinstuished himself at
the battle of Lyon's Creek that he was honorably
mentioned in the official reports of the generals com-
manding. At the close of the war the government
desired Barnard to remain in the army permanently,
but he declined, and located in West Chester, where
he soon attained a large practice, and a year after his
admission was appointed deputy attorney-general for
Chester County. In 1820 he was elected from the
district comprising Chester and Delaware Counties
State senator, and in 1824 he was tendered the presi-
dent judgeship of Lancaster and Dauphin Counties,
which he declined. In 1826 he was appointed by
Governor Shulze, Secretary of the Commonwealth,
and the same year was elected by the Legislature sen-
ator of the United States, a position he acceptably
filled until 1831, when he resigned on account of fail-
ing health. He died Feb. 18, 1834.
Admitted.
Archibald T. Dick Jan. 16, 1816.
He was born Dec. 21, 1794, in all probability at
Eaton, at which place his father, Thomas B. Dick,
then resided. He studied law at Chester, and was
called to the bar at the date stated. During the fall
of 1814 he was one of the emergency men at Fort Du
Pont. He had considerable practice for those days,
was an active politician, and in 1834 was the Demo-
cratic candidate for Congress. He died Aug. 13,
1837.
Samuel I. Wilhy..
Edward D. i
Thomas Kit
.Jiin. 20,1817.
.,, April
14, 1817.
John Kenlzing Kane
Apri
14, 1817.
James C.Biddle
14,1817.
19, 1818.
Joseph P. Norhurry
J"iy
16, 1819.
16, 1819.
:;:::;:::::::;;;:lulj
William Williamson
Jan.
17, 1821.
April
9, 1821.
William Martin
July
Jan.
Anuilla A. Brown
Jan.
21, 1822.
April
8, 1822.
William S. Haines
July
22, 1822.
Thomas S.Bell
April
14. 1823.
Thomas F.Gordon
April
14, 1823.
Bond Valentine
14, 1823.
Thomas A. Budd
July
28! 1823.
Abraham Marshall, Jr
luly
28, 1823.
Oct.
23, 1823.
.\pril
13, 1824.
Wil, , ■ • : •
.\pril
11, 1826.
.\pril
13, 1825.
Il;n,i.| I-;, k . ■
26, 1826.
\V,lli:,,„ 1 ..1
Inly
H.'ii,-; II \„:, ■.,
July
24, 1826.
.loly
24, 1826.
Li'-M. ., r :.
16, 1826.
.Ian
16, 1827.
J.i- ;i: 1 ' '■■
\pril
9,1827.
Jn.nl.h ~ ''..Im'!,
\pril
9, 1827.
JolinK./...ilin
Aug.
10, 1827.
250
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
John K. Zeilin was born in Philadelphia in 1803.
On attaining his majority he came to Chester and was
appointed Oct. 25, 1824, deputy prothonotary and
clerk of the courts under Henry Myers. While so
employed he read law with Hon. Edward Darlington,
and was admitted to practice at the time stated. A
pleasing, ready speaker, he was prominent in politi-
cal and military movements of the day. In 1830,
Attorney-General Douglass appointed him deputy
attorney-general for Delaware County, and he prose-
cuted for the State until Dec. 20, 1832, when he was
commissioned by Governor Wolf prothonotary, etc.,
for the county, retaining the office until Aug. 20, 1834,
when John Hinkson superseded him. Under John
Kichards he was appointed deputy register of wills.
In 1837-38 he was a member of the Legislature, and
was re-elected to the session of 1839. In 1842, Judge
Randall, of the United States District Court, ap-
pointed Mr. Zeilin commissioner of bankruptcy in
Delaware County. At the Whig Convention, Sept.
18, 1846, he received the nomination to Congress, it
being understood that the term was to be conceded to
Delaware County. The convention in Montgomery
County had named John Freedley, and the confreres
from the two counties had twice met without adjust-
ing the ticket, each county demanding the represen-
tative. In the mean while the Democrats had nomi-
nated Samuel M. Leiper, whose popularity was such
that it was generally believed he would defeat Zeilin
at the polls. This impression was so strong that at
length Zeilin was induced to withdraw, yielding the
nomination to Freedley, who was elected. Col. Zeilin
was active in all military affairs in the county during
his residence therein. On May 15, 1833, he was
elected captain of the Pennsylvania Artillery, and
colonel of the Forty-seventh Regiment on Aug. 3,
1835, a position he held until 1849. During the riots
in Philadelphia in 1844 he had charge of the Dela-
ware County militia companies on duty in that city,
and at the outbreak of the Mexican war tendered the
Delaware County military companies to the President,
but the quota of Pennsylvania was full, hence the
offer was not accepted. In 1852 he removed to Phila-
delphia, where he died Aug. 6, 1876, in his seventy-
third year.
Admitted.
Owen Stoever Oct. 15, 1816.
Davis H. HoopeB Oct. 16, 1816.
Frederick A. Eeybold Jhii. 22, 1828.
John Wayne Ashmead April 14,1828.
John H, Bradley Oct. 20, 1828.
Winiani 0. Brown Oct. 20,1828.
David J. Desmond Jan. 22, 1859.
James A. Donath April 15,1829.
Levi Holliugsworth April 15, 1829.
Kobert E. Hannum July 27, 1829.
P. Frazor Smith Nov. 23,1829.
Jolm C. Daniel Jan. 18, 1830.
Peter Hill Engle April 13,1830.
Peter Hill Engle was a son of Judge Joseph Engle.
In 1836 he removed to Wiscon.sin Territory, where he
filled several offices of distinction, being at one time
Secretary of State. He afterwards returned to his
native county, and resumed practice. He died Feb.
17, 1844.
Admitted.
Andrew T. Smith April 14, 1830.
.lohn C. Nippcs March 2,1831.
George L. Ashmead April 11, 1831.
Charles C Bawn April 11, 1831.
John Ruttf-r Nov. 28, 1S31.
Thomas W. Morris Nov. 30, 1831.
Robert B. Dodson Nov. 3(1, 1831.
Thomas R. Newbold Aug. 27,1832.
John Swift April 22,1833.
David H. Millvanv Feb. 25, 1834.
Joseph Hemphill, Jr May 30, 1834.
Horatio Hnhliell Aug. 23, 1835.
Samuel F. Reed Nov, 24, 1S35.
Daniel McLaughlin Aug. 22,1836,
Joseph Williams Aug. 27, 1836,
Horatio G, Worrall Feb, 27, 1837.
William M, Tilghmnn Feb, 28, 1837.
James Hanna May 22. 1837.
William H. Keating Aug. 28, 1837.
WilliamM, Meredith Aug, 28,1837.
Henry J. Williams Aug. 28, 1837.
.John Freedley Aug. 30,1837.
Thomas M. Jolly Aug. 30, 1837.
John B, Sterigere June 4,1838,
William E. Whitman June 7, 1838,
John D. Pierce Nov, 27, 1838.
Saunder Lewis Nov. 27, 1838.
Frederick E, Hayes May 26, 1840.
Elihu D, Farr May 26, 1840,
John M. Broomall Aug. 24, 1840.
Uriah V. Pennypacker Aug. 26, 1840.
Christopher Kallon Nov. 24,1840.
B. Franklin Pyle Aug. 23, 1841.
Charles B. Heacock Aug. 24, 1841.
Isaac S. Serrill Aug. 25, 1841.
Addison May Aug. 26, 1841.
Garrick Mallery Nov. 26,1841.
Paul Beck Carter May 23. 1842.
William D, Kelley May 23,1842.
James Mason Aug. 23, 1842.
Lewis Allain ScoU Nov. 30,1842.
Mortimer R. Talbot Nov. 30. 1842.
William P. Foulke May 22, 1843.
JohnM.Simmes May 22,1843.
Benjamin 0. Tilghman May 21,1843.
Henry Chester May 27, 1843.
William R. Dickerson Aug. 28,1843.
Matthew A. Sanley Nov. 27, 1843.
John Smith Futhey Nov. 27, 1843.
Edward Hopper Nov. 30,1843.
Samuel Hood March 1, 1844.
Thomas H. Speakman Aug. 26,1844.
Jesse M. Griffith Nov. 5, 1846.
Ashbel Green Fell. 24, 1846.
Constant Guillou Feb. 24. 1846.
Robert Frazer Feb. 24,1846.
William Wheeler Hubbell May 6, 1845.
B. Kundel Smith Aug. 26, 1845.
James B. Everhart Aug. 2.5,1845.
Joseph P, Wilson Nov, 24, 1845,
Samuel B, Thomas Feb. 26, 1846.
Samuel Baldwin Thomas was Ijorn in Chester
County, and was admitted to that bar June 18, 1844,
and on the date given in the list became a member of
that of Delaware County. On Nov. 28, 1848, he was
commissioned prothonotary of Chester County, and
in 1851 was secretary of the West Chester and Phila-
delphia Railroad. In 1854 he went to Philadelphia,
where he practiced his profession. In August, 1857, he
removed to Media, and opened an office in the court-
house. In 1860 he " stumped" the State in the in-
terest of Andrew G. Curtin, and after the latter was
inaugurated Governor he commissioned Mr. Thomas,
Jan. 16, 1861, Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth.
In 1863, Col. Thomas was placed at the head of the
military department of the State. At the expiration
of his term of service he returned to Media, and was
appointed a commissioner of the Revenue Board, and
subsequently commissioner of bankruptcy. Samuel
B. Thomas died Dec. 2, 1872.
THE COUKT, BENCH, AND BAR OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
251
Admittefi.
John A.Gilmore Feb. 26, 1846.
Natlianiel B. Brown Miiy 25, l»4e.
Richard 0. McMurtrie M;iy 25, 1846.
William F. Boon May 25, 1846.
KobertM. Lea Aor. 24, 1840.
Natlianiel B. Holland An;;. 24, 1846.
Marshall S|noj;ell Aug. 24, 1846.
Samuel .\. Black Nov. 23. 1846.
Bi.bert MeCay Feb. 22, 1847.
Georee Palmer F.I.. 22, 1847.
Wa«binat..n Townsend \i;l ..:, Is47.
.lames n.Hacklelou \i,_ -■.. 1S47.
Henry B. Eihvards \ j, 1S47.
' --nh K.Morris Au^. 28, 1848.
1 E. Morris was a promising member of the
' although but thirty-five years of age, haj
I an excellent practice. On Sunday, Dec. 4,
liiie talking to a friend in Media, he dropped
Admitted.
iUl Butler Aug. 28, 1848.
it R. Fox Aug. 28,1848.
V Freedlev Aug. 28, 1848,
.1 Taylor Aug. 28, 184S.
B,. I.I Ingram Nov. 27,1848.
Thomas H Maddock Nov. 27,1848.
Charles D. Manlev Feb. 26, 1849.
Ezra ' evis '. May 28, 1849.
Ezra Levis was thirty years in full practice at the
bar of Delaware County \»hen he died, Jan. 23, 1879.
During his career he never sought office, but in the
line of his profession was earnest, conscientious, and
well read. He was an abolitionist from conviction,
when to entertain those sentiments was certainly de-
structive of all political aspirations; but Ezra Levis
gave expression to his opinion then as at all times
during his life when he believed he was in the right.
Admitted.
Paschall Woodward May 28, 1849.
William Hollingshead May 28, 1849.
John Markland Aug. 27, 1849.
Robert Alsop Feb. 25, 1850.
John Fairlamb Roberts Feb. 25,1860.
Thomas Greenback May 27, 1850.
Jesse Bish.ip May 27, 1850.
John H. Robb May 27, 1850.
John Titus Aug. 26, 1850.
Joseph R. [lickinson Nov. 25, 1850.
Thomas Leiper May 20, 1851.
George Norton May 28, 1851.
Thomas J. Clavlon Nov. 24, 1851.
Fran, is Darlington Feb. 2:'., 1852.
James M Goodman Feb. 26, 18.52.
William B. Waddell Jlay 24, 1852.
Benjamin A. Wiichel Aug. 23, 1852.
Abraham L. Smith Nov. 28,1853.
EdwHid Ulmstead March 0, 18.54.
J. Williams Biddle March 6, 1854.
11. .1 It < 1'7- ^ill\\\""l\\\";;;.'.'.'.'.'.'..'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'!.'!!!'Mav 22,' 1854.'
Ivl , \ ; March 17, 18,56.
V.ilii .M June 6,1866.
r. 1 ■ I : , June 6,1856.
.1 i : \< - - Nov. 24,1856.
.1 ...H,(i.iii„,i, Aug. 24,1867.
.\iidi, « Z, Feb. 22,1857.
]■•'<..■, \\\.\v. I] May 24,1867.
J..hii Ilibbrrd — 1867.
.lohn HibberJ was born near where Media now
8tands,-in Delaware County, Pa., May 31, 1821. He
is the only son of Thomas and Margaret Hibberd,
whose only daughter, Hannah, died in Chester, Oct.
19, 1870. His ancestors were members of the society
of Friends, and his earlier ancestry was Saxon, Nor-
man, and Welsh. His mother, born in 1790, the
daughter of John and Amelia Powell, was a woman
of remarkable qualities. His paternal grandfather,
Jacob Hibberd, died in 1827. Mr. Hibberd was
mathematically educated, his last instructor having
been the late Enoch Lewis, a well-known scholar and
scientist, then residing in Chester County, Pa. After
leaving school, he was engaged for some time in
teaching, and in April, 184.5, removed with his parents
to Belmont County, Ohio, where he devoted himself
assiduously to the study of the law, and in October,
1847, was admitted to practice at the bar of Belmont
County. His most interesting and notable case there
was one in which a bill in equity had been filed, pray-
j ing for a perpetual injunction against process on a
judgment. It was a case of long standing, resolutely
contested; the greatest vigilance was employed in the
securing of testimony, with strong efforts to impeach
[ and sustain witnesses. The ability and patience with
which the numerous facts were brought out excited
much comment, and the case afforded an excellent
opportunity for the exercise of the power of logical
argument.
He formed the acquaintance of literary, scientific,
and distinguished professional men, and from 1848 to
near the end of 1852 took an active and prominent
part in the political contests of his adopted State.
As he became a champion of the free-soil and anti-
slavery movement when the cause was unpopular in
that part of the State and there were few to defend
its principles, much labor devolved upon him in those
early conflicts. He was a member of the Republican
party from its organization, and has ever taken a de-
cided interest in the leading political questions of the
times. He was a firm supporter of President Lin-
coln, and in a speech delivered in Philadelphia, in
October, 1864, pronounced a " glowing eulogium" on
the character of that eminent man and wise ruler.
While a citizen of Ohio, in 1849, he began to lecture
on temperance, and he has since been identified with
that cause; many j'ears ago he occasionally lectured
on the subject of education. After the decease of his
parents, he located permanently in his native county,
and since the beginning of 1857 has been engaged in
desirable legal business in Chester, and has continued
to reside in that growing city, or in its vicinity. He
was elected district attorney of Delaware County by
a large majority in the fall of 1860, and, during his
term of three years, exercised the functions of that
office with marked ability and acceptance. Having
declined a re-election in 1863, he has since, in addi-
tion to his professional duties, devoted much time to
a fuller investigation of equity, constitutional and
international law, as well as other branches of juris-
prudence. He has ever recommended an honorable
course in the profession, and condemned the practice
I of defeating the ends of justice by vexatious litiga-
j tion; he has continued to cultivate the languages
' which contribute to successful legal research and con-
; fer a more extended general culture, continuing also
; a diligent student of the English classics, history,
biography, oratory, and political economy.
252
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
In 1878, deprecating the continuance of sectional
strife, being convinced that the Republican party had
become very corrupt, believing that the system of
currency and finance, which was sustained by such
men as Sherman and Garfield, was affecting and would
continue most seriously to injure the real interests of
the American people, prompted by a philanthropic
feeling on behalf of the toiling masses, he took an
active part in the national greenback labor move-
ment. In his addresses before the people he labored
to show them that the law alone must determine what
is money ; that the leading elements of society, the
moral and spiritual, the social and political, depend in
great measure on the proper solution of the monetary
questions, which were and would continue to be of
immense importance. As a man of strong convictions
he still has an earnest sympathy for those principles,
which of late years have been so much discussed and
ably defended by a body of patriotic men, who have
made great sacrifices for the welfare of their common
country in opposing the misrepresentations and arro-
gant demands of a despotic money-power. He regards
the legal-tender decision lately rendered by the Su-
preme Court of the United States as being of more
actual value than anything ever before enunciated by
any legal tribunal, either of ancient or modern times,
and as reflecting the highest credit on those learned
jurists, who agreed almost unanimously, after long and
careful examination, in reaching a wise, constitutional,
and just conclusion, which virtually settles the mat-
ter forever. He contends, too, that the decision has
come opportunely, as vast multitudes are in a condi-
tion of enforced idleness, many of whom may be
profitably employed in constructing defenses along
our extensive line of sea-coast,— liable as we are at
any time to be annoyed by the smallest naval power, —
and in making internal public improvements of great
extent and utility; the expense of such undertakings
to be defrayed by fiat paper money, to be issued by
the general government, and made a full, absolute,
legal tender for all purposes, public and private ; thus
tending in every way toward enlarging, building up,
and rendering perpetual the republicof North America
with a grand industrial civilization ; at the same time
doing much by the light of our example to promote
liberty and establish republics in other parts of the
world. Mr. Hibberd has thus become liberally edu-
cated, and has participated in most of the great pro-
gressive movements of his age and country. In rela-
tion to all the principal offices, he advocates a large
reduction of salaries, and is the steadfast opponent of
currency, telegraph, railroad, land, and other great
monopolies.
Admitted.
Samuel Simpson
M.J. Mitcheson
Francis C. Hooton
Aarou Tlionisoii
JolinK. Valentine
Jacob F.Bvirii-i
Joliu P. O'Neill
William Wan!
Joseph R. T. Coates
May
24, 1887.
Aug.
■IS, 1857.
23, 1857.
May
23, 1869.
23, 1869.
May
23, 1869.
Aug.
22, 1859.
Aug.
John Ejye Shav
A. V. Parsons....
T. Passrnore Hal
William T. Haii
David M. Johns.
..Sept. 3, 1860.
..Oct. 15, 1860.
..Nov. 26. 1860.
..Nov. 27,1860.
Janjes H. Lyttle
William Booth Broomall
Joliii Dolrimii
William Henry' Sutton.'.'.'.".'."
Geoiire F. Smith
EM ridge McKonkev
Theodore H.Oehleschlager..
William H. Yerkes..
J. Howard Gendell,
Geoi-KoEastv
Williiim F. Judson..
I Ilarlnian
Geor;
Alberts. Letclnv
James Pai-sons....
A. P. Reid
John C. Bullitt...
Alexander Reed.
Orlando Harvey..
William H. licki
...Dec. 2S, 1863.
...July 11,1864.
...Nov. 28,1804.
..Feb. 27, 1865.
...Any, 30. 1S65.
...Nov. 27,1865.
...May 28, 1866.
...May 28, 1866.
...May 28,1866.
...Aug. 27, 1866.
...Aug. 27, 1866.
...March 2, 1867.
...March 2, 1867.
...May 27, 1867.
...Feb. 26, 1868.
...March 24, 1868.
..Sept 28, 1868.
..Sept. 28, 1868.
H, 1868.
8, 1K68.
.'-., 1808.
8, 1868.
Mr. Dickinson was one of the most promising mem-
bers of the bar. In 1878 he was elected the first re-
corder of the city of Chester. By reason of ill health
he was compelled to resign the office, and finally to
relinquish practice entirely. He died March 24, 1883.
James Boss Snowden Feb. 22, 1809.
George H. Armstrong Feb. 22, 1869.
Thomas J. Dielil Feb. 22, 1869.
William J. Harvey Sept. 27, 1869.
Henry C. Howard Nov. 23, 1869.
Perry M. Washabaugli Nov. 23, 1869.
Charles Eyre Nov. 24, 1869!
Christian Kneass Feb. 28, 1870.
Samuel Emlen Nov. 28, 1S70.
W. W. Montgomery March 2, 1870.
W. W. Wistar March 2, 1870.
William McGeorge, Jr Feb. 27,1871.
Edward C. Diehl May 26, 1871.
J. L. Farrien Feb. 29, 1872!
Bees Davis March 4,1772.
Morton P Henry March 26,1872.
Carroll S. Tyson March 26, 1872.
. niipin r.ni
I. N.ivl.o, l!i-..un
Edwaid il. Hall
David F. Rose
George M. Booth
H. A. L. Pyle
Charles W. Beresford..
Thomas H. Foreman..
William H. Caloy
H. G. Ashmead..."
George B. Limlsav
Wither F. Calloway
Theodore F. Jenkins..
S. Davis Page
William McMichael....
.Aug. 29,1872.
..Aug, 29, 1872.
..Sept.
, 1872.
26, 1872.
..Nov. 26,1872.
..No». 25,1872.
..Nov. 26, 1872.
.Dec. 23,1872.
..Dec. 23, 1872.
..June 23, 1873.
..Aug, 24, 1873.
.Nov. 24, 1S73.
.Nov. 24, 1873.
..Feb. 23, 1874.
..Sept. 28, 1874.
..Oct, 26, 1874.
4,1874.
3, 1875.
..Feb.
..Feb. 23, 1875.
..Feb. 23,1875.
..March 22, 1875.
..iMarch 22.1775.
..May 22, 1875.
..May 22 1875.
..June 29, 1876.
..Sept. 20, 1876.
PHySICIANS AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
253
John F. Revnolda..
Walters. Ptarco...
John V. Rice
Alfred Tyson
Henry M. Kussell,
James BlcKinlay.,
1, 1S76.
13,1 875.
1.5, 1S75.
3, 1876.
17, 1S76.
8, 1876.
13, 1S76.
..Sept. lil, 1S76.
..Sept. 10, 1876.
..March ."1,1877.
.March 12, 1877.
..March 12, 1877.
S. Grafton David
June
TrnxtonKeale
Sept.
Rowland Evans
Sept.
David Gariett
Dec.
David Garrett, in March, 1881, was elected recorder
of the city of Chester. He died the following Au-
gust.
and Hon. John M. Broomall was elected the first
president and Charles D. Manley secretary. The
association was incorporated by the court May 30,
1872.
Ad
nitted.
.Dec.
3, 1878.
.Dec.
.Fel..
3. 1873.
.Marcl
5,l,s79.
.March 14, 1879.
.Jnne
.June
9, 1879.
John H. Booth
Samuel S Cornog
Benjamin N. Lehman....
David W Sellers
John B. nobinson
William HerLiert
R. Gordon Bromlev
.Dec. 4,1879.
.Dec. 6, 1880.
William A.J
Damon Y. K
Mrs. G.rrie 1
, Kilgo.
Feb.
16
1882.
March
June
.■)
1SH2.
Dec.
19
April
H
1883.
24
1883.
17
1883
Marcl
1SS4
April
7
1884.
April
■1
1884.
9
1884.
Criers. — As far as I have ascertained the follow-
ing persons have been appointed criers of the court:
Aug. 28, 1843, William Thompson; May 24, 1852,
William Beeby ; Nov. 22, 1858, Samuel Otty.
On Dec. 4, 1871, the Law Library Association of
the members of the Delaware County bar was formed.
CHAPTER XXVL
PUYSICIAN.S AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
It is very likely that the Swedish home authorities
in preparing for the colonization of the Delaware,
fully aware of the necessity which might arise for the
services of a physician, took the precaution to include
among the earliest settlers some person skilled in the
art of medicine as then practiced, and capable of per-
forming ordinary surgical operations. Of this, how-
ever, no positive evidence has thus far been discov-
ered. Governor Printz, in his expedition, which
reached its destination Feb. 16, 1643, was accom-
panied by a surgeon (then called a barber), but his-
tory has failed, as far as known, to record the name
of the first disciple of Esculapius who thus located on
our shores. The report of Governor Printz for 1647^
informs us that "the reason so many people died in
the year 1643 was that in the commencement of the
settlements they had hard work and but little to eat."
Previous to this, in 1641^2, sickness prevailed on the
Delaware to such an extent that it scattered the Eng-
lish colony at Salem, and it is alleged that the Swedes
also suffered severely from it. In 1647 the influenza
visited the colony as a scourge, and it is recorded
that "such as bled or used cooling drinks died, such
as used cordials or more strengthening things recov-
ered for the most part." The summer and fall of
1658 the Delaware River settlements were visited by
severe illness. We are told by Alrichs,^ in a letter
dated June 26th of that year, that "sickness and hot
fevers (are) prevailing here have kept us back badly
and made many pining." On August 9th he writes, " A
general fever-like disease has raged here again for some
time and it is prevailing much among the inhabilants.
The Lord pleased to take us into his merciful protec-
tion and relieve many weak people from it." Octo-
ber 7th, he states, " A burning and violent fever ruges
badly . . . but few old ones have died, but rather many
young children who could not endure it." Alrich
also wrote respecting this epidemic, " our situation,
which is certainly very disheartening by an ardent
prevailing fever and other diseases, by which the
large majority of the inhabitants are oppressed and
broken down ; besides that our barber (surgeon) died,
aud another, well acquainted with his profession, is
sick.'"
1 Penna. Hag. of Bist., vol. vii. p. 262.
2 Penna. Archives, 2d series, Tol. vii. p. 639.
3 Note to " Contributtou to Medical History," by Dr. Casper Morris,
* Pennsylvania Historical Society Memoir," vol. i.
254
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
We know that Dr. Timon Stiddem accompanied the
expedition which brought Governor Rising to our
shore, landing at Fort Casimir, May 21, 1654,' and
that he took the oath of allegiance to Peter Stuyve-
sant in September, 1655, after the Dutch conquest of
the colony. Certain it is that Dr. Stiddem resided
for some time at Upland, for on the trial of Evert
Hendrisson ^ for an outrageous assault on Joran Kyn,
he was one of the most important witnesses for the
prosecution, stating in his testimony that the Finn,
at different times, and without cause, came before his
(the doctor's) door, where he made a great noise and
trouble with his axe; that on one occasion, when he
was going in his canoe to bleed Jacob Swenson, Evert
stoned him on leaving Upland Kill (Chester Creek),
so that he was in fear of having his boat sunk or
being himself wounded ; that he finally got out of
the creek, but he was drenched by the splashing of
the stones in the water, and finally " he was compelled
to leave Upland's kil" because of this rufiian.
On Dec. 18, 1663, he was appointed by Dr. Jacop,
who, it appears, held the appointment of the Dutch
Company on the Delaware, as his successor ; but
D'Hinolossa objected to Dr. Stiddem, whom he re-
garded as Beekman's friend,^ as previous to that date
he bad been appointed surgeon for the colony under
Beekman's jurisdiction. The doctor settled at Wil-
mington, and Governor Lovelace, May 2.3, 1671, pat-
ented to him a tract of land on which a great part of
that city was subsequently built. He died previous
to April 24, 1686, for his will was admitted to probate
on that date. Professor Keen* states that one of the
descendants of the doctor now has the metal case, with
his name and title engraved upon it, in which he car-
ried his surgical instruments when visiting patients in
the Swedish colony.
The next physician in point of time is mentioned
by name in a letter from Alricks, May 25, 1657,* in
which he states that Mr. Jan Oosting, the surgeon,
has given a memorandum of necessary medicines, and
the following year, Oct. 10, 1658, he writes,'' " William
Van Rosenberg, who came over as surgeon, put forth
1 It may be questioned whether the date giveu as of Dr. Stiddem's
arrival is not erraueous. In the deposition of John Thicltpenny (Now
Haven Colonial Record, vol. i. p. 106) it is stated that while George
Lamberton and the English settlers, who had been expelled from New
Jersey by Governor Printz in 1643, were at Tinicum, Printz's wife and
Timothy, the barber (surgeon), strove to get John Woollen drunli by
furnishing hira a quantity of wine and strong beer, with the intention,
while he was intoxicated, of malting him say tliat George Lamberton
*' had hired the Indians to cut off the Swedes." If the doctor who came
with Printz was " Timothy" Stiddem, then he was in New Sweden ten
years before the date given in the text, which is the time mentioned by
Professor Keen as tlie prolmble date of the doctor's arrival on tlie Dela-
ware. (" Descendants of Joran Kyn," Penna. Mag. of Hint., vol. iii. p. 337.)
- "Documents relating to the History of the Dutch and Swedish Settle-
ments on Delaware Kiver," vol. xii. p. 424.
3 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. p. 697.
4 " Descendants of Joran Kyn," by Professor G. B. Keen, Pe^mci. Mag,
of Bist, vol, iii. p. 339 (note).
5 " Documentary Histoiy of New York," Penna. Archives, 2d series,
vol. V. p. 288.
t^ Penna. Archives, 2d.series, vol. v. p. 305.
sundry claims against the people whom he attended
on the passage in as much as his wages did not run
at the time on the voyage, and he used his own pro-
visions. There were on board the ship considerable
sickness, accidents, and hardships, in consequence of
a tedious voyage. One hundred souls required at least
a hogshead or two of French wine and one of brandy,
and a tub of prunes had also to be furnished for
refreshments and comfort to the sick of scurvy and
suffering from other troubles through the protracted
voyage ; for from want thereof the people became so
low that death followed, which is a pretty serious
matter. Here, on shore, I see clearly that the poor,
weak, sick and indigent sometimes have need neces-
sarily of this and that to support them one cannot
easily or well refuse, though it be sometimes but a
spoonful ; frequently repeated it amounts to more than
is supposed." Dr. Van Rosenberg, it is believed, was
to supersede Dr. Oosting, for Alrichs states that
"the barber (surgeon) also speaks of a house which
Master Jan occupied being too small for him ; he hath
a wife, servant and child or children also." Westcott'
states that the doctor who died in the year 1658, as
before mentioned, was Dr. Oosting, and the one who
was sick was Dr. Van Rosenberg; certain it is the latter
was living in 1662.
Quite early in our annals statutory provision was
made respecting the professions, for in the Duke of
York's Book of Laws it was declared, so far as this
colony was concerned, in 1676, —
"That no Person or Persons whatsoever Employed about the Bed of
Men, women or Children, at any time for preservation of Life or health
as Chirurgions, Medicines, Physicians or others, presume to Exercise or
put forth any Arte Contrary to the known approved Rules of Art in
such mistery or Occupation, or Exercise any force, violence or Cruelty
upon, or to the Bodice of any whether Young or old ; without the advice
and Counsell of the such as are skillfull in the same Art (if such maybe
had) or at least of some of the wisest and gravest then present and Con-
sent of the patient or patients, if they be Mentis Compotes ; much less
Contrary to such Advice and Consent upon such severe punishment as
the nature Of the fault may deserve, which Law nevertheless, is not
intended to discourage any from all Lawful use of their skill but rather
to encourage and direct them in the right use thereof, and to inliabit
and restrain the presumptions arogancy of such as through Conlrdence
of their own skill, or any sinister Respect dare bouldly attempt to Exer-
cise any violence njion or toward the body of young or old, one or other,
to the prejudice or hazard of the Life or Limb of man, woman or
child." 8
In 1678/9 Dr. Thomas Spry was a witness in it case
tried at Upland on March 12th of that year.
In the Journal of Sluyters and Dankers," who
visited Tiuicum in 1679, it is stated that they met at
that island Otto Earnest Cock, a Swede, whom they
speak of as "late medicus," indicating that he had
been, but was not then, a practicing physician.
Before that date, however, we find that at the court
held at Upland, Aug. 24, 1672, a petition was pre-
sented from certain residents of Amasland, which
clearly indicates that the midwife who gave to that
' History of Philadelphia, chap. Iii. {Sundaij Dispatch).
« Duke of York's Book of Laws, p. 20.
0 Journal of Voyage to New York in 1679-80 ; Memoirs of the Long
Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 177.
PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
place the name it still hag was located in Ridley pre-
vious to that year.' Hence from the number of phy- j
sicians, or " practioners of physick," already shown I
to be present in the colony previous to the year 1698,
the remark of Gabriel Thomas was hardly true even
at that time, that " of lawyers and physicians I shall
say nothing, because this country is very peaceable
and healthy. Long may it so continue, and never
have occasion for the tongue of one nor the pen of the
other, both equally destructive to men's estate and
lives, besides, forsooth, they hang-meu like have a
license to murder and make mischief."
Dr. John Goodsoun was a physician in Chester in
168L^ He was termed " Chirurgeon to the Society of
Free Traders," came from London, and settled in
Upland for a short time previous to the first visit of
William Penn. He subsequently removed to Phila-
delphia. Dr. Smith states he " was probably the first
practicing physician in Pennsylvania." ' la this re-
mark, however, the author quoted is incorrect. In
1694, Dr. Goodsonn was appointed Deputy Governor
under William Markham, his commission being
signed by William Penn. He resided in Philadel-
phia in 1690, for his letter to William Penn is dated
from that city, 20th of Sixth month of that year.*
Prior to 1700, Joseph Richards is mentioned as a
physician at Chester, where he owned real estate.^
The records of the physicians who practiced in this
county during the last century can only be gathered
from old letters or accounts filed in estate in the
Orphans' Court, where sometimes the physician's
name is given among the claims paid.
Isaac Taylor, who had been formerly sheriff of
Bucks County in 1693, and was a noted surveyor in
primitive days, " at the time of his death was a resi-
dent of Tinicum Island, practising the art of surgery."
The statement of Professor Keen, just quoted, is di-
rectly opposed by that of Gilbert Cope,'' who tells us
Dr. Taylor died in Thornbury in 1728. Dr. Isaac
Taylor's son John we know was a surveyor and phy-
sician, as his father had been, but in 1740 he embarked
in the iron business, erected the noted Sarum Forge,
at the present Glen Mills, on Chester Creek.
We learn from a petition on file in West Chester
that in November, 1736, Alexander Gandonett was
located in Chester, and he describes himself as a
" Practioner in Physyck." He asked the court to
grant him a license for the sale of liquor. He states :
"Toar Petitioner, by way of bis Practice, ia Obliged to Distill several
sorts of Cordiall writers and it being often Requested by several of the
1 " Amasland was first called Amma's land. A midwife formerly lived
at the place where Archer's farm now is, hence that place, and subse-
quently the whole tract around it.received the name of Amman's Land,
now Amas Land."— ^creJius' Hietory of New Sweden, p. 204; Record of
Upland Court, p. 65.
2 Colonial Records, vol. i. p. 429.
* Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 465.
* Pennn. Mag. of Hist., vol. iv. p. 192.
6 Martin's " History of Chester," p. 495.
« History of Chester County, p. 738.
inhabitants of this County to sell the same by small measure your Peti-
tioner Conceiving that the same be of absolute necessity by way of his
Practice yet that it may be Considered to be within the Act of Assem.
bly for selling liquor by small prays your honours for the premises."
His application was recommended by Joseph Par-
ker (the clerk of the court), John Salkeld, Thomas
Cummings, Joseph Hoskins, John Wharton, and
thirteen others, most of whom resided in Chester, or
close in the vicinity of the borough, and were all
prominent citizens. The court, however, did not im-
mediately take action on the petition, for it is in-
dorsed, "Referred to further Consideration." After
this we learn nothing further of the fate of his '' Cor-
diall waters." The doctor we know was in practice
in Chester in January, 1747, for at that time he asked
payment from the province for medicine and attend-
ance on the sick soldiers of Capt. Shannon's company
quartered there.
John Paschall, who is said to have been born in
Darby, about 1706, was never regularly educated for
the profession, but he acquired considerable medical
and chemical knowledge, which made him conspic-
uous in his day. He practiced medicine in the county,
residing at Darby, and prepared a nostrum called
"The Golden Elixer," which was widely advertised
as "Paschall's Golden Drops" He died at Darby in
1779, aged about seventy-three years.
Dr. Jonathan Morris was born in Marple, May 17,
1729. He studied under Dr. Bard, of Philadelphia,
and after he had graduated located in Marple, where
he practiced until near the close of his life, which was
extended until within one month of his ninetieth
year.
In St. Paul's churchyard, in the city of Chester, is
a slab of marble lying lengthwise, which bears this
inscription :
PAUL JACKSON, A.M.
He was the first who received a Degree
In the College of Pliiladelphia.
A man of virtue, worth and knowledge.
Died 17G7, aoed 36 veaes."
Paul Jackson, whose remains repose in the vault
covered by this slab, was not only prominent as a
physician, soldier, linguist, and chief burgess of Ches-
ter at a time when that office was one of great honor,
but in his short life had become distinguished as one
of the most accomplished scholars in the colony. He
was of Scotch-Irish parentage, and became Professor
of Languages in the College of Philadelphia (now the
University of Pennsylvania). " His Latin composi-
tions, which were published, secured for him a repu-
tation for correct taste and accurate scholarship." '
His studious application impaired his health, and
when Gen. Forbes led the expedition against Fort Du
Quesne he was appointed, May 11, 1758, captain of the
Third Battalion of the Pennsylvania Regiment (Gov-
ernor William Denny, colonel)." His active life as a
I Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol. ii. p. 59 (note).
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
soldier restoring him to health, he concluded to study
medicine. After he received his degree he came to
Chester, where he married Jane, daughter of John
Mather, and practiced his profession with marked
success. He was, as stated before, chief burgess of
Chester. His widow, in three years after his death,
married Dr. David Jackson, a brother of her first
husband. The latter, during the Revolutionary war,
was surgeon-general of the Pennsylvania troops, ap-
pointed Sept. 30, 1780. He graduated at the first
medical commencement of the University of Penn-
sylvania, June 21, 1768, and was recorded as of Chester
County.^
The late Dr. Charles J. Morton' wrote, at the request
of the Delaware County Medical Society, an inter-
esting biographical notice of the centenarian physi-
cian, Bernhard Van Leer, which Dr. Smith has most
admirably abridged for insertion in his " History of
Delaware County." In the following account of the
venerable physician I have largely used the exact
words of Dr. Smith's sketch :
Bernhard Van Leer, the son of John George Van
Leer, was born near Isenberg, in the electorate of
Hesse, in 1686, and emigrated to the province of
Pennsylvania when eleven years of age. The family
located in Marplo, and Bernhard, or Bernhardus, as
he was then called, remained a few years with his
father, and then returned to Germany for the purpose
of studying medicine in his native land. It is said
that he was accompanied by a neighboring youth,
John Worrell, who had the same object in view.
Young Van Leer remained in Europe seven years,
and not only studied medicine but also the classics
and French. Some time after his return to this coun-
try, and shortly after he commenced the practice of
his profession, he was married to Mary Branson, the
daughter of a wealthy merchant of Philadelphia, who
died many years before her husband, after having
given birth to five children, two of whom, Branson
and Benjamin, became physicians. Dr. Bernhard
Van Leer married again, and by the latter marriage
there were nine children, one of whom was Dr. Ber-
nard Van Leer, of Marple. The elder Dr. Van Leer
was a man of great physical vigor. In his one hun-
dredth year he rode on horseback from Marple to his
Chester County farm, a distance of thirty miles, in
one day. In his one hundred and second year he was
cruelly maltreated by burglars who entered his house
because he refused to disclose his hidden treasure.
He did not fully recover from his injuries then re-
ceived. He died on the 26th of January, 1790, aged
one hundred and four years.
His practice was chiefly conducted in his office. It
is said that in the diagnosis of disease he relied very
much upon the appearance of some of the secretions
that were brought to him for inspection. His reme-
i History of University q? Pennsylvania; Memoirs of Penua. Hist.
c, vol. iii. p. 197.
'■ The Medical Seporler, No. vii., April, 1856.
dies for the most part were from the vegetable king-
dom, and generally of the mildest form.
This system was certainly not adhered to by his
son, Branson, who seems to have located in the bor-
ough of Chester, where he acted as the county physi-
cian, for the following bill shows that at least one of
his patients had her full share of medication :
Chester Coimly to Dk. Branson Van Lef.h, Dr.
1769. £ s. a.
Jan. 25. Bleeding Ann Gregory 0 2 6
'* 25. A vomit 0 0 G
" 26. Pleuritec drop 0 4 2
" 26. Six pectoral powders OHO
" 26. A cordial julep 0 4 6
" 27. A cordial julep 0 4 6
" 27. Six pectoral powders 0 3 0
" 27. A pectoral Unctus 0 3 0
" 27. Pleuritic drops 0 4 2
" 28. Six pectoral powders 0 3 0
" 28. Two blistering plasters 0 5 0
" 28. Plaister 0 16
" 29. Six pleuritic drops 0 3 0
" 29. A purging Bolus 0 1 6
" 29. A cordial julep 0 4 6
" 30. Purging ingredients 0 2 0
" 30. Plaister 0 16
" 30. Six pectoral powders 0 3 0
" 31. A cordial julep 0 4 6
Feb. 1. Six pectoral powders 0 3 0
" 1. Pleuritec drops 0 4 0
" 1. A pectoral lirictus 0 3 0
" 1. A cordial julep 0 3 0
" 2. Six pictoral powdera 0 3 0
'• 2. A cordial julep 0 4 6
" 4. A febrifuge jolep 0 4 6
" 4. A pectoral linctus 0 3 0
" 4. Plaister 0 16
" 4. Purging bolus 0 16
" 4. A pectoral linctus 0 3 0
" 8. A pectoral linctus 0 3 0
" 8. A cordial julep 0 4 6
" 10. A pectoral linctus 0 3 0
Of Dr. Richard Van Leer I have learned nothing
other than that he was a physician, while of Dr. Ber-
nard Van Leer, he practiced in this county, living on
the old homestead in Marple, where he died in Feb-
ruary, 1814.
Dr. Benjamin Van Leer settled in New Castle
County, Del., for in 1762, in the advertisement of the
lottery for St. Paul's Church, Chester, it is stated that
tickets can be had of him and several other gentlemen
in that locality.'''
John Worrall, the lad who accompanied Bernhard
Van Leer to Europe, is said to have been a son of
Peter Worrall, of Marple, and that he graduated in
Germany as a physician, returned to Delaware
County, and settled in Upper Providence. In 1724
he married Hannah Taylor, and died while still a
young man. His son, Dr. Thomas Worrall, was born
in Upper Providence in 1732, and married Lydia
Vernon, an aunt of Maj. Frederick and Capt. Job
Vernon, who rendered good service to the American
arms in the Revolution, and a sister of Gideon
Vernon, who was conspicuous during that struggle for
his loyalty to the English crown, and whose estates
were confiscated by the authorities of Pennsylvania
because of his warm espousal of the British cause.
Dr. Thomas Worrall in his practice made use largely
of our native herbs, as did many of the physicians in
3 Fenmijhania Journal, Jan. 14, 1762.
PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
257
those days. He died in 1818, aged eighty-six years.
Hon. William Worrall, of Ridley, has one of the
medical works he frequently consulted in his prac-
tice, and in his handwriting on the fly-leaf, in faded
ink, can easily be read:
" Thomas Worrall's doctor book,
God give him grace to iu it looit."
Some of the remedies in vogue in the time of the
Revolution would not be accepted by the profession,
and hardly meet the approval of the general public
of this day. I copy from the manuscript receipt-
book of Capt. Davis Bevan,' used during July and the
early part of August, 1779, when enlisting at Chester
a crew for the privateer brigantine " Holker," of
which vessel Bevan was captain of marines, the
following remedy :
" A RECEIPT FOE A SoKE MoHTH.— To a gill of vinegar add a Bpoonful
of honey and ten or twelve sage leaves; set these
, coal, nib t
. few coals
clean earthen cup and let it boil a little; then burn the inner soal i
old shoe that has beeu lately worn, which when burnt
a fine powder ; take out the sage leaves and add a thimble full of th.
powder, with half as much allum powdered. Stop it close in a bottl*
and wash your mouth twice a day, after breakfast and after supper. I
seldom fails to cure in a few days, and will fiisten teeth loosened by thi
Dr. John Cochran, of Chester County, director-
general of the military hospitals during the Revolu-
tion, does not seem to have practiced in the territory
now comprising Delaware County, and the same re-
mark is true of Dr. Samuel Kennedy, who was sur-
geon of the Fourth Battalion of the Pennsylvania
troops and senior surgeon in the military hospital.
Dr. William Currie,^ a native of Chester County, in
his youth intended to study theology, but he aban-
doned that purpose, read medicine, and graduated at
the college at Philadelphia. On the breaking out of
the Revolutionary war, his father, the rector of St.
David's Church, Radnor, and a loyalist, opposed his
desire to enter the Continental service, but he per-
sisted, and served as a surgeon in 1776, attached to the
hospital on Long Island and subsequently at Amboy.
On the conclusion of the struggle. Dr. Currie, then in
his twenty-ninth year, located in the borough of
Chester, where he practiced medicine, and married a
daughter of John Morton, the signer of the Declara-
tion of Independence. Previous to 1792 he removed
to Philadelphia, and published his " Historical Ac-
count of the Climate and Diseases of the United
States." In 1811 he issued " Views of the Diseases
most prevalent in the United States, with an account
of the most improved methods of treating them," and
in 1815 his last work, " General View of the Princi-
pal Theories or Doctrines which have prevailed at
different periods to the present time." He died in
Philadelphia in 1829.
Dr. John Morton, the third son of John Morton,
the signer of the Declaration, was a surgeon in the
5 The book is now in possession of tlie Delaware County Institute of
Science, to whom it was presented by Dr. Allen, of Cliester.
s Biographical notice of Dr. William Currie, Hazard's Register,
Continental service, was taken prisoner, and while so
detained he died on the British prison-ship " Fal-
mouth," in New York harbor. "The late John S.
Morton, of Springfield, had for some time a letter in
his possession, written bv Dr. Morton to his father
while he was a prisoner, in which he said they were
almost starved, and could eat brick-bats if they could
get them."'
During and after the Revolution, Dr. John Smith
was a practicing physician located in Lower Chiches-
ter. In 1783 he married Dorothea, sister of Henry
Hale Graham. She died in 1798 of yellow fever, and
it is said her husband had died several years before
this time.
Dr. Peter Yarnall, who, between the years 1780 and
1791, resided in Concord, practicing his profession, in
which he was highly successful, had a very eventful
career. He was by birthright a Friend, but in 1772,
when eighteen years of age, he quarreled with his
master, for at that day all young men had to serve an
apprenticeship, ran away, and enlisted. The influence
of his family succeeded in getting him released from
the service. Immediately on attaining his majority
he began reading medicine, but when the colonies
appealed to arms he enlisted in the American army,
acting as surgeon's mate in the field and in several
hospitals. His health, however, failing, in 1778 he
asked for and received his discharge. Thereupon he
applied himself diligently to the study of his profes-
sion, and in 1779 he graduated from the College of
Medicine of Philadelphia, and returned to the service
as surgeon's mate, sailing on the privateer " Dela-
ware," but again he resigned, and practiced in the
Pennsylvania Hospital. In 1780 he reunited with the
Quakers, became a public Friend, located in Concord,
and married, in 1732, Hannah Sharpless, of Middle-
town. In 1791 he removed to Montgomery County,
where, his wife having died, he for the second time
married. He died in 1798, the year the yellow fever
was so fatal to the profession.
Dr. Elisha CuUen Dick, who was called upon, to-
gether with Dr. Brown as consulting physician, by
Dr. Craik, the medical attendant of Washington dur-
ing the fatal illness of the latter in December, 1799,
was a native of Delaware County, having been born
near Marcus Hook Cross-road in 1762. He seems
never to have practiced here, but married, October,
1783, Hannah Harman, of Darby. He settled at
Alexandria, Va., where he soon gathered a large
practice. It is said that Dr. Dick, when all hopes of
the recovery of Washington " with less extreme reme-
dies had been abandoned, proposed an operation
which he ever afterwards thought might have proved
effective in saving the general's life, but it did not
meet with the approval of the family physician." *
s Martin's " History of Chester," p. 145.
* The fullest sketch of Dr. Dick yet published will be found
Thomas Maxwell Potts' " Centenary Memorial of Jeremiah Carter,"
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
At the beginning of the year 1799 the following phy-
sicians were practicing in Delaware County, residing
in the townships mentioned :
William Pennell, Aston ; Nicholas Newlin, Caleb
S. Sayres, Lower Chichester; Joseph Shallcross, Wil-
liam Gardiner, Darby ; Jonathan Morris, Bernard Van
Leer, Marple ; John Knight, Middletown ; Jonas
Preston, Newtown ; John Cheyney, Thornbury.
The same year Jane Davis kept " an apothecary-
shop" in Chester, the first person who ever kept a
store of that kind in the county, although it seems
that about that time Dr. Sayres had a shop attached
to his dwelling at Marcus Hook.
Dr. William Martin, the grandfather of John Hill
Martin, the author of the " History of Chester and its
Vicinity," was born in Philadelphia. in 1765, and was
a man of much prominence in the annals of Delaware
County. He was a physician as well as a lawyer, a
justice of the peace, and chief burgess of Chester, and,
in April, 1789, when Washington passed through
Chester on his way to Philadelphia, Dr. Martin made
the address of congratulation to the President on be-
half of the town. In the year 1798 the yellow fever
visited Chester as a fearful scourge. Dr. Martin was
much alarmed, and seemed to have a presentiment
that he would die of the pestilence. It is said that he
frequently rode to the windows of the houses where
persons were sick with the fever, would learn the con-
dition of the patient, and prescribe and furnish the
medicine without entering the dwelling. In Septem-
ber of that year, however, a British vessel was lying
oflF Chester with all hands ill with the fever. Dr.
Martin was sent for ; he attended, and, as he had
feared, he contracted the disease from which he died,
Sept. 28, 1798.
It is recorded of him that he would never attend
the funerals of any of his patients, and being pressed
for a reason why he declined to be present replied,
"No, sir; it looks too much like a carpenter taking
his own work home."
Dr. Caleb Smith Sayers, who settled at Marcus
Hook about 1789, was a descendant of Eichard Sears,
—the New England branch of the family still adhere
to that manner of spelling the name, — who located at
Plymouth, Mass., in 1630. Dr. Sayers was born in
Elizabeth, N. J., his immediate ancestor being among
the first settlers of that place. His residence at Mar-
cus Hook still stands on Church Street, fronting the
Delaware, a porch running along the entire front of
the building. During the yellow fever in 1798, so
constant and laborious was his practice consequent on
the epidemic, that his physical strength failed under
the excessive strain, and he died in 1799 at the early
age of thirty-one years. He was at that time surgeon
of the Eighth Battalion of Militia of the county of
Delaware, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Edward Vernon.
His son, Edward S. Sayers, who was consul for Brazil
and vice-consul for Portugal, died in Philadelphia in
March, 1877, aged seventy-seven years.
Dr. Jonas Preston was born in Chester, Jan. 25,
1764. He read medicine with Dr. Bond, of Phila-
delphia, attended lectures at the Pennsylvania Hos-
pital, and after the usual course of medical instruction
attainable at that time in the United States he went
to Europe, graduating at the University of Edinburgh
in 1785, and subsequently attended lectures at Paris.
On his return to this country he located at Wilming-
ton, Del., for a short time, thence removed to Georgia,
but returning to Delaware County, he entered ener-
getically into the duties of his profession, and soon
acquired an extensive practice in Chester and Dela-
ware Counties, confining himself almost entirely to
obstetric cases, in which special department he soon
established a reputation extending beyond the limits
of the territory mentioned. During the Whiskey In-
surrection in 1794 he volunteered as surgeon in the
army. This caused him to be expelled from meeting,
but he frequently said Friends might disown him,
but he would not disown them. He represented Del-
aware County for eight terms in the Legislature, from
1794 to 1802, and in 1808 he was elected State sen-
ator, and was distinguished for his liberal views and
sagacious foresight. About 1817 he removed from
Marple to Philadelphia, but previously had been
elected president of the Bank of Delaware County,
succeeding John Newbold. While here he was an
ardent advocate of all measures having for their object
agricultural improvements. After his removal to
Philadelphia he enjoyed a large and remunerative
practice, and notwithstanding bis busy life he had
time to take an active part in many benevolent ob-
jects. He was a constant visitor at the Pennsyl-
vania Hospital, and also Friends' Asylum at Frank-
ford. He was a director of the Pennsylvania Bank,
Schuylkill Navigation Company, and other corpora-
tions. During his long professional career he had
so frequently seen distress among the honest poor
classes that when he died, April 4, 1836, he left by
will four hundred thousand dollars "towards found-
ing an institution for the relief of indigent married
women of good character, distinct and unconnected
with any hospital, where they may be received and
provided with proper obstetric aid for their delivery,
with suitable attendance and comforts during their
period of weakness and susceptibility which ensues."
Under this provision in his will was established the
Preston Retreat, in Philadelphia, one of the noblest
institutions of enlarged charity within the common-
wealth of Pennsylvania. Dr. Preston was buried in
Friends' graveyard, on Edgmont Avenue, in Chester,
but his remains have been removed therefrom in
recent years.
Dr. William Gardiner. I have thus far learned
nothing beyond the facts set out in the list mentioned.
I presume he was the son of Dr. Joseph Gardiner,
who, in 1779, was a member of the Supreme Execu-
tive Council from Chester County. We do know that
Dr. William Gardiner had a son. Dr. Richard Gardi-
PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
259
ner, who was born in Darby in 1793, who was a grad-
uate of the University of Pennsylvania, and practiced
in Darby, afterwards in Newtown, until 1835, when he |
removed to Philadelphia. In the latter place he
studied homceopathy, and graduated, in 1848, from
the Homoeopathic College. He subsequently acquired I
a large and lucrative practice in Philadelphia. Dr.
Gardiner died in 1877, in his eighty-fifth year.
Dr. Isaac Davis, son of Gen. John Davis, was born '.
in Chester County, July 27, 1787, and in 1806 became
a student of medicine under Dr. Joseph Shalcross, of
Darby, graduated in 1810, when he began practice in
Edgmont, but on the breaking out of the war of 1812 [
was appointed surgeon of the Sixth United States In- 1
fantry. He died at Fort Jackson, Miss., July 21, 1
1814."
Dr. Jacob Tobin seems to have practiced in Chester
about the beginning of this century, as did Dr. Rich- '
ard Tidmarsh. Dr. Brown had a number of pa-
tients in the same locality, but I have been unable to
learn his first name or the place of his residence. I
do not know anything more of Drs. Tobin and Tid-
marsh than their names. Dr. George W. Bartram
was a practicing physician, residing in Chester, where [
he kept a drug-store in the house which formerly stood 1
on the site of Brown's Hotel. He was a justice of the [
peace, chief burgess of the borough for a number of j
years, and customs officer at the Lazaretto. Previous
to 1818, Dr. Edward Woodward was in practice in i
this county, and resided in Middletown. In 1808 Dr. j
Nathan Hayes was a practicing jjhysician in Edg-
mont.
Dr. Job H. Terrill came to Chester early in this
century, and in October, 1809, purchased the house
on Market Street where Maurice Beaver lately had his
tin-store, the grounds extending to Fourth Street.
The doctor was a man of fine conversational powers,
possessing a ready vocabulary, and was rapid in his
utterances. He was a noted lover of horses, and
always kept one of the best, if not the best, in Ches-
ter. He would have his negro man, Ike, train his
horses on Welsh Street, and would stand and watch
them speeding along from Edgmont road to the
Porter house and back. He always rode in a sulky,
and in getting in one day his horse started, threw him
against the vehicle, and injured his thigh so severely
that it brought on a disease which ultimately proved
fatal. He died Jan. 20, 1844, aged fifty-nine years.
Dr. Samuel Anderson was not a native of this
county, but his career therein was one of much honor
and public usefulness. In early life he entered the
United States navy as assistant surgeon, but after
holding the commission a few years he resigned the
service and located in Chester, when he began the
practice of his profession, securing in a short time a
prominent position. During the war of 1812 he
raised a company of volunteers, — the Mifflin Guards,
— became its captain, and served with his command
in the fall of 1814 at Camp Du Pont for three months.
In 1815-18 he represented Delaware County in the
Legislature, and was elected sheriff in 1819. In 1823
he was again appointed assistant surgeon in the
United States navy, and assigned to the West India
station, then commanded by Commodore Porter, but
he was compelled to resign therefrom on account of
his health. Returning to Delaware County, he was
elected, 1823, 1824, and 1825, to the Legislature, and
the following year represented the district composing
Delaware, Chester, and Lancaster Counties in Con-
gress. In 1829-33 he was a member of the Legisla-
ture, and the last year the Speaker of the House. In
1834^35 he was again the representative from this
county, and made the report of the joint committee
of the two houses relative to the alleged abuses in the
Eastern Penitentiary, at that time one of the most
important questions before the people of the State.
Dr. Anderson then resided in Providence, on the farm
now owned by Samuel Lewis. He subsequently re-
moved to Rockdale, where he practiced his profession
until 1841, when he was appointed inspector of cus-
toms at the Lazaretto. In 1846 he was elected justice
of the peace in Chester, an office he held at the time
of his death, Jan. 17, 1850, in his seventy-seventh
year. Dr. Anderson was a tall, slender, conspicuous
personage, of fine mind, an agreeable speaker, and a
ready, fluent debater. For many years he was presi-
dent of the Delaware County Bible Society. He mar-
ried Sarah Moore (she was then a widow), daughter
of Jacob Richards, and her sister, Susan, was the wife
of Dr. Caleb S. Sayers, of Marcus Hook. Mrs. An-
derson survived the doctor nearly twenty-one years,
dying Nov. 4, 1870, in the ninety-fifth year of her
age.
Among the physicians who practiced in Delaware
County from 1800 to 1850 (at which latter date the
Delaware County Medical Society was organized, and
a list of the doctors then practicing was made and has
ever since been regularly kept) I find notice of the
following :
Ellis C. Harlan was in practice and resided at
Sneath's Corner, Chester township, early in this cen-
tury. He, with Dr. William Gray and several other
physicians, on Friday night, Dec. 17, 1824, made an
autopsy of Wellington's body (he had been hung
about noon of that day) in the old pole well-house, as
it was then known, which, modernized, still stands on
the north side of Third Street, below Franklin Street,
Chester. Dr. Jesse Young succeeded Dr. Harlan
about 1825, and continued at Sneath's Corner until
his death, Aug. 29, 1852. Dr. Young, however, a
short time previous to his decease, had associated with
him Dr. James Serrell Hill, at any rate, the office of
the latter being at Dr. Young's residence. Dr. David
Rose succeeded Dr. Young at Sneath's Corner, and
still resides there practicing his profession.
Dr. Benjamin Rush Erwin practiced in Upper
Providence until the fall of 1829, when he removed
to Philadelphia, and Dr. Joseph Leedom succeeded
260
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
him, to be in turn succeeded, in 1843, by Dr. James
Boyd, of Montgomery County, whose residence and
office was at the Rose Tree Tavern. Dr. James Wil-
son was in practice in Nether Providence many years
before 1840, while in 1838, Dr. William L. Cowan, a
Thomsonian physician, had his office near Friends'
meeting-house, in that township.
Dr. Gideon Humphreys was a practicing physician
in Aston in 1820. Of the latter it is related that, on
one occasion when he desired to prepare a skeleton
from the corpse of a colored man drowned in Chester
Creek, he borrowed a very large iron kettle from a
neighbor. In the night, while he was at work in the
spring-house, a huge fire under the pot, some one
passing near saw the light, went to the spring-house,
and reported next day that the " Doctor had boiled a
darkey's head in the pot." This coming to the ears
of the owner of the article, she, when it was sent
home, returned it, saying, " Tell the doctor to keep
that pot to boil another nigger in. I won't have the
nasty thing in my house." Dr. George R. Morton
was located at Village Green in 1827. He seems to
have removed from Marlborough, Montgomery Co.,
for on July 10, 1826, he contributed to the American
Medical' Review an interesting account of a horned
woman residing in that locality.' Dr. Bying-
ton was in practice in Aston about 1833. Dr. Sam-
uel A. Barton was there previous to 1840, and Dr.
Richard Gregg, then residing at Wrangletown, had a
number of patients in that locality. He subsequently
removed to Lima, where he died in July, 1872. Dr.
Joseph Wilson was a practicing physician in Spring-
field in 1812, and was captain of the Delaware County
troop of horse and prominent in the political move-
ments of the day. In 1837, Dr. James Jenkins was
located in Radnor, as was also Dr. Joseph Blackfan,
and the same year Dr. J. F. Huddleson was in Thorn-
bury. In 1833, Dr. M. C. Shallcross resided in Darby,
and was in full practice; about 1840 he removed to
Philadelphia, locating near Haddington, where he
associated himself with Dr. J. P. Stakes, and for some
time continued from that place to practice in Dela-
ware County. Dr. Shallcross died in Philadelphia,
Nov. 30, 1871, aged eighty-one years. About 1823,
Dr. Joshua W. Ash began practice in Upper Darby,
where he continued until his death, in March, 1874,
in the seventy-seventh year of his age. He was a
member of Friends' meeting, warmly interested in
the Delaware County Institute of Science, and prom-
inently connected with the Training-School for Feeble-
Minded Children. The first map of Delaware County,
drawn from actual surveys, was published in 1848 by
the doctor. In 1833, Dr. Caleb Ash was in Darby,
his office located opposite Friends' meeting-house.
Prior to 1848, Dr. George Thomas was in full practice
at the same place, but in 1845 he seemed to have lo-
cated in Newtown ox Edgmont, and about 1833, Dr.
' Hazard's Register, i
.p.n.
William Gray Knowles was in Darby; he subse-
quently removed to Baltimore, and is now a resident
of Upland. In 1852, Dr. P. J. Hoopes was a physi-
cian in that village, and in the same year Dr. James
Aitkins was in practice in Edgmont, as in 1842 was
Dr. H. Bent, a botanic Thomsonian physician. In
1840, Dr. Phineas Price was located in Bethel, and
was conspicuous in a noted controversy he had with
Levis Pyle. At August court, 1849, Dr. Price was
indicted and convicted of an assault on Pyle. The
parties had met in the Methodist Church to adjust
j some church business, a dispute arose between them
respecting characters, when Dr. Price forcibly ejected
Pyle ; hence the prosecution. In 1844, Dr. Price had
been tried by the church, if my informant is correct
I in his statement, because of some religious opinions
which were regarded as unsound. Andrew Hance and
the doctor subsequently got into a newspaper contro-
versy, and finally each of them published pamphlets.
For some statement made in that issued by Dr. Price
he was sued for libel ; whether criminal or civil pro-
ceedings were instituted I do not know. In 1844, Dr.
J. H. Marsh practiced in Concord, as did Dr. George
Martin in 1852.
Dr. William Gray, a member of the well-known
family of Gray, of Gray's Ferry, was for many years
one of the most noted men of the county. He was
born in 1795, and in early life he had gone to his
uncle, Thomas Steel, a miller in Darby, to learn that
business, but finding the occupation uncongenial, he
abandoned it, and studied medicine under his rela-
tion. Dr. Warfield, of Maryland. After he graduated
he settled in Chester, where for many years he had a
large and lucrative practice. He died May 12, 1864.
Dr. John M. Allen, in 1844, practiced in Chester,
his office then being in Charles W. Raborg's drug-
store, where Charles A. Story, Sr., now has bis cigar-
store. In the spring of 1845, Dr. Allen leased Dr.
Terrill's house and altered the front part of the
building into a drug-store, where he soon secured a
large and profitable business. In 1851, Dr. Allen
purchased the property where Mortimer H. Bickley's
large building now stands, and continued there until
the breaking out of the war, in 1861, when he was
appointed surgeon of the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania
Volunteers, and subsequently medical director of the
Department of West Virginia, and surgeon-in-chief
of stafi", in which position he served until late in the
year of 1864, when his health broke down, and he
was honorably discharged from the service after
having been in the hospital several months. He is
now alderman of the Middle Ward, an office he fills
most creditably.
During the forties, and until about 1855, Dr. James
Porter practiced in Chester, residing at that time in
the old Porter house. Dr. R. K. Smith, a physician
at Chichester Cross-roads, in 1841 sold his practice
to Dr. Manley Emanuel, who succeeded him there,
although Dr. Smith still continued to practice in
PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
261
Delaware County. Dr. Emanuel, subsequently to
1870, removed to Philadelphia, where he died July
18, 1880, aged eighty-three years. His son. Dr. Lewis
M. Emanuel, who was born in London, and was a lad
of seven years when his father settled in Upper Chi-
chester, after he graduated began practicing at Lin-
wood, but during the war of the Rebellion he became
an assistant surgeon in the field. The exposure con-
sequent thereon induced consumption, which termi-
nated in his death in 1868.
Dr. Jesse Kersey Bonsall was by birth a Delaware
countiau, studied medicine and graduated at the
University of Pennsylvania, and for a time located in
Schuylkill County, but an opportunity offering, he
went to Manila, the capital of the Philippine Islands,
where he practiced successfully for several years. In
1842 he returned to Delaware County, having ac-
cumulated while abroad what at that time was re-
garded as an ample fortune. Here he pursued his
professional calling, residing in Chester until his
death, Nov. 7, 1858, aged sixty-one years.
Professor Charles D. Meigs, M.D., who, however,
never practiced in our county, was for many years at
the head of the Jefferson Medical College, in Phila-
delphia; at one time connected with the Obstetrical
Department of the University of Pennsylvania, and
whose work on the diseases of women gave him a
world-wide reputation in the profession, died suddenly,
at his residence in Aston, June 23, 1869. He was in
his seventy-eighth year at the time of his death. On
the morning of Nov. 21, 1872, Dr. Tracey E. Waller,
a practicing physician at Marcus Hook, where be had
been located for several years, was found dead in his
bed. He had retired the night before apparently in
good health. Dr. Chittick Verner — said to be a de-
scendant of Lord John Lammey, a Huguenot, who,
with his brother James, fled from France to escape
persecution and became a British subject — died in
Chester, April 4, 1877. Dr. Verner was educated for
the ministry, but abandoned it when the court at
Castle Derg, Ireland, appointed him syndic for the
town of Ardistraw, a position he held for several
years. In 1847 he emigrated to America, and became
surgeon-steward at the Naval Asylum, Philadelphia.
While there he studied medicine, graduating at Jef-
ferson College, and during the Rebellion he was in
service in the field as a surgeon. At the close of the
war he practiced medicine in Philadelphia, but the
death of his brother, to whom he was devotedly at-
tached, so preyed on him as to unsettle his mind.
From that time to his death he was insane. He never
practiced in this county.
On Feb. 10, 1880, Dr. Joshua Owens died of pa-
ralysis in Chester, aged sixty-five years. Dr. Owens
was a native of Elizabethport, N. J., and a graduate
of Jefferson College, Philadelphia. He first located
at Elkton, Md., but a few years subsequently removed
to Chester. During the war of the Rebellion he was
senior surgeon of Pennsylvania, and was the first vol-
unteer physician to reach Washington after the attack
on Fort Sumter. He was one of the first medical
directors of divisions, and was assigned to duty with
the Army of the Potomac. In 1863 he was commis-
sioned surgeon-general of New Mexico, a position he
resigned in 1865. Dr. Owens and his two sons made
a tour of Europe on foot, and the graphic descriptions
of his travel and noted places he saw, which appeared
in the Delaware County Republican, were highly in-
teresting. The doctor was a strong and vigorous
writer.
Dr. Mordecai Laurence, a venerable physician, died
in Haverford, Feb. 21, 1880, in the seventy-seventh
year of his age.
Dr. George Smith was born in Haverford, Feb. 4,
1804. He graduated at the University of Pennsyl-
vania, April 7, 1820, and practiced in Darby and its
vicinity for five years, when, coming into possession
of a large estate, he retired from the active duties of
the profession, superintending his farm, aud devoting
his leisure moments to literary aud scientific studies.
From 1832 to 1836 he was State senator, the district
then comprising Delaware and Chester Counties, and
while a member of that body, as chairman of the
Senate Committee on Education, he drafted the bill
in reference to public schools, which, warmly sup-
ported by Thaddeus Stevens and George Wolf,
passed substantially as reported by Dr. Smith, and
thus the first practical enactment respecting free pub-
lic education in the State was secured. On Dec. 8,
1836, Governor Ritner appointed Dr. Smith an asso-
ciate.judge of Delaware County, and in 1840 he was
elected to the same position for a second term. So
earnest was Dr. Smith in his advocacy of popular
education that, at considerable personal inconveni-
ence, he consented to act as superintendent of the
common schools in the county for several years, as
well as president of the school board for Upper Darby
district. In September, 1833, he, with four other
public-spirited men, founded the Delaware County
Institute of Science, and was president of the organ-
ization for nearly half a century. In 1844, Dr. Smith,
John P. Crozer, and Minshall Painter were appointed
by the Delaware County Institute a committee to pre-
pare an account of the extraordinary rain-storm and
flood of August 5th of that year in this county, and
the greater part of the preparation of that work, an
octavo pamphlet of fifty-two pages, printed in solid
small pica type, was done by Dr. Smith. In 1862 he
published his " History of Delaware County," a volume
which will stand as an enduring monument to the
learning, accuracy, and thoroughness of its author,
and, so long as American history continues to be a
theme of investigation and study, will be quoted and
referred to as authority. On the morning of Feb. 24,
1884, full of years and honor. Dr. George Smith
passed into eternity, leaving the world the better in
that he had lived.
Dr. Isaac Taylor Coates, a native of Chester County,
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
was born March 17, 1834. Determining to study medi-
cine, his means being limited, he taught school in Del-
aware County to obtain the required sum necessary
not only for his own support, but to complete his pro-
fessional education. In 1858 he graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania, and witliin a short time
sailed for England as surgeon of the packet-ship
" Great Western." He shared, in common with his
cousin. Bayard Taylor, a desire to visit foreign lands,
and for several voyages he remained attached to the
ship, and, while in port at Liverpool, he made short
journeys to various points in Europe. He .subse-
quently settled in Louisiana, but on the breaking out
of the Rebellion came north, tendered his services to
the government, and was appointed surgeon on the
steamship "Bienville," on the South Atlantic Block-
ading Squadron. In 1864 he was transferred to the
frigate "St. Lawrence," and later to the gunboat
" Peosta." In 1867 he was surgeon of the Seventh
United States Cavalry, under Custer, and made the
arduous tour of the Southwest, returning home via
Arizona and California. In 1872 he visited Peru,
and was appointed medical director of the Chimbote
and Huazaz Railroad, that wonderful tramway
through the clouds, then being made over the moun-
tains by Henry Meigs. While at Arequipa, in
1873, Dr. Coates made the first ascent of the Mistic
volcano, eighteen thousand five hundred and thirty-
eight feet high, and in doing so he was compelled to
abandon his guide, who was completely exhausted in
the attempt. In 1876 he returned to the United States
by crossing the Andes to the navigable head-waters
of the Amazon, and descending that river to Para,
whence he sailed for home. In 1878, after practicing
in Chester during the interval. Dr. Coates returned to
Brazil as surgeon of the Collins expedition, which was
designed to construct a railroad around the rapids of
the Madeira River.
The sad fate of that expedition is fresh in the rec-
ollections of our people, for among those who went
were many persons from Delaware County, some of
whom fell victims of the cruel hardships they were
compelled to undergo in a strange land, while others
never again regained their shattered health, — Dr.
Coates was among the latter. Hence he spent several
years in traveling in Colorado, California, and New
Mexico, and while returning to Delaware County to
place his son, who accompanied him, at Swarthmore
College, he was taken ill, and died at Socorro, N. M.,
June 23, 1883. Dr. Coates was an accomplished
writer and eloquent speaker. In 1876 he delivered
the Centennial oration in Chester; on Oct. 22, 1882,
he was the orator at the Penn Bi-Centennial at Los
Angeles, Cal. In 1877 he delivered an admirable
lecture at Chester, entitled " Land of the Incas," and
on the " Archicology of Peru" before the Academy
of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Dr. Coates was
a member of the American Geographical Society, the
Pennsylvania Historical Society, the Academy of
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and other scientific
and learned bodies.
Dr. Alfred M. Owens, son of Dr. Joshua Owens, a
surgeon in the United States navy, a native of Dela-
ware County, died at Pensacola (Florida) Navy- Yard,
Aug. 22, 1883, of yellow fever, then an epidemic at
that station. His wife, who was with her husband,
died on the 27th of the same month with the like
disease.
Dr. Jonathan Larkin Forwood was born in West
Chester, Chester Co., Pa., Oct. 17, 1834. His father,
Robert Forwood, a native of Delaware, was a farmer,
and was the descendant of a prominent English fam-
ily, the first of the name in this county having settled
in that State about 1700, from whom the Forwoods
of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Alabama trace de-
scent. His mother, Rachel Forwood, was a daughter
of William and Sarah Larkin, a descendant of John
Larkin, who settled in Maryland, becoming the pur-
chaser of a large tract of land in Cecil County, Md., in
1682, before the coming of Penn, and from whom all the
Larkins of Delaware County are descended. Young
Forwood was without means ; hence his early educa-
tion was necessarily restricted to that which could be
obtained in the public schools, and in the State of
Delaware, where his parents had removed a few years
after his birth, common schools were the exception,
not the rule, and he was unable to obtain tuition
there excepting during three months in the winter,
and that for only three years prior to attaining his
fifteenth year. Having determined to secure an edu-
cation, his devotion to books, his studious and strictly
moral habits, his self-reliance and determination, all
combined to aid him in that endeavor. Working
during the day at whatever he could get to do to earn
a livelihood, and pursuing his studies in the evening
and far into the night at a cost of youthful pleasures,
at the early age of eighteen he had qualified himself
to pass an examination as a teacher.
In his nineteenth year a newspaper by the merest
chance fell in his way. In it he saw an adver-
tisement for teachers in a school in Montgomery
County of this State. Without informing any one of
his intention, he left home, went to Eagleville, was
examined, and accepted by the directors. This was
announced to young Forwood after dark on a Sep-
tember day in 1851. He must return home until the
beginning of the session, but how to do this with but
twenty-five cents in his pocket was a serious question.
Knowing that to confess poverty is to be placed at a
disadvantage, he kept the secret to himself, and
bravely walked from Eagleville to Philadelphia, a
distance of twenty-three miles, during which journey
he had nothing to eat, and was compelled to take his
boots off and walk in his bare feet, for the rubbing of
the leather had covered his feet with blisters. He
arrived at daybreak on Sunday in Philadelphia,
where he took the stage for Darby, paying his last
penny for that short ride. From Darby he walked to
PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
Chichester, in this county, where his parents then
lived. He found his mother filled with anxiety his
mysterious absence occasioned, and received a repri-
mand for his conduct. He told his mother that on
the following day he would leave home forever ; that
the world was his theatre, and he was going to act his
part creditably. She did not, however, realize this until
she saw the young man gathering together his cloth-
ing, when she presented him with enough money to
carry him to Eagleville, where lie began his inde-
pendent career, and continued to teach until the fol-
lowing spring at a salary of twenty-five dollars a
month. At this time young Forwood took the money
which he had been enabled to save out of his salary
and entered himself as a student at Freeland College
until the spring of 1852, when he gave all the money
he had saved and taught a class in geometry as
part payment for his tuition. He left there at the
end of that session, in 1864, and applied for a school
in Springfield, Delaware Co., and was accepted.
Dr. Charles J. Morton was then one of the directors.
The doctor one day asked young Forwood what was
his object in life, and whether he proposed teaching
school for a small pittance for the remainder of his
days? He replied that he intended to enter one of
the professions. Dr. Morton offered the young man
the free use of his medical library and any instruc-
tions he might require. Forwood accepted this kind
offer, and here was the great turning-point of his life.
The following spring, at the close of the session of
1855, the schoolmaster was made the recipient of a
silver cup, with an appropriate inscription, which he
still has in his possession. In the fall of the same
year Forwood was entered in the University of Penn-
sylvania, having saved sufficient money to defray the
tuition of one term. It was suggested to the young
man that there were other and cheaper medical col-
leges, but knowing that his profession would be his
only capital in life, he determined to procure the best
medical education. His money failing him, about the
close of 1855 he was compelled to teach school again,
and procured a situation once more at Middletown.
In the summer of 1856, finding that he had not
been able to gather enough money to go on with his
medical studies, he submitted to an examination, and
received a scholarship in the University. In the
spring of 1857 he graduated with honors in all the
seven branches of medicine. He was compelled,
however, to borrow forty dollars from his uncle, Jon-
athan C. Larkin, for whom he had been named, to pay
for his diploma. Dr. Forwood came at once to Ches-
ter, where he settled, having completed one of the
epochs in his life's history. Here, iu his practice, he
paid particular attention to surgery, a branch which
had not been followed by any physician in Chester
for a long time. In 1858, Dr. Forwood performed the
first amputation of a leg that had been done in this
city for fifty years. His operations in surgery have
covered almost all important cases since then. He
has operated four times successfully lithotomy, a work
seldom attempted, except in medical colleges and by
professors of surgery.
In 18(J4, when the municipal hospital of Philadel-
phia was burned, the board of health located it at the
Lazaretto, and Dr. Forwood was requested to take
charge of it, and did so for four years, until the new
buildings were completed. After the battle of Get-
tysburg, when the wounded Confederate soldiers were
sent here, the doctor was called upon to take a de-
partment in the hospital, and while there performed
several splendid operations, among others that of am-
putation at the shoulder joint. On leaving this public
institution the doctor received the highest testimonials
from the officers in charge. In 1867 he started the
Delaware County Democrat, and although the county
committee of the party had declared that no Demo-
cratic paper could be supported, he by his untiring
energy made it not only a financial success, but one
of the most unflinching Democratic organs of the
State. Its editorials were outspoken and fearless. In
the same year he was elected to Council from the
Middle Ward, and took a leading part in that body.
He was, upon taking his seat, made a member of the
Street Committee, and for more than three years the
chairman.
In the spring of 1872 he was elected mayor of
Chester in the most exciting political contest the
municipality had known to that time. His election
was contested ; Gen. William McCandless and William
H. Dickinson appearing as counsel for Forwood, and
William Ward and J. M. Johnson for the contestant.
Three terms he was elected mayor in succession, and
in 1884, after an intermission of three years, was again
elected to the office, although the Republican majority
is usually nearly five hundred. He has been fre-
quently a delegate to the Democratic County and
State Conventions, and member of the State Execu-
tive Committee. In 1874 he was the Democratic
candidate for Congress, and in 1876 an elector on the
Presidential ticket during the noted candidacy of
Tildeu and Hendricks. In 1880 he was a delegate to
the National Democratic Convention which nomi-
nated Gen. Hancock for President, and in 1884, when
Governor Cleveland was named for the same office.
As a public speaker Dr. Forwood ranks high, and as
a political manager few men excel him.
Successful as has been his political career, his
chosen profession is the field of his ambitious de-
sires, and to-day, although he has secured a large and
remunerative practice, he is devoted to the study of
medicine and surgery, paying particular attention, at
I the present, to gynascology, in which special branch
j he is attaining an extended reputation in nowise
I confined to this locality, but patients from many of
' the great cities visit him for medical treatment. Sev-
' eral operations performed by him were so noticeable
: that full account thereof was published in medical
I works for the information of the public.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Half a century ago the Thomsonian practice of
medicine had many warm advocates tliroughout the
country, and Delaware County had several doctors
adhering to the rules of treatment under the theory.
In 1838 so numerous had the adherents to the system
grown that a society known as the Thomsonian
Friendly Botanic Society of Delaware County was
organized, and on June 2d of that year held a meet-
ing at Providence Friends' meeting-house. This first
assemblage was also the last, or, if it was not, I am
unable to tind anything further respecting it.
The Delaware County Medical Society owes its
origin to the chance conversation of two physicians.
Dr. Ellwood Harvey, then of Birmingham, and Dr.
George Martin, of Concord, which resulted in the
conclusion that they would make an attempt to organ-
ize a county society, which should be connected with
that of the State. The first meeting of physicians
to that end was held in Chester, Thursday, May 2,
1850, at the law-office of Hon. John M. Broomall,
when, on motion of Dr. Harvey, a temporary organ-
ization was effected by calling Dr. Joshua Owen to
the chair and the appointment of Dr. Martin secre-
tary. The following resolutions were then oflFered by
Dr. Martin :
" Wheeeas, Experience has fully shown that the progress of any Art
or Science is promoted by the frequent reunion and full interchange of
the personal observation of those whose profession is connected with it ;
" Wheeeas, The organization of County Medical Societies throughout
the State is calculated to produce euch results; and,
" Wheeeas, It is of the highest importance to introduce through-
out every county of our State an elevated Code of Ethics for the govern-
ment of our profession by which the members of it will be held under
recognized censorial head, which may tend to increase its respectability
on the one hand and unite it against the encroachments of Charlatau-
ism on the other ; Therefore, we the physicians of Delaware county
here assembled do hereby
" Resolve, That it is expedient to form ourselves into a medical associ-
ation, which shall bear the name of the ' Delaware County Medical
Society.'
*^ Resolved, That the Society shall be considered as a branch of the
Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania."
A committee of three was appointed to draft a con-
stitution, and the physicians of the county were in-
vited to meet in Penn Buildings, Chester, on May 30,
1850, to effect a permanent organization of the soci-
ety. At the time designated the constitution of the
association was adopted. By its provisions any per-
son of respectable standing in the profession, of good
moral character, who was a graduate of any medical
school recognized by the Pennsylvania State Society,
or who had been for fifteen years in practice in the
county as a regular physician, was eligible to mem-
bership, provided such physician did not prescribe
any remedy the compounds of which he was unac-
quainted with, or who was interested in any way in
patent medicines or in collusion with any apothecary
to procure patronage or profit, or who claimed supe-
rior qualifications in the treatment of any disease.
The members were interdicted from rendering any
medical service gratuitously to any clergyman or
physician whose name was attached to any certificate
in favor of patent medicines, or who permitted refer-
ence in favor of such nostrums to be made to hiin.
Dr. Jesse Young was chosen the first president;
Dr. Joshua Owens, vice-president ; Dr. Robert Smith,
secretary; and Dr. Ellwood Harvey, treasurer. A
committee was also appointed to ascertain and report
the names of all practitioners of medicine in the
count)', whether regular or irregular. For several
years the society met promptly at designated times at
the houses of the members, and much interesting
information was imparted, highly beneficial to the
profession. Among the most important work under
the auspices of the society was the geological survey
of the county, which was made in 1851 by Drs. Har-
vey and Martin, associated by Dr. Samuel Trimble, of
Concord township, an expert micrologist. The chart
and the report made by these gentlemen was published
in the transactions of the State Society, and it is the
basis of all subsequent geographical publications in
reference to our county. In the fall of 1852 the Del-
aware County Medical Society, in connection with
that of Chester County, effected an arrangement for
the publication of a quarterly journal. The Medical
Reporter, the first number of which was issued July,
1853. This periodical was conducted by five editors,
— Drs. J. F. Huddleson and George Martin, of Dela-
ware County, and Drs. W. Worthington, Isaac
Thomas, and Jacob Price, of Chester County. It
contained the proceedings of the doctors in the coun-
ties, with papers read, addresses delivered before, and
reports of cases made to either of the two organiza-
tions, together with editorial and other items of in-
terest. It was published for three years, when it was
discontinued. The society, so far as our county was
concerned, about 1856, " languished and languishing
did live," until at the meeting on Feb. 24, 1857, Dr.
Maris presented the following resolution, which was
adopted :
" Resolved, That all books and other property belonging to the society
be placed in the hands of Dr. R. H. Smith, to become the property of
any medical society organized in Delaware County, provided such soci-
ety is a branch of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and formed
withiu one year; otherwise to be delivered into the hands of the treas-
urer of the State Medical Society."
This testamentary disposition of the effects of the
society having been duly made, a resolution which
had been laid over from a former meeting, which set
forth " that it is expedient that the Delaware County
Medical Society be, and it is hereby dissolved," was
I adopted by a unanimous vote.
1 On March 16, 1857, a meeting of the physicians of
I Delaware County was called at the Washington
j House, Chester, to reorganize the Medical Society,
! and on the 30th of the same month an adjourned
meeting was held at the Charter House, Media, when
an organization was effected by the election of Dr.
Hillborn Darlington, president; Dr. Manly Emanuel,
vice-president; Dr. George B. Hotchkin, secretary;
and Dr. Charles H. Budd, treasurer. Further action
PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
was deferred until the next meeting, which was held
at Media, May 26, 1857, but the attendance was so
small that it was deemed proper to defer all matters j
to the next meeting appointed to be held at the
Washington House, Chester, Aug. 25, 1857. At the '
latter date hardly any persons attended and the pro- i
ject was abandoned for the time being. |
On April 19, 1861, by invitation of Dr. Joseph
Parrish, superintendent of the Pennsylvania Training j
School for Feeble-Minded Children, near Media, a
number of physicians from various parts of Delaware
County met to witness an exhibition of the pupils of
that institution. It was stated that invitations had j
been sent to every physician in the county whose
name was known to Dr. Parrish, but in consequence I
of a heavy storm then prevailing, and the national i
excitement consequent on the bombardment of Fort j
Sumter, many failed to attend. The meeting was
so profitable and agreeable that the physicians pres-
ent resolved that the Delaware County Medical Soci-
ety should be revived. A temporary organization
was made by calling Dr. Parrish to the chair and ap-
pointing Dr. J. L. Forwood secretary, and on May
10, 1861, the society was permanently re-established
by the election of Dr. Manly Emanuel, president;
Dr. Joseph Parrish, vice-president; Dr. George B.
Hotchkin, secretary ; and Dr. Joseph Rowland, treas-
urer. The rebellion then upon the country demanded
the services of so many physicians — and Delaware
County furnished its full quota — that those doctors
who remained were so busy that they rarely attended
the meetings of the society, which were held occasion-
ally, but no record of the proceedings was kept. At
the conclusion of the war, on May 16, 1865, an ad-
journed annual meeting was held at the office of Dr.
J. L. Forwood, in Chester, and on his motion it was
resolved that "In consequence of the long interrup-
tion to the meetings occasioned- by the general unset-
tlement of the country, etc., that the constitution of
this society be formally readopted ; the signatures of
those present be affixed as active members, and that
gentlemen hereafter received be regularly balloted
for as required by our Constitution." An election
was then held, which resulted in the election of Dr.
Manley Emanuel, president; Dr. J. L. Forwood, vice-
president; Dr. Isaac N. Neilson, secretary ; and Dr.
Charles J. Morton, treasurer. This was merely a spas-
modic movement, for nothing further seems to have
been done until March 16, 1869, when a meeting was
held at Dr. Parrish's sanitarium, at Media, which was
addressed by Dr. Emanuel, who appealed to the medi-
cal men of the county to awaken from their lethargy
and co-operate for the common good through the
valuable means presented by an energetic and well-
organized medical society. The following officers
were then elected: Dr. Manley Emanuel, president;
Dr. J. L. Forwood, vice-president ; Dr. Isaac N.
Kerlin, secretary ; and Dr. Theodore S. Christ, treas-
urer. The meetings of the society from that time to
the present have been well attended, and the inter-
change of opinions and discussions on topics relating
to the science and practice of medicine at these gath-
erings has resulted in much benefit to the profession.
On May 21, 1879, the State Medical Society met in
Holly Tree Hall, Chester, on which occasion over two
hundred and fifty persons assembled. The session
continued Wednesday afternoon and evening and
during Thursday. The following Friday the society
visited the Training School for Feeble-Minded Chil-
dren at Media, where the ceremonial installation of
officers of the State Society for the succeeding years
was performed.
The officers of the Delaware County Medical So-
ciety in 1883 were Dr. William B. Ulrich, president;
Dr. R. H. N. Milner, vice-president; Dr. Linnseus
Fussell, secretary ; and Dr. John B. Weston, treas-
The following-named physicians of the county have
been and are member-s of the society :
George Martin Concordville.
Manley Emanuel Linwood.
Ellwood Harvey Chester.
Charles S. Heyshaiii Newtuwn Square.
K..bert K. Smith Darby.
.loshuaOweii (.'hester.
Charles J.Morton
Caleb Ash Darby.
Joseph Wilson.
Samuel A. Barton Village Green.
Thomas Turner.
Beuben H.Smith Media.
J. C. Uuttoo Chelsea.
Joseph Rowland Media.
A.W.Mathew Aston.
George Smith tipper Darby.
J. Howard Taylor CuncordviUe.
Jesse W. Grifiith Ridleyville.
J. P. Mcllvain Media.
J.T.Huddleson Thornl.nry.
J. Morris Moore Newtown.
Hillboru Darliiigloii Concordville.
James S. Hill Chester township.
J. Siter Parke Kadnor,
Edward Youni; Chester.
John A. Thiims.iii "
GeorgH li, Ik.bhkin Media.
James W. Iloev Lenni.
John M. Allen Chester.
Jonathan L Fnrwond "
Josei.li l';irnsh Media.
J:iiii I i . United States Navy .1
Wil ,: I I Chester.
Cliii, !■ M - Thornbury.
II -1) > l; i. i;,i- Radnor.
CharU-s W. I'eiiiiuck Howellville.
Henrv M. Kirk Upper Darby.
William T. W. Dickeson Meilia.
Isaac T. Coates Cheater.
T. h. Leavitt.
F. Ridgely Graham Chester.
Theodore S. Christ "
J. Pyle Worrall Media.
Lewis M. Euiauuel Linwood.
C. C. V. Crawford Village Green.
Orrin Cooley.
Francis K. Heenan Chester.
Samuel P. Bartleson Clifton Heights.
William B, Ulrich Chester.
James E. Garretson Darby.
M. Fisher Longstreth "
William C. Bacon Upper Darby.
JohnT. M. Forwood Chester.
David Rose Siieath's Corner.
Edward Maris Howellville.
Charles H. B.ibb Darby.
Henry M.Lyons Media.
.lohn G. Thomas Newtown Square.
Jacob Boon Darby.
Samuel Trimble Lima.
D. Francis Condie.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Henry M. Corse.
Edwin FuKsell Media.
Linnajns Fussell "
Edward T. Gamniage Clieeter.
John W. EckMdt Haverford.
Dillwyn Orfene Marcus Hoolt.
Francis F, Rowland Media.
Kebecca Ij. FiL-sell "
Daniel \V. .IrnVris Chester.
John B. Jlitclicll "
Joshua .\sli Clifton Heights.
D. G. Brinton Media.
George R.Vernon Clifton Heights.
Joseph H. Horner Thornton.
Robert A. Given Cliftnn Heights.
Conrad J. Partridge Ridley Paris.
David K. Shoemaker Chester.
Eugene K.Mott "
John Wesley Johnson "
William S. Ridgely "
Philip C. O'Reiley "
Mrs. Frances W. Baker Media.
T.P.Bali Chester.
John B. Weston South Chester Borough.
A. Edgar Osborne Media.
Penny packer Media.
Robert H. Milner Chester.
F. Marion Murray Lenni.
Horace H. Darlington Coiicordville.
Henry B. Knowles Clifton Heights.
William B. Fish Media.
Henry C. Bartleson Fernwood.
Thomas C. Stell wagon Media.
J. Willoughby Phillips Clifton Heights.
William Bird Chester.
Fletcher 0. Lawyer Howellville.
Clarence W. DeLannuy Chester.
Joseph Crawfoid Egbert Radnor.
Lawrence M. Bullock Upland.
Charles Carter Wallingford.
William S. Little Media.
Henry Seidell South Chester Borough.
Mrs. Hannah J. Price "
Henry C. Harris Landsdown.
George M. Fisher South Chester Borough.
Dr. John T. M. Cardesa and his son, Dr. John D.
M. Cardesa, well-known physicians, residing at Clay-
mont, Del., have a large practice in Delaware County.
Dr. Anna M. Broomall, daughter of Hon. John M.
Broomall, of this county, is a graduate of the Woman's
Medical College, Philadelphia, located in that city,
and has a large and growing practice. All of these
last-named doctors are adherents of the allopathic
school.
Dr. Cyrus S. Foley kept a drug-store in Chester in
1870, and removed therefrom after 1876, for in that
year Governor Hartranft appointed him surgeon of
the Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania Militia, com-
prising the troops in this military district.
A Brief History of Homoeopathy in Delaware
County.' — Delaware County has tlie honor of being
the birthplace of those veteran homosopathic practi-
tioners, Drs. Walter Williamson, Richard Gardiner,
and Gideon Humphreys, all espousing the cause at
nearly the same time, and last, but not least, of being
the residence of Dr. A. E. Small, at the time of his
conversion to homoeopathy.
Dr. Walter Williamson introduced homoeopathy
into the county in the year 1836. He graduated at
the University of Pennsylvania in 1833, and imme-
diately settled in Marple. He moved to Newtown in
1835, and in the spring of 1836 his attention was
directed to the new system of medical practice. At
the earliest opportunity he obtained all the books and
1 From MS. prepared by Walter Williamson, M.D., in possession of his
family. (See " Transactions of the World's Homoeopathic Convention,"
pamphlets then published in the English language
which had any bearing upon the subject, commenced
the study of its doctrines, and began to practice it in
the vicinity, where not even the name itself had ever
been heard, except by one family, John Thomas, of
Upper Providence. He rapidly gained a large prac-
tice, but in 1839 he moved to Philadelphia, owing to
seriously-impaired health. He was one of the found-
ers of the Homoeopathic College of Pennsylvania, the
ijrst institution in the country to teach this system of
practice, and from 1848 until his death in 1879 he
filled one of the professorships in the college. Dr.
Williamson was born in Delaware County, July 4,
1811.
The second practitioner to unfurl the standard of
I homceopathy in Delaware County was Dr. M. B.
Roche. He settled near Darby in 1839, and contin-
ued the practice there for three years. In 1842 he
was succeeded by Dr. Alvan E. Small, a native of the
State of Maine, and a graduate of the Medical De-
jjartment of Pennsylvania College. He practiced in
I Upper Darby as an allopathic physician in 1840, and
became a homceopathic in 1842. Dr. Small con-
tinued to practice in the county until he moved to
Philadelphia, in 1845.
Dr. James E. Gross, a native of New England,
graduated at the Homceopathic Medical College of
Pennsylvania in 1850, and soon afterwards settled in
Darby to practice, but remained there only a few
months, and then moved to Lowell, Mass.
Dr. Stacy Jones, student of H. N. Gurnsey, M.D.,
graduated at the Homceopathic Medical College of
Pennsylvania in March, 1853, and settled in Upper
Darby. He remained in his first location for three
years, and then moved into the borough of Darby,
where he continues to practice.
j Dr. Charles V. Dare, a native of New Jersey, grad-
uated at the Homceopathic Medical College of Penn-
j sylvania in March, 1854, and very soon afterwards
settled in the borough of Chester. Dr. Dare was the
first homceopathic physician in Chester. He contin-
ued to practice there until he sold his practice to Dr.
Coates Preston, in March, 1858.
1 Dr. Coates Preston, a native of Pennsylvania, grad-
I uated at the Homoeopathic Medical College of Penn-
I sylvania in March, 1853, and first settled at Scull-
town, N. J. In the spring of 1824 he moved to
I Woodstown, N. J., where he continued to practice
until he moved to Chester, succeeding Dr. Dare. In
the course of a few years he built up quite a large
practice in Chester and the surrounding neighbor-
hood. On account of a serious illness in the winter
of 1865, and the consequent feebleness of health
which continued through the following spring months,
Dr. Preston was induced to take into partnership Dr.
H. W. Farrington, but after a few months' trial of
the new relationship the connection was dissolved.
Dr. Preston continued his practice, and Dr. Farring-
ton took an ofl5ce at another place in Chester, but
CIVIL LISTS.
267
after a few months moved to Beverly, N. J., and since
to California. Dr. Preston outlived much of the
prejudice and opposition against the new practice
which existed among the people in his locality when
he first settled in Chester, and firmly established
homoeopathy in the respect and confidence of the
community on a broad and firm foundation. He re-
moved to Wilmington, Del., in the spring of 1881,
and died there on the 9th of August in the same year.
Dr. Davis E. Pratt, a native of Newtown, gradu-
ated at the Homceopathic Medical College of Penn-
sylvania in March, 1816, and practiced in his native
place. In 1863 he moved to Philadelphia, and sub-
sequently to Trenton, N. J., where he remained until
compelled by ill health to relinquish the duties of the
profession. He died of bronchitis on Jan. 28, 1868.
About 1863, Dr. E. D. Miles practiced medicine in
Media. Dr. John F. Rose, after serving in the army,
at the close of the war of the Rebellion settled in
Media, July 1, 1865. Immediately after the death of
Dr. Henry DufHeld, of Chester County, Dr. Rose
moved to that borough in February, 1866.
Dr. Robert P. Mercer graduated at the Homoeo-
pathic Medical College of Pennsylvania in March,
1861, and in the following month located at Mar-
shalton, Chester Co., Pa. In January, 1863, he was
appointed to the entire charge of the medical depart-
ment of the Chester County almshouse. After dis-
charging the duties of that office on strictly homoeo-
pathic principles for two years, he resigned in 1865,
and removed to Wilmington, Del.
In November of the same year (1865), at the solici-
tation of Dr. Preston, Dr. Mercer moved to Chester,
where he is still in successful practice.
Dr. Henry Minton Lewis graduated at the Hahne-
mann Medical College of Philadelphia in March,
1869, and settled in Chester soon after, where he re-
mained for three or four years, when he moved to
Brooklyn, N. Y. Dr. Trimble Pratt graduated at the
Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in
March, 1870, and settled in Media the following
June.
In addition to the above, there are in Chester in
successful practice at the present time Drs. Charles
W. Perkins, Samuel Starr, William T. Urie, Frederick
Preston, and Franklin Powell; and at Upland, Dr.
Isaac Crowthers.
The Homceopathic Medical Society of Chester and
Delaware Counties was organized in October, 1858,
by the meeting together of Drs. Duffield, of New
London; Hawley, of Phoenixville : Hindman, of
Cochranville ; Johnson, of Kennett Square; Wood
and Jones, of West Chester. It has been in a pros-
perous condition ever since, having four meetings
annually, which are held in January, April, July, i
and October. Dr. Duffield was its first president.
Its present membership is thirty-four.
In addition the following physicians, who have not
Homoeopathic Medical Societies, are in practice in
this county: Charles A. Kish, William F. Campbell,
George W. Roney, Samuel C. Burland, Chester ; Wil-
liam Calver, Booth's Corner; Henderson Hayward,
Birmingham; Benjamin S. Anderson, Marple ; Wil-
liam P. Painter, Darby ; Franklin Soper, Ridley
Park ; William S. S. Gray, Village Green ; Lawrence
M. Bullock, Upland ; Andrew Lindsay, Radnor ;
John G. Thomas, Newtown ; Henry L. Smedley,
Media ; James Edwards, Springfield. Eliza C. Tay-
lor practices in Marcus Hook, Chester, and Thorn-
bury.
connected themselv
ith either the Allopathic or
CHAPTER XXVIL
CIVIL LL?TS.
Thomas KeTell, Sopt. 13, 1681, to Aug. 22, 1683 ; Robert Eyre, Oct. 17,
1683, to December, 1689 ; Joshua Tearne, September, 1690, to April
18,1693; JohD Childe, June 13, 1693, to March, 1090-1700; Henry
Hollingsworth, June 11, 1700, to Feb. 22, 1708-9 ; John Simcock,
May 24, 17(19, to 1716; Joseph Parker, 1724 to 17G6; Henry Hale
Graham, 1766 to 1777; Benjamia Jacob, Marcli 22, 1777, to April 4,
1777 ; Caleb Davis, July 1, 1777.
KEGISTEE OF WILLS.
John Simcock, 1714 to May, 1716; Joseph Parker, Aug. 14, 1716, to Jan.
12, 1759; Henry Hale Graham, March 5, 1757, to Feb. 13, 1777;
Thomas Taylor, March 25, 1777 ; John Breaton, April 6, 1782; Per-
sifor Frazer, April 8, 1786.
KECOEDER OF DEEDS.
John Bristow, in office March 10, 1688; Joshua Fearne, March 25, 1691 ;
Robert Eyre, Maich 26, 1693; John Childe, Jan. 3, 1695; Henry
Hollingsworth, Dec. 10, 1700; Peter Evans, April 17, 1706; John
■ Simcock, Jan. 28, 1707 ; after whicli date three offices, prothonotary,
recorder, and register, were held by one person.
Delaware County was erected in 1789, since which
time the following persons have filled the office of
prothonotary, recorder of deeds, register of wills, and
clerks of court :
William Richardson Atlee, Sept. 28,1789; Davis Bevan, April 6,1796;
James Barnard, May 11, 1800; Thomas Brintou Dick, Feb. 22,1806;
Joseph Bngle, May 24, 1809; Benjamin Pearson, March 11, 1818;
Thomas Robinson, March 8, 1821; Henry Myers, Jan. 17, 1824;
John K. Zeilen, Dec. 20, 1832 ; John Hinkson, Aug. 28, 1834; John
Richards, Jan. 9, 1836; Samuel Weaver, Jr., Dec. 7, 1838; .lames
Houston, Nov. 12, 1841 ; Josepli Taylor, Nov. 22, 1844 ; James Sill,
Jr., Nov. 11, 1847 ; Nicholas F. Walter, Nov, 26, IS.i:; ; Niib.ilas F.
Walter, Nov. 21, 1863 ; Thomas Forsytlie, Nov, 25, 1859 ; Benjamin
F, Baker (unexpired term of Forsythe), Nov, 12, 1862 ; George Esrey,
Nov, 26, 1862 ; Orson Flagg BuUard, Nov, 23, 1866 ; Isaac Johnson,
Dec, 29, 1874.
Mr. Johnson filled the office of prothonotary until
January, 1884, when Morris P. Hannum, the present
incumbent, was qualified.
By act of Assembly, Feb. 19, 1860, the office of pro-
thonotary and that of recorder of deeds was directed
to be filled by different persons.
RECORDER OF DEEDS.
Frederick Fairlamb, Nov. 26, 1862; Frederick R. Cutler, Nov. 21, 1871;
Canby S. Smith (unexpired term of Cutler), May 24, 1873 ; Charles
P. Walter, Jan. 18, 1875 ; Edward Blaine, Dec. 20, 18S0.
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Edward Blaine is the present incumbent, having
been re-elected November, 1883.
By act of March 20, 1873, the office of register of
wills and clerk of Orphans' Court was made a sepa-
rate office. Tiiomas Lees, the first register under this
act, commissioned Dec. 13, 1874, is the present incum-
bent, he having been elected four terms in succession,
the last time in November, 1883.
Coroner. — The first reference we find to the office
of coroner is at a court held 6th day of Fifth month,
1684, when the sheriflF and clerk of court complained
that court fees had not been paid them ; execution
was issued to collect the amount claimed, and on the
8th day of Seventh month, 1684, " James Kenela,
Coroner," made the return to the writs. To show the
manner of making the return of inquest in the early
days, and " Ay, marry, is't crowner's-quest law," I
append two of these returns :
" Tlie 6"> orS'i" mo 1699, We whose names are here subscribed being
summoned & attested liy the Coroner to View the Corpse of Ann Cruett
do find by tlie best evidence that can find by two witness i several others
big in place that nothing did procure her death but the heat of the
weather and it been please God to visit her sudden death. As witness
Jno. Humphrey.
Jno. Roberts.
Philip Prisss.
Jienj. idumpnrey.
Bowland Powell.
Evan William.
Tho" Pennell.
Tho' Eeice.
Dan< Laurence."
"Edgemond the 6 of the 5 mont 1699. Wo whose names are nnder
written summoned and attested by the coroner to view the body of
Sarah Baker liaving made strict enquiry & also have what evidence
could be found attested to what they know & we iind no other but that
it pleased .\lmiglity God to visit her with death by the force of thunder
and to this we all unanimously agreed. Subscribe with our names the
day ami year above written :
Tho» Worrellow. Ephraim Jackson.
Bob' Pennell. David Ogden.
Jno. Worrall. Thomas Bowater.
Joseph Baker. William Gregory.
Wi" Corburne. Charles Whitaker.
Peter Treggo. Jno. Turner.
"Approved by me. Jacob Simcocke, Coroner."
The following list embraces the persons who have
been commissioned coroners of Chester County until
the erection of the county of Delaware, in 1789, and
from that date those who have held the office in the
latter county :
James Keuuerly, in office 1684 ; .Jacob Simcock, 1696: Henry Hollings-
worth, 1707; Henry Worley, 1710; Jonas Sandelauds, Oct. 3, 1717-
20 ; Robert Barber, Oct. i, 1721 ; John Mendcnhall, Oct. 4, 1726-27 ;
Robert Parke, Oct. 3, 1728 ; Abraham Darlington, Oct. 4, 1729 ; John
Wharton, Oct. 3, 1730-31; Anthony Shaw, Oct. 3, 1732-33; John
Wharton, Oct. 4, 1734-36; Stephen Hoskias, Oct. 4, 1737 ; Aubrey
Bevan, Oct. 4, 1738-42 ; Thomas Morgan, Oct. 4, 1743-45 ; Isaac Lea,
Oct. 4, 1746-50 ; Joshua Thomson, Oct. 3, 1751; John Kerlin, Oct.
4, 1752; Joshua Thomson, Oct. 3, 1783-60; Philip Ford {vice Thom-
son, deceased), May 22, 1761-62 ; Davis Bevau, Oct. 4, 1763-64 ; Abel
Jannoy, Oct 4, 1765; John Trapnall (vice Janney, resigned). May
27, 17G6 ; Joseph Gibbons, Jr., Oct. 4, 1768-70 ; John Crosby, Jr., Oct.
6, 1771-72 ; John Bryan, Oct. 4, 1773-76 ; Harvey Lewis, Oct. 2, 1776;
David Denny, Nov. 24, 1778 ; Allen Cunningham, Oct. 19, 1780 ; Ben-
jamin Hue, Oct. 12, 1782; John Harper, Oct. 20, 1783; Isaac
Thomas, Oct. 4, 1785 ; John Harper, Oct. 3, 1786 ; John Underwood,
Oct. 16, 1787.
After Erection of County of Delaware.
Jonathan Vernon, Oct. 16, 1789 ; Caleb Bennett, Oct. 21, 1791 ; William
Price, Jan. 2.5, 1793; John Odenheimer, Jr., Oct. 17, 1796; Jaraea
Birchall. Oct. 12, 1798, Oct. 21, 1801, Oct. 16, 1804, Oct, 23, 1807, Oct.
26, 1810, Nov. 8, 1816, Dec. S, 1819, Dec. 4,1822; Abraham Kerlin,
Nov. 13,1829; Daniel Thomson, Nov. 2, 1830; Joel Lane, Oct. 25,
1833, Dec. 22, 1836; John Lloyd, Dec. 4, 1839; Moses Reed, April
14, 1840; John Lloyd, Dec. .3, 1842 ; Steplien Home, Dec. 1, 1845;
Seth C. Thomas, Dec. 23, 1848, Dec. 1, 1861; Reuben H. Smith, Nov.
6, 1854 ; Isaac Johnson,! Nov. 28, 1867 ; William A. Miiishall,^ April
24, 1858; Samuel Long, Sr., Dec. 7, 1858; Washington B. Levis,
Nov. 27, 1861, Jan. 9, 1865; George H. Rigby,3 Nov. 23, 1865; Dec.
8,1868; William Anderson Minshall, Dec. 29. 1871, Jan. 19,1876;
Horace W. Fairlamb, Dec. 18, 1877 ; Abram J. Quimby, Dec. 20,
1880; Horace W. Fairlamb, Dec. 27, 1883.
Sheriffs. — Under the Dutch authority on the Dela-
ware an officer, entitled a schout, performed duties
such as are now required from the sherifi's, but the
jurisdiction was more varied, and had legislative as
well as executive powers reposed in that officer. Un-
der the Duke of York, on May 17, 1672, Governor
Lovelace and Council decided that " the office of
Sellout to be converted into a Sheriff for the Corpora-
tion and River, and that he be annually Chosen."
The electors in that early day named two persons for
the office, and from those two the Governor made his
selection, a system which was adopted liy Penn in the
"Charter of Privileges," granted in 1701, and pre-
vailed under the State Constitutions of 1776 and 1790.
Until tlie Constitution of 1838 gave the people the
right, by their votes, to elect one person to the office,
the absurd provisions of the Constitution of 1776 pre-
vailed, which was to elect two persons from whom the
Governor made his selection, and to whom he issued
the pommission.
The following list of persons who have filled the
office of sheriff is believed to be as accurate as it is
now possible to make it :
Capt. Edmund Cantwell, 1676-Sl; John Test, September, 1681-82;
Thomas Usher, November, 1682-83; Thomas Withers, December,
1683-84; Jeremy Collett, January, 1684-S5; Thomas Usher, June,
1686, to April, 1687; Joshua Fearne, June, 1687, to June, 1689;
George Foreman, August, 16S9, to March, 1691-92; Caleb Pusey,
June, 1692, to April, 1693; Joseph Wood, April 28, 1693-97; Andrew
Job, December, 1697-1701 ; John Hoskins, June, 1701-8 ; Jolin Sim-
cock, 1708; John Hoskins, 1709; Henry Worley, 1716; Nicholas
Fairlamb, Oct. 3, 1717-19; John Crosby, Oct. 4, 1720; John Taylor,
Oct. 4, 1721-28; John Owen, Oct. 4, 1729-31; John Parry, Oct. 3,
1732-34 : John Owen, Oct. 3, 1735-37 ; John Parry, Oct. 4, 1738-39 ;
Benjamin Davis, Oct. 3, 1740-42 ; John Owen, Oct. 4, 1743-46 ; Ben-
jamin Davis, Oct. 4, 1746-48 ; John Owen, Oct. 8, 1749-61 ; Isaac
Pearson, Oct. 4, 1752-64 ; John Fairlamb, Oct. 4, 1756-68 ; Benjamin
Davis, Oct. 4, 1759-61 ; John Fairlamb, Oct, 4, 1762-03 ; Philip Ford,
Oct. 4, 1764-66; John Morton (vice Ford, deceased), Oct 28, 1766-68;
Jesse Maris, Oct. 6, 1769-71 ; Henry Hayes, Oct. 6, 1772-73 ; Na-
thaniel Vernon, Oct. 6, 1774-75; Robert Smith, March 29, 1777;
Charles Dilworth, Oct. 17, 1778; Robert Smith, Nov. 21, 1778; David
Mackey, Oct. 16, 1779; John Gardner, Oct. 19, 1780; William Gib-
bous, Birmingham, Oct. 20, 1783; Ezekiel Leonard, West Bradford,
Oct. 13, 1786.
Since Erection of Delaware County.
Nicholas Fairlamb, Oct. 16, 1789 ; same, Oct. 21, 1790 ; James Barnard,
Oct. 18, 1792 ; Abraham Dicks, Nov. 12, 1795, date of commission for
1 Died in office.
2 For Johnson's unexpired
elected, refusing to serve.
« For unexpired term of W.
George Rosevelt, who had been
CIVIL LISTS.
second term ; John Odenheimer, Oct. 12, 179S ; Matthias Kerlin, Jr.,
Oct. 21,1801; John Odenheimer, Oct. 16, 1804; Kicliard P. Floyd,
Oct. 2.3, 1807 ; Isaac Cochran, Oct. 26, 1810 ; Daniel Thomson, Oct.
19, 1813; Robert Fairlamb, Oct. 16, 1816; Samuel Anderson, Oct.
23, 1819; Joseph Weaver, Jr., Oct. 21, 1822: John Hinkson, Oct. 17,
1825; Jehu Broomhall, Oct. 22, 1828; William Baldwin,' Oct. 28,
1831; Charles Baldwin, March 6, 1831; Samuel A. Price, Oct. 22,
1834 ; Evans S. Way, Oct. 25, 1837 ; John Larkiu, Jr., Oct. 27, 1840 ;
Samuel Hibberd, Oct. 27, 1843; Kobert R. DuttoD, Nov. 18, 1846;
Jonathan Esrey,2 Oct. 22,1849; Henry T.Esrey, May 20,1851 ; Aaron
James, Nov. 17, 1851 ; John M. Hall, Nov. 2, 1854; Jonathan Ver-
non, Nov. 10, 1857; Morris L. Yarnall, Nov. 15, 1860; Abraham
Vanzant, Nov. 16, 1863 ; Caleb Hoopes, April 11, 1866 ; Evan C. Bar-
tleson, Nov. 23, 1869 ; Charles W. Matthew, Dec. 29, 1875; John J.
Rowland, Dec. 21, 1878; William Armstrong, Dec. 22, 1881.
County Commissioners. — The office of county com-
missioner, we are told by Judge Futhey, was created
not long prior to 1820, tlie duties discharged by them
being first performed by the justices and grand jury
conjointly, and afterwards by the grand jury and as-
sessors. The first commissioners of the county were
elected to serve one year, and the board at that time
comprising four members, is inferred from a peti-
tion presented from Chester County to the Assembly
at the session of 1721-22, asking "that three commis-
sioners may be elected yearly." Petitions of like
tenor being presented from other counties, on May 12,
1722, the act to that effect was passed, excepting that
it provided that one commissioner should be elected
annually, thus extending the period of service of the
commissioners to three years.
The following is a list of commissioners since 1721,
and the date of their appointment or election :
1721, David Lloyd, Nathaniel Newlin, Henry Miller (in office); 1722,
Robert Pyle ; 1723, Nathaniel Newlin ; 1724, Samuel Hollingsworth ;
1725, Robert Pyle; 1726, Isaac Taylor; 1727, William Webb; 1728,
Henry Miller, Evans Lewis, elected by commissioners and assessors
in August, vice Isaac Taylor, deceased ; 1729, Samuel Nutt ; 1730,
Evan Lewis; 1731, Jacob Howell; 1732, Samuel Lewis; 1733, George
Aston ; 1734, John Davis ; 1735, Richard Jones ; 1736, Samuel Light-
foot; 1737, John Parry, Jr.; 1738, William Jeffries; 1739, John
Davis; 1740, John Parry, Jr.; 1741, John Yarnall ; 1742, John Davis;
1743, Jacob Howell; 1744, Joseph Mendenhall; 1745, John Davis;
1746, Thomas Pennell; 1717, Joshua Thompson; 1748, Isaac Davis;
1749, Thomas Pennell ; 1750, Edward Brinton, Samuel Bunting, cicc
Thomas Pennell, deceased; 1751, William Lewis; 1752, John Fair-
lamb; 1753, Robert Miller; 1754, Thomas Pearson; 1755, Joseph
Ashbridge; 1756, Joseph Davis; 1757, Joseph James; 1758, John
Hannum; 1759, .louas Preston; 1760, Joseph Pennock; 1761, John
Griffith; 1762, Lewis Davis; 1763, John Price; 1764, Benjamin Bar-
tholomew; 1765, Richard Baker; 1766, John Davis; 1767, Robert
Pennell; 1768, John Webster; 1769, John Evans; 1770, Jesse Bon-
sall; 1771, Robert Mendenhall ; 1772, John Fleming; 1773, Thomas
Levis; 1774, Thomas Taylor ; 1776, William Evans; 1776, Sketchley
Morton; 1777, David Cloyd; 1778, Andrew Boyd; 1779, Benjamin
Brannan; 1780, John Bartholomew; 1781, Joseph Strawbridge;
1782, Caleb James ; 1783, John Davis ; 1784, Joseph McClellan ;
1785, Caleb James; 1786, Caleb North; 1787, John Worth; 1788,
After the erection of Delaware County, in 1789, at
the general election in that year the following com-
missioners were elected and served :
1 Sheriff Baldwin died Feb. 14, 1834. His son was appointed to 611
1790, Edward Hunter, Gideon Gilpin, James Barnard; in 1791, John
Jones was elected in place of Hunter, and Gilpin, Barnard, and
Jones served for that and the year 1792, when all record is lost until
1797, when David Piatt and Richard Lloyd were commissioners ; in
1798, Isaac G. Gilpin was elected; 1799, Thomas Bishop; 1800,
Thomas Vernon ; 1801, Jonas Eyre;' 1802, John Hunter, Josiah
Lewis ; 1803, John Odenheimer died, and Pierce Corsly was ap-
pointed to till vacancy ; 1804, Pierce Corsly ; 1805, Joseph Gibbons,
and Josiah Lewis having died or resigned, Nehemiah Baker was ap-
pointed to fill vacancy, and was also elected that year ; 1807, Joseph
Engle; 1808, William Mendenhall; 1809, George B. Lownes ; 1810,
Thomas Bishop; 1811, Preston Eyre: 1812, Thomas Hemphill ; 1813,
Maris Worrell ; 1814, John Brooke; 1815, Robert Fairlamb; 1816,
John Willcox, William Levis, Jr. ;* 1817, Joseph Davis ; 1818, Wil-
liam Hill; 1819, John Lindsay, Jr.; 1820, Joseph Henderson ; 1821,
George Green; 1822, Joseph Engle; 1823, Edward Hunter; 1824,
William Johnson; 1825, James Sill; 1826, Samuel H.Eves; 1827,
James Maddock ; 1828, Joseph Bishop ; 1829, Oliver Levis; 1830,
Evan Evans ; 1831, David Siter ; 1832, David Trainer, John Aitkins;
1835, James Serrill ; 1836, James S. Peters; 1837, Isaac Fawkes;
1838, Spencer Mcllvain ; 1839, Edward Lewis, Jr; 1840, Davis Beau-
mont; 1841, Thomas Williamson; 1842, Thomas Steele, Jr. ; 1843,
Isaac Yarnall; 1844, George Harvey; 1845, David Worrell; 1846,
Samuel Palmer; 1847, Edmund Pennell;^ 1848, Mark Bartleson ';
1849, Caleb J. Hoopes; 1850, John D. Gilpin ; 1851, Annseley New-
lin ; 1852, James Bartou ; 1853, William H. Grubb; 1854, Robert
Plumstead ; 1855, Thomas Pratt; 1856, Percipher Baker; 1857, Sam-
uel Leedom; 1858, James Clowd ; 1869, Elwood Tyson; 1860, Van-
lear Eachus ; 1861, Thomas Keece ; 1862, Nathaniel Pratt ; 1S63, Jo-
seph Lewis; 1864, Daniel James; 1865, George Drayton; 1866,
William D. H. Serrill ; 1867, Charles Johnson ; 1868, T. Baker
Jones ; 1869, Jacob M. Campbell ; 1870, William Russell ; 1871, John
B. Heyburn; 1872, John B. Holland; 187.3, James McDade; 1874,
Ellas Baker.
The same commissioners remained in office until
the first Monday of January, 1876.
Before the expiration of the period of service of
the old board of commissioners, before the provisions
of the Constitution of 1874 went into efi'ect respecting
that office, James McDade, one of the commissioners,
absconded. When the county statement was pub-
lished, the people stood aghast at the exhibit made,
and on March 17, 1876,—
"The grand jury reported that the commissioners for the year 1875
have exceeded their authority in borrowing money on promissory notes,
S3043.90,
amounted to $206,227.57, and the dis
with discounts allowed to them to the amount of S40,'i52.18.
"In the opinion of the grand jury this is highly improper, and should
be fully investigated, and measures taken to collect said tax. That by
the said report (that of Ihe county treasurer) it appears that the ex-
penditures for repairing bridges and for new bridges has cost the county
for the same year the sum of $58,375.66. That in the financial condi-
tion of the county the grand jury deems this an extravagant expendi-
3 On bis resigning, on April 29, 18C2, the county minutes show:
'* Upon the resignation of Junas Eyre, one of the commissioners of the
IJon
following person was appointed by th
, John Odenheimer, Esq., to serve in I
< On Oct. 21, 1816, " the court and John Willcox and William Levis,
Jr., remaining commissioners, being assembled together, do appoint
Richard Flower county commissioner unlil the next general election, in
place of Robert Fairlamb, who has been elected and commissioned
sheriff of the said county, and has declined serving in the office of com-
missioner."
' " Feb. 25, 1847, the petition of Samuel Palmer and Edmund Pennell
was presented, showing that a vacancy had occurred in "the board of
Commissioners of Delaware County by the death of David Worrell.
Whereupon the court, together with the two remaining commissioners
of said county, have appointed Thomas Steele, Jr., of the township of
Marple, in said county, a commissioner to fill said vacancy until the
HISTOEY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ture that the commieBioners were not warranted in making, and that
they have reason to believe that irregularities have occurred in award-
ing contracts for the same, which should be investigated. That by the
same report, printing and stationery for the same year has cost the
county 83095.58 ; this is in addition to the amount paid by the commis-
sioners, but not allowed by the auditors. This appears to the grand
jury to be an extravagant expenditure for that purpose. By the same
report there has been paid D. Corson for the storage of the turn-table
from the Front Street bridge, 8115. With such continued expenditures,
this turn-table will prove a serious burden, and the grand jury recom-
mend its early disposal.
"The grand jury also report that bonds of the company which have
been paid or exchanged have not been properly cancelled, merely an
erasure of the commissioners' names, and that some of these partially-
cancelled bonds have in some manner disappeared from the commis-
sioners' office, and have been wrongfully used, aud that the coupons on
those bonds have been presented and paid out of the county treasury
since the cancellation of the bonds. The grand jury consider that these
matters should be more fully and thoroughly investigated, and urge
upon this department of the public trust a more careful and economical
administration. The treasurer further reports that for 1875 there has
been paid out of the treasury for road damages the sum of 84608, and
the grand jury deem it proper to say that it is questionable whether
such expenditure is warranted in the condition of the county linances,
as perhaps many of the roads laid out must benefit, with the number
already improved, but few of the citizens."
This action of the grand jury directed public at-
tention directly to the gross mismanagement of public
affairs, but as it subsequently proved the greater part
of the objectionable transactions were done by the
absconding commissioner, without the knowledge of
his fellow-member of the board, the authorities were
powerless to punish the offender.
Under the Constitution of 1874 the following com-
missioners were elected for the period of three years,
the term of service beginning in the year set opposite
to their names : 1876, Owen W. Yarnall, Abram C.
Lukens, Edward H. Engle ; 1879, Owen W. Yarnall,
Abram C. Lukens, Jesse Brooke.
In that year Jesse Brooke, the regular Democratic
candidate, was elected over Edward H. Engle, Inde-
pendent Democrat, by two votes, and proceedings
w'ere instituted to test the validity of Brooke's elec-
tion by the friends of Engle. The matter was re-
ferred to an examiner, but pending the hearing the
contest was abandoned.
1882, Owen W. Yarnall, Benjamin F. Pretty, Jesse
Brooke.
County Treasurer. — In the early time the office of
county treasurer appears to have been a gift at the
disposal of the commissioners and assessors, and it
must have been remunerative other than the salary
or commissions attached to the office, for John Taylor,
in 1741, offers to perform the duties of the office
" without bringing any charge against the county,"
and the same year two other patriots, Joseph Brinton
and Joshua Thomas, also offered to serve the public
gratis. Brinton, who was the incumbent, succeeded
in retaining the position. In 1790, when the board
of assessors ceased to be, the commissioners adopted
the plan of appointing the outgoing commissioner
county treasurer, or, as it was then called, the com-
missioner's treasurer, and continued generally to ob-
serve that rule until 1838, when under the Constitu-
tion of 1837, the office was made elective.
The following is the list of county treasurers of the
old county of Chester :
1695, Jeremiah CoIIett; 1697-1702, Walter Martin ; 1704, Caleb Pusey ;
1706-9, Walter Martin; 1720-23, Henry Pierce; 1724-26, Philip
Taylor ; 1740-46, Joseph Brinton ; 1756-60, Robert Miller ; 1761-64,
Humphrey Marshall ; 1766, Jesse Maris, Jr. ; 1766-69, Lewis Davis ;
1770-76, James Gibbons; 1770-72, Richard Thomas; 1775, Philip
Taylor ; 1775-77, John Brinton ; 1778, Thomas Levis ; 1779, William
Evans ; 1780, Persifor Frazer (March 22d) ; 1781, David Cloyd ; 1785,
Andrew Boyd and David Cloyd; 1786-87, William Evans; 1788, An-
drew Boyd.
TREASURERS OF THE COUNTY OF DELAWARE.
1790, Edward Richards; 1799, Seth Thomas; 1806, Joshua Lewis; 1809,
John Thompson; 1812, Robert Fairlamb; 1815, John Thompson;
1822, Robert Fairlamb ; 1825, John Russell ; 1827, Homer Eachus ;
1830, William Eyre; 1833, Oborn Levis ; 1835, Samuel T. Walker;
1838, William Eyre ; 1839, Davis Beaumont; 1840, William Eyre;
1840. William Eyre, Jr. (unexpired term of William Eyre) ; 1841,
John Miller; 1844, Richard F.Worrell; 1846, Benjamin F. John-
son; 1848, Marshall Eachus; 1850, Edmund Taylor; 1852, Samuel
Dutton; 1854, Joseph H. Hinkson ; 1856, Jackson Lyons; 1858,
Charles R. Williamson ; 1860, Charles Johnson ; 1802, David R.
Ralston ; 1864, William Hinkson ; 1866, William H. Eves; 1868,
William F. Mathews ; 1870, John J. Hoopes ; 1872, John D. How-
ard ; 1874, Alvin Baldwin ; 1876, Henry B. Taylor; 1879, William
P. Taruall ; 1882, Stephen Clowd, Jr.
Directors of the Poor. — The early settlers were not
unmindful of their duty in providing for the sick, in-
firm, and destitute, who could not care for themselves.
At a court held on the sixth day of Eleventh month,
1684, it was
" Ordered that y« Inhabitance of Concord, Bethel aud Chichester meet
on the 3"i day of the next weeke att Henry Reoolds to conferre together
how to Provide a maintaiuance for Miriam Thomson and her child."
The court, on March 25th of each year, appointed
for the several townships two persons, who were to act
as overseers of the poor in the township where they
resided, and such persons were usually selected from
the wealthiest meu in the locality. The court records
are filled with cases respecting the settlement of
paupers, hence to avoid much of that contention the
act of May 31, 1718, was passed, to define the law
governing residence of those persons needing relief
from the public. This act required that all persons
who should be receiving public assistance, including
the wives and children of such pauper, if residing with
him, " Shall upon the Shoulder of the right Sleeve
of the upper Garment of every such Person in an
open and visible manner, wear such a Badge or Mark
as is hereinafter mentioned and expressed. That is to
say, a large Roman (P) together with the first Letter
of the Name of the County, City or Place whereof
such Person is an Inhabitant, cut either in red or blue
Cloth, as the Overseers of the Poor it shall be directed
or appointed."
The failure of " any such poor person" to comply
with this provision rendered him or her liable to be
taken before a justice of the peace, when, in the dis-
cretion of the magistrate, the public allowance could
"be abridged, suspended, or withdrawn," or the of-
fender committed to the House of Correction, " there
to be whipped and kept at hard Labour for any Num-
CIVIL LISTS.
ber of Days not exceeding Twenty-one, as to the said
Justices should seem meet."
On Feb. 13, 1804, the act of Assembly was approved
providing for the election in Delaware County, at the
following general election, of three reputable citizens
to be directors of the poor, who were instructed to
meet, and by lot to divide themselves into three
classes, " the place of the first to be vacated at the
expiration of the first year, of the second at the ex-
piration of the second year, and of the third at the
expiration of the third year ; so that those who may
be chosen, after the first election, may serve for three
years; and one-third be chosen annually,"' which
manner of electing the directors and the period of
service remained in use until changed by the second
section of Article xiv. of the Constitution of 1874.
In the report of the committee of the Legislature
on the operation of the poor law, made Jan. 29, 1825,
the statement from Delaware County was, " The es-
tablishment of a house of employment in this county
has increased the number, or from some other cause,
there is more than when maintained in the different
townships; but we have no hesitation in saying that
the efiect has been such as to make their situation
more comfortable, the morals and health better pre-
served."
In 1855 the directors of the poor, having been
authorized by the act of May 8, 1854, to sell the old
county-house and farm at Media, sold the estate in
the fall of that year for a sum over fifty thousand
dollars, and purchased the farm of Abraham Pennell,
one of the directors, containing about one hundred
and one acres, for sixteen thousand dollars, and con-
tracted with John Eves & Co., of Nether Providence,
to erect the building for twenty thousand three hun-
dred dollars. The proceedings of the board aroused
considerable feeling in the county, and a public meet-
ing was held on the 29th of December, 1855, " to
investigate the action of the Directors of the Poor in
changing the location of the public property;" and
an adjourned meeting was held on Jan. 18, 1856,
when a bitter debate was had, after which the whole
matter drifted by, and in a short time had ceased to
attract any further public attention.
The following is the list of directors of the poor,
giving the year when each director became a member
of the board :
1805, Williain Anderson, Jonathan Heacock, John Smith fresigned and
John Thomson appointed); 1S06, Thomas Pennell, Philip Moore;
1807, John Mcllvaiu; 1808, Benjamin W. Oakford; 1800, David
Pratt; 1810, George W. Oakford (died in office, John Mcllvain ap-
pointed), William Peters, Jr., John Worrall; 1811, Thomas Garrett;
1812, George Miller; 1813, Francis Wesley; 1814, John Powell;
1815, George B. Lowues; 1816, Joseph Hoskios; 1817, William
Trimble ; 1818, William Mendenhall (in place of William Trimble),
Eno3 Sharpless ; 1819, Samnel Garrett ; 1820, Jesse Darlington ; 1821,
Joseph James; 1822, James Craig; 1823, Knos Williamson; 1824,
Micajah Speakman; 18 5, Isaac Yarnall (in place of Speakman, re-
signed), John Larkin; 1826, Oborn Levis ; 1827, Joseph Henderson ;
1828, Thomas Button; 1829, Isaiah Fawk; 1830, John Kerns; 1831,
■Dela
3 County Digest,'
.48.
John Hinkson ; 1832, David Lyons; 1833. Robert N. Gamble; 1834,
James Ogden ; 1835, Edward Lewis; 1836, Samuel Hale; 1837, Jesse
Walter; 1838, George Martin; 1839, Capt. James Serrill ; 1840, Jamea
Barton; 1841, Moses D. Palmer; 1842, George Lewis; 1843, Caleb
J. Hoopes; 1844, Moses D. Palmer (he resigned and George F, Gil-
pins appointed); 1845, James J. Lewis; 1846, Marahall Painter;
1847, John Clayton; 1848, Joel Evans; 1849, John Miller; 1850,
Thomas Williamson ; 1851, J. Edward Garrett ; 1852, Abraham Pen-
nell; 1853, William Trainer; 1854, Joseph B. Leedom ; 1855, Jacob
Byers; 1856, Samuel A. Barton; 1857, Francis Leedom; 1858, Sam-
uel Johnson; 1859, E. B. Loveland; 1860, William H. Grubb; 1861,
Judge Tyson ; 1862, Samnel B. Leedom ; 1863, Peter W. Green ; 1864,
Joseph Powell; 1865, Baldwin Howard; 1866, Fredrick J. Hinkson ;
1867-68, Powell, Howard, and Hinkson; 1869-71, Powell, Howard,
and William Trainer; 1872, James Shelley Tyson, Joel Sharp-
less; 1873, Edgar T. Miller; 1874, Jesse Hibberd ; 1875, Chalkley
Harvey; 1876-77-79-80, Chalkley Harvey, Jesse Hibberd, John H.
Kerlin ; 1880-81, Chalkley Harvey, John H. Kerlin, Milton Ed-
wards; 1882, Chalkley Harvey, Milton Edwards, Hi-nry L. Donald-
son; 1883, Henry L. Donaldson, John B. McCay, Jr., Joseph Lee-
County Auditors.— During all the period while
Delaware County was a part of Chester County the
accounts of the public officers were audited by the
court, which was found to be injurious, inasmuch as
they were often given hurried examination, the jus-
tices growing weary of the dry column of figures sub-
mitted to their inspection and approval. The evil
became so noticeable that the Legislature sought to
rectify it, hence we find that on
"August 11, 1791 The Court appoints John Talbot, Mark Wilcox and
William Pennock, as auditors to settle &c., the accounts of the Treaa-
tirer and C'-mmissioners of the County, in conformity to the a
bly of March 30, 1791. Read three times in Court."
Subsequent appointments by the court were as fol-
lows :
1792, John Pearson, Abraham Pennell, and Richard Flower ; 1793, Ben-
jamin Brannon, Thomas Newlin, Abraham Sharpless; 1795, Samuel
Price, Esq., John Horn, and Caleb Pierce; 1796, John Crosby, Esq.,
Elisba Price, Esq., and William Martin ; 1797, John Crosby, Esq., Wil-
liam Martin, E-<q., Thomas Newlin, Esq.; Nov. 26, 1798,"The Court
nominate John Crosby Esq. and Thomas Newlin, Esq. be continued
and adds Richard Flower in the room of William Martin, the other
Auditor, deceased ;" 1799, Edward Hun ter, Esq., William Trimble, and
Nicholas Newlin; 1800, Abraham Pennell, Joseph Shallcross. John
Talbot; 1801-2, Nathaniel Newlin, Esq., Joseph Pennell, Jacob Gib-
bons; 1803, Benjamin W. Oakford, Moses Palmer, Pierce Crosby;
1804, William Anderson, Thomas Smith, Frederick Fairlamb; 1805,
Abraham Sharpless, Richard P. Lloyd, John Thomson ; 1806, Moses
Palmer, Benjamin W. Oakford, Dr. Jonas Preston ; 1807, Dr. Jonas
Preston, Moses Palmer, Pierce Crosby ; 1808, William Pennock, Moses
Palmer, Pierce Crosby ; 1809, Moses Palmer, Edward Hunter, Mas-
kill Ewing: 1819, Moses Palmer.
In 1821 the ofiice became elective.
1823, William Bishop, Enoch Abraham, Samuel Hewes; 1824, Cyrus
Mendenhall; 1826, Joseph Gibbons; 1826, Enos Sharpless; 1827,
Henry Moore; 1828, Abner Lewis; 1829, Daniel Abraham; 1830,
Benjamin Serrill; 1831, John D. White; 1832, James McMullin;
1833, Alexander McKeever ; 1834, Joseph Gibson, William S. Flower
(in room of James McMullin) ; 1835, William Eyre; 1836, H. Jones
Brooks; 1837, Caleb J. Hoopes; 1838, Casper W. Sharpless; 1839,
George Smedley ; 1840, Joel Evans ; 1841, William J. Wilcox ; 1842,
Minshall Painter ; 1843, Jesse Brooke, Jr. ; 1844, Robert E. Hannum ;
1845, Jonathan Miller ; 1846, John Sellers, Jr. ; 1847, Frederick Fair-
lamb; 1848, Jacob Parry; 1S49, Randle Bishop; 1850, William Eyre;
1851 , Lewis Miller; 1852, Randle Bishop, William Eyre, Lewis Miller;
1853, William Ogden; 1854, Abraham P.Morgan; 1855, Walter T.
Hoopes; 1856, J. Lewis Garrett; 1857, William D. Pennell; 1858,
; 1859-60, Robert E. Hannum, John D. White, Jacob
Smedley; 1861, James H. Ogden; 1862, J. H. Omensetter; 1863,
272
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
James Clowd ; 1864, Walter Y. Hoopes; 1866, Samuel Diitton ; 1866,
Joseph Walter; 1867, same auditor; 1868, I. Hunter Moore; 1869,
Curtis Cheyney ; 1870, George Broomall ; 1871, Eber Lewis, Jr. ; 1872,
Daniel James; 187;i, Charles P. Walter; 1874, Pearson Pike; 1875,
Charles H. Cheyney; 1876 (under Constitution of 1874), William J.
Smith, Jared Darlington, Jacoh Boon; 1871), Jared Darlington,
Thomas Coulter, Joseph Pratt; 1882, Jared Darlington, William S.
Sykes, J. Lewis Garrett.
Members of Congress. — In 1789 the members of
Congress from Pennsylvania were elected on a general
ticket, which ran throughout the commonwealth.
The Apportionment Act of 1791 first gave Congres-
sional districts, and by it Philadelphia and Delaware
County became the First District, and was entitled to
one member. In that year Thomas Fitzsimmons, of
Philadelphia, was elected, and served until 1793. In
the mean time, dissatisfaction had been created be-
cause of the manner in which the State had been dis-
tricted, and the law was repealed, and again, in 1793,
the members from our State were elected on a general
ticket. In 1795 an Apportionment Act was passed
which met general approval, and John Richards, of
Philadelphia, represented our people, and in 1797
and 1801, Richard Thomas, of the same place, was
the member of the House of Representatives from
this district. In 1801, Joseph Hemphill, from Dela-
ware County, was Congressman.
By the Apportionment Act of 1802 the city and
county of Philadelphia and the county of Delaware
became the First Congressional District, and was en-
titled to three representatives, of which number Del-
aware County furnished : Jacob Richards, 1803-9 ;
William Anderson, 1809-15.
The Apportionment Act of 1812 constituted the
same territory as the First District, with four repre-
sentatives. As will be noticed, Maj. Anderson was
continued for one term under this act: Thomas
Smith, 1815-17; William Anderson, 1817-19; Sam-
uel Edwards, 1819-27.
By the Apportionment Act of 1822, Chester, Dela-
ware, and Lancaster Counties were made the Fourth
Congressional District, entitled to three members,
and twice under its provision Mr. Edwards, was our
representative: Dr. Samuel Anderson, 1827-29;
George Grey Leiper, 1829-31.
In 1830, during the Anti-Masonic excitement, seven
candidates were named by the opposing factions and
presented to the people. Three Delaware County
gentlemen were nominated, — Archibald J. Dick, Ed-
ward Darlington, and John Edwards,— and all of
tbem defeated. The district during the years 1831 to
1833 was represented by Joshua Evans and David
Potts, Jr., of Chester, and William Heistei-, of Lan-
caster County. By the Apportionment Act of 1882
tbe same territory comprised the Fourth Congres-
sional District, and was entitled to the same number
of members: Edward Darlington, 1833-39; John
Edwards, 1839-43.
By the act of 1843, Delaware and Montgomery
Counties comprised the Fifth Congressional District,
and was entitled to one member: Francis James, of
Montgomery, 1843^5 ; Jacob S. Yost, 1845-47 ; John
Friedley, 1848-51.
In 1848 Montgomery County conceded the repre-
sentative to Delaware County, and John K. Zeilin
was nominated by the convention in the latter county.
The Democrats had nominated Samuel M. Leiper,
whose election over Zeilin was not doubted ; hence a
convention of the Whigs was called at the Black
Horse, and Zeilin was requested and unwillingly
compelled to resign the nomination in favor of Fried-
ley : John McNair, Montgomery, 1851-53.
The Apportionment Act of 1852 made Delaware
and Chester Counties the Sixth Congressional Dis-
trict, with one member: William Everhart, Chester
County, 1853-55; John Hickman, Chester County,
1855-63.
The apportionment of 1862 made the same territory
the Seventh District: J. M. Broomall, Delaware
County, 1863-69; W. Townsend, Chester County,
1869-77.
The act of 1873 made the same counties the Sixth
District: William Ward, Delaware County, 1877-84;
J. B. Everhart, Chester County, 1883.
The dates given herein are the times of service, and
not the dates of election.
1682.— John Simcock, Thomas Brasey, Ealph Withers, Thomas Usher.
1083.— John Hoskins, Robert Wade, George Wood, John Blunsten,
Dennis Rockford, Thomas Bracy, John Bezar, John Harding, Jo-
seph Phipps.
1684. — Joshua Hastings, Robert Wade, John Blunsten, George Maris,
Thomas Usher, Henry Haddock.
168.1.— John Blunsten, George Maris, John Harding, Thomas Usher,
Francis Stanfield, Joshua Fearne.
1686.— Robert Wade, John Blunsten, George Maris, Bartholomew Cop-
pock, Caleb Pusey, Samuel Levis.
1687.— John Blunsten, George Maris, Bartholomew Coppock, Caleb
Pusey, Edward Bezar, Randal Vernon.
1688.- John Blunsten, James Sandelands, George Maris, Robert Pile,
Edward Carter, Thomas Cobourn.
1089 -James Sandelands, Samuel Levis, John Bai tram, Robert Pile,
Jonathan Hayes,
1690— John Briston, William Jenkins, Robert Pile, Joshua Fearne,
George Maris, Caleb Pusey.
1691. — Record wanting.
1692. — Philip Roman, George Maris, Bartholomew Coppock, Robert
Pile, Caleb Pusey, Thomas Withers.
1693.— John Simcock, George Maris, David Lloyd.
1694.— David Lloyd (Speaker), Caleb Pusey, Samuel Levis.
1695 —John Blunsten, Bartholomew Coppock, William Jenkins, Robert
Pile, Walter Fawcet, Philip Roman.
1606.— John Simcock (Speaker). John Blunsten, Caleb Pusey.
1697.— John Blunsten (Speaker), Bartholomew Coppock, Thomas Worth,
Jonathan Hayes.
1698. — Caleb Pusey, Samuel Levis, Nathaniel Newlin, Robert Carter.
1699.— John Blunsten (Speaker), Robert Pile, John Worrilow, Robert
1700.— John Blunsten (Speaker), Robert Pile, Richard Ormee, John
Hood, Samuel Levis, Henry Levis.
1701.— Joseph Baker, Samuel Levis, Nathaniel Newlin, Nicholas Pile.
17(12.— John Blunsten, Robert Pile, Nathaniel Newlin, Andrew Job.
1703.— Nicholas Pile, John Bennet, Andrew Job, David Lewis, Nathaniel
Newlin, Joseph Baker, Robert Carter, Joseph Wood.
1704.— Nicholas Pile, John Bennet, Nicholas Fairlamb, Joseph Coboum,
John Hood, Richard Hayes, Joseph Wood, Isaac Taylor.
CIVIL LISTS.
1705.— Nicholas Pile, John Bennet, John Hood, Joseph Wood, Isaac
Taylor.
1Y06.— Samuel Levis, Richard Hayes, Francis Chadds, Joseph Baker,
Evan Lewis, John Hood, George Pearce, William Garrett.
1707.— Francis Chadds. William Smith, Samuel Levis, Richard Hayes,
John Hood, William Garrett, John Bethel. I
1708.— Daniel Williamson, Samuel Levis, Richard Hayes, John Hood, ■
Thomas Pearson, William Bartram, Daniel Hoops.
1709.— Samuel Levis, John Maris, John Hood, Henry Lewis, Daniel
Williamson, Daniel Hoops, Richard Hayes, William Smith.
1710.— Nicholas Pile, Joseph Baker, William Lewis. John Wood, Na-
thaniel Newlin, Ephraim Jackson, Caleb Pusey, Isaac Taylor.
1711.— Francis Yarnall, John Bezer, Caleb Pusey, Nicholas Pile, Na-
thaniel Newlin, Joseph Baker, Nicholas Fairlamb, David Llewellyn.
1712.- Caleb Pusey, David Lloyd, William Davis, Nicholas Fairlamb,
Joseph Wood, George Harlan, Isaac Taylor, John Maris.
1713.— David Lloyd, William Davis, Joseph Baker, Nathaniel Newlin,
Nicholas Fairlamb, Richard Hayes, William Brinton, John Blun-
1714.— David Lloyd, Nathaniel Newlin, Nicholas Pile, Evan Lewis, John
Miller, Benjamin Meudenhall, Samuel Garrett, Richard Maris.
1715.— David Lloyd, Henry Hayes, Samuel Garrett, Henry Lewis, Wil- I
Ham Pile, Edward Beazer, Philip Taylor, David Lewis. j
1716. — David Lloyd, John Blunston, Henry Hayes, Joseph Pennock,
David Harry, John Maris, John Worrell, Henry Oburn.
1717.— David Lloyd, Nathaniel Newlin, Richard Hayes, Samuel Garrett,
James Gibbons, John Wood, George Maris, Henry Miller.
1718.— David Lloyd, Richard Hayes, Nathaniel Newlin, John Wright,
James Gibbons, Uenry Lewis, Henry Oburn.
1719. — Isaac T«ylor, Joseph Pennock, Moses Key, John Bezer, Nathaniel
Newlin, John Maris, James Gibbons, Evan Lewis.
1720.— Joseph Pennock, Samuel Levis, Israel Taylor, John Maris, Ralph
Pile, Daniel Williamson, David Lewis.
1721.— Samuel Levis, Jr., William Pile, Daniel Williamson, Isaac Taylor,
David Lewis, Henry Oburn, Nathaniel Newlin, Israel Taylor.
1722.— Samuel Levis, Jr., Joseph Pennock, David Levis, William Pile,
Daniel Williamson, Israel Taylor, Nathaniel Newlin, Isaac Taylor.
1723.— Moses Key, Joseph Pennock, William Webb, Thomas Chandler,
David Lloyd (Speaker), John Crosby, Samuel Lewis, Jr., Samuel
Nutt.
1724.— Moses Key, Joseph Pennock, William Pile, Thomas Chandler,
Elisha Gatchell, John Parry, John Crosby.
1725.— Thomas Chandler, David Lloyd (Speaker), William Webb, John
Wright, Samuel Hollingsworth, William Pusey, George Ascheton,
William Paschall.
1726.— David Lloyd (Speaker), Samuel Nutt, Samuel Hollingsworth,
John Wright, Richard Hayes, Joseph Pennock, Thomas Chandler,
William Pusey.
1727.— John Parry, Samuel Hollingsworth, David Lloyd, Thomas Chan-
dler, John Carter, Daniel Williamson, Simon Meredith, William
Webb.
1728.— Thomas Chandler, David Lloyd, Samuel Hollingsworth, John
Parry, William Webb, Philip Taylor, John Carter, Henry Hayes.
1729.— Caleb Cuwpland, Richard Hayes, Joseph Brinton, Thomas Chan-
dler, Samuel Gilpin. James James, Joseph Pennock.
1730.— Henry Pierce, John Taylor, Samuel Levis, John Parry, Thomas
Chandler, Samuel Gilpin, William Webb, Henry Hayes.
1731. — Joseph Harvey, John Parry, Samuel Levis, Caleb Cowplaud,
John Taylor, Joseph Brinton, Henry Pierce, Evan Lewis.
1732.— Coleb Cowpland, Joseph Harvey, Joseph Brinton, Thomas
Thomas, William Webb, Joseph Pennock, John Davis, William
1733. — Caleb Cowpland, Joseph Harvey, Joseph Pennock, Joseph Brin-
ton, John Davis, Thomas Thomas, Johu Owen, William Moore.
1734.— Joseph Harvey, Joseph Brinton, Caleb Cowpland, John Evans,
William Webb, William Moore, John Owen, Joseph Pennock.
1735.— Joseph Harvey, William Moore, Joseph Pennock, Caleb Cowp-
land, John Evans, John Parry, Joseph Brinton, Thomas Cum-
1736.— Joseph Harvey, Thomas Cummings, John Evans, Caleb Cowp-
land, William Webb, William Moure, Thomas Chandler, John
1737.— Thomas Chandler, John Harvey, John Evans, Tliomna Cum-
mings, William Moore, James Gibbons, William Hughs, Richard
1739.— Jamea Gibbons, Thomas Chandler, Joseph Harvey, William
Hnghs, Jeremiah Starr, William Moore, Samuel Levis, John
1740 —Thomas Chandler, Joseph Harvey, James Gibbons, William
Hughs, Samuel Levis, John Owen, Jeremiah Starr, Thomas Tatnall.
1741.— Same as 1740.
1742.— Same as 1740.
1743.— Jeremiah Starr, James Gibbons, Thomas Chandler, Joseph Har-
vey, Joseph Pennock, Samuel Levis, George Ashbridge, Jr., Francis
Yarnall.
1744. — George Ashbridge, Francis Yarnall, Joseph Pennock, Samuel
Levis, James Gibbons, Joseph Harvey, Thomas Cummings, Thomas
Chandler.
1745.— Joseph Pennock, Thomas Cummings, George Ashbridge, Francis
Yarnall, Robert Lewis, Joseph Harvey, Samuel Levis, Thomas
Chandler.
1746. — Francis Yarnall, George Ashbridge, Robert Lewis, Thomas Worth,
Samuel Levis, Peter Dicks, Thomas Chandler. John Owen.
1747.— Samuel Levis, Francis Yarnall, George Ashbridge, Thomas
Worth, Peter Dicks, John Owen, John Davis, Thomas Chandler.
1748.— Thomas Worth, George Ashbridge, Francis Yarnall, John Davis,
John Owen, Joseph James, Thomas Chandler, Joseph Gibbons.
1749. — Joseph Gibbons, George A^hbridge, Henry Hockley, Thomaa
Chandler, Nathaniel Grubb, Nathaniel Pennock, Roger Hunt,
Thomas Cummings.
1750. — Same members as 1749.
1751. — Joseph Gibbons, Thomas Cummings, George Ashbridge, Nathan-
iel Grubb, Peter Dicks, Nathaniel Pennock, Henry Hockley, Thomas
Chandler.
1752.— Joseph Gibbons, Thomas Cummings, Nathaniel Grubb, William
Peters, Jacob Howell.
1753. — Thomas Cummings, Nathaniel Pennock, George Ashbridge, Jo-
seph Gibbens, Nathaniel Grubb, Peter Dicks, William Peters, Joseph
1754.— Members of 1753 re-elected.
1755.— Same members re-elected.
1756.— Joseph Gibbons, Peter Dicks, John Molten, Roger Hunt, George
Ashbridge, Hugh Trimble. Nathaniel Pennock, Nathaniel Grubb.
1757.— Joseph Gibbons, George .Vshbridge, John Morton, Roger Hunt,
Isaac Wayne, Nathaniel Grubb, Hugh Trimble, Joshua Ash.
1758.— The members of 1757 re-elected.
1759 —Johu Morton, George Ashbridge, Joshua Ash, Joseph Gibbons,
Hugh Trimble, Roger Hunt. Peter Dicks. Isaac Wayne.
1760.— George Ashbridge, John Morton, Roger Hunt, Joshua Ash, Jo-
seph Gibbons, Nathaniel Pennock, Isaac Wayne, William Boyd.
1761.— George Ashbridge, Joseph Gibbons, Nathaniel Pennock, Joshua
Ash, Isaac Pearson, John Morton, Isaac Wayne, Roger Hunt.
1762.— George Ashbridge, Nathaniel Pennock, Joshua Ash, Isaac Pear-
son, John Morton, Isaac Wayne, Joseph Gibbons, John Jacobs.
1763.— George Ashbridge, Joshua Ash, Isaac -Pearson, John Morton,
Isaac Wayne, Joseph Gibbons. John Jacobs.
1764. — George Ashbridge, John Morton, Nathaniel Pennock, Joshua
Ash, Isaac Pearson, Charles Humphreys, John Jacobs, Johu Fair-
1765.— Same members re-elected.
1766.- John Morton, George Ashbridge, Nathaniel Pennock, John
Jacobs, Charles Humphreys, Isaac Pearson, Joshua Asli, John Min-
sball.
1767. — Isaac Pearson, Charles Humphreys, John Sellers, George Ash-
bridge, John Minshall, Jonas Preston, John Jacobs, John Sellers,
Nathaniel Pennock.
1768.— John Jacobs, Nathaniel Pennock, George Ashbridge, Charles
Humphreys, John Sellers, John Miushall, Isaac Pearson, John
1769.— George Ashbridge, Charles Humphreys, Isaac Pearson, John Sel-
lers, Johu Jacobs, John Minshall, John Crosby, John Morton.
1770.— Same members re-elected.
1771.— Same members re-elected.
1772.— Charles Humphreys, Isaac Pearson, John Morton, John Jacobs,
John Minshall, James Hockley, George Ashbridge, Benjamin Bar-
tholomew.
1773.— Isaac Pearson, Benjamin Bartholomew, John Jacobs, Charles
Humphreys, John Morton, James Gibbons, John Minshall, Joseph
Pennock.
1774. — Benjamin Bartholomew, John Jacobs, Charles Humphreys, John
Morton, James Gibbons, Joseph Pennock, Isaac Pearson, Anthony
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1775. — Same members, except Joseph Pyle was elected in the place of
Anthony Wayne.
1776.— John Jacobs, Caleb Davis, Joseph Gardiner, John Fnlton, Samuel
Cunningham, John Sellers.
1777. — Joseph Gardiner, John Fulton, Samuel Cunningham, John Cul-
bertson, Stephen Cochran, Lewis Grouow.
1778. — John Fulton, Joseph Gardiner, Patrick Anderson, John Cnlbert-
Bon, Stephen Cochran, John Fleming.
1779.— David Thomas, Henry Hayes, John Fulton, James Boyd, Patrick
Anderson, Joseph Parke, William Harris, Sketchley Morton.
1780.— David Thomae, Henry Hayes, William Harris, Joseph Parke,
James Boyd, Patrick Anderson, John Culbertson, Evau Evans.
1781.— Persifor Frazer, John Culbertson, Thomas Maffat, Evan Evans,
John Hannum, James Moore, Patrick Anderson, John Lindsay.
1782.— Persifor Frazer, Thomas Strawbridge, David Thomas, Benja-
min Brannan, John Lindsay, Thomas Maffat, James Boyd, Evan
1783.— David Thomas, Evan Evans, John Hannum, Joseph Parke, Rich-
ard Willing, Thomas Potts, Thomas Bull, Edward Jones.
1784.— Richard Willing. Anthony Wayne, Edward Jones, Robert Ral-
ston, James Moore, Joseph Strawbridge, Persifor Frazer, Thomas
Potts, Charles Humphreys.
1785. — Anthony Wayne, Robert Ralston, James Moore, Thomas Bull,
John Hannum, Robert Smith, Samuel Evans, Jonathan Morris.
1780.— James Moore, Richard Willing, Robert Ralston, Samuel Evans,
Richard Thomas, Towusend Wheelen.
1787. — Same members re-elected.
1788. — Richard Thomas, James Moore, Mark Willcox, John McDowell,
Caleb James, Richard Downing, Jr.
la a Dish-ict mth Philadelphu
1790.— John Sellers.
1794-99.— Nathaniel Newlin.
1800.— John Pearson.
1804.— William Pennell.
; Cheater County {for four years).
In a District i
1808.— Jonas Preston.
1812.— John Newbold.
1816.- Maskell Bwing.
1824-28.— John Kerlin.
1832.— Dr. George Smith.
In a District with Chester and Montgomery Counties.
1836.— Henry Myers (for four years).
1839.— John T. Huddleson (for three years).
In a District luith Cheater County {for three years).
1848.— H. Jonas Brooke.
1854. — James J. Lewis.
I860.— Jacob S. Serrill.
Prom Chester and Delaware Counties.
1865.— Dr. Wilmer Worthington (from Chester County).
1869. — H. Jonas Brooke.
1873.— William B. Waddell (from Chester County).
1874-84.— Thomas V. Cooper.
1790-91.— Hugh Lloyd, Richard Riley.
1791-92.- Nathaniel Newlin, Hugh Lloyd.
1792-93.— Joseph Gibbons, William West.
1793-94.— Nathaniel Newlin, William West.
1794-97.— Jonas Preston, William West.
1797-1801. — Jonas Preston, Moses Palmer.
1801-2.— Benjamin H. Smith, Jonas Preston.
1802-3.— Benjamin H. Smith, Isaac G. Gilpin.
1803-4.— William Pennell, Benjamin H. Smith.
1804-8.— William Pennell, William Trimble.
1808-9.— Thomas Smith, William Trimble.
1809-12.— Thomas Smith, William Pennock.
1812-14.— William Cheyuey, John Thompson.
1814-15.— Samuel Edwards, William Cheyney.
1815-10.— Samuel Anderson, Samuel Edwards.
1816-18.— Samuel Anderson, William Cheyney.
1818-19.— William Cheyuey, John Kerlin.
1819-20.— John Kerlin, Thomas Robinson.
1820-21.— George G. Leiper, Abner Lewis.
1821-22.— John Lewis, William Cheyney.
1822-23.— Samuel Anderson.
1823-25.- Abner Lewis.
1825-26.— Samuel Anderson.
1826-27.— Joseph Engle.
1827-28.— William Martin.
1828-29.— Edward Siter.
1829-30.— Samuel Anderson.
1830-31.— John Lindsay.
1831-35.— Samuel Anderson.
1835-36.— William Mendenball.
1836-37— John Hinkson.
1837-39.— John K. Zeilin.
1840^2.— Joshua P. Eyre.
1842^4.— H. Jonas Brooke.
1844-40.— John Larkin, Jr.
1846-48.— Sketchley Mortou.
1848-50.— James J. Lewis.
1850-52.— John M. Broomall.
1852-54.— Jonathan P. Abraham.
1864.— Thomas H. Maddock.
1855.— Charl
, Mauley.
1866.— Hiram Cleaver.
1867.— Thomas D. Powell.
1868-59.— William D. Pennell.
I860.— Chalkley Harvey.
1861-62.— William Gamble.
1863.— Chalkley Harvey.
1864.— Edward A. Price.
1865-66.— Elwood Tyson.
1867.— John H. Barton.
1868-09. — Augustus B. Leedom.
1870.— Thomas V. Cooper.
1871.— Tryon Lewis.
1872.— Thomas V. Cooper.
1873.- Orson Flagg Bollard.
1874-76.— William Cooper Talley.
1875-70.- William Worrall.
1877-78.-0. F. BuUard.
1877-80.— Y. S. Walter.
1879-81.— Nathan Garrett (elected to fill Bullard's
1881-84.— Robert Chadwick.
1882-84.— William G. Powell.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE TOWNSHIP OF TINICUM.
The island of Tinicum, now comprising the town-
ship of the same name, is located in the Delaware
River, about two miles from the eastern limit of the
city of Chester. At the southwestern end of the island
is the mouth of Darby Creek, and, proceeding towards
the source of that stream eastwardly two miles and a
half, a sinuous estuary, termed Bow Creek, unites with
Darby Creek, when from the place of this union the
latter changes its course in a northwardly direction,
while Bow Creek flowing eastwardly enters the Dela-
ware about three and a half miles fiom the mouth of
Darby Creek ; thus forming the island of Big Tinicum,
as it is frequently called to distinguish it from the
^ Nathan Garrett died in ofiQce, and Isaac P. Garrett elected to fill un-
THE TOWNSHIP OF TINICUM.
275
low, narrow, marshy strip of land lying nearly in
the middle of the river, extending almost the entire
length of Tinicum Island proper, which is known as
Little Tinicum Island. At its broadest part Tinicum
is about a mile and a half in width, and its circum-
ference is in the neighborhood of nine miles. It
contains two thousand seven hundred and fifty acres,
two thousand of which are marsh or meadow land, the
average level of the ground being four feet below high
water-mark. Originally Big Tinicum Island consisted
of but five hundred acres, the remainder of the land
having been reclaimed from the water by the con-
struction of banks or dikes.
From a description of Tinicum in 1679-80 we learn
that then it was about two miles long, or a " little more
than a mile and a half wide. . . . The southwest point,
which only has been and is still cultivated, is barren,
scraggy, and sandy, growing plenty of wild onions, a
weed not easily eradicated. On this point three or four
houses are standing, built by the Swedes, a little Luth-
eran Church made of logs, and the remains of the large
block-house, which served them in place of a fortress,
and the ruins of some log huts. This is the whole of
the manor. The best and pleasantest quality it has is
the prospect, which is very agreeable." ' The Indian
name of this island was Tanakon, Tutacaenung, and
Teniko, which, after the Swedes settled there, was
changed to Nya Gotheberg,'^ and subsequently termed
by the Dutch the Island of Kattenberg,' while the
English changed the Indian name Tennakong, as it
is more usually written, to Tinicum.
The first settlement of Europeans in Pennsylvania
of which authentic records exist was made on the
island of Tinicum by the Swedish Governor, John
Printz, subsequent to Feb. 15, 1643, in exercising the
discretion reposed in him by the home government as
to the site of his residence. " The convenient situa-
tion of the place," we are told by Acrelius, " suggested
its selection."* Professor Keen declares that "the
encroachments of the neighboring Dutch, and the
recent repairs of their little Fort Nassau, determined
the new Governor to remove to the more commanding
post of Tutseaenugh, or Tinicum."' Certain it is,
that shortly after Printz reached the province he
changed the location of the capital, removing to Tin-
icum, where he erected a " new fort provided with
considerable armament," which he named Nya Gothe-
borg, and also caused to be built a mansion for his
own residence, surrounded by " a fine orchard, a
pleasant house, and other conveniences," to which he
gave the name of Printzhof." At the same place also
" the principal inhabitants had their dwellings and
1 Journal of a Voyage to Now York in 1679-80; Memoirs of the ]
Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 177.
2 Acrelius, " History of New Sweden," p. 69.
3 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. p. 496.
* History of New Sweden, p. 42.
' Penna. Mag. of Hiit., vol. ii. p. 327.
« Campanius, p. 79.
plantations," but at the conclusion of the year 1645
the settlement in that vicinity was small, and the
dwellings few, for Hudde reports that " there are
some plantations which are continued nearly a mile,
but few houses only at considerable distance one from
the other, the farthest is not far from Tinnekonk,
which is an island, and is toward the river side secured
by creeks and underwood."' The fort was simply a
block-house, for Andrias Hudde describing it states
" that it is a pretty strong fort, constructed by laying
very heavy hemlock (greenen) logs the one on the
other."' In less than two years after it was erected
it was totally destroyed by fire. On Nov. 25, 1645,
Swan Wass, a gunner, between ten and eleven o'clock,
set the fort on fire, and in a short time all was burned,
nothing being saved except the dairy." Vincent says
"that the conflagration was occasioned by the neglect
of Swen Wass, who had fallen asleep, and a candle
which he had left burning set fire to the structure."'"
Printz, however, treated the act as a criminal one.
Hence in his report he spoke of Swen Wass as " the
above-mentioned incendiary," and informed the home
government that he had caused the man to be tried,
that he had been convicted and sentenced, and he
had sent him to Sweden, in irons, that the sentence
might be executed." The destruction of the fort was
a severe ordeal for the colonists, for winter had set in
bitterly cold, the river and creeks were frozen, and, as
New Gottenberg was on an island, no one could get
to it; and as Printz reports, " the sharpness of winter
lasted until the middle of March ; so that, if some
rye and corn had not been unthreshed, I myself, and
the people with me on the island, would have starved
to death. But God maintained us with that small
quantity of provisions until the new harvest." Here
also Printz had " a commodious church built," a small
log structure, which the Governor reported he had
adorned and decorated " according to our Swedish
fashion, so far as our limited resources and means
would allow," which sanctuary was appropriately
consecrated " for divine services" by Rev. John Cam-
panius, on the 4th of September, 1646. A burial-
place was also laid out, and Campanius records that
" the first corpse that was buried there was that of
Catherine, the daughter of Andrew Hanson. She
was buried on the 28th of October, in the said year,
being the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude.""
As with all European colonists, the impression pre-
vailed among the Swedes that precious metals would
be found in the New World. Hence, in his report for
1647, Governor Printz says, " Mines of silver and
gold may possibly be discovered, but nobody here
f Penua. Archiv
, 2d series, vol. v. p. 104.
^ Report of Governor Printz for 1647, Mag. of Htsl.^ vol. vii. p. 273.
10 History of Delaware, p. 196; Hazard's Annals, p. 84; Massachu-
setts Historical Collections, vol. vi. (N. S.) p. 434; Winthrop, vol. ii. p.
276
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
has any knowledge about such things.'" The report
was however current that gold existed in large quan-
tities on the eastern shores of the Delaware in the
neighborhood of Trenton. Peter Lindstrom, the Swe-
dish engineer, records that an Indian coming to Tini-
cum, seeing a gold ring on the hand of Governor
Printz's wife, "inquired of her why she wore such a
trifle upon her finger?" The Governor hearing this
asked the American whether he could procure such
stuff for him? If he could, he would give him a
great deal that was good in return. Whereupon the
American answered, " I know where there is a moun-
tain full of this!" On this the Governor took an
armful of red and blue cloth, also lead, powder, look-
ing-glasses, needles, etc., and showing them to him,
said, " See here what I will give you if you will bring
me a piece of that in proof of what you have said ;
but I will send two of my people along with you."
To this he would not agree. He said, " I will first
go and bring you the proof; if that satisfies you, then
there is time enough for you to send some one with
me." Promising the proof, he thereupon received
some pay. A few days thereafter he returned with a
piece as large as two fists, which the aforesaid Gover-
nor tested, and found that it abounded in good gold,
and obtained a considerable quantity from it, from
which he afterwards had gold rings and bracelets
made. He therefore promised the American a much
greater reward if he would show our people, whom he
-would send with him, where that mountain was situ-
ated, which he also promised to do ; but said that he
had not leisure for it at that time, but would come
back again after some days, and then he again received
some presents. After the American came to his coun-
trymen and began to boast before them, they com-
pelled him to tell for what he had received his gifts ;
and when they came to know it they put him to death
so that that place might not become known to us,
supposing that it might bring some mischief upon
them."- Acrelius believed that this statement was
absolutely fictitious, and the representation was made
" to bring to the light unknown regions for the pur-
pose of enticing people over the great sea, and to se-
cure settlers." ^
Arnold De Lagrange, as late as 1680, reported that
there was an iron-mine on Tinicum, but a visitor there
at that date says " that as to there being a mine of
iron ore upon it I have not seen any upon that island
or elsewhere and if it were so, it is of no great im-
portance for such mines are so common in this coun-
try that little account is made of them." *
At Tinicum the first vessel constructed by Euro-
1 Penna. Mag. of BiaL^ vol. vii. p. 272.
2 Acrelius, " HiBtory of New Sweden," p. 66 (oote) ; Gordon's " His-
tory of Pennsylvania," pp. 696-97 (note D) ; Lindstrom's " Manuscript
Journal," in possession of American Philosophical Society, Philadel-
phia.
* Memoirs of Long Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 177.
peans within the present State of Pennsylvania was
built, and in his report for 1647, Governor Printz says,
" I have caused the barge to be fully constructed, so
that the hull is ready and floating on the water; but
the completion of the work must be postponed until
the arrival of a more skilled carpenter, the young men
here declaring they do not know enough to finish it."*
That this vessel was completed we learn from an order
issued by Stuy vesant after the capture of New Sweden
by the Dutch, dated March 26, 1657, in which he
states, respecting the pleasure-boat of the late Gov-
ernor Printz, which " hie is informed" is decaying
and nearly rotten where she then laid, that if Peter
jMeyer would satisfy the attorneys of the late Gov-
ernor Printz, and discharge Stuyvesant from respon-
sibility under the terms of the Swedish capitulation,
he (Meyer) might be permitted to make use of the
boat for transporting letters.''
In the little log sanctuary at Tinicum, until May,
1648, ofliciated Rev. John Campanius, who earnestly
strove to instruct the Indians in the tenets of his
church. To aid him in the endeavor to Christianize
the savages he applied himself to the study of their
language, and mastered it sufficiently to translate the
Lutheran Catechism into the dialect of the Lenni
Lenape family of the great Algonquin tribe. He was
the first person to translate a book into the Indian
tongue, and although his work was not published
until 1696, when it was printed by the royal command
at Stockholm, still he antedated a few years Eliot's
labors to impart instruction to the Indians by trans-
lating the Bible into the Mohegan dialect, although
the latter's work was put to press thirty years before
that of Campanius. The reverend pastor was re-
lieved at the date mentioned by Rev. Lears Carlsson
Lock, who appears to have had, after 1656, the exclu-
sive care for twentj'-two years of religious affairs in
the colony. The Swedes in those early days, we are
told by the late Joseph J. Lewis, in his " History of
Chester County," ' used to attend church at Tinicum,
" to which they came in canoes from New Castle and
other places along the Delaware, both above and
below the island."
On the return of Governor Printz to Sweden, his
daughter, Armegat, yet remained at and occupied
Printzhof at Tinicum, and after the conquest by the
Dutch of New Sweden, notwithstanding the recom-
mendation of Stuyvesant to the directors, in 1656, to
occupy the fort at that place and garrison it, it seems
not to have been done, for in 1680 it was a ruin, and
at that date is mentioned as " the remains of the large
block house." "* Armegat Printz, for she seems to have
clung to her maiden name, was very haughty in her
bearing and oppressive toward the poor in her pride
of station. Inasmuch as the estate on which the little
s Hazard's Annals, p. 231.
6 Pf.tma. Mag. of History, vol. vii. p. 276.
' Pul.lished in 1824 in the Village Record, at West Chester.
8 Memoirs of Long Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 178.
THE TOWNSHIP OF TINICUM.
277
church was built belonged to her father, whose attor-
ney she was, she claimed that structure as part of her
possessions. But the edifice was, nevertheless, used
for religious services, and although she sold the church
to La Grange, with the island, the Swedes still wor-
shiped therein. On May 24, 1673, to show her con-
tempt for the Swedes, she sold the bell after she was
put into possession of the estate in the execution in
the ejectment suit, to which reference will be made.
The receipt given by her on that occasion is interest-
ing, since it relates to the first church-bell we have
record of in our country's history, although long years
before that date mention is made of a bell used by the
courts at New Castle to summon the people together.
The following is the receipt given by her: '
(Copy) " Labs Deo, May 24, 1673.
"I, the undereigiied, Armegat Printz, acknowledges to have trans-
ferred to the congregation of the adherents of the Augsburg Confession
in tliis place, the bell that has been on Tennakong, that they may do
therewith what pleases them, and promise to keep them free from all
claims that are made. Before the undersigned witnesses given as above.
'• Aemeqat Peintz.
The Swedish congregation at Tinicum, Acrelius
tells us, purchased the bell back again before Arme-
gat left the Delaware finally for Europe, paying there-
for two days' labor in harvest-time. The date of her
departure is unknown, but she was at Upland, Ches-
ter, on March 3, 1676,' nearly three years after the
bell was sold. We also know that at a court held at
New Castle by Governor Andross, May 13 and 14,
1675, it was ordered " That church at Tinicon Island
Do serve for Upland & pts adjacent.'" In this little
log church, for many years. Pastor Lock preached to
the Swedish settlers, and when the English conquered
the territory, bringing with them their contempt for
the clergy,* it was evident the change of rulers was
not to his benefit. To be sure, as measured by the
standard of this day, the reverend gentleman seems
to have worn the cloth with little credit to his profes-
sion, but the times were rude, the sports were rude,
and if, as stated, his " great infirmity seems to have
been an over fondness for intoxicating drinks," it was
the general weakness of that age. Finally, as years
crept apace, the old dominie grew infirm, became so
lame that he could not help himself, and was com- i
pelled to suspend active labor in the ministry. Eev. j
Jacob Fabritius, of the Wiccaco Church, could be of :
little use to Tinicum congregation, for while the 1
latter's flock grew. Lock's did not; and as Pastor Fa-
1 Acrelius, " History of New Sweden," p. 86.
- Penna. Sfag. of History, vol. li. p. 467.
'N. T. Colonial Documents, vol. xil. p. 526; Hazard's Annals, p.
britius was blind, and had to be led when he walked
about, the little church on Tinicum languished until,
about the beginning of the eighteenth century, it
cea.sed to be used for religious services. In time it
fell into ruins, and long before the beginning of the
present century had entirely disappeared.
The graveyard mentioned by Campanius has been
eaten away by the washing of the tide. It is related
by Aubrey H. Smith, late United States district at-
torney, of Philadelphia, that his father and the latter's
sister, when children, while walking along the river-
shore at Tinicum, atthe site of the burial-ground, saw
coflBns projecting from the banks where the earth had
been worn away by the water. Printzhof, that noted
mansion of the Swedish Governor, stood until the
summer of 1822 on the high ground of the island, and
" the interior bore evident marks of great antiquity in
its structure," but at the date stated the greater part of
the ancient building was destroyed by fire.^ Dr. Smith
records that " the dilapidated remains of what was
said to be the chimney of this mansion were standing
within the recollection of the author, and up to this
time one of the small foreign-made bricks, of a pale yel-
low color, of which it was partly constructed, may be
occasionally picked up in this vicinity. Its site was a
short distance above the present Tinicum Hotel, and
on the opposite side of the road.^
The administration of the affairs of the province
under Printz must have been exceedingly gratifying
to the crown of Sweden, for in less than nine months
after Governor Printz landed on the Delaware, Queen
Christina, on Nov. 6, 1642, made a grant, " On account
of the long and excellent services which the'lieuten-
ant-colonel and Governor of New Sweden, our very
dear and beloved John Printz, has rendered to us and
to the Crown of Sweden, and also on account of those
which he is daily rendering to us in the government
of the country and which he is engaged to render us
as long as he shall live . . . the place called Teneko or
New Gotteuberg, in New Sweden, to enjoy it, him and
his lawful heirs, as a perpetual possession."' Gov-
ernor Printz, when he came to the colony, was accom-
panied by his wife and daughter, Armgart ; the latter
was subsequently married to Lieutenant John Pappe-
goya, who, on Printz's return to Sweden, near the
close of the year 1653, was left in charge of the gov-
ernment of the colony, and after the coming of John
Rysinge, who superseded him in authority, the latter
remained, for in Rysinge's letter to the ministers of
Sweden, July 11, 1654, he recommended Pappegoya
as a proper person to be appointed schute or sheriff
on the Delaware." At that time the presumption is
Governor Rysinge resided at Tinicum, for on June
!> "Topographical and Medical Sketch of Tinicum Island," by George
F. Lehman, M.D., published in Journal of Medical and Physical SciencCy
Philadelphia, 183.1.
6 History of Delaware County, p. 31.
T Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 776.
8 Hazard's Annals, p. 165.
278
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
17th of that year a council was held by him with the
Indian sachems, at Printz Hall, on which occasion
some of the Indians complained that the Swedes had
brought much evil upon them, for many of the savages
had died since the former came to this country. Naa-
man, one of the chiefs, made a speech, in which he de-
clared the Swedes were a very good people. " Look,"
said he, pointing to the presents, " see what they have
brought us, for which they desire our friendship." So
saying, he stroked himself three times down the arm,
which among the Indians is a token of friendship. '
Afterwards he thanked the Swedes on behalf of his ,
people for the presents they had received, and said
that friendship should be observed more strictly be-
tween them than it had been before ; that the Swedes
and Indians had been in Governor Printz's time as [
one body and one heart (striking his breast as he
spoke) and thenceforward they should be as one head,
in token of which he took hold of his head with both
his hands, and made a motion as if he was tying a
strong knot, and then he made this comparison, that i
as the calabash was round without any crack, so they I
would be a compact body without any fissure, and
that if any one should attempt to do any harm to the
Indians, the Swedes should immediately inform them j
of it; and, on the other hand, the Indians would give
immediate notice to the Christians of any plot against
them, even if it were in the middle of the night." Sev-
eral savages, after they had been presented with brandy
and wine, followed with similar remarks, and advised
the Swedes to settle at Passyunk, where the Indians
were numerous, and where, if any of the latter at-
tempted' to do the Swedes mischief, they could be
punished. Finally, they desired to confirm the title
to the land which the Swedes had already purchased
from them. This being done, " there were set upon
the floor in the great hall, two large kettles and many
other vessels filled with sappaun, which is a kind of
hasty pudding, made of maize and Indian corn. The |
sachems sat by themselves ; the other Indians all fed ;
heartily and were satisfied. . . . The treaty of friend- [
ship which was then made between the Swedes and j
the Indians has ever since been faithfully observed j
on both sides." ' |
Lieut. John Pappegoya is generally believed to I
have returned to Sweden shortly after the arrival of
Rysinge, an impression evidently founded on the
statement of Acrelius, that "the Vice-Governor,
John Pappegoya, had determined to take his de-
parture from the country, and the government was
therefore handed over to the said commissary, John
Risinge." ^ The latter reached New Sweden, JVIay 23,
1654, and yet on March 30, 1656, John Pappegoya was
still in New Sweden, for on the date given he an-
nounced to Governor Stuyvesant the arrival there of
a Swedish ship, the " Mercury," and that the Dutch
authorities on the Delaware had refused permission
1 Campan
, pp. 76-78.
2 History of New Swedei
to the crew and passengers to land.' This is the last
mentioned of John Pappegoya, and inasmuch as it
proves that he did not return directly to Sweden after
the arrival of Rysinge, as is stated by Acrelius, it is
very likely that he never did return to Europe, but
died in the province.
After New Sweden had been conquered by the arms
of Stuyvesant, in September, 1655, Governor Rysinge
states that the Dutch forces " at New Gottenberg
robbed Mr. Pappegoya's wife of all she had, with
many others, who had collected their property to-
gether there." * About twelve months after the con-
quest of the province, " Armgard Papigaay," as the
Dutch record the name (the document, however, is
signed "Armgard Prints"), petitioned that letters
patent should be issued to her for her father's land
at Printzdorp (Chester) and at "Tinnakunk" (Tini-
cum Island). Stuyvesant and his Council, in re-
sponse, accorded her permission, pursuant to the
terms of capitulation, " to take possession and culti-
vate the lands of her Lord and Father at Printzdorp."*
Nothing was said as to Tinicum, but Armgart Pappe-
goya continued to occupy the lands there, and we
learn, from a letter from Vice-Director William Beek-
man, dated May 12, 1660, that "Miss Printz requests
that she may deliver here, for her taxes, a fat ox, fat
pigs, and bread corn." Doubtless when Governor
Stuyvesant was at Tinicum, on May 8, 1658, where he
had a conference with the Swedish magistrates, he
lodged at Printz Hall, for we know that at that time
the block-house there was no longer occupied by the
armed forces of the government. In the summer of
1657 the Dutch authorities sought to prevail upon the
Swedish inhabitants on the river to gather themselves
together in villages, and in 1660 the matter was pressed
earnestly by the vice-director, under instructions from
Stuyvesant, but we learn from Beekman's official cor-
respondence that the resolute daughter of the former
Swedish Governor resisted the order, stating that she
could not remove " on account of her heavy buildings,
also because the church stands there," and stating, as
an additional reason, that although she had offered
her lands "rent free, but nobody as yet shows inclina-
tion to live with her.""
If, as it appears, no one was inclined to live with
her, there was one person at least who desired to be-
come the owner of her possession at Tinicum Island.
Joost De La Grange, on May 29, 1662, purchased
from her as the agent of her father, John Printz,
then in Sweden, the estate, "together with the house-
ing and stock thereupon, for the sum of six thousand
guilders, Holland money," one-half to be paid in
cash, two thousand when she reached Holland, and
the remaining thousand in one year thereafter.
De La Grange immediately entered into possession
I Hazard's Annals, p. 212.
THE TOWNSHIP OF TINICUM.
279
of the estate, and Mrs. Pappegoya sailed for Europe,
arriving at Holland on the 31st of July of that year.^
The bill of exchange being presented and payment
refused, it was protested, and the energetic woman
must have taken passage for the colony in the first
vessel sailing thence for the New World, since, in No-
vember following, she had obtained judgment against
La Grange, from which final decree the defendant
entered an appeal. On November 21st Beekman
wrote that he had gone "to Tinneconk at request
of Huygens and used every exertion to settle differ-
ences respecting the protested bill of exchange, but
did not succeed."' Governor John Printz had died
in 1663, and a fresh difficulty was thrown in the way
of Armgart Pappegoya's collecting the money, for
her three sisters in Sweden objected to the payment
of the three thousand guilders still due from the pur-
chaser until a new power of attorney had been exe-
cuted by them. Armgart, in the mean while, erected
a house at Printzdorp (the estate at Upland after-
wards sold to Robert Wade), " who had her dwelling
here when she left Tinekonk,"' and it seems that she
was in very indigent circumstances, for on Aug. 13,
1672, in her petition to Governor Lovelace, she stated
she lived alone and had only one servant-man, who
she asked might be excused from " Traynings in the
Company in wch he is Inlisted, & also give her Ly-
cence to Distill in her own Distilling Kettle some
small Quantitys of Liquors for her own use & her
servts & laborers as before mencon'd."* To add to
her discomfiture in prosecuting her suit, Joost De La
Grange, several years before, went to Holland to col-
lect the money due him there, so that he might dis-
charge the remainder of the purchase-money, but on
the voyage he became ill and died,^ leaving a widow,
Margaret, and a minor son surviving him. The widow
remained in possession of the premises for several
years. In the mean while the English had conquered
the territory, and accompanying their forces to the
Delaware was Andrew Carr, who subsequently mar-
ried the widow La Grange. Apparently to forestall
any action Mrs. Pappegoya might take to secure pos-
session, on Oct. 1, 1669, Governor Lovelace was in-
duced to issue a patent to "Andrew Carr & Margaret
his wife, formerly the wife of Joost De La Grange,
deceased, to confirm to them a certain Island in Del-
aware river called by the name of Matiniconck, con-
taining by estimation three hundred acres more or less,
the said Island lying about 6 Dutch miles up the river
from the town of Newcastle, bounded on the North-
west with the Mill Kill, on the South by the river &
on the North, East or North & East with Bow Kill."«
Penna. Archives, 2.] series, Tol. vii. p. 799.
Hazard's Annals, p. 342.
I Memoirs of Long Island Historical Society,
* Memoirs of Long Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 179.
5 Smith's " History of Delaware County," Appendix C, p. 520.
After this patent was granted Andrew Carr and his
wife resided at Tinicum for some time without any
proceeding being instituted against them, wheu Mar-
I garet Carr, having fallen heir to an estate in Holland,
Andrew, his wife, and her young son by the former
! marriage went to Europe to look after the inherit-
ance, leaving Capt. John Carr, as their attorney, in
charge of the Tinicum property. Within a short
time after the departure of Andrew Carr's family
Armgart Pappegoya brought suit for the recovery of
the island, summoned Capt. John Carr before a spe-
cial court held at New Castle by Governor Lovelace,
I and there, by consent, it was removed to the General
Court of Assizes, held at New York, in October, 1671.
i The case began on Wednesday afternoon, the 12th,
and continued until Friday afternoon, the 14th, when,
I on the verdict of the jury, judgment was entered for
I the plaintiff, with costs and charges.' On Jan. 27,
1672, the Governor and Council, after having con-
I suited with the bench as to the amount "of interest
and forbearance of the principal Debt" (three thou-
sand guilders), allowed fifty-five pounds for such in-
terest, leaving the other charges to be determined by
law, and appointed Peter Alrieks, Capt. Edmund
Cantwell, William Tom, and Capt. Walter Wharton
to appraise and value the island of Tinicum, and the
I goods, chattels, or estates of the defendants. On
Feb. 20, 1672, an execution was issued to Sheriff
j Cantwell, directing hira " to put the said Jeuffro
[ Prince into possession of the said Island and the
j Stock thereupon wch if it shall not prove sufiScient to
satisfy the said Debt you are to Secure and Levy the
rest in the hands of whom you can find any of the
Estate of the said Andrew Carr & Priscilla his wife
whether in the hands of Capt. John Carr their attor-
ney or any other, and if any part of the said Estate
hath been disposed of since the beginning of this
Process the parties who have done the same are to
make it good out of their own estate." *
The execution seems to have been carried only
partially into effect. The following year the Dutch
again acquired possession of the province, and during
the latter's rule over the colony the proceedings were
held in abeyance. However, after the English au-
thority was again restored. Governor Andross, on
Jan. 12, 1675, issued a warrant to Sheriff Cantwell,
setting forth that inasmuch as the former execution
had not been " fully effected Att the request of the
said Jeuffre Armigart Prince als Pappeay, That the
former Execution may be renewed," he was directed
to proceed according to the judgment.' The second
execution was fully enforced, and the same year, on
March 22d, Jeffro Armgart Printz, alias Pappegoya,
sold the island to Otto Earnest Cock " for fifteen
hundred guilders in zeeivaut, as it (the estate) was
Hazard's Annals, pp. 400-1.
, vol. Ti. pp. 626-28.
280
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
very much decayed and worn out," ' the deed " re-
serving ye churchyard as it now stands fenced in
with ye said church, with free liberty to the inhabit-
ants in general to repair thither to their devotions or
burials."'^ Armgart also gave a power of attorney to
the purchaser to receive possession of the estate from
the sheriff.
In 1678, Arnold De La Grange, the son and heir,
who had gone abroad, being now of age, came to the
province, and went to Tinicum Island, claiming its
possession. Otto Earnest Cock replied that he knew
nothing of the matter; and if he, De La Grange, had
any lawful claim, he ought to apply to the court, not
to him, for his title was founded on its judgment;
but if he wished to purchase it, he coiild have it for
three hundred pounds sterling, or at an agreed-upon
price. The young man thereupon became angry, and
threatened to appeal to London. " That you can do,"
said Cock, " if you have money enough. All this
affects me not since I have bought and paid for it
and have been put in possession of it by the Court."'
In the same year, 1678, Arnold De La Grange, in a
lengthy petition to Governor Andross, set out the story
of the sale to his father ; the suit which was insti-
tuted against John Carr during his stepfather's ab-
sence beyond the seas, pleading the misnomer of Per-
cilla for Margaret in the title of the suit, and that the
judgment was defective because it was rendered
against a man beyond seas, against a feinme coreri,
and affected the vested right of a minor who was not
represented in the suit in any wise. Concluding, he
asked that the Governor and Council " will please to
direct some way for his relief," either by a hearing in
equity or an order requiring Cock to refund the sum
paid by his father.* Nothing seems to have been
done with this petition; but De La Grange, just be-
fore the territory passed into the possession of Penn,
began an action against Otto Earnest Cock at the
Upland Court on June 14, 1681 ; but the quaint
record states " This action referred till next Court
that there's noe Court without Justice otto whoe is a
party." *
The following is verbatim the record of the case,
copied from the docket of the
" Court held at Chester 22d 6 mo 16S3.
" Anioldus Delagiange, Plaintiff, Otto Ernest Cock, Defendant. The
plaintiff sues and declares as heir to Tynnacu Island and premises: It
is acknowledged by Jno White (ye defendt. attorney) that ye plaint's
father was legally possessed of Tinicum Island & premises in ye decla-
ration mentioned hy virtue of his purchase from Armgard Prince, but
sayth (in regard pte [part] of the purchase money was only paiil) that
ye said Lady Armgard Prince had Tryall & execution thereupon & was
put into possession of ye same premises and sold ye same premises to ye
defendt.
"The plaint (by Abraham Man his attorney) setts forth that hee ye
1 Memoirs of Long Island Historical Society, vol. i. p. 189.
- Book of Patents, Harrisburg, cited in Smith's " Atlas of Delaware
Count.v," p. 11.
3 Memoirs of Long Island Hjatorical Society, vol. i. p. 179.
* Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. vii. pp. 799-81.
' Records of Upland Court, p. 189.
sayd Plaint (who was Heire to ye sd Island) at ye tyrae of se sayd Tryall
& Execucon was then und age & in Hollarjd, & therefore could make
noe defence, & further yt the said Heire (the Plaint was not nienconed
in ye said Tryall ; the Accon being comenced against one Andrew Carre
& Prissilla his wife, mistaken in ye execucon for ye mother of ye Plaint,
whose mother's name was Margaretta.
" The Testimony of Nicholas More, Secretary in writing and his hand
produced on behalf of ye plaint :
" Shackamackson, ye 20tb of ye 5th month }
alJuIy, 1083. i
" I do solemnly declare that about ye moueth of May la.st past of this
present yeare, Mr. Otto Crust Cock of Tynnacu Island came to mee at
Shackamackson (having before spoken to me of a Tryall yt was to bee
at Upland, Between Mr. Lagrange & himselfe, about ye Island of Tyn-
nacu, aud told mee among many other things that hee wished hee had
never sold mee ye said Island, and said hee. Hee wished he had lost
50£ ratiier than to have put his hand to eyther my Conveyance or Mr.
Lagrange Agreemt, saying that hee was undone. 'Why?' said I. * Be-
cause,' said hee, *I have wronged Lagrange children from their Rights.'
' Well,' said I, ' Mr. Otlo, if you beleeve in yor concience that ye Island
is his let him have it. I will not take any advantage of it, either
against him or you.' ' Tes,' said hee, ' it is his, and if you will doe soe
& part with it, I shall give you thanks and repay you your charges.'
'Well,' said I, 'you shall have it, and I will endeavr to make Mr. La-
grange & you ffriends without any wrong.' This was in ye presence of
Major Fenwick, Thomae Fairmau & Michael Neelson, all which I attest
under my hand.
" N. MoBE, Secrefciry.
" Israeli Helme's Deposition :
" Israeli Helme being required to declare what hee knowes, concern-
ing ye Bargaine between ye sayd Armgard Prince, & ye Plaints ffather
for Tynnacu Island & premisses, deposeth That Lagranges ffather was
to give ye sayd Armgard for ye same Six Thousand Dutch Guilders, and
yt hee knows there was three Hundred Dutch Guilders thereof pd, but
knows of ye paymt of noe more; And further sayth that ye Three
Thousand Guilders (which is Three Hundred pounds) was to bee paid in
this Countrey by agreemt between Jacob Swanson & ye ffather of ye
Plaint & further sayth that when the Plaints ffather dyed, hee ye said
Plaint was a little child ; and further sayth not.
" ffop Johnson's deposition :
"ffop Johnson being required to declare where hee knowes in ye
premisses, Deposeth. That hee ye said ffop & ye above mentioned
Israeli was desired by Mrs. Aimgard Prince ats Popinjay, to demand ye
remainder of ye sayd Six Thusand Guildes which was Three Hundred
pounds of Mrs. Delagrange (ye Plaints mother) And yt shee ye said Mrs.
Delagrange (upon ye same demand) sayd shee could not pay it, and
further sayth not.
" To which ye sayd Plaint replyes (by his aforesd attorney) That if the
Deft can make it appeare ye sayd money, is unpayd, and can shew their
Right to receive it, hee is ready to discharge what can be made appeare
to remayne due of ye sd Purchace, But denyes yt ye Deft hath any
legall right to demand ye same.
"The Juryes Verdict. The Jury finde for ye Plaint and alsoe give
him his costs of suite and fforty Shillings damage, the Plaint paying to
ye Deft Thirty & Seaven pounds & Tenne Shillings, according to an
agreemt betweene ye Plaint and Deft produced & Read in this Cort &
alsoe delivering ye Block house & pticulers in ye same agreemt men-
" Judgmt is thereupon Awarded."
Execution was issued on this judgment, for at the
October court, 1683, " The Sheriff made returne of
two e-xecutions, one against Henry Reynolds . . . the
other against Otto Earnest Cocke att ye suite of Ar-
noldus Delegrange for ye Island of Tinicum." The
plaintiff having acquired possession of the estate, in
less than a year sold the island, for at the September
court, 1684, " Christopher Taylor, President (Judge)
in Opeu Court deliver over a Penall Bond of Per-
formance for four hundred pounds unto Arnoldus
Delegrange & bearing Date ye 2d day of September,
1684, being for the payment of two hundred pounds
att or upon ye 1st day of November, 1685." Christo-
THE TOWNSHIP OF TINICUM.
i81
pher Taylor also in open court "delivered up Ar-
noldus Delegrauge receipt to Robert Turner for one
hundred pounds old England money as alsoe the said
Christopher Taylor did promise to Save the said Ar-
noldus Delegrange harmlesse from all Damages that
may Accrue thereby." The same day " Arnoldus
Delegrange Past over a deed in open court unto
Christopher Taylor for ye Island Commonly known
by the name of Mattinnaconcke, bearing Date the 2d
of the 12th moneth 1684."
This Christopher Taylor had been a teacher of a
classical school in England, in which country he was
imprisoned for his religious opinions, — adherence to
the society of Friends. In 1682 he emigrated to
Pennsylvania, first settling in Bucks County, which
he represented in the Assembly held at Chester, Dec.
4, 1682, acting in that body as chairman of the Com-
mittee on Election and Privileges, and was also one
of the "Committee of Foresight" for preparation of
provincial bills.' In July, 1684, he was one of the
justices of Chester County, and doubtless had then
settled at Tinicum, which, after he had acquired title,
he termed " College Island," because, as it is believed,
he there had a school in the higher branches of edu-
cation. The fact that he surrendered to De La Grange
a receipt given by the latter to Robert Turner, leads
to the impression that the latter had entered into an
agreement with De La Grange for the purchase of
Tinicum, and that Turner had made the contract for
Taylor, or had transferred to him his interest in the
agreement of sale. Turner appears to have been an
intimate friend of Christopher Taylor, for the latter,
dying in 1686, made him his executor of his will. It
appears that Taylor in his lifetime had sold the island
to Ralph Fretwell,and after his death Turner brought
suit as executor against Fretwell for £590 llx. 9rf.
At the sheriff's sale the property was purchased by
Turner. Isaac Taylor, who was not satisfied with the
disposition the testator had made of his property,
"putt in Cavett against ye Probate of his father's
will," but subsequently withdrew it.' As executor,
on the 9th of First month, 1697-98, Turner by deed
conveyed to Israel and Joseph Taylor, the sons of
the decedent, and to John and Marie Busly — the
latter a daughter of the testator — the island of Tini-
cum. At the same court, Joseph Taylor, John and
Marie Busly, conveyed their two-thirds interests in
the island to their brother, Israel, who was formerly
sherifl" of Bucks County, and, as it appears, to pay
them for their part of the estate, he was compelled
to borrow the money on mortgage from Turner.
As one of the most noted civil cases in the judicial
annals of our State, that of Paul B. Carter vs. The
Tinicum Fishing Company, which was continued in
litigation for over thirty years, grew out of the title
thus acquired by Israel Taylor to the island, it is
proper in this connection to hastily present the his-
1 Colonial Records, vol. i. p. 195.
torical side of that noted case. Israel Taylor, who
was a physician and practiced his profession at Tini-
cum, died subsequent to 1709, for, in the address of
the General Assembly to Governor Goodkin, in al-
luding to the injurious effect of the issuing of special
marriage licenses by the Governor, the document
gives as an instance the case of " Israel Taylor, whose
Daughter had liked to have been stolen by Coulour
of a Lycense lately granted to one James Barber, of
Chester County."- Israel Taylor died leaving, so far
as I have information, four sons and six daughters, as
follows : Christopher, Thomas, Benjamin, and Samuel
Taylor, Mary (who married Jonas Sandelands),
Dianah Cartman, Hannah Lloyd, Eleanor MoUoy,
Sarah Bailey, and the wife of Enoch Elliott. Chris-
topher, the grandson of the first Christopher Taylor,
was married, but his wife dying before him, appar-
ently without leaving children, he made a will Dec.
8, 1748, and died shortly after, for the testament was
admitted to probate on the 24th day of the same
month. The will contained a clause as follows:
" I give and devise unto the said David Sanderlin my fishing place to
him and his heirs forever and likewise it is my will that he shall have
the help and use of my negroes Milford and Harry, one month in each
year in fishing time, till they respectively attain to thirty years of age.
I give and hequeath to David Sanderlin aforesaid my negro boy Tinne-
cum tilt he attain to thirty years of age and then to be set free.^'
David Sandelands died intestate within four months
after the death of his uncle, Christopher Taylor, and
letters of administration on his estate were granted to
his sisters, Rebecca Smith and Mary Claxton, with
their husbands. Mrs. Claxton died in 1750, but in
October, 1752, the jury appointed to partition the
lands and tenements of David Sandelands awarded
the fishery to the heirs and legal representatives of
Mary Claxton, " dividing the said fishery into five
equal parts." The court, in 1754, approved the peti-
tion made by the jury.
Between the years 1796 and 1805, Joseph Carter
purchased by three deeds the five shares of this fish-
ery allotted to the heirs of Mary Claxton, and in the
last deed, that of 1805, the fishery was described as
" Beginning at the mouth of Darby creek and ex-
tending up the river Delaware as far as necessity may
require for the benefit of fishing or that ever was made
use of" Joseph Carter died Feb. 2, 1830, and by his
will, dated July 16, 1828, he devised his fishing-place
at the Lazaretto to his two sons, Joseph and Cloud,
as tenants in common.' In 1832, William Carter pur-
chased Cloud Carter's interest in the fishery. The fol-
lowing year Joseph Carter died without children, and
letters of administration were granted to his brother,
William Carter, who, already owner of one-half of the
fishery by purchase, began proceedings in partition,
and in those proceedings the sherifi", Jan. 12, 1834,
advertised the estate to be partitioned as " the right
and privilege of fishing in the river Delaware from
Jistory of the Carter Family," p. 66.
282
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the point where the road called Eiver road joins said
river to the mouth of Darby Creek in township of
Tinicum and right and privilege of hauling and dry-
ing seines and nets upon shore of said river from line
of garden formerly of Capt. Roe to mouth of Darby
Creek with privilege of occupying with nets, seines,
boats, and cabin, and space of ground as is necessary
in fishery."
For some cause the proceedings seem not to have
been pressed to sale, perhaps by reason of the pend-
ency of the suit of Mary Hart against Jacob Hill,'
in which the question was raised as to what had
passed to David Sandelands under Christopher Tay-
lor's will, whether it was a fee simple to the river-
bank or merely an easement. The Supreme Court in
1835 held it was the latter. The matter thereupon
rested, so far as title to the fishery was concerned,
until proceedings in partition were pressed, and on
Aug. 24, 1847, Sheriff Robert R. Duttou sold eight-
fourteenths of the fishery to Paul B. Carter, and by
several deeds thereafter the latter acquired title until,
Sept. 19, 1852, he was the owner, in fee, of twelve-
fourteenths of the fishery. In 1865, Paul B. Carter
began proceedings in partition, the jury appointed
returning a report to the February term, 1866, that
the fishery could not be devised, and valued it at
seven thousand five hundred dollars. Sheriff Van-
zant, on March 26, 1866, conveyed the whole title to
Paul B. Carter, he having become the purchaser of
the easement in partition. From that date until
within a few years past the case was in constant liti-
gation.^ The question in dispute grew out of an al-
leged erection of a stone sea-wall and pier by the
Tinicum Fishing Company, which resulted in render-
ing the old Taylor fishery valueless. The company
had purchased, in 1856, at sheriff's sale, a tract of
about twenty acres, and subsequently they erected a
large and commodious house, which was furnished
especially for the use of a social club, but the long
and tedious lawsuits finally caused the members to
lose all interest in the association, the real and per-
sonal estates in November, 1879, passing under the
sheriflTs hammer, and the Tinicum Fishing Company
became thereafter merely a topic for the annalist.
At a court held 3d day 1st week Tenth month, 1687,
the grand jury " Presented Thomas Boules of ye Island
of Tenecum for killing and converting to his own use
divers Hogs and Piggs of Thomas Smith with others
belonging to ye King's Leidge People." This is the
first reference I find to Thomas Smith, who was then
settled in Darby, but subsequently his descendants
became large owners of real estate on the island ;
that portion of Tinicum which connected the pres-
ent with the story of the past being still owned by
Aubrey H. Smith, his direct descendant. In the will
1 Wheaton's (Pa. Sup. Ct.) Exports, vol. i. p. 124.
' See case reported in 11 Smith (Pa. State) Reports, p. 34 ; 27th Smith,
p. 310, and 9 Norris (Pa. State) Reports, p. 86.
of Christopher Taylor, dated Dec. 8, 1748, he men-
tions William Smith, leaving him "one shilling ster-
ling." This William Smith I presume was the father
of the late Thomas Smith, member of Congress from
Delaware County. At any rate, the old Taylor man-
sion-house on the island subsequently became the
property of Thomas Smith. It was built of stone,
and it is said that while it was building the family
resided in an old log hut made of white cedar logs,
" cut no doubt in the marshes hard by, though not a
tree of that species is now known to grow in Penn-
sylvania. It was thoroughly repaired some years ago
by Aubrey H. Smith, Esq., and bids fair to stand for
another century or more."^
It is stated that about the beginning of this century
Tinicum Island " was so unhealthy that farmers were
compelled to get their work done before September,
as by that period the ague and remittent fever left
no body able to work, but by banking and draining
the water off the meadows the health of the place
gradually improved, and from 1821 it has been con-
sidered very salubrious."' Ferris records that in
Printz's time and later, vessels drawing four or five
feet of water could sail from Fort Gottenberg across
the meadows to the mouth of the Schuylkill.^ About
the middle of the last century companies were incor-
porated by the provincial government and empowered
to bank the meadows, while independently of these
companies private parties had reclaimed much of the
submerged land.
Previous to the Revolution, Little Tinicum Island,
heretofore mentioned, was partly reclaimed, twelve
acres being banked in and inhabited. When the
English fleet ascended the river in 1777, the British
naval ofiicers were apprehensive that this tract of
land might be utilized by the Continental authorities
as a site for defensive works to interrupt their retreat,
and to prevent such a use being made of it they cut
the banks in many places and overflowed them, since
which time the banks have never been restored. In
heav}' tides it is nearly overflowed, but usually pre-
sents a large uncovered surface." Dr. Smith states
one of the earthworks on the Delaware River " was
near the mouth of Darby Creek, doubtless on the
island of Tinicum."' Perhaps it was Little Tinicum
Island, which may have caused the English to flood
that place.
In the early part of this century the island of Tini-
cum proper was nearly submerged, consequent on the
freshets occasioned by sudden thaws of ice and snow
in the spring, or breaks in the banks. In 1819 the
banks broke, and the water rushed in overflowing the
island road for four miles, and on Feb. 22, 1822, the
lowlands were almost inundated, boats sailing within
« Martin's " History of Chester," p. 154.
♦Topographical Sketch of Tinicum Island, already quoted.
5 Ferris' "Original Settlements on the Delaware," p. 70.
« lb,, p. 71.
' History of Delaware County, p. 299.
THE TOWNSHIP OP TINICUM.
four hundred yards of the Lazaretto to Penrose'M
Ferry, over the meadows and fences a distance of four
miles.' On Sept. 1, 1850, a heavy rain fell which
covered with water the meadows of Tinicum to the
depth of six feet, and inundated the railroad from a
short distance below Gray's Ferry nearly to the Laza-
retto, in some places undermining the cross-ties and
in others sweeping them entirely away, so that travel
by rail was suspended for more than a week.
Previous to the Revolution, Joseph Galloway, a
noted lawyer of Philadelphia, who, when the struggle
finally came cast his fortune on the side of the English
crown, owned a tract of two hundred and twelve acres
of the easterly end of the island, all of it being re-
claimed land. The commonwealth of Pennsylvania
instituted proceedings against him, and his estates were
forfeited. His land on Tinicum was sold by the com-
missioner of forfeited estates in Chester County, in
September, 1779, and on Feb. 19, 1780, the State made
a deed for one hundred and eighty-seven and a half
acres to James Budden, John Dunlap, Jacob Morgan,
John Mease, Thomas Leiper, Joseph Carson, and John
Chaloner, but it seemed that Abraham Kentruzer was
in possession of the premises as Galloway's tenant and
refused to yield the premises to the purchasers, and
on April 28, 1780, the Supreme Council instructed
the sheriff to put the latter in possession of the estate.
At a later date, May 17, 1780, William Kerlin pur-
chased the remaining part of the tract, containing
something over twenty acres.-
The following is the list of the justices of the peace
for Tinicum township :
Benjamin Brannon Aug. 19, 1791.
Israel Elliott Oct. 28, 1791.
Benjamin W. Oakford Feb. 14, 1794.
Caleli S Sayers Aug. 6, 1799.
Benjamin Hays Smith April 3, 1804.
Samuel Davis Feb. 20, 1810.
Thcimas Smith July 3, 1821.
Joseph G. Malcolm July 30, 1831.
Thomas Madilock Jan. 8, 1834.
Charles Sellers June 20, 18;)G.
William Hunter April 10, 1849.
Quarantine Station.— In the last decade of the
eighteenth century the city of Philadelphia was
scourged with yellow fever, and so great was tlie
alarm at the proximity of the Lazaretto, then lo-
cated just back of Fort Mifflin, on Providence Is-
land, that it was determined to change the site of
that station, hence on Aug. 7, 1799, the Board of
Health of Philadelphia purchased from Morris
Smith and Reuben Smith ten acres of land on the
island of Tinicum, and immediately began the erec-
tion of the buildings there which were completed
in 1800, and quarantine was established there for the
first time in 1801. The old two-story building, the
steward's quarters, was modeled after the Pennsylva-
nia Hospital, at Eighth and Pine Streets, Philadelphia,
and although it is now not occupied as a hospital,
1 Smith's "History of Delaware County," p. 299.
s Colonial Records, vol. vii. pp. 256, 331, 352; Penna. Archives, 1st
in early times the wings were used for that purpose.
The building is flanked on the right by the physician's
residence and on the left by that of the quarantine
master. The present hospital building stands about
one hundred yards to the rear of the steward's quar-
ters. There is also an ancient brick building known
as the old custom-house, three stories high, which we
learn from a letter written on Jan. 5, 1847, by Joseph
Weaver, Jr., United States custom officer, had not
been occupied for many years previous to that time
for any purpose, and then suffering much from neglect.
Hon. R. J. Walker, Secretary of the Treasury, author-
ized Mr. Weaver to rent it to a person who would
take good care of it, the United States reserving the
right to store goods therein, if necessary. The build-
ing was leased to John Pedrick, a ship-carpenter, at a
rental of thirty dollars per annum.
Shortly after the quarantine station was located at
Tinicum, at the October session, 1804, the Board of
Health endeavored to have John Ferguson, master of
the schooner " Monongahela Farmer," which had come
from New Orleans bound to Philadelphia, indicted for
a breach of quarantine, the charge being that after
the vessel had come to an anchor and was undergoing
quarantine, he permitted thirty-two passengers " to go
ashore" from his vessel before they had submitted to
the required examination. The grand jury, however,
ignored the bill.
In June, 1824, a man was landed from an oyster
boat at Chester, dangerously ill with smallpox. A
meeting of the borough Council was immediately held,
but they having no power to act, several of the citizens
sent the man in a market wagon to the Lazaretto, and
while waiting at that place to be admitted, he asked
for a drink of water, which being given him he drank,
and immediately fell back in the conveyance dead.
The Philadelphia Gazette of that day attacked the
borough authorities and citizens for this act, and for a
time a sturdy war of words was carried on in the Post
Boy at Chester, and the Philadelphia journals.
No serious objection was made to the location of
the quarantine until recent years. In the latter part
of June, 1870, the brig " Home," from Jamaica, came
to off the Lazaretto. When visiting her the health
officers learned that the captain of the vessel had died
and was buried at sea four days after the brig had
sailed from Black River, Jamaica. She was loaded
with logwood, and although at the time there ap-
peared to be no sickness on the vessel, she was in
such a filthy condition that she was ordered to be
taken to the United States government wharf, adjoin-
ing the quarantine grounds. After twenty days,
during which she was fumigated, the brig was pro-
nounced clean, and permi-ssion given to proceed to
her destination. In the interim canal-boats were
sent from Philadelphia to remove the logwood, and
on one of these boats a woman and boy sickened
and died. On Friday, July 15th, a large quantity of
filthy rags on the " Home" were taken ashore and
HISTORr OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
burned, the wind blowing strongly from the south.
The next day, Saturday, Mrs. Ann Enos and Ann
Sharp, at the hotel then kept by Jacob Pepper, were
taken sick, and on the following Friday they both
died. On Tuesday, July 26th, Mrs. Eva Kugler, wife
of the steward of the quarantine, was taken ill, and
died on Saturday. Dr. Cardeza, who was in attend-
ance of Mr. Pepper's family, declared the fever was
" a stranger" in this locality, and suggested that un-
usual care should be taken to prevent contagion.
The inference was plain, and when Dr. William B.
Ulrich unhesitatingly pronounced it yellow fever the
public in the neighborhood, in Chester, and even in
Philadelphia, became greatly alarmed lest it might
spread. Dr. William S. Thompson, the Lazaretto
physician, and Mrs. Gartsell, a nurse who had been
attached to the station for fifteen years, were attacked
with the disorder. Dr. John F. M. Forwood, of
Chester, who twice before had the fever in the South- j
ern States, was summoned to act at the Lazaretto, I
being appointed temporary physician there. Dr.
Thompson and Mrs. Gartsell died on the 11th of
August, and on the 13th, Robert Gartside, the quar-
antine master, fell a victim to the disease. Notwith-
standing the fact that Dr. Forwood had had the dis-
ease before, he was stricken with the fever, and Dr.
Ulrich was called to attend on all the cases there.
By the 18th of August the fever had subsided, no
new cases having appeared for several days, and .ill '
who were then sick of the disorder recovered. About
twenty cases of yellow fever occurred. Of these
Jacob Pepper, Ann Eliza Enos, Ann Sharp, Dr.
Thompson, Robert Gartside, Eva Kugler, Mrs. Gart-
sell, William H. Dillmore, and the woman and her
son on the canal-boat died.
The alarm had subsided, but at the following session
of the Legislature a bill was introduced, which was
favorably reported, providing for the sale of the quar-
antine station on BigTinicum Island, the purchase of
Little Tiuicum Island, and the erection of buildings
there for the Lazaretto. The project was sustained
by a petition of a thousand residents of Delaware
County, but the bill finally died on the calendar. At
the session of 1872 the scheme for removal of the
Lazaretto was again presented, the site to which it
should be changed being left undetermined in the
bill. The Board of Health in Philadelphia at that
time memorialized the Senate in opposition to the
proposed act, alleging, among other reasons, that the
United States in 1871 had rebuilt the long wharf
(two hundred and eighty feet), and had coQipletely
repaired the large stone government warehouse used
for storage of cargoes from infected vessels detained
at quarantine. They also declared that Tinicum had
but one hundred and twenty-five inhabitants all told,
and had remained almost stationary in population for
seventy years, while during that time only three
dwellings had been erected in the township. The
memorial concluded by asserting that the present site
was highly eligible and unobjectionable as regards
the surrounding neighborhood. The removalists were
again defeated.
The following is a list of the physicians and quar-
antine masters at the Lazaretto since the station was
established in 1801 :
LAZARETTO PHYSICIANS.
Dr. Michael Loib Sept. 19, 1800.
*' Nathan Doreey
" GeorgB Buchanan July 4, 1806.
" Kdward Lowber 1808,
" Isaac Heistor 1809,
" TbomaB D. JlitiLell May 27,1813.
" Joel B. Sutherland May 1, 1816.
" George F. Lehman March 4,1817.
" Joshua W. Ash March 29,1836
" Wilmer Worthington Feb. 9, 1839.
" Jesse W.Griffiths April 6, 1842,
" Joshua T. Jones M.-irch 5,1846
" JaniesS. Rich Dec. 14,1848,
" T.J. P. Stokes 1852,
" Henry Pleasants Feb. 16,1855
" J. Howard Taylor May 31, 1866
" L. S. Filbert March 13, 1858.
" D. K. Shoemaker Jan. 30,
" Thomas Stewardson May 21, 1864.
" George A. Fairlamb May 3,1866.
" William S.Thompson Jan. 21,1867
" J. Howard Taylor Aug. 11,1870.
" D. K. Shoemaker Nov. 4,"
" W. T. Robinson
" Samuel Walker
QUARANTINE MASTERS.
Thomas Efrger
Capt. William Lake....
Christopher O'Conner
Capt. Thomas Moore..,
eph M. C
phen Ho
.. — 1799.
.April — , 1809.
..May 1,1816.
..May 19, 1818.
..Aug. 16, 1819
.March 31, 1831
Benjamin Martin Feb. 9, 1839.
Alexander McKeever April 6,1842.
Capt. John U. Cheyney March 13, 1848.
Jared Ketcham, of Chester County, was appointed,
but after a few months' service resigned.
William V. McKeani Feb. 12,18.52
Matthew Van Dussn, Jr , 1853.
Jacob Pepper Feb. 16, 1865.
Lewis R. Denan March 9, 1868.
Robert Gartside Jan. 20, 1861
Nathan Shaw April 15, 1864
Thomas 0. Stevenson " 20,1867,
Robert Gartside Feb. 28,1870.
Dr. John H.Gihon Aug. 11,1870.
'• A. W. Matthews , 1873.
" C. C. V. Crawford ,1879.
Horace R. Manley , 1883.
On July 8, 1872, Governor Geary visited the Laza-
retto, the only time, so far as I have knowledge, that
the quarantine station was ever visited by the execu-
tive officer of the State.
The old fox-hunters of a past generation used to
relate a notable chase on Tinicum, which occurred as
long ago as Saturday, Feb. 1, 1824. On that morn-
ing, about eleven o'clock, John Irwin and James
Burns (Chester), George Litzenberg, Philip Rudolph,
and others (of Providence), started a fox on the
island, and after a warm run the dogs were within
fifty yards of him, when he sprang on the roof of an
oven, then to a shed adjoining the house of Mr. Home,
jumped in at the second-story window, and neither
huntsmen nor hounds had noticed it. A boy looking
on told where the fox had gone, and one of the hunt-
ers, ascending the shed, entered the room and pushed
down the sash. Just as he did this a girl of the fam-
1 Mr. McKean resigned in May, 1853.
THE TOWNSHIP OF TINICUM.
285
ily came in the room and shut the door. The fox,
finding exit from the apartment by the door closed,
ran to the chimney, which he ascended. From its
top he sprang to the roof of the house and thence to
the ground. He was not captured until near sun-
down, when he holed at the root of a hollow tree, i
which he ascended to the forks, whence he was dis- j
lodged by a stick being thrust at him, and descending
to the roots, he was taken in the usual way and j
bagged.
Tinicum has been a choice locality for startling
sensations from the earliest date. As far back as the
8th of Third month, 1698, Joseph Holt and Isaac
Warner were drowned by the ferry-boat from New
Castle to Philadelphia being overset in a gust of
wind. The evidence showed that Robert White, who
was at Isaac Taylor's house, went to the river to bathe
and saw a corpse, whereupon he called Isaac Blawn,
and the latter said, " Let us go forward and we shall
find more;" and he went, and they did see another, and 1
they called Isaac Taylor and all his household and
went down together. When the bodies were recov-
ered Taylor told Isaac Blawn to search them. On
Holt they found a piece of eight and some small
money, a silver seal, some keys, and four gold rings
on his finger. On Warner they found a carpenter's
rule, fourteen pieces of eight and a half, and some
other money. Warner had gone aboard the boat at
New Castle, much intoxicated, carrying a speckled
bag of money. The whole tenor of the evidence
taken would seem to indicate that a rumor had gone
abroad that the dead men had a considerable sum of
money with them, and that those who had found the
bodies at Tinicum had appropriated part of it to their
own use. Taylor, it appears, had the matter fully in-
vestigated and the testimony of a number of witnesses
taken at large. The case is an interesting one, inas-
much as it goes into the details of the clothing and
other matters of value to the students of history in
arriving at a just conception of the customs and
habits of the early settlers.
Almost a hundred and fifty years after this event,
on Sunday, Jan. 1, 1843, the good people of Tinicum
were astonished to find the dead body of a man hang-
ing from the limb of an apple-tree on the estate of
Richard Welling. On examining the clothing of the
deceased a carpenter's rule and a memorandum-book,
containing the name of Daniel Barber, was found.
No further particulars were ever learned respecting
the dead man.
On Sunday, May 12, 1861, the body of a young
girl, about fourteen years of age, was found in a
ditch on the farm of Jacob Allberger, and, from the
appearance of the body, and the fact that tufts of
grass had been pulled up by the roots, it was believed
that murder had been done in the hope of concealing
an infamous outrage. The night previous to the sup-
posed murder a colored man, who lived in the neigh-
borhood, stated that he had heard voices as if some
persons were talking, but his dogs were barking at
the time so that he could not distinguish what was
said. The body was brought to Chester. The next
morning the Philadelphia papers contained an adver-
tisement asking information respecting Elizabeth
Cox, of Germantown, and the personal description
answered to that of the body found at Tinicum. The
parentsof the missing girl came to Chester, and recog-
nized the corpse as that of their daughter, who was
of unsound mind. The case aroused such public in-
dignation that on May 24th the county commissioners
ofl^ered a reward of two hundred dollars for the arrest
and conviction of the person or persons who had com-
mitted the murder. Mayor Henry, of Philadelphia,
also appointed two detective oflicers to investigate the
facts, and on May 31st they reported that the evidence
seemed to establish that the girl, in partial derange-
ment, had wandered from home, was overtaken by
night, and had fallen into the ditch ; that the banks
of the ditch showed that she had struggled to get out,
but, as one foot and leg almost to the knee had be-
come fastened in the adhesive mud, she could not ex-
tricate herself, but, finally exhausted, had fallen into
the water and drowned. The result of the post-mor-
tem examination strongly corroborated this theory.
At all events the case ceased at that point, and if
murder had been committed, those who did the deed
escaped "unwhipped of justice."
On Friday, March 30, 1877, the body of a man,
which subsequently proved to be that of Oliver Sax-
ton, of Philadelphia, was found on the meadow, near
the tenant-house on the estate of Aubrey H. Smith,
then occupied by James Reid. The circumstances of
his death were soon learned. It appeared the de-
ceased, a few days before, had gone to Little Tinicum
Island duck-shooting, and when returning in the
evening, owing to a heavy storm of rain and snow,
was unable to reach his place of destination, and was
taken on the yacht of Joseph Woods. The yacht,
owing to the storm, was driven ashore on Tinicum,
and in the endeavor to get her ofi" the men on her
lost their boots in the mud, and finally were com-
pelled to abandon her and seek the fast land in their
bare feet. It was night, and the men separated to
find shelter. Saxton went to the cabin of Henry
Roan, near the bank, but was denied admittance.
Woods, who reached the same cabin shortly after
Saxton had been there and gone away, was also de-
nied shelter, but on the payment of several dollars
was permitted to pass the night there. Saxton at-
tempted to reach Reid's house, but, being overcome
with the cold, he fell to the ground and died. When
found the skin was worn from his feet, and his legs
were torn by the briers through which he had forced
his way.
For almost a century Tinicum was a part of Ridley
township, but at the May court, 1780, a petition,
signed by twenty-three "inhabitants, owners, and
occupiers of land in the Island of Tinicum," was pre-
286
HISTOKY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
sented, which set forth "that the inhabitants of the
Island aforesaid, as a part of the township of Ridley,
have heretofore paid a great part of the tax for the
support of the roads in said township, and also main-
tained and supported the roads on the Island at their
own cost and charge, without the least assistance from
the other part of the township. And whereas the dams
on said Island, made for the purpose of preventing the
tides from overflowing the meadows belonging to your
petitioners, were in the year 1777 cut and destroyed,
with a view of retarding the progress of the enemy,
at that time invading this State, whereby the roads
on said Island were greatly damaged, to the very
great prejudice of your petitioners, and as it is not
in our power to derive any assistance from the inhab-
itants of the other part of the township, we conceive
it to be a hardship to be obliged to support their
road."
The petition concluded with a prayer that the court
will, for these reasons, proceed "to divide the Island
of Tinicum from the township of Eidley and to make
a distinct township of it," with the like powers exer-
cised by the other townships in the county.
On Aug. 31, 1780, the court allowed the prayer of
the petitioners, and from thenceforth the township of
Tinicum became a separate district, having all the
rights and obligations of other townships. Indeed
more, for while the general act of March 20, 1810,'
provided that "no person should be compelled to
serve as constable more than once in every fifteen
years," in the same law the township of Tinicum was
exempt from the operation of the law, because there
was not a sufficient number of persons residing on the
island eligible to hold that office, unless within fifteen
years a person could be compelled to act in that ca-
pacity for more than one year.
Several references in our early Swedish annals lead
to the conclusion that a school was established on the
island of Tinicum in the primitive days of European
settlement there, and that the clergyman of the parish
acted in a dual capacity, that of the pedagogue being
connected with his ministerial duties. As before
mentioned, it is generally maintained by historians
that Christopher Taylor had there a school in the
higher branches of education previous to 1685. The
foregoing statement, however, is inferentially arrived
at from collateral evidence purely, and is in no wise
the subject of direct proof. Indeed, we have no posi-
tive knowledge of a school being kept on Tinicum
previous to 1843, about which date Elizabeth Griffiths,
a daughter of the then physician in charge at the
Lazaretto, had a school in the Dutch house, — the first
building on the grounds of the Board of Health, on
the left-hand side of the road as you approach the
river from Morris' Ferry. The title Dutch house was
given to the building because of its being used to
quarantine the crew And passengers of a Dutch vessel
1 Blias' " Delaware County Digest," p. 17.
in the early days of the Lazaretto. Miss GriflBths was
followed by a male teacher, one Culin, but he re-
mained there only for a brief season, when the school
was abandoned. About 1847 another school was estab-
lished in a small frame house, on the site of the primi-
tive Swedish Church, the land now owned by George
McLaughlin, but the teacher, whose name was Wilson,
became dissatisfied, and he relinquished its care. It
also was abandoned, and in time the building itself
was removed. In 1854 the first public school on the
island, a small brick structure, was erected, the neigh-
bors gratuitously laboring in its building, so that it
cost not more than two hundred dollars in actual
money expended. For many years it served its pur-
pose, but in time it became dilapidated, the walls
spreading, the plaster fallen from the laths in place,
and the floors decayed. It was thoroughly inspected,
pronounced hopeless of repair, and the directors de-
cided to remove it, and in its place to put up another
— the present school-house — on the site, which was
done in 1868, at a cost of about four thousand dollars.
The schools maintained there are now in good condi-
tion, with the average attendance of pupils.
The following persons have been directors of the
schools of Tinicum District. On Nov. 28, 1834, the
court, under provision of act of 1834, appointed George
W. Bartram and Jabez Bunting inspectors of schools
for the township :
1840, Dr. Samuel Anderson, Edward B. Smith; 18*2, Tliomae Jarman,
Minshall Bachus, Jacob Koan : 1843, John Elkins, D.J. W.Griffith ;
1844, William Hunter, Thomas M. Smith ; 1845, James Howell, Wil-
liam Johnson; 1846, William Johnson; 1847, Stephen Smith, J.
Weaver; 1848, John Go£f, John Pedrick; 1849, John Goff, William
Ward, William Johnson, Stephen Smith, William Hunter ; 1850,
JohnG Dyer, Alexander H.Smith; 1851, William Ward, Humphrey
Drooke ; 1852, B. E. Carpenter, George Home ; 1853, no report; 1864,
William Ward, Amos Johnson ; 1856, John Hart, William Hunter;
1856, William Ward; 1857, Amos Johnson, John Holland, Alexander
McKeever; 1858, John Hart, Alexander McK.-ever; 1859, William
Ward, Alexander McKeever; 18C0, Amos Johnson, Alexander T.
Carr; 1861, John Hart, William West; 1S62, William Ward ; 1863,
JosephP.Horne,D. A. Middleton; 1864, John Hart; 1865, Charles D.
Johnson, John Stewart ; 1866, William Glenn, B. F. Miller ; 1867, Ed-
ward B. Ward, Charles D. Johnson ; 1868, no report : 1869, Thomas
E. Howard, Thomas 0. Stevens : 1870, Edmund B. Ward, Benjamin F.
Miller ; 1871, J. W. Ward, F. J. Carey ; 1872, William Wood, Daniel
Dills; 1873, Edward B Ward, W. H. Wood; 1874, B. F. Miller,
James Eeed ; 1876, William Killer, Charles H. Home; 1876, Amos
Johnson, Charles D. Johnson ; 1877, Richard Wood, Lewis Kugler;
1878, Theodore Lukens, Adam Miller; 1879, Theodore Lukeue, J.
Miller; 1880, B. Dillmore, Joseph B. Miller; 1881, Charles Home,
Richard P. Ward, William Miller; 1882, B. F. Miller, Charies H.
Home; 1883, George G. Miller, Peter Goff; 1684, William Boyd,
William McCall.
The Islands.— During all our colonial admiuistra-
I tion the government never claimed authority over the
river, the crown holding that it had exclusive juris-
diction therein. So fully was this acquiesced in that
as late as January, 1775, the Supreme Council de-
clared that the river Delaware, not being included
within the body of any county of the province, the
jurisdiction of the courts of Chester County did not
extend into the river, and respecting it no legal
j valid issued from such courts. This as-
THE TOWNSHIP OP TINICUM.
287
sertion covered all the islands on the Delaware ex-
cepting Big Tinicum Island. Hence, after the termi-
nation of the Kevolutionary war, it became necessary
for the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey to de-
termine to which of these States the islands should be '
assigned. In that adjustment Hog Island, Martin's
Bar, Printz's Island, Maiden Island, and Little Tini-
cum Island were allotted to Pennsylvania, while Mo-
nas' Island, Chester Island, Chester Island Bar, Ton-
kin's Island, and Marcus Hook Bar became part of
New Jersey. I have, of course, considered the parti-
tion of the islands so far only as relates to those lying
in front of the present county of Delaware. The
Legislature of Pennsylvania, by act of Sept. 25, 1786, '
annexed the islands named as allotted to this com-
monwealth to Chester County, particularly specifying
that " the whole of Hog Island, which lies opposite
to the said boundary of Philadelphia and Chester,
and of the marshes surrounding the said island, is
hereby annexed to and shall be deemed to be part of
the said county of Chester and of the nearest town-
ship of the said county.'"
Under the provisions of this act Hog Island became
part of Tinicum township, as, in fact, did all the
islands facing Delaware County, the title to which j
Pennsylvania had acquired by the terms of its treaty i
with New Jersey. Very early in our history we find ;
mention of Hog Island, for at the last court held
under the authority of the Duke of York, June 14,
1681, it appears that " Justice Otto Earnest Cock ac-
quaints the Court that hee has bought and paid of ye
Indian proprietors a certain swampy or marshy Island,
called by ye Indians Quistconck, Lying att the upper i
End of Tinnachkonck Island in ye river opposite
Andrews Boones Creeke, and desires ye Corts appro-
bation. The Cort, haveing well informed themselves
about ye premisses, doe allow thereof"^ Armstrong
tells us that this swampy island, now known as Hog
Island, on Lindstrom's manuscript map appears
under the high-sounding title of " Keyser Eyland,
He des Empereurs."'
This island has played no insignificant part in the
story of our county. Previous to the Revolution it
had become the property of Joseph Galloway, to
whom allusion has already been made. On July 29, ■
1775, when the Council of Safety was laying the ob- |
structions in the Delaware River, it was decided to
sink the frames opposite the upper end of Hog Island |
in preference to Billingsport,* and on June 19, 1776, ,
when an attack by the British fleet on Philadelphia I
seemed imminent, Abraham Kinsey, the tenant
under Galloway on Hog Island, was notified that the '
committee deemed it necessary to overflow the island
with water on the near approach of the enemy, and
all injuries he would sustain by that act should be
I Bliss' " Delaware County Digest," pp. 38, 39.
> Record of Upland Court, p. 190.
' lb., p. 191.
' Colonial Records, toI. x. p. 294.
made good to hira by the public.^ There is no evi-
dence, however, to show that the land was then in-
tentionally submerged. In 1780 the real estate of
Joseph Galloway had been confiscated to the State,
and on December 15th of that year, complaint having
been made to the Supreme Council that Benjamin
Rue, Francis Proctor, Joseph Ogden, William Eck-
hart, and Mark McCall "had taken forcible posses-
sion of Hog Island," the parties were brought before
Council and compelled to enter bonds for their ap-
pearnce at the next Court of General Session.9 for the
county of Chester, to answer the trespass.** The de-
fendants, appearing to have taken possession under
color of title adverse to that acquired by the State
under the confiscation laws, maintained their position
during a bitter and constant litigation extending over
nearly ten years, and were several times after the in-
stance mentioned arrested and held in recognizance
to answer at court, but the threatened criminal pro-
ceedings were never pressed. In December, 1780,
the island was sold as confiscated estate to James
Mease, Hugh Shiell, and Samuel Caldwell, of Phila-
delphia, and on the 4th of January following Council
instructed the sheriff" of Chester County to put the
purchasers- in possession, " they paying the incidental
expenses;" and in the mean while, Abraham Kint-
zing was required to retain possession of the island
in behalf of the State, and the sherifts of Philadel-
phia and Chester Counties were directed, if necessary,
to " assist him in holding possession against all in-
truders." At the same time the attorney-general was
instructed "to support the claim of the State against
sundry persons who have lately attempted to take
possession under some pretended rights, and take
proper steps to cause the persons who are witnesses
to the late forcible entry to attend at the next Chester
court, in order to lay the complaint therein before the
grand jury.'"
On Feb. 16, 1781, Council ordered the island to be
surveyed, and the following day a committee, consist-
ing of Dr. Gardner, Gen. Potter, and William Van
Campen, was appointed to confer with a similar com-
mittee, which the Assembly was requested to name,
" touching a valuable island in the Delaware called
Hog Island, seized by the agents for confiscated es-
tates in the county of Philadelphia, on the property
of Joseph Galloway, an attainted traytor, and which
Col. Proctor and others are attempting to take into
their possession." ** The committees seem to have
conferred, and it was decided to retain Jonathan D.
Sergeant to appear in behalf of the commonwealth, a
retaining fee of fifteen pounds to appear " in a cause
depending respecting Hog Island.'"* The controversy
continued, and on July 14, 1781, another sale of land
on the island was made by the agents of the State in
Chester County, in which some special order of the
6 lb., p. 607.
8 lb., p. 631.
, p. 692.
, p. 634.
288
HISTORY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Council was violated ; hence the agents were directed
to receive no part of the purchase money, but were
commanded to attend the meeting of Council to "ac-
count for their proceedings.'" The State, on May 9,
1782, acknowledged a deed to Samuel Caldwell (the
other purchaser seems to have abandoned all claim to
the estate) for one hundred and five acres of banked
meadow at Hog Island, the consideration being one
hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds Continen-
tal money and a yearly rent of seven bushels and a
half of "good merchantable wheat, payable to the
Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania."^ How-
ever, Council seemed unable to put the purchaser in
possession of the estate, notwithstanding repeated
orders to the sheriff of Philadelphia to assist Cald-
well with whatever force was necessary to effect that
end. The litigation was continued, for on June 3,
1782, Jared Ingersoll received nine pounds in specie,
and on the 7th of the same month Mr. Sergeant re-
ceived a like sum as fees in the case. During the
summer of 1783 the remaining part of the island not
already purchased by Caldwell was sold to several
oflScers of the Pennsylvania line, the agents of the
State receiving the certificates of money due to those
soldiers in payment, but on August 30th of that year
Council ordered the certificates to be returned to the
officers, and that the island should remain the prop-
erty of the State until otherwise disposed of.^ Cald-
well, however, seemed not disposed to reconvey his
land to the State, whereupon, on Jan. 8, 1784, the at-
torney-general was instructed to institute suit against
him for the recovery of the estate. Late in the year
1786 the commonwealth was still in litigation, for it
retained William Bradford, Jr., Jonathan Dickinson
Sergeant, and Edward Tilghman in the suit brought
against it by Thomas Proctor, " respecting the right
to Hog Island."' The case seems to have continued
until May 5, 1789, when it was tried, for on the 2d of
that month, Mr. Kennedy, the secretary of the land-
office, was directed to deliver certain papers in his
possession to Caldwell, they being " necessary on the
tryall of Hogg Island."* The commonwealth was
finally beaten in the suit, the title of Thomas Proctor
and his associate owners being recognized as valid.
In the Pennsylvania. Packet for March 6, 1790, appears
the following advertisement:
"Hog Island. — To let on a lease for years, situate on the River Dela-
ware, ten miles from the city of Philadelphia and seven miles Ly land,
containing 200 acres of the richest maddow and may be immediately
entered upon. For terms apply to the subscribers.
"Thomas Proctor.
"Joseph Ogden.
"William Eciiakt.
" Philadelpuia, May 3d."
The island subsequently became the property of
Samuel Murdock, Isaac Reeves, and John Black, who,
in 1840, petitioned the court of Delaware County to
! lb., p. 279.
' lb., p. 472.
connect the island to the main land by a bridge, and
were authorized themselves to erect " a free bridge on
posts or abutments, provided that an aperture of not
less than 25 feet wide and of height not less than 8
feet above high-water mark, should be left, which
aperture should at all times be kept free Irom obstruc-
tion, so as to admit of passage of shallops." The
bridge was erected, but the connection with the main
land was made in Philadelphia County, and the peti-
tion to the court of Delaware County was simply, it
would appear, to prevent any trouble with the county
authorities for interrupting the public (water) high-
way. The island, owned by Edgar N. and John
Black, is now a marvel of fertility, and so complete is
the manner of banking and diking that breaks in the
embankments are now as uncommon as they were
common years ago. The last serious break occurred
during the storm of Nov. 1, 1861, when the island
was submerged, and the loss of property was great,
three hundred head of sheep drowned being only one
item in the list of damages. On Jan. 20, 1882, in an
unused barn on the island, the body of a man was
found. He had hung himself, and as the remains
were not discovered for several weeks after the act,
the rats had mutilated the arms and legs. The re-
mains were identified as those of Charles J. Deacon,
an insurance agent, of Philadelphia.
Martin's Bar, which formerly lay between Hog
Island and Big Tinicum Island, and by the banking
and diking of the river front has within recent years
almost disappeared as a separate piece of earth, re-
mained in the ownership of the State until within a
comparatively recent period, although, in December,
1789, John Lockart petitioned " for the right of pre-
emption of a small i.sland in the river Delaware, be-
tween Tinicum and Hogg Island containing about
ten or fifteen acres ;" but on the second reading of his
petition, December 12th, Council decided " the re-
quest of the said John Lockart cannot be complied
with." " The bar had considerably increased in thirty
years, for in the patent granted to Thomas K. Wal-
lace by the State, March 28, 1821, Martin's Bar was
found to contain sixty-seven acres and forty perches.'
On Jan. 3, 1881, the court of Delaware County con-
firmed the port warden's line, above Little Tinicum
Island. Towards the eastern end of Little Tinicum
Island lie the two small islands known as Printz and
Maiden Islands. The former was patented to Thomas
H. and Aubrey H. Smith, Feb. 13, 1841, and contained
fourteen acres and eighty-one perches. It is now
owned by Aubrey H. Smith. Maiden Island — said to
have derived its name from a young girl who was
overset in a boat managing to get to this place, where
for two days she remained before rescued — is owned
by a company of Philadelphians, who propose to erect
coal-oil works there and on Little Tinicum Island.
' Atlas of Early Land Grants in Delaware County," map 10.
THE TOWNSHIP OF TINICUM.
289
Licensed Houses. — In Tinicum, although it is the I
oldest settlement in our county, and probably in the
State, license to keep a house of public entertainment
does not appear until after the yellow fever epidemic
of 1798, when the authorities of Philadelphia had de-
termined to locate the Lazaretto, or quarantine, there-
on.
On July 27, 1799, Thomas Smith filed his peti-
tion, setting forth " that a Public Lazaretto is about
to be established upon the Island of Tinicum, that !
will cause considerable intercourse between the city
of Philadelphia, and the said Lazaretto, that a house
of entertainment will be necessary at or near the !
same. That your petitioner is about to erect suit- |
able buildings to accommodate the public on the road I
near to said Lazaretto, which he will have ready on i
or before the 1st day of October next," and requested !
license for the same. The signers of his petition cer-
tify that they are well acquainted with the situation,
as also with Charles Lloyd, the person to occupy the i
house, and recommend him as a person suitable " to
run a hotel."
Shortly afterwards the health authorities took action
in Smith's behalf, as will be seen by the following
communication sent to the court and filed with the
petition :
" Health Office, 7th Mo. 22, 1799.
" To the Judges of the Court of Quarter Sessions for the County of Dela-
" The Board of Health considering the propriety of establishing a well-
regulated inn in the vicinity of the intended Lazaretto, now building on
Tinicum Island, are of the judgment the place fixed on by Thomas Smith
as the most suitable, in their view, and do recommend the said Thomas
Smith to the court to obtain a license for his house near the said laza-
retto.
" By order of the Board of Health.
"EnwAED Gaeeigces, PrMidni/.
" Paxhall Hollingswoeth, Secretary.
" James Hall, Resident Physician of Port.
" Thomas Egqor, Quarantine Master.
** Heart Norbeeey, Steward of the Lazarelto.^^
The court granted license to Charles Lloyd for the
year 1800.
At the same time that Thomas Smith's petition was
presented, Benjamin Rue desired to be permitted to
keep a public-house in the dwelling he then occupied.
He sets forth that " as the Board of Health of the City
of Philadelphia are about to erect buildings there for
the reception of imported goods, to prevent, if pos-
sible, a return of the dreadful calamity which has so
frequently desolated Philadelphia, the concourse of
people necessarily attending on a business of such
importance, your petitioner conceives will make an
Inn indispensably necessary."
The court seemed to think very much in the same
way, for instead of one inn they permitted two to be
established, and Rue's application was favorably con-
sidered for the year 1800. His expectation of "the
concourse of people" who would visit Tinicum seems
not to have been realized, for after license was awarded
him, in 1802, his name disappears from the records, so
far as licenses in this neighborhood are concerned.
Charles Lloyd seems to have moved to Benjamin
Rue's house, where he had licenses until 1807, when
Elizabeth Harrison was granted license for the house
formerly kept by Lloyd, and continued there until
1811, when Esther Taylor became the landlady for
that year. Who kept it during 1812 can only be
gathered from the petition of John Hart, in 1813, in
which he desires license for the house " lately Mary
Taylor's." This John Hart was the great-grandson of
Edward Hart, who (with Tobias Preak, both being
ofiicers in the town of Flushing, on Long Island) for
refusal to carry out Governor Stuy vesant's cruel orders
against Quakers, was thrown into prison. John Hart,
like Rue, it seems, was disappointed in the amount of
business for a public-house at Tinicum, for the next
year he made no application for license, and in John
Ward's petition, in 1815, he alludes to the place as
" house lately occupied by John Shreen," who owned
the propert)'. In 1817, however, he appears once
more as " Mine Host" of the Tinicum Tavern, and
continued thereat until 1829, when his widow, Mary
Hart, followed him, the hotel having been left by
John Shreen to his daughter, Mary Hart, until 1834,
at which time the license was granted to John L. Fry-
berg.
In 1838, George Bastian, Jr., was the proprietor, to
be followed the next year by William Nugent. Sam-
uel L. Ferman succeeded Nugent in 1843, to give
place, in 1844, to R. M. Rutter, and he in turn, in
1845, to John Hall. In 1848, John Gofi' procured the
license, and remained there until 1850, when, having
rented the Steamboat Hotel, in Chester (which he pur-
chased the following year), the Lazaretto Hotel was
again kept by R. M. Rutter, who, in 1853, was suc-
ceeded by Henry Pepper. John Hart, the younger,
in 1855 followed Pepper, and continued to receive the
court's apjjroval until 1863, when his petition was re-
jected because it was filed too late. However, he was
on time the following year, as well as in 1855, after
which Amos Johnson, Jr., had license granted him,
which the same year he transferred to Henry Gofi',
who remained there until 1869, when Jacob Pepper
i made application for hotel license, which was denied
him, but he was authorized to keep an eating-house.
In 1870, Pepper again made application, his petition
being warmly indorsed by John Hickman and
Sketchley Morton in personal letters to the judges.
Judge Morton in his letter states that in consequence
1 of the old hotel (Rue's building) being abandoned as
a public-house for two years, Tinicum was without a
tavern, and it was necessary to have a public-house
there. He recommended Pepper warmly, and stated
that he (Pepper) " had just erected a large house con-
taining twenty-two apartments, sixteen of which
were sleeping-rooms." Pepper at last succeeded in
procuring a restaurant license, but in the fall of that
year the yellow fever as an epidemic prevailed at the
Lazaretto, he was stricken with the disease and died.
His widow, Annie E. Pepper, kept the house the fol-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
lowing year, and John T. Huddell in 1872. In 1873
and 1874 license was prohibited outside of Chester,
but on the repeal of the local option law, David
Wells was licensed in 1875 and 1876.
In 1876, William Miller made application for a
hotel license at the Kiverview Hotel, the new house
Pepper built, which was granted him, and annually
thereafter until the present time at the same house.
In 1877, David Wells obtained license for that
year at the old Tinicum Hotel, and in 1878 he was
succeeded by C. H. Newhall, and he in turn, in 1879,
by Daniel Birmingham. William H. Reed kept the
old tavern in 1880-81, to give place to James E. Ford
in 1882. Ford kept the house one year, and in 1883,
Peter Goff, the present landlord of the old Tinicum
Tavern, succeeded to the business.
CHAPTER XXIX.
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
De. Smith states that " this township probably de-
rived its name from Aston, a village of Berkshire,
England. ... In 1686, Edward Carter, then a resi-
dent in what is now Aston, was appointed constable
for Northley." ' The opinions of all our local histo-
rians agree in that the name of Northley was applied
to Aston previous to 1687 to designate that locality
from other municipal districts in the county. Edward
Carter doubtless gave the name to the township, as
was customary in those early days, in remembrance
of his old home beyond the sea, for he came from
Aston, in the parish of Hampton, Oxfordshire, Eng-
land, emigrating to the province in 1682.^ He first
located in Chichester, but subsequently removed to
his tract of two hundred and fifty acres in Aston,
and was appointed the first constable of that town-
ship, which assumed its present name the follow-
ing year (1688), when John Neal (Nields) was ap-
pointed to the like office for the township of Aston,
which is the first mention of that name in our record,
and is properly accepted as the date at which the mu-
nicipal district was established. Carter was a promi-
nent man in the early days of the province, having
served as member of the Assembly in 1688, as trustee
of Chester Meeting the year previous, and Chichester
and Concord Monthly Meeting was regularly held at
his house until 1703, about which time he is believed
to have died.' Carter was not the first settler in As-
ton, for on Oct. 8, 1682, Charles Ashcom, the sur-
veyor, returned five hundred acres of land laid out
for John Dutton, on the west of Upland Creek, be-
ginning at " Nathaniel Evans' corner tree," and so
1 History of Delaware (5ounty, p. 400.
! Thomas Maxwell Potta' " History of Carter Family," p. 9.
3 lb., p. 11.
"unto the woods;" and tradition says that John
Dutton settled on the land and built a house in the
meadow, near the creek, but, being disturbed by
floods, he removed a few rods farther back, and erected
his dwelling on a large rock near a small rivulet.
A portion of this rock may still be seen near the
road from Rockdale to Village Green, the remainder
having been removed for building purposes some
years ago." * It is also stated that the family of John
Dutton followed an Indian path when they moved
from Chester to the back settlement.*
Even before Dutton William Woodmansey took up
a hundred acres at the southeastern end of the town-
ship, on Chester Creek — the present Bridgewater — in
1680, naming his home in the forest "Harold," and
there the society of Friends frequently held their
meetings. He was one of Governor Markham's
Council, having been several years in the colony be-
fore the charter to Penn, coming a passenger in the
ship "Kent" in 1677. Joseph Richards, who never
lived in the township, in August, 1682, had surveyed
to him three hundred acres in the southern part of
the township, including the site of Village Green.
After his death it was divided among his children,
and on a portion of this tract of land, after it passed
into the possession of the Barnard family, Gen. Isaac
D. Barnard, the only Delaware countian who has
been United States senator from Pennsylvania, was
born in 1791. An intervening strip of land, between
Richard's tract and Chichester and Chester town-
ships' lines, containing one hundred and twenty-five
acres, was surveyed to Anthony Weaver in Feb-
ruary, 1681, and to this estate he gave the name
Northley, by which Aston was first known. Dr.
Smith relates that Anthony, being convinced that he
wanted a wife, and as the women were generally
Quakeresses, he whispered his convictions to Ann
Richards, of Chichester, which resulted in the couple
coming to meeting where the matter was discussed,
and, although Anthony honestly " owned himself to
be none of us," the marriage was permitted to pro-
ceed."' As usual in such cases, the wife's religious pre-
dilections soon became those of her husband.
Among the early settlers of Aston was Thomas
Mercer, who took up a hundred acres of land on Ches-
ter Creek, near Dutton's mills, and Nathaniel Evans,
in October, 1682, had surveyed to him a tract of three
hundred acres, oddly shaped so as to have the largest
part extend along the creek from El wood Tyson's
land to within a short distance of the Presbyterian
Ford, and yet stretching west across the entire town-
ship. Above the Dutton tract, John Neild, in 1682,
had surveyed to him two hundred and fifty acres,
which included the site of the present village of
Rockdale, and following the creek to West Branch
continued along the latter stream until at Llewellyn
1 Cope's " Genealogy of the Dutton Family," p. 3'i. ' lb., p. 37.
' History of Delaware Connty, p. 510.
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
291
it intersected with an easterly line drawn at riglit
angles, thence to Chester Creek. The Crozer estate
is almost entirely included in this patent. In 1695, 1
John Neild was married to the widow of John But-
ton, the settler, and the latter, having married a man
not in membership with Friends, found that her
action occasioned considerable concern to the good
people of that sect.
The upper end of the present township of Aston, a
tract of one thousand acres, was surveyed to Thomas
Brassey in 1684, which subsequently was divided pre- ,
vious to 1710 into smaller farms. A tract of one i
hundred and nineteen acres bordering on Concord |
township was surveyed to Thomas Martin, and at this j
day part of that land is still in the ownership of his I
descendant, — Thomas Martin. John Pennell also ac-
quired over two hundred acres of the Brassey land,
but the farm above the State road, where Mark Pen-
nell now lives, was not a part of the original farm
purchased by John Pennell in 1700. Among the
original owners of land in Aston, above where the
West Branch crosses the township, among the earliest
purchasers was Gilbert Woolman, two hundred and
fifty acres which property extended northwest from
Llewellyn, including J. B. Rhodes, C. W. Mathues,
Thomas Swaine, and the Lewis estate to the east of
Logtown road ; while William McCracken's and Caleb
Heyburn's farms are located on the two hundred and
fifty acres, which were surveyed to Mary Moore, May
10, 1684. J. W. Thatcher's estate on Chester Creek
above Pennellton Station is part of the twenty-one
acres surveyed to Caleb Pusey in 1707-8.
The taxables in Aston in 1715 were as follows :
Bobert Carter, John Pennell, Moses Key, John But-
ton, Thomas Dutton, Thomas Woodward, John Neild,
James Widdows, William Eattew, Samuel Jones,
Thomas Barnard, Abraham Darlington, John Hur-
ford, Jonathan Monroe, Thomas Gale.
Freemen, — Thomas Duubabin, Isaac Williams, Jo-
seph Darlington, Edward Richards, Samuel Stroud.
At a court held the third day of the first week
Tenth month, 1688, the grand jury laid out the high- |
way from Chichester to Aston, as follows: I
" Ffrom Delaware by James Browns along y° old |
Road Betwixt Jeremy Colletts and James Hulbert j
soe along y^ same Road to a marked White Oake, 1
thence along on y* West sid of a marked Poplar tree
near y'' Meeting House, from thence by a lyne of
marked trees to y' West Corner of Joseph Richard-
son's fence, from thence by a lyne of marked trees to
a marked Black Oake standing by Astone Road."
On the same day the grand jury laid out the road
from Aston to Edgmont :
" Beginning att a Spanish Oake about Edward Car-
ter's and soe along y° Cutt Road and down y° Vallie [
which Joseph Richardson had fenced in, from thence i
through John Beales Pasture along by William Wood-
mansees along y' old Road over Chester Creek's soe
along y" Old Road." I
Previous to this date the road from Aston to Ches-
ter had been granted by the grand jury, "The In-
habitance of y' Township of Aston Petioned for one
Road way to y° Town of Chester, and another to y"
town of Chichester." It is, however, unnecessary to
further quote the exact line as presented in the report
of that body to courts, the foregoing being deemed
sufficient to indicate the manner in which such returns
were made.
The following is a list of the justices of the peace
for Aston township :
Thomas Newlin Aug. 19, 1791.
Matthias Kerlin July 4, 1808.
Thomas Pierce Feb. 8, 1814.
James Bratton Feb. 3, 1820.
Joseph Fox Dec. 4, 182.i.
John Mattaon Dec. 13, 1823.
Joseph Bowen Nov. 10, 1824.
Joseph Trimble April 21, 1827.
Robert Frame Jan. 15, 1829.
Robert Hall Feb. 8, 1831.
William Mendenhall Dec. 6, 1836.
Bobert Hall April 14, 1840.
James McMullin April 12, 1842.
John Tavlor April 13, 1847.
Isaac C. Denick... April 15, 1851, May 26, 1856, April 9, 1861.
John Blackburn April 11, 1867.
John T. Aikley March 23, 1877.
Charles W. Haycock April 9, 1881.
John T. Aikley April 10, 1882.
The second day following the battle of Brandy wine,
Lord Cornwallis, " with the 2d Battalion Light Infan-
try and 2d of Grenadiers, marched at half past six in
the morning, to join the body under Major General
Grant and to move on towards Chester. . . . At 5
o'clock this afternoon the troops with Lord Cornwallis
reached Ashtown, within 4 miles of Chester." ' Here
Gen. Cornwallis establi.shed his headquarters, the en-
campment extending from Mount Hope to the lower
part of Village Green, where in an old brick house, still
standing, that ofiicer made his temporary residence.
From here he dispatched parties in every direction to
secure supplies for the British army, seizing for that
purpose the flour in all the mills within reach of his
troops. The soldiers who were sent out on these
expeditions frequently despoiled the inhabitants of
everything they could carry away, although the orders
from Howe and Cornwallis expressly forbade such
unlicensed plundering. On the night of Sunday,
Sept. 14, 1777, three British soldiers — Dr. Smith says
they were Hessians — crossed Chester Creek, above
Dutton's mill, to the dwelling of Jonathan Martin,
now the property of George Dutton, and plundered
the family of many things, among them some articles
belonging to Mary Martin, a daughter, then eighteen,
who indignantly reproved them for their unmanly
conduct. One of the soldiers, in anger at her rep-
rimand, slightly wounded Miss Martin with a bay-
onet. The men, still on plunder bent, proceeded
about three-quarters of a mile in a southeasterly
direction to the house of Mr. Coxe, in Chester town-
ship, near Sneath's Corner, now the property of Rob-
ert McCall, where they stole a number of articles,
among which was a silver watch. Mr. Coxe had a
^ Journal of Capt. John Montressor, Peniui. Mag. of Hisloi-y, '
292
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
daughter about the same age as Miss Martin. The
next morning the two girls went to the headquarters
of Lord Cornwallis, where complaint was made per-
sonally to that officer or Gen. Howe, who, with an
escort of dragoons, had that day visited Cornwallis'
extreme outpost, three-quarters of a mile west of
Chester, in the neighborhood of the present Carter-
town. Dr. Smith, who heard the incident related by
Thomas Button and Joseph Mencil, stated that Gen.
Howe " promised that if they could point out the men,
they should be punished. The troops were at once
formed into line, when the girls passed along and
pointed out the robbers, after which they retired to
some distance. The officers then put the troops
through various evolutions, leaving the men in dif-
ferent positions. The same men were again pointed
out by the girls as the guilty parties. The operation
was again repeated with a like result. The men were
then searched, when some of the stolen property was
found upon them. They were tried by a court-mar-
tial and all convicted. Two of them were sentenced
to be hung, and the third to perform the office of
executioner. Upon whom the extreme penalty should
be inflicted, the question was decided by casting lots.
The two men were hung on the limb of an apple-tree
on the property owned by George L. Nield, in Aston,
and what is remarkable, they were allowed to remain
hanging after the army moved away." ' The two
men, we learn from Capt. Montressor's journal, were
executed on the 15th of September, and that one was
a grenadier and the other a light infantryman.* That
night at eight o'clock Cornwallis moved his whole
command toward the Lancaster road, and at eleven
o'clock the next day Gen. Howe made a junction with
the troop of the former, the commander-in-chief
having marched with the bulk of the army from near
Dilworthtown by tlie Turk's Head (West Chester),
Goshen meeting-house, and the hotel, the sign of the
Boot.
Damages sustained by the inhabitants of Aston
township from the British army in September, 1777 :
Taken from John McClaakey by the Britieh under Corn- £ «. d.
wallis, September 13th anrt 14th 95 7 6
Taken from John Noblit by the British under Cornwallis,
September 16th 4 0 0
Taken from JameB Penneli by the British under Corn-
wallis, September 16th 186 7 9
Taken from George Pierce, Esq., September 13th, 14th,
and 15th 771 15 0
Taken from George Witherow 165 0 0
" Bobert Kankin, September 13th and 14th 22 12 6
£1245 2s. 9<J.
Thomas Button, the centenarian, used to relate
that on the evening of the 13th of September, when
the British troops, under Cornwallis, encamped at
Village Green, extending in a crescent form west-
wardly to Mount Hope, he was afraid the soldiers
would kill his mother's cows, which were then pas-
turing in close proximity to the troops, so, lad as he
1 Smith's " History of Dela
2 Peiina. Mag. of Hist., vol.
was, not ten years of age, he marched boldly to the
camp and drove the cattle home. An officer noticed
the boy's action, and doubtless thinking that where
those cows belonged good cheer could be had, ordered
four soldiers to follow while he walked with young
Button to his home. The latter, child-like, answered
every question put to him by the officer, and when
the house was reached the soldiers waited without to
guard against the capture of their commander, who
had entered the dwelling. The widow Button was
much alarmed, but the officer assured her that the
soldiers did not come to rob the people, but advised
her as long as the troops lay in the neighborhood to
bolt and bar every door and window, for the camp-
followers, under a pretence of lighting a pipe, a drink
of water, or other trifling matter, would strive to get
access to the house and plunder it. The brave fellow
who had lost one of his hands in Flanders paid for
his meals, and the timely warning in all probability
saved the widow from loss.' This lad, born in Aston,
Feb. 2, 1769, died Sept. 12, 1869, in the same town-
ship, his span of life having been extended to one
hundred years, seven months, and eleven days.
When twenty-one years of age, he having learned
the tanning business, obtained permission from his
grandfather to build a tan-yard on the former's estate
in Aston, and Thomas Button erected a dwelling
partly of stone and partly of logs, and a tan-house,
into the wall of which is built a stone bearing the
initials T. B., and the date 1790. The young man,
who had married, appears to have devoted himself to
his trade, and not only did he establish a reputation
in business, but his industrious habits so favorably
impressed his grandfather that Richard Button con-
veyed " in consideration of the natural love and af-
fection he bore" his grandson, the two acres on which
the dwelling and tan-yard were located. Subse-
quently by his grandfather's will he received a large
tract of land surrounding these two acres. Here he
continued until 1808, when he removed to New York
State, but in 1817 resumed his trade as tanner at the
old location, using a steam-engine at the work pur-
chased of William Parrish, a manufacturer of Phila-
delphia, the first, it is said, ever set up in Belaware
County. The good people of that day shook their
head doubtingly at the ultimate success of his " new-
fangled notions." Here he continued until 1848, at
which time, being nearly eighty years of age, he
ceased to take an active part in business. He could
distinctly remember hearing the cannon which were
fired in Philadelphia in commemoration of the adop-
tion of the Beclaration of Independence, and was of
sufficient age to vote for Washington at his second
election, and excepting the first term of Monroe, had
voted at every Presidential election, casting his ballot
for the last time for Gen. Grant, in November, 1868.*
I Genealogy of the Button Family, by Gilbert Cope, i
lib., pp. 57,58.
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
On Feb. 2, 1869, when Thomas Button completed his
century of life, his family connection and friends,
amounting to nearly one thousand persons, assembled
at his house in Aston, on which occasion interesting
ceremonies appropriate to the unusual event were
had. The venerable man lived until the following
autumn, and only three instances are recorded in
Delaware County of persons who lived to a more
advanced age than that reached by Thomas Button.
In 1850, Nathan P. Button, his mother, Rachel
(Pennell) Button, and Richard P. Slawter died in
Aston, the cause of their death being exceedingly
remarkable. On Saturday afternoon, August 8th of
that year, a public sale of household goods was being
held in a house near Village Green, when a storm
""companied by lightning occurred. The house
where the vendue was in progress was struck, the
fluid entering the peak of the roof, passing down
between the weather-boarding and plastering until it
reached the first story, " when it divided, one por-
tion passing in at a hook driven in the wall, from
which a looking-glass was suspended, and striking
Nathan P. Button, who was standing under the glass,
upon the top of the head, leaving but a slight mark.
The fluid passed to his left arm above the elbow,
thence down his body, burning the skin in its pas-
sage. He lived about five minutes, and was sensible
of his approaching dissolution. The fluid passed
from him to John McClay, who was standing near,
struck him in the back, and ran down both his legs,
burning the skin and clothes from his body, tearing
his shoes to fragments, and leaving a small hole in
the toe of one of them, as if perforated by a bullet.
The other branch of the fluid struck Richard P.
Slawter, who was standing outside of the house, and
felled him to the ground. He was taken up, but ex-
pired in about fifteen minutes. Rachel Button, the
mother of Nathan, was in an adjoining room, and, on
being told of the fate of her son, she came out and
immediately commenced to render every assistance
in her power to restore him to animation. After
laboring with great anxiety for nearly half an hour
she gradually fainted away, and, continuing to lose
respiration, she expired in about three-quarters of an
hour after the death of her son." '
The foregoing is not the only freak of lightning
worthy of record as having happened in Aston. On
Monday evening, June 19, 1848, during a heavy
storm, the dwelling of John Hall, in that township,
was struck by lightning, and a lady sitting in the
house was so severely stunned that she was uncon-
scious for several hours.
As late as 1770, Br. Smith tells us, a family of In-
dians had a wigwam on the Aston side of Chester
Creek, on or in the vicinity of the present farm of
George Brayton, but they did not remain there con-
stantly. Their names were Andrew, Isaac, his son,
1 Delaware County Repvhlican^ Aug. 9, 1850.
and two women, sisters, Nanny and Betty, one of
whom was the wife of Andrew. The latter died about
the year 1780, and was buried in the graveyard of
Middletown Friends' meeting-house.-
On the evening of Sept. 11, 1777, a number of the
stragglers from the defeated American army, hungry,
demoralized, and exhausted in their flight from the
field at Brandywine, collected in the neighborhood
of Logtown, where they passed the night, sleeping
in the outbuildings and open fields. The next
morning most of them rejoined their commands.
Several acres of land lying in the sharp angle
formed by the union of the Marcus Hook and Con-
cord roads at Village Green early in this century were
the property of John Hoskins, and there occurred in
the olden times an accident which is still recalled to
the minds of many of the aged residents of the
county. On Jan. 5, 1819, a six-year-old son of John
and Mary Hoskins, in the absence of his parents,
caught up an old firelock standing in the room back
of a door, which had been charged about the pre-
ceding Christmas, and which the owner had several
times attempted to discharge without success. The
child pointed the gun at his sister, four years older
than himself, saying, " I'm going to shoot," pulling
the trigger as he spoke. The gun, unfortunately,
was discharged, and the shot lodged in the bowels of
the girl, causing instant death.
In February, 1836, a strike occurred at Crozer's
West Branch Mills, occasioned by the discharge of
William Shaw, one of the hands, and in May of the
same year the operatives employed in the cotton-fac-
tories along Chester Creek struck for higher wages.
In April, 1842, wages having been reduced, a general
strike followed. Meetings were held, and on May 16,
1842, eight of the operatives were arrested on a charge
of inciting the others to riot. On May 24th the trial
began, and continued one week. It was alleged that
the strikers caused Burt & Kerlin's mill to stop work
by shutting down the head-gate, and one Broadbent,
an operator who would not join the strikers, was
overtaken going to work and kicked, cufied, dragged
to creek, and ducked. It was alleged that a party,
consisting of two or three hundred men, gathered at
Rockdale, when a committee was appointed to go to
John Garsedand John B. Pierce, at Pennsgrove Mills,
and compel the hands to cease work there, and that
a procession of about fifty men, of Rockdale, armed
with clubs, canes, and a few with pistols, went to
Kelly's factory, in Upper Barby, to compel the oper-
atives there to join in the strike. Mark Wild, Hiram
McConnell, and Maj. Rowe were convicted of con-
spiracy. Wild and Rowe were fined twenty dollars
each. McConnell was ordered to pay thirty-five dol-
lars fine. The jury acquitted all the eight men in-
dicted for riot, but ordered McConnell to pay the
costs of prosecution.
a Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 40O.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
A fatal accident occurred at Kockdale on Saturday,
Dec. 17, 1859. A violent storm rendered the night
unusually dark. Maris Waddle, of Middletown, was
driving down the steep hill at James Brown's (now
Atwood B. Hoskins') store, when his horses took
fright, hacked the wagon over the side of the road at
that point, and the vehicle, in falling a distance of
ten feet to the wall below, turned, crushing the driver
beneath it. When the wagon was removed Wad-
dle's lifeless body was found lying under the broken
vehicle.
The original township of Aston, which at the upper
end conformed to the straight east and west line
dividing that township, Concord, and Middletown
from Thornbury, and Edgmont remained undisturbed
until 1842, when, on July 20th of that year, the As-
sembly enacted a law changing the line of Aston, so
that that part of the old township lying above Stony
Bank School-house — a direct line drawn thence east-
ward from Concord township-line to Chester Creek —
was annexed to Thornbury township.' Again, in
1870, an effort was made by the citizens of the upper
end of Aston to divide the present township, the dif-
ficulty growing out of the alleged disproportion of
the number of schools and the unequal division of
the taxes for road purposes. A petition was presented
to the court, but at the election held, under order of
court, October 18th of that year, the project was
defeated at the polls.
Peters' Grist- and Saw-Mills.— On Green Creek,
a feeder of the West Branch of Chester Creek, near
Concord township-line, the Peters' grist- and saw-
mills are located. The date when the tract on which
the mills are erected was first taken up does not ap-
pear of record, but on June 10, 1703, one hundred
acres were resurveyed to Isaac Taylor, to whom a
patent for this land was issued Jan. 12, 1704. It
subsequently became the property of William Peters,
who, in 1750, erected the brick dwelling-house now
standing, the date-stone in its walls bearing his in-
itials, " W. P," and the numerals of the year just
stated.
Previous to 1790 a stone fulling-mill had been built,
and between that date and 1799 a saw-mill had also
been erected, for the assessment-roll of Aston town-
ship, in the latter year, shows that at that time a full-
ing-mill and a saw-mill were then on the estate. This
saw-mill, in several ancient documents, is called "a
slitting-mill," it being employed in slitting logs to be
used in building ships. In 1826 the fulling-mill was
in disuse and a grist-mill and saw-mill were in oper-
ation ; in the former from six to ten thousand bushels
of grain was ground, and in the latterabout fifty thou-
sand feet of lumber sawed per annum. On June 4,
1842, Samuel F. Peters, a grandson of William
Peters, purchased the property, retaining title thereto
until Feb. 8, 1872, when Samuel F. Peters sold it to
b' " Delaware County Digest," p. 98.
I Charles J. Johnson, who is now operating the mills
as the " Forest Queen Mills."
Tyson (now Llewellyn) Mills. — Previous to the
Revolution, Robert Hall and Abraham Sharpless
owned and operated a grist-mill on the West Branch
! of Chester Creek. The traces of the old race which
fed those works and the remains of the ancient dam
can be discerned to this day. The old race on the
other side of the creek from the present mills evi-
dently was in use for a mill, probably that of 1772,
of which mention is made in the road-docket of a
road as being laid out at that time from Daniel
Sharpless' smithshop (Logtown) to Hall & Sharp-
less' mill. Hall subsequently acquired title to the
entire property, and on April 5, 1798, he sold thirty-
four acres, on which was then erected a stone house,
a grist- and saw-mill, to Thomas Jones, and became a
store-keeper in Aston, while Jones operated the mill,
certainly unsuccessfully, for he became insolvent, and
on July 20, 1800, John Odenheimer, sheriff of the
county, conveyed twenty-eight and three-quarter acres
of land, with the buildings, to Capt. John Richards.
The latter retained title to the estate two years, when
on Oct. 23, 1802, he sold the premises to James Ty-
son. The purchaser, then a young man of thirty-
three, continued to operate the mills (having, in con-
nection with the grist-, erected an oil-mill) for more
than half a century until his death, March 15, 1858,
aged eighty-six years. During the flood of 1843 much
property was destroyed at these mills, the race and
dam being almost obliterated. On March 25, 1864,
Elwood Tyson, executor of his father's estate, sold
the premises, excepting three-quarters of an acre, to
John B. and Samuel Rhodes, who changed the old
mill into a cotton- and woolen-factory, and in 1868
erected the present main building, a structure one
hundred and ten by fifty-seven feet, two stories in
height. In 1872 an addition of one hundred and
thirty-five feet was made to the mill, the whole, in-
cluding the building put up in 1868, being enlarged
by the erection of a third story, and in 1879 another
addition of one hundred and twelve feet and three
stories was built, making the whole length of the
main mill three hundred and fifty-five feet, in which
are nearly four hundred looms. The industry, as it
developed, necessarily built up a village, which now
contains about one hundred tenement houses. For
the convenience of the operatives a store was estab-
lished at Llewellyn in the summer of 1877, and in
1880 it was made a postal station, John B. Rhodes
being appointed postmaster. In addition to these
mills the firm are now running the Knowlton Mills
under a lease, and have purchased the West Branch
Mills, which they are also operating.
John B. Rhodes, the senior member of the firm, is
the grandson of John Rhodes, who emigrated from
Yorkshire, England, in 1827, and settled in Aston town-
ship, where his death by drowning — together with that
of two daughters — occurred during the great freshet
■"^S-iyJLHRTdc'nis
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
of August, 1843. His son, William, followed him to
America the year after, and also located in Aston
township, where he was employed in a factory devoted
to the manufacture of cotton fabrics. He married,
prior to his emigration, Hannah Kay, and had chil-
dren,—John B., William, Samuel, Thomas (deceased),
Ann, and Susanna,— all of whom were born in the
United States. John B., the eldest, whose birth oc-
curred Jan. 27, 1829, in Aston township, at the early
age of six years entered a cotton-factory with a view
to becoming pro6cient in that branch of industry.
He was employed in the different departments of a
weaving-mill, and ultimately acquired a practical
knowledge of all branches of the business. His edu-
cation was meanwhile gained at the sessions of a
night-school (the public-school system not yet being
introduced in this part of the State), and confined
principally to the rudiments, habits of thought and
observation having been of great service to him
during his youth as in later life. He remained an
employe of the factory until his majority was at-
tained, and was then married by Bishop Alfred Lee,
of Delaware, to Annie L., daughter of William War-
ren, of Middletown township, who was of English
parentage. Their children are William K. (deceased),
Charles B., Alfred L., John, Jr., Richard Somers,
Ann L., and Jennie C. (deceased). On his marriage,
Mr. Rhodes embarked in the business of store-keeping
at Crozerville, Delaware Co., where he remained
prosecuting a successful trade until 1864. He then
purchased from Elwood Tyson, Esq., what is known
as the Aston Mills property, and has since been en-
gaged in the manufacture of doeskins, jeans, and
dress-goods. His marked success prompted him, in
1866, to rent the Knowlton Mills, at Knowllon, in
Middletown township, which are still controlled by
him. To this already extensive manufacturing ven-
ture was added, in 1882, the purchase of the West
Branch Mills, in Aston township, which are running
to their full capacity. In the management of these
extensive interests his energy and business tact have
been exceptional, contributing essentially to the suc-
cess of every enterprise in which he has engaged.
From humble beginnings Mr. Rhodes has risen by in-
herent force and strong purpose to be an influential
factor in the industries of the county. He is in poli-
tics a Democrat. He was a delegate to the St. Louis
Convention which in 1876 nominated Tilden and
Hendricks for the first offices in the gift of the peo-
ple. He is a prominent Odd-Fellow, member of
Benevolent Lodge, No. 40, of Aston, and has repre-
sented it in the Grand Councils for a number of years,
his father having been in 1831 one of its charter
members and organizers. He is a regular attendant
upon the services of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
though educated in the tenets of the Protestant
Episcopal faith.
The Old Forge at Rockdale. — The first mention
of a forge at this place, so far as we have yet ascer-
tained, occurs in a deed dated Nov. 16, 1785, whereby
Abraham Pennell conveyed to his brother, Dell Pen-
nell, a tract of ground " whereon is erected an iron
forge." That this forge was built subsequent to 1750
is evident from the return of John Owens, sheriff of
Chester County, who, on the 24th of June in that
year, made report to the Governor in relation to the
iron-works in this county. In 1780 the forge was as-
sessed to Dell Pennell, and doubtless operated by him
until 1802, when it was conducted by William Speer
and Joseph Churchman. The land whereon it stood
was part of a large tract to which the father of
Abraham and Dell Pennell for many years had title.
The deed to Dell Pennell conveyed to him two hun-
dred acres in Middletown and one hundred acres in
Aston townships, " whereon is erected an iron forge,
with the full and free liberty and privilege of raising
the water of the forge dam within four inches of the
top of the figures 1785, and an auger hole in a rock
on the northwest side of the dam." Dell Pennell, on
May 21, 1802, conveyed to Nathan Sharpless the
right to use the waters of Chester Creek for the use
of Sharpless' "grist-mill dam, where it now stands,
and has long stood across the creek above our Forge
dam." On the same day Nathan Sharpless and
Rachel, his wife, granted to Dell Pennell the "right
of an abutment on our land where the old forge dam
now stands and has long stood across Chester Creek,
and to repair and rebuild from time to time, and at
all times, said dam so as to raise the water therein as
high as is expressed in the deed from Abraham Pen-
nell and Hannah, his wife, to the said Dell Pennell,"
which refers to the figures 1785 and the auger-hole in
the rock. The day after these grants were made.
May 22, 1802, Dell Pennell sold to George Chandler
the iron-works and eight acres of land. The latter
seems not to have operated the forge, but Abraham
Sharpless and Francis Wisley conducted the business
there, at least they did in 1807, and on July 21, 1808,
when Chandler sold to Thomas Odiorne, a merchant
of Maiden, Middlesex Co., Mass.,— a relative of the
Wilcox family, — that certain messuage, •iron-works,
etc., and eight acres of ground. In 1809 the nail-mill
was built. After the sale to Thomas Odiorne, Capt.
Henry Moore, of Portsmouth, N. H., took charge of
the works, and continued there until after the death
of Thomas Odiorne, the elder, and in the settlement
of the estate Thomas Odiorne, the younger, on Aug.
28, 1815, conveyed his interest in the property to
George Odiorne, of Boston, for five thousand six hun-
dred dollars, and the same day George Odiorne sold
to his brother-in-law, Capt. Henry Moore, — the latter
had married Ann Odiorne, — in consideration of fifteen
thousand dollars, all his right in the real estate, con-
sisting of eight acres fifteen perches, " with the mes-
suages, iron- and nail-works, and other buildings
thereon erected," and the right of water and to build
dams, together with his interest in twenty and three-
fourth acres of land. To these mills Capt. Moore
296
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
gave the name " Old Sable Works." In 1830, when
William McCracben began work there, Capt. Moore's
establishments consisted of a nail-slitting and roll-
ing-mill, as also a grist- and cotton-mill. The nail-
mill was located on the island where the unoccupied
stone mill now stands, and was in Middletown. The
grist-mill was in Aston, adjoining the rolling- and
slitting-mill, and had been built by Capt. Moore
about 1827. The iron ore and coal used in smelting
■was hauled to the mills from Chester and Marcus
Hook, to which places those articles were brought in
shallops. Richard S. Smith, of Philadelphia, who
acted as Moore's agent for the sale of nails manufac-
tured by him, had advanced large sums of money to
Moore, and on May 23, 1832, the latter conveyed the
estate to Smith to secure him for the advances, with
the understanding that the property would be recon-
veyed on payment of the sums due. In 1833, Moore
failed, and the estate passed absolutely to Smith.
Capt. Moore, previous to 1826, had built on the site
of the forge a stone cotton-mill, four stories and an
attic in height. Lewis and John S. Phillips oper-
ated the cotton-weaving factory from the time it was
erected until some years after the property was pur-
chased by Smith. They gave place to Henry Burt
and Kerlin, who operated it until the spring of
1843, when they became embarrassed and made an as-
signment. The grist-mill was in that year occupied
by Henry Gorman. The mills lay idle nearly a year,
when they were rented to Barnard McCready, who
purchased them in 1845, and the following year he
was an exhibitor at the National Fair, at Washing-
ton, and received special mention for the printed
cotton goods he made. He erected a spinning-mill
adjoining the old factory (now changed into dwelling-
houses), and continued to conduct the business until
his death, when he was succeeded by his son, Thomas,
and his son-in-law, Robert Ewing. It was subse-
quently leased for ten years to John G. Steen &
Samuel Riddle, and at the expiration of that term
was purchased by Alexander Balfour, and operated
by him for a> short period, when it was sold to Samuel
Riddle. The cotton-mill which stood on the site of
the old forge was entirely consumed by fire on May
20, 1873. It was then operated by Whittaker & Lewis
in the manufacture of cotton yarn.
The old forge-dam stood about twenty feet above
the bridge at Glen Riddle, and was removed by Sam-
uel Riddle in 1875. Two thousand feet above the
forge-dam was that of the Sharpless Mill. The present
dam at Rockdale was built in 1845.
The other works of Barnard McCready were located
in Middletown, and their story will be told in the his-
tory of that township.
Thatcher's Tilt-Mill.— Previous to 1811 there was
a tilt-mill situated on Chester Creek above Grubb's
Bridge, and near Wawa Station, the junction of the
West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad and the
Baltimore Central Railroad, which was owned and
operated by Joseph Thatcher. The land whereon it
was located had been selected, doubtless, with an eye
to its admirable water-power by Caleb Pusey, the
noted miller of early colonial days. In 1812, Enos
Thatcher had control of the works, and in 1815 the
firm became Thomas & Enos Thatcher. The stimu-
lating effect of the war with England caused an ex-
tension of the business, but with the return of peace
it, as with all manufacturing industries, became pre-
carious, hence it is with no astonishment we find it
recorded in 1826 that the "tilt- and blade-mill,"
owned and occupied by Thomas Thatcher, had not
been " much used in times past." Nevertheless, the
last named, through good and bad times, retained the
ownership of the mill until his death, in 1840. Indeed,
at that time there was a stone tilt-mill, forty by forty-
one feet, with four fires, two of which were blown by
water-power, a new wheel having been built for that
purpose, to which a lathe could be attached, as well
as grindstones and polishing-wheels. Near by the
mill was also a coachmaker's shop, twenty-five by
thirty-seven feet, and two stories in height. In 1841,
Joseph and Isaac Thatcher were engaged in making
at that mill " scycloidal" self-sharpening plows. In
the flood of 1843 this tilt-mill, belonging to the heirs
of Thomas Thatcher, was swept away by the water,
nothing being found after the rushing current had
subsided but the tilt-hammer and the grindstone.
In 1852, John W. Thatcher carried on blacksmithing
and coach-building near by for several years. The
property is still in the ownership of the family, John
Thatcher being the present proprietor.
Lenni Mills. — Thomas Griffith, on Jan. 2, 1797, con-
veyed to John Lungren, paper manufacturer of Upper
Providence, a tract of land containing one hundred
and sixty-seven acres, on which was " a messuage and
mill-seat." This land was described as situated in
Aston, along Chester Creek, adjoining lands of John
Rattew, Levi Mattson, and other lands of Thomas
Griffith. It was stipulated in the deed that Lungren
was to have the right to "use the water of a small
run, which at present empties itself into the race be-
longing to the saw-mill formerly existing upon the
premises," which right was especially granted for
"the mill in contemijlation to be shortly erected by
the said John Lungren for the manufacture of paper
upon a part of the premises hereby intended to be
granted." The same day, Jan. 2, 1797, Jonathan
Pennell, blacksmith, conveyed to John Lungren "all
rights to adjoin or abut the dam which will belong to
the mill called a Paper-Mill, intended shortly to be
built by the said John Lungren." The lands of
Jonathan Pennell were on the opposite or east side
of Chester Creek, in Middletown township. The
paper-mill was erected in 1798, and was assessed in
Aston township in 1799. The dam built at the time
the mill was put up had becoine so decayed in 1815
that a new dam was constructed to take the place of
the first. John Lungren continued to operate this
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
297
mill until his death, about 1816, when the property
descended to his sons, Charles and William Lungren.
The latter rented the premises for several years, and
in 1825 sold the estate to Peter Hill, who built a cot-
ton-mill thereon thirty-five by fifty-five feet, three
stories in height, and the same year conveyed the
estate to William Martin and Joseph W. Smith. It
was the new proprietor who gave to the locality the
name it now bears, — Lenni, — for William Martin, who
operated the factory, called it Lenni Mills. At that
time the paper-mill — two vats — was operated by
John B. Duckett, who manufactured weekly sixty
reams of quarto-post paper and thirty-three reams of
printing-paper. Martin indorsed heavily for a friend.
The latter carried Martin with him in his bankruptcy,
and on Aug. 25, 1827, the premises were sold by the
sheriff, Mrs. Ann Sellers, the mother-in-law of Peter
Hill, becoming the purchaser, as trustee of Hannah
S. Hill, her daughter. David Lamotte & Sons
thereupon rented the mill. It appears that a new
factory was erected on the property, for on Dec. 30,
1845, a stone mill and dryinor-house at Lenni took
fire, and was entirely consumed. The mill had been
used as a store-house and machine-shop, and at the
time of its destruction did not contain a large stock
of goods. The following year, May, 1846, Lamotte
exhibited "Ashland tickings," made by him at the
Lenni Mills, at the National Fair, Washington, D. C,
which article received special mention. In 1850,
Peter Hill died, and Lamotte removed from Lenni
to Wilmington, Del., where he died, Sept. 20, 1877,
aged ninety-six years. The mills were then rented
to Gen. Robert Patterson, and the stone mansion-
house erected by John Lungren was occupied by
Robert L. Martin, Patterson's agent. In 1873, Jo-
seph Kenworthy became the superintendent of the
Lenni Mills, and continued there until 1882, when
they were closed. They are now idle. The road
leading from Lenni Mills to Lenni is still called the
Lungren road.
Crozerville Mills.— The land on which the Crozer-
ville mill now stands was owned in 1810 by John
Rattew, having been in the possession of his ances-
tors for three generations. On December 24th of that
year he entered into an article of agreement with
Isaac Bottomley, a clothier of Concord, granting on
certain conditions ten acres of land on Chester Creek,
"touching both branches so as to take in a mill-seat."
On this tract Isaac Bottomley erected a woolen-mill,
and on July 1, 1811, John and Thomas Bottomley,
also clothiers of Concord, purchased from Isaac Bot-
tomley an interest in the business and the agreement
with Rattew. On Jan. 25, 1812, John Rattew con-
veyed the title of the property to Isaac, John, and
Thomas Bottomley. During the second war with
England the factory made considerable money for its
owners, but with the return of peace the shrinkage in
values embarrassed the Bottomley Brothers, and the
difiiculties were increased by the death of John and
Thomas at different times. By various proceedings
in court the title to the property was finally vested in
the survivor, Isaac Bottomley. Innumerable troubles
crossed his path until he could stem the tide no longer,
and on April 2, 1824, Sheriff Joseph Weaver, Jr., sold
the personal property in the factory. The machines
thus disposed of consisted of " one carding machine,
one spinning Billy of forty spindles, two spinning
Jennys, one of eighty and the other of forty spindles,
one Picker, three weaving Looms, with reeds and
gears, and other articles not enumerated." This fac-
tory was noted in its days, hence we publish the list
of machinery contained therein that it may be seen
how vast is the change sixty years has wrought in
manufacturing in our county. On the 2d of April,
1826, Isaac Bottomley sold the real estate to John B.
Duckett, which sale included the mill and fourteen
acres of land. Duckett at the time he purchased the
property was operating a small paper-mill on the
Lenni estate (already mentioned), then owned by
William Martin and Joseph W. Smith. Shortly after
the purchase Duckett built a paper-mill, thirty by
eighty-six feet, three stories in height, on this site,
taking the power to drive the machinery from the
West Branch. In 1837, he having failed, the mill
property was transferred to the Bank of Delaware
County, at which time there was on the estate, be-
sides the mill, a mansion-house, nine tenements, and
a store building. In 1838 that institution conveyed
the property to John P. Crozer, who in the following
year erected the present stone mill, fifty-three by one
hundred and fifty-six feet, and three stories in height.
Mr. Crozer operated this mill until his death, in 1866,
when it was conducted by Samuel A. Crozer for one
year, at the expiration of which time he associated
Samuel C. Lewis in the business under the firm-name
of Crozer & Lewis. In 1875, Mr. Lewis withdrew
from the firm, and Crozer conducted it till 1881,
when he rented the mill to his son-in-law, the present
proprietor, William H. H. Robinson. The difference
of the two periods in the development of our manu-
facturing interest is noticeable when we contrast the
number of spindles used by Isaac Bottomley, one
hundred and sixty, and find that the present mill to-
day requires five thousand in the manufacture of
cotton yarns exclusively.
West Branch Cotton Mills.— Between 1790 and
1795, Aaron Mattson built a stone mill, on the west
branch of Chester Creek, which he operated as a
paper-mill until 1824, when, becoming involved, the
premises were taken in execution, and on Dec. 6, 1824,
was sold by the sheriff to John P. Crozer. The lat-
ter, in speaking of this estate, says, " I bought the
little mill-seat with an old rickety building and over
one hundred and eighty acres of land, for seven thou-
sand three hundred and thirty dollars. My kind
brother, J. Lewis, again aided me in raising the
money. I mortgaged to Thomas Woodward for four
thousand dollars and borrowed the balance as best I
298
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
could, with J. Lewis' security. Tiiis was in the autumn
of 1824, and I was to have possession in the spring
of 1825, at which time I removed." ' Mr. Crozer
changed the paper-mill into a cotton-factory, and in
1826 had there ten carding engines of twenty-four
inches, thirteen hundred and thirty-eight spindles, on
which he spun eleven hundred pounds of cotton-yarn
per week. At that time there were dwelling houses
on the estate for nine families. In the noted flood of
1843 the eastern end of the factory was carried away,
with the size-house, water-wheel, many looms, and the
dry-house, containing yarns and goods valued at sev-
eral thousand dollars. In 1846, John P. Crozer ex-
hibited ticking at the National Fair, Washington,
and the goods received special mention. At West
Branch, Mr. Crozer continued to reside until May,
1847, when, having completed his dwelling at Up-
land, he removed thither. The West Branch Mill,
however, remained in the ownership of the Crozer
family until 1882, when it was sold to John B. Rhodes,
who now owns and operates it.
Pennellton (Bridgewater) Mills.— In 1826 the
site of these mills was known only as a mill-seat, and
it was not until 1845 that Isaac Morgan built a stone
cotton-factory forty by forty-five feet, and four stories
in height, to which he gave the name " Pennellton,"
in honor of Hannah Pennell, his wife. The first oc-
cupant of the Pennellton Mill was Edward Leigh,
who carried on cotton-spinning and weaving therein
from 1846 to 1850, when he was succeeded in the same
business by Charles and Joseph Kenworthy, from 1851
to 1855. They in turn gave place to ■ Lewis, and
he to John Campbell, of Philadelphia. The latter
relinquished the mill to Patrick Kelley, who man-
ufactured a grade of goods known as " Powhattan,"
which became noted in the market, and in a few years
made him comparatively wealthy ; so much so that,
desiring to retire in December, 1863, he sold his
entire interest in the business and machinery to Hugh
Shaw and David Reese Esrey, who remained at the
Pennellton Mills until the summer of 1866, when,
having built Powhattan Mill, No. 1, in North Chester,
the old factory on Chester Creek was purchased from
Isaac Morgan by Joseph Willcox &Co., who changed
it to a paper-mill, and gave it the present name,
"Bridgewater." In January, 1872, Samuel Haigh
& Co., of Philadelphia, purchased the estate and
changed it to a woolen-factory, and have operated it
from that date. The mill contains five sets of sixty-
inch cards, four sell-factory mules, three thousand
one hundred and nine spindles, and other necessary
macliinery. The original mill has been enlarged by
an addition to the western end. The mills are now
known as the Gi.adstone Mills, but the locality is still
called Bridgewater.
Schools. — The history of schools in Aston is inter-
esting, and can be traced in our annals certainly to the
' Biographical Sl£etch of John P. Crozer, written hy himself, p. 66.
year 1777, for Thomas Dutton used to relate that the
day of the battle of Brandywine — he was then nine
years of age — the pupils had assembled at the school as
usual, but when the booming of the cannon at Chad's
Ford, but a few miles distant, was heard, the aged mas-
ter, James Rigby, dismissed the scholars, saying, " Go
home, children; I can't keep school to-day" After
the English troops had withdrawn from the neighbor-
hood of Village Green, doubtless the school resumed
its sessions ; but of that fact we have no positive evi-
dence. The presumption is, however, that at the be-
ginning of this century no building especially de-
signed for school purposes had been erected in that
township. This fact seems to be established from the
deed dated May 11, 1802, by which Samuel Hewes, of
Aston, conveyed to William Pennell and Thomas
Dutton, of the same township, "for the use of a
school, a house thereon to be built," a lot of land
comprising an acre, which was part of a tract of fifty-
nine acres which Thomas Goodwin had sold, Nov. 1,
1799, to Hewes. This lot was to be held " in trust
and for the use of a schgol, a house to be built thereon
for the use, benefit, and behoof of the subscribers to-
wards building said house." The names of such sub-
scribers were annexed in a schedule to the original
deed, — that part of it is not on record in the recorder's
office, — which trust was to continue for the heirs and
assigns of the parties therein named, and in case it
should at any time be deemed proper to sell the lot
and school-house, it was provided that the trustees
for the time being could convey a fee-simple title to
the purchaser, after such sale had been authorized by
the majority vote of the subscriber, the purchase
money to be divided in proportion to the amount
contributed by each subscriber. The building thus
erected was known as the octagon school-house, at
Village Green, and therein, about 1820, James Mc-
Mullen was the pedagogue. In 1836, after the Pub-
lic School Act had gone into effect and the board of
directors for Aston township was organized, the old
school-house passed into the possession of the town-
ship, and on Sept. 30, 1836, a school was opened
there, Nicholas F. Walter being employed as teacher
in the lower room at a salary of twenty-five dollars
per month, and Mrs. Moore was appointed teacher in
the upper room.
At first the school law was not looked upon with
favor by the residents of Aston, for at the election
held at the Seven Stars in 1834, at which the question
was submitted of raising a school fund, the vote stood
forty-one against twelve in the aflirmative. At a meet-
ing of the school board, held on May 6, 1836, after the
act of that year had become a law, Richard S. Smith,
who had been appointed a delegate to the convention,
held at Chester, on the 2d of the same month, re-
ported that a tax of seven thousand five hundred dol-
lars had been levied in the county by the school
directors, and a meeting of the people was ordered to
be held in the several townships on the 17th of May,
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
to make such township appropriations as would secure
the State and county appropriation for school pur-
poses. It was decided at this meeting of the board
to add a sum of two-thirds of a county rate, which
amounted to five hundred dollars, and on May 17th
the question as to the sum was submitted to a popular
vote, which resulted in the measure being adopted,
fifty-eight votes for to nine against the measure.
On June 10, 1836, a proposition was made to secure
the building known as Martin's school-house, and the
owners agreed to rent it at two dollars per month.
The directors, on June 16th, consented to accept the
offer, on condition that a list of the contributors should
be furnished the board, so that the proportional share
of the rent could be paid to each of the contributors.
It was also determined that an effort should be made
to obtain possession of the school-house then being
erected by John P. Crozer at West Branch, as well as
the house expected to be built at Rockdale, for the
school term. The proposition looking to the occu-
pancy of the Stony Bank school-house was accepted,
and on Sept. 3, 1836, it was ordered by the board that
John Sharpless should be asked to deliver the key of
that building. This school-house was built on a lot
containing two acres and four-tenths of a perch of land,
which Thomas Pennell, on March 9, 1796, had con-
veyed for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, to
Daniel Sharpless, of Middletown, Abraham Sharp-
less, Emmor Williamson, and Jacob Pyle, of Aston,
on the payment of twenty pounds Pennsylvania
money, and a "yearly rent of one American cent, if
demanded," the grantees promising to erect " a good
& sutficient stone school-house of the dimensions and
form as shall be agreed on by such persons as shall
subscribe for that purpose." It was opened for tuition
by the directors of the public school on Oct. 31, 1836,
for a period of six months. Previous thereto the di- !
rectors finding the building was much out of repair,
twenty dollars was appropriated to put it in condition j
for public use. The school board also by resolution
agreed to accept the children of contributors of the
old Village Green and Stony Bank schools, on the
payment of two hundred and twenty-five dollars per
quarter to the board of directors for the township.
Martin's school-house was subsequently known as
the Logtown school, and the latter name in 1880 was
changed to Chester Heights school, its present title.
A school being required at Rockdale, the board di-
rected that a suitable building should be obtained
there for that purpose, if possible, and Richard S.
Smith, a director, offered to give the use of a house
there rent free, " provided it is left in as good condi-
tion as the Board finds it." This offer was accepted,
and the dwelling standing back of the present " Moun-
tain House" became the first public school at that
point, L. White Williams being the first teacher.
This building had been used as a school during Henry
Moore's ownership of the land. In 1853 the Aston
public school, the present building, was erected at
Rockdale; in 1880 the school-house at Llewellyn was
built. Messrs. Haigh & Co., in the fall of the year
1875, offered to give an acre of ground at Bridge-
water as the site for a school-house, but for some
reason these gentlemen and the directors did not come
to a definite understanding until June, 1879, when the
offer was accepted, and a brick building erected on the
ground thus donated.
The following is a list of the school directors of
Aston township :
1840, Samuel A. Barton, Joho Garsed ; 1842, Mark Pennell, Stephen
Hall; 1843, Mablon Monsell, George Thompson; 1844, James Mc-
Mullen, Stephen Hall; 1845, John W. Thatcher, Thomas Martin;
1846, George Thompson, Edwin Hannum ; 1847, Thomas Williamson,
Andrew W. Mathues; 1848, Thomas Martin, John Button ; 1849,
Edward Hannum, James W. McCracken ; 1850, Samuel R. Hall,
Nicholas F.Walter; 1851, Samuel R. Hall, Thomas Martin; 1852,
James McCracken, Edwin Hannum; 1853, Nicholas F.Walter, Wil-
liam Hannum; 1854, George Thompson, James Bleyler; 1855, George
Thompson, Edwin Hannum; 1856, Elwood Tyson, William Burns;
1857, James W. McCracken, Phineas Dickon; 1858, Andrew W.
Mathews, J. Hervey Barton ; 1859, John B. Rhodes, Robert L. Mai^
tin ; 1860, George Yarnall, Robert L. Martin ; 1861, Edwin Hannum,
James W. McCracken ; 1862, William Brown, James Bleyler ; 1863,
Charles Hart, William Brown ; 1864, William McCracken, Benjamin
Crowther; 1865, Edwin Hannum, Thomas Swayne; 1866, Thomas
Pancoast, Elwood Tyson; 1867, Thomas Pancoast, Lewis Martin;
1868, William G. Davidson, William F. Mathews; 1869, C. C. V.
Crawford, William Carson ; 1870, Judge Tyson, John Neal ; 1871,
John B. Rhodes, Samuel A. Crozer; 1872, Charles W. Mathues,
James W. McCracken ; 1873, 0. C. V. Crawford, C. R. Heyburn ; 1874,
John D. Riser, Samuel K. Crozer; 1875, S. A. Fields, C. W. Mathues;
1876, C. C. V. Crawford, Caleb R. Heyburu ; 1877, Samuel A. Field,
James W. McCracken ; 1878, Samuel H.Hall, John B. Neal; 1879,
S. M. Challenger, C. R. Beyhurn; 1880, Elwood Tyson, Joseph N.
Scott ; 1881, Samuel Rhodes, Samuel K. Crozer ; 1882, E. P. Han-
num, Samuel Challenger; 1883, W. S. S. Gay, Robert Taylor; 1884,
Caleb R. Heyburn, James C. McGraw.
The private schools in Aston, other than the old-
time contribution schools, have not been numerous,
but their story, so far as I have yet learned, is full of
interest. During the second war with England,
Joseph Neef, a Frenchman, who attempted to estab-
lish the system of study then employed at the noted
Pestallozzi, in Switzerland, removed from Philadel-
phia to Village Green, where he remained for several
years. David Glascoe Farragut, who, almost half a
century afterwards, became the great naval hero of
the nineteenth century, while residing at Commodore
Porter's home at Chester, became a pupil of Mr. Neef.
The latter had as a tutor in his school Phiquepal
D'Arusmont, a Frenchman, who subsequently became
prominent because of his marriage to Fanny Wright,
— the strong-minded lecturer of half a century ago, —
who drew upon herself public denunciation simply
because her views and opinions were noticeably in
advance of the age in which she lived. She was pos-
sessed of large means, and the marriage, on the part
of D'Arusmont, was mercenary, and eventuated in
a few years in a separation between the ill-mated
couple. Previous to 1820, Joseph Neef closed his
school at Village Green and removed therefrom.
About 1845, Rev. Benjamin S. Huntington, an
Episcopal clergyman, established a seminary for
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
young ladies at Aston Ridge, which soon acquired
popularity, the scholars being drawn largely from the
Southern States. The principal, however, was con-
stantly enlarging the building until finally he became
bankrupt.
An interesting incident occurred in June, 1851,
when, in removing an old house adjoining the seminary
building to make room for proposed improvements,
a beam was found on which was distinctly marked
the date, " February 26, 1704," and in the cellar wall
was discovered a leaden medal of unknown date, but
evidently of great age. This house, which was built
of hewed logs of yellow poplar, was erected by Thomas
Button (born in England in 1679) at the date men-
tioned, and was located on part of the original Button
tract of five hundred and ninety acres. On Jan. 14,
1859, Benjamin S. Huntington sold the estate to Wil-
liam Moronoy, and the latter conveyed it, on May 4th
of the same year, to " The Philadelphia Theological
Seminary of St. Charles Borromeo," where, while the
new seminary was building at Overbrooke, the educa-
tional work of this institution of learning was con-
ducted. Rev. Jeremiah F. Shanahan, the present
bishop of Harrisburg, occupying the presidential
chair in the college while it remained in Aston.
When the new building was completed in the summer
of 1871, the estate near Village Green, comprising
twenty-eight and a half acres, was offered for sale.
On September 7th of that year the property was sold
to " The Sisters of St. Francis" of Philadelphia. For
a time the old seminary building was used for the
novitiate of the community, but it soon became too
small to meet the demands of the order, and by per-
mission of Archbishop James F. Wood a new convent
was erected, the corner-stone of which was laid May
29, 1873, Archbishop Wood officiating. On May 29,
1879, the corner-stone of the new chapel was laid, and
on Oct. 4, 1881, the chapel of " Our Lady of Angels"
was dedicated by the Very Rev. John White, of St.
Peter's Church, Philadelphia, he being authorized
thereto by Archbishop Wood. The convent is under
the supervision of Mother Mary Agnes, general supe-
rior, and here those wishing to join the community
are received and trained for their future calling to
minister at the bedside of the sick in hospitals or in
private houses, or teaching children in parochial
schools. There are upwards of two hundred and fifty
sisters in the community, all of whom come every
year to this novitiate to make their annual retreat.
The present beautiful edifice, "The Convent of Our
Lady of the Angels," is a conspicuous object in the
charming rural picture which strikes the eye as you
approach it from any direction.
About 1857, J. Harvey Barton established a semi-
nary at Aston Ridge in a large brick building still on
the Rockdale road, nearby the Baptist Church. It was
an institute in which both sexes were received and
educated, and deservedly ranked high, many of its
pupils having risen in the battle of life to prominent I
positions. For several years Hon. James Barton, Jr.,
Stephen C. Hall, and other well-known citizens of the
county were employed as instructors at the seminary.
In 1866, J. Harvey Barton discontinued the school,
since which time the building has been occupied as a
dwelling.
Churches— Mount Hope Methodist Church.—
This sanctuary is situated on the Concord road, just
above Village Green, on the noted "Aston Ridge,"
and its story begins three-quarters of a century ago,
in 1807, when the original building was erected on a
lot of land given for that purpose by Aaron Mattson,
a noted paper-manufacturer in the township in those
early days, and within that quiet " God's Acre" the
body of the generous donor, at an advanced age, was
laid to rest many years ago. The deed from Mattson
to Powell Clayton, Edward Carter, Baniel Carter,
Robert Johnson, John Little, George Sneath, and
Peter Longacre recites that the lot shall be held " for-
ever in trust, that they shall erect and build . . .
thereon a house or place of worship for the use of the
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the
United States of America, only those preachers ap-
pointed by the General Conference, and none others,
to preach and expound God's holy word therein."
The church was of stone, in size thirty by forty feet,
and, as was the case with all the early churches, par-
ticularly those built by the Methodist society, was
plainly finished and furnished, wanting in almost all
the accessories of comfort now deemed so essential to
a place of worship. For years the church was depend-
ent on the services of the circuit preacher, and when
his duties called him to other places the local minis-
ter led the congregation in religious exercises. Buring
its early struggles Rev. James Caughey, a noted re-
vivalist from England, visited the United States, and
during his journeyings preached in the remote Mount
Hope Church, and for miles around the people gath-
ered there to hear his sermon. The result of his
preaching was a noticeable increase in the member-
ship of Mount Hope, and the building soon became
too small to accommodate the congregation. In
1838 an addition of twenty feet was made to the edi-
fice, the building entirely remodeled, and six acres of
ground purchased, in addition to that already com-
prised in the churchyard. In May, 1847, Rev. John
Mills, who was then the pastor in charge, died, and
was buried in the graveyard at Corner Ketch. Mr.
Mills was by birth an Englishman, and had served
fifteen years as a soldier in the British army, but
being converted to the gospel teachings, had devoted
the remainder of his life to the ministry of the
Methodist Church.
Sept. 3, 1860, Mount Hope Methodist Church was
incorporated, and in 1877 the commodious parsonage
was erected near the sanctuary, the sum expended
being partly the purchase-money received from the
sale of the old parsonage lot at Marcus Hook to the
Wilmington Circuit by Lewis Massay, which is more
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
fully alluded to in the account of St. George's Church,
Lower Chichester.
In the churchyard at Mount Hope several genera-
tions of the old families of Aston are interred. Con-
spicuous among that number was George McCracken,
who died only a few months before he had attained
his hundredth year of life. George McCracken died [
on his estate on West Branch of Chester Creek in 1873. i
He was born in Ireland in 1773, and shortly after he
came to this country (early in the century) settled in !
Aston, and continued to reside there until his death.
Although his career was not marked with remarkable
incidents outside of the usual happenings of rural
life, he was a good citizen, who left an unblemished j
name to his numerous descendants. Four years before
his death, on May 1, 1869, while a number of the fam- I
ily and friends had assembled at Mr. McCracken's
house to attend a funeral there, the upper floor or the
porch, on which about thirty persons were standing at ,
the time, gave way, and fortunately, although several
persons were hurt, no serious injury was sustained by
any one. In 1851 the church was part of Mount Hope
Station, and in 1852 it became Village Green Circuit ;
from that date the pastors have been as follows : 1851, j
Kev. John B. Maddox ; 1852-53, Eev. Ignatius T.
Cooper, D.D.; 1854-55, Henry G. King; 1856-57,
Henry Sutton ; 1858, Ignatius T. Cooper, D.D. ; 1859-
60, Henry H. Bodine ; 1861-62, Rev. James Flannery ;
1863-64, Rev. James L. Houston ; 1865-66, Rev.
Henry Mauger; 1867-68, Rev. William C. Johnson;
1869-71, Rev. John A. Watson ; 1872-74, Rev. Edward
Townsend; 1875-77, Rev. William McGee; 1878-80,
Benjamin T. Spring'; 1881-83, George T. Hurlock ;
1884, William Rink. In March, 1878, Mount Hope
Church was set off as a special station.
Crozerville Methodist Episcopal Church.— In
the autumn of 1851 a number of the members of Mount
Hope Circuit residing In the immediate neighborhood
of Rockdale, believing that the cause of Methodism
could be advanced by the erection of a church edifice
at that place, gathered at the house of Rev. John B.
Maddox, near Village Green, which meeting resulted
in the organization of a board of trustees and the ap-
pointment of a building committee. The trustees
were Norris L. Yarnall, Archibald McDowell, John
Blackburn, Robert Moss, Robert McCartney, John
Thompson, William McBride, Amos Cummings, and
David Burnite, and the building committee, Dr. Bar-
ton, Rev. Henry G. King, and Archibal McDowell.
The first meeting of the trustees was held in Park-
mount school-house on Nov. 18, 1851, when, to aid
the movement, John P. Crozer donated a lot of ground
for the church building, and also subscribed gener-
ously to the building fund. In the spring of 1852,
although the structure had not been erected, a petition
was presented to the Philadelphia Conference urging
that the Rockdale Church, as it was then known,
should be separated from Mount Hope and consti-
tuted a regular station. The request was favorably
considered and Rev. George W. McLaughlin ap-
pointed the first pastor. At that time services were
held in the Temperance Hall at Taylortown, now
known as Lenni. The first Quarterly Conference was
held on June 13th, and continued the following day,
at which Rev. T. J. Thompson, presiding elder, was
chairman. The church edifice in the mean while had
been pushed forward, and was completed in the sum-
mer of 1852, the audience-room being formally dedi-
cated on June 27th of that year. Rev. Dr. William
Ryan, of Philadelphia, preaching the dedicatory
sermon. On that day nearly seven hundred and fifty
dollars was contributed. At the Quarterly Conference
held Feb. 19, 1853, as a recognition of the generous
favors extended to the society by Mr. Crozer, a resolu-
tion was adopted to change the name of the church
from Rockdale to Crozerville, which order was made,
and by that title the congregation was incorporated
December, 1860. The basement of the church was
completed in September, 1852. The attendance in-
creased rapidly, and by degrees the indebtedness which
had rested on the church was liquidated until, in 1866,
it was absolutely freed from debt. Ten years subse-
quent to the last date the parsonage was erected and
carriage-sheds built at the church, the cost of these
improvements amounting to two thousand two hun-
dred dollars. During twenty years' service the origi-
nal edifice became dilapidated, and in the summer
of 1882 the congregation renovated and thoroughly
renewed the structure, which was formally reopened
Oct. 22, 1882, Dr. A. J. Kynitt preaching the sermon.
The following pastors have been in charge of the
Crozerville Church since its founding: Revs. George
( N. McLaughlin, 1852; Dr. Ignatius T. Cooper, 1854;
John O'Niel, 1856; Joseph Dare, 1858; Alfred G.
Scott, 1860; John Frame, 1862; Francis W. Harvey,
1864; Edward P. Aldred, 1865; Welmer Coffman,
1867 ; Stephen Townsend, 1869 ; Henry White, 1870;
A. L. Welon, 1872; H. U. Tebring, 1874; Abel How-
ard, 1875; James C. Wood, 1877; T. W. McClary,
1879; Alex. M. Wiggins, 1881; Ravil Smith, 1882.
Chester Heights Camp-Meeting Association. —
j In 1872 an association of Methodists purchased a farm
j in Aston, on the line of the Baltimore Central Rail-
road, and was incorporated under the title Chester
Heights Camp-Meeting Association. The tract con-
tains about one hundred and sixty-two acres, of which
about sixty was woodland, which is inclosed with a
close fence seven feet high, having gates located at
convenient points for the admission of those attend-
ing the meetings. The improvements consist of a
large excursion-house, seventy by one hundred and
twenty feet ; a portion of this building is two stories
in height, which is used as lodging-rooms, while in
the rear building is one story open at the sides, and
can be used in rainy weather for holding religious
services. In front are three or four hundred settees,
capable of seating between three and four thousand
persons, so arranged that all in attendance can have
302
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
an uninterrupted view of the speakers. The grounds
are supplied with water from a neighboring stream,
which is forced to a reservoir by a steam pump. A
number of handsome permanent frame dwellings have
been built in the grove, which add greatly to the at-
tractive appearance of the grounds. The hour of
each meeting is announced by tlie ringing of a bell,
which can be heard at considerable distance. By the
provisions of the act incorporating the association
the grove can be used only for purposes not in con-
flict with the discipline of the Methodist Church, and
no excursion where dancing is permitted can be al-
lowed access to the grounds. A post-oflSce, known as
Chester Heights, has been established by the United
States at this station on the road, and during the con-
tinuance of the camp the mail distributed here is
large. The association furnishes free railroad tickets
to ministers to the Heights and lodging while there.
The cost of lighting, water, police, and other regula-
tions designed lor the general comfort and safety of
the guest is paid by the association. The location of
the camp at this point has been advantageous to the
neighborhood, and affords a market for many articles
of produce raised by the farmers near by.
Crozer Chapel at West Branch.— In 1836, John
P. Crozer erected a stone school-house sixty feet in
length by about forty feet in breadth, which, inas-
much as it was occasionally occupied for divine ser-
vice, was generally known as the Chapel. The build-
ing was two stories in height, the second floor being
used for school purposes and the lower room for a
Sunday-school, and, svhenever opportunity offered,
preaching by any clergyman of a recognized re-
ligious sect was had therein, the chapel not being in
any wise a denominational church. After the es-
tablishment of the free public school this building
was used by the directors of Aston for many years for
school purposes. It has now ceased to be so used,
but, still standing, has been changed into dwelling-
houses, and is now the property of John B. Rhodes.
"The Blue Church."— About 1818 the church
which was known by this name was erected, almost
entirely at the cost of James Lindsay, on the west
side of the Logtown road, a short distance above
where the highway leading from Lima intersects
with the former road. On March 1, 1822, James
Lindsay, of Aston, conveyed to William Glenn,
James McMullen, Samuel Hunter, and their succes-
sors, trustees of the First Branch of the United Pres-
byterian Congregation of Aston, Providence, and I
Springfield, " for and in consideration of the love of
God and promotion of Religion, and also in consider-
ation of the sum of one dollar," for the use of the
congregation mentioned, "a small lot of land with a
meeting-house built thereon." Rev. John Smith, an
Irishman, was the first and only pastor of Mount
Gilead, for such he designated the church, having
assumed the charge in 1819, and he will be recalled
as the first advocate of the cause of temperance out-
side of the society of Friends in Delaware County ;
and until his death, on May 10, 1839, he never per-
mitted an opportunity to pass unimproved to urge his
views thereon. After his death, which resulted from
his horse treading on him as he led the animal to
water, the church languished. John P. Crozer records,
under date of Monday, October 4, 1842, in his diary,
" I was yesterday at the ' Blue' meeting-house. A
stranger was there, sent by the Presbytery of Phila-
delphia to this and the Middletown meeting-house
to make some attempt to infuse life into these de-
caying churches." The attempt, however, so far as
the Blue Church was concerned, was fruitless. It
finally ceased to be used as a place of worship, until
to-day the building has disappeared, and the ancient
God's acre, wherein the " forefathers of the hamlet
sleep," is indistinguishable from the field which sur-
rounds it.
The Baptist Church at Village Green.— Early
in 1860 a Methodist Church was erected at Village
Green, which was dedicated May 17th of that year,
and was retained by that religious denomination
until 1865, when dissension spread in the congrega-
tion, which resulted finally in the lot and building
being sold by the sheriff, Richard S. Smith becoming
the purchaser. For several years it was conducted
as a Church of England mission ; but finally, as the
weight of years pressed heavily on Mr. Smith, who
was its main support, it languished until 1871, when
it was sold to Mrs. Sallie K. Crozer, and for ten years
was conducted as a mission, under the direction of
the Crozer Theological Seminary, the students in that
institution supplying the pulpit. In 1881 it was
made a separate church, and Rev. Miller Jones was
called to the charge. At that time a parsonage was
purchased and ground adjoining the church, on which
sheds for the shelter of vehicles and horses were
erected. The church is now in a flourishing condition.
The Baptist Chapel at Bridgewater.— The brick
chapel at Bridgewaler was built in 1874 on a lot pur-
chased from Samuel Haigh & Co. in that year. It is
a missionary station under the control of the Upland
Baptist Church, and its supplies are furnished from
the students of Crozer Theological Seminary.
Calvary Episcopal Church.— In 1833, Richard S.
Smith, an active Episcopalian, who had recently
removed from Philadelphia to Rockdale, established
a Sunday-school in a vacant room in the upper
story of his nail-mill at that place, his wife, Mrs.
Elizabeth Beach Smith, and his daughters teach-
ing the scholars, while he discharged the duties of
superintendent. The nearest Episcopal Church at
that time was five miles distant, hence the residents
in the neighborhood of Rockdale of that denomination
were compelled to worship at Mount Hope Methodist
Church or the Presbyterian Church at Middletoun.
The success attending the Sunday-school was so
marked that it was resolved to form a congregation
of Episcopalians at that locality, and to that end
ASTON TOWNSHIP.
303
Bishop Onderdonk authorized Kingston Goddard, a
student of divinity, to officiate at Rockdale as lay-
reader. The field was so promising that, under the
auspices of the Advancement Society, Rev. Marma-
duke Hurst was detailed as missionary, the bishop
designating the feeble congregation as Calvary Church
and admitting the parish to representation in the Con- j
vention. The number of worshipers which gathered i
in the mill-room grew so rapidly that it was deter- ;
mined, if possible, to raise sufficient funds to erect a
church edifice, and so untiring were the efforts of Mr.
Smith and those associated with him in the move-
ment, that, notwithstanding many rebuffs, at length ■
the subscriptions obtained aggregated a sum to justify
the outlay. On Aug. 18, 1836, Bishop Onderdonk
laid the corner-stone. The building was hastened
forward, the roof raised, the floor of the church laid,
the basement designed for the Sunday-school plas-
tered, and in the latter apartment, on Christmas-eve,
1836, the first services were held, Rev. Richard D.
Hall, rector of St. Paul's Church, Chester, officiating
on that occasion. In October, 1838, Rev. Mr. Hurst
tendered his resignation, and Rev. Alfred Lee was
appointed rector at a small salary, it being understood
that a dwelling should be provided for his family ; but
as no parsonage could be procured the rector was
invited to make his home at Mr. Smith's house, which
he did, and he continued there while he was in charge
of the parish. During his ministry the congregation
raised means sufficient to finish the church and fur-
nish it. The ability displayed by the rector in this
remote rural church was such that it attracted general
attention in Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware, and
when, in 1841, the Diocese of Delaware elected the
first bishop of that State, Rev. Mr. Lee was the unani- !
mous selection of that body. He thereupon resigned I
his charge at Rockdale to assume the exalted station
to which he had been called. In 184.5, Mr. Smith,
who in that year sold his real estate at Rockdale, pre-
sented to the church an acre of ground adjoining the
sanctuary, which tract he had reserved in the sale of
his property. The present main stone structure, with
its lofty spire, for many years was a conspicuous object
outlined against the sky, but it was devoid of a clock.
In 18.59, John B. Rhodes and Thomas Blackburn, both
young in years, and at that time employed in the mills
in the neighborhood, resolved that Calvary Church
steeple should be lacking in that respect no longer,
but when they broached the subject they were ridi-
culed by the older persons in the congregation. They
had, however, determined that a clock should be had,
and as they were without means they resolved them-
selves to make the time-piece. Learning that the
works of an old clock, which had been discarded by
one of the churches in Philadelphia as worn out, could
be purchased for a small sum, the young men bought
it, and every spare moment they devoted to repair it,
until they were satisfied that it was in thorough order,
when it was placed in the steeple to the astonishment
of the residents of the village. For several months
the hands marked the time to a charm, and the bell
proclaimed the passing hours with commendable ex-
actness. One Sunday, just as the rector had announced
his text, the clock began to strike, and it kept on
striking until it had scored a hundred hours, and was
hammering industriously away, as if determined to
reach a thousand before it would cease its reckless
announcements. John B. Rhodes, who was present,
could bear it no longer, but hastening up to where the
untruthful time-piece ticked and struck, he removed
it from its exalted position, and although since then
Calvary Church has had another and more trust-
worthy clock, the marvelous performance of the one
I am relating still lingers in the recollections of the
good people of that locality.
In 1868 the congregation determined, "as a thank-
offering for the blessings of peace," to enlarge and
beautify the church, and to that end erected wings to
the edifice, so that the structure was in the form of a
cross, the two new transepts representing the arms,
and the shorter limb being the new chancel addition.
The new walls were of brick pebble-dashed, and the
old walls were studded, lathed, and plastered, and
finished in the natural color of the mortar. The first
story is used as Sunday-school rooms. The ceiling of
the church is of yellow pine oiled, with walnut ribs
and mouldings. The windows are enameled glass,
excepting that in the chancel, which is a stained-
glass memorial window to the first wife of the late
Robert L. Martin. On Feb. 14, 1869, worship was
resumed in the church, Bishop Lee, of Delaware,
officiating in the consecrating services. The cost of
these improvements was about five thousand dollars.
Since that time a lot of three acres was purchased at
Rockdale by Bishop Potter, William Martin, and
Richard S. Smith, and presented to the church for
a parsonage, and thereon a handsome stone double
house has been erected, at a cost of seven thousand
dollars. The rectors of Calvary Church have been
as follows :
Rev. Marmaduke Hirst, 1835-38 ; Rt. Rev. Alfred
Lee, D.D., 1838-41 ; Rev. Benjamin S. Huntingdon,
1841-47 ; Rev. Charles W. Thomson, 1847-48 ; Rev.
Charles Brick, D.D., 1848-53 ; Rev. John K. Mur-
phy, 1853-68; Rev. William Ely, 1868-74; Rev.
James Walker, 1874.
On Sunday, June 24, 1883, the semi-centennial an-
niversary of Calvary Church was observed, with ap-
propriate ceremonies, the venerable Richard S. Smith
making an historical address on that occasion. Since
that time Mr. Smith has passed away, but on the
inner walls of the church the congregation, with ex-
cellent taste, have erected a tablet to the memory of
the man who founded, and in its infancy sustained,
the struggling parish by his energy and means.
St. Thomas' Church, Ivy Mills.— The Catholic
residents of Aston for many years attended worship
in St. Mary's Church, the noted chapel in the man-
304
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
sion of the Willcox family at Ivy Mills, in Concord
township, but in time the congregation grew so nu-
merous that it became necessary to erect a sanctuary
at a more convenient location for those living in
Rockdale and its neighborhood. Hence to that end
a tract of land was purchased from Nicholas F.
Walter on Aug. 26, 1852, the deed being made to the
Rt. Rev. J. N. Newman, bishop of the diocese of
Philadelphia, which lot was to be held in trust for the
congregation of Ivy Mills. On Sunday, Aug. 29,
1852, the corner-stone of the church of " St. Thomas
the Apostle" was laid, Rev. Mr. Sourin, of Philadel-
phia, conducting the ceremonies. The imposing
church edifice was finished in 1856, and on Oct. 20,
1856, Rev. Charles Joseph Maugin was appointed the
first pastor. In 1858 he was succeeded by Rev. Nich-
olas Walsh, and in the latter part of that year a frame
parsonage was erected, at a cost of two thousand four
hundred and forty-four dollars. In 1860, Rev. Thomas
Kyle was in charge, and in 1862, Rev. Henry Wright.
He was succeeded by Rev. John Wall in 1864, and
in 1866, Rev. James J. McElroy became the pastor of
St. Thomas' Church. The latter, in 1868, gave place
to Rev. James F. Kelley, and he in turn, in 1870, to
Rev. John Cox. In 1872, Rev. Michael Lawlor was
its pastor. On Tuesday night, Feb. 4, 1873, the par-
sonage was totally destroyed by fire, originating in a
defective flue. The contents of the building were
saved, and by the utmost exertions the church edifice,
which stood in close proximity, was rescued from the
flames, which threatened its destruction. The fol-
lowing October Rev. John J. Wood was in charge,
and during his pastorate a substantial brick parsonage
was erected. He was followed, in 1875, by Rev. An-
drew J. Gallagher, and on Oct. 14, 1877, the present
pastor, William F. Cook, was installed. The congre-
gation now numbers about fourteen hundred persons,
and a mission chapel is attached to this church, located
near Elam.
Licensed Houses. — The granting of licenses to any
resident of Aston does not appear of record until 1762,
but as early as August court, 1740, Thomas Vernon,
of Aston, presented a petition for leave to keep a
house of entertainment, alleging that there is no
tavern on either road for twelve or fourteen miles
where his house is located, or, as he expressed it,
" seated on the Great road side Leading from severall
parts of Bradford, Burmingham, Thornbury, West
Town and Concord to Chester; allso on the road
Leading from Chad's foard to Philadelphia through
Providence," but he was unable to move by his rep-
resentation the judicial mind in his favor. This de-
scription would seem to locate him in the northwestern
end of the township.
As stated above, in 1762, James Johnston was
licensed to keep a public-house, and I believe that it
was located at Village Green. In 1764, William Pen-
nell succeeded him in the business, and continued
until 1770, when George Pierce in turn followed him.
However, in 1765, James Cole had license, and in 1768,
Abraham Aston was shown favor by the court, while
Pennell held the license at this house. In 1776,
George Pierce's name appeared for the last time. In
1778, James Pennell had the privilege accorded him,
and in 1780 Joshua Vaughan was licensed to keep
the tavern known as the " Seven Stars," and was so
licensed until 1787. In the following year Peter
Wade received the court's approval, and James Pen-
nell in 1789, when Chester County court ceased to
distribute its indulgences in the township.
The " Seven Stars" was kept by Thomas Marshall in
1790, when the new county of Delaware was created,
and he continued there until 1793, when Samuel
Hewes was granted license, and yearly received the
approval of the court until his death, in 1820, when
the business was carried on by his widow, Sarah,
until 1824. In that year Samuel F. Hughes became
the proprietor, to be superseded in that capacity, in
1826, by Jemima Massey, who yearly thereafter, until
1834, was granted license for the old public-house,
which, if I am rightly informed, was the headquar-
ters of Lord Cornwallis when the British army was
encamped for several days near Village Green in the
fall of 1777. John Garrett, in 1835, became the host
of the " Stars." During the agitation of the ten-hour
movement, in 1847, John Garrett took active part
with the operatives in their organization, and so ob-
noxious did he make himself to the opponents of that
j measure that he deemed it unwise in that year to pe-
tition for license ; hence J. Lewis Garrett made the
application. John Garrett, however, held his posi-
tion, and permitted the workingmen to assemble in
I his hall in public meetings without charge to them
for the rooms. In the following year John Garrett
petitioned again for the right to keep a public-house
at the " Seven Stars," as also in 1849, which was
granted to him. In 1850, J. Lewis Garrett made the
application, and annually thereafter (excepting in
1856, '57, '58, '59. and 1860, when John Garrett ap-
plied, and during 1873-74, the j'ears of local option),
his petition being favorably acted on. On March 20,
1862, while J. Lewis Garrett was standing in the bar
of the hotel, a bullet, shattering a window-glass,
struck him on the neck, under the right jaw, passed
through the larynx, and lodged in the left side of the
neck, just beneath the skin, inflicting a dangerous
wound. Some boys were shooting at a mark in a
field near by. This bullet, before it struck Mr. Gar-
rett, had passed through a two-inch pine board and
the side of a carriage. At the old tavern is a copy of
the first edition of " Purdon's Digest," on the fly-
leaf of which is engrossed, in the handwriting of
James McMuUen, an old school-teacher:
"The property of tbe inhabitants of the township of Aston. Not to
be taken from the Seven Stars Tavern while the elections are held
" March 31, 1820."
In 1862, James Schofield received license for an
BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
305
eating-house at Rockdale, and in 1864 full license for
the "Mountain House." Schofield dying in 1865,
his widow, Hannah, made the application that year,
which was favorably considered, to be the next re-
jected. In 1870, William Carson obtained license for
the Mountain House, but failed in 1871 to receive
the approval of the court. In 1875, Carson again was
authorized to keep a public inn at the "Mountain
House," a privilege which annually thereafter has
been extended to him. I
Associations and Secret Societies.— The People's
Literary Association, which was incorporated by the
court of Delaware County, Aug. 25, 1870, had erected
a commodious building, in the second story of which
is a large hall used for entertainments, lectures, and
public meetings. The ground on which the building
is located, containing half an acre, was given by John
P. Crozer, on May 24, 1860, under certain conditions,
to the association. The corner-stone of the building
was laid July 4, 1860, but nothing was done to com-
plete the hall. The gift from Mr. Crozer was to be-
come operative when three-fourths of the estimated
cost of erecting a suitable edifice for the purposes
contemplated in the charter of the association had
been collected. The association, having failed at the
time of the latter's death to carry out this provision,
this lot, under his will, was devised to Samuel A.
Crozer for life, with remainder to his grandson, John
P. Crozer, Jr. An application being made to court
to have the executors of the will convey the land to
the association, under the terms of the original gift,
the Crozer family willingly acquiesced in the applica-
tion, and on June 21, 1871, the court ordered the ex-
ecutors to " make a binding deed to the People's Lit-
erary Association of Rockdale." The organization is
now in a flourishing condition. A provision in the
charter declares, —
" Should the association at any time terminate its
existence by giving up its charter, or in any other
way that may be determined upon for that purpose,
all the property of the association, in whatever form,
must revert to the public school fund of the townships
of Middletown and Aston, to be divided equally be-
tween them."
In the fall of the year 1872 the members of the
Rockdale Base-Ball Club formed the Rockdale Cor-
net Band, which was incorporated by the court of
Delaware County, Feb. 26, 1874. The organization
purchased a lot of ground in the village, on which, in
the spring of 1882, was erected a handsome building,
twenty-five by thirty-five. The band is under the
leadership of George Blair, and the members are all
residents of the immediate neighborhood.
There are several secret societies in Aston, the
eldest in time being Benevolent Lodge, No. 40, Inde-
pendent Order of Odd-Fellows. The lodge was char-
tered Sept. 2, 1831. On July 4, 1848, its hall, at Vil-
lage Green, was dedicated. The procession of the
order on that occasion, up to that time, was the
20
largest ever had in the county, being nearly a mile in
length, the officers of the Grand Lodge and Grand
Encampment being present. The lodge has now one
hundred and forty-two members. Noble Grand, James
C. Megraw, and Samuel K. Crozer, Secretary.
The next society in age is the Rockdale Lodge, No.
50, American Protestant Association, which was organ-
ized Feb. 28, 1854, and has now forty-five members.
Samuel Hopkins is the present Worshipful Master.
On Feb. 22, 1869, Energy Lodge, No. 9, Junior
American Protestant Association, was chartered, and
has sixty-five members. Smith Yarnall is Worship-
ful Master, and James A. Bates, Secretary.
July 22, 1869, Lenni Tribe, No. 86, Independent
Order of Red Men, was chartered, and has now eighty-
five members. William Frame is Sachem,' and
Charles R. Yarnall, Chief of Records.
Charles Dickens Lodge, No. 41, Sons of St. George,
was chartered March 24, 1879. It has about fifty-five
members. John Lee is the present President, and
Samuel Harmer, Secretary.
CHAPTER XXX.
BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
This municipal district, which was the smallest
township in the original county of Chester, is about
three miles in length and a mile and a half in breadth
at the widest part, the whole area being scarcely five
miles square, is mentioned as early as 1683,' and again
I at the court held on the Eleventh month 6, 1684, the in-
habitants of "Concord, Bethell, and Chichester, were
ordered to meet on the third day of the next weeke,"
at the tavern of Henry Reynolds, in Chichester, and
confer as to the maintenance of a poor woman and
her child. This township is on the summit between
the Delaware and the noted Brandywine Creek. The
soil, which is lighter than that nearer the river, and
in some places stony, is very productive, yielding
abundant harvests of wheat and corn. Clay, used for
making fire-bricks, and kaolin abound in the western
part of the township bordering on Concord. Dr.
Smith states that " the name of this township, for
anything that is known to the contrary, was imported
directly from Palestine. This word is said to signify
' House of God,' Beth being the name of the second
Hebrew letter, which is made after the fashion of a
Hebrew house. Bethel hamlet had an existence at a
very early date, and was probably composed of the
first rudely-constructed dwellings of the early emi-
grants, who built them near together for safety."^
At the September court, 1686, Edward " Beasar" was
appointed constable " ffor Bethell Lyberty." In 1683,
Edward Bezer and Edward Brown had five hundred
1 ruthey and Cope's " History of Cheater County," p. 162.
= History of Delaware County, p. 382.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
acres surveyed to them in the northeasterly end of the
township. On this estate Bethel hamlet, afterwards
known as Corner Catch or " Ketch" — the name having,
it is said, originated from the fact that so many roads
centred there that five corners are the result, and a
traveler could easily be confused as to the proper
highway he should take, — and at present the village
of Chelsea is located. Southeast of this tract, in the
same year, Francis Smith had three hundred acres set
apart to him by the provincial surveyor. Adjoining
Bezer's and Brown's land to the west, on the line of
Concord township, was a plot of one hundred and
fifty acres which had been surveyed in 1683 for John
Gibbons, and south of that tract was an estate of the
like size, part of five hundred acres purchased from
Penn by Gibbons, which in the year mentioned he
transferred to Robert Southey, to whom it was sur-
veyed. West of these last-mentioned estates, and di-
vided from them by the road leading from Concord to
Booth's Corner, was an oddly-shaped tract of two
hundred acres, which was patented to Francis Harri-
son in 1686. South of the Wilmington road, from
Booth's Corner to the circular line of Delaware State,
was a tract of a hundred and odd acres, which was
part of a large holding of four hundred acres, the
greater part in Delaware, which had been surveyed to
Isaac Warner in 1683, while on the middle branch of
Naaman's Creek, and crossing over the line into Upper
Chichester, was a tract of about one hundred acres,
being about half the tract of two hundred acres sur-
veyed to Robert Cloud in 1685, and by him transferred
to William Cloud the year following.
At a court held the third day of the first week,
Fourth month, 1686, the grand jury reported that
they had laid out the road from Bethel to Chichester
(Marcus Hook). The ancient return is exceedingly
interesting, and is as follows :
"The Grand Inquest made returne of a Highway from Bethell to Chi-
chester of sixty foote broad as followes (viz) Beginning at the Side of
Concord towards the River on the street or Highway of Concord first
through the land of John Gibbons his House on the Right Side then
through the land of Robert Southey late Deceased bis house on the left
Side thence through Robert Piles Land his house on the right hand
then through Joseph Bushells land his House on the Left hand, thence
through ffrancis Smith's land thence through Thomas Garretts Land,
his house ony« Right hand thence through ffrancis Harrison and Jacob
Chandlers Land downe the Point to a small branch of Nanians creek
thence up y Hill to the first Inclosed of ffrancis Harrisons, the field on
y left band Then through James Brownes land thence downe to an-
other Branch of Naman's Greeks through Walter Martens land up the
Point his House on y" right hand thence through Jeremy CoUetts land
Bearing towards the left hand his house Standing ou y left hand from
thence to the lands of Chichester beginning att the head of a small
swamp on the left hand thence downe Cross the Kings road or Highway
towards y foote of y Hill to a lyne tree marked with 5 notches thence
downe to y« Rivers Side the line between James Browne and William
Clayton Junior. Whereunto wee the Present grand Jury of y» County
of Chester have sett our Hands.
** Joseph Richabps, foreman^
"Tho: Worth "Joseph Bushell
" Jn« Gibbons " Michael! Blunstone
" Tho. Coleborne " Randall Vernon
"Joseph Baker "John Bartrome
"Edward Beasar "W»Brainton
" Walter Marten " Saull Levis."
The action of the grand jury seemed to have met
the approval of the public, for at the court on the
" 3d day of 1st week of y» 7 mo. 1686 The Inhabitance
of Bethell and Concord Presented a Paper to the
Court Signifying their good liking of the Road lately
laid out by the Grand Jury to Chichester."
From this report, following the road from the Con-
cord line to that of Upper Chichester, we can form an
idea of the location of the early settlers' houses in the
western end of the township at that date. We learn
that John Gibbons' dwelling was on the right side of
the road, and that Robert Southey had died, but his
late dwelling stood on the left-hand side of the High-
way, near a little feeder of Green's Creek ; that Robert
Pyle had his house on the right side of the road, and
above the present highway leading from Booth's
Corner to Chelsea. (At the dwelling of Robert Pyle
and Edward Bezer, the monthly assemblings of Chi-
chester Friends' Meeting were frequently held.)
Joseph Bushel at that time owned a tract of one hun-
dred and forty acres south of Robert Pyle's planta-
tion, and his dwelling stood on the right side of the
road. At this time Thomas Garrett had taken up
on rent two hundred acres of land, now part of the
farms of Charles M. Cheyney and William Goodey,
and had built a house thereon to the right of the road
as a person moved in a southerly course. Thus it
seems at that date there were five settlements made
along the road thus laid out, which crossed the town-
ship in a northwesterly direction.
Notwithstanding the unusual demonstration of
pleasure by which the people of Bethel and Concord
expressed their satisfaction with the road, they cer-
tainly did not improve their opportunities, for at the
court held 3d day, 1st week. First month, 1688, it ap-
pears that "Wee of y" Grand Inquest doe psent y'
Townships of Bethell and Chichester for neglecting
y° clearing of a Road in }'' respective Libertyes be-
tween Concord and Chester," and further, that " Wee
alsoe psent y' Road lying between y" Townships of
Bethell and Chichester for not being Cleared and
made passable." This presentment was due to the
fact that a change had been made in the course of
the road, for on the 3d day of 1st week. Tenth month,
1688, the grand jury altered the line of the highway
decided on in 1686, as follows :
" Beginning at Concord street end and so along y"
Road formerly laid out to a marked White Cake
below Walter Martens by a lyne of marked trees on
ye South West Side of y' Old Road to a marked great
White oake from thence along y" road formerly laid
out to Delaware by or near James Brown's House."
Although the change in the highway to Marcus
Hook was made in the township of Upper Chiches-
ter, doubtless to please Walter Martin, it aroused
such public opposition in the townships bordering on
the circular line between New Castle and Chester
County that, at the June court, 1689, "The Inhabit-
ances of Concord, Bethell and Chichester Petitioned
BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
against y" Highway lately laid out from Concord and
Bethell to y' River for that between Walter Martens
and Jeremy Colletts the way is not soe good and
Passable as the former Road. Ordered that the for-
mer way be there Continued."
John Gibbons, who settled on the tract of one hun-
dred and fifty acres in Bethel, lying south of the
boundary line of Concord township, in 1683, was the
founder of one of the largest and most respectable fami-
lies of the old county of Chester. He was a man of
superior education to that of most of his neighbors,
and as his wife had had similar advantages in England,
the couple were regarded as leaders of thought in this
section of Chester County. He was one of the jury
on the trial . of Margaret Mattson for witchcraft, al-
ready mentioned, and the family tradition asserts that
he it was who framed the compromise verdict which
prevented a disagreement of the jury, and secured
her from the ordeal of a second trial. Notwithstand-
ing the high repute in which John and Margery Gib-
bons were held by the early settlers, the adherence
which they gave to George Keith's religious teaching
caused them to be disowned by Friends. In 1700 the
Bethel homestead was conveyed to John Gibbons by
his parents. The latter was equally as outspoken in
his views as his parents, and as his mother was in no-
wise chary in giving expression to her convictions,
her son was often compelled to advocate and defend
her opinions. In 1702 he was disowned for accepting
his mother's views, as well as at the close of meeting
standing up and declaring that John Lea was no gos-
pel minister. Among his other transgressions which
induced the society to disown him was because he
" declined to take off his hat in time of prayer." The
stubborn offender died in 1706, his mother subsequent
to that year ; and John Gibbons, the elder, lived on the
Bethel plantation until his death, about 1721.
At the house of Robert Pyle, hereinbefore men-
tioned, the Friends of Concord, Bethel, Chichester,
and Birmingham frequently held their Monthly Meet-
ing, and it was there, on the 12th of the First month
(March), 1688, that the first movement in the county
by the society of Friends designed to prevent the
sale of liquors to the Indians was made. Chester
Meeting does not appear to have acted as promptly,
for it was not until " y= 2d of ye 5 month (July), 1688,"
at the meeting held at the house of Walter Faucits,
that a similar entry is found on its minutes. The
record of the proceedings of this meeting at Pyle's
dwelling, so far as it relates to the sale of strong drink
to the Indians, is interesting, and as the testimony
was signed by those Friends who were present, the
names of many of the first settlers in the southwest-
ern section of Delaware County were attached thereto.
II read :
"From onr Yearly Meeting held at Philadelphia the 7th of the 7th
month, 16S7, it being recommended to us by the Quarterly Meeting of
Philadelphia, the great evil and bad effect that hath appeared by selling
Indians Rum and other strong Liquors, and a paper being by them pre-
sented, which was read amongst us, relating thereto, which upon due
consideration was approved of, and in concurrence therewith we give
forth this FoUowiug Testimony, being deeply sensible and heartly
grieved with a business of this nature, which is too frequently up and
down amongst us. Especially in that as some go under the profession of
Truth, whom it was expected should have been better examples, whom
we fear are not wholly clear of it, and therefore we give forth this as
our Testimony. As our sense that the practice of selling Rum and
other stroug Liquors to the Indians directly or indirectly, or exchanging
rum or other strong liquors for any goods or merchandise with them,
considering the abuse they make of it, is a thing contrary to the Lord
and a great grief and burthen to his people, and a great reflection and
dishonor to the truth, so far as any professing it are concerned ; and for
the more effective preventing of this evil practice we advise as aforesaid
that our testimony may be entered in every monthly meeting book, and
every Friend belonging to their monthly meeting to subscribe the same.
"Signed in the behalf of the meeting
"Anthony MoRRts"
thly meeting having united w"" the
names to it as followeth ;
Thomas King
George Pierce
William Brinton
John Harding
Robert Pyle
Jacob Chandler
William Cloud, Sr.,
Philip Roman."
" Wee the members of this m
above Testimonj' do subscribe o\
"William Clayton, Sr.
" Nicholas Newlin
"John Kingeman
" Edward Bezer
"Hugh Dnrburrow
" James Brown
"Nathaniel Lamplugh
"Joseph Bushall
The list of tasables of Bethel township for 1693
shows that the following persons had settled there or,
in the case of two persons on the list, owned real
estate on which they did not reside :
£ ». d.
John Gibbons 0 8 4
Ralph Pile 0 8 4
John Busbell 0 6 0
Nicholas Pile 0 4 2
Edward Beazer 0 8 4
Robert Eyre 0 4 2
Thomas Garrett 0 2 6
Edward Beazer for John Howard 0 6 0
Robert Eyre for Thomas Copper 0 6 0
2 13 10
In the next quarter of a century the number of
settlers had doubled, for the taxables of Bethel in
1715 are thus given : Robert Pyle, John Grist, Rob-
ert Booth, Edward Beazer, John Cannady, Benjamin
Moulder, Joseph Pyle, John Hickman, Edward But-
ton, Edward Pennock, William Griffith, John Hop-
ton, John Gibbons, Thomas Durnell.
In 1759, when Gen. John Forbes made demand on
Chester and the other counties in the province for
teams to be used in transporting the baggage of the
army about to march under his command to the site
of Fort Du Quesne, Edward Whitaker paid "a
bounty" of ten pounds " in behalf of the township"
of Bethel, John Cooper was credited with a wagon
entered in the service, and John Wilson with the
cartage of oats and flour from Carlisle to Loudon.'
A short distance below the Concord line, on part of
the old Gibbons tract, is the estate of Albin Baldwin,
deceased (at one time county treasurer). The old
house still standing on this property, on the right side
of the Bethel and Chichester road, is one of the ear-
liest brick buildings in that section of the county. As
is usual, tradition tells us the bricks were imported
1 Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County," p. 55.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
from Europe, which it is proi^er to state is one of those i
deeply-seated and widely-diifused popular errors the ;
historian encounters in all old settlements in the
Middle and Eastern States. The fact is that the clay
was dug and the bricks burned near where the house
stands, a general custom in the last century. The
original structure was a story and a half in height,
the bricks being laid in headers and stretchers, in the ■
style known as "Flemish bond," the black-glazed
ends of the headers alternating with the red stretchers
laid lengthwise for the purpose of ornamentation, as
was frequent in early days. The old building has
been raised in height and added to in recent years.
During the few days the British were encamped in
Birmingham and Aston, after the battle of Brandy-
wine, the good people of Bethel were annoyed and
plundered by the foraging parties of the enemy. The
latter appropriated the personal property which the
Continentals had forgotten to impress, for many of
the Revolutionary soldiers swore and stole equally to
any troopers under the sun. After both armies had
marched away it was a lucky household that could
boast of a pair of blankets, while poultry and pork,
silverware and silver money, whiskey (essential as
bread in those days) and watches had almost wholly
disappeared. That section of country was swept com-
paratively clear of horses and neat cattle, while in a
number of cases the residents were left entirely desti- ,
tute of food. This loss occasioned by the presence of .
armed forces was large in Bethel, but the value of the ,
articles taken by the British plundering parties can-
not now be ascertained, for no returns were made, so
far as has been learned, in that township, in conformity
with the act of Assembly providing for the filing of
sworn statements of the damages sustained by the
people in those sections of the State through which
the invading army made its way.
In June, 1872, a reunion of the descendants of
John Larkin, Sr., and Martha, his wife, took place at j
the old homestead in Bethel. There were eighty per-
sons present, among whom were three brothers and
four sisters, the eldest being seventy-seven and the
youngest sixty-three years old. John Larkin, the [
first of the family in Delaware County, was born in
Lower Chichester early in the eighteenth century, |
and after his marriage with Esther Shelley, of Chi- j
Chester, in 1731, he removed to Bethel. In 1799 his
two sons, Isaac and , were living in the township, !
the first owning a farm of two hundred and seven
acres, and the latter one hundred and twenty-one
acres. Ex-Mayor Larkin, of Chester, as well as all
the Larkins in Delaware County, are descended from
John, who settled in Bethel about 1750. I have
failed to learn when the first of the family came to
the American colonies, but it was certainly before the
coming of Penn. That this is so the records of Cecil
County establish. In a deed made by Ephraim Au-
gustus Hermen to Thomas Larkin of eight hundred
and eighty-three acres of land in 1715, the indenture
recites that previous to AUg. 14, 1682, John Larkin,
father of Thomas, had patented that number of acres,
which tract was afterwards, including many more
acres, patented to Augustine Hermen. In the deed
made in 1715 it is stated, " and that the said Thomas
Larkin had made his right to the said land appear to
be prior to the right of the Hermens, for these reasons,
and for divers other good and valuable considerations,
Hermen, who was then lord of Bohemia Manor, and
his wife, conveyed their interest in the land to
Larkin." '
Bethel has two villages and one Corner. Chelsea,
which is in the north part of the township, was for-
merly known as Corner Ketch (Catch). In 1833, Eeece
Pyle sold the land at the Corner to Robert McCall,
who, in that year, built the stone dwelling he now oc-
cupies, and in the following year built the frame
store. Previous to the purchase by McCall, in the
last century, Caleb Perkins had a store and shoe-
maker's shop at the Corner ; and about 1820 a small
store was located, then kept by NorrLs Hannum, but
he had discontinued business before 1833. At the
latter date Mrs. Sturgis was conducting a little shop
in a building occupying the lot now owned by Sam-
uel Jester. Robert McCall continued in business
there for many years, and was succeeded by John
Hoffman, who in time gave place to Daniel Dutton,
he to George Adams, he to James C. Armstrong, and
the latter to Samuel H. Pierce, who is now conduct-
ing it, as well as discharging the office of postmaster
of the village. About 1858 Chelsea was accorded the
dignity of a postal station, and John Hoffman ap-
pointed its first postmaster.
Booth's Corner is located in the western part of the
township, almost midway between Concord and Up-
per Chichester townships. In 1831, William Mous-
ley had a log blacksmith-shop on the corner where
the store of Isaac Booth is now located. In that year
Wesley Clark purchased the opposite corner, and
erected a wheelwright- and blacksmith-shop. In
1835, Isaac Booth purchased the ground whereon
Mousley's shop stood, erected the store building, and
from that time the corner took its present name.
Zebley's Corner is at the extreme southern part of
the township, bordering on the Delaware State line,
and boasts a store and a few dwelling-houses.
The following is a list of justices of the peace for
Bethel township :
Samuel Price Aug. 30, 1791
Joseph Marshall May 20, 1800
Matthias Ki-rlin July 4.1808
Thomas Pierce Feb. 5; 1814
James BrattoH " 3,1820
Joseph Fox Dec. 4, 1S23
Johu Mattson " 13, 1823
Robert Hall Feb. 8,1831
Wm. Mendenhall....Dec. 6,1836
Jonas P. Eyro .Vpril 14, 1840
Samuel Register June 4, 1858
AlWn Baldwin April 22,1868
Siloam Methodist Church is a branch of the
Bethel Church of Delaware, the former having been
organized in 1852, at which time about fifty persons
' History of Cecil County, Md.," p. 103.
BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
formed the membership of Siloam. A lot of ground,
comprising an acre and a half, was given to the con-
gregation by Samuel Hanby and Samuel Hance, each
contributing three-quarters of an acre. The hand-
some stone sanctuary, forty-two by sixty feet, was
hastened forward, and in the latter part of 1852 the
building had so far progressed that the basement-
story was dedicated, and services regularly held
therein. On Sept. 24, 18-54, the church, then com-
pleted, was dedicated. Revs. Mr. Hurey and Andrew
Manship, of Philadelphia, conducting the services on
that occasion. The building was erected at a cost of
four thousand five hundred dollars, of which sum
one-half had been contributed from time to time
while it was in process of construction, and the re-
mainder was collected on the dedication day. The
church was embraced in the Mount Lebanon Circuit,
and was under the pastoral charge of Eev. William
H. Burrell. He has been followed by the following
pastors: James Hand, Thomas Newman, Francis B.
Harvey, Isaac Merrill, Smith, John France,
John Dyson, Joseph S. Lane, William W. McMichael,
Edward F. Kenney, George W. Lybrand, William T.
Magee, and Maris Graves, the present incumbent.
During Mr. Kenney's pastorate serious charges of
gross immoral conduct were made against him, and
the long investigation and subsequent trial before the
ecclesiastical court aroused great interest in the im-
mediate neighborhood and surrounding districts.
His acquittal on all the charges by the Annual Con-
ference, in 1876, was particularly gratifying to Siloam
Church, and when the announcement was made of
the result of the trial, the congregation expressed
their sympathy in applause, an unusual occurrence in
a religious meeting. The present membership of the
Siloam is one hundred and fifty, and the Sunday-
school connected with the church has one hundred
pupils. James C. Hinkson is the present super-
intendent. The church was incorporated by the court
of Delaware County, Nov. 23, 1868.
In 1871 a mission of Siloam Church was estab-
lished at Chelsea, in a chapel which had been built
by Dr. Phineas Price, on the Chester and Concord
road, east of the village, many years before. The
building was purchased by the congregation of Siloam
Church, and was formally dedicated July 22, 1871,
Rev. Mr. Lane conducting the services on that occa-
sion.
Schools. — About the beginning of this century
Cfesar Paschal, a colored servant of Mark AVilcox,
owned a tract of ground in the angle formed by the
intersection of the Chester and Concord road with the
Chichester and Concord road at Corner Catch (Chel-
sea). He sold an acre of land to a committee for the
purpose of erecting thereon a school building. A log
bouse was located in the middle of this lot, so as to
afford ample play-ground for the children. How
long this building was occupied for school purposes is
unknown, but it certainlv was not used as such for
any considerable length of time, but was sold to
Robert R. Hall, who moved the log structure to the
roadside and converted it into a dwelling. The
premises are now owned by Samuel Regester.
Previous to 1780 a subscription stone school-house
was built on the corner of Kirk road, where Thomas
Booth's shops now are. John Foulk, Powell Clayton,
and another resident of the township whose name is
forgotten, were the trustees. At one time Nathaniel
Cloud was the teacher, and the mother of Wesley
Poole was a pupil under his instruction. The floor
of the building was laid in bricks, and was cold and
cheerless in the winter days, the roaring wood-fire
being insufficient to warm it thoroughly. Powell
Clayton, who was the surviving trustee, sold the lot
to Isaac Booth, who tore the building down in 1825,
but for several years before that date schools had
ceased to be held there. In 1824 a school was opened
in a stone building erected on a lot purchased from
John Larkin, on the Bethel road, east of Booth's
Corner, afterwards known as number one public
school. It was likewise a subscription school, Na-
thaniel Larkin, Thomas Booth, and John Larkin
being the trustees. Charles Willis was the first
teacher there,— and subsequently by George Walters
and Adam Mendenhall. In this school-house one
United States senator and Governor of Arkansas (Gen-
Powell Clayton) and two judges (William Clayton,
of the Ninth District Court of Arkansas, and Thomas
J. Clayton, president judge of Delaware County)
were educated, as were many of the present residents
of Bethel. The old building remained until 1868,
when it was torn down and the present structure,
twenty-eight by thirty-five feet, was erected at a cost
of sixteen hundred and sixty-one dollars. Osborn
Booth was the builder.
On Sept. 9, 1839, a lot containing fifty-five perches
was purchased from Foulk Cloud, at Booth's Corner,
for $27.50. (The latter, it will be recalled, while
trimming peach-trees at his residence, at Booth's
Corner, on the afternoon of Dec. 15, 1870, was stricken
with paralysis, and died in a few hours.) On this lot
a one-story octagon house was erected and used as a
public school for several years, when it was burned.
The directors rebuilt it, using the old wall, and it con-
tinued in use until 1870, when it was torn down, the
present structure, known as school number two, being
erected on its site at a cost of seventeen hundred and
eighty-nine dollars. Nelson G. Green was the con-
tractor.
On May 22, 1860, a lot containing eighty-four
square perches was purchased from Curtis Barlow, on
the Bethel road, a short distance west of Chelsea,
and the present school-house, known as number three,
erected.
Under the act of 1834 the court appointed in that
j year Robert McCall and John Larkin inspectors.
I Following is a list of the school directors of Bethel
since 1840:
310
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1840, Nathaniel Pratt, Nathaniel Cloud; 1842, Foulk Cloud, Nelson
Clayton; 1843, Moses Pyle, Thomae Zebley; 1844, Samuel Eegister,
Nelson Clayton ; 1845, John Clayton, Jonas Eyre ; 1846, Moses Pyle,
Albin Baldwin; 1847, Nelson Clayton, Nathaniel Williams; 1848,
Wesley Poole, John Clayton; 1849, Albin Baldwin, Thomas Booth ;
1850, Foulk Cloud, Wesley Poole; 1861, Wesley Clark, Benjamin
Larkin; 1862, Samuel F. Larkin, Albin Baldwin; 1863, Thomas
Booth, Sharpless Green; 1854, Benjamin Larkin, Thomas S.Philips;
1865, Albin Baldwin, Owen Zobley ; 1856, Robert W. Barton, John
H. Cheyney; 1857, Nathan L. Eyre, Reese Baldwin; 1858, no re-
port; 1869, Samuel Goodley, Robert Logan; I860, J. W. Hance,
Robert H. Barlow; 1861, Albin Baldwin, Sharpless Green; 1862,
Robert Logan, Wesley Poole ; 1863, Robert H. Barlow, Benjamin
Worrilow; 1864, Clarkson Way, J. J. Shields; 1865, Charles M.
Cheyuey, Samuel Dalton ; 1866, James S. Peters, Robert H. Barlow;
1867, Albin Baldwin, Benjamin Worrilow ; 1868, William S. Goodley,
Joseph Larkin; 1869, Charles W. Poole, Reece Baldwin; 1870,
Charles M. Cheyney, Sharpless Green ; 1871, William S. Goodley,
Joseph Larkin ; 1872, C. W. Poole, R. Baldwin; 1873, Nathan Cloud, j
Wesley Poole; 1874, William S. Goodley, Joseph Larkin; 1875,
Thomas Taliey, James Booth ; 1876, Thomas Booth, George Ebright ;
1877, Charles M. Cheyney, Charles Young; 1878, C. W. Poole, A.
Pierce; 1879, Thomas Hinkson, Charles Young; 1880, ;Charles M.
Cheyuey, Charles Young; 1881, C.W.Poole, Alban Pierce; 1882, |
3, Charles M. Cheyney,
;e.
Nearly a mile west of Chelsea, on the Bethel road, |
i.s the " Lancaster" farm, where are now the noted
garnet-mines. About 1873, Charles Williams, who
then owned the estate, directed considerable attention I
to the garnet sand found on the farm, but his object i
was more to have the larger pebbles set in gold as i
personal ornaments than for any use in industrial j
pursuits. John H. Smedley, of Middletown, a noted
geologist and mineralogist, believing that the large I
deposits of garnets in Bethel could be utilized in all j
trades in which emery was used for grinding, shaping, ,
and burnishing of metal goods, early in the following
year urged upon several firms in Philadelphia the de-
velopment of the mines to that end, but without suc-
cess. Five years after this discouraging attempt to
utilize the deposits of garnets in Bethel, an agent of
a New York firm, largely engaged in the manufac-
ture of sand-paper and emery, visited Mr. Smedley to
consult with him respecting the corundum of Dela- I
ware County and its use in their business. Smedley in-
formed him that he believed the garnet sand would be
of much greater value to them than corundum. The
result was a visit to the "Lancaster" farm, and its
ultimate purchase by Herman, Behr & Co., of New
York, of the forty-seven-acre tract, at a cost of one
hundred dollars an acre. In the fall of the year 1879
the work of digging was begun, and has been prose-
cuted with success. The value of the garnet-sand
varies from thirty to one hundred dollars a ton. The
first quality is used in making emery-wheels, the
second in sand-paper, and the third is sold to stone-
cutters for polishing marble.
Bethel Lodge, No. 191, Knights of Pythias, is lo-
cated at Booth's Corner.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ROBERT McCALL.
Mr. McCall is of Scotch lineage, and the grandson
of Thomas McCall, who resided in Concord township.
The children of the latter were seven in number, of
whom George, the youngest, married Margaret Mc-
Kay, daughter of Robert McKay, and had children,—
William, Joseph, Rebecca, Robert, Mary, Thomas,
and Margaret. Robert, the third son, was born on
the 14th of July, 1802, in Concord township, and
during the period of his early life resided in the
county of his birth. He improved the slight advan-
tages of education offered, and on attaining his ma-
jority developed the exceptional business capacity
which has since made his career a successful one.
Opening a general store at Thornton, Delaware Co.,
he remained six years in that locality, and then re-
moved to another location in Thornbury, where he
also became the proprietor of a similar store, and
founded an extensive trade. In 1834 he came to
Chelsea, Bethel township, erected a store, and con-
ducted a thriving business until 1862, when he retired
from mercantile ventures, and purchased a farm to
which for a brief period he devoted his energies. He,
however, continues to occupy the residence in Chel-
sea he erected fifty years ago, having relinquished the
cares of business. Mr. McCall during his extended
life has maintained a reputation for integrity and
scrupulous honesty, while his judgment and keen per-
ceptions have aided greatly in the success which has
attended his mercantile pursuits. He married, March
13, 1834, Mrs. Anna M., widow of Dr. Jesse Hamer,
of Thornbury, and daughterof Dr. John H. Cheyney,
of Delaware Couuty. She died in April, 1875, and
he was again married to Mrs. Lydia P., widow of
Thomas P. Powel, of Concord. Mr. McCall was for-
merly a Democrat in his political predilections, but
later espoused the principles of the Republican party.
He has not been the recipient of any distinguished
political honors from' the fact of his indiflerence to
such marks of deference. He is a member and rec-
tor's warden of St. John's Protestant Episcopal
Church of Concord.
CHARLES JM,. CHEYNEY.
Charles M. Cheyney, the grandfather of the subject
of this sketch, was born in Delaware County in 1781,
and married Prudence Dutton, the birth of whose
only child (a son), David R., occurred June 1, 1809.
He early engaged in teaching and subsequently en-
tered the counting-house of a Philadelphia firm, for
whom he was book-keeper. He was not active as a
politician, and the incumbent of no official positions
other than those connected with the township. He
was married to Elleneanor B. Kenney, whose birth
occurred in the State of Delaware in 1804, and had
^^ m
^/^//./^- s,
(5^
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
311
children, — Anna, Robert (who died in youth), John
H. (who entered the service during the late war, and
after an active military career of two years and nine
months was fatally wounded at the battle of Mine
Bun), and Charles M. The last named was born in
Thornbury township, Delaware Co., Oct. 26, 1835, j
and received his education at the public schools of
the vicinity, with the additional advantage of a brief
period at a private school in Media. He then engaged
in the labor incident to farm-life, and was thus em-
ployed at the time of his enlistment in Company F,
Twentieth Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Col. John E. I
Wynekoop, for a period of seven months' service before <
the close of the late war. Mr. Cheyney was married j
in 1861 to Sallie J. Hall (born in 1838), whose great-
grandjiarents came from their native land with Wil-
liam Penn, and purchased land of him in Concord
township, Delaware Co., where they settled. George
Hall, her grandfather, married Jane James, whose
son, Mifflin Hall, father of Mrs. Cheyney, was born in
1808, and married Lydia McCullough in 1835. Mr.
and Mrs. Cheyney have had nine children, — John
H., Arthur B., David M., Lucius L., William T.,
Charles R., James S., Harrie B., and Albert B. Mr.
Cheyney is a Reimblican in his political views and [
has filled various township ofBces, having served for
eighteen years as a member of the school board. In I
religion he is a supporter, though not a member, of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. He has since his mar- '
riage been engaged in farming in Delaware County. I
THOMAS BOOTH, Se.
Two brothers of the Booth family emigrated from
England, if tradition be correct, about two centuries
ago, one of them, whose name was Robert, having
married, and had among his children a son, Robert,
who settled in Bethel township. His son, Thomas,
the grandfather of the subject of this biography, mar-
ried Phcebe Cloud, and had children, — James, Joseph,
Robert, Nathaniel, Jemima, John, and Isaac. The
last-named son is the only survivor of this number.
James Booth was born in 1790, on the homestead in
Bethel, which he occupied, and the land of which he
cultivated until his marriage. He then removed to
land purchased by his father, and now owned by the
subject of this sketch. He married Lydia Forwood,
and had children, — Thomas, Mary, Ann, Phoebe, and
one who died in infancy. Thomas Booth was born in
1817, in Bethel township, and spent his childhood upon
the farm of his father. Having lost that parent when
seven years of age, he became an inmate of the home
of his uncle, John Booth. After receiving limited
advantages of education he entered upon a career of
labor, and at twenty-one became owner of the home-
stead, having inherited his share and purchased the
remaining interest. He married, in 1844, Susanna
Marshall, daughter of John Marshall, who was of
English descent, and has children, — Sarah Ann (Mrs.
John M. Hinkson, of Concord), Thomas, Samuel (de-
ceased), and Lydia Emma (deceased).
Thomas married Leah Talley, of Delaware, and has
children, — Laura and Thomas. About 1854, Mr.
Booth became a merchant at Booth's Corner, and
continued thus employed for some years, after which
he returned to the farm, and again resumed the duties
of a farmer. He is in politics a stanch Republican,
and has held various township offices, as also the ap-
pointment for many years of postmaster at Booth's
Corner. Having now abandoned active labor, he
still resides in the township, and by his advice and
experience aids his son, who cultivates the farm.
CHAPTER XXXL
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
At the extreme southwestern end of Delaware
County is Birmingham township, which in early days
was pronounced as though written Brummagen. The
Brandywine Creek constitutes the entire western boun-
dary of the township. This stream was called by the
Swedes Fiskekill, and the present name, by tradition,
is asserted to have been given to the creek from the
fact that after the conquest of New Sweden by the
Dutch, in the fall of the year 1655, a Dutch vessel,
ladened with brandy, termed by the Dutch "brand-
wein," wintered in the stream, and, being cut through
by the ice in the following spring, sank. The wreck
of this vessel is said to have remained until the mid-
dle of the last century on the northern side of the
stream, several hundred yards above the juncture of
the Brandywine with the Christiana River.' The
name of the township, Birmingham, it is generally sup-
posed was given to the territory by William Brinton,
the first white settler known to have located in that
neighborhood, in remembrance of the town of the
like name in England, near which he resided previ-
ous to his emigration (in 1684) to the New World. At
that time he was a man beyond the noonday of life,
and accompanied by his wife, Ann, his junior by five
years, a son (William) and two daughters (Elizabeth
and Esther), he pushed out beyond the extreme limit
of civilization, where he erected a log cabin, as was
then the custom, near a spring, among a heavy growth
of hardwood trees, preferring to undergo the priva-
tions which must necessarily attend his residence
there than to submit to the persecutions which, for
conscience' sake, he had been forced to endure in his
native land. He had purchased from Joseph Alli-
bone and William Morgan four hundred acres, and
his patent was so located that a century later, when
the county of Delaware was erected out of Chester,
1 Ferris' " Original Settlements on the Delaware," p. 196. Vincent's
' History of Delaware," vol. i. p. 262.
312
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the line of demarkation cut his original tract into
almost equal parts, giving a like portion to both of
the counties. The first winter the emigrants passed
in the " backwoods," that of 1685-86, was unusually
rigorous, bringing in its train severe privations. To
such extremity was the household reduced, owing to
their remote situation, that the family tradition re-
cords they would all have perished by starvation had
not the Indians supplied them with game and grain.
His settlement, or the tract patented to him, had on
it at the time an Indian town. The savages never
disturbed him, but, on the other hand, always seemed
glad to be of service or minister, so far as they could,
to his or his family's necessities.
Slowly the land in that locality was settled, but the
residents for several miles, who were mostly of the
society of Friends, would occasionally hold religious
meetings at his dwelling, which was familiarly termed
" the cabin." When George Keith sowed dissension
in the society, William Brinton leaned to the precepts
of the former, but he ultimately became reconciled,
and died in 1700, at threescore years and ten, in full
membership with Friends. His wife had died the
preceding year, and both were buried on the home-
stead farm ; the place of their interment being on the
right-hand side of the road leading from Dilworth-
town to Painter's Cross-road. William Brinton had
acquired considerable real estate subsequent to the
patent mentioned, and at his death was considered as
possessed of large means.
William Brinton, the younger, who was a stripling
of seventeen when his father settled in Birmingham,
at the age of twenty-three married Jane, a daughter
of Richard Thatcher, of Thornbury . After his father's
death, he built, in 1704, a stone house a short distance
south of Dilworthtown, which, still standing, remained
for over a hundred and seventy-five years almost as it
was when he erected it. It is only in the last few
years that it has undergone any alteration. He was
an enterprising man, being one of the projectors and
owners of a company grist-mill in Concord, the first
located in that section, and was largely instrumental
in the erection of Concord Friends' meeting-house, to
which he contributed liberally. His wife, when fifty-
four years of age, in 1724, accompanied Elizabeth
Webb, a ministering Friend, in a religious visit to
New England, the entire journey being made on
horseback. From a letter written by her from Long
Island, it appears that she was particularly pleased
with a horse she saw there " with a white star in his
face.'' In 1695 he was constable of Birmingham, and
in 1713 was a member of the Legislature from Ches-
ter County. He died in 1751, aged eighty-four years.
The oflspring of this couple— from whom all the
Brintons derive descent — was numerous. Edward
Brinton, their third son, died in 1799, aged ninety-
four years. From the birth of his grandfather, Wil-
liam Brinton, Sr., the immigrant, in 1630, to the date
of his own death, is an interval of one hundred and
sixty-nine years, — a remarkable period of time to be
covered by three generations in one family.
William Brinton's, Sr., daughter, Ann, about or
shortly after her father left England for the province,
had intermarried with John Bennett, a blacksmith,
who, with his wife, immigrated the next year and set-
tled on lands of his father-in-law. In 1686, John
Bennett was appointed constable for Birmingham,
which is the first official record of that municipal dis-
trict in our county's annals.
The next settler in Birmingham, after Brinton and
his son-in-law, Bennett, were Peter and Sarah Dix,
which name in the lapse of years was changed to
Dicks. The land patented to him was the first tract
taken up extending to Brandy wine Creek, and thereon
he built his cabin in the thick forest, with no neigh-
bor nearer than about two miles away. This tract
was not located within the limits of the present
county of Delaware, but the dividing line runs along
the southern and part of the eastern boundary of his
estate. His sou, Peter Dicks, however, played a prom-
inent part in our colonial history in his efforts to
foster manufacturing, and will be referred to else-
where.
Joseph Gilpin and Hannah, his wife, are believed
to have settled in Birmingham in 1695, certainly not
later than that date. They were people of position
in England, being descended from Richard de Guyl-
pin, to whom in 1206 the baron of Kendal gave the
manor of Kentmere, as a reward for having slain a
ferocious wild boar that infested the forest of West-
moreland and Cumberland. Under the will of Wil-
liam Lamboll, of the city of Reading, England, Joseph
Gilpin received a part of the large tract of land which
had been surveyed and located in Birmingham in 1683,
to Lamboll. Gilpin, as did all the Quaker settlers of
the day, knew the power of religious oppression, and
gladly came to the province to take possession of his
inheritance. When he settled on the estate he dug a
cave at the side of a large rock, on the present farm
of Albin Harvey, wherein he resided for a number of
years, and where thirteen of his family of fifteen chil-
dren were born.' It was on this property that two val-
uable varieties of apple originated, — the Gilpin, also
called carthouse and winter red-streak, and the house-
apple, also called gray house-apple. They were two
of several hundred of new varieties produced from
seeds brought from England by the first settlers.
Only these two were worthy of perpetuation by graft-
ing.
The farm in Birmingham, where the first Gilpin
settled, remained in the ownership of their descend-
ants until recent years. Joseph Gilpin, some years
after he made his settlement, built a frame house, and
removed from his cave to that dwelling. In 1745, ad-
joining the frame, a brick house was erected. On the
evening of Thursday, Sept. 11, 1777, the house then
1 Johnson's " History of Cecil County, Md.," p. 511.
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
313
owned by George Gilpin was occupied by Gen. Howe
as his headquarters, and there the commander-in-
chief remained until the following Tuesday, when the
British army moved to the Boot Tavern, in Goshen
township. The farm, with the old dwelling standing
thereon, is now owned by Elias Baker, and the latter
every now and then in plowing turns up British
pieces of coin, dropped by the invaders of a century
ago.
Francis Chadsey, or Chads, as the name afterwards
came to be written, — now frequently and improperly
spelled Chadd, — emigrated from Wiltshire, England,
early in 1689, with his wife, and resided at or near
Chichester until about 1696, when his name appears
on the list of taxables for Birmingham. It is pre-
sumed that he located on the five hundred acres sur-
veyed to Henry Bernard, or Barnet, early in March,
1684, and conveyed to Daniel Smith, March 28, 29,
1686, which tract included all the present village of
Chad's Ford. Francis Chads did not, however, ac-
quire title to the estate until Nov. 24, 1702, and on
May 4th of the following year he purchased one hun-
dred and eleven acres adjoining his estate to the
southeast, from Edmund Butcher. Chads served as a
member of the Assembly from Chester County for the
years 1706 and 1707, and about that time, it is believed
by Gilbert Cope, he erected his corn-mill, the first in
Pennsylvania, on the Brandywine, for dying in 1713
he devised to one of his sons " a half share in my corn-
mill." This mill, which is supposed to have been a
log building, was permitted to go to decay, until in
time its very site was forgotten ; indeed, that it had
ever existed passed out of the memory of man, until
in 1860, in making the excavations for the foundations
of the brick mill erected by Caleb Brinton, a short
distance west of the station of the Baltimore Central
Eailroad, at Chad's Ford, a log with an old wrought-
iron spike was found, with other evidences establish-
ing the location of Chads' mill. That this was the first
mill on the Brandywine, as is frequently asserted,
cannot be successfully maintained, for as early as May
17, 1689, a petition of " ye Inhabitants of Brandy-
wine River or Creek against ye dam made upon ye
creek, wch hinders ye fish passing up to ye great dam-
age of ye inhabitants," ' shows conclusively that a
mill of some kind had then been erected. We know
that twenty years before Chads' mill was built, on
April 2, 1667, "Cornelius Empson's petition Concern-
inga Bridg Road and Water mill on Brandywine Creek
was Read."^ This mill, however, was in Delaware.
John Chads, who received the larger part of his
father's estate, after his marriage to Elizabeth Rich-
ardson, in 1729, is believed to have built the old stone
house close to the spring, still standing, the most
northern one in the village of Chad's Ford, which was
opposite the then ford of the Brandywine. In 1829,
when the bridge was erected, the petition for its con-
' Colonial Records, vol. i. p. 292. 2 lb., p. 199.
struction being presented to court July 17, 1828, the
road crossing the stream was carried to the south, its
present course.
The tradition in the neighborhood is that the log
cabin of Francis Chads had stood near by where the
present stone building now stands. As the tide of
emigration moved westward public travel necessarily
increased, and as the Brandywine in rainy weather
and in spring-time was so swollen that it was almost
impossible to cross it, John Chads was solicited to es-
tablish a ferry at that place, and to aid him in that
public work the county loaned him thirty pounds to
meet the expense he was put to in building a " flatt
or schowe." He seems to have been ready to enter
into the duties required in 1737, for on August 30th
of that year the following records appear in the pro-
ceedings of the Court of Quarter Sessions :
"John Chads having petitioned the court setting forth that by the
concurrence of the Justices and by order of the Commissioners and
Assessors, a ferry being erected over Brandywine creek ou the road
leading from Philadelphia to Nottingham, and no rates for the same es-
tablished, prays that such rates be set for the same, as to the court may
seem reasonable; Whereupon the court taking the same into considera-
tion, have adjudged the rates hereafter mentioned may be demanded
and taken by tlie said John Cliads, or his assigns or successors in the
said feiry :
Every horae and rider, four pence.
Every single person ou foot, three pence; if more, two pence
Every ox, cow, or heifer, four pence each.
Every sheep, one pence.
Every hog, three half-pence.
Every coach, wagon, or cart, one shilling and si-x pence.
Every empty wagon or cart, nine pence.
Every steed, four pence.
"To the aforesaid rates the justices have subscribed their names:
"John Crosby,
" Samuel Hollingsworth,
"John Parry,
"Abraham E.m.mitt,
"Caleb Cowplanp,
"Blisha Gatchell,
"Joseph Brinton."
The story of the ford is so intimately connected
with the tavern at that point that all further reference
to it will be found in the narrative of the license
houses of Birmingham, excepting the fact that in 1760,
the year of John Chads' death, it appears that the old
flat was worn out, and for " rebuilding the Flatt" he
charged the county £44 3.-!. 6c?., one of the items in
the bill rendered being " To five weeks diet to boat-
builder at six shillings per week £1 lO.s." The post
planted on the west side of the Brandywine to fasten
the ferry rope to, was still standing in 1827, but the
rope, windlass, and boat had disappeared. About the
date given Hetty Brown, a colored woman, who kept
a small store at the ford, where she sold cakes and
beer, for a small sum would ferry passengers across the
creek in a boat, which she shoved with a pole. John
Chads' widow was living at the ford on the day of the
battle of Brandy wine, in the stone house already men-
tioned. Dr. Darlington related that Amos House, a
314
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
nephew of Elizabeth Chads, who was then a widower,
had come to reside with his aunt, and superintend the
farm. On the morning of the battle, Washington
and a few officers rode to the field just above Chads'
house, and were busy with their field-glasses, when
Amos House and several others, out of sheer curiosity,
approached the group of officers. The British artil-
lery from the opposite bank fired several cannon-balls
into the field near by, whereupon Gen. Washington
remarked to the unbidden company, " Gentlemen,
you perceive that we are attracting the notice of the
enemy; I think you had better retire." A hint which
was promptly taken.' Amos House, a descendant of
this Amos House, still a resident of Chad's Ford, at
the American Centennial, in 1876, had the control of
the dairy established by the Dairymen's Association
on those grounds, which will be recalled by all who
visited the Exhibition.
In 1707, Samuel Painter, a son of Painter or Pari-
our (for the name is sometimes spelled in that way),
became a resident of Birmingham, having purchased
something over five hundred acres of contiguous
land from several parties in the neighborhood of the
present Painter's Cross-roads. He was a tailor by
trade, and appears to have thriven in his occupation,
for at the time of his death he was the owner of more
than a thousand acres in Birmingham, lying nearly
equally divided between the present Delaware and
Chester Counties. This large estate was not contig-
uous, that in Chester County being widely separated
from his possessions in Delaware County.
In 1688, as heretofore mentioned, it was reported
that the Indians on a certain day had determined to
massacre the whites, and, as rumor asserted that five
hundred warriors of the savages had assembled at an
Indian town on the Brandy wine, "and that they hav-
ing a lame King, had carried him away with all their
women and children," this alarming intelligence was
hastily borne to Philadelphia, reaching there while
the Provincial Council was in session. A member of
that body, a Friend, voluntarily proposed to go to the
place with five other persons, unarmed, and the offer
being accepted, they rode to the Indian town on the
Brandywine, where, instead of meeting savages in
war-paint, they found the old chief "quietly lying
with his lame foot along on the ground, and his head
at ease on a kind of pillow, the women at work in
the field, and the children playing together."^ The
delegation was assured that the rumor was false, and
the woman who had raised the report ought to be
burned to death. The site of the Indian town was in
the neck of land above the present Smith's bridge, on
which afterwards the iron-works of Twaddle were
erected, known in more recent times as the old paper-
mill.
On June 24, 1729, the Indian chief Checochinican
1 Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County," p. 80.
- Proud's " Histoiy of Pennsylvania," vol. i. p. .337.
addressed a letter to the Governor and Council, al-
leging that when they sold their interest in the lands
watered by the Brandywine to Penn, he had granted
them " a wrighting for the creek of Brandywine up
to the Head thereof, which said wrighting, by some
Accident, was Lost with all land a mile wide of ye
Creek on each side, which afterwards we Disposed of so
far up as to a Certain known rock in ye said creek."'
As this disputed title does not touch any portion of
the land in Delaware County, but relates to that
located in Newlin township, in the present county of
Chester, extended consideration of the topic does not
come within the scope of this work. The Indians,
however, so long as any of them remained, insisted
that a strip of land a mile wide on both sides of the
stream had been reserved to them in their sale to
Penn. Andrew and Hannah, the last Indians in the
neighborhood of Birmingham, who lived in a hut or
wigwam on the high ground on the east side of the
creek, above where the Baltimore Central Railroad
bridge crosses the stream, always made claim to this
land. I am informed by Amos C. Brinton, of Wil-
mington, a native of Birmingham, and a gentleman
well informed as to the olden times of that locality,
that the old Indians did not attempt to till the ground,
but went from house to house demanding their meals,
and if it chanced that the meal was over, they would
scold violently because it had not been delayed for
them. Hannah made baskets and gathered herbs
to the last. She died about 1800, having survived
her husband several years. Andrew was buried on
the original tract patented to William Brinton, Sr.,
his grave being located on Dix Eun, about half a mile
south of Dilworthtown. Indian Hannah, the last of
her tribe, died in the Chester County almshouse.
She expressed a wish to be buried in a certain Indian
burying-ground which she designated, but was buried
with other paupers on the almshouse grounds.
It has been published that the British forces at
Chad's Ford, on Sept. 11, 1777, crossed below the ford.
This, however, is incorrect. The enemy waded across
the stream above the ford. The road taken by the
American Eeserves to Birmingham meeting-house
was up the ravine from William Harvey's house, past
the barn, over the hill to and across Dix's Run, tip
the next hill to and across the road from Dilworth-
town to the Brandywine, at a point between the
James Brinton and Darlington residences ; thence
nearly northeast across the Bennett land to the Sandy
Hollow road which led to Birmingham meeting-house,
the scene of that part of the battle of Brandywine.
One wing of Greene's command was shown the way by
George Hannum, who piloted them across the Gilpin
lands from the Philadelphia and Chad's Ford road to
the south of Dilworthtown.
The old Benjamin Ring Tavern, where Washington
had his headquarters, was on the north side of the
8 Penna. Arcliives, vol. i., 1st series, p. 239.
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
315
great road which leads to the ford, about a mile east j
of the Brandywine. It was of stone, two stories in
height, with a hipped roof, and became the property
of Eli Harvey in 1807, after the death of Benjamin
Eing. Eli Harvey was the great-grandson of William
Harvey, the immigrant, who, at the age of thirty-four,
in 1712, came to Pennsylvania, and settled on a tract ■
of three hundred acres in "the woods of Kennett,"
on the west side of the Brandywine and above the
ford. William, the immigrant, was succeeded on the
home farm by his son, William, he by his son, Amos,
he by his sons, Marshall and Eli, Jr. Eli Harvey, of
Chad's Ford, was the father of Hannah (who married
Robert Peirce), Joseph P., Amos, Chalkley, Edith (who
married Isaac Watkin), Evelina (married Thomas
Brinton Darlington), EUwood, Lewis P., Philena
(married Mordecai Lewis), and Mary (who married
Watson P. Magill).
William Harvey, the grandson of the immigrant,
resided on the east bank of the Brandywine, this land
extending from below the Delaware line above and
beyond Chad's Ford. Below the Delaware line the
crossing of the stream is still known as Harvey's Ford,
and the day of the battle his house at Chad's Ford
was in the line of the American cannon, and was
damaged by a shot from Proctor's gun. The ball,
which buried itself in the ground after passing through
William Harvey's house, is still in the possession of
his relatives, as is also an oak chair which was brought
to the colony by the immigrant. !
William Harvey, another grandson of the immi-
grant, lived on the ground occupied in part by the \
American army at the Chad's Ford battle, and being
a Friend, commonly called a Quaker, and a non-com- |
batant, took no part on either side, but remained
about his work as if nothing unusual was going on.
When the British passed by his house in pursuit of
the retreating Americans, they made him a prisoner,
and marched him near the front of the army. As 1
they went up the hill east of his house, on the brow '
of which was a fence covered with bushes, he saw the
Americans pointing their guns towards him and the
British through the bushes, and was almost stunned
by the fearful flash and roar of their simultaneous j
discharge. He was astonished to find himself alive, ;
and still more on observing that not a man was killed
or wounded. The Americans had fired over their
heads. The British, or, more correctly, their Hessian j
allies, then rushed up to the fence and fired at the re-
treating Americans with deadly effect. When the !
British reached Dilworthtown, William Harvey, with j
a few other prisoners, were confined in the cellar
under the tavern, from which they made their es-
cape by wrenching out the window-frame. On his
way home through a woods, he saw a jjair of laced
boots protruding from a hollow log, and upon closer '
investigation discovered his colored girl hidden there. '
He remained a Quaker, but on account of the active
interest he manifested in the cause of the revolting .
colonies, after the battle of Brandywine, he was called
by the title of major to the end of his life.
The inhabitants of Birmingham suffered greatly
from the British foraging parties. The following is a
list of damages sustained :
£ !. d.
From W'illiam Dil worth by the British army, under Sir
William Howe (and damages), while encamped at Dil-
worthtown after the battle of Brandywine, September
lltbtoieth 48 2 0
From Charles Dilworth " property taken, damages, waste,
spoil, and destruction done and committed by the army
of the King of Great Britain and their adherents under
the immediate command of Sir William Howe,"l Sep-
tember 11th to 16th 820 15 3
From Joseph Dilworth, ditto 522 12 2]4
From Charles Porter, "a very poor man," ditto 8 7 6
From William Chapman, ditto 16 3 3
From .lohn Martin, September 12th to 16th 242 4 6
From William Harvey, Jr., " taken and destroyed the 11th
day of September (and thereabout) by the army of his
Britanic Majesty, commanded by Sir William Howe,
K. B., Supporter of Tyranny, Falsifier of his word, and
plunderer of private property" 562 16 6
From John Bennett, September 11th to Kith 401 1 4
From George Brinton, ditto :44 11 8
From Rachel Haunings, ditto 47 12 6
From Caleb Brinton.s ditto 592 18 8
From Israel Gilpin, ditto 607 12 6
From Thomas Hannum, Septemlier 11th 42 2 0
From John Henderson.September llth to 161h 536 6 11
From John Chamberlain, September l:ith to 10th 57 0 3
From Gideon Gilpin, September llth 502 6 0
From Jesse Graves, September 11th to 16tli 212 14 8
From Thomas Davis, ditto 24 5 7
From James Dilworth, ditto 13 0 0
From Charles McCrea, September lUh to 17th 41 13 4
6844 6 7>4
The lands of Lewis P. Harvey, " the National
Kaolin Company," was formerly part of the manor of
Rockland. — the manor located in the county of New
Castle, but crossing the Brandywine into Birming-
ham,— and part of the land of the kaolin-works was
included in the warrant for two hundred and fifty
acres given to Robert Chalfant in 1701, he having
settled there two years before that date. From him
it is believed the Chalfant family have descended.
Churches— Presbyterian.— In the bend of the
road leading down to Corner Ford, on the property
of William H. Seal, the Lower Brandywine Pres-
byterian Church formerly stood, and some of the
old gravestones in the little burial-ground can still
be seen there. The Presbyterians early in the last
century had churches in this vicinity, — in log build-
ings,— one located at Marlborough, known as the
Upper Brandywine, and the one on the Seal farm,
called the Lower Brandywine Church. It was es-
tablished here in 1720, and for a long period of
years services would occasionally be held in this
unpretentious structure, but finally, after the Rev-
olution, it was abandoned, the congregation assem-
bling for worship at the "old log meeting" at Ceu-
treville, Del. Rev. Mr. Reed was the pastor in charge
of this little wayside sanctuary during the war of
independence, and tradition states that it was this
clergyman who, in the darkness of the morning of
Sept. 9, 1777, guided Washington when the Amer-
ican army moved from Stanton, Del., to Chad's Ford,
1 Among the items charged is "the time of a Servant Lad, Patrick
Kelly, about 14 months to stay, went off with the army, £10."
2 Including "two books, — 'Barclay's Apology,' and 'Young Man's
Best Companion.' "
316
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
crossing the Brandywine at Harvey's Ford, below
Smith's bridge. For nearly a century the Presbyte-
rians of Birmingham were without a church building,
but ou Monday, June 3, 1878, a church of that de-
nomination was dedicated at Dilworthtown. The
building is of serpentine stone, and is lighted with
stained glass memorial windows. The church was
the direct outgrowth of the labor of Miss Cassy Brin-
ton, a daughter of Hill Brinton, of Thornbury, who,
about 1860, started a Sunday-school at Dilworthtown.
For years that hamlet had been termed " the Devil's
Half-Acre," and many of the old people declared
that it was known the country round as furnish-
ing more drunken men, more lights and disturb-
ances, than any locality of the like size in twenty
miles. That unpleasant reputation has long since
passed away from Dilworthtown, and now better
manners, if not better whiskey, will be found in the
village.
Baptist. — The Baptist Church in Birmingham, the
third of that denomination in Pennsylvania, was in-
stituted May 14, 1715, the membership comprising
fifteen persons, but nearly a quarter of a century pre-
vious to that date religious services by Baptists are said
to have been held on the same ground where the
church was afterwards erected. At first the meetings
for worship were held at private houses, but in a few
years the congregation determined to build a church,
which was done in 1718, a log structure being erected
on a lot of land which had belonged to Edward
Butcher, doubtless given by him for that purpose.
The first permanent pastor was William Butcher, a
native of Birmingham, in 1719. He was twenty years
of age when intrusted with the charge of the church.
In 1721 he received a call to New Jersey, and died in
that province in his twenty-sixth year. The strug-
gling congregation continued to worship in the primi-
tive building until 1770, when it was demolished, and
a stone structure erected on its site. For forty years
it had been without a regular pastor, until 1761, when
Rev. Abel Griffith was installed. Here he remained
until 1767, when he resigned, but in 1775 he returned
to the charge of the church, continuing there until
1790. In 1791, Rev. Joshua Vaughan was installed.
He was by birth a Chester couutian, by trade a black-
smith, and during the Revolution, when David Mackey
was sherift", he was the jailer at the prison in Chester.
While in that employment he was baptized by the
Rev. Philip Hughes, a Baptist clergyman, who fre-
quently preached at the county-seat. It is related
that, when the minister and he were walking to the
stream to be baptized, some one in jest asked who
they were. " We are Philip and his jailer," retorted
Vaughan. He continued in the pastorate until the
summer of 1808, when he died. His remains lie in
the burial-ground alongside the church.
The fourth pastor was Rev. Charles Moore. He
was an Episcopalian, residing in Concord, and as the
church of that denomination in that township was
without a rector he frequently conducted the services
there as a lay preacher. In 1802 he became a Bap-
tist, being immersed in the Brandywine at Chad's
Ford. In 1812 he was licensed to preach, and in the
fall of the year 1813 he was ordained pastor of the
church, and continued in charge of the congregation
until 1848. It is remembered that Rev. Mr. Moore,
as he grew older and saw the wonderful growth of
the United States (he died in 1847), he would fre-
quently relate how, as a child of six years, he was
taken to the State-House yard, Philadelphia, when
the old liberty bell with its brazen tongue proclaimed
the birth of the new nation.
Rev. Joseph Walker, who succeeded Mr. Moore,
was a native of Delaware County, having been born
in Lower Chichester in 1787. In 1822 he was licensed
to preach, and in 1824 became the pastor of the
church at Marcus Hook, continuing there twenty-
four years, during which period he frequently preached
at Birmingham. In 1848 he became the pastor of
the latter church, and continued there until 1863,
when he resigned, his seventy-six years having
brought with them the infirmities of age. On Feb.
10, 1870, the present and third church, on the same
site, was dedicated, and not quite three weeks there-
after the aged pastor, Mr. Walker, having completed,
excepting two weeks, his eighty-third year of life,
died in Alleghany City.
The sixth pastor was Rev. Jesse B. Williams, who
was ordained in 1866, and remained in charge of the
Brandywine Church until 1869, when he was suc-
ceeded by the seventh pastor. Rev. Isaac M. Halde-
man. The latter was a native of Concordville, Dela-
ware Co., and was twenty -six years old in 1871, when
installed pastor of the Brandywine Church. Just
previous to his taking charge of the congregation the
old stone building was torn down and the present
edifice erected. It was dedicated Thursday, Feb. 10,
1870, and on that occasion, it appearing that two
thousand dollars was still due for work and materials,
Samuel A. Crozer offered to discharge five hundred dol-
lars of it, if the remaining fifteen hundred dollars could
be collected. This was done and the church freed
from debt. Mr. Haldeman's pastorate was eminently
successful, and the church thrived under his care as it
had never done before. In April, 1875, he resigned
to accept a charge in Wilmington, Del., and was fol-
lowed by Rev. John Reader, who continued there
from May, 1877, until the following April, when he
resigned. In May, 1878, Rev. Alexander MacAuthor,
a graduate of Crozer Theological Seminary in that
year, was ordained, but resigning in the following
February, the present and tenth pastor. Rev. J. Wes-
ley Sullivan, also a graduate of Crozer Theological
Seminary, was installed in June, 1880, and is now in
the fourth year of a successful pastorate. Before
dismissing the account of the Brandywine Baptist
Church, it is proper to recall Robert Frame, who,
dying Feb. 20, 1871, in the seventy-eight years of
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
317
life which had been allotted to him, could remember
the three sanctuaries, the old log, the first stone, and
subsequently the present, third and imposing, struc-
ture, and, perhaps, to no man is the Brandywine
Baptist Church more indebted than to Robert Frame,
who through life labored to advance its interest and '
well-being.
The adherents to the forms and rituals of the \
Church of England, until within a year, had no '
house of worship in Birmingham ; but it must not be j
supposed that there were no earnest Episcopalians in 1
that township. Ralph Pyle was an ardent church- i
man, and by his will, dated Jan. 1, 1739, provision
was made for three sermons to be preached on three
certain days in each year at Concord parish, by a
minister of the Church of England.
St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church.— Ser-
vices according to the ritual of the Episcopal Church
were had at Chad's Ford from time to time, the first j
consecutive services having been held by Rev. J.
Coupland, rector of St. John's Church, Concord,
which were continued during the rectorship of Rev.
H. B. Dean. The congregation assembled in the
school-house and at private houses. St. John's par-
ish being without a rector, until the election of the |
present incumbent, Rev. J. J. Sleeper, services were 1
necessarily discontinued, but on the latter being in-
stalled rector, a determined movement was made to i
locate a permanent church organization at Chad's
Ford. J. M. Baker entered earnestly into the move-
ment, and the result was that funds were collected
justifying the erection of a church edifice. A lot was
secured from John Arment, and on June 11, 1883, the
corner-stone was laid by Rev. W. H. Graft', of Phila-
delphia, assisted by Rev. John Bolton, of West
Chester, and Rev. J. J. Sleeper, rector of St. John's
parish. On May 1, 1884, St. Luke's Church was
opened for divine service, the rector of St. John's !
parish ofiiciating, assisted by Rev. Messrs. Henry
Brum, William H. Graff, William M. Jefferis, John
Bolton, Richardson Graham, H. Greenfield Schow,
and George C. Moore. At the conclusion of the ser-
vices, as a testimonial to Rev. J. J. Sleeper for bis
untiring efforts to establish the church at Chad's
Ford, a costly gold watch was presented to him. On
May 12, 1884, the church was organized by Rev. Jo-
seph J. Sleeper, rector of St. John's parish, the first
vestrymen being Frank Graft' Frank Tempest, Dr. H.
Hayward, L. S. Williamson, W. William Ring, J. T.
Brittingham, and George K. Barney. Mr. William-
son was elected accounting warden. After the board
of vestrymen organized. Rev. Joseph J. Sleeper was
elected rector, and J. M. Baker treasurer of the build-
ing fund. Frank Graff was appointed rector's warden
by Mr. Sleeper. The church is an ornate frame struc-
ture, located a sliort distance northwest from the rail-
road station at Chad's Ford.
Friends' Meeting-House.— In the old township of
Birmingham, before its dismemberment at the time
Delaware County was erected, stood the ancient his-
toric Birmingham Friends' meeting-house. The old
battle-scarred building, in the division of the town-
ship, fell to the lot of Chester County. However, as
Friends in Lower Birmingham for over a hundred
and fifty years have assembled in the structure to
commune together in religious exercises, I will briefly
touch on its history. The first house, which was of
cedar logs, was erected in 1722, on grounds given by
Elizabeth Webb for that purpose, and the burial-lot
was inclosed with a post-and-rail fence. About 1763
the oldest part of the present stone meeting-house was
built, and the old log house used as a stable. Subse-
quently an addition was made to the stone building
on the east end. Tradition states that the stone walls
surrounding the burial-ground, in the battle of Bran-
dywine, were used by the American riflemen, and the
dark spots on the oaken floor are .said to have been
made by the blood of wounded soldiers, the building
having been used as a hospital for nearly a week, or
until the British army marched to the Boot Tavern.
In the old " God's Acre" surrounding the building
for many years, in digging fresh graves, relics of the
slain in that battle were disinterred. As late as 1828
a writer,' in describing a visit to the old meeting-house
and battle-field, says, —
"You may be shown a gold coin of the olden time which some Hes-
sian private had concealed, with several of its fellows, in the cue of his
hair, and which may have recently been disinterred with his mouldering
remains, or you may visit the Birmingham graveyard, and as you see
the sexton turning up, some two feet below the surface, the bones of a
British soldier, with fragments of his red coat still retaining its color,
his stock-buckle, pocket-glass, flints, and buttons (stamped with the
number of his regiment), contrast the peaceful scenes which now sur-
round you and the peaceful tenets of the religious society worshiping in
the humble tabernacle near with that terrible day when mighty armies
here met in conflict, this spot echoed back the tempest of war, shook
with the thunder of artillery, and was literally drenched with the blood
of the slain."
Tradition asserts that a young man named Percy,
supposed to be a relative of the Duke of Northumber-
land, was killed near the meeting-house. " When he
had arrived with the regiment he accompanied, in
sight of the Americans ranged in order of battle upon
the heights near Birmingham meeting-house, he sur-
veyed the field around him for a moment, and then
turning to his servant, handed him bis purse and his
gold watch to take charge of, remarking, 'This place
I saw in a dream before I left England, and I know I
shall fall here.' The coincident was striking and re-
markable ; the event verified the prediction. His
name is not mentioned in the British oflicial account
of the battle, because he held no commission in the
army. He was merely a volunteer." Gideon D.
Scull, writing from Rugby, England, Feb. 5, 1880,
says, respecting this alleged incident of the battle, —
: Cou^
Republican:
!r8 of the old popular belief
" To THE Editor of the
"The recent revival ii
that Earl Percy, or some near relative of that name, was killed at the
Battle of Brandywine, has no foundation whatever in fact. Lossing
also asserts that he never was present even in that engagement.
1 Hazard's " Register of Pennsylvania," vol. i. p. 365.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
" Earl Percy succeeded hia father in 1786, but was summoned to Par-
liament in 1777, as Baron Percy. He married, in 1764, Lady Anne Stu-
art, 3d daughter of tiie Earl of Bute, by whom he had no issue, and from
whom he was divorced by act of Parliament in 1779.
" In the register of Westminster Abbey the following entry duly at-
tests his burial there :
" ' 1817. July 19. The most noble Hugh Percy, Duke and Earl of
Northumberland, Earl and Baron Percy, Baron Lucy, &c., &c., (died) at
Northumberland House, Strand, July 10th, aged 75. (Buried) in the
Northumberland vault in St. Nicholas Chapel.'
"Earl Percy's father was Hugh Sniithson,2d son of Sir Hugh, who
was 3d Baronet of Stanwick, county of York. Hugh Smitbson suc-
ceeded to his father's title and estates in 1749-50, and married Lady Eliza-
beth Seymour, whose father was Cliarles Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset
(known as the proud Duke of Somerset), and who was, in 1749, created
Earl of Northumberland, he having married Lady Elizabeth Percy, only
daughter of Joseline, 11th Earl of Percy, who died in 1670, at the age of
twenty-six, without male issue. Sir Hugh Smithson assumed the name
of Percy, and was created, in 1766, Earl Percy and Duke of Northumber-
land. He was succeeded by his 2d son in 1786, who died in 1817, and was
buried, as before mentioned, in Westminster Abbey.
" A glance at the Percy pedigree in Burke's 'Peerage' is snflBcient to
convince any one that Earl Percy (of 1777) could not possibly have had
any male relatives of his name who could have been present at the battle
of Brandywine in 1777. There were, however, several children of the
Duke's (Earl Percy's father) who were recognized as his illegitimate
offspring by different mothers, two of whom were buried in Westminster
Abbey, in the South Cross. They were named Philadelphia and Dorothy
Percy. The former died in 1791 and the latter in 1794.
" They had a half brother James Macie, who some years after as-
sumed his father's name of Smithson, and who died in Genoa, Italy, in
1826, and is the same person who left his fortune, which was large, to
found the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, D. C. He commences
his will thus, 'I, James Smithson, son of Hugh, first Duke of Northum-
berland, and Elizabeth , heiress of the Hungerfords of Audley, and niece
of Charles, the Proud Duke of Somerset.' So that this James Smitlison
was well born both on his father's and on his mother's side.
" The Proud Duke of Somerset received this sobriquet on account of
his intolerable pride. After his wife's death he again married, and it is
recorded that on one occasion his new spouse, who was also of high birth,
placed her hand upon his shoulder. Thereupon he drew himself up in
a haughty manner and said, ' Madam ! my first wife was a Percy, and
she never dared to take that liberty.' He was also fond of remarking
that he really pitied Adam, 'for he had no ancestors.'
"After reading Judge Futhey's communication, one feels inclined to
think that there must have been some foundation for the various state-
ments and traditions current in the neighborhood of the battle-field,
coming down, as they have done, from the life of such respected and
truth-telling old Friends as he cites, and it is not at all improbable than
an illegitimate son of the Duke of Northumberland was wounded and
died and was buried on the battle-ground. But supposing there was
such a one, his name need not necessarily be looked for amongst the
British list of dead, under the name either of Percy or Smithson, for
many of different names claimed paternity of Earl Percy's father."
Mills. — The story of the Brandywine in reference
to the industrial establishments located along that
creek, as well as those on its tributary streams in Del-
aware County, is interesting. In attempting to relate
it, I propose to begin at the Delaware State line, and
follow the creek up to where the line dividing Chester
and Delaware Counties intersects with that stream.
Beaver Creek empties into the Brandywine just south
of the circular line, and there, partly located in Del-
aware County and partly in the State of Delaware, is
the grist-mill of Marshall Brinton. " The Beaver
Valley Mills" at one time were owned by Thomas
Gibson, a practical millwright, who, in 1808, sold them
to John Farra, who repaired or rebuilt the mills. At
the latter's death the estate was sold to Lewis Smith,
and he subsequently conveyed the mills to Marshall
Brinton, who enlarged the building by addition of an
upper story and put in improved machinery. The
mills are now owned by Joseph Brinton. Following
Beaver Creek, near the highway leading to Smith's
bridge, was a woolen-factory, built in 1817 by John
Farra, who leased it to La Forrest brothers, but in 1824
it was burned, and remained as the flames had left it
until 1830, when it was rebuilt on part of the old
walls as a paper-mill. As such it was occupied by
William and John Gilmore for a year, when Farra
took possession, and manufactured paper therein until
his death, in June, 1832. He was succeeded by his
son, Daniel. On May 15, 1851, the paper-mill in its
turn was destroyed by fire. The property then passed
into the ownership of Frank Tempest, who rebuilt
the mill and added to the machinery an engine, so
that either water or steam-power could be used. Still
following the east branch of Beaver Creek, on the
same highway, near Tempest's mill, in 1809, Peter
Hatton built a fulling-mill, and in 1817 he erected a
woolen-factory, wherein were manufactured flannels,
satinets, cloth, etc. The fulling-mill has gone to de-
cay, but the factory is still standing, now idle for the
purpose it was built, the water which formerly fur-
nished it power being now used to assist in driving
the machinery in Tempest's paper-mill, both mills now
being owned by the Tempest family. In 1826 the two
mills were supplied with water by the same race. The
machinery consists of one pair of stocker and two
carding engines. The business was carried on by his
sons, Samuel and Gideon Hatton. In 1843 the Hat-
ton mill was owned by Philip Hizer, and the dam
there was washed away in the flood of that year. In
the bend of Beaver Creek, just beyond the circular
line, in the State of Delaware, was the woolen-factory
built in 1825 by Charles Dupont, and operated by
Lewis Sacriste, but the structure was washed entirely
away in the flood of Aug. 5, 1843. Farther along its
east branch, in close proximity to the line of Concord
township, is located the old Green saw-mill. It was
built shortly after the beginning of this century, and
subsequently became the property of Reece Perkins,
who owned it in 1843 at the time of the flood ; after-
wards it was owned by Daniel Farra, Jr., then by
Samuel Talley, and now by William Hinkson. On
the west branch of Beaver Creek, according to the
map of Dr. Joshua Ash, in 1848, there was an axe-
mill, — edge-tool works, — owned by William Morrison.
I have no information respecting this establishment.
Returning to the Brandywine, just below the Dela-
ware State line is Smith's bridge, which was built on
piers in 1810, and in 1822 was swept away in a freshet.
It was rebuilt, to be again carried off by the water in
1839. At the side of where the single-arched bridge
now stands is a ford, which is occasionally used to
this day. Following the creek above Smith's bridge,
in the bend of the stream, is Willis' or Corner Ford.
On the day of the battle of Brandywine, Gen. Arm-
strong's lines extended to that point for the purpose
of preventing the English troops from crossing there.
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
As we proceeded in the abrupt bend of the creek to
the south, near where Twaddell's old paper-mill stands,
at the beginning of this century was a saw-mill, which
has long ago disappeared. Previous to 1777, William
Twaddell became the owner of the estate, comprising
all the neck of land, and here he erected iron-works
in connection with the saw-mill. In 1780 he was in
Aston, and in that year called himself a " forge-
master," and registered three slaves as his property.
At that time he doubtless was working the old forge
at Rockdale. It is by tradition asserted that when
the American army lay encamped at Chad's Ford,
Twaddell bargained with a number of deserting
militiamen to dig a race for him, extending from
above Pyle's Ford to his saw-mill, situated nearly
three-quarters of a mile below. When the race was
about finished, Twaddell, in apparent alarm, came
running to where the men were working, shouting
out, "The British ! the British 1" whereupon the de-
serters hastily decamped without waiting to be paid
for the job. The iron-works were erected subsequent
to 1780. The distance which Twaddell had to cart
the ore before and the iron after smelting induced
him to change the works into powder-mills in 1807,
which were known as the " Cannon Powder-Mills,"
and as such they continued until 1831, at which time
he had two powder-mills and four drying-houses, when
they were again changed into paper-mills.
It is alleged that on several occasions there were
explosions at the mills while powder was made there,
but in no instance was any person injured. Just
above Twaddell's dam, which crossed the Brandywine
obliquely, Thomas Gibson had a saw-mill on the west
side of the creek, the dam of the latter being at right
angles to the stream. Even now, when the water is
low and clear, the race can be traced down to where
Gibson's saw-mill stood. Long years ago the mill
was struck by lightning, the building destroyed, and
the sawyer killed. Half a mile above Pyle's Ford is
the Twin or Barney bridge, at John B. Barney's farm,
from which circumstance the bridge is frequently
called by his name. The term Twin was applied to
it because while one span crosses the creek the other
spans the meadow at Barney's, which was done by
the commissioners on the score of economy, believing
the bridge over the land would cost less than to fill
the eastern approach with earth.
An interesting event happened in April, 1880, at John
B. Biirney's residence, when his son, accompanied by
his bride from New York, visited the old homestead.
It was the ninetieth anniversary of the birth of Mrs.
Barney, and on that occasion a bottle of wine that had
been recovered from the wreck of the British sloopof-
war "Mercury,"' which was sunk in the North River,
seven miles above New York, in 1777, was opened.
When taken from the wreck the bottle was full of
wine and almost imbedded in oysters. In 1822 it was
opened when John B. Barney was named, and had
been sealed anew to be again opened nearly sixty
years thereafter.
The bridge of the Baltimore Central Railroad, be-
low Chad's Ford, was built in 1859. In forming the
embankment for this bridge, in September, 1859, the
skeleton of a soldier was found, together with the
brass belt-buckle and leather buttons of his uniform,
the latter indicating that it was the remains of an
English soldier. A bullet — the one which had de-
prived him of life — was found among his rib bones.
At the east of the bridge stood Chads' mill, heretofore
mentioned, the remains of which were discovered in
1860, when Caleb Brinton, Jr., built the present mer-
chant-mill at that point. Previous to that time Brin-
ton had built a large frame building for a merchant-,
flour-, and saw-mill on Dix's Run, above the Dela-
ware County line. There he conducted business for
some time, but the water-power being insufficient, he
moved the machinery to the larger building he erected
on the site of Chads' old mill. Following the creek
a short distance below the county bridge at Chad's
Ford is the mouth of Harvey's Run. The first mills
on this stream were those erected by Benjamin Ring
some years previous to the Revolution, and comprised
grist-, fulling-, and saw-mills. The mills subsequently
became the property of Eli Harvey, and in time that of
his son, Joseph P. Harvey, and are now part of the
estate owned by Joseph Turner. The old mills have
disappeared — were torn down by Turner to erect in
their place a large grist- and merchant-mill. Still fol-
lowing the east branch of Harvey's Run, about a mile
east of Chad's Ford, was a saw-mill, said to have
been erected by one of the Butcher family about the
beginning of this century. In March, 1819, it is re-
corded that Benjamin Hampton, the sawyer at this
mill, while running through a large poplar log, heard
the saw strike against an unusually hard substance,
which he found to be a forty-four-pound cannon-ball,
completely imbedded in the wood so as to leave no
external mark. It was a relic of the battle, the tree
having been cut just back of the grove, on the west side
of the creek, where the British artillery was stationed.
The old solid shot, however, absolutely destroyed
the teeth of the saw. This mill disappeared sixty
years ago, but the property was purchased in 1842 by
Job Pyle, who set up a saw-mill there to cut the tim-
ber felled on the farm. Pyle sold the estate to Thomas
Brinton, who repaired the mill, and also put in buhrs
to grind feed.
Retracing our steps to the west branch of Har-
vey's Run, immediately opposite and some distance
up the road, where Chalkley Harvey's house stood,
was in the olden times a corn-mill, while some dis-
tance farther up the road was an oil-mill for grind-
ing linseed. The place where the mill stood can still
be traced by the indentations in the bank on the
north side of the road.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE EOB BIRMINGHAM.
Thomas Newlin Aug. 19.1791
Joseph Brintonl M".v ^U, IMO
Matthias Kcrli,, J" .V *. JSOS
Thomas Pierce • !«[>• °. f;"^*
■Toseph Brinton, reappointed
Joseph Fox
4, 1823
1 Brinton seems to have conducted himself in his office in such a man-
ner that complaint was made to the Senate and House of Representa-
tives. In tlie journal of the latter body for Jan. 11, 1816, from the report
of the committee it appears that Brinton had been charged with demand-
ing and receiving illegal fees, altering his docket by interlining without
the knowledge of one of the parties to the suit, to the injury of the lat-
ter; refusing to furnish tr.-inscript of his docket when demanded and legal
fee tendered for such transcript, fining persons for the violation of laws
unknown to the people of the commonwealth, demanding and receiving
the coat from ii man's back to satisfy costs, and on one occasion it seems
he commanded a person brought before him on a writ to go down on his
knees and ask his (the justice's) pardon, which the man did. The House
and Senate, on Jan. 16, 1816, adopted the following address :
" To Simon Sni-deb, Govoruor of thr Comma mueallh of Pennsi/lvania.
"The Senate and House of Eepresentatives of the said Common-
wealth represent:
"That it has been proved to our satisfaction that Joseph Brinton, a
Justice of the Peace, residing in the County of Delaware, ought not to
be continued as such. Therefore we request that Joseph Brinton be
removed from said office."
The address having been forwarded to the Governor, the latter, on
March 19, 1816, sent the following message to both Houses of the Legis-
lature :
"A supersedeas under the great seal of the State has issued, predi-
cated upon, and carrying into effect the address of the Legislature for
the removal of Joseph Brinton, Esq., late Justice of the Peace in and
for the County of Delaware.
" Simon Snydee."
The following is the supersedeas and the sherifl''s return, as appears of
record in the recorder's oflBce, at Media :
" Pennsylvania, 8s."1 " In the name & by the Authority of the Com-
I monwealth of Penn., Simon Snyder, Governor of
Simon Snyder. }■ ^^^ ^^j^ Commonwealth, To Joseph Brinton, of
Seal. J the County of Delaware, sends greeting.
" Whereas by a commission under the hand of my predecessor, the
late Governor McKean, and thegreat seal of the state, dated at Lancaster
the 20th day of May, in the year One thousand Eight hundred, you, the
said Joseph Brinton, were appointed a justice of the peace in and for
the district numbered two, composed of the township of Concord, Aston,
Birmingham, Upper Chichester, Thornbury, & Bethel, in the County of
Del. And, whei
islature for the
requested that y
" Now know J
quest contained
by virtue of the
by an address to me from both houses of the Leg-
isons therein contained, it is recommended and
nay be removed from the said office,
that in compliance with the recommendation & re-
the afsaid address from the General Assembly, and
liority of same in such case given in and by the Con-
stitution of this Commonwealth, I do hereby revoke and annul the
afsaid Commission of Justice of the peace, & all and every the powers
lights A duties incident thereto. Given under my hand And the Great
seal of the State at Harrisburg, the thirtieth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixteen and of the
Commonwealth the fortieth.
" By the Governor. " N- B. Boileao, Secy.
" Del. Co.
"Penn. SS. Before me, Jno. Caldwell, Esq., one of the Justices of
the Peace in & for Del. Co., afsd, personally appeared Daniel Thomson,
Esq., High Sheriff of said County, & on his solemn affirmation by me
duly administered did declare & say that on the 6tli inst. he delivered
to the wife of Joseph Brinton, at the said Joseph's dwelling-house in
said County, a supersedeas, signed by his Excellency, Simon Snyder
Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania & issued
under the great seal of the state, at Harrisburg, the thirtieth day of
January, 1S16, removing the said Joseph Brinton from the office of Jus-
tice of the Peace for the second district in the Coty of Del., afsd. And
that on the same day and immediately after he, this affirmant, left
the said dwelling he met the sd Joseph Brinton and informed him of
his having left the said Supersedeas at his house.
" Aff. & Sub. Feb. 8, l&fli, " Dan'l Thomson,
" before me. Jno. Caldwell." Sherif:'
John Mattson Dec. 13, 1823
Jospeh Bowen Nov. 10, 1824
Joseph Trimble April 21, 1827
Robert Frame -Ian. 15, 18'i9
Robert Hall Feb. 3, 1831
William Mendenhall Dec. 6, 1836
RobertFrame April 14,1840
John D. Gilpin April 14, 1840
RobertFrame April 16, 1845
Robert Frame April 9, 1850
RobertFrame April 10, 1866
RobertFrame April 10,1860
RobertFrame Apiil 28,1865
Darwin Painter April 28, 1865
Joseph C.Turner April 10, 1869
Franklin Worrelow April 15, 1873
Miles Frame March 15, 1876
P, Miles Frame April 9, 1881
Schools.— The first school-house in Birmingham
township, in this county, was located on a lot con-
veyed by John Burgess, April 30, 1806, to Jesse
Green, Peter Hattou, James Smith, John Chandler,
and John Hecklen, in trust, for "the use of a school,
but for no other purpose whatever." In the deed Bur-
gess reserved the timber growing on this lot. A stone
school-house was built there by the contributions of
the neighboring residents. It was located in the
southeastern part of the township, and for many
years was known as Mount Kacket, the name being
derived from the noise made by the children in play.
Brinton Dick was the teacher here at one time. In
1825, Eli Harvey gave the use of an old hipped-roof
house, which had been built before the Revolution by
Chads, it is said, for school purposes, and, in addition
to the house, furnished the firewood gratis. This
building was used as a school until the public school
, system was adopted. About 1826, Joseph Russell
lived at the Baptist Church, and taught school in a
shed adjoining his dwelling. He also taught in the
hipped-roof house already mentioned and in Chads'
spring-house, then owned by Haddock, at the village,
which was used before and after the school law went
into effect. Milcena Gilpin taught a subscription
school in the dwelling-house that stands near the old
Butcher Mill, the property being then owned by her
father, Isaac G. Gilpin. This was about the years
1828 to 1830. Near Dilworthtown, on Thomas Wil-
liamson's property, was a frame school-house, the lot
being an acre of ground, which Williamson sold for
one dollar. This school was discontinued in 1841,
when the directors purchased a tract containing sixty-
one square perches from John D. Gilpin, and the old
school building and lot thereon reverted to Gideon
Williamson. The school law having been accepted,
the following named school-houses were built by the
school directors.
In addition to these places where " the young
ideas were taught to shoot," there was an octagon
building erected near Squire Robert Frame, known
as the Frame School-House ; another, near the prop-
erty of Robert Bullock, and therefore known as the
Bullock School. After the public-school system was
adopted these old buildings ceased to be used or be-
came the property of the township. On May 23,
1837, forty-four square perches of land was purchased
from John Heyburn, on the highway leading from
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
321
the Wilmington road to Smith's bridge. On Nov. 16,
1838, Robert Bullock sold to the directors eighty-one :
square perches, almost in the centre of the township. ;
On Jan. 18, 1841, John D. Gilpin conveyed to the !
officials the school southwest of Dilworthtown. Isaac
Smith, of New Castle County, Del., conveyed to the
township, Oct. 11, 1849, fifty-sis square perches of
land, near Smith's bridge, at Beaver Mills, on which
was subsequently erected a school-house. The latter j
building rendered the old Burgess School unneces- !
sary, and on Oct. 31, 1861, Chalkley Harvey, who
was instructed by the court to sell that property,
conveyed it to Samuel Painter for ninety-seven dol- '•
lars, which sale was duly confirmed. The schools of i
Birmingham at this time are well regulated, and at-
tended by a large number of scholars.
The following is a list of the school directors of
Birmingham township :
1840, Ziba Dilwortb, David Martin ; 1842, John D.Gilpin, Ziba Darling-
ton ; 184:i, Emma Garrett, Miltou Stamp ; 1844, Augustus Cornog, j
George Hannum ; 1845, William Sbields, Nathaniel Speakman;
1S46, John D. Gilpin, John Heyburn ; 1847, George Hannum, John
F. Engle ; 1848, Malachi Barton, Aaron James ; 1849, Lewis Smith,
Thomas Brinton; 1850, Nathaniel Speakman, William H.Wilson; j
1851, Daniel Farra, Ziba Dilwovth ; 1852, Clarkson Way, Hiram
Kipe; 1853, Gideon Williamson, Elwood Michener; 1854, William I
H. Willson, William W.Twaddell; 1855, Jacob G. Kitts, Hiram Kipe,
Clarkson Way ; 1856, Samuel Gamble, Gideon Williamson ; 1857,
Clarkson Way, Paul Jeffries ; 1858, John Esrey, Emmor Gatrett; j
1859, John D. Gilpin, Gideon Williamson ; 1860, John B. Heyhurn, 1
Lewis H. Bullock ; 1861, William W. Twaddell, David W. Eyre ; 1
1862, John B. Barney, William Russell; 1863, Robert Frame, Lewis j
Smith ; 1864, All.in Baldwin, Sharpless Green ; 1865, Samuel Speak- I
man, Edmund R. Gilpen ; 1866, J. B. Heyburn, Lewis Smith ; 1867,
Franklin Whitlow, Charles B. Sprogall; 1868, Gideon Williamson, [
Lewis H. Bullock ; 1869, Fred. Brinton, P. M. Frame ; 1870, Emmor [
C. Jeffries, John Esrey; 1871, Crosby Fairlamb, Jacob G. Kitts; 1872,
Amos W. House, Robert G. Smith ; 1873, T. Speakman, J.C.Turner; [
1874, Cresley Fairlamb, Alban Harvey ; 1875, Lewis H. Bullock,
Caleb R. Watkins; 1876, J. C. Turner, Townsend Speakman; 1877, |
R. C. Fairlamb, Alban Harvey; 1878, J. E. Heyburn, John Arment ;
1879, G. Rawlings, G. E. Heyburn ; 1880, Alban Harvey, E. C. Fair- ';
lamb; 1881, P. Miles Frame, John Arment; 1882, George E. Hey- |
burn, Lewis Bullock; 1883, Alban Harvey, R. C. Fairlamb; 1884,
Dr. H. Hayward, P. Miles Frame.
Gen. Lafayette's Visit in 1825.— The circum-
stances respecting the visit of Gen. Lafayette and his
son, George Washington Lafayette, to the battle-field
at Brandywine on Tuesday, July 26, 1825, and his
reception there by the committees of Delaware and
Chester Counties, are thus admirably related in a
recent volume:'
"Early in the morning the general was waited
upon at Messrs. Dupont, with whom he had lodged,
by John W. Cuningham, Esq., one of the committee
of arrangements, attended by Samson Babb and Wil-
liam Williamson, two of the marshals of the day, by
whom he was conducted to Chad's Ford. The gen-
eral was accompanied by his son, M. La Vasseur, his
secretary, M. Baudouis, a distinguished lawyer from
Paris, the Messrs. Dupont, Messrs. Louis McLane and
N. G. Williamson, committee from Wilmington, and
Messrs. Joseph S. Lewis, Tilghman, and Biddle, com-
1 Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County," pp. 130, 131.
21
mittee of Councils from Philadelphia. They reached
Chad's Ford about ten o'clock a.ji., where the veteran
was received by the committees of Chester and Dela-
ware Counties, headed by their respective chairmen.
Col. Joseph McClellan and Capt. William Anderson.
At this place, also, Maj.-Gen. Isaac D. Barnard and
his aids. Col. Leiper and Daniel Buckwaller, Esq.,
attended by Brig.-Gens. Evans and Stanley, and their
aids, in full uniform, also the Chester County troop of
cavalry, commanded by Lieut. Jones, and the Dela-
ware County troop of cavalry, commanded by Capt.
Vanleer, the whole under the command of Maj.
Wilson, were in waiting to escort the general over
the battle-ground. Jesse Sharp, Esq., chief marshal,
with his aids, Thomas H. B. Jacobs and Jesse Conard,
Esq., and assistant marshals Samson Babb, William
Williamson, Joshua Hunt, Thomas H. Brinton, Joshua
McMinn, Isaac Trimble, David Potts, Jr., Richard
Walker, Jonathan Jones, Joseph P. McClellan, also
attended to regulate the movements of the great con-
course of citizens, in carriages, on horseback, and on
foot, who had gathered at this point, eager to see and
welcome ihe nation's guest.
" The general received the greetings of the people,
and viewed the interesting heights around Chad's
Ford, and the field where the armies encamped the
night before the battle, and pointed out the positions
of Gen. Wayne and Maxwell's brigades. He in-
quired if any one could point out where the bridge
of rails was across the Brandywine, but no one was
able to give the information. He then resumed his
seat in his barouche, with his companion-in-arms,
Col. McClellan, by his side, and the procession, which
had been formed, advanced towards Painter's Cross-
roads. About a mile from the ford the general
stopped and alighted from his carriage to see Gideon
Gilpin, a very aged man, confined to bed, at whose
house he had made his headquarters before the battle.
The sick man was gratified at the sight of the vet-
eran, who pressed his hand cordially and wished him
every blessing. The procession then proceeded by
way of Painter's Cross-roads to Dilworthtown. After
a brief halt it turned to the left, and proceeded to the
main battle-ground. When they came in sight of the
Birmingham meeting-house, Lafayette arose in his
carriage and addressed himself in French to his son
and companions, spoke animatedly for some time,
pointing out to them the different positions of the
armies. All the surroundings were familiar to him.
He pointed out the spot, in a field of Jacob Bennett,
a short distance east and south of where the road
from the meeting-house comes in at right angles with
the east-and-west road, as the place where he was
wounded. He then proceeded to the meeting-house,
where another concourse had assembled to greet him.
After viewing the ground here he alighted, with his
companions and friends, at the mansion of Samuel
Jones, a short distance north of the meeting-house,
to which he had been previously invited, and partook
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of refreshments provided for the occasion. A large
collection of balls and other relics of the memorable
conflict, which had been found at diff'erent periods on
the battle-ground, were exhibited, and excited much
interest."
The Murder of Martin HoUis by Thomas Crop-
per.—The peaceful, law-abiding people of Birming-
ham, early in the year 1841, were shocked by the
report that a murder had been committed in the
neighborhood of Dilworthtown, and the mere fact
that the parties to the tragedy were in humble sta-
tion did not lessen the public horror at the act, for
both the slayer and the slain were known to many of
the residents of the township. The particulars of the
murder and the vindication of the law, as I have
learned them, are as follows :
Thomas Cropper, then in the employment of John
Leonard, a miller in Pennsbury township, Chester
Co., was a tall, active colored man of prepossessing
appearance, who had received sufficient education
to enable him to read and write with ease. In Bir-
mingham township, on the property of Ziba Darling-
ton near Dilworthtown, lived Martin Hollis", a colored
man, and his wife Elizabeth, the latter a half-sister to
Cropper, to whom she was much attached. Hollis
and his wife did not dwell happily together, and they
separated, a rumor prevailing that the affection exist-
ing between Elizabeth and her half-brother exceeded
the bounds of propriety. The husband's mind seemed
to have been firmly settled in that opinion ; hence he
was bitter in his denunciations of Cropper. On Sat-
urday, Feb. 28, 1841, about midday, the two men met,
when Cropper asked Hollis how Elizabeth was. The
latter angrily exclaimed, " How dare you ask me
anything about Elizabeth ? I'll let you know better."
Cropper replied, " I think I have a right to ask for
her." Still angry, Hollis passionately retorted, "I'll
show you something pretty quick," dismounting from
his horse as he spoke, and catching up a large stone
from the highway in each hand, continued, " I'll split
your brains out." Cropper had also armed himself
with a heavy stone, which he held in his right hand,
while Perry Hall, the father of Elizabeth Hollis and
the putative father of Cropper, and John Leonard, who
were present, attempted to prevent Hollis from getting
within striking distance of Cropper. At length Hollis,
becoming calmer, remounted his horse and rode away.
In less than an hour after this chance meeting Crop-
per went to the house of Perry Hall, where his sister
lived, and spoke of the conduct of Hollis at the mill,
quietly remarking, " He was trying to show himself"
Dressing in his best suit, Cropper, taking his gun,
left the house, stating he was going to a tailor's to be
measured for a coat.
About a half-hour thereafter he and Martin Hollis
were together at the house of William Wright, a col-
ored man, where Elizabeth Hollis was then living,
keeping house in ro.yms in the second story. The hus-
band called his wife to come down, and then asked her
what articles she had there owned by Thomas Crop-
per. She said nothing but an umbrella which laid
on the table, and the husband told her to get it, which
she did, and together the husband and wife went out
at the door, shutting it behind them, to where Crop-
per stood, his gun in his hand. "Thomas, take this
umbrella," said Hollis, " go away, and never speak
to her again, not even if you meet her on the road."
Cropper replied, " Not after this time." The husband
thereupon said something further, when the gun was
discharged, and Hollis fell backwards against the
house, dead, the ball having entered the back of his
neck and passed out at his waist. Mary Wright, who
was in the house at the time, ran to the door just as
Elizabeth Hollis opened it and hurriedly ran in.
Mrs. Wright slammed the door to and locked it.
Cropper, rattling the latch and knocking several
times against the door, finally called out, " Elizabeth,
come down here, for you are the occasion of this, and
I'll give you the next load !" The murderer moved a
few steps from the house, stopped, and gazed intently,
as if desirous of executing his threat. Then he
walked from the scene of the tragedy in the direction
of Wilmington. At a late hour that night Cropper
returned to the house of Perry Hall, carrying with
him the gun he had taken from there at noonday.
He was scraping his feet at the door when Mrs.
Hall opened it, and he said, pleasantly, "Well,
! mother." The latter, however, forbade him to enter
! the house, stating that he was a murderer, and the
I constable, accompanied by a number of men, had
been there seeking him. Cropper thereupon asked if
Hollis was dead. Receiving an answer in the affirm-
ative, he expressed regrets for the act, and hastily
walked away.
The authorities made every effort to discover the
whereabouts of the culprit, who it was believed
would endeavor to get to New York. On Friday,
March 5th, the step-father of Cropper, who was em-
ployed at the farm of Carver Worthington, near
West Chester, was observed to help himself largely to
provisions at meals, and after supper he was noticed
taking some of the remaining food to the barn. This,
with the fact that the old man had appeared to be
unusually depressed, aroused suspicion that Cropper
was lurking near by. Information was sent to West
Chester, and Constable McCartney was instructed to
search the barn, where it was believed the murderer
was concealed. The officer and several other persons
searched the building, and in the mow they gently
thrust pitchforks into places where the fugitive might
be hidden, and into the surface of the hay. At
length one of the party found that his fork came in
contact with an unyielding body, and thrusting against
it, a voice said, " Don't stick me." The hay being
thrown aside, Cropper was discovered. When ar-
rested he denied that he was Cropper, stating that
his name was John Carter ; that he had only that
evening come from New York, and was a total
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
stranger in this section of the country. Despite his
protests he was taken before Squire Flemming, who
committed him to await the action of the authorities
of Delaware County. It chanced that Mr. Irwin, the
then superintendent of the Chester County jail, and
who had formerly been sheriff, had fi-equently seen,
and recognized the prisoner as Thomas Cropper. At
a subsequent hearing the accused acknowledged that
he was Cropper, but declared that he had shot Hollis
purely in self-defense. His identity having been
established, Thursday, March 29, 1841, Hon. John
Larkin, then sheriff of Delaware County, brought
Cropper to the jail at Chester, as well as Elizabeth
Hollis, the latter being detained as a witness.
On Friday, May 28, 1841, the case was called for
trial. Judge Thomas S. Bell presiding, the common-
wealth being represented by Deputy Attorney-Gen-
eral P. Frazer Smith, and the prisoner by Hon. Edward
Darlington and Townsend Haines, Esq. The evi-
dence was not voluminous ; the jury retired at seven
o'clock in the evening, and at half-past ten returned
a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. On
Monday, June 1st, the sentence of the law was pro-
nounced, the court-room being crowded, even the
windows blocked up with men who could not gain ad-
mission to the room.
After his sentence the prisoner seemed almost un-
conscious of his unhappy situation, but, with appar-
ent indifference to the manner of his death, made
full preparations for his ftineral, ordering his coffin
and winding-sheet, and requested that as soon as they
were made they should be deposited in his cell until
required for use. His request was complied with, but
when they were brought to the jail he shuddered at
the sight, and desired that they might be taken away.
As the day fixed for his execution drew near, he made
several attempts to escape, and in doing so filed some
of the bars in the chimney in his cell apart. His
hair was crisp and abundant, and he had concealed a
watch-spring file therein so adroitly that for a long
time the authorities could not discover the tool with
which he accomplished his work. The jail at Chester,
old and decayed, was so insecure that to insure his
detention it became absolutely necessary to place him
in heavy irons, which were chained to the floor.
The Governor had ordered the sentence to be exe-
cuted on Friday, Aug. 6, 1841, and as Cropper was
much concerned as to the final disposition of his body
after death, being extremely fearful that it would be
given to the physicians for dissection, he requested
that he should be hung not later than eleven o'clock,
in order to allow time to carry the remains to the
African burial-ground, at Kennett Square.
About ten o'clock on the day designated his mana-
cles were removed and Cropper attired in a white
robe ; the procession was formed, and moved to the
place of execution in the jail-yard. The condemned
man ascended the scaffold with a firm step, and lis-
tened attentively while the death warrant was read.
He was attended by two colored ministers, who prayed
and sang with him. At the conclusion of the reli-
gious exercises, Cropper desired a few minutes longer
for prayer, followed by a short speech to those present.
His feet were then bound with heavy cords, and when
the trap was sprung the cords binding his feet be-
came loosened, and a moment after his arms also
broke from their fastenings, and he threw up his
hands and grasped at the rope above his head. Jere-
miah Stevenson, one of Sheriff Larkin's deputies on
that occasion, pinioned Cropper's arms again, — a mer-
ciful act, for the half-hanged man clutched wildly
with his hands at the rope by which he was sus-
pended, and his suffering was rendered more intense
because of that effort.
After the body had hung half an hour it was cut
down, the physicians having pronounced life extinct,
and the corpse was placed in the coffin he had ordered.
Being a Mason, he requested that the insignia of the
order should be placed thereon, which was done.
The executed man ordered that the expenses of his
funeral should be paid out of the means he had
accumulated, and the remainder of his estate he
bequeathed to Elizabeth Hollis.
Hotels in Birming'ham. — Respecting the houses
of entertainment in Birmingham, under license from
the courts of Chester County, it is very difficult to
designate those which at the present would be in their
locations confined to that part of the township now
included within the county of Delaware.
The first record of license there is to John Wyth,
Birmingham (generally), was allowed June 20, 1715,
and is confined to a brief note of the fact that it was
so granted.
The first petition of record was presented to the
court Aug. 28, 1722, by John Bentley, wherein he
represents that " Having Taken a house In the Town-
ship of Birmingham And Intending, with your Hon-
ours permission to sett up an Ordinary for the Vend-
ing of Beer and Syder for the Succor and Support of
Travailers, his house being By the Great Eoad Lead-
ing to Nottingham and Maryland, And he being like-
wise very much Induced thereunto by severall of the
neighbors Importunity," etc. He was recommended
to the favorable consideration of the justices by Wil-
liam Brinton, Joseph Brinton, Samuel Painter, Joseph
Gilpin, John Chalfant, James Houstowne, Providence
Scot, Pattrick Scott, John Bickingham, and Daniel
Moore. What was done with his petition that year
does not appear, but in 1723 he had license allowed
him, as also in the year following. I conclude that it
was approved, especially since in his application, dated
Aug. 31, 1725, he declares that he has "kept a pub-
lick House in the township of Birmingham for some
years past." He seems to have lost his privilege,
however, for Nov. 30, 1731, he states in his petition
" that for some years past he had license to keep a
house of entertainment in Birmingham, but through
some misrepresentations had been obstructed in a con-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
tinuance." His application was in that year in-
dorsed by Thomas Chandler and thirty-eight other
persons, and was approved.
Aug. 26, 1727, James Townsends, a resident of Birm-
ingham, narrates in his petition his reasons for de-
siring the court's kindly consideration in the following
words: "Whereas your petitioner Lyeth under very
great hard ships Liveing on ye great Road Side and
very much oppressed by Travailers wich is too much
for me to Bear, therefore your peticioner prays you
will Grant me a License to keep a house of Enter-
tainment, and your peticioner will in Bounden duty
ever pray." His application seems to have melted
the stern hearts of the justices, for the license was al-
lowed, and seems to have been continued until 1731,
for on the clerk's list of that year his name appeared
among those whose petitions had been approved.
August court, 1732, Thomas Bullock's petition
shows that " having obtained license at last November
to sell beer & Sider now wishes to have full licence,"
which was awarded him. His name appears on the
clerk's list of approved licenses for the year 1734,
after which it is not found.
At the court held Feb. 26 (last Tuesday in Feb-
ruary), 1733/4, Joseph Webb, living on the road
from Concord to "Forks of Brandywine," applied
for license, which was refused to him, while on Aug.
27, 1734, Robert Hannum states in his petition that
he " hath taken to ffarm ye Plantation and apperti-
nances in the township of Birmingham where Mary
Stevens lately dwelt known by the name of the hoop
and Tun Tavern." His application is recommended
by Joseph Gilpin, Samuel Painter, William and Ed-
ward Brinton, Calvin Cooper, John Chads, and nine-
teen others. He was successful, and license was
granted him, continuing from year to year until 1738,
after which date his name is not on the clerk's list of
licenses approved.
John Chads, Sept. 1, 1736, calls the attention of the
court to the fact that he " has undertaken to keep
a ferry and wishes to keep a public Inn on road
from Phila. to Nottingham, in Birmingham." To
which petition the court accedes and granted license
to Chads. From year to year he is regularly recom-
mended to the Governor for license. But something
must have gone astray in his manner of conducting
the business of innkeeping, as will be seen by his pe-
tition, Aug. 31, 1742, which sets forth that "by the
Favour of the Honorable Court had for this Consid-
erable time past A Recommendation granted him an-
nually in order to obtain Lycense to keep a publick
House or House of Entertainment in Birmingham,
aforesaid : And your Petitioner not being Conscious
he hath Forfeited his right to the said Favour by any
abuse thereof." This petition is indorsed "not
allowed."
Under like date " a representation" from William
Webster, John Bailyi Joseph Pennock, John Strode,
and thirty other signers, was presented which states
that "having heard yt John Chads, Jr., to bee
Soprest or put down from Publick house keeping . . .
that Itt Is a house that Lies most Convenient to the
ford or ferry Boat on Brandywine and Ceeps the best
Entertainment for man and horse on the upper Road
from Maryland to Philadelphia and Likewise Keeps
a very orderly house, not allowing of Either drunk-
eness or Swaring." This representation is indorsed
" not Regarded."
Chads was determined that his license should be re-
newed, for very shortly after the refusal of the court
to continue his as a house of public entertainment,
he presented a petition, signed by himself and a con-
siderable number of inhabitants of Chester County to
the Commissioners and assessors, setting forth that
" pursuant to an agreement made with their predeces-
sors in the year 1737, he built a boat and suitable ap-
purtenances for the conveying of people and carriages
over Brandywine Creek, with the money that he bor-
rowed of the County for that purpose, thesum of which
was 30 pounds, and it being evident as ye petitioner
conceives, that the profits of the said ferry, will not
without some consideration compensate for the charge
thereof, and that the Honorable Justices, hath at last
August Court, thought proper to deprive him the sd
John Chads from keeping a house of entertainment,
near the sd ferry, which he had done heretofore.
They therefore request that the said John Chads may
be acquitted & discharged from the payment of the
sum of money above mentioned, and also from the
care and management of sd.boat and appurtenances,
and some other person appointed to act therein in his
stead."
This shrewd movement on the enemy by the flank
was not the only effort of Chads, but he charged the
bench in column when, under date of Nov. 30, 1742,
a petition " of sundry inhabitants of Kennett and
places adjacent" in favor of John Chads, as one of
" sundry inhabitants and freeholders of the said
County on the west side of brandyWine," and still
another from " sundry Inhabitants of Concord and
other adjacent Places," and even yet another from
"inhabitants of Nottingham and places adjacent" is
presented. These petitions, which are signed in the
aggregate by one hundred and seventy-one persons,
are couched in the same language, and state to the
court that " being sensible that we may be Liable to
great Disappointments as well on account of Enter-
tainment, as also ye attendance of ye boat over ye
said Creek wch has been greatly servicable to our In-
habitants & more especially to Strangers unacquainted
with ye sd. Creek," they ask for these reasons that
license may be granted to Chads.
The same day the personal petition of John Chads
was presented, in which he says " that whereas many
of the Inhabitants of the Townships on the West side
of Brandyvfine and others of my neibourhood have
aqwainted me with their Intention To Petion the
Court for their Recommendation to the Governor for
BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
325
his Lycense to keep a publick house as heretofore
have don, and Desired me to signifie to the Court mv
Inclination to Gratifie them in there desire and to
shew myself willing to serve my frends in Genrall, as
well as soport of myself, if the Court thought fltt to
Grant it mee, and these are to Request of theis hon-
ourable Court to Grant my frenns the prayer of their
petionand also to Take into their Prudent Considera-
tion what measures to Take abought the Boate to
Render it as servicable to Travelors as heretofore
have been."
The number of petitions and the sly reference of
Chads, that there might be some difficulty at the ford
if his license was not granted, was too much for the
justices, and the above-mentioned application of Cliads
bears this indorsement : " Allowed according to ye
Prayer of ye Petition." In 1743 the license was re-
newed and so continued to him until 1746, when he
was succeeded in business by James House, who rented
the premises to whom the license was extended, — he
giving security to perform all things relating to the
ferry over " Brandewine" according to agreement with
the commissioners and assessors. It was continued
to House until 1752, when he in turn gave place to
Amos Harvey, who became the landlord of the inn.
To the latter license was annually allowed until the
year 1756, when his name disappeared from the rec-
ords. Henry Hays was granted license in 1757, but
whether it was for this tavern I cannot as yet deter-
mine; but in 1767, William Kerlin received license
for the " Chad's ford" Tavern, and annually thereafter
was on the list until 1772, when Joseph Davis peti-
tioned and stated in his application that it was for the
premises " formerly John Chads' where a tavern has
been for thirty years." Davis was the landlord of the
hostelry at the time of the battle of Brandywine,
although the county records for that year are missing
respecting licenses, for in 1778 Gideon Gilpin is
granted license for the tavern, and the petition sets
forth that he succeeds Joseph Davis in business. To
Gilpin license is annually allowed by the court of
Chester County until the date of the creation of Del-
aware County, his last application being presented
in the year 1789. At that time Gilpin was the land-
lord of the house now known as Gen. Lafayette's
headquarters, in which no license has been had for
nearly a century.
I lose all trace of the old tavern at the ford until
1806, when Benjamin Davis, in his petition, states
that " Brandywine Creek is in the township, and
from the present way of crossing said creek, when
the waters are high, travellers are often detained,
which for that, as well as many other causes, renders
a house of public entertainment necessary at that
locality," — a course of reasoning that resulted in a
decision such as he desired from the court. I know
that in 1800 Benjamin Ring had license for an inn
in Birmingham, — the old Washington headquarters;
that he was refused license in 1802, when a remon-
strance from the " inhabitants in and near Concord"
against his house was presented to court. In the fol-
lowing year, 1803, Joshua Ring obtained leave to
keep a public-house after a previous petition in the
same year had been rejected, and in 1805, in his ap-
plication, Ring gives the name of the tavern as the
" United States Arms, on the road from Chester to
Lancaster." In addition, in 1807, Thomas Monks
petitioned for license for a house in Birmingham,
which had been formerly kept by Benjamin Ring &
Son. His application was met with a remonstrance
from Isaac G. Gilpin, who stated that he was a resi-
dent of the township, that he knew Monks and the
house he kept, that " the entertainment for travellers
and others at said house is not good, and by no means
such as the public ought to e.xpect on so public a
road." Petition was rejected, although the preceding
year the court had recommended Thomas Monks to
the Governor as a proper person to have license, and
thereafter the " United States Arms" disappeared as
an inn in Birmingham. The house and farm became
the property of Eli Harvey, as before mentioned.
John Way, in 1807, prayed that license might be
granted him at the old Chad's Ford Inn (this tavern
was the hipped-roof house at Eli Harvey's), and as
an additional reason for the location of a public-
house at that point, urged that " Brandywine creek
by the present way of crossing is often impassable
from the frequent great freshets therein." The court
gave approval to his petition, and Way remained
there until 1810, during which time he built the
present tavern house, when Thomas Burnett suc-
ceeded to the business until 1817, when he gave place
to Jacob Smith, Jr. The latter remained at the
tavern only one year, for in 1818 Thomas H. Bullock
had license for the house, which he states is com-
monly known as the "Rising Sun." In 1823, John
Norrett was landlord for one year, but in 1824 Thomas
H. Bullock returned to his former station, and in 1828
the latter was succeeded by Nathan S. Burnett. In
1830, Ezra Lamborn, who called the house the
" Chad's Ford Inn," was landlord, and continued
such until 1834, when Jones Eavenson rented the
premises, still retaining the old name. The following
year Eavenson associated Joseph D. Valentine in the
business, and the firm received the license in 1835
for the " sign of the Bridge." In 1836, John Entre-
ken was authorized to keep the public-house at Chad's
Ford, and in 1838 Milton Stamp was landlord of the
" Bridge Inn, near the Eastern end of Bridge."
Stamp, however, did not secure the grace of the court
without a struggle, for a remonstrance signed by
George Brinton, Jr., William Painter, Samuel Painter,
Harlan Webb, Eli Harvey, Chalkley Harvey, Joseph
P. Harvey, and Robert Frame was presented, alleging
that the inn was unnecessary, as the locality was well
supplied with public-houses at reasonable distances
from each other, and stating that they believed " the
mode and manner of keeping said public-house has
326
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
not been in accordance with moral and religious pro-
priety, and that it was injurious to the best interests
of the neighborhood, hence we (the remonstrants) j
respectfully ask the court to remove the evil." Ed- I
ward Brinton also presented his individual remon-
strance, in which he stated that he had for thirty-live I
years been engaged in " public business," the last (
fifteen within about a mile and a half of Chad's Ford
Tavern ; that he had " experienced great incon-
venience and loss in business by the encouragement
held out to his apprentices and hired men to meet
there on various occasions to their great moral injury
while in the company of the dissipated and profane,
which common report says, and I believe truly, do
too often assemble there, that there were more taverns
than public convenience requires, which was par-
ticularly the case with the Chad's Ford Tavern, that
must look principally to neighboring custom for sup-
port." This remonstrance concludes : " It has been
observed by some writer that no person nor associa-
tions are at liberty to indulge in any acts or practices
in the face of the community which by their necessary
operations are calculated to corrupt and debauch the
youthful or the unwary, to incite to licentiousness or
crime."
The court, however, deemed the house a public
necessity and granted the license to Milton Stamp,
continuing so to do annually until 1843, when in the
fall of that year John M. Dusham had the license
transferred to him. The latter, in 1845, gave place to
Edward B. Hoskins, who in his petition states that
the tavern was known as the " Chad's Ford Inn." In
1847 it received license, as did most of the public-
houses in Delaware County, as a temperance inn, but
the next year, when the local-option law of that day
was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court,
the Chad's Ford Tavern received full license, and it
was extended to Hoskins until 1854, when John
Evans had the control of the ancient hostelry. The
following year the court refused their consent, and so
annually kept the house under the ban of their dis-
pleasure for three years, although there were not
wanting applicants for the position of " mine host."
In 1858, Philip MuUin presented his petition to court,
which was supplemented by a petition from James
Twaddell, of Philadelphia, who represented to the
judges that he had resided in the latter city for fifty
years, and was a reputable citizen ; that he was owner
of the Chad's Ford Tavern, which had been kept as a
public-house for the last fifty years or more ; that he
had held the property for three years, and his tenants
had been refused license, although well recommended.
The reason for this denial Mr. Twaddell could not
understand, nor could the neighbors in Birmingham,
he stated, since the house was in much better order
than when he purchased it, as he had expended over
a thousand dollars, and proposed to make further im-
provements if circunistances should warrant it. The
applicant who had rented the property was well rec-
ommended, and would no doubt keep a reputable
public-house if the court would only give him an op-
portunity to do so. But the bench turned a deaf ear
to his pleadings. The following year Isaac C. Lindsay
leased the hotel, and the owner smiled once more
when the judge announced that the new applicant
had received the judicial approval. Annually there-
after the house remained as a tavern, — in 1862, under
the control of Benjamin French and Horatio J. Shep-
pard, and the following year under French alone. In
1864, Charles Mendenhall had license, as well as in
1865. In 1866 the house remained without a tenant,
and in 1867, Charles Twaddell was granted privilege
to keep a public inn there. William Seal, Jr., in
1869 was the landlord, and remained so until 1871,
when he gave place to Charles Davis, who in turn
was followed by Jackson McFarland in 1876. In
1880, John D. Makiever had become the landlord,
and continues as such to the present time.
Kaolin Pits. — Over fifty years ago Amos C. Brinton
says white clay lay on top of the ground in James
Russel's meadow, and small quantities were used by
the fullers in fulling-mills. It is also stated that pot-
ters from up the Great Valley came down occasionally
and carried some of it to their works, and that one
man used the white clay for adulterating white lead
and soap. It was not, however, until 1863 that any
particular effort was made to bring the white clay in
this section into use. At that time the property that
in 1848 belonged to Thomas H. Bullock was in pos-
session of Caleb Hayburn, who had purchased it of
William McKay, a son-in-law of Bullock. Brinton
J. Hayburn, a butcher, came one day with his butch-
er's cart from Caleb Hayburn's place to Concordville.
Some of the clay was on the wheels of his cart. When
Mrs. George Rush was buying some beef, the white
clay attracted her attention, and Brinton told her
that it would take grease out of cloth. She took some
of it and tried it on a carpet, and accomplished the
result. He also told her it was potters' clay. George
Rush became interested, and went over to the farm,
procured some of the clay, and wrote to E. B. Shee, a
paper manufacturer of Philadelphia, and also inter-
ested in mining in South Carolina. Mr. Shee in the
course of a short time came to Concordville, and vis-
ited the farm with Mr. Rush. More samples were
obtained, which Shee took to Philadelphia, where it
was shown to Bartles Shee and Christian Spengler, on
Minor Street. Mr. Spengler also came to the place
and examined it.
In 1864, Edward Shee purchased sixty acres of
land of Caleb Hayburn for ten thousand dollars, in
the interest of Edward B. Shee, Bartles Shee, George
Rush, Christian Spengler, and Henry Shillingford.
Pits were sunk on the farm, and samples of the clay
were sent to difierent parties. Negotiations had
been in progress with several persons in New York,
who formed the " Union Woolen Company of New
York," with Edward Peckham, president. To this
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
327
company the land was sold for thirty thousand dol-
lars, and the deed from Hayburn made to the com-
pany. Work was at once begun, under the charge of
George Rush, and clay shipped to potteries in Tren-
ton, N. J., and other places. In 1865 the property
was sold to William Wharton, of Philadelphia, who
worked the pits about a year, and sold to Lewis P.
Harvey, of Chad's Ford. The National Woolen
Company was then organized, of which Lewis P. Har-
vey was principal owner and manager. Hansom H.
Johns was one of the partners, and together they
conducted the works many years, furnishing to pot-
teries in Trenton, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Liverpool,
and elsewhere, clay at the rate of one hundred tons
per month. Later, Mr. Johns retired from the com-
pany; Tilghman Johnson became a partner, and this
firm are now operating the works.
Brandywine Summit Kaolin Works. — In 1880,
John Griffin, of Phoenixville, bought of Isaac Bul-
lock sixty-three acres, and in that year work was be-
gun. Buildings were erected in 1881. Clay is sup-
plied to whiteware-makers in Liverpool, Ohio, and
Trenton. William S. Manley has been in charge of
the works from the first.
In 1882, Hamilton Graham began work on prop-
erty adjoining the above. It was abandoned in 1853,
and in September of that year was purchased by the
Brandywine Kaolin Works.
CHAPTER XXXIL
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
In 1644 the present site of Chester, east of the
creek of that name, was a tobacco plantation, occu-
pied by farm servants in the employment of the
Swedish company. About that time many of the
colonists began to seek grants of the broad acres on
the main land, and the ground between Ridley and
Chester Creeks was selected by Jorau Keen, and to
him the Swedish government granted a patent for a
tract of land one and a half miles inland, following
the right bank of Chester Creek above its mouth,
and reaching along the Delaware eastward as far as
Ridley Creek. The plot at its northwestern limit, at
the present Crozer Theological Seminary, was a half-
mile in breadth, and a diagonal line ran thence east-
wardly to Ridley Creek. Joran Keen, or Kyn (as
his name was written by the Swedes, and also from
his peculiar complexion known as " snohuitt" or
"snow white"), was one of the earliest European
residents upon the Delaware River within the boun-
daries of the present State of Pennsylvania, and for
more than a quarter of a century was the chief pro-
prietor of lands at Upland, afterwards Chester. He
was born in Sweden about 1620, and came to America,
in company with Governor Printz, in the ship " Fama,"
and resided at Tinicum. He was a soldier, whose duty
was to attend daily upon the Governor, and travel
with that dignitary wherever he might go, as one of
his Excellency's body-guard. As before stated. Keen
received the grant of a royal tract of ground, and it
is believed that when Printz left the colony to return
to Sweden, Keen resigned his military position and
gave his undivided attention to agriculture.'
The land on the west bank of Chester Creek, ex-
tending along the river as far as Marcus Hook, Queen
Christina, of Sweden, granted to Capt. John Am-
mundson Besk, " his wife and heirs," by patent dated
Aug. 20, 1653, in consideration of faithful services he
had rendered to the State. Besk, who is believed to
have been a man of large means, never entered into
possession of this vast tract of ground, and it seems to
have been held and claimed by Armgart Pappegoya,
the daughter of the first Swedish Governor, Printz.
In a letter from the Dutch vice-director, Beekmau,
under date of Sept. 14, 1662, he writes, " I inquired
into the situation of a certain lot of land on the
Southwest side of Upland Kill, and was informed by
the Swedish Commissaries and other ancient inhabi-
tants of said nation, that the aforesaid is called
Printz's village, which has always been in possession
during 16 years of the Swedish Governor, John
Printz, and his daughter who owns it."
Chester, iu 1645, was a place of such insignificance
that Andreas Hudde, an agent of the Dutch, who
had been sent by Governor Kieft to learn the num-
ber, condition, armament, and military force of the
Swedes, made no mention of it in his report. It is
even doubtful whether at that time Joran Keen had
erected a house on his land, inasmuch as in the
"Rulla," dated by Printz at "Kihrstina" (Christi-
ana), June 20, 1644, the statement appears that Up-
land was a tobacco plantation, as already mentioned.
Between the years 1646 and 1648 a considerable set-
tlement must have been made at this point, for in
Hudde's interview with the Passyunk Indians, in that
year, they spoke of Upland, among other places, in the
possession of the Swedes, and charge the latter with
having stolen the land from them, while in Cam-
panius' account of New Sweden, " Mecoponacka," or
Upland, is mentioned in the year 1648 (the date of
the elder Campanius' return to Sweden) "as an un-
fortified place, but some houses were built there. It
was situated between Fort Christina (near Wilming-
ton) and New Gottenburg (Tinicum), but nearer the
latter. There was a fort built there some time after
its settlement. It is good even land along the river
shore." ^
The Indian name of the site of the present city of
Chester was Mecoponacka ; the Swedish, Upland ; the
Dutch, Oplandt ; and the English, Chester and Up-
land indifferently until the former entirely absorbed
, ila.j. 0/ Hisl., T
. p. 326.
328
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the latter in designating the borough about the mid-
dle of the last century. The proper Indian name of
Chester Creek was Meechoppenaclshan, according to
Heckewelder, in his " Indian Names," which signifies
"the large potato stream," or "the stream along
which large potatoes grow." This was corrupted
into Macopanachan, Macopanackhan, and finally
into Mecopanacka. The Indian tribe which owned
the land whereon Chester stands, according to John
Hill Martin, was the Okehockings, and were subse-
quently removed by the order of William Penn, in
1702, to " the tract in Chester county, formerly laid
out to Grifty Jones, but now vacant."
The story of Penn coming to Upland, the change of
the name of the hamlet and the county to Chester,
the meeting of the first Assembly, the courts held
therein have already been narrated in the general his-
tory, and it is unnecessary to recapitulate those inci-
dents here. During the winter of 1682-83, Penn
resided in the Boar Head Inn, an ancient building
which stood until March 21, 1850, when it was de-
stroyed by fire. The noted hostelry stood on the line
of the present street, on the footway approaching it
having ascent to the building. It was one story and
a half high, with peaked roof, the gable end standing
toward Third Street, and from it, just below the eaves,
projected the crane from which the old sign of a boar's
head was suspended. The house was constructed of
heavy frame timber, filled in with brick, and outside
as well as inside the laths, which were interlaced in a
kind of basket pattern, were covered with plaster made
of oyster-shell lime and mud, while, in place of hair,
swamp-grass was employed to hold the composition
together. The doors were peculiar in the manner in
which they were hung ; a peg or projection from the
door above and below fitted into holes made in the
frames, and on these they swung instead of hinges.
The windows, with the exception of the one in the
kitchen, were small ; the glasses, four by three in size,
were set in lead. The roof was of split-shingles, the
kitchen floor was laid in flagging, some of which were
as large as six by eight feet, and under these was a
body of eighteen inches of sand on which they rested.
In the kitchen, on the side opening to the west, was a
large double door, through which a cart-load of wood
could be drawn if desiied. The chimney was an enor-
mous aftair, nearly sixteen feet in width, and the
wide-mouthed old fireplace was spacious enough to
hold entire cord-wood sticks on great iron dogs, while
on either side in the fireplace were benches, where, on
excessively cold days, the chilled inmates of the house
could rest themselves while enjoying the blazing fire on
the hearth. The cellar was of dressed stone, the joints
true, every stone set square, and as carefully laid as
the masonry of the City Hall.
Penn, shortly after his arrival at Chester, sent for
James Sandelands, the elder, to confer with him, for
it was " talkt among-the people" of that day "that it
was Intent to have built a City (at Upland), but that
he and Sanderlin could not agree." The conclusion
of this interview was that Penn had to look elsewhere
for a site for the future metropolis of Pennsylvania,
if it be true that Penn at that time proposed building
a " grent town" there. The refusal of the chief owner
of land, at Chester, to accede to Penn's desires was
disastrous in its results, and was discovered when too
late to avoid its consequences, although an attempt
was made to correct it, in a measure, on Nov. 19, 1700,
when the petition of James Sandelands, the younger,
was presented to Governor William Penn, on his
second visit to the colonies, and his Council, in session
at New Castle, setting forth that the royal patent to
the proprietary gave him " absolute power to . . .
erect and incorporate Towns, Hundreds and Counties
and to incorporate Towns in Boroughs, & Boroughs
into Cities & to make & constitute Fairs & Markets
herein, with all other convenient privileges & Immu-
nities according to the merits of the Inhabitants &
fitness of ye places. . . . And whereas ye Petitioner
is possessed of a certain spot of land lying in sd
Countie of Chester, verie fitt & naturally commodious
for a Town & to that end lately caused ye sd. spot of
Land to be divided & Laid out into Letts, Streets &
Market place, a Draft & Model whereof (the gene-
rallie desired & Leiked of by ye sd Inhabitants of sd
Countie) is notwithstanding herewith presented &
submitted to your honors for your approbation and
consent." The same day it was ordered, after the
heirs of James Sandelands, the elder, had appeared
before Council, that "the Proprietary & Governor &
Council having approved of the within Petition & of
the design thereof & Looking upon the place within
proposed to be fitt for a Town did not onlie approve
of ye within & annexed model, but also did erect &
do hereby erect the said spot of Land so modelled &
Laid outt Into a Town provided the same do not en-
croach upon other men's Laiid without their express
consent under their Hands and Seals, and saving to
the Proprietor & Governor & everie one their right." '
The first street laid out by authority was ordered
by the grand jury. Eighth month 2, 1686, which body
reports that they " doe lay out a street and a landing
upon the creek to the corner lot far as over against
the north west corner of the Court House fifty foote in
breadth and from thence up the said Chester town for
a street 30 foote in breadthe." This highway was at
first called Chester Street, then Front Street, that
runs along the creek, and now Edgmont Street or
Avenue. In 1689 the grand jury continued the street
from the present Second Street to low-water mark on
the Delaware River, and from the northwestern corner
of the then court-house, to low-water mark on the
creek. This latter short street seems to have been
closed at a later date, perhaps before the year 1690,
for David Lloyd had the Governor and Council about
that time to lay out a street thirty-eight feet wide on
■ Mnrlin's " History of Chester," p. 89.
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
the line of the present Second Street, from Chester
Creek to the plantation he had purchased from Neeles
Laerson's heirs in 1689. The plot of the town ap-
proved by Penn, Nov. 19, 1700, as shown by many
ancient deeds, is almost exactly the plan of the old
parts of this city as now laid out on the oflBcial map.
In November, 1699, William Penn came a second
time to bis colony, and during that visit to the
province he chartered the borough of Chester. The
document is of interest, and we therefore give it en-
tire, since many have no knowledge whatever of this
old charter:
" Preamble : William Penn, true and absolute Proprietary and Goyer-
nor-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Territories thereunto
belonging: To all to wbom these shall come, Sends Greeting. Whereas
in my first Regulation and Division of the Counties of this Province I
thought fit to order. That the Townsted or Village then having the
Name of Upland shonld be called Chester, which I thereupon constituted
the Shire-town of the County of Chester and ordered and appointed all
my courts of judicature, for the Affairs of that county to be there held
and kept and the County goal or Prison to be and remain there for ever.
AND whereas about the same Time, or soon after, for the Encourage-
ment of the said Town, I was pleased to grant unto my ancient Friend
John Simcock in Behalf of himself and others the Inhabitants of the
said Place the Privilege of a Market to be there weekly held and kept.
After which the said Inhabitants of the said Place, the Privilege of a
Market to be thus weekly held and kept. After which the said Inhabi-
tants, upon their special Instance, did also obtain from my late Lieu-
tenant Governor and Council a Grant for two Fairs to be held in the
said Town yearly. All which the inhabitants of the said Town, and of
the adjacent Parts of the said County of Chester, having humbly be-
sought me to confirm unto them, together with such additional Privi-
leges an Francises as I might think fit or requisite for the better En-
couragement of the Settlers, and Regulation of Trade therein.
"Now Know Te, That I, favouring the just and reasonable Request
of said Inhabitants, have of my own free Will erected, and do, by these
Presents for me, my Heirs, and successors, erect the said Town into a
Borough, which Town and Borough shall extend from the River Dela-
ware two miles backwards into the Woods, and shall be bounded East-
ward with the west side of Ridley Creek, and westward with the East
side of Chester Creek to the said extent of two miles backwards from
the River and shall ever hereafter be called Chester. And I further
will that the Streets, Landings and Market-place in the said Town shall
for ever hereafter be, continue and remain, as they are already and have
lately been laid out and modelled and approved of by me and my coun-
cil, then setting at New Castle. And I do hereby name and constitute
Jasper Yeates, Ralph Fishbourn, Paul Saunders and Robert Barber, to
be present Burgesses and James Lounes, High-Constables of the said
Borough, who shall so continue until the tenth Day of the first Month
next. On that Day, as also as the same day in the same month yearly
afterwards for ever, it shall and may be lawful to and for the Freeholders
and Housekeepers of the said Town and Borough publickly to meet in
some convenient Place within the said Town, to be by them appointed
for that Purpose, and then and there nominate, elect and chose by the
Ballot of the inhabitants of the said Town, fit and able men to be Bur-
gesses and High constables, with such other Officers as by the Burgesses
and Freemen shall be judged needful for assisting and serving the Bur-
gesses in managing the affairs of the said Borough, and Keeping of the
Peace therein from time to time. And the Burgess first chosen in the
said Election shall be called the Chief Burgess of the said Town.
"And I will and ordain. That all the said Burgesses for the Time
being shall be, and are hereby impowered and authorized to be Conser-
vators of the Peace within the said Borough ; and shall have Power by
themselves and upon their own view, without any Law proceedings, to
remove all Nuisances and Incroachments out of the said Streets as they
shall see Occasion: With Power also to arrest, imprison, and punish
Rioters and Breakers of the Peace, and to bind them and all other of-
fenders and Persons of evil Fame to the Peace or good Behaviour, as
fully and eflfectually as any of the Justices of the Peace in the said
County can do, and return or bring the Recognizances by them to be
taken to the Court of Qwarter-Sessious for the said County. And that
the said Chief Burgess from time to time shall, by Virtue of these Pres-
ents, without any further or other commission, be one of the Justices
of the Peace, and one of the Justices of the Connty-Conrt and Qwarter
Sessions, Oyer and Terminer and Goal-delivery, in and for the said
County of Chester. And shall have full Power and Authority with the
rest of the said County Justices, or a Qworum of them or by himself,
where the laws of this Province, Ac, direct one Justice to award Pro-
^ss and hold Pleas cognizable, by and before the Justices of the said
County of Chester from time to time.
" And I do hereby gra^ut and appoint. That the Sheriff and Clerk of
the Courts of the said County of Chester for the Time being, if not Res-
idents in the said Borough shall appoint and constitute sufficient Dep-
uties, who shall from time to time reside or constantly attend in the
said Town of Chester, to perform the Duties of their respective offices.
But before any of the said Burgesses, Constables, or other Officer, shall
take upon them the execution of their respective Offices they shall sub-
scribe the Declaration and Profession of their Christian Belief, accord-
ing to the late Act of Parliament, made in the first Tear of the Reign
of King William, and the late Queen Mary, intitled ' An act for ex-
empting their Majesties' Protestant Subjects, dissenting from the Church
of England, from the Penalties of Certain Laws.' And they that are to
be newly elected for Burgesses, Constables and other Officers from time
to time shall be attested for the due Execution of their respective Offices
and shall subscribe the said Declarations and Profession of Belief before
the old Burgesses, or such of them as go off and are not agiiin chosen
in the New Elections: But in case the old Burgesses are all chosen by
the new Elections, then they shall have Power, and are hereby impow-
ered and qualified to act upon their former Attests and Qualifications.
And I do further grant and ordain, that the High-Constables of the said
Borough for the Time being shall be Clerk of the Market, who shall and
may have Assize of Bread, Wine, Beer, Wood and other Things; and to
do, execute and perform, all Things belonging to the Office of Clerk of
the Market within the said Town and Borough of Chester.
" And I do for me, my Heirs and Assigns, grant unto the said Bur-
gesses and their Successors, That if any of the Inhabitants of the said
Town and Borough shall be hereafter elected to the Office of Burgess or
Constable as aforesaid, and, having notice of his or their Election, shall
refuse to undertake and execute their Office to which he is chosen, it
shall be lawful for the Burgess or Burgesses then acting to impose mod-
erate Fines upon the Refusers, so as the Burgess's Fine exceed not Ten
Pound, and the Constable's Five Pounds; to be levied by Distress and
Sale, by Warrant under the Hand & Seal of one or more of tlie Bur-
gesses, or by other lawful Ways, to the Use of the said Town being to
summon and assemble Town-meelings, from time to time, as often as
they shall find Occasion : At which Meetings they may make such Or-
dinances and Rules (not repugnant to or inconsistent with the Laws of
this Province) .as to the greater Part of the Town-meeting shall seem
necessary and couvenient for the good Government of the said Town.
And the same Rules and Ordinances to put in Execution, and the same
to revoke, alter and make anew, as Occasion shall require. And also
impose such Mulcts and Amerciaments upon Breakers of the said Ordi-
nances as to the Makers thereof shall be thought reasonable; to be
levied as is directed in Case of Fines, to the Use of the Town, without
rendering any Account thereol to me,my Heirs or Assigns: With Power
also to the said Meetings to mitigate or release the said Fines and
Mulcts, upon the submission of the Parties.
"And I do further grant to the said Burgesses and Inhabitants of the
aforesaid Town and Borotigh of Chester, That they and their successors
shall and may, for ever hereafter, hold and keep within the said Town
in every Week of the Year one market on the fifth Day of the Week
called Thursday : And also two Fairs there in every Year, the first of
them to begin the fifth Day of the third Month, called May, and to con-
tinue that Day and two Days after; and the other of the said Fairs to
begin the fifth Day of October and to continue till the seventh Day of
the same Month in such Place and Places in the said Town as the Bur-
gesses from time to time shall order and appoint.
" And I do further grant. That neither I, nor my Heirs or Assigns,
shall or will seize any of the Liberties or Franchizes hereby granted,
nor take any Advantage against the said Borough for the non-using or
waving the present Execution of any of the Powers or Privileges hereby
granted.
"In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and caused my
Great Seal to be affixed. Dated the One-and-thirtieth Day of October,
in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and One, 1701.
" William Penn."
" Recorded Pat. Book Vol. 2, p. 138." 1
Hazard's Register, i
330
HISTOKY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The borough grew slowly, for Oldmison refers to it
in 1708 as containing " one hundred houses." Bamp-
fylde Moore Carew, in 1739, stated that it " contains
about a hundred houses, and a very good road for
shipping." In 1758, Acrelius said, " it had 120
houses, which gives endorsement to the assertion of
Lewis Evans, in a letter written in 1753, > that " Ches-
ter, Bristol, and Newtown have been long at a stand."
Peter Kalm, the Swedish naturalist, in the fall of
1748, journeying from Wiloiington to Philadelphia,
mentions in his journal "Chester, a little market
town which lies on the Delaware. The houses stand
dispersed. Most of them are built of stone and two
or three stories high ; some are, however, made of
wood." The Delaware County Republican of July 1,
1836, states, Chester " has about 140 dwellings."
In 1718 the inhabitants of Chester County peti-
tioned Governor Goodkin and Council " that ye Bor-
ough of the Town of Chester, in this Province, may
be made a free Port." The petition was referred to
William Penn, who took no action in the matter.
Over a century thereafter, in March, 1838, the inhab-
itants of the borough of Chester petitioned the Coun-
cils of Philadelphia to have Chester made a port of
entry, promising, if that was done, to build a railway
from the piers to intersect with the Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Baltimore Kailroad. The project
was so flattering to the hopes of the people of the
place that, on March 7, 1840, an act of Assembly was
obtained empowering the authorities to lay such track
in the streets, but nothing ever came of the scheme.
In 1739 the noted clergyman, George Whitefield,
preached in Chester, and so great was his fame and
the excitement throughout the colony, occasioned by
his eloquence, that about seven thousand persons
gathered here to listen to his sermon. It is said that
a cavalcade of one hundred and fifty horsemen ac-
companied the noted divine hither. It was during
this year that Bampfy Ide Moore Carew, heretofore men-
tioned, passed through Chester, and he relates how
the people for many miles around flocked to the places
where Whitefield was to preach. Carew came here on
Sunday, "stayed all night, and the next morning he
inquired of one Mrs. Turner, a Quakeress, who for-
merly lived at Embercomb, by Minehead, in Somer-
setshire. From her he got a bill (money) and a
recommendation to some Quakers at Darby, about
five miles further." This Mrs. Turner lived at the
northeast corner of Third Street and Concord Avenue,
the property of the late Mrs. Shaw.
The story of Chester in its stationary condition is
so interwoven with that of the county that it cannot
be separated the one from the other. And it is un-
necessary to refer to it here, since it is told in the
general history heretofore given. On several occa-
sions enterprising men have endeavored to give busi-
ness impetus to the old borough. Jasper Yeates, in
1 Martin's " History of Cheater," p. 62.
1698, erected extensive granaries on the creek, and
established a large bakery. It was located at Second
and EdgmoQt Streets. The eastern abutment of the
bridge there is built partly on the site of the old gran-
ary. The second story of the building was used for
the storage of grain, while the lower was the biscuit-
bakery. The enterprise failed to satisfy, for in a
letter from James Logan to Penn 5th First month,
1708/9, it is set forth :
"The Country people of this Province having of
late generally fallen upon the practice of bolting
their own wheat and selling or shipping the flour,
Jasper Yeates, a man of a working brain for his own
interest, found his trade at Chester to fall under a
very discouraging decay. Upon this he has frequently
discoursed of removing to New Castle, where he is
possessed of a large tract of land close to the town."
The old granary was substantially built of stone
and brick, the walls being nearly three feet wide.
The lime and mortar had so cemented the materials
together that when it was demolished in April, 1853,
by Mr. Pusey, of Chester County, to erect on its site
a large flouring-mill, it almost defied the efforts of
the workmen to pull it down. During the Revolution
Joseph Ashbridge baked much of the " hard tack"
for the American army, and in 1812 it was used for a
like purpose for the United States. The archway of
the building, which led from Edgmont Street to the
creek, was a place of dread to the children in the
olden times, for it was stated a woman had been
murdered there and her uneasy spirit lingered about
the place of her untimely " taking off."
Between 1761 and 1770, Francis Richardson, to
whom Grace Lloyd devised the greater part of her
large estate, built extensive warehouses and two
piers, known as Richardson's Upper and Lower
Wharf (in 1816 conveyed to the State, and in 1823
conveyed by the commonwealth to the United States),
believing that Chester could be made a rival of Phila-
delphia as a shipping-point for grain and produce,
but the difficulties with the mother-country totally
ruined him. In 1732, Joseph Howell was a tanner in
Chester, and continued in that occupation at the old
tan-yard (now Frederick J. Hinkson's) on Edgmont
Street, near Third, until 1764, when Isaac Eyre pur-
chased the property and carried on the business. In
1799, John Birchall had the tannery there, and Wil-
liam Brobson followed him until 1863. The latter
dying, the business was continued by Hon. Fred-
erick J. Hinkson and J. S. Bell ; later by I. J. & C.
Hinkson, sons of Judge Hinkson, and more recently
by the Chester Morocco Company.
In 1782, Jonathan Pennell, a blacksmith, had a
shop on Edgmont Avenue, near Front, and William
Spear in the same trade, in 1799, where Ladomus'
block now stands. John Baggs was employed in one
of these shops or with Jonathan Morris, who had a
shop at that time on the southwest corner of Fifth
and Welsh Streets. William Hawken was then the
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
331
village wheelwright. About 1800, William Ford was
a shipwright at Chester. I do not know how long he
had been in business as suili, but we do know that on
July 1, 1778, Col. Jehu Eyre was placed in charge of
the department for building boats for the State, having
four separate sets of ship-carpenters at work at differ-
ent locations, with one at Chester, under charge of
Capt. William Bowers.' Samuel Lytle sawed ship-
plank for their vessels. It is stated a gunboat was
built in the woods upon the creek since known as
" Ship Creek," so that it might be hidden from the
view of any English man-of-war ascending the river;
and after it was launched it was discovered that it was
a foot or so wider than the passageway between the
abutments at Third Street bridge, and could not
make its way to the Delaware. The stream still re-
tains the name, but the circumstance from which it
derived that title has generally been forgotten.
The first description of Chester after the Revolution
which I have found describes the town thus:'
" Cheater, borough of, a post-town of Pennsylvania, and capital of
Chester County [Delaware County]. It is situated on the northwest
Bide of Delaware River, between Kidgely [Ridley] and Chester Creek,
fifteen miles sonthwest of Philadelphia. It contains about sixty dwel-
lings, built on a regular plan, a court-house, and jail. Courts of Com-
mon Pleas and General Quarter Sessions of the peace are held here the
third Monday in February, May, August, and November. This town is
remarkable for being the place where the first Colonial Assembly was
convened, which was on the 4th of December, 1682. As it affords an
agreeable morning's ride, and having genteel accommodations, it is the
resort of much company from Philadelphia in the summer season. It
was incorporated by an act of Assembly December [March], 1795, and is
governed by two burgesses, one high constable, one town clerk, and three
assistants. The powers of the corporation are much limited; they are
wholly confined to the preservation of peace and order among the in-
habitants of the borough."
Almost all the inhabitants of the venerable borough
believed that the removal of the county-seat to Media
would be a fatal blow to the prosperity of the town ;
that it would rapidly sink in population and as a busi-
ness point. Few persons comprehended that the hour
for its advancement had come. The purchase by John
P. Crozer of the old Chester mill-site to the northwest
of the borough, the erection at that place of a cotton-
mill, and the location of James Campbell at Leiper-
ville, to the northeast, where he built up a large busi-
ness in manufacturing cotton goods, had directed the
attention of a few thoughtful men to the possibilities
and advantages of Chester as a manufacturing centre.
To properly appreciate the condition of Chester at
that time, it is necessary to present a brief picture of
the borough, which, after the Revolution, was incor-
porated with all the rights and privileges of a shire-
town by act of Assembly of March 5, 1795. It had,
however, remained almost stationary in respect to pop-
ulation and business enterprises. In 1840 the popu-
lation of the borough was seven hundred and forty
persons of all ages and sexes. The town occupied, in
a scattered manner, the space extending from the
1 Penua. Mag. of Hbt., vol. ill. p. 423.
2 Joseph Scott's " U. S. Gazetteer" (Philadelphia, 1795, first " Gazetteer"
of the United States published), title " Borough of Chester."
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
to the river, and from Welsh Street to Chester Creek.
But a small part was built upon, and in the area given,
most of the houses, many of them dilapidated, had
been erected in the preceding century, and the place
showed all the features of a finished town. The
change which has since that time so developed the
little fishing village, for Chester was scarcely more
than that, first began to show itself about 1842. A
few properties then changed owners at fair prices.
The great difficulty in the way of Chester was that
it was surrounded by large farms held by persons in
easy circumstances, who would not sell a foot of ground
at any price, and who looked upon those who proposed
to build a city here as visionary men, who would run
themselves in debt and ultimately fail. Time, how-
ever, brought these farms into the market. Death and
debt have no respect for conservatism, and by degrees
these agencies worked in behalf of the change that
was dawning. The first of these tracts of land which
came into the hands of the progressive spirits who
were guiding the new order of things was that of
William Kerlin, a fifty-acre plot, the Essex House
tract, lying between the post-road and the river, on
the west bank of Chester Creek.
John M. Broomall, then residing in Upper Chi-
chester, supposed that he had bought the farm in
1846, at one hundred and fifty dollars an acre, but the
agent, Charles D. Manley, though authorized to sell at
that price, was, to his great mortification, unable to
get his principal to execute the deed and the sale fell
through. In the early part of 1849, Mr. Broomall,
who had in the mean while removed to Chester, pur-
chased the farm again of Mr. Kerlin himself after
considerable negotiation, at two hundred dollars an
acre. A time was fixed for executing the contract of
sale, but before the day came, Mr. Kerlin again
changed his mind. In December following, John Ed-
ward Clyde, who was quite anxious that a sale should
be efiiected, meeting Mr. Kerlin on the street, agreed
to purchase the farm, and insisted that the former
should go at once to the office of Mr. Broomall. The
latter declined to enter into a negotiation except upon
the condition that the deed should be forthwith ex-
ecuted and the sale consummated, if a price could
be agreed upon. The condition was accepted ; Hon.
Edward Darlington was sent for as counsel for Mr.
Kerlin, and in half an hour the deed was executed,
the price paid being two hundred and fifty dollars an
acre. During the negotiations, in the early part of
1849, Mr. Broomall had oft'ered to John P. Crozer and
John Larkin, Jr., each an equal interest with himself
in the farm he then believed he had purchased from
Mr. Kerlin. The attention of both of these gentle-
men had been attracted to Chester as the site of a
future city if it could only get room to grow, and
they had been looking at the Kerlin farm as a pos-
sible outlet. Before the actual purchase took place,
Mr. Larkin bought a large part of the farm of John
332
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Cochran to the north of the town, now forming a
considerable portion of the North Ward. He de-
clined to accept Mr. Broomall's proposal, and the
Kerlin farm was bought by Mr. Crozer and Mr.
Broomall in equal shares.
On Jan. 5, 1850, John Larkin, Jr., purchased eighty-
three acres of land, which had formerly been a race-
course, from John Cochran. This tract had been in-
cluded in the estate of David Lloyd, and the greater
part of it was embraced in the purchase, May 1, 1741,
made by Joseph Hoskins from Grace Lloyd, and which
he devised to his nephew, John Hoskins, of Burling-
ton, N. J. The latter sold the property to his son,
Raper Hoskins, March 22, 1791, and he dying seized
of the property, his widow, Eleanor, administered to
the estate, and sold it, April 27, 1799, to Thomas Lay-
cock. The latter dying, and his heirs making default
ia payment, the property was sold by John Oden-
heimer, sheriff, Oct. 26, 1806, to Anthony Morris, who
in turn sold it to Maj. William Anderson, and the
latter conveyed it to John Cochran, May 26, 1823, who
dying intestate, the estate was conveyed by the heirs
to John Cochran, the younger, who sold it to John
Larkin, Jr., at the time already stated. The entire
tract was in one inclosure ; the only improvement, so
far as buildings were concerned, was the small stone i
house, still standing, with its gable end to Edgmont ]
Avenue, below Twelfth Street, and a frame stable.
The land, after it ceased to be a race-course, had been
used as a grazing lot for cattle.
Both tracts were laid out in streets and squares, and
almost immediately signs of improvement began to
manifest themselves in the present North and South
Wards. Many of the old residents looked on in amaze-
ment, and often the quiet remark went round, " These
men will lose every dollar they have in this business."
The enterprising men, however, paid little attention
to these prognostications of misfortune. Dwelling-
houses were erected, streets laid out and graded, and
capital was invited to locate in this vicinity. Early |
in the year 1850, James Campbell, of Ridley, pur-
chased the lot and bowling-alley formerly belonging |
to the Delaware County Hotel, which lot was located
on the north side of Fourth Street, where part of the
market-house now stands. This building he altered
to receive looms, and in March, 1850, within three
months of the purchase of the Kerlin and Cochran
farms, for the first time the noise of the shuttle was
heard in the borough. When the public buildings
were sold, Mr. Campbell bought the prison and work-
house, and at much expense he changed the ancient
structure into a cotton-mill, thus making the first per-
manent establishment in which textile fabrics were
woven within the bounds of the present city of Ches-
ter.
In 1856, John P. Crozer conveyed his interest in the
joint property to Mr. Broomall, for the cost and legal
interest thereon, reserving only the half-square of
ground on Penn and Second Streets, where the Bap-
tist Church now stands. This was Mr. Crozer's own
proposition, and on being reminded that more than
enough land had been sold to pay the entire costs,
leaving four-fifths of it as clear profit, he replied that
he had gone into the enterprise not to make money,
but to aid in the development of Chester, and he was
quite content that the profits should go to Mr.
Broomall, who had done the chief part of the work ;
that his assistance was no longer necessary, but that
he would let his capital remain, to be repaid by Mr.
Broomall, with interest, at his own time and conveni-
ence. Of course this offer was gratefully accepted.
In the present North Ward, Mr. Larkin, in spite of
great opposition, carried out his designs fully. It is
related that although he laid out the streets in that
part of the town, and dedicated them to the public,
the borough authorities refused to keep the highways
in repair, and at his own expense he maintained a
force of men at work upon them. On one occasion,
when a member of the Town Council complained
that the streets in the old part of the borough were
neglected, contrasting them with those of Larkin-
town, which were neat and well kept, and declaring
that the public moneys should not all be expended
in one locality, another member informed the speaker
that Chester had never contributed a dollar for that
purpose, and that Mr. Larkin had personally paid for
all the highways made, as well as maintaining them
in repair. Not only did he do this, but he constantly
built houses, stores, foundries, shops, and mills, in
conformity with a rule he had adopted at the begin-
ning of his enterprise that every dollar he received
from the sale of lands or buildings should be ex-
pended in further improvements, and hence, for any
person desiring to start in business, he would erect
the required structure, and lease it to him or them,
with the privilege of purchasing the property at its
cost price within ten years. Mr. Larkin has built
over five hundred houses and places of business, sev-
eral being large cotton-mills. In 1881 he sold the
last vacant building-lot remaining out of the original
eighty-three acres he had bought as an unimproved
tract, thirty-one years before. More than thirty years
Mr. Larkin spent industriously and earnestly in
making the North Ward what it is, and only during
the last ten years did he receive much assistance,
from the labor of others to the same end, in dotting
it all over with dwellings and industrial establish-
To return to the river front
junction with William Ward,
Mr. Broomall, in con-
1 1862, purchased the
farms of Edward Pennell and James Laws, which
were brought into the market, and were soon dotted
over with houses and manufacturing establishments.
On March 5, 1795, the borough of Chester,' which
1 In "Gordon's Gazetteer," publislied in 1832, is presented the follow-
ing description of the old borough a half-century ago:
" Cheater, Post-town, Borough and seat of justice of Delaware County,
121 miles N. of Washington City, and 96 miles S.E. of Harrisburg, on
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
had been governed under the charter granted by
Penn in 1701, was incorporated by an act of Assem-
bly, and from time to time thereafter powers and
privileges were procured from the State authorities.
On April 6, 1850, a new charter was granted by the
General Assembly. In 1866 the ancient borough had
so grown in population and industries that the act of
Feb. 14, 1866, was obtained, by which Chester was
incorporated as a city, since which date, until the
Constitution of 1874 interdicted special legislation,
several supplemental and amendatory acts were had
explanatory of the statute of 1866.' The story of the
progress of the city, its industries, historical build-
ings, institutions of learning, and other topics which
demand consideration in a work such as this will be
presented under appropriate headings.
The following is a list of chief burgesses and the
civil officers of the city of Chester:
1703. Jasper Yeates. I 1832. Samuel Edwards.
1833. William Martin.
1730. Nicholas Pjle.
1731. Thomas Cummings.
1733. Caleb Cowpland.
1738. Joseph Parker.
1741. Charles Grantham.
1745. Joseph Parker.
1749. William Read.
1751. Mordecai James.
1752. Samuel Howell.
1763. Thomas Morgan.
1757. Joseph Hoskins.
17.19. Jonathan Cowpland,
1762. Edward BrintoD.
1763. Dr. Paul Jackson.
1779. David Cowpland.
1789. Dr. William Martin.
1794. William Graham.
1798. Isaac Eyre.
1835. George W. Bartram.
1847. Robert R. Dutton.
1848. William Brobson.
1849. Charles D. Manley.
1851. George W. Bartram.
1852. Alexander McKeever.
18.'53. Henry L. Powell.
1854. Job Rulon.
1855. Samuel Starr.
1856-57. John Edward Clyde.
1858. Stephen Cloud, Jr.
1869. Robert Gartside.
1860. George Baker.
1861. N. Walter Fairlamb.
1864-66. George Baker,
MAYORS OF THE CITY OF CHESTER.
1866, John Larkin, Jr.2 1881. James Barton, Jr.
1872. Dr. Jonathan Larkin For- ! 1884. Dr. J. L. Forwood.
the river Delaware, 15 miles S.W. of Philadelphia. This is the most
ancient town of Pennsylvania. There were several dwellings and a Qua-
ker meeting here before the grant to William Penn of 1681. It was
then known as 'Upland,' but the name of Chester was substituted by
the Proprietary, at and before the granting of the Borough charter, on
the 31st of Oct., 1701. The first adventurers, under Penn, landed here
on the nth of Dec, 1681, and were compelled to remain the winter, the
river having been frozen over the night of their arrival. On the 4th of
Dec, 1682, the first Provincial Assembly was holden here, memorable
for having enacted, in a session of three days, seventy laws, comprising
an efficient code for the government of a political society. There are
still standing in this ancient town some old houses, among which is the
church. Perhaps few places in the country have improved less. There
is a water-power near it, but it is not great, and the business of the sur-
rounding country lies in Philadelphia. It may contaiu at present about
134 dwellings, chiefly of stone and brick. A substantial and neat Coun-
House of stone, surmounted by a cupola and bell, brick offices, and a
stone prison, 5 taverns, 4 stores, an Athenjeum, the Delaware County
Bank, a Chnrcli, and Quaker meeting-hoiise. A manufactory of straw
paper has lately been established near the town. For the accommoda-
tion of the trade of the Delaware there are some piers sunk in the river
opposite the town, which have been lately repaired by the U. S. Popu-
lation in 1830, only 848. There are here six practicing Attorneys and
two Physicians."
1 Bliss' "Digest of Delaware County," title, " Municipal Corporations
—Chester," p. 375.
s Re-elected in 1809.
» Re-elected in 1875 and also in 1878.
CITY RECORDERS.
William H. Dickinson, March 21, 1878.
David Garrett, March 10, 1881 ; died in office Aug.
, 1881.
commissioned
I. Newton Sbanafeldt, March 10, 1882, re-elected
CITY SOLICITORS.
1866. William Ward, who was elected annually thereafter until October,
1872, when he resigned, and same month Orlando Harvey was
elected annually thereafter until 1881, when the term was increased
to three years, and in April, 1884, he was re-elected for three
PRESIDENTS OF CITY COUNCIL.
1866. William Ward.
1869. William A. Todd.
1873. Y. S. Walter.
1875. Amos Gartside.
1877. Dr. Theodore S. Christ.
1878. Robert t
1879. John A. 'Wallace.
1880. Robert Anderson,
1881. Henry B. Black (present i
cumbent).
1866. Henry L. Donaldso
1868. Dr. John M. Allen.
1873. Charles H. Allen.
CLERKS OF COUNCIL.
I 1875. Mordecai Lewis {the pn
clerk).
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
am.— North Ifard, James Stephens, Charles F.Kenworthy, John Hink-
aon, N. Walter Fairlamb, Charles A. Weidncr; Middle Ward, Sam-
uel A. Dyer, Ellis Smedley, George Flood, Crosby P. Morton, Stephen
Cloud, Jr. ; SouUt Ward, William Ward, William B. Reaney, Wil-
liam A. Todd, James Scott, Amos Gartside.
1867.— JVorlA Ward, J. Wesley Ottey; Jlfici*e Ward, Dr. J. L. Forwood,
■William C. Gray ; South Ward, William G. Price.
1868.— AorfA Ward, I. Eiigle Hinkson, John 0. Deshong, Jr.; Middle
Ward, Y. S. Walter ; < Scmth Ward. George Derbyshire.
1869.— iWbrrt Ward, Percipher Baker, Edmund Esrey; Middle Ward,
William Appleby, David S. Bunting, David W. Morrison ; South
Ward, William Ward, William A. Todd, Amos Gartside.
1870.— iVorM Ward, James Ledward ; Sovlh Ward, William G. Price.5
\in.— North Ward, N.Walter Fairlamb; MiddU. Ward, Dr. J. L. For-
wood, J. Frank Black; South Ward, Joseph R. T. Coates, James A.
Williamson.
1872. — North Ward, Jonathan Kershew, James Ledward, John 0. De-
shong, Jr.; Middle Ward, Henry Hinkson, George Goeltz, William
Appleby ; South Ward, George Robinson, George Derbyshire.^
1873.— iVorfd ITarrf, .lames Ledward; Middle Ward, Jonathan Pennell,
T. S Walter; South Ward, James Barton, Jr., Thomas !!. Leiper,
George Weigand.
lili.— North Ward, J. Humphrey Fairlamb, William Armstrong ; Middle
Ward. William Hinkson: South Ward. Frederick J, Hinkson, Jr.
1875.— AferW, Ward, Daniel Robinson, John O. Deshong, Jr.; Middle
Ward. George Goeltz, Dr. Theodore S. Christ; South Ward, Amos
Gartside, George Weigand.
1876.— JVortt Ward, Samuel Danfleld ; Middle Ward, John B. Hinkson,
Henry Hinkson; SouVi Ward, Robert Anderson, Daniel Brown.7
\!m.— Northward, Samuel Greenwood, Thomas Clough; Midille Ward,
Frank S. Baker ; South Ward, John A. Wallace, Robert Chadwick.
im.— North Ward, John Young, Samuel B. Palmer; Middle Ward,
Henry B. Black, Paul Klotz; South Ward, William F. Cutter.s
* Mr. Walter was elected by Council to fill the place made vacant by
the death of George Flood.
6 David W. Morrison resigned, and July 18,1870, Ellis Smedley elected
by Council to take bis place ; I. Engle Hinkson died October, 1870, and
Council elected John Hinkson in his stead.
^ James A. Williamsou resigned, and George Robinson elected in his
stead. William G. Price resigned, and Gideon Speakman elected by
Council. Jonathan Kershaw resigned, and James Stephens elected by
Council. George Derbyshire died June, 1872, and Thomas I. Leiper
elected by Council. William A. Todd resigned, and William B. Broomall
elected by Council to fill vacancy.
^ On May 1, 1876, Frederick J. Hinkson, Jr., resigned, and Thomas I.
Leiper was elected by Council to fill the unexpired term until the en-
suing charter election.
8 Daniel Brown resigned Dec. 2, 1878, and Dr. Robert P, Mercer was
elected by Council in his stead. February, 1879, Samuel R, Palmer died,
and February, 1879, George M. Booth elected by Council in his stead.
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1879— Jtori/i Ward, Frank S. Baker ; Middle Ward, George McCall ; Smth
Ward, Willtam Fennell.i
WSO.— North Ward, Abraham Blakeley, Samuel Oglesby; Middle Ward,
Isaiah H. Mirkil ; Sotilh Ward, John A. Wallace.^
liSl.— North Ward, Thomas Clough, Richard Miller; Middle Ward,
Henry B. Black ; South Ward, Henry Palmer, David M. Johnson,
George G. Jones.=
ISSi.— North Ward, Frank S. Baker; Middle Ward, Perry M. Waaha-
baugh, William J. Oglesby ; South Ward, William B. Broomall, Jo-
seph McAlden.J
ISi'i— North Ward, Samuel Black, John B. Hannum; Middle Ward,
Eobert Smith, Jr., J. Frank Black; South Ward, Thomas J. Hous-
lasi.— North Ward, Eichard Miller, Samuel Oglesby ; Middle Ward, J.
Frank Blnck, Henry B. Black; South Ward, Dr. Kobert P. Mercer."
CITY SURVEYORS.
Joseph Taylor, Alfred Owens, William H. Flaville, Kdward Roberts.
LIST OF JUSTICES, INCLUDING THE TOWNSHIP AND BOR-
OUGH OF CHESTER.
John Crosby, Joel Willis, April 30, 1791 ; Davis Bevan, Aug. 19, 1794;
Miles Macarty, April 13, 1796; Blisha Price, April 15,1796; Wil-
liam Martin, Aug. 9, 1797; Isaac Eyre, Oct. 12, 1798; Nicholas Fair-
lamb, Dec. 6, 1798; Aaron Morton, May 3,1799; Joseph Marshall,
Thomas Hinkson, May 20, 1800 ; John Pearson, June 21, 1802 ; James
Wuthey, July 4, 1806; Jacob Edwards, Jan. 1,1807; John Caldwell,
Nov. 15, 1814; Joseph Walker, Feb. 3, 1820; Samuel Smith, March
12,1822; David Marshall, Dec. 3, 1824; George W. Bartram, June
3,1824; Benjamin F. Johnson, Oct. 25, 1825; Abraham Kerlin, June
7^ 183o'; Samuel T. Walker, Nov. 11, 1831 ; John AtHick, June 6,
1834; Samuel Shaw, Nov. 18, 1835; Wilham Martin, June 10, 1836;
William Eyre, Dec. 21, 1838; George W. Bartram, Sept. 23, 1839.
JUSTICES OF THE BOROUGH AND CITY OF CHESTKR.
George W. Bai tram, Abraham Kerlin, April 14, 1840 ; Samuel Anderson,
April 14, 1846 ; John Larkin, Jr., Frederick Fairlamb, April 9, I860 ;
Heniy J. Powell, April 13,1862; Frederick Fairlamb, April 10,1865.
South W'urd.-Samuel Ulrich, June 4, 1856, June 26, 1861, May 8, 1866,
and May 8, 1871 ; Joseph Entwisle, May 1, 1872 ; Benjamin F. Welssr,
March 15, 1876; Samuel L. Armour, March 16, 1880, April 9, 1881.
Middle IParA— Robert Gartside, April 10, 1860; John H. Baker, April
15, 1861 ; Jeremiah W. Fleiikner, April 28, 1866, and April 30, 1866;
Henry M. Uinkson, April 26, 1867 ; I. Edward Clyde, May 1, 1872;
John M. Allen, March 28, 1878, and May 7, 1883.
North Vfarci.— Joseph Holt, April 10, 1860, May 17, 1865, May 8, 1871,
May 8, 1876; Daniel B. Tliomson, Aug. 25, 1881, and May 8, 1882.
Places of Worship— Friends' Meeting-House —
The first recorded meeting of the society of Friends
in the province of Pennsylvania was that mentioned
as being held at the house of Eohert Wade, at Up-
land, in 1675, when William Edmundson, au eminent
minister, then on a religious visit to the American
colonies, was present. Previous to the coming of
Penn, at a monthly meeting held 11th of Seventh
month (September), 1681, it was agreed " Yt a meet-
ing shall be held for ye service and worship of God
every First Day at y' Court House at Upland." On
the 6th of the First month, 1687, Joran Kyn sold a
1 John Young died February, 1880, and Samuel Greenwood elected by
Council in his stead.
2 Robert Chad-wick resigned Nov. 15, 1880, and William G. Price
elected by Council in his place. March 7, 1881, Robert Anderson re-
signed, and Henry Palmer elected by Cot
3 John A. Wallace resigned Jan. 3, 188!
by Council in his stead.
* Oct. 16, 1882, Perry M. Washabaugh resigned, and B. F. Baker elected
by Council in his stead.
6 Henry Palmer resigned May 16, 1883, Dr. Robert P. Mercer was
elected by Council in his stfad.
0 William B. Broonmll 'resigned, and James Fryer
Council in his place.
, William B. Broomall elected
elected I
lot of land, sixty feet in front and width, between
parallel lines to the creek, adjoining his garden, on
the west side of the present Edgmont Street, above
Second, to John Simcock, Thomas Brasey, John Bris-
tow, Caleb Pusey, Randal Vernon, Thomas Vernon,
Joshua Hastings, Mordecai Maddock, Thomas Martin,
Richard Few, Walter Fawset, and Edward Carter, "to
the use and behoof of the said Chester— the people of
God Called Quakers and their successors forever."
Although the land was purchased it was several years
before the building was erected, the evidence apparent
establishing that six years elapsed before the meeting-
house was finished.
The first direct notice of such a movement was at
the meeting at Walter Faucet's " y' 6"" of ye 4'" month,
1687," when it was " Agreed that Bartholomew Copock
and James Kinerly Randall Vernon and Caleb Pusey
do agree and Contract w"" such workman or men as
they shall se meet to build a meeting house att Ches-
ter 24 foot Sqwar and 10 ft. high in the Walls & that
the above s'* persons do Come themselves and the
workman or men if they do agree & Give accompt
thereof to the next Mo: meeting." The project lan-
guished, so far as the records show, until the " 13th of
ye 8"" mo. 1690," when Chester meeting appointed a
committee " to take the subscriptions of Middletown,
Edgmont, Springfield, Upper & Nether providence
and Marple of what these friends are free to Give to-
wards the building a meeting house in Chester. Viz'
for Upper providence Randall Malin, for Middletown
John Worrall, David Ogden, for Edgmont, Thomas
Worrelle, James Swafier, for Springfield, George Mor-
ris, Jun', & Mordica Maddock, for Marple Thomas
Person and Josiah Taylor."
The committee appear to have worked diligently,
for on the minutes of Chester meeting, but without
date, appears the following :
"SUBSCRIPTIONS BUILDING OF A MEETING HOUSE IN THE
TOWNE CHESTER.
■'Thomas Powell
Thomas Brassey
Randall Vernon
Thomas Vernon
John Sharpless
Walter ffaucet
John Hoghkins (Hoskins)
Caleb Pusey ,
Robert Barber
Joshua Hastings
John Baldwin 0
John Broomall 0
John Bristow 5
John Simcocke 5
William Woodmansee 0
Jacob Simcock 0
James Sharpless 0
Andrew Job..
John
, 00 05 00
Robert Taylor 00
Edward Walter 10
Edward Carter 2
John Beall 00
Cliarles Brookes 00
William Browne 00
Tliomas Vernon,
Francis Woriy....
Will" Caborne...,
Joseph Caborne..
John Edge
John Crosby
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
John Parker 00 10 00
JohD Martin 01 00 00
Tho Martin Ul 00 00
Nat. Evans HI 00 00
John Churchman 00 00 00
Henry Churchman 00 10 00
Thomas Calbourne 3 00 00
John Worall 01 00 00
Randall Maillen 00 10 00
robert Vernon 01 00 00
thoMinshall 1 00 00
peter tailler 00 06 00
Joseph Vernon »fe Jacob Vernon 01 00 00
John hoskins Jonut 10 10 00
James Swaford 00 04 00
William Swaford 00 06 00
henry VVorley 00 10 00
John Powell 01 00 00
thomas Joans 00 00 00
Laraunce rooth 00 10 00
11 12 00
George Churchman 11 00 00"
It does not, as stated, appear when this subscription
was collected, but we know that nothing was done
towards erecting the meeting until the 6th of " y' 2'^
mo., 1691," when, at the house of Walter Faucit, we
find that " Its agreed by this meeting that John Bris-
tow & Caleb Pusey do forthwith agree w" and Inploy
workmen in the Building the meeting house ats
Chester (w"" stone) on the place that was formerly
bought for that purpose the situateing of w""" as also
the manner of Building the saynie is Left to their
Discretion and that this meeting do Defray the
Charges of the saime so that it exceed not above one
Hundred pounds and that there bee one Convenient
Chimney att Least and that the s"' John Bristow and
Caleb Pusey do Give account of what they have done
at y" next month meeting." On the 12th of Eighth
month, 1691, the meeting appointed Walter Faucit
and Eandall Vernon to " Goe to those y' subscribed
to the Building the meeting house that they forthwith
bring their pay unto Calebs Mill and make report at
y* next month meeting." Some of the subscribers
seem to have regretted their liberality, for on 11th
of Second month, 1692, it was ordered that " Eandall
Vernon and Randall Malin Goe to Thomas Powell
and Return him the two pounds teun shillings that
hee saitli hee lent toward building the meeting house
and paying for the Ground it Stands on att Chester
and make Returne of their proceeding to the next
mo. meeting." There was doubtless some dispute
respecting the payment of these moneys to Powell, for
on the 1st of the Eleventh month, 1693, " a memo-
randum" was entered of record in which Eandall
Malin, Robert Vernon, and Peter Taylor certify that
they were at Powell's house and the money had been
paid to him in their presence. On the 5th of First
month, 1693/4, John Simcock, Randall Vernon, Wal-
ter Faucit, Robert Baker, and Robert Carter were
directed to meet John Bristow and Caleb Pusey " in
order to make up the accompts w'" them concerning
the meeting house att Chester and also to Receve the
Deed of the Land the s'' house stands upon." At a
meeting held at Robert Vernon's, 2d of Second month,
1694, John Bristow brought the deed and the account
of disbursement in erecting the building. The deed
was given to John Simcock for safe keeping, and
Walter Faucit, Caleb Pusey, and Robert Barber were
directed to " Inspect into and Cast up the s'' accompts
w* him" (Bristow).
The impression which so long held undisputed sway
that the first Assembly in the province sat in this old
meeting-house has ceased to be a disputed topic amoug
' historians, but the question which part of the ancient
building was first erected was long in dispute. The
records of Chester Meeting, which are explicit, leave
j even that no longer a debatable point. The building
being of stone, that part of it which faced on Edg-
mont Street was the original structure, and the brick
addition towards the creek was placed there after
j Friends had worship in there for several years. As
late as 1848, when the building was inspected by
a critical observer, these facts were established by the
house itself. Whitehead tells us, " The brick part
bore evidence of having been subsequently added as
a kitchen, having an oven built within and forming
I part of the original wall. The timbers, too, were in
a better state of preservation." Indeed, it may be
, asserted without fear of contradiction that the latter
part was not erected until after 1701, for Lydia Wade
I bequeathed thirty pounds — a large sum In those days
I — to Chester Meeting, twenty of which were " towards
the Inlarging and finishing the meeting-house of
Friends in the towue of Chester," the remaining ten
pounds were to be expended by the women's meeting,
I to be "disposed of as they shall think fitt for the
; servis of Truth." This sum was received from the
I executor of Lydia Wade's will, for on the 24th of
I Ninth month, 1701, Caleb Pusey paid that amount to
I the meeting, which payment is acknowledged by the
4-ecords.
When the meeting-house was first built, it seems
some of the neighbors had encroached on the lot, for
on Eighth month 4, 1797, " John Simcock's on be-
half of the meeting required Henry Hollingsworth to
remove his shop from off the land belonging to the
Meeting House, who promised so to do."
In the old structure Penn frequently spoke, and
many pleasant memories clustered about this first
meeting of Friends, and therein services were held
j for forty-three years, until, in 1736, the society found
it necessary to erect a larger building to accommodate
its increasing membership, and the house on Edg-
mont Street was sold to Edward Russell, who added
a garret-story to the front building, and possibly
erected the back part. In recent years the house
was used by Samuel Long as a cooper-shop, and was
sold in 1844 to Joshua and William P. Eyre, when
partition was made of Long's estate.
On April 18, 1736, Caleb Coupland conveyed the
southern part of the lot on Market Street, south of
! Third Street, on which the meeting-house now stands,
to Jacob Howell, Thomas Cummings, John Owen,
Samuel Lightfoot, John Salkeld, Jr., and John Sharp-
; less, and the latter the same day executed a declara-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
tion in trust setting forth that they held the land as
trustees and for the use of the members of Chester
Meeting. As the society waxed stronger they re-
quired more land, the meeting-house having been lo-
cated toward the northern line of the lot, hence, April
29, 1762, they purchased from Jesse Maris, who had
acquired the property by descent from his father,
George Maris, subject to a yearly rent of six pounds
to the heirs of James Sandelands. The trustees, Jonas
Preston, John Fairlamb, Caleb Hanison, and James
Barton, to whom it was conveyed by Jesse Maris,
May 1, 1762, executed a declaration of trust to Ches-
ter Meeting.
The discussion which had prevailed in the society
of Friends during the early part of this century re-
specting certain doctrinal points, culminated in an
open rupture in 1827, when a division of Friends
took place, those members who sustained Elias Hicks
in his opinions retaining their connection with Ches-
ter Meeting being in the majority, the structure on
Market Street became the house of worship of the
Hicksite branch of the society. In 1883 the building
was thoroughly repaired and modernized internally.
The Friends' graveyard on the west side of Edg-
mont Avenue, I had thought, was the first burial-
place of the society in Chester, but recent examina-
tion has caused me to change that opinion. The
first reference to a Friends' graveyard at that town
was at a meeting on 1st of Fourth month, 1682, when
it was agreed that " Thomas Cobourn, Eandal Veroon,
& William Clayton do view or see that pece of Ground
w"'' is ordered for a Buriall place also to see about the
fencing of itt w'" a Lasting fence and if there bee
stones neare and convenient." The site selected
seems not to have met the approval of the whole
meeting. Indeed the location of the lot was not
then definitely fixed upon, for on the 5th of Twelfth
month, 1682/3, John Hastings, Robert Wade, Richard
Few, and Thomas Cobourn were instructed to " view
the Buriall place to Consider what Quantity may be
meet also what Way or how it may be Best fenced
about." A report from this committee appears never
to have been made. Therefore on the 11th of Fourth
month, 1683, the same persons, excepting that Thomas
Brasey was substituted for Richard Few, were directed
to " View and Look out a piece of Land for a Buriall
place and bring in their Accompt thereof to the next
monthly meeting." A burial-place was accepted, for
on the 6th of Ninth month, 1683, John Hastings and
Thomas Vernon were directed to " fence the burial
grounds as soon as may bee." Where this graveyard
was is not absolutely known, but I believe that it was
on the east side of Edgmont Avenue, south of Sev-
enth Street, the present steam grist-mill of L. L.
Luken & Co. being located partly thereon. In
April, 1880, when excavations were made for the
foundations of the mill, a number of human bones
were unearthed, which had been deposited in a row.
At that time no person seemed to be aware that
Friends had ever but two graveyards, one at the
present location, and the other on Edgmont Avenue
above Twelfth Street, a burial-place for the negroes,
owned by members of Chester Meeting ; but the evi-
dence is now conclusive that there was a graveyard
previous to the one now walled in with heavy ma-
sonry adjoining the Beal house-lot on the north. On
the 31st of the Sixth month, 1702, at a meeting held
at Chichester, it appears that " Chester meeting pro-
poseth theer intentions of purchasing a burying place
in the town, which this meeting approves of, provided
they preserve and keep in Good order the Old Bury-
ing Place." The graveyard purchased about this
date was not inclosed with a stone wall as we now
see it many years previous to the Revolution. Grace
Lloyd, by her will, 6th of Fourth month, 1760,
directed her executors to " pay £10 towards walling
in the front part of the graveyard belonging to the
people called Quakers in Chester with brick or stone."
And nearly ten years later, 31st of Twelfth month,
1769, Joseph Hoskins, by will, bequeathed £10 " for
the use of enclosing or fencing the burying ground
belonging to the Friends of Chester meetings in such
manner as their Preparative Meeting of Chester shall
direct and appoint." The extracts from these wills
clearly prove that as late as the first of the year 1770
no wall had been erected around the grounds wherein
the bodies of many of the noted personages of the
ancient borough lie. David Lloyd and Grace, his
wife, Caleb and David Coupland, Henry Hale Gra-
ham, Davis Bevan, John Salkeld, John Mather, and
others of the early settlers and leading men of the
last century in the province are interred in that God's
acre, now in the heart of a busy city, while the re-
mains of a number of persons who fled to this prov-
ince to escape persecution in Europe lie there forgot-
ten because the prohibition by the society of stones to
mark the graves of those who slumber within the
burial-grounds belonging to their meetings.
The graveyard for negroes above mentioned was on
Edgmont road, above Twelfth, and was used for the
interment of slaves by the sufferance of the then
owner of the land. The latter, Grace Lloyd, in her
will, dated 6th of Fourth month, 1760, made the
following bequest :
" And it is my mind and will, and I do liereliy order and direct that
the pitfcfl o/ burying ground, being forty feet, fronting Edgmont Road, in
said borough, thence seventy feet bacU and forty feet in breadth, shall at
all times hereafter, forever, be tisedfor and as a burying place for negroes,
that is to say, for such as shall have belonged to my late husband or
myself, and such as do or hereafter may belong to Friends of Chester
Meeting, and such as in their life-time desire to be buried there, but not
for any that are executed, or lay violent hands upon themselves, and
that none be buried there without the consent of the Overeeers of
Friends' Meeting at Chester."
The lot thus set apart was surrounded by a tall,
thick-set hedge, but after the execution of several
persons at the intersection of Edgmont and Provi-
dence roads (the colonial law then requiring the
burial of the body of the culprit near the gallows)
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
337
rendered the locality a jjlace of dread, and the super-
stitious negroes soon began to regard it as a spot to be
avoided when living and shunned as a place of inter-
ment. In time even that the lot had been ever used
as a graveyard was forgotten until the clause in Lydia
Wade's will directed attention to it. In 1868, John
and James C. Shedwick erected the row of houses on
the east side of Edgmont Avenue, above Twelfth,
and while the excavations for the cellars were being
made a number of human bones were exposed. At
that time they were thought to be the remains of
Indians, the ftict that it was the site of an old grave-
yard being unknown to the public.
St. Paul's Church and Burial-Ground. — A tract
of ground was donated to the Swedish Church by
Armgard Pappegoya for glebe or church land in
Upland early in the history of the settlement. The
plot of land on the south side of Third Street, east of
Market Square, where the old burial-ground now is,
and where the first St. Paul's Church building was
erected, was, previous to that structure being placed
there, a burying-place for the dead of the Swedish
colonists at Upland. This fact is established by the
report of Mr. Koss to the Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts in 1714, wherein he dis-
tinctly makes this declaration. He also states, they
(the Swedes) " had likewise a Church endowed with a
valuable Glebe not far from the place of burial, but
of this building there remains no sign at this day."
John Hill Martin thinks this reference is to the
block-house, or House of Defense, which was torn
down by order of the court in 1703, an opinion which
is doubtless correct. Acrelius tells us that the Swedes
held religious services usually in the forts and houses
of defense. The fact is satisfactorily established that
the Swedes were obliged to have sentinels regularly
posted during public worship to apprise the congre-
gation within of any attempted attack by the Indians,
of which the early settlers seemed to be constantly
apprehensive. Every student of our early annals is
aware that after the cargo of the " Black Cat," which
had been ladened with articles of merchandise for the
Indians, became exhausted, and the Swedish settlers'
capacity for making presents had ceased, the savages
seriously considered in council whether the Europeans
should be exterminated or permitted to remain. An
old Indian succeeded in preventing a breach between
the two races by assuring the young braves that cour-
ageous and vigilant men, armed with swords and
muskets, would be difficult to subdue. The clergy-
men were particularly obnoxious to the savages, be-
cause the latter believed that during divine services
the minister — he alone speaking and all the rest
remaining silent — was exhorting the congregation
against the Indians. Acrelius also tells us that a
block-house answered the purpose very well (as a
church):
"The Indians were not always to be depended upon
that they would not make an incursion, fall upon the
Christians, and capture their whole flock. It was,
therefore, necessarj' for them to have the religious
houses as a place of defense for the body as well as
the soul. The churches were so built that after a
suitable elevation, like any other house, a projection
was made some courses higher, out of which they
could shoot; so that if the heathen fell upon them,
which could not be done without their coming up to
the house, the Swedes could shoot down upon them
continually, and the heathen, who used only bows
and arrows, could do them but little injury."'
In 1700, Rev. Mr. Evans was sent to Pennsylvania
by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, and located in Philadelphia. He is
frequently mentioned in the history of the society as
going to Chester, Chichester, Concord, and Radnor,
each about twenty miles distant from Philadelphia,
and while constant allusion is made to a church edi-
fice existing in that city, no intimation is given of
any such building in either of the other places desig-
nated. I am aware that in taking down the old St.
Paul's Church building, in July, 1850, after it had
stood one hundred and forty-eight years, two bricks,
burned exceedingly hard and considerably larger in
size than those in use at the present day, closely
cemented together, and with the figures 1642 cut
upon them, were found. These numerals must have
been made upon them many years subsequent to that
date, for in 1644 there was not a house standing in
the present limits of Chester. Independently of that
fact, we have documentary record of the exact date of
the building, so circumstantially set forth that there
is no room remaining for doubt.
In an account of the building of St. Paul's Church,
Chester, furnished to the Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, Mr. Ross, the then
missionary of the society, in his report, June 25,
1714, says, —
" Id the Swedish Dormitory — the old Swedish burial ground — James
Sandelands, of Chester, (or as it was first called. Upland,) Merchant, a
man of good reputation in the country, was on account of afifinity in-
terred to keep up the memory of this founder of a growing family ; twaa
agreed amongst his relations that his grave, as also that of his kindred
and family, who were or might be buried there should be distinguished
4 set apart from the rest of the burying ground by an enclosure or wall
of stone. This design was no sooner formed it noised abroad, but it was
happily suggested by a projecting fellow in Town, that, if it seemed
good to Mr. Sandelands' relations, the intended stone wall about the
up and formed into a small chapel or church. This new motion was
well liked by ye sd relations and encouraged by everybody in the neigh-
borhood that wished well to the church of England, but they who put
life into this proposal & prosperously brought it to pass were Joseph
Teates, merchant in Chester, and James Sandelands, son to the above
named Mr. Sandelands, the latter of which two gentlemen, besides
other gifts, gave some land to enlarge the church yard, but the former,
to wit; Mr. Yeates, a zealous asserter of our constitution in church and
Stale, must be allowed to have been the main promoter of the founding
of St. Paul's upon Delaware."
The report further alludes to other persons " parish-
ers, who were chief helpers to carry on the work," —
1 History of New Swedei
338
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Jeremy Collett, John Hannutn, Henry Pierce, Ralph
Pyle, and Thomas Barnsly, but especially does he
commend Thomas Powell for the gift of a valuable
piece of land " for a minister's house, garden, and
other conveniences." He also applauds Hon. Col.
Francis Nicholson, of whom he says, " We may safely
say no man parted more freely with his money to pro-
mote the interest of the church in these parts, nor
contributed so universally towards ye erection of
Christian synagogues in diflferent and distant planta-
tions in America."
The small but compact fabric of brick thus erected,
and said to be one of the neatest on this continent,
was forty-nine feet in length by twenty-six feet in
breadth, and was well and substantially finished in-
side. The main entrance, which was wide and spa-
cious, closed by double doors, was at the north side
of the church, and the access to the building was
from Market Street, through the yard.
The old church must have had a sun dial, perhaps
over its main door, such as is still to be seen at the
court-house of Somerset County, Md., for, in 1704, the
wardens claim credit for "cash pd ye ferymen for
Bringing Down ye Dyal, Is. 8rf. ; ac of nayles for
setting up ye Dyall, Is. 2d.; money spent and pd ye
men for setting It up, 4s."
The inside of the church was divided into four
parts by two aisles, one extending from the double
doors, and the other from the pulpit to the extreme
western part of the church. The roof was oak, and
the rafters white-oak, hewed with a broad axe. The
chancel was spacious and paved with brick, as were
also the aisles. In the west end of the church, and
directly opposite the pulpit, built into the wall, was
the well-known slab of gray sandstone, six feet in
length by three in breadth, now in the Sunday-school
room of the new church edifice, erected to the mem-
ory of James Sandelands, the elder. Along the
borders of the old slab, in large capital letters, are
the words :
" Here lies interred the bodie of
James Sandelands, Merchant
in Upland, in Pensilvania,
who departed this mortal life
Aprile te 12, 1692, aged 56 years,
and his wife,
Ann Sandelands."
Its face is divided into two parts, the upper bearing
in cipher the initials "J. S." and "A. S.," the arms of
the Sandelands family — argent, a band azure. On the
border, dividing the upper from the lower part, are
the words, " Vive Memor Lethi FFugit Hora." The
lower half contains many emblems of mortality,— the
tolling bell, the passing bell, the skull and cross-bones,
the hour-glass, an upright coflSn bearing on its side
the words, " Memento Mori," " Time Deum," and in
either corner, crossed, a sceptre and mattock, and
a mattock and spade.
Queen Anne, whom Horace Walpole dubbed " the
wet-nurse of the church," presented to the parish a
handsome pulpit, a communion-table " well rail'd in
and set out with a rich cloth, and a neat chalice;"
the two former articles were located at the east end of
the edifice. This chalice and salver, the queen's gift,
as well as a similar chalice, presented to the congre-
gation by Sir Jefferey Jeffries, are still in possession of
the church wardens, and employed in the sacrament
of the Lord's Supper to the present time ; but the pulpit
and communion-table have long since been removed.
The chalices and their salvers are of hammered and
very pure silver. The one presented by the queen
has engraved upon it the words "Annie Reginaa."
The gift from Sir Jeflferey Jeffries was made in March,
1715, and consisted of a small bell, "a rich cloth, and
a neat chalice." In time the bell was replaced by a
larger one.
At a meeting of the vestry, March 30, 1741, twenty-
three members of the congregation subscribed funds
to " & for in consideration of purchasing a bell for
said church," and at a meeting of the same body,
April 15, 1745, a bell-tower or turret, to hang the
bell, was ordered " to be built of stone in the founda-
tion from out to out. Twelve by Fourteen foot." The
belfry, built according to these directions, was to the
west of and entirely detached from the church. The
bell, which was made in England, and had cast on it
the words " Roger Rice, Chester, 1743," was paid for
in advance, in 1742, by a bill of exchange for thirty
pounds, and, as the sum obtained by subscription
amounted to only half that amount, John Mather
donated the remaining fifteen pounds.
The stone-work, twenty-five feet in height, was sur-
mounted by a frame structure in which the bell hung.
The tower, including the wooden addition, was over
fifty feet. The belfry was entered by a door on the
south side. The frame superstructure was square
until it reached the plate on which the rafters rested,
and the roof faced four ways, receding to a point, which
was ornamented with a weather-vane. In each side
of the frame-work was a slatted window, so that the
sound of the bell would not be obstructed any more
than necessary. Within the interior was a rough lad-
der, which the sexton had to climb when he tolled the
bell, although for church services it was rung by a
long rope, which descended to within a few feet of the
ground floor.
The foundation of the ancient structure was laid
July, 1702, and on Sunday, Jan. 24, 1703 (new style),
St. Paul's day, the edifice was opened to public wor-
ship, Rev. John Talbot preaching the first sermon in
the church. The general impression is that Rev.
George Keith was the first clergyman to hold divine
services in St. Paul's, but in that gentleman's " Jour-
nal and Travels," published in London, 1706, occurs
this passage: "Sunday, Jan. 24, 1702," (1703 N. S.)
"I preached at Philadelphia, on Matthew v. 17, both
in the forenoon and afternoon, Mr. Evans, the minis-
ter, having that day been at Chester, in Pennsylvania,
to accompany Mr. Talbot, who was to preach the first
cri AND HIS WIFE ANN SANDELANDS'
OHM -VINVAlISNadNf QNVldn Nf
MURAL TABLET.
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
sermon in the church after it was built." Mr. Keith
did preach here on February 7th and August 3d of
that year, and records : '' We were kindly entertained
at the house of Jasper Yeats there," and on "Sunday,
April 9, 1704, I preached at Chester, on John iv. 24,
being my last sermon there." In 1704, Rev. Henry
Nichols was appointed missionary to St. Paul's parish,
by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, and reported that the people were well
inclined to the Church of England, although they had
previous to that time no " fixed minister till now," and
that the congregation had made a subscription of sixty
pounds a year towards the support of their rector.
In 1718, Rev. John Humphrey, who was in charge
of the parish, reported to the society that he could
not get a house in Chester to live in, and therefore
had to buy a plantation of a thousand acres, about
three miles distant. He was not altogether acceptable
to parishioners, and, on April 5, 1717, they petitioned
thesociet)' to appoint another person, which was done,
apd Samuel Hesselius was substituted in his stead.
■ Thirty-four years after Mr. Humphreys had com-
plained of the absence of a parsonage, in 1752, the
Rev. Thomas Thompson writes to the society : " I
found no church wardens or vestry, no house for the
minister to live in, nay, not a fit house to hire." Mr.
Thompson, it seems, formed no better opinion of the
people than the people did of the rector, for in " Rev.
Dr. Perry's papers relating to the history of the
church in Pennsylvania, 1780 to 1778," Rev. Thomas
Thompson is referred to as a man of bad character.
The congregation, however, failed to provide for
the missionaries as the rules of the society required,
and in 1762 a notice was given them, that if they did
not procure better accommodations for their clergy-
man, and " maintain a glebe, a dwelling-house, and
their church and burying-grounds in decent order
and repair," the society would withdraw its mission
from them. To accomplish these ends the congrega-
tion issued a scheme in January of that year to raise
£562 10s. by a lottery. The advertisement, after
setting forth these facts, states : " They," the congre-
gation, " find themselves under the disagreeable neces-
sity to apply to the publick by way of a Lottery, not
doubting that it will meet with all suitable encour-
agement from the well-disposed of every denomina-
tion, as it is intended for the Glory of God, and con-
sequently for the good of the Province." There were
1733 prizes and 3267 blanks, making 5000 tickets in
all. The drawing was to take place either in Chester
or Philadelphia, on March 1, 1762, and continue until
all the tickets were drawn. The managers add this
addenda to their advertisement:
"N.B. — As the above sum will full vastly short of completing every-
thiDg as could be wished, it is hoped that if any are Bcrupnlous as to
the method of raising money, yet wish well to the Design, and are will-
ing to promote the same, if such Persons will deliver their Liberality
into the hands of Mr. Charles Thomson, Merchant in Philadelphia, or
to any of the Managers aforesaid, it will be gratefully acknowledged
and carefully applied accordingly."
There is little of interest connected with the church
for more than twenty years following the lottery.
In 183.5, the old church proving too small for the
accommodation of the congregation, extensive repairs
were made to the ancient edifice. The old pews were
increased in number, each of the large square ones
were made into two small ones, the high backs low-
ered, the double doors walled up, a gallery built across
the western end, and under it the main entrance to .
the church was made. The old pulpit with the
sounding-board was not removed, and the great oriel
window to the east, in the rear of the clergyman's
desk, was not disturbed. These changes made it
necessary to remove the old Sandelands tablet. It
was placed in the wall on the outside of the building;
and during the spring, when the stonework was
being whitewashed, it was repeatedly treated to a
coat of that abominable compound by the sexton's
wife, who did all chores of that character about the
church. The ancient bell-tower was torn down, and
a small belfry built in the roof at the western end of
the building. The bell, which with such difficulty
had been procured from England more than a cen-
tury before, had become damaged by long service,
and it was determined to have it recast. George W.
Piper and J. Gilford Johnson took the bell in a wagon
to Philadelphia, to Wiltbank's foundry, for that pur-
pose. Before this bell was recast the foundry was
destroyed by fire, and the heat was so great that tons
of metal were fused into a mass. Wiltbank, how-
ever, furnished a bell ; but it is more than probable
that not an ounce of the material in the old one cast
by Roger Rice entered into the composition of the
one which hangs in the belfry of the present church.
No doubt but that the good people of that day be-
lieved they were doing a wise act in disturbing the
j antiquated appearance of the ancient structure and
decking it out in modern toggery, just as their suc-
; cessors fifteen years afterwards were actuated by the
j same idea when they razed the entire building to the
! ground, and that, too, without getting enough stones
i from the ruins to lay a third of the basement of the
j new edifice. Matters drifted on with the parish until
I 1850, when the change in the current set in, and
I Chester, after slumbering a century and a half, started
! into activity. St. Paul's Church awakened with the
I rest, and began to make provisions for the new order
of things. But the error of that day, and it was a
serious one, consisted in destroying absolutely the old
sanctuary.
The new church structure, which was erected on
the north side of Third Street, was built after a plan
prepared by T. U. Walter, architect, of Philadelphia,
and the cost, it was believed, would not exceed five
thousand dollars, although it ultimately cost nearly
double that sum. The corner-stone was laid July 25,
1859. Rt. Rev. Alfred Lee, D.D., Bishop of Dela-
ware, and Rev. Charles W. Quick delivered addresses.
The building, forty-four by forty-six, was of pointed
340
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
stone, in the Gothic style, the spire one hundred and
twenty-four feet from the ground. The main door was
approached by a flight of stone steps, one of which
was the slab which had formerly covered the remains
of Eobert French, one of the descendants of Joran
Kyn,the founder of Chester, and to-day is one of the
flagging in the sidewalk to the Sunday-school, on the
east side of the church.
The church was opened Sunday, May 4, 1851, Rev.
Mr. Balch officiating. But it appears not to have
been consecrated by Bishop Potter until Tuesday,
Dec. 23, 1851. Bishop Lee preached the consecration
sermon. Drs. Suddards and Balch, and Revs. Messrs.
Bean, Ridgely, Huntington, Micheson, Hawes, and
Hand were present and ofiiciated on that occasion.
The constant growth of our busy city, and the in-
crease in the number of the worshipers, soon began
to tax the seating capacity of the new structure, and
for several years after the close of the war it became
evident that additional room must be provided to
meet this want. In 1872 the demand was so impera-
tive that the congregation determined that the church
building must be remodeled, and steps were taken
promptly to carry out that end. On Sunday, June
14, 1872, services were held in the sanctuary for the
last time previous to the changes being made, and
for ten months the edifice was closed during the al-
terations. The south end of the church was demol-
ished, and a new addition, considerably increasing
the seating capacity, a handsome Gothic front of
Ridley granite, sepentine, and Cleveland stone com-
bined, which approaches closely to the sidewalk, and
a towering steeple and belfry erected. On Sunday,
April 13, 1873, the congregation renewed religious
services in St. Paul's, and Rev. Henry Brown, the
rector, preached a historical sermon.
During a heavy thunder-storm, on Sunday, June 3,
1877, the lightning struck the rod on the steeple, and
in its descent the electric fluid unloosened the water-
pipe where it was attached to the wall, below the i
eaves, and making a round hole through the mortar
of the solid masonry, it entered the church, ran along 1
the gas-pipe, tore a hole in the plaster, and again {
forced its way between the joints of the stone wall,
to the outside of the building, and thence to the
ground.
In 1883 the church was thoroughly repaired, hand- [
somely frescoed and decorated. On Sunday after-
noon, March 9, 1884, it caught fire from a defective [
flue. The damage on that occasion exceeded two
thousand dollars.
John Hill Martin, in his " History of Chester," [
gives the following list of ministers of St. Paul's from I
1702 to the present time : Revs. Evan Evans, 1702-
4; Henry Nichols, 1704-8; George Ross, 1708-14; i
John Humphreys, 1714-26; Samuel Hesselius, 1726- j
28 ; Richard Backhouse, 1728-49 ; Thomas Thomp-
son, 1751 ; Israel Acrelius, 1756 ; George Craig, 1758-
81 ; James Conner, 1788-91 ; Joseph Turner, 1791-
93 ; Levi Heath, 1796-98 ; Joshua Reece, 1803-5 ;
William Pryce, 1815-18; Jacob Morgan Douglass,
1818-22 ; Richard Umstead Morgan, 1822-31 ; John
Baker Clemson, D.D., 1831-35; Richard D. Hall,
1735-37; Mortimer Richmond Talbot, 1837-41;
Greenberry W. Ridgely, 1842-43; Anson B. Hard
(associate rector), 1844-48 ; Charles W. Quick, 1849-
50 ; Lewis P. W. Balch, D.D., 1850-53 (resigned, and
removed to Virginia) ; Nicholas Sayre Harris, 1852-
55 (Mr. Harris was a graduate of West Point) ; Daniel
Kendig, 1855-59; M. Richard Talbot, 1859-61; J.
Pinckney Hammond, 1861-63 ; Henry Brown, 1863.
In the wall of the Bible-class room, in the base-
ment of the church, is the Sandelands tablet. The
stone is disintegrating, and in a few years will crum-
ble away.
James Sandelands, the elder, was a Scotchman,
and there is some reason to believe that his father
was Capt. Jacob Everson Sandelyn (the name per-
haps incorrectly spelled by the early annalists), who,
as master of the ship " Scotch Dutchman," visited
the Swedish settlements on the Delaware in the year
1646, and sold to the Governor " duffel-cloth and
other goods" to the value of two thousand five hun-
dred guilders. His mother, we know, lived here in
February, 1683, for she is mentioned in the trial of
Margaret Mattson, of Ridley, for witchcraft. The
first allusion to James Sandelands is in the patent of
Aug. 6, 1665, " for two lots of land in Upland at
Delaware, upon the North side of the creek or kill."
On June 13, 1670, patents were granted to him for two
other lots similarly situated, adjoining the property
of his father-in-law, Joran Keen.
In a deed in 1680 he is designated as " merchant,"
but there is no evidence to show what particular goods
he dealt in, excepting a record that having purchased
tobacco in Maryland, which was not delivered accord-
ing to agreement, " a Certayne great Boate or Siallop,"
belonging to the delinquent consignor, was attached
and "publicqly sould." The records of the early
courts show that he frequently ajipeared as attorney
for the suitors before that tribunal. In 1677 he is
mentioned as the only person on the Delaware River,
from Upland northwardly, who owned a slave, and is
recorded as one of the " responsible housekeepers" at
this place. He was appointed by Col. William Mark-
ham one of the Deputy Governor's Council in 1681,
and was constituted one of the justices of the newly-
organized Upland court. From 1688 to 1690 he was
a member of the General Assembly of the province
of Pennsylvania. James Sandelands died April 12,
1692, aged fifty-six years. I have given a brief notice
of this early colonist because St. Paul's was a memo-
rial church, erected to keep him in the recollection of
the inhabitants of Chester, wherein he had passed a
busy and enterprising life.
His wife, Ann, after a brief widowhood, married
Peter Baynton, who subsequently abandoned her and
returned to England, leaving her in such destitute
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
circumstances that the Provincial Council, May 19,
1698, ordered the residue of his property in Chester
should be appropriated to her support. He returned
subsequently, and apparently was repentant for his
misdeeds. Ann died, and Oct. 5, 1704, was buried by
the side of her first husband, James Sandelands. As
her name appears on the old tablet in St. Paul's
Church, it proves that the stone was not set up by the
descendants of Sandelands until after that date.
In a closet in the Sunday-school, some time ago,
was deposited, for safe keeping, the noted tombstone
which for many years attracted the attention of all
strangers visiting the old churchyard, because of its
antiquity, the manner in which the sculptor had per-
formed Lis work, and the singularity of the inscrip-
tion. The stone was cracked and in bad condition.
The inscription reads, —
FRANCIS BKOOKS,
wbo died August
the 19, 1704
Aged 50 years.
In Barbarian bondage
And cruel tyranny
For ten years together
I served in Slavery
After this Mercy brought me
To my country fair
And last I drowned was
In River Delaware."
Martin states that Francis Brooks was a negro. The
inscription would seem to indicate that Brooks was a
native of the American colonies, and as his age at
death precludes the idea of his birth in Upland, the
chances are that he was a New Englander or Vir-
ginian.
The most noted monument in St. Paul's ground, at
least within recent years, — for, strange as it may ap-
pear, neither Trego, in his "' Geography and Histori-
cal Accounts of Pennsylvania," nor Burrowes, in his
" State Book of Pennsylvania," both published within
the last forty years, make any mention of John Mor-
ton,— ^is that of the signer of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, whose remains lie beneath a plain Egyp-
tian obelisk of marble, eleven feet in height, its four
sides forming precisely the four cardinal points of the
compass. The inscription on the west side of the
monolith is as follows:
"Dedicated to the memory of
John Morton,
A member of the First American Congress from the State of Penn-
sylvania, Assembled in New York in 1765, and of the next
Congress, assembled in Philadelphia in 1774.
Born A.D., 1724— Died April 1777."
On the east side of the shaft is as follows :
"In voting by States upon the question of the Independence of the
American Colonies, there was a tie until the vote of Pennsylvania was
given, two members of which voted in the affirmative, and two in the
negative. The tie continued until the vote of the last member, John
Morton, decided the promulgation of the Glorious Diploma of
Freedom."
On the south side of the stone is cut the statement:
" In 1775, while speaker of the Assembly of Pennsylvania, John Mor-
ton was elected a Member of Congress, and in the ever memorable ses-
sion of 1776, he attended that august body for the last time, establishing
his name in the grateful remenibrioce of the American People by signing
the Declaratio
On the north side of the shaft is inscribed the fol-
lowing sentence :
"John Morton being censured by his friends for bis boldneesin giving
his casting vote for the Declaration of Independence, bis prophetic spirit
dictated from his death bed the following message to them : " Tell thera
they shall live to see the hour when they shall acknowledge it to have
been the most glorious service I ever rendered to my country."
This monument to John Morton was erected Oct.
9, 1845, sixty-eight years after his death. A regard
for the truth of history compels me to state that there
is not a particle of evidence to establish the assertion
engraved on the stone that John Morton gave the
casting vote for the adoption of the Declaration of
Independence. Indeed, the little information we
have bearing on that point absolutely negatives the
inscription on the monument in St. Paul's graveyard.
St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church.— The
church organization was effected on Nov. 28, 1868,
when the court of Delaware County incorporated the
rector, church wardens, and vestrymen of St. Paul's
Protestant Episcopal Church. The corner-stone of
the neat little Gothic stone sanctuary at the southeast
corner of Third and Broomall Streets, South Ward,
was laid on Monday morning, Feb. 1, 1869, Right
Rev. William Bacon Stevens, Bishop of Pennsylvania,
officiating, assisted by Revs. Messrs. Brown, of Chester,
Reed, of Linwood, Clemson and Potcken, of Delaware,
Morrell, of New York, Stone, of Montgomery County,
and Long, of Scranton. In order that Bishop Stevens
should be in Philadelphia as early as possible on im-
portant business. Superintendent Kenney ordered the
New York express train to stop at Lamokin and re-
ceive the distinguished divine. St. Luke's was then
included in St. Paul's parish, and Rev. Henry Brown,
the rector, had charge of the chapel, for such in the
beginning it was designed to be during its erection.
The funds of the building committee having become
exhausted before the church was completed, the con-
gregation for a time worshiped in the edifice, which
was then without pews, settees being used in their
places, and the unplastered walls presenting a rough
and uninviting appearance. After Sunday, May 8,
1870, services were held there in the morning and
evening, Thomas R. List, a student at the Divinity
School of Philadelphia, being employed as lay reader,
which duties he discharged until June 19, 1873, when
he became rector of the parish. The church, now
firmly established, was due largely to the efforts of
John Burrows McKeever, William Ward, Samuel
Archbold, Samuel Eccles, Jr., William H. Green,
William A. Todd, Maj. Joseph R. T. Coates, and their
wives and other ladies of St. Paul's Church, South
Ward, and South Chester. Edward A. Price and wife
presented the parisli with a liamlsome communion
342
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Service — silver tankard, paten, chalices, and plates for
alms, while F. Stanhope Hill and Mrs. Hannah Depue
gave the pulpit Bible. On May 19, 1874, St. Luke's
Church was admitted into the Diocesan Convention,
Samuel Archbold and William Ward being the first
lay deputies. In 1874, John Burrows McKeever, who
was an ardent friend of the new parish, died, and
through the efforts of Rev. Mr. List a memorial font
was placed in the church in whose behalf he labored
so zealously. In September, 1875, Rev. Mr. List,
having received a call to a church in Philadelphia,
resigned the rectorship. In October of the same
year. Rev. George Clifford Moore, the present rector,
was called, and almost immediately after his installa-
tion he began the advocacy of the abolition of pew-
rents, substituting therefor voluntary contributions.
In 1876, Charles Kenworthy bequeathed three hun-
dred and fifty dollars to the parish, which sum was
applied towards liquidating the mortgage, and the
following year, Elizabeth Kerlin, by will, gave one
hundred and fifty dollars, which was used in like
manner until, in 1880, the entire debt was extin-
guished. The parish, at present, is in a flourishing
condition.
St. Michael the Archangel. — The imposing Cath-
olic Church of St. Michael's is the second sanctuary
erected on the site, the first having been razed, in 1874,
to make room for the present edifice. The church
organization extends backward in the history of our
city over forty years. In 1842 a number of Catholics
employed in this neighborhood — the nearest church
being located nine miles distant— determined to estab-
lish one of that denomination in the borough. Ap-
plication was made to Rt. Rev. Francis Patrick
Kendrick, Bishop of Philadelphia, for permission to
organize a congregation and erect a church in Chester.
In response to the request the bishop assigned Rev.
Philip Sheridan to the parish, and earnestly did he
labor to accomplish the end in view. July 12, 1842,
a lot was purchased on Edgmont road, and Thursday,
September 29th, of the same year the corner-stone
was laid by Bishop Kendrick. June 25th of the year
following the church was dedicated to Almighty God
under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel,
the Rt. Eev. Dr. Moriarty preaching the dedicatory
sermon. Rev. Messrs. Sourin and Sheridan, accom-
panied by a large number of ladies and gentlemen,
came from. Philadelphia on the steamer "Bolivar,"
Capt. Whilldin. The first church building was of
stone, in Gothic architecture, seventy-five by forty-
two feet, the tower in front rising one hundred and
five feet above the level of the street. For many years
St. Michael's Church was the most noticeable build-
ing in Chester, and so conspicuous was it that the
gilded cross, surmounting the lofty spire, could be
seen glittering many miles away as the town was ap-
proached in any direction. On Sunday, Aug. 9, 1846,
a violent storm of rain and wind occurred, which
loosened some of the masonry, and a stone hurled
by the fury of the blast, falling on the roof, crushed
through it into the aisle below, breaking the pews and
the floor of the main apartment. For nearly seven
years no regular pastor was assigned to the parish.
Occasional visits were made by Fathers Sheridan,
Lane, Sourin, Walsh, Amat, and Dr. O'Hara until
July 12, 1850, when Rev. Arthur P. Haviland, who
had been ordained a priest in Philadelphia, June 29th
of the same year, was appointed to the charge of St.
Michael's parish. So faithfully did he labor that in
a short time the building became too small to accom-
modate the worshipers, and for many years the parish
struggled under that diflBculty.
In 1854 the parsonage adjoining the sanctuary was
built, and the same year Father Haviland was as.signed
an assistant, Rev. Patrick McEnroe. On Sept. 20,
1858, a bell, the present one, weighing one thousand
pounds, was raised to its designated place in the tower,
and for almost a quarter of a century its well-known
tones have daily been heard in the thriving city of
Chester. On the occasion of raising the bell to its
allotted place a large concourse of people was present,
the services being conducted by Archbishop Wood.
In 1867, Father Haviland went to Europe, and during
his absence the parish was in charge of his assistant.
Rev. Edward McKee, Father McEnroe having been
removed to Mauch Chunk. On the return of Father
Haviland, Father McKee was assigned to Catasauqua,
and Rev. Father Shankey became his assistant for a
brief period, to be followed in succession by Revs.
Fathers William F. Cook, Thomas McGlyun, Hugh
McGlynn, James Timmins, and Patrick J. Mackin.
Early in 1873, notwithstanding the parish liad been
divided, and the Church of the Immaculate Heart
erected in the South Ward, it became evident that
the old edifice was insufficient to accommodate the
congregation, and it was resolved to erect a new
sanctuary. Before the plans to this end could be
fully matured the financial disturbances in the fall
of that year so paralyzed business that it was deemed
inexpedient to begin the demolition of the old and
the erection of the new edifice until the industrial
dejection had in a measure abated. In the summer
of the following year permission was granted by
the Rt. Rev. Bishop Wood to demolish the old struc-
ture and rear in its stead a larger and more attractive
building. To that end, on July 29, 1874, the pews
were taken out of the church, and the parochial
school-house, which had been erected in 1866, was
prepared for use as a temporary chapel. August 11th
following the excavations for the foundation of the
new edifice were made, and on the 31st of the same
month the old building was leveled to the earth.
The corner-stone of the new church was laid Sunday,
Nov. 1, 1874, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Wood. The
new structure is one hundred and seventy-eight feet
in length, and the fafade forty-two feet. Its height
from the pavement to the eaves is sixty-eight feet,
while from the centre of the fayade rises a tower of
THE CITY OP CHESTER.
ninety-two feet in height. The cost of the sanctuary
approximated one hundred thousand dollars.
The structure is built of Leiperville granite, with
polished granite trimmings and columns from Maine.
Externally and internally the edifice is artistically
and handsomely finished. The ceiling of the central
aisle rises to the altitude of fifty-five feet above the
floor, supported by graceful columns, while the altar
(thirty-eight feet in height, with side altars for the
Virgin and St. Joseph) and furniture are elaborate
and beautiful, making as a whole the most imposing
building in the county. Two large frescos, one a copy
of Murillo's Conception, the other a St. Joseph, the
latter an original by Baraldi, are admirable speci-
mens of art. Sunday, Nov. 5, 1882, the church was
dedicated with appropriate ceremonies by Et. Rev.
Bishop Shanahan, of Harrisburg. On Sunday, Oct.
3, 1880, the ceremony of blessing the cross which sur-
mounts the centre tower of the church was performed
by Archbishop Wood, over two thousand persons
being present on the occasion.
Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.—
In the spring of 1873, the parish of St. Michael's
having become densely populated, and the congrega-
tion attending the old sanctuary having grown so
large, it was deemed expedient to institute a new
Catholic Church in South Ward, and a committee
waited on Rt. Rev. Bishop Wood to that end.
After several interviews with the committee the
bishop consented to the division, and July, 1873, he
appointed Rev. John B. Kelley pastor in charge of
the parish, which was named the Immaculate Heart
of Mary. Two days after his appointment Father
Kelley was drowned while bathing at Atlantic City,
and Rev. Thomas J. McGlynn was assigned to the
pastorate. The parishioners immediately erected a
frame chapel on Second Street near Broomall, and
the congregation was organized therein. Prompt
steps were taken towards the building of a permanent
church edifice, and the following fall, Sept. 23, 1874,
the corner-stone of the brick Gothic church of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, at the northwest corner
of Second and Norris Streets, was laid by the Rt.
Rev. Bishop Wood. On Wednesday, Feb. 23, 1876,
the frame chapel was totally destroyed by fire, and so
rapidly did the flames spread that only a few benches
were saved, the organ, church furniture, and vest-
ments of Father McGlynn being consumed, involving
a loss of four thousand dollars.
The work on the new church edifice was pressed
earnestly forward, and it was dedicated on Rosary
Sunday, Oct. 1, 1876. The ceremonies were con-
ducted by the Most Rev. James F. Wood, D.D., Arch-
bishop of Philadelphia, assisted by Rev. A. J. Mc-
Conomy, chancellor of the archdiocese, and attended
by Revs. E. F. Pendercese, Francis P. O'Neill, A. J.
Gallagher, T. J. Barry, James Timmins, and Thomas
J. McGlynn.
The church is of brick. It is lighted by fourteen
stained-glass windows on either side, and the rear of
the sanctuary is adorned by a large painting of the
Transfiguration. The altar is chaste and ecclesiastical
in aspect.
In 1883 the parish began the erection of a three-
story brick parochial school-house, conforming in its
exterior architecture with that of the church edifice,
which was completed in 1883.
Rev. Father McGlynn has been in charge of the
parish ever since it was organized, and under his im-
mediate supervision all the permanent improvements
have been made.
First Baptist Church.— The Kerlin farm was pur-
chased in 1850 by John M. Broomall and the late
John P. Crozer in equal shares, and after a large part
of the real estate had been sold so as to repay the
original outlay, Mr. Crozer, in 1856, conveyed his in-
terest in all the land remaining to Mr. Broomall, re-
serving, however, the absolute title in the half-square
of ground on Penn and Second Streets. Mr. Crozer
stated at the time of the conveyance that he designed
that locality as a site for a Baptist Church. This in-
tention was doubtless due to the fact that previous to
the autumn of 1854 occasional religious exercises by
Baptist clergymen had been held in Chester, but it
was not until the fall of the year mentioned that any
regularly stated services were had, when Rev. William
Wilder, of the Upland Baptist Church, established
worship in the court-house, and it was continued un-
der Mr. Wilder's supervision for four years. In the
spring of 1858, Mr. Crozer donated the ground at the
northwest corner of Second and Penn Streets, seventy
feet on the first and one hundred and twenty-seven
on the latter, for a church. During the summer of
the same year Benjamin Gartside, at his personal
cost, built a chapel twenty-three by forty feet, which
building, now standing in the rear of the church, was
completed during the month of August, and worship ■
was held there every Sunday afternoon. Rev. Miller
Jones, then stationed at Marcus Hook, and Rev.
William Wilder conducted the services. In the
spring of 1863 an effort was made to erect a building
and to have the congregation recognized as a church,
but the public excitement consequent on the battle of
Gettysburg postponed definite action until Sept. 24,
1863, when the chapel, built by Mr. Gartside, was
dedicated as the First Baptist Church of Chester, and
Rev. Levi G. Beck was. May 24, 1864, ordained its
first pastor.
The same year a sufiicient sum was pledged to the
building fund to justify the building of a sanctuary.
The corner-stone was laid July 2, 1864, and in the
fall the edifice was so far advanced that the lecture-
room could be used for religious services. The work
on the church was continued, and in the fall of the
following year all had been completed ; but as it had
been decided that the main apartment should not be
used until the debt of the building committee, amount-
ing in all to sixteen thousand dollars, had been dis-
344
HISTOEY OF BELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
charged, it required several weeks to gattier the fund.
This was done, and Dec. 28, 1865, the church was
dedicated. Rev. J. Wheaton Smith, D.D., officiating
on that occasion. After two years' pastorate. Rev.
Mr. Beck was elected secretary of the Baptist General
Association of Pennsylvania, which office he ac-
cepted, and resigned his charge of the church in
April, 1866. On Feb. 22, 1866, the First Baptist
Church of Chester was incorporated by the court of
Delaware County. For several months after Mr.
Beck's resignation went into effect the congregation
was without a regular minister, until November, 1866,
when Rev. Andrew Fuller Shanafelt was called, and
assumed the duties of the pastorate in December of
the same year. During his ministry James Irving
presented the lot on Second Street, immediately ad-
joining the church, for a parsonage, and Benjamin
Gartside erected the present building at his personal
cost. In 1874, Mr. Shanafelt's health was so much
impaired that he was granted a vacation to travel in
Europe and the Holy Land. He returned in the fall
apparently much improved, but his application to
duty brought on a return of his physical weakness,
causing his death March, 1875. The following July
Rev. Z. T. Dowen became the pastor, and for two
years remained in charge, when he resigned August,
1877, and returned to England. In November of the
same year Rev. A. G. Thomas, the present pastor,
was called, and began his ministerial work in the fol-
lowing December.
Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church.—
The name " Chester" appears in the minutes of the
Philadelphia Conference in the list of appointments
of preachers as early as the year 1774, when Daniel
Ruff and J. Yearby were assigned to that circuit.
Subsequent to that date the following appointments
were made by Conference to that circuit:
1775, Richard Webster ; 1776, preacher's name
omitted; 1777, Robert Lindsay; 1779, James Crom-
well; 1780, name omitted; 1783, R. Ellis, J. Hagerty,
Thomas Haskins; 1788, R. Cann, J. Milburn ; 1789,
William Dougherty, James Campbell; 1790, Sylves-
ter Dougherty, J. Cooper; 1791, J. McClaskey, J.
Robinson, S. Miller; 1792, James Lovell, J. Wheel-
wright; 1793, Robert Cloud, William Hunter; 1794,
William Early, James Smith ; 1795, J. Jarrell, T. F.
Sargeant, J. Robinson ; 1796, Thomas Bell, Samuel
Welsh; 1797, William Colbert; 1798, William P.
Chandler, Daniel Higby ; 1799, W. Colbert, J. Her-
rou, E. Larkin, R. Bonhan ; 1800, R. Sneath, S. Ten-
ison, T. Jones; 1801, William Hunter, S. Timmons,
R. McCoy ; 1802, William Hunter, John Bechtel ;
1803, Anning Owen, William Brandon ; 1804, Wil-
liam Hunter, J. Osborn, J. Stephens ; 1805, William
Hunter, D. James, J. Moore; 1806, John Walker,
William Early; 1807, Daniel Ireland, Peter Beaver ;
1809, appointment not recorded ; 1810, Richard
Sneath, John Fox; 1811, Richard Sneath, James
Laws ; 1812, Thomas Dunn, William S. Fisher ; 1813,
W. S. Fisher, J. Fernon, Joseph Samson; 1814,
George Sheets, Thomas Miller, S. P. Levis; 1815,
Asa Smith, Joseph Samson ; 1816, William Torbert,
Charles Reed ; 1817, William Hunter, William Tor-
bert.
Notwithstanding these appointments, it is very
doubtful whether, at those times, there were any
; Methodists in the ancient borough of Chester, the
I name being given to a circuit extending in territory
' from the river Delaware nearly to the Susquehanna,
j and from Philadelphia County to the Maryland line.
The first absolute knowledge we have of a meeting
of that denomination is in 1818, when John Kelley
and his wife, Esther, moved to this place. Mr. Kel-
ley had been a local preacher in St. George's Church,
Philadelphia, and shortly after locating in Chester
held services in his own house, where he organized a
class. The circuit preacher soon afterwards estab-
lished a regular appointment for preaching, and on
Sundays religious services were held in the court-
house for many years. In that structure the noted
Bishop Asbury, it is said, preached on several occa-
sions. The denomination grew gradually, and sev-
eral attempts were made to raise funds sufiicient to
build a house to meet in, but all efforts failed to that
end, until in 1830, sufficient means had been obtained
to justify the congregation in erecting, not without
considerable difficulty, a stone church on Second
Street, at the corner of Bevan's Court, which building
was greatly due to the energy and efforts of the late
David Abbott, and was named in honor of the bishop,
" Asbury Chapel." The society was still largely
dependent on the circuit minister, although more fre-
quently the services were conducted entirely by the
local preachers. The congregation attending the
church had grown so large in 1845 that Chester was
made a station, and Rev. Isaac R. Merrill was ap-
pointed pastor in that year.
Although the following clergymen appear by the
records of Conference to have been appointed to Ches-
ter Circuit, many names therein were at no time, so
far as can be ascertained, stationed in Chester, yet the
list is worthy of preservation, and is therefore inserted
in this work: 1818, John Goforth, Samuel Budd ;
1819, John Robertson, Phineas Price; 1820, Wil-
liam Leonard, Thomas Davis; 1821, David Bartine,
Thomas Davis; 1822, David Bartine, John Tally;
1823, Thomas Miller, William Allen ; 1824, Henry
Boehm, John Woolson ; 1825, Henry Boehm, Levin
Prettyman ; 1826, Jacob Gruber, S. Grace, J. Tally ;
1827, Jacob Gruber ; 1828, T. Miller, E. Reed ; 1831,
William Ryder, N. Chew, J. Tally; 1832, William
Ryder, J. B. Ayres, J. Tally ; 1833, J. B. Ayres, J.
Edwards, R. E. Morrison, J. Tally; 1834, William
Ryder, R. Anderson ; 1835, William Ryder, R. An-
son, J. Tally; 1836, R. E. Kemp, J. Tally; 1838,
William Torbert, G. Orem, J. Tally ; 1839, J. Ed-
wards, G. Orem, J. Talley ; 1840, I. T. Cooper, J. Ed-
wards, J. Tally; 1842, D. Daily, Thomas Sumption,
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
345
J. Tally ; 1843, D. Daily, H. G. King, J. Tally ; 1844,
H. G. King, J. B. Ayres, J. Tally ; 1845, J. B. Ayres,
J. W. Arthur; 1846, J. Humphries, J. Henries, I. R.
Merrill ; 1847, S. Townsend, J. Henry, L. Storks, J.
Tally ; 1848, S. Townsend, W. K. Goentner, J. Shields,
J. Tally.
During Mr. Merrill's pastorate, at May term of court,
1846, the church was incorporated, and thereupon the
congregation immediately began the erection of the
second stone meeting-house on Fifth Street below
Market Street, the corner-stone being laid Aug. 11,
1846. Rev. Dr. Hodgson, of Philadelphia, and Rev.
Dr. Kennedy, of Wilmington, were present and as-
sisted the pastor. Rev. Isaac R. Merrill, in the ser-
vices on that occasion. In 1850, the church edifice
being insufficient, an addition of twenty feet was
made to the building, a gallery erected, and the out-
side of the structure rough-casted.
In 1847, Mr. Merrill was succeeded by Rev. Levi
Storks,*' who, in 1848, was followed by Rev. John
Shields. In 1849, Rev. Newton Heston* was ap-
pointed, and continued until 1851. In 1850, the
year when Chester began to develop rapidly, the
church had three hundred and two members. Rev.
Samuel G. Hare* was appointed in 1851, and was fol-
lowed the succeeding year by Rev. John B. Maddux,*
who continued pastor until 1854, when Rev. William
Mullin was appointed in his stead, and in 1856 was
followed by Rev. John W. Arthur.* Rev. Allen
Johns* was appointed pastor in 1858, and the follow-
ing year was succeeded by Rev. John Ruth.* Dur-
ing the latter's pastorate, in 1860, the membership
had grown to three hundred and twenty-two. Rev.
William Urie* was assigned to the charge of the
church in 1861, and was succeeded in 1863 by Rev.
James E. Meredith,* who, after he ceased to be its
pastor, became a clergyman of the Episcopal Church,
and at the time of his death was in Texas as rector
of a parish of that denomination. Mr. Meredith was
followed, in 1866, by Rev. Henry E. Gilroy, and in
1869, Rev. James Cunningham was appointed to suc-
ceed him. The old meeting-house on Fifth Street
was now unable to accommodate the number of wor-
shipers, and it was determined to erect a new edifice.
To that end a lot on the northeast corner of Seventh
and Madison Streets was purchased, and the corner-
stone of the new church building laid Wednesday,
July 17, 1872, Rev. Henry Brown, rector of St. Paul's,
and Rev. A. W. Sproull, pastor of the First Presbyte-
rian Church, assisting Rev. James Cunningham in
the ceremonial and religious services on that occa-
sion. The new church, which is built of green ser-
pentine stone, with granite trimmings and corner
blocks, and finished very tastefully and at much ex-
pense, was dedicated May 3, 1874. The old church
building on Fifth Street, in 1873, was sold to Tus-
carora Tribe of Red Men, No. 29, who changed it into
1 Those marked with an asterisk (*) are deceased.
a hall for public amusements. The enterprise, how-
ever, failed of success, and the property was sold to
Robert H. Crozer, who, in March, 1879, in considera-
tion of six thousand dollars, conveyed it to the Ger-
man Lutheran congregation of St. Paul's Church, and
is at the present time devoted to the purposes for
which it was originally built,— a house of worship.
During the greater part of the time the building of
the edifice was being carried on Rev. John B. Mad-
dux* was the minister, having succeeded Mr. Cun-
ningham in the fall of 1872. In 1875, Rev. Joseph
Welsh was appointed pastor, and was succeeded in
1878 by Rev. William C. Robinson. In 1881, Rev.
Dr. William J. Paxson was appointed, and was suc-
ceeded in 1884 by the present pastor. Rev. Theodore
Stevens. The church is in a most flourishing con-
dition, its membership in 1880 being six hundred and
twenty-six, und it has largely increased in that respect
since that time.
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. — In 1865
the membership and congregation of the Fifth Street
Methodist Church had so increased that it was
deemed proper by the Quarterly Conference to efl'ect
a church organization in South Ward, and to that end
thirty members held regular religious worship in the
Crozer Academy, on Second Street, west of Franklin.
On June 26, 1865, Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church of Chester was incorporated by the court of
Delaware County, and on August 25th of the same
year an amended charter was granted by the same
authority. In the summer of the same year the con-
gregation began the building at the corner of Third
and Parker Streets, known as Trinity Church, Rev.
Mr. Twiggs, now of Wilmington Conference, being
then pastor in charge. The edifice had been roofed
in, when, in October, 1865, a terrific northeast storm
utterly demolished the building, heaping it into the
cellar a mass of ruins. There the debris remained
until 1866, when the congregation, under the direction
of Rev. William McCombs as pastor, erected a frame
chapel on the ground to the west, now used by D. H.
Burns as a marble-yard, and the same year built what
is now the Sunday-school. The main structure during
the same year was recommenced and pushed forward
until it was roofed in. The debt of the congregation
amounted to twenty thousand dollars. In the fall of
the year the chapel was completed and dedicated, on
which occasion a sum of five thousand dollars wa-s
raised, and to that amount the debt was extinguished.
In the spring of 1867, Rev. Isaac Mast was appointed,
and continued in charge for two years, during which
period five thousand dollars additional of the debt
was paid ofl', the floors of the main church laid, and
the membership largely increased. In 1869, Rev.
George W. F. Graff became the pastor, and continued
in that relationship three years. During his ministry
the church proper was completed, and dedicated by
Bishop Simpson. It had cost six thousand dollars
additional, but of that sum five thousand dollars was
346
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
subscribed on dedication day. The congregation
during that period built what is now known as the
South Chester Methodist Episcopal Church, then
styled the mission chapel. Independent of the sums
mentioned, the congregation raised ten thousand dol-
lars and applied it towards liquidating the indebted-
ness of the church. In the spring of 1872, Rev.
Samuel Pancoast was assigned to the pastorate, and
during his terra of three years the entire debt was
discharged. In 1875, Rev. Samuel W. Kurts was ap-
pointed, and was followed, in 1878, by Rev. John F.
Crouch, during whose pastorate many important im-
provements were made to the church. In 1880, Rev.
Noble Frame was assigned to the church, and in the
spring of 1882, Kev. Thomas Kelley, the present
pastor, was appointed.
Union African Methodist Episcopal Churcli.—
Early in the century Robert Morris, who was then a
slave in the lower part of the State of Delaware and
a favorite with his master, was told by the latter that
a judgment had been obtained against him, and the
sheriff was about to make a levy on his property.
He was anxious that Morris should not be seized to
satisfy the debt, and told him to make his way to
Chester, and, if possible, to get some one there to buy
him. The slave acted as his master suggested, made
his way safely to Delaware County, and finally suc-
ceeded in inducing Charles Lloyd, the then landlord
of the "Blue Bell" Tavern on Cobb's Creek, in King-
sessing, to purchase him from his master for three
hundred dollars, — a stipulation in the bill of sale that
the slave should be free when he attained the age of
thirty years. Morris faithfully served his new master,
who ever regarded the money he had paid as simply
a loan which the colored man could discharge by his
labor. After Morris was free he came to Chester, and,
being ardently religious, he organized a church of his
race in that borough. At first only four persons
could be induced to attend the meetings, which were
held in a house then occupied by a colored man named
Williams, on Third Street, west of Concord Avenue;
by degrees the movement spread until, about 1831,
sufficient means had been collected to purchase a lot
on West Street, south of Third Street, from Matthew
J. Bevan, on which a frame church was erected,
which is still standing (now altered into a dwelling).
In 1832, Rev. Samuel Smith was appointed local
preacher, and continued in charge of the church until
1837 ; but his pastorate was financially unsuccessful,
the expenses of the organization finally resulting in
creating a burdensome debt, and Robert Morris again
came to Chester to the assistance of the congregation.
Rev. Benjamin Jefferson was assigned to the pastorate
of the church, in which capacity he continued until
1874, nearly forty years' continuous service. The
latter strove energetically to liquidate the encum-
brance, and succeeded in clearing the church of debt.
In 1860 the frame building had been removed and
a stone structure erected, the fund being collected
and applied to the building so as not to again plunge
the congregation into financial troubles. In 1875,
Rev. Lorenzo D. Blackston became the pastor, and
the following year he was succeeded by Rev. Henry
Modo. Again, in 1877, Rev. Benjamin Jefferson
was assigned to the charge of the church. It was
during his second pastorate, which continued until
1880, that the sanctuary was rebuilt as it is at the
present time. In 1880, Rev. Lewis J. Jones was in
charge of the church ; in 1881, Rev. Francis H. Nor-
ton ; and in 1883, Rev. Lewis J. Jones.
Union Church has established a mission church in
Media, which is now a flourishing body, while the
membership of the parent church has largely in-
creased.
Asbury African Methodist Episcopal Church.
— This religious body was organized by Rev. Stephen
Smith, of Philadelphia, Oct. 26, 1845. The same year
the congregation purchased the church property on
Second Street, east of Market, for seven hundred dol-
lars, at which location they have continued to worship
for nearly forty years. At first, as with all Methodist
churches in this city, the body was supplied at times
by circuit preachers, but generally the services were
conducted by local clergymen. In 1849, Rev. Henry
Davis was appointed the first regular pastor, and was
succeeded, in 1850, by Rev. H. G. Young, who, in turn,
was followed, in 1853, by Rev. J. G. Bulah. In May,
1854, Rev. James Holland was assigned to the church,
and was succeeded, in 1856, by Rev. Adam Driver,
who was followed, in 1858, by Rev. J. G. Bulah. In
1860, Rev. J. G. Garrish was appointed, and in 1861,
Rev. G. W. Johnson became pastor. The next year
Rev. W. D. N. Schureman was assigned to the church,
and in 1863, Rev. Jeremiah Young was appointed
pastor, and during his ministry the church was re-
built. On Nov. 25, 1867, the Asbury African Meth-
odist Episcopal Church was incorporated by the court
of Delaware County. He was followed, in 1869, by
Rev. G. Boyer, and in 1871, Rev. G. T. Waters be-
came pastor. He was followed, in 1874, by Rev. L. C.
Chambers, and in 1877, Rev. T. Gould succeeded him.
In 1879, Rev. J. S. Thompson was assigned to the
church, and in 1881 the present pastor. Rev. C. C.
Felts, was appointed, and during his ministry the con-
gregation purchased a parsonage on Madison Street,
above Sixth. The church has also sent out its mis-
sion body in the William Murphy Church, on Eagle
Street, below Second, in South Chester. In 1883, Rev.
M. F. Slubey was pastor, and in 1884, Rev. Leonard
Patterson was assigned to the charge of the church.
First Presbyterian Church.— The Presbyterian
residents of Chester, previous to 1850, often attended
divine services at Leiper's Church, in Ridley, but
more frequently the Episcopal or Methodist Churches,
both of which denominations had " a local habitation
and a name" in the ancient borough. In the fall of the
year stated the late Rev. James W. Dale, every Sunday
afternoon, conducted religious exercises in the court-
THE CITY OP CHESTER.
347
house according to the Presbyterian formula, and
continued to preach therein for more than a year. In
1851, I. E. Cochran, Sr., gave the lot, part of the land
taken by him in partition of his father's (John Coch-
ran, the elder) estate, at the southeast corner of
Fourth and Welsh Streets, on which they built a Pres-
byterian Church, and he, together with the late Joseph
H. Hinkson, contributed largely of their means to-
wards the erection of the present edifice. On Sun-
day, July 18, 1851, the dedicatory service was preached
by Rev. Joseph H. Jones, of Philadelphia. Nearly a
thousand dollars were collected during the day in aid
of the church. The congregation was organized with
seventeen communicants. Mrs. Henrietta Mifflin
Clyde, who died Sept. 28, 1874, aged eighty-two years,
was the last survivor of that number. Robert Bene-
dict was ordained as the first ruling elder. In the sanc-
tuary, since it was renovated, enlarged, and adorned
about eight years ago, the handsome stained-glass me-
morial windows then placed in the church in most
cases bear the names of persons who were among its
original founders. After it was organized, for two
years Rev. James 0. Stedman supplied the pulpit
every Sunday, conducting services for the first time
on Oct. 31, 1852. He was followed, in 1854, by Rev.
George Van Wyck until 1856, when Rev. Alexander
W. Sproull was called, and installed as the first regular
pastor there. On Dec. 11, 1878, the present pastor,
Rev. Philip H. Mowry, was called, and installed De-
cember 11th of that year.
Chester City Presbyterian Church.— The influx
of population west of the Third Street bridge was
particularly noticeable after the establishment of
Reaney's ship-yard just previous to the breaking out
of the rebellion, and efforts were made by several gen-
tlemen to organize a Sunday-school for religious in-
struction of the many children in that neighborhood.
To that end a school was begun Dec. 14, 1862, in the
Academy building, now the Second Street Grammar-
School, with John L. Entwisle, superintendent;
Joseph Hinkson, assistant; and Abram R.Perkins,
treasurer. The school thus founded grew speedil)',
and those instrumental in its beginning soon deter-
mined to establish the Chester City Presbyterian
Church, to be located in the South Ward. The great
difiiculty was in obtaining a suitable building, which
impediment was overcome by the gift of a lot at the
southeast corner of Third and Ulrich Streets, by
Reaney,Son & Archbold,upon which Thomas Reaney,
who was warmly interested in the undertaking, built
the present edifice at his personal cost. The church
was begun in the summer of 1865, and comjjleted the
following year. The furnishing and upholstering of
the sanctuary was principally done at the joint expense
of Mr. Perkins and Mr. Reaney. While the congre-
gation was worshiping in the lecture-room, the church
proper being unfinished, an application was made to
the Presbytery of Philadelphia for organization, and
on Feb. 15, 1866, the congregation elected John X.
Miller and Peter G. Rambo elders, who were there-
upon ordained in those offices by a committee ap-
pointed by Presbytery. Feb. 25, 1866, the congrega-
tion called Rev. Martin P. Jones as pastor, at a salary
of one thousand dollars, and the committee was em-
powered, at their discretion, to advance the sum to
twelve hundred dollars a year. He accepted the call,
and was ordained April 12, 1866. He remained in
charge of the church until Jan. 1, 1869, he having
tendered his resignation several months before. The
church was without a minister from that date until
June 22d of the same year, when Rev. Augustus T.
Dobson, who had been called the 25th of the previous
March, at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars, was in-
stalled. The subsequent failure of the firm of Reaney,
Son & Archbold crippled the church greatly, but the
earnest efforts of the congregation, in conjunction
with the pastor, relieved it from its embarrassment.
John Henry Askin contributed five hundred dollars,
and Abraham R. Perkins one hundred and fifty dol-
lars. The congregation notified the pastor that, under
the circumstances, his salary must be reduced to one
thousand dollars a year, and at that sum it continued
until he resigned, in October, 1881. Rev. Thomas J.
Aikin, the present pastor, was called Dec. 6, 1881, and
installed April 12, 1882.
Third Presbyterian Church.— This memorial
church — it was built to commemorate the reunion of
the Old and New School Churches — is located at the
southwest corner of Twelfth and Upland Streets. The
j lot was purchased in 1871, and the building, which is
of brick, with pilasters, Gothic windows, and high,
pitched roof, was erected as a mission Sunday-school
! by the First Presbyterian Church, but when the di-
j vision in that congregation took place, those who
j withdrew accepted the Sunday school building in un-
I finished condition, determining to constitute therein
! a Third Presbyterian Church, which was fully con-
1 summated Oct. 16, 1872, with forty-two persons en-
I rolled as members. The congregation, after it was
j organized, worshiped in the chapel until July of the
j following year, when the western end of the building
was removed, twenty-five feet added to its length, and
a recess pulpit constructed. The lot and building
cost nearly fifteen thousand dollars. The church was
reopened and dedicated Oct. 5, 1873. After the or-
ganization of the church, Rev. Dr. Edwin W. Bower,
of Lincoln University, officiated as temporary min-
ister until Feb. 13, 1873, when Rev. Charles F.
Thomas was unanimously elected to the pastorate.
He was installed April 16, 1873, at a salary of sixteen
hundred dollars, which was subsequently increased
to eighteen hundred dollars, but his health failing, he
resigned Feb. 20, 1878. Rev. Dr. Bower was called
April 3, 1878, but he declined, and the congregation,
May 31st of the same year, called Rev. Thomas Mc-
Cauley, the present pastor, at the same salary received
by Mr. Tlxomas. Mr. McCauley accepted Oct. 1, 1878,
and was installed the 10th of the same month.
348
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
St. Paul's German Lutheran Church.— In August,
1878, a church organization was eft'ected with twelve
members, under the charge of Rev. J. T. Boyer, and
on Feb. 3, 1879, the society was chartered. In May,
1879, the meeting-house formerly used by the Meth-
odists, on Fifth Street, was purchased for six thousand
dollars from George H. Crozer. On Sunday, May 18,
1879, the church was consecrated. Revs. Dr. C. Shsef-
fer, president of the Lutheran Ministerium of Penn-
sylvania, A. T. Geissenheiner, of Philadelphia, and J.
Lewberger, of New Jersey, conducting the services.
The building internally was remodeled, and on July
10, 1879, was dedicated by the pastor, Rev. J. T. Boyer.
The latter remained in charge of the church until the
last of September, 1880, when he was succeeded, Oc-
tober 3d of the same year, by Rev. E. H. Gerhart,
who served as the pastor until September, 1882, when
he resigned, since which time the pulpit was supplied
by students from the Lutheran Seminary in Philadel-
phia, until June, 1884, when the Rev. E. H. Pohle,
pastor of a church in Philadelphia, assumed charge
of St. Paul's at Chester. The church has a member-
ship of twelve, and a Sunday-school connected with
it of forty pupils. The services are wholly conducted
in the German language.
Public Schools.— The information which has de-
scended to the present time respecting the primitive
schools in colonial days is more inferential than posi-
tive. From the constant reference to the schooling
of children in the early records, the conclusion is
reached that considerable attention was given to the
education of the young among the English settlers
after Penn had obtained possession of the colony.
The instruction of youths in reading and writing was
part of the duties enjoined on the clergymen in
charge of the Church of England parishes maintained
under the auspices of the Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and I seriously ques-
tion whether, until the school-house of 1770 was
built, any other teachers were employed in Chester to
instruct children. I am aware it is asserted that in
1741 a petition was presented to the Bishop of Lon-
don, emanating from St. Paul's Episcopal Church
of Chester, complaining of Friends who, as is stated,
when asked to contribute to the support of the parish
schoolmaster, " did what none but Quakers dare do
in a country under the government of a Protestant
king; that is, they engaged a rigid, virulent Papist
to set up school in the Town of Chester." Of this
school under the auspices of St. Paul's Church
Charles Fortescue is said to have been the master.^
1 " History of Colonial American Catholic Church," p. 220, No
reference can be found in the records of St. Paul's Church respecting
this statement; but it should be added that those records were abom-
inably kept at that date ; nor yet can anything be found on the
minutes of Chester Friends' Meeting, which, on the other hand, are
exhaustive records, the most trivial matters being noted. In fact.
Friends* records negative, by the absence of any reference to the mat-
ter, the idea that at any timfe a school was maintained by the society in
Chester.
On Aug. 6, 1731, Aubry Bevan, John Salkeld, Jacob
Howell, Thomas Cummings, and Thomas Morgan
made a declaration of trust respecting a lot at the
southeast corner of Fourth and Edgmont Streets,
which had been conveyed to them " with the intent
that a school-house should be erected and built upon
the said lott . . . with all convenient speed, at the
public charge of the people called Quakers, who shall
cause a fair well-built school-house to be erected upon
the said lott . . . which shall be for the use and ser-
vice of the people called Quakers in Chester, and
others in the said township forever. . . . The nom-
ination of a schoolmaster, from time to time, and at
all times hereafter, is to be in the Members of the
Preparative Meeting at Chester, and that no other
person presume to teach in said school-house without
such nomination and appointment." We know be-
yond question that no school building was ever
erected on that lot, and that no person other than the
Episcopal clergyman taught in Chester, seems inci-
dentally established from the fact that John Baldwin,
who did not die until after Nov. 11, 1731, by his
will directs that his two grandsons, John and Joshua
Baldwin, " shall be kept to school till they be fitt to
go to trades, and then to be put to good trades." In
the account filed by Peter Dick, one of the executors,
he is allowed credit for the schooling of Joshua for
" 2 quarters," and that " Richard Backhouse was paid
19 shillings" for his tuition. Backhouse was the
clergyman in charge of St. Paul's Church, and con-
tinued as the rector until his death, in November,
1749. Indeed, we know that the first movement
among Friends looking to the establishment of
schools was at the Yearly Meeting in 1746, when
that body advised the several Monthly Meetings " to
encourage and to assist one another in the settlement
and support of schools."
It may be assumed, at least so far as we have evi-
dence, that no school other than that connected with
St. Paul's parish was maintained in the borough of
Chester previous to 1770. Joseph Hoskins, in his
will bearing date the 31st day of the Twelfth month,
1769, made this important public devise :
•• Item. I give and devise unto my friends Henry Hale Graham and
William Swaffer, a certain lot of ground situate in the Borough of Ches-
ter, beginning at the Intersection of Welsh or Back street and the
King's road, and to extend along the said King's road one hundred feet,
and from thence parallel with the said Welsh or Back street one hundred
feet, and from thence parallel with the said King's road one hundred
feet to the said Welsh or Back Street, and thence by the same street
one hundred feet to the place of beginning. To hold to them the said
Henry Hale Graham and William Swaffer and their heirs forever upon
special trust and confidence nevertheless and to and for the uses, in-
tents and purposes hereinafter mentioned, expressed and declared, and
none other; that is to say, for the use, benefit and behoof of all and
every the inhabitants of the said Borough and township of Chester for
the building and erecting a school house or school houses or other edi-
fices for the teaching and instructing and educating of youths therein,
and my will is that the Trustees aforesaid enter into and be in quiet
and peaceable possession of the said lot of ground immediately after
some part of the materials are got ready for erecting a school house
thereon."
THE CITY OP CHESTER.
349
Joseph Hoskins did not die until 1773, and his will i
was not probated until the 21st of July of that year, '
but so unbounded was the confidence of his neighbors
in his integrity, that in 1770 they built a school-house
on the lot thus by will subsequent vested in the trustees,
although their then title was simply the statement of
Hoskins, that he had made such testamentary dispo-
sition of his real estate. We have every assurance to
believe that he gave liberally of his income towards
the building itself. Not only did he give this land,
but in his will he also directed thirty pounds (a large
sum in those days) to be paid by bis executors to
John Eyre and James Barton, to be applied " for the
schooling and educating of such poor children belong-
ing to the inhabitants of the Borough and township
of Chester as the said Preparative Meeting for the
time being shall think fit to order and direct."
This school-house was built of brick laid in headers
and stretchers, the ends of the headers being burnt
black, a mark of architectural beauty in that day.
It was two stories in height, and the bricks were said
to have been imported from England, — which, of
course, is the merest fancy, — and in the south gable
the large numerals 1770 were inserted in the wall,
being formed by the black ends of the headers.
Small as the building was, it was more than sufficient
for the use to which it was dedicated. As the struc-
ture was erected near the east end of the lot, Hoskins
permitted more land to be taken than he actually
gave by his will, so that ample space for a playground
could be had. This was the starting-point of our
present system of free public instruction, and it was a
most praiseworthy act in the board of school directors
of the city of Chester that, in the year 1882, when
putting up a new building at Fifth and Welsh Streets
for the use of the superintendent, with school-rooms
on the second floor, they recognized the noble act of
Joseph Hoskins, who, almost forgotten, had slumbered
for more than a century in Friends' graveyard, by
designating the new structure " Joseph Hoskins'
School."
Among the rules prescribed by the trustees on Jan.
9, 1796, the following appears :
" Sth. It sliall be the duty of the Truatees to see y' no book contain-
ing the tenets or doctrines of any sect in religion be taught in the
school, or any that may convey improper political principles to the chil-
dren of Republicans, since no others ought to be admitted but such as
teach the pure principles of religion, as contained in the Holy Writings
of the Prophets and Evangelists — of morality and love of virtue; such
as teach us tlie love of liberty and our countiy — obedience to her laws
—detestation of tyranny and oppression, and hatred of anarchy and li-
In the lapse of years the names of the first peda- I
gogues who swayed the birch— the emblem of au- |
thority— have been forgotten ; but from 1806 to 1818, '
Samuel Lytle, an Irishman, was the teacher there, i
and among the pupils that came under his care was !
the future Admiral Farragut, then living in the ■
family of Commodore Porter. Here the great seaman j
received the rudiments of his education. From 1824 !
to 1830, William Neal was in charge of the school,
at which time it was known as the Chester Academy.
The first private school (for that at Fifth and
Welsh Streets was classified under the head Charity
School, after the passage of the law of 1802) of which
we have knowledge was established on Third Street,
west of the bridge, about 1822, by Mrs. Irvin, and was
restricted to primary pupils. The following years
Miss Eliza Finch kept a school in the old Logan
house on Second Street near Edgmont. Among her
pupils was the present Admiral David D. Porter, and
his brothers, William, Theodore, and Hamilton, and
under her tuition they received their elementary edu-
cation. She continued here until 1830, when she
abandoned its cares and opened a store in its stead.
About the time Miss Finch retired Caleb Pierce as-
sumed the duties of instructing the youths of Chester
whose parents would not permit them to attend the
old school at Fifth and Welsh Streets, establishing
his select school in a summer-house, which had been
built by Major Anderson nearly forty years before that
date, in the rear of the Columbia House. In 1834,
James Campbell, a graduate of Union College, New
York, taught the Chester Academy, succeeding Mr.
Neal, and the same year a Mr. Jones was principal
of " the Chester High School," which was established
in " a commodious building," the site of which I can-
not locate. In 1840 the public-school system having
been generally accepted, Caleb Pierce discontiuued
his select school and accepted the position of teacher
at the old school-house on Welsh Street, but in 1843,
when the building was enlarged by an addition at the
north end almost as large as the original structure,
James Riddle was chosen princijial, and four lady
assistants appointed. In the same year Mrs. Frances
Biddle established a day-school for young ladies in
the Sunday-school room — a frame building — attached
to St. Paul's Church. In 1845, James Dawson had a
select school in one of the rooms of the school build-
ing, the public demand not requiring the use of all
the apartments there. In 1850, when Chester began
to enlarge its population, the school-room was so
taxed that in 1853 the directors purchased a lot on
Franklin Street, South Ward, and erected the build-
ing known as the Franklin Street school, and the
growth of North Ward compelled the erection of the
Eleventh Street school in 1858. Notwithstanding
the increase of school-houses, the population so out-
ran the accommodation afforded that in 1864 schools
were established in the Crozer Academy, on Second
Street, and in 1867 primary schools were opened in
the Baptist Chapel, on Penn Street, and in the base-
ment of the African Methodist Church, on Second
Street, the latter for the accommodation of colored
children. At that date a colored school for advanced
pupils was also maintained by the directors in a frame
house on Welsh Street. The demand still keeping in
advance of the buildings, in 1867 the present high
school was erected, although it was not completed
350
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ready for occupancy until the following summer. In
1870 it was necessary to afford better facilities in
North Ward, and in that year the Morton Avenue
building was erected, and in 1871 the Patterson
Street school-house was built and set apart as a col-
ored school. In 1874 the Eleventh Street school was
enlarged and remodeled. In 1875 the old school
building on Welsh Street was taken down and a large
brick school-house built; and in 1878 the Howell
Street school-house was erected. In 1882 the Joseph
Hoskius school building was built, and in 1883 the
lot at Eleventh and Madison, formerly occupied by
the Larkintown Sunday-school, was purchased by the
directors, and will be built upon in 1885.
The corps of teachers are excellent, the examina-
tion of applicants for position as instructors is very
thorough, and a general average of education imparted
to the pupil will compare favorably with that of any
city in the country. The graduates of the Chester
High School are as carefully taught as in most acad-
emies in the land, the universities excepted, and the
system of opening the higher branches of education
to both the sexes has resulted most advantageously.
The present faculty of the high school is, Principal,
Emma J. Hahn ; Assistants, Jennie McLaren and
Frederica E. Gladwin. The superintendents of the
public schools of Chester, since that office was estab-
lished by the Legislature when the city was separated
from the county of Delaware, and authorized to main-
tain and govern the schools in the municipal district
without reference to those in the county, have been as
follows: 1868, A. A. Meader; 1875, A. Robinett ;
1878, Charles F. Foster, the present incumbent.
The following list presents the names of the direc-
tors of the public schools for the borough and present
city of Chester, so far as the same remain of record.
Under the act of 1834, the court in that year appointed
as school inspectors Archibald T. Dick and Jesse J.
Maris :
1840, John H. Denuiiig, Samuel Weaver; 1841, Samuel Little, Edward
Darlington, John H. Denning, Samuel Weaver, Humphrey Johnson,
and Jacob G. Kitts compoBed the full board of school directors ; 1842,
John Hinkson, Alexander McKeever; 1843, Jeremiah W. Flickner ;
1844, Joseph H. Hinkson, Isaac S. Williams; 1S45, Joseph Taylor,
Frederick J. Hinkson ; 1646, Edward Darlington, Spencer Mcllvain;
1847, William Weaver, Abram Cobourn ; 1848, Peter W. Green, Isaac
S. Williams; 1849, John Larkin, Jr., Charles D. Manley; 1850,
Samuel Crozer, Jesse Young; 1851, Rev. Anson B. Hard, William
Trout, George W. Bartram, John McClimate, Alexander McKeever,
Robert R. Button; 1852, Robert B. Hannum, George W. Moore;
1853, James Campbell, Davis B. Stacey, Isaac Engle Cochran ; 1864,
Alexander M. Wright, Lewis Thatcher ; 1855, E. S. Hewes, Frederick
S. Hinkson; 1856, James J. Porter, William L. Grubb; 1857, Alex-
ander M. Wright, Samuel Shaw ; 1858, Dr. Charles J. Morton, Wil-
liam Hinlcson ; 1859, Frederick J. Hinkson, Stephen Olowd ; 1860
(North Ward), , (Middle Ward), , (South Ward), Benjamin
Gartside; 1861 (North), William McDevitt, (Middle), William Hink-
son, (South), ; 1862 (North), John M. Larkin, (Middle), Edward
E. Minshall, (South), - — -; 1863 (North), Alexander M. Wright,
(Middle), , (South), Benjamin Gartside ; 1864 (North), John 0.
Desbong, Jr., (Middle), Dr. Ellwood Harvey, (South), Charles W.
Deans; 1865 (North),., .(Middle), Caleb Emlin, (South), Abram
E. Perkins; 1866 (North), Henry L. Donaldson, (Middle), ,
(South), Samuel Eccles,Jr.; 1867 (North), , (Middle), Stephen
C. Hall, (South) Alfred Taylor, resigned, and William B. Burmace
elected to vacant seat; 1868 (North), , (Middle), Thomas Apple-
by, (South), John H. Barton ; 1869 (North), Joseph Kenworthy,
Simeon Cotton, (Middle), , , (South), John C. Price, ;
1870 (North), Henry L. Donaldson, (Middle), Samuel H. Leeds,
(South), Dr. Ellwood Harvey ; 1871 (North), Simeon Cotton, (Middle),
Henry B. Taylor, (South), John Fountain; 1872 (North), Dr. F.
Eidgley Graham, (Middle), Samuel H. Leeds, (South), Jonathan
Grant; 1873 (North), Dr. William B. Qlrich, (Middle), , (South),
; 1874 (North), William J. Harvey, (Middle), Mrs. S. M. Springer,
(South), .John Fountain; 1875 (North), William H. Dickinson,
(Middle), Stephen 0. Hall, (South), Jonathan Grant ; 1876 (North),
Dr. F. Eedgley Graham, (Middle), Charles Roberts, (South), John 0.
Price; 1877 (North) H. L. Donaldson, (Middle), William Hinkson,
(South), J. Harry Thompson ; 1878 (North), Jonathan Johnson,
(Middle), Samuel H. Leeds, (South), Jonathan Grant; 1879 (North),
Daniel Robinson, (Middle), William Hinkson, (South), John C. Price;
1880 (North), H. L. Donaldson, (Middle), Levi G. James, (South), J.
H. Thompson ; 1881 (North), Jonathan B. Johnson, (Middle), Stephen
Clowd, Jr., (South), Jonathan Grant; 1882 (North), Daniel Robin-
son, (Middle), Samuel H. Leeds, (South), John 0. Price ; 1883 (North),
H. L. Donaldson, (Middle), Dr. Samuel Starr, (South), Josiah C.
Eoss ; 1884 (North), Jonathan R. Johnson, (Middle), Samuel Clowd,
Jr., (South), Jonathau Grant.
The Pennsylvania Military Academy. — By act
of Assembly, April 8, 1862, the Pennsylvania Mili-
tary Academy was incorporated as a university under
the title Chester County Military Academy. This
title the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County,
on application for the board of trustees, changed im-
mediately to its present name. It was then organ-
ized and located at West Chester, with Col. Theodore
Wyatt as its president, where it soon became noted as
an institution of learning. Founded during the Re-
bellion, it made a special feature of military instruc-
tion, and to the forces of the United States in the
civil war it contributed many officers from its roll of
students. When Lee's army invaded the State the
battery of the academy, manned by cadets of the in-
stitution and citizens of West Chester, was in service
for two months, and was commanded by the authori-
ties. After the close of the war the Crozer Normal
School building, at Chester, Delaware Co., which had
been used by the government as a hospital, was va-
cated by the United States, and, as it furnished ac-
commodations superior to those the school then had,
these premises were leased, and the institution was
moved here in December, 1865. The Pennsylvania
Military Academy at its new location grew rapidly in
public favor, and so large did the number of students
become that it was decided to secure its present site
and erect and equip buildings adapted to its wants.
In 1867 the institution conferred its first degrees on
its graduates, and in September, 1868, the building
having been completed in the mean while, the acad-
emy occupied its new quarters, to the northeast of the
the city, — a landmark presenting a prominent appear-
ance when viewed from the north or east in approach-
ing Chester, and especially from the Delaware River.
In its new building the academy, in September, 1868,
accommodated one hundred and fifty cadets and
officers.
On the afternoon of Feb. 16, 1882, the main edifice
was entirely destroyed by fire, the origin of which is
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
351
unknown, although the flames were first discovered
in the laboratory, then located in the upper story.
After the destruction of the academy, in twenty
days subsequently the term was resumed temporarily
at Ridley Park. As soon as the losses were adjusted
by the insurance companies, the erection of a new
building upon an improved and enlarged plan was
commenced. The main structure is two hundred and
seventeen feet long, fifty feet in depth, four stories in
height, surmounted with a dome, which towers many
feet above all, presenting a view therefrom unequaled
in the county. The building, which was completed,
ready for occupancy, Sept. 13, 1882, is divided by fire-
walls, and is believed to be as nearly fireproof as it is
possible to render it, while in a sanitary point, as well
as in respect to the accommodation to secure the com-
fort and convenience of its inmates, the new academy j
structure is most admirably planned. A laboratory,
at some distance from the main edifice, is an ornate
and well-arranged building, sufficiently removed to 1
render it improbable that any fire which might occur
therein could seriously endanger the Military Acad- j
emy proper. The drill-hall and gymnasium, one hun-
dred and thirty and sixty feet respectively, are ad-
mirably adapted to the uses for which they were de-
signed.
The present academic staff" is composed as follows:
Col. Theodore Hyatt, president and professor of
Greek ; Capt. Charles E. Hyatt, vice-president, pro-
fessor of Rhetoric and Elocution ; Capt. R. Kelso
Carter, professor of Mathematics and Civil Engineer-
ing; Lieut. William W. Galbraith, United States
army, professor of Military Science and Mathematics ;
Lieut. Emile L. Feffer, professor of French, German,
Spanish, Latin, and Greek ; Capt. Benjamin F. Mor
ley, professor of Chemistry, Physics, and Tactics; Dr
Joseph S. Burns, professor of Latin, Greek, and Eng-
lish Literature ; Dr. John R. Sweney, professor of
Music; Charles S. Fahnestock, professor of Penman-
ship, Drawing, and English Branches ; William B.
Ulrich, M.D., lecturer on Hygiene ; Frederick E.
Powell, adjunct professor of Mathematics and English
Branches; Edgar P. Hershey, adjunct professor of
Rhetoric ; Silas P. Comfort, instructor in Mathematics
and Technical Drawing.
Chester Academy. — This institution of learning,
located at the southwest corner of Broad and Potter
Streets, was founded, in 1862, by Charles W. Deans,
who had just previous to that date been superintend-
ent of the public schools of Delaware County. It
was then known as the Chester Academy and Normal
School. In 1865, Professor George Gilbert, then of
Philadelphia, purchased Mr. Deans' interest in the
academy, including the school furniture, and at once
reorganized the institution, enlarged the accommoda-
tions, thoroughly revised and advanced the course of
study, and employed additional teachers. The repu-
tation of the academy steadily advanced, and in 1871,
six years after he became principal of the institution,
Professor Gilbert jjurchased both the school building
and the residence to the east. The school-rooms
have all been recently enlarged to nearly double
their original capacity and thoroughly refitted. The
aim of the school is to afford facilities for students
preparing for college, for teaching, or for general
business, and to direct them in the course of study
necessary to successfully qualify them for the occu-
pations in life which they may select. The present
faculty of the academy comprises George Gilbert,
principal, instructor in Latin, Greek, and the Higher
Mathematics ; M. Louisa Clancy, Music, French, and
Literature; Mrs. T. M. Gilbert, Writing, Drawing,
and History ; H. Jennie Cornell, Primary Depart-
ment; Addle H. Pyle, Hannah R. Lenderman, and
Jennie McCoy, English Branches. The pupilage is
about one hundred and twenty.
Piers at Chester. — The present public wharves at
Chester, one a short distance east of the foot of
Market Street, and the other at the foot of Edgmont
Avenue, .are comparatively of recent construction.
Between the years 1760 and 1770, Francis Richard-
son, to whom the land on which these piers abut
had been devised by his aunt, Grace Lloyd, erected a
pier at end of Edgmont Avenue, and another to the
eastward of the present Market Street pier, the latter
remained until after 1826, but they were of crude
construction, lacking the stability of those now in
use. During the war of 1812 it became apparent
that some protection was absolutely demanded at this
point for vessels navigating the river in winter, for
when the Delaware at the Horseshoe was frozen, it
prevented all communication by water with Philadel-
phia. The commerce of the latter city at that time
greatly exceeded that of any port in the United States,
and so frequent was the loss of vessels by drifting ice
that on March 11, 1816, an appropriation of $10,935.32
was made by the General Assembly, " to be employed
for the erection of piers for the river Delaware at the
Borough of Chester." David Porter, Joseph Engle,
and William Graham being appointed commissioners,
who should " cause to be erected, placed, and sunk in
the said river Delaware at the Borough of Chester,
two or more good and suflScient piers, for the security
of vessels navigating the said river, and shall also
cause to be built and constructed good and sufficient
wharves, to be so connected with the said piers as to
afford a safe and easy landing for vessels coming to at
the same ; and for this purpose they shall have power
to emjjloy suitable workmen, and obtain cessions to
the Commonwealth of ground within the said Bor-
ough of Chester, necessary for the erection and con-
struction of such wharves and piers, FroviJed, That
the said cessions be obtained without any consider-
ation from the Commonwealth." The act also pro-
vided that while the commissioners were to give
bonds for the faithful performance of their duties,
they were not to receive any compensation for their
labor. The work was also required to be begun
352
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
within one year, and completed within five years
from the date of the passage of the act.
By the act of March 24, 1817, an additional sum of
eight thousand dollars was appropriated, one-half of
which amount was to be paid to the commissioners
when work was resumed on the wharves "at Chester,
and the remainder on the 1st of June, 1818, "or so |
soon thereafter as the said work shall be completed," '
and by the same act William Anderson was substi- I
tuted for Commodore David Porter, The work was
to be proceeded with within one year, and completed
within three years after the passage of the act. j
Previous to the date of the law the owners of the ;
land on which the piers abutted ceded their interest I
in the wharves to the State. The deed conveying the
upper pier is as follows :
"THIS Indenture, made the 20th day of June, 1816, between Davia
Bevan, of the Borough of Chester, in the county of Delaware, and the
Commonwealth of Penusylvauia, gentlemen, of the one part, and the
said Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of the other part Whereas, by an Act
making an appropriation for the erection of piers in the river Delaware,
at the Borough of Chester, in Delaware County, David Porter. Joseph
Engle and William Graham, Esq., are authorized to obtain cessions to the
Commonwealth of ground within the said Borough of Chester, necessary
for the erection and construction of the wharves and piers provided the
said cegsions he obtained without any consideration from this common-
wealth, and whereas the wharf lying on the North east side of High
Street, in the said Borough of Chester, commonly called ' Richardson's
wharf,' has by good and sufficient assurances in the law became vested
in fee simple in the said Davis Bevan, who is desirous to aid the public
interest by ceding his title thereto to the Commonwealth, for the pur-
pose aforesaid: Now this indenture witnesseth, that the said Davis
Bevan in consideration of the premises and also in consideration of the
local advantages which will arise from the contemplated work, hath
granted, bargained, sold, ceded, surrendered and confirmed, and by
these presents doth grant, bargain, sell, cede, surrender and confirm
unto the said Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, all that the above men-
tioned wharf, situated, lying and being in the said Borough of Chester,
on the North east side of High Street and extending from low water
mark on the river Delaware to the fast land, being in breadth from low
water mark to a button wood tree Standing on the North east side of
said wharf about twenty-one feet, and thence to the fast land opposite
the north eml of a stone stable of the breadth of twenty feet, measur- I
ing from the South-west side of said wharf, as the foundations now I
exist. Together with all and singular the logs and bolts, stone and
other material belonging to and connected with said wharf, to have and
to hold the same for the purposes aforesaid with the appurtenances to I
the said Commonwealth of Pennsylvania forever; provided always !
nevertheless, that unless the said Commonwealth shall proceed to carry [
on the contemplated work within the period mentioned in the aforesaid
recited law, then this Indenture and the estate hereby granted and
ceded shall cease and become void. And the said Davis Bevan doth
reserve to himself and to his heirs the right liberty and privilege to
pass to, upon and from the said wharf, with free ingress egress and
regress, to and for him and bis heirs and his and their servants and
workmen, with horses, carts and carriages at all times and seasons for
the loading and hauling of goods and merchandise or other property,
and for shipping and sending away the same."
The lower pier, at the foot of Edgmont Avenue,
was sold by the sheriff of Chester County after Rich-
ardson's failure to William O'Neal, and he, on Nov.
4, 1797, conveyed it with other real estate to Eph-
raim Pearson. The latter ceded that wharf to the
State of Pennsylvania by the following instrument,
dated May 6, 1816:
^' To all peoph to lukom (/use P)-e8enls shall Conte. I Ephraim Peareon
of Chester, Delaware Cu-uuty, send greeting and whereas by an Act
making au appropriation for the erection of piers in the river Dela-
ware, at the Borough of Chester in Delaware County, David Porter, Jo-
seph Engle and William Graham, Esq., are authorized to obtain cessions
to the Commonwealth of ground within the said Borough of Chester,
necessary for the erection and construction of the Wharves and piers
provided the said cessions be obtained without any consideration from
this Commonwealth, Now know ye that I, the said Ephraim Pearson,
do hereby grant, transfer and cede to the Commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania all that piece of ground known by the name of ' Richardson's
Lower Wharf,' lying on the river Delaware, between the mouth of
Chester creek and Front Street continued and extended from high
water mark to low water mark, being in the Borough of Chester, afore-
said. To have and to hold the same, to the said Commonwelth forever,
for the purpose of erecting and constructing wharves and piers, and for
no other purpose; provided that if the said Commissioners shall not
make use thereof for the purpose aforesaid, within the time limited by
the above recited Act for finishing their work, then the cession to be
The State of Pennsylvania completed the piers at
Chester, but constant repairs had to be made to them,
until the commonwealth sorely repented accepting
the wharves, which, even after the State had recon-
structed them, were indifferent structures. Chester
being the residence of Commodore Porter, and many
of the noted men of the navy being often there, the
town acquired reputation in that branch of the public
service, hence government vessels frequently win-
tered in the space between the piers, riding at anchor
where now is solid ground. The State, desirous of
being relieved from the charge of this white elephant,
intimated that if the government of the United States
would stipulate to keep the piers at Chester in good
condition and repair, the commonwealth would cede
to the former their title to the piers. The influence
of navy officers was used. The United States ac-
cepted the proposition, and on April 11, 1825, the
commonwealth of Pennsylvania formally ceded the
piers at Chester to the national government.
The Logan House (Second Street, near Edgmont
Avenue). — This dwelling was built by Jasper Yeates
in the year 1700, on ground purchased from David
Lloyd, Dec. 11, 1699, and formerly a stone on which
was cut the initials " J. & C. Y.," with the date 1700
underneath, similar in appearance to the date-stone
of the old Porter house, was set in one of the gables.
These initials stood for the names Jasper and Catha-
rine Yeates. It was two stories in height, with a tent-
like roof forming an attic within, with steep sides.
Over the first-story windows was a pent-roof, similar
to that remaining on the old City Hall, and a porch
at the front door, with seats at each side of the door,
at right angles to the building. A wide door-way
gave access to the spacious hall, many small dia-
mond-shaped panes of glass set in lead, in the large
window-sashes, gave light to the several apartments,
and casements at the head of the stair landing fur-
nished the same to the wainscoted hall-way. All the
rooms were wainscoted also, and the panels were
painted or stained in imitation of mahogany. Large
closets were on each side of the wide chimney-places,
lighted by windows in the outer walls. Under the
high wooden mantel-pieces in the parlor and the
room opposite, across the hall, the fireplaces were
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
353
lined with illuminated tiles, delineating incidents of
Scriptural history. Large buttresses were built against
the gables for strength, and smaller ones to guard the
brick walls on each side of the main building. These
buttresses were subsequently removed.
Jasper Yeates, of Philadelphia, a native of York-
shire, England, married Catharine, daughter of James
Sandelands, the elder, and in 1697 purchased mills
and a tract of ground at the mouth of Naaman's
Creek. The next year he built a goodly-sized struc-
ture between Chester Creek and Edgmont Avenue for
a granary or store-house for grain on the second floor,
and established a bakery in the lower room. It should
be recollected that two hundred years ago Chester
Creek, at that point, was considerably to the west-
ward of the present stream^ He was a prominent
man of his day. He was appointed by Penn, when
the proprietary created the borough of Chester, Oct.
13, 1701, one of its four burgesses. In 1703 he was
chosen chief burgess of the borough, and is believed
to have been the first person holding that oiBce. He
was one of the justices of Chester County, afterwards
one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the prov-
ince ; a member of the Provincial Council, and a
member of the General Assembly. He and his brother-
in-law, James Sandelands, the younger, were the prin-
cipal promoters of the building of St. Paul's Church.
He died previously to May 2, 1720, for his will was
probated at New Castle, Del., at the date last given.
He left six children surviving him, — four sons and
two daughters.
John Yeates, the third son of Jasper and Catharine
Yeates, was born at Chester, March 1, 1705. He in;
herited from his father the " dwelling house" at Ches-
ter, with the " boulting" wharf, gardens and lots near
the same town, " bought of Jonas Sandelands and
Edward Henneston." He was a shipping merchant,
and resided for a time in the island of Barbadoes,
and afterwards in Philadelphia, where he acquired
considerable real estate. Later in life he sustained
large pecuniary losses in business ventures, and
through the influence of friends, in 1764, was ap-
pointed comptroller of customs at Pocomoke, Md.
He died there the following year. Under date of
Sept. 4, 1733, John Yeates and Elizabeth (Sidbot-
ham), his wife, conveyed the mansion-house and lot,
of which I am speaking, to Joseph Parker, as well as
other lands in Chester.
Joseph Parker was a nephew of the noted and ec-
centric Quaker preacher, John Salkeld. He was a
native of Cumberland, England, and in 1714, at the
age of twenty-five, came to the province and settled
at Chester to be near his uncle. He entered the office
of David Lloyd, and after Lloyd's death he succeeded
him as register and recorder of Chester County. In
1724 he was prothonotary of the courts, and in 1738
he was commissioned a justice of the peace, a posi-
tion of much dignity in colonial days. In 1730 he
married Mary, daughter of James Ladd, of Gloucester
23
County, N. J. His wife died the following year, leav-
ing one child, a daughter, Mary. Joseph Parker died
May 21, 1766.
Mary Parker, born April 21, 1731, at Chester, to
whom the Logan house descended, was married to
Charles Norris, of Philadelphia, in the old Quaker
meeting-house. Sixth month 21, 17.59. Her husband
died Jan. 15, 1766, and she returned to Chester and
resided in the parental mansion until her death, Dec.
j 4, 1799. She was the mother of three sons and one
I daughter, Deborah, to whom by will she devised the
Logan house.
Deborah Norris was born in Philadelphia, Oct. 19,
1761, and was a small child when her widowed mother
returned to Chester. She was married to Dr. George
Logan, a grandson of James Logan, Sept. 6, 1781,
and removed to the Logan family seat, Stenton,
where she resided until her death, Feb. 2, 1839. Deb-
i orah Logan was a woman of much literary ability,
and a historian of great attainments. Indeed, her
remarkable store of antiquarian information justly
entitled her to the appellation of "The Female His-
j torian of the Colonial Times." She had mingled
I freely with the leading spirits of the Eevolutionary
I period, and her cousin, Charles Thomson, the first
I and long confidential secretary of the Continental
Congress, was through life an intimate visitor at her
house, and from him she learned much of the inner
history of those times. In 1814, Mrs. Logan believ-
ing the correspondence of William Penn and James
i Logan contained much valuable information respect-
ing the early history of the commonwealth, she began
the task of collating, deciphering, and copying the
manuscripts in her possession, many of the documents
being much decayed and difficult to read ; but she in-
dustriously worked, rising in the winter-time before
sunrise and at daylight in the summer, for a period
of several years. Her manuscripts made eleven large
quarto volumes, and formed two clever-sized octavo
volumes when published by the Historical Society of
Pennsylvania. John F. Watson, the annalist, ob-
tained many of the interesting items in his popular
work from Mrs. Logan. The old dwelling is now
owned by Mrs. Rebecca Ross.
The Old Hoskins (Graham) House ( Edgmont Ave-
nue below Third Street). — John Simcock, of Ridley,
{ received a patent from the Duke of York for sixteen
I yards, fronting upon Chester Creek and running back
I into the land of Neeles Laerson, bounded on the north
I by lands of Joran Keen, and on the south by land of
Neeles Laerson. On the 5th day of Sixth month,
, 1684, Simcock sold to John Hoskins (then spelled
Hodgkins) the tract of land, and the latter, in the
year 1688, built the house now standing at the south-
east corner of Edgmont Avenue and Graham Street.
The house thus erected was used by him as an inn,
and was a substantial structure, as is evidenced even
in its present declination by an inspection of the build-
ing. It is two stories in height, with attics ; the steps
354
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and porch, which were located before the street-line
was definitely fixed, extend a goodly distance into the
sidewalk. A hall-way runs through the centre of the
building; a wide, easily-ascended staircase rises from
the rear of the entry at the south side to the apart-
ments above. The balustrade is fashioned of hard
wood and is very massive, while the steps of ash in
many places show marks of worms, who have eaten
deep grooves in the solid planking. The windows in
the lower rooms are deeply recessed within the apart-
ments, and old-time seats constructed therein. The
heavy beams supporting the upper floors stand prom-
inently out from the ceiling. In the rooms on the
first and second floors on the north side of the house
the high, old-fashioned wooden iiuintels over the large
farers could seat themselves at either side of the chim-
ney, on benches provided for that purpose, and enjoy
the warmth of the roaring fire of huge logs, formerly
the only way employed to heat that part of the build-
ing. In the days of its ancient grandeur there was a
portico or veranda in the rear of the main building
extending ten or twelve feet outward, which was in-
closed with lattice-work, where, in the summer-time,
the hospitable table was spread. An old oven, long
since torn down, was attached to the house on the
north side of the kitchen, and a well of good water,
now abandoned, was located in the rear and at some
distance from the portico.
John Hoskins and Mary, his wife, were natives of
Chesh:
England,
HOSKINS (GRAHAM) HOUSE, BUILT IN
fireplaces are flanked by enormous closets, which are
lighted by small windows in the outer walls; those in
the southern end have been walled up. The floors
are laid in hard wood, and the flooring-boards are
wide, — almost the entire width of the trees from which
they were cut. The ceilings are lofty for the time
when the building was erected, and the house is di-
vided into numerous sleeping apartments intended to
accommodate many guests. The steep roof exter-
nally would indicate that the attics were so low that
they would be uncomfortable to the inmates, whereas
the contrary is the fact. The kitchen, which is built
in an L on the northeastern end of the house, is large;
the fireplace comprising almost the entire eastern end,
— now inclosed as a closet, — is of that ample size,
usual among our ancestors, that the benumbed way-
id came to this country in the
year 1682. In August, 1684,
he purchased from John Sim-
cock the property whereon he
afterwards built the house ;
and he had purchased Ninth
month 21, 1681, from Penn,
before leaving England, two
hundred and fifty acres of land,
which was laid out to him in
Middletown township, between
the landsof Richard Crosby and
David Ogden, Fourth month
27, 1684. He was a member
of the General Assembly which
sat March 12, 1683. His will,
dated Eleventh month 2, 1694/5,
and probated Aug. 15, 1698, in
Philadelphia, is signed John
Hodgskins, but the renuncia-
tion of the executors named
therein, dated 12th of Sixth
month, 1698, speaks of him as
John Hoskins. He left two
children, John and Hannah,
and his widow, who although
aged, married in 1700, George
Woodier, of Chester. His
daughter, Hannah, married, in
1698, Charles Whitaker. His estate was a large one
for those times, the appraisement amounting to £450
12s. 2d., and the different articles set forth therein, as
contained in the various rooms of the house wherein
he died, answer to the number in the present Graham
house.
His son, John Hoskins, married in 1698, Ruth At-
kinson, and in 1700, when only twenty-three years of
age, was elected sheriff of the county, an oflSce the
duties of which he discharged so successfully that for
fifteen years in succession, excepting during the year
1708, he was continued in that oflSce. To him the old
homestead descended, and here he lived until his
death, Oct. 26, 1716. He was the father of four sons
and one daughter, Mary, who married John Mather.
One of the sons, I suppose, died before their mother,
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
355
for in the will of Kuth Hoskins, dated July 3, 1739,
she mentions only her sons Stephen and Joseph Hos-
kins,— although John was still living, — and devised j
to her son-in-law, Mather, a house and lot. Stephen '
Hoskins was born in Chester, Twelfth month 18,
1701/2, and Joseph was born in the same place.
Fourth month 30, 1705. i
Stephen Hoskins married, in 1727, Sarah Warner, j
of Maryland, and moved into that province, but re-
turned to Chester, 1730, and was elected coroner of
Chester County. About 1743 he removed to Phila-
delphia, and it was to his son, John, of Burlington,
that Joseph Ho.skins, of the Porter house, devised the
real estate of which he died seized. This Joseph
Hoskins, to whom more particular reference will be
made in account of the Porter house, purchased the
homestead from his brother, John, to whom it was
awarded in partition of John Hoskins', the elder,
estate, and on June 4, 1762, Joseph sold the house
and lot to Henry Hale Graham. A brief notice of
Judge Graham has been given herein, as also an
account of William Graham, his son, to whom the
property descended. The house and lot was sold by
the heirs of William Graham to John G. Dyer in 1857,
by whose estate it is now owned.
The Old Porter (Lloyd) House.— It is doubtful ■
whether any building in the United States, whose
history extends over more than a century and a half, :
has had connected in the title to the property so many
distinguished owners as will be found in that of the
old Porter house in this city, whose record was closed
in that appalling tragedy, in 1882, which enshrouded
our city in mourning for a season.
By patent dated April 9, 1669, Francis Lovelace,
Governor-General under the Duke of York, granted
unto Neeles Laerson, alw Friend, a large tract of
ground comprising one hundred and fifty acres, but
which by subsequent survey proved to include in the
boundary lines one hundred and eighty-three acres.
The patent reserved a yearly rent of one and a half
bushels of winter wheat, payable to the king. Laer-
son entered into possession of the land thus allotted
him, built upon and improved the premises. By will,
dated Dec. 17, 1686 (he died the following year),
Laerson gave authority to his wife to sell the real
estate in her discretion. In exercise of this power, Ann
Friend (the family had by this time assumed the Eng-
lish alius as their family name, and had abandoned
the Swedish patronymic absolutely), the widow, An-
drew Friend, son and heir of Laerson and Johannes
Friend, the second son, by deed dated May 27, 1689,
conveyed the estate to David Lloyd. Lloyd, how-
ever, after he built the house whose history I am
writing, seemed to have had some doubts of the suffi-
ciency of the title, and therefore, thirty-four years
subsequently, July 13, 1723, he had Ann Friend (then
one hundred and five years old), and Gabriel Friend
and Laurence Friend, the younger sons of Neeles
Laerson and Ann, his wife, execute a deed conveying
the premises he had purchased in 1686. Parts of the
estate thus acquired were sold by Lloyd to .Joseph
Richardson, and to Kodger Jackson, but he subse-
quently repurchased the land thus conveyed, and in
addition acquired from Jonas Sandelands a consider-
able tract, until the estate had increased to about five
hundred acres.
David Lloyd, a sketch of whose eventful, useful
life is given in the chapter on the bench and bar,
was twice married. His second wife was Grace
Growden, whom he married after the year 1703, for
several deeds of that year are executed by him
alone, indicating that at that time he was a wid-
ower. By his first marriage he was childless; by
his second, he was the father of one son, who, at an
early age, was killed by an accident. He died " 6th
day of ye 2d month" (May), 1731, aged seventy-eight
years, for such is the inscription on his tombstone in
Friends' graveyard here. If it be a fact that he was
seventy-eight years old when he died, David Lloyd
could not have been born in 1656, and yet all the au-
thorities agree in giving the latter date as that of his
birth. By his will, dated March 24, 1724, after a few
bequests, the remainder of his estate is devised to his
wife, Grace, who was twenty -seven years' younger than
her husband.
The old mansion was built in 1721, and the slab on
which was engraved the letters " L. L. D. & G., 1721,"
which was formerly in the western gable of the dwell-
ing. The house was of stone, massively built, and
was one of the best specimens of colonial grandeur
which had descended to our time. It received many
additions to it after it passed into the possession of
Commodore Porter, such as the building of the cupola
on the roof the walling up of the open corner chim-
ney-place and substituting therefor the grates and
marble mantels which were seen there when the ruins
were visited by thousands of people after the explosion.
Lloyd lived sumptuously in the old mansion, then, as
before stated, one of the most imposing dwellings in
the New World, entertaining largely and keeping a
retinue of servants. He was one of the eight gentle-
men of means in the province, including the Gov-
ernor, who, in the year 1725, are recorded as owning
four-wheeled carriages drawn by two horses.
Grace Lloyd, in her widowhood, was attended faith-
fully by her friend, Jane Fenn, a noted minister of
Friends, until the latter married, and in turn became
the mistress of the old dwelling. Jane Fenn was born
in 1693, in London, and when very young was strongly
impressed with the belief that it was her duty to go
to Pennsylvania, and after several years had elapsed,
in which she struggled against the impression, she
sailed in 1712, in company with a Welshman, Robert
Davis, who with his family were emigrating to Penn-
sylvania. Davis had paid her passage, and she had
obligated herself to return the outlay out of the first
money she could earn ; but when he insisted that she
1 should bind herself as a servant for four years to re-
356
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
pay him the money, she resisted, as she had not come
as a redemptioner. Davis had her arrested for debt.
She was thrown into prison, but was relieved there-
from by some Friends, who paid the claim and em-
ployed her in their families as a teacher of their
children. At this time she was not a Quaker, but
the kindness of these people attracted her towards
them, and finally she united with the society and be-
came ultimately one of its most efiicieut ministers.
It is recorded that at a meeting at Haverford, David
and Grace Lloyd came in, and immediately Jane
Fenn, who was present, was impressed with the con-
viction that " these were the people with whom she
must go and settle," while David and Grace Lloyd
were in their turn impressed with Jane, " and it was
fixed in their minds to take her for the Lord's ser-
vice." She lived with them until 1727, when she visited
THE PORTER (LLnYD) HOUSE, BUILT IN 1721, BESTKOTED BY EXPLOSION FEB.
17, 1882.
[From photograph owned hy W. W. Amos.]
England and Ireland on a religious mission, and re-
turned to Chester in 1730, a short time previous to
David Lloyd's death. She remained with his widow
until her (Jane Fenn's) marriage to Joseph Hoskins,
Eighth month 26, 1738, at Chester Meeting.
On May 1, 1741, Grace Lloyd conveyed the man-
sion and most of the real estate she acquired under
her husband's will to Joseph Hoskins, reserving two
acres of ground, and " also the room in the southwest
corner of the mansion-house, called the dining-room,
the room on the northeast corner of said house, called
the parlor, with a closet and milk-house adjoining,
the chamber over the said dining-room, the chamber
over the said parlor, one-half part of the garret, the
front part of the cellar, the old kitchen and chamber
over it, the chaise-house, the use of the pump, cider-
mill. and cider-press to make her own cider, and part
of the garden, with free liberty of ingress, egress and
regress into and out of all and every the premises for
the term of her natural life without impeachment of
waste." Grace Lloyd died in 1760.
Joseph Hoskins was one of the most useful citizens
Chester has ever numbered among its residents. He
was an enterprising, public-spirited man, doing good
and asking no mere gratification of bis personal vanity
by coupling his gift with conditions that the donor's
name should be made conspicuous and held in remem-
brance because of these works by which others should
be benefited. He gave because his heart prompted
the act in the love he bore his fellows. Joseph Hos-
kins was born in Chester, June 30, 1705, and seems to
have been an active man of business. When twenty-
six years of age he made a voyage to the island of
Barbadoes, but returned after a short absence, and in
1739, after his marriage, he went
to Boston on business. In the
early days of our country a jour-
ney such as this was a remark-
able event in a man's life, and
at this time more persons can
be found in Chester, in propor-
tion to its population, who have
visited Japan than, at the period
I am alluding to, who had made
a voyage to Boston. He was
made chief burgess of Chester
and one of his majesty's justices
of the peace in 1758. By his
will, dated Twelfth month, 1769,
he devised certain lands in the
borough of Chester for school
purposes, more fully mentioned
under that heading, and also
gave ten pounds towards inclos-
ing Friends' graveyard, on Edg-
mont Avenue, with a brick or
stone wall. Being childless, the
residue of his estate, after a few
bequests to relatives and friends,
he devised to his nephew, John Hoskins, of Burlington,
N. J. This John Hoskins, in 1750, had married Mary,
a daughter of Joshua and Sarah Raper, of Burlington,
and their son, Eaper Hoskins, who came to Chester in
charge of his father's property there, on May 2, 1781,
married Eleanor, daughter of Henry Hale Graham,
while Joseph Hoskins, Raper Hoskins' brother, mar-
ried, June 12, 1793, Mary, a younger daughter of
Henry Hale Graham. John Hoskins, to whom the
estate descended under Joseph Hoskins' will, after
holding the title to the premises for eighteen years,
on March 22, 1791, made a deed conveying a large
tract of land, comprising that whereon the old man-
sion-house stood, to Raper Hoskins. The latter hav-
ing died in the fall of the year 1798, a victim of the
yellow-fever scourge in Chester, his widow, Eleanor
Hoskins, was granted letters on his estate, and in dis-
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
357
charge of her duties sold the property, April 28, 1799,
to Thomas Laycock. The estate subsequently was
purchased by Maj. William Anderson. Evelina An-
derson, the daughter of the major, having intermar-
ried with David Porter, in that year the newly-wedded
couple made their home at the old mansion, excepting
during the times when Porter was located at naval
stations in charge of the government yards. Feb. 24,
1816, William Anderson and Elizabeth, his wife, "in
consideration of the natural love and affection which
they have and bear for their son-iu-law, the said David
Porter, as well for and in consideration of one dollar,"
conveyed to David Porter, in fee, the house, improve-
ments, and a trifle over three acres and a half of land.
David Porter was born in Boston, Feb. 1, 1780, and
was appointed midshipman April 3, 1793. He was a
lieutenant on board the " Constellation" when that
frigate captured the French vessel of war, " L'lnsur-
gent," in February, 1799, and was promoted for his
bravery on that occasion. In 1800 he was wounded
in an engagement with pirates off Santo Domingo, and
was promoted to the command of the " Enterprise."
While commanding that vessel he captured a Trip-
olitan corsair. He had charge of the expedition which
destroyed several feluccas, ladened with wheat, under
the batteries at Tripoli, in which engagement he was
again wounded. In 1803 he was captured in the frigate
"Philadelphia," when that vessel grounded in the
harbor of Tripoli, was taken prisoner, and for eigh-
teen months was held as a slave. In 1806 he com-
manded the " Enterprise," and fought and severely
handled twelve Spanish gunboats near Gibraltar. In
1812 he was commissioned captain, and placed in
command of the " Essex," which vessel he rendered
famous in our country's annals, although he finally
lost the ship in one of the most noted naval combats
of history with two British vessels of war off Val-
paraiso. In 1815 to 1816 he was one of the naval
commissioners, and in the latter year made a success-
ful cruise against the pirates that then infested the
Gulf of Mexico. In consequence of some infraction
of naval law he was suspended for six months; in
1826 he resigned his commission and entered the
Mexican navy as its commander-in-chief, an office
which he soon resigned. In 1829 he was appointed
United States consul at Algiers, and when that coun-
try was conquered by the French he was made United
States charge d'affairs at Constantinople, and while
discharging the duties of that office he negotiated
several important treaties with that government. He
died at Pera, near Constantinople, March 3, 1843, and
his remains were brought to this country and interred
in Woodland Cemetery, Philadelphia. Mrs. Evelina
Porter survived her husband twenty-eight years, dying
Oct. 1, 1871, in her eightieth year.
David Porter left five sons and two daughters. The
eldest daughter, Evelina, married Cai)t. Harris Heap,
and the youngest, Imogene, married Mr. Harris.
William David Porter, the eldest son, born in New
Orleans in 1810, entered the navy in his eighteenth
year. During the early part of the Rebellion his
j loyalty was unjustly suspected when he was in com-
mand of the sloop-of-war " St. Mary," on the Pacific
station. He was, however, assigned to duty on the
' Mississippi River, where he fitted out the gunboat
i fleet, and was placed in command of the " Essex,"
which took part in the attack on Forts Henry and
Donelsoii, in which latter engagement a ball from the
fort plunged through the boiler of his vessel, and the
escaping steam so severely scalded Porter that he
ultimately died from its effects, May 1, 1864. Not-
withstanding his feeble health, he ran the batteries
between Cairo and New Orleans, took part in the
attack on Vicksburg, destroyed the rebel ram "Ar-
kansas" near Baton Rouge, and assisted in the attack
on Port Hudson. He had by this time become so ill
that he was ordered to New York to recruit his shat-
tered health, and died there at the date stated.
David D. Porter, the pre.sent admiral, is said to
have been born in Philadelphia in 1813, although in
his letter to the Hanley Hose Company respecting
the date-stone of the Porter house he speaks of
Chester as his native place. When a mere lad at
school in this city, one Saturday afternoon he and
the late George W. Piper provided themselves with
several pounds of powder, and made what the boys
call a squib. The match seeming to have gone out,
David Porter and his companion got down on their
knees and blew the flame. The squib exploded, and
Porter and Piper were blown over the fence, near the
old mansion. The hair on their heads was burned
off", as well as their eyebrows, and the skin of their
faces and hands was blistered badly. This was the
future admiral's "baptism of fire." He entered the
navy as midshipman in 1829, and from 1836 to 1840
was attached to the coast survey. He took part in
the Mexican war, and in 1861 joined the Gulf Squad-
ron, in command of the " Powhatan." He was in
command of the mortar-boats in the attack on the
forts below New Orleans, in 1862, and did important
duties on the Mississippi and Red Rivers in 186-3-64.
He was conspicuous in the siege of Vicksburg, for
which he was made rear-admiral. In 1864 he was in
command of the North Atlantic Blockading Squad-
ron, and rendered efficient services in the capture of
, Fort Fisher, in January, 1865. In 1866 he was made
vice-admiral, and in 1876 admiral of the United
States. He is the present owner of the old Porter
property in this city.
Theodoric Porter, the third son, entered the regular
army in 1838 as lieutenant in the Seventh United
j States Infantry, and was killed in a skirmish with the
1 Mexicans, April 18, 1846, during Gen. Taylor's ad-
! vance previous to the battle of Palo Alto. It is
stated by army officers that he stayed out of camp the
night before the battle, and his body was found the
next morning with several dead Mexicans lying
around his corpse.
358
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Fifty-two years ago, when David D. Porter and his
younger brother, Theodorie, were living at the old
mansion, the winter was very severe and the river Dela-
ware was frozen over. The two venturesome men an-
nounced their determination to sleigh to Philadelphia.
Many of the residents of Chester tried to dissuade
them from the attempt, but at nine o'clock in the
morning they started from the foot of Welsh Street,
David driving. The mouths of the creeks were piled
with ice several feet in height, and they were com-
pelled to take the inside channel. A goodly part of
their journey was performed on enormous cakes of
ice which were entirely loose from the shore. At
noon they reached the navy-yard, and, returning, left
that place at three o'clock. The cold had become so
intense that the two men were compelled to stop and
build a fire on the ice to warm themselves. Resum-
ing their journey, they reached Chester at nine
o'clock at night. They had traveled thirty miles
on the frozen surface of the river, a feat never
attempted before, or, if it had been, no record thereof
has been made.
Henry Ogden Porter (or " Budd,'' as he was famil-
iarly called), the fourth son, named for his uncle,
Capt. Henry Ogden, was in the navy, and afterwards
in the revenue service. During the Rebellion he was
an acting lieutenant in the navy, and fought his ves-
sel— the gunboat " Hatteras" — off Mobile, in an en-
gagement with the "Alabama," until she sunk, her
flag still flying proudly as she disappeared beneath
the water. He died, about seventeen years ago, near
Washington.
Hamilton Porter, the next brother, was a lieutenant
in the navy (on the "Flirt"), and while in the ser-
vice died of yellow fever, Aug. 10, 1844.
The old house, after Commodore Porter's family
ceased to use it as a residence, was leased to a number
of tenants, until at last the location of the gas-works
in that neighborhood rendered it no longer a desira-
ble dwelling, and it was leased, in 1862, to Professor
Jackson, of Philadelphia, for a pyrotechnic manufac-
tory. On Friday morning, Feb. 17, 1882, shortly
after seven o'clock, fire was discovered in the kitchen
of the old structure, and the alarm was responded to
promptly by the fire department, although the entire
force had been out late the preceding night battling
with the flames which had laid the Pennsylvania
Military Academy in ruins. The crowd which had
gathered about the Porter house kept back because
of the report which had been spread among them
that gunpowder was stored in the establishment, but
when they saw the chief of the fire department and
the members of the various fire companies approach-
ing near to the structure, they drew closer to the
scene. Flames at this time were observed coming
out of the windows on the west side, and in half an
hour after the firemen had arrived and had gone into
service a slight explosion occurred, which occasioned
no injury. The men who had fled in alarm when
this explosion took place, being assured that all dan-
ger was past, returned to the work of saving the
building from absolute destruction. Hardly had the
firemen again mounted the ladders and resumed their
labors, when a second explosion took place, which
leveled the walls of the old kitchen to the ground
and tore huge gaps in the northern and southern
walls of the main building. The air was filled with
stones, which were hurled to great distances, killing
in all eighteen persons and wounding fifty-seven,
many of the latter still bearing upon their persons
the disfiguring marks of their narrow escape from
death. The houses in the neighborhood were in
many instances damaged, and window-glasses were
shattered at considerable distances from the scene of
the explosion. Never before in our city's history was
there such wide-spread horror and dismay as on that
fatal morning.
Business was entirely suspended, and each person
sought to learn if any of their family, friends, or ac-
quaintances were among those who had been killed
or injured. Every effort was immediately made to
alleviate the suflerings of the wounded, and for the
relief of those families wherein death from explosion
had occurred. To that end a fund amounting to
about ten thousand dollars was subscribed within a
few weeks and distributed by a committee appointed
for that purpose. The occurrence of this frightful
calamity is too recent to require more than this brief
mention now, but it will pass into our history as one
of the most appalling events which has ever happened
in Chester, and for many years to come will be nar-
rated by those who witnessed it to succeeding gener-
ations in all the vivid details that memory always
lends to such an incident.
The Huertine House. — The brick building on the
south side of Third Street, more than midway in the
block toward Edgmont Avenue, which is now occu-
pied by Browning & Co. as a clothing-house, was built
by William Huertine subsequent to 1712 ; for August
12th of that year John Musgrove aud Mary, his
wife, sold to William Huertiue the ground on which
the house was afterwards erected, subject to a yearly
quit-rent of two shillings to the heirs of James Sande-
lands, the younger, and the same day Jonas Sande-
lands and Mary, his wife, confirmed the grant, re-
serving to the heirs of the grantor a yearly quit-rent
of two silver shillings. William Huertine, who was
a silversmith, erected the house, but subsequently
removed to New York, where he died. His widow,
Elizabeth, and his children and heirs, March 2, 1724,
conveyed the house and grounds — a larger tract of
land — to Ruth Hoskins, who in her will, dated July
3, 1739, devised the house and lots to her son-in-law,
.John Mather, he paying fifty pounds to John, Ruth,
and Mary Hoskins, the grandchildren of the testators,
and children of her son, Stephen Hoskins.
It was generally believed by our local historian that
John Mather was the landlord of the present City
THE CTTY OF CHESTER.
359
Hotel, which after the Revolution was known as the
" Ship George Washington." A full investigation of
the records establishes the fact that Mather never was
a publican, but a practicing attorney of the courts of
Chester County. He resided in this house, and by
his will, June 28, 1768, devised it to his grandson,
John Mather Jackson, who, on March 26, 1783, sold
the premises to Edward Vernon. The latter had
rented the dwelling in 1780, and had obtained license
for the house, which he purchased at the date men-
tioned. In 1784, Vernon sold the property to Fred-
erick Engle, who devised it to his daughter, Sarah,
wife of Thomas Killie, and in 1804 the latter sold it
to Preston Eyre. In the fall of the year 1814 the
Bank of Delaware County was established in this
dwelling,— the home of the cashier, Preston Eyre. In
1844 the latter conveyed the premises to his son-in-
law, Hon. Edward Darlington, who resided there
until 1858, when he in turn sold it to Mrs. Jane
Flavin. On March 25, 1863, Thomas Moore pur-
chased the house and lot, and carried on therein a
hardware-store with success. Mr. Moore retired from
active business several years ago, since which time he
has devoted himself to scientific studies, and to him
more than all others the city is indebted for the estab-
lishment of the Chester Institute of Science and Me-
chanic Arts.
The Old Lloyd House (Second and Edgmont Av-
enue).— David Lloyd obtained title for the green, or
the church land lying between the creek and Welsh
Street, and south of Neeles Laerson's tract of ground
to the river Delaware, Dec. 28, 1693, by deed from the
church wardens lo the Swedish congregation " at
WiccoccB," which act on his part is criticised severely
by Rev. Mr. Ross in his letter, June 21, 1714, to the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts. " Ye Glebe lands." he said, alluding to this
tract, " was irreligiously sold by some Swedes under
ye name of church-wardens, to a powerful Quaker,
who now plows and sows it, and disposes of it at his
pleasure, but 'tis hoped his precarious title will be
one day inquired into, and the Church restored to her
rights again." This tract, which had been given to
the Swedes' church by Armgard Pappegoya, could
not be wrenched out of the strong grasp of David
Lloyd, and notwithstanding the determined opposi-
tion of Jasper Yeates, he succeeded in having the
land confirmed to him by the proprietary government.
That the house at the southeast corner of Edgmont
Avenue and Second Street was built by David Lloyd
seems absolutely certain, since in his deed to William
Pickles, May 4, 1703, it is specifically set out in the
indenture that the house was at that time erected.
Its appearance supports the statement, for its archi-
tecture marks it as contemporaneous with the Logan
and Hoskins houses. The executors of the estate of
William Pickles sold the premises to John Baldwin,
and the estate passing to Baldwin's grandchildren,
John Baldwin and John Pierce, they sold the house
to Jonas Preston. The latter built a wharf on the
creek, part of the stone placed there for that purpose
being removed when the present Second Street bridge
was erected. Adjoining the wharf by the creek-side
he erected a stone store-house, which stood until after
the middle of this century, when it had degenerated
into a place to keep swine. After the death of Jonas
Preston the premises were purchased by John Wall,
a merchant of Philadelphia, who had married Han-
nah Grubb, widow of Richard Flower, of Chichester.
The purchaser never lived in the house, but after
May 16, 1777, John Flower (Wall's step-son), on his
marriage to Elizabeth Beethom, at the Chester Meet-
ing, resided in the old building. It is traditionally
stated that Elizabeth Flower was so alarmed when
the battle of Brandywine was fought — the noise of
the distant cannonading could be heard in Chester—
that she was taken ill, and so serious were the effects
of her fright that she lingered a long time on the eve
of dissolution, and died in October of the following
year. In 1782, John Wall sold the property to Wil-
liam Siddons, who kept a tavern there in 1778-79.
A short time prior to the Revolutionary war Sid-
dons was charged with the murder of a peddler of
jewelry, who was found with his throat cut near
Munday's Run, and the body robbed of all the
money the dead man was supposed to have about
him at the time of the homicide. When the crime
was perpetrated, and Siddons was under suspicion, a
rhymster of rude verse of that day composed a ballad,
beginning, —
" At Munday's Run, near Chester town.
Old Siddons knocked the peddler down,
And robbed him of his golden store,
And left him weltering in his gore."
Siddons was arrested, indicted, and tried, but on
the hearing of the case he was enabled to prove a
complete and uncontradicted alibi, while the prose-
cution was predicated purely on circumstantial evi-
dence, which failed to connect the accused in any
direct way with the commission of the crime. The
fact that he was charged by some of his neighbors
with a felony of such hideous character embittered
his entire after-life. William Siddons died June 22,
1820.
The dwelling subsequently was purchased by Lewis
Ladomus, and in 1869 was occupied by John Hanley,
a well-known citizen of Chester, from whom the
Hanley Fire Company derived its name. " Jack"
Hanley, in the latter ten years of his life, was totally
blind. He died in 1874. The old Lloyd house is
now owned by Jonathan Pennell.
The Barber House. — David Lloyd, under date of
June 14, 1699, conveyed a lot on the northeast corner
of Second Street and Edgmont Avenue to Robert
Barber, and he it was who erected the dwelling ad-
joining the present Edgmont House to the east. The
house was an imposing one in its day. The pent-roof
over the second-story window still remains, although
360
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the porch, which formerly projected out some dis-
tance on the sidewalk, has,been removed. It has two
doors : the eastern one leading into the parlor, and
the western door into the hall-way, a room of the same
size as the one on the opposite side, and in this apart-
ment the staircase ascended to the rooms above.
Back of this was the sitting-room, while in the rear
of the parlor was a dining-room. The fireplaces and
hearths in the hall-room and the parlor were laid in
blue tiles, presenting scenes from scriptural history,
and in the chambers above, on each side of the fire-
places, were large closets, similar to thosfe in most
dwellings built at that period.
John C. Beatty, of this city, states that in this
house, in the northwest room on the first floor, the
wound of Gen. Lafayette, after the battle of Brandy-
wine, was dressed by Mrs. Mary (Gorman) Lyons.'
In support of this statement he narrates the following
incident, which he recalls as having occurred when
Lafayette was in Chester in 1824. Mr. Beatty's grand-
father, John Caldwell, who did good service for the
Continental cause, took him (Beatty) to .see the
"national guest," and when his grandfather had
shaken hands with Lafayette he said, " You don't
remember me, general?" "Yes, I do," replied the
Frenchman; "you're John Caldwell; I remember
you very well ; you stood by me when my wounded
foot was dressed." That day Caldwell walked with
his grandson to this house, and the former showed
him (Beatty) where the table stood in the room on
which Lafayette laid while his injuries were cared for.
During the Revolution, Elisha Price owned and lived
in this house. The house is now owned by Isaiah H.
Mirkil.
The Delaware County Republican for Jan. 10, 1845,
says that the citizens of Delaware County " tended
upon and dressed the wounds of the beloved Lafay-
ette, when he lay wounded in the Friends' Quaker
meeting-house at Chester." John Hill Martin states,^
" Gen. Lafayette rode on horseback to Chester from
the battle-field at Brandy wine, where he was wounded,
but remained there only one night, in the old ' La-
domus House,' at the southeast corner of Third Street
and Edgmont, now occupied by Bawer's clothing-
1 A letter written by Joseph Weaver, Jr., in 1843, alludes to the house
where Lafayette's wound was dressed. The letter is as follows:
" Chester, Delaware Countt, April 3, 184.3.
"Hon. Calvin Blvthe.
" Defir Sir: — I take the freedom of recommending to your attention
Mr. Grossman Lyons, of this place, as a suitable person for the situation
of Collector of Customs at Marcus Hook. From a long acquaintance
with Mr. Lyons I feel warranted in representing him as a man that will
well and eflBciently execute his duties.
" It may not be improper to add that Mr. Lyons is a sou of a Revolu-
tionary charactef who served his country during the whole of that W'ar,
in sustaining our Independence, and his mother was the lady who
waited upon and dressed the wounds of Lafayette, at Mrs. Withey's
Tavern (now the Columbia House) in Chester, after the battle of Brao-
dywine.
" I am very respectfully yours truly,
"Joseph Weaver, Je."
2 History of Chester, p. i!54.
store." At present a public-house — the Lafayette
Hotel — is kept there.
The Morgan (Terrill) House (Market below
Fourth Street). — The old building standing on the
east side of Market Street, the second structure south
of Fourth Street, was built by Evan Morgan. The
land was part of the twenty acres patented May 31,
1686, to James Sandelands, the elder, and was con-
veyed by John Crosby and wife, Jan. 20, 1723, to
Thomas Griffing, subject to a yearly quit-rent of one
shilling. This John Crosby was a son of Richard,
the first of that name who came to Pennsylvania after
Penn acquired title to the province. Griffing sold
the house aud lot to Evan Morgan in 1725, and his
son, John Morgan, in 1783, conveyed the premises to
Jemima Dasey, widow of the Baptist clergyman at
Marcus Hook, and her sister, Mary Linard. Mrs.
Dasey and her maiden sister carried on a dry-goods
and trimming-store there until October, 1809, when
the house and lot was sold to Dr. Job H. Terrill.
Some of the old people of Chester can recall Mary
Linard as an elderly woman, lame, and hobbling
along, leaning on a cane when walking. The prop-
erty is now owned by Mrs. Emeline Deshong, to
whom it descended from her father. Dr. Terrill.
The Caldwell Mansion,— The handsome dwelling
on the west side of Edgmont Avenue, north of Twelfth
Street, since it was modernized by Col. Samuel A.
Dyer during his ownership of the property, is never-
theless an ancient building. The ground upon which
it stands is part of a tract of one hundred and twenty
acres which was patented April 2, 1688, to Eusta An-
derson. June 21st of the same year Anderson con-
veyed it to Charles Pickering, who, on Oct. 13, 1688,
conveyed the property to David Lloyd, and he in
turn sold twenty acres of it, subject to a yearly rent
of one silver shilling, to John Hoskins, the elder,
who, dying seized of the estate, it passed by descent
to his son, John Hoskins, the younger. The latter
dying intestate, his widow, Ruth, and his son, Ste-
phen Hoskins, and his daughter, Mary Hoskins, and
her husband, John Mather, in 1733, released their in-
terest in the premises to Joseph Hoskins, another son
of John Hoskins, the younger, and he in turn, April
9, 1741, conveyed the land to Stephen Cole. This
latter deed, in 1744, and under a power of sale in his
will, his executors, April 17-18, 1746, conveyed the
premises to John Caldwell, who, shortly after he ac-
quired possession of the estate, built the mansion-
house still standing. He was a native of Dublin, and
is said to have been the son of an Irish nobleman.
He came to this country early in the last century^
and seems to have acquired considerable property.
He died subsequent to June 5, 1772, and in his will,
which bears that date, he devised his real estate to
his two sons, — two shares to the eldest, and the other
share to the youngest. After the death of their father
John purchased the one-third interest of his brother,
George, in the homestead. John, known to the last
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
361
generation as Squire Caldwell, was a carpenter and
builder by trade, and was born and died in the old
dwelling. He is said to h.ave been a private in the
Continental army during the Revolutionary war, and
the musket he carried — one captured from the Hes-
sians at Trenton — is now owned by James Black. He
is also said to have been a lieutenant in the American
service, and fought against the Indians on the fron-
tier, who were waging war on the colonists in the in-
terest of the crown. When the royal forces were in
possession of Philadelphia, and the English squadron
lay off Chester, the squire was much troubled with
foraging parties from the fleet. John Caldwell stood
it for a time, but every fresh visit from the enemy
aroused his indignation until he could remain quiet
no longer, and in a small boat he rowed out to the
flag-ship, demanding an interview with the admiral.
Earl Richard Howe. He was kindly received, and
in the conference be informed the English com-
mander that his men had taken from him all his pork,
provisions, milk, and butter, until his family had
been left in want of the necessaries of life. The ad-
miral listened attentively, said that he would prevent
any more depredations on the squire's property, and
asked the latter to make out a bill for articles already
taken, which was done, and the paymaster was or-
dered to discharge his claim immediately. John
Caldwell returned to his home, the unaccustomed
clinking of broad gold pieces in his pocket making
his heart lighter and mitigating his angry feelings
until he almost wi.shed the foraging parties would
visit his farm once more, that a like cure for his in-
juries could be again prescribed by the British oflicer.
Squire Caldwell acquired considerable estate. He
purchased and added to the homestead plot the tri-
angular lot at the intersection of Edgmont and Prov-
idence Avenues, which was known in early times as
" Hangman's Lot," because public executions had
there formerly taken place. The culprits were sus-
pended from a wild cherry-tree, ou one of the. lower
branches, which extended some distance almost at
right angles to the trunk, and it is traditionally re-
lated in the Caldwell family that on one occasion
from the windows of the mansion across the street the
inmates of the old dwelling saw pendent from that
fatal branch a man who was executed for stealing a
lady's work-box, which stood temporarily on the sill
of an open window, so that he could filch it without
difficulty. John Caldwell died Nov. 24, 1834, intes-
tate, and on Feb. 23, 1835, Thomas Caldwell, his
eldest son, elected to take the homestead at the val-
uation placed on it in proceedings in partition. The
latter was owner of the old house only for a brief
season, for he died Aug. 20, 1835, and the estate was
held in common by his heirs until May 22, 1864,
when it was purchased by Henry B. Edwards. In the
spring of 1870, Col. Samuel A. Dyer became the
owner of the property, and the ancient dwelling was
modernized. In November, 1872, Col. Dyer sold the
property to A. L. Bonaffon. It is now owned by God-
frey Keebler, of Philadelphia, and occupied by Rev.
Thomas McCauley, pastor of the Third Presbyterian
Church.
The Ashbridge House.— The ancient dwelling
standing on the east side of Edgmont Avenue, be-
tween Second and Graham Streets, is partly built on
the site of the House of Defense. The ground on
which it stands was part of the estate of Jasper
Yeates, who devised it to certain of his heirs, for
July 13, 1728, George McCall and Ann, his wife
(Jasper's eldest daughter), and John Yeates, by re-
lease, granted this house and other lots to George
Ashbridge. The latter was a Friend, who as early as
1688 emigrated, as a young man, to Pennsylvania and
settled near Chester. Who it was built the house I
fail to learn, but in all probability George McCall or
John Yeates did, for the title to the ground was in
these parlies fully eight years after the death of Jas-
per Yeates, before they parted with the premises.
Ashbridge, by his will, March 1, 1747/8, devised the
estate to his second son, George, who seems to have
been an adroit politician, for, e'lected to the General
Assembly in 1743, he managed to maintain the confi-
dence of Friends (he being one of the society) until
1773. How for thirty consecutive years he contrived
to avoid committing himself on many of the votes
taken during the long French war, which appro-
priated men and money to carry on that struggle, is
incomprehensible, but in the latter year the society
I "report they have taken an oppty with one of the
' representatives in Assembly and that he do not appre-
I bend culpable." That he was active in the Assembly,
and must have been a man of more than the general
average out of which representatives are made, is
evidenced by the perusal of the journal of Samuel
Foulke.' On the death of the second George Ash-
bridge the premises passed to his eldest son, George
Ashbridge, the third of that name in the chain of
title, who sold it. May 5, 1797, to Dorothy Smith and
Zedekiah Wyatt Graham, sister and brother of Henry
Hale Graham, as joint tenants. Dorothy, who had
married John Smith, of Lower Chichester, Twelfth
month 4, 1783, was a widow at this time. Zedekiah
Graham was a wealthy bachelor, and the brother and
sister lived together in this house. Of the brother,
Deborah Logan writes : " He was a man of such in-
tegrity and worth that I have heard him characterized
as an Israelite, indeed, in whom there was no guile."
The atfectiou between them was so marked that in his
will he gave to her the income of his whole estate
during life, while she devised to her brother one-
third of her property absolutely. Zedekiah Graham
died of yellow fever in 1798, and his sister, who
nursed him in his illness, was attacked by the
scourge, and sent for her nephew, William Graham,
who had abandoned his home and fled to the country
1 Peima. Mag. of Hist., vol. v. pp. 64, 65, 6», 71.
362
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
to escape the pestilence. It is related that the latter
sat on his horse in the street while the nurse from
the second-story window informed him as to the dis-
position his aunt wished to make of her estate ; thus
the will was written, attached to a string, and drawn
up to the chamber of the dying woman, who refused
to permit any of her kin to visit her, and thereby en-
counter the risk of infection. By her will, Nov. 17,
1798 (the whole title to the house having vested in
her by survivorship), she devised it to her nephew
and four nieces in equal parts. Three of the nieces
and the nephew conveyed their interests to Catharine
G., the fourth niece, and wife of Capt. Thomas Rob-
inson, in October, 1812.
Thomas Robinson was a captain in the merchant
service, but during the Tripolitan war a lieutenant
under Commodore Preble when that officer, in com-
mand of the American squadron, bombarded Tripoli,
June 21, 1804. Robinson was in charge of one of
the bombards — vessels carrying mortars — on that oc-
casion ; the shrouds of his vessel were shot away, and
her hull so shattered that it was with the utmost diffi-
culty she could be kept above water. During the war
of 1812 he was a volunteer lieutenant in the navy,
and was on board the frigate " President" when the
latter vessel was captured. As will be remembered.
Commodore Decatur, in command of the " Presi-
dent," went to sea from New York, Jan. 14, 1815, and
at daylight the following morning the American offi-
cer discovered that the English squadron, comprising
the seventy-gun ship " Majestic," the fifty-gun frig-
ates " Endymion," " Pomona," and " Tenedos," were
in chase of the vessel. By noon Decatur found that
he was outsailing all of the enemy's sliips except the
"Endymion," which vessel had steadily gained on
him, until, at five o'clock in the evening, that frigate
had obtained a position on his starboard quarter, and
opened a destructive fire on the sails and rigging of
his vessel. Decatur was compelled to bear up and
engage the enemy, in the hope of disabling her be-
fore the remaining vessels could arrive to her assist-
ance. A warm action of two hours and a half fol-
lowed, which resulted in the British frigate dropping
astern, her guns silenced, and her masts gone by the
board. During the latter part of the battle with the
" Endymion" Robinson had charge of the trumpet.
It is stated that the first, fourth, and fifth lieutenants
on the " President" were killed or wounded, and De-
catur called for Lieut. Gallagher to take the trumpet,
but Robinson, " hearing the hail, came up from the
gun-deck," whereupon Decatur said, " Take the trum-
pet, sir;" and Robinson took command of the deck.
The American frigate made sail and attempted to
escape, but the English squadron had come within
gunshot of the " President" while that vessel was
engaged in the encounter with the " Endymion," and
being crippled by the heavy fire she had sustained,
Decatur was compelled to strike his flag to the British
frigates " Tenedos" and " Pomona."
Capt. Robinson, after his discharge as a prisoner of
war (for the naval action was fought after the treaty
of peace had been signed), returned to the merchant
service, but the news of the loss of the American
packet-ship " Albion" on the coast of Ireland, April
21, 1822, as well as the explosion of the steamboat
" Etna," in New York harbor. May 15, 1824, under
his command, and the frightful loss of life on those
occasions, so impressed Robinson with the responsi-
bility appertaining to the office of captain of a vessel
that he refused ever again to take command of a
ship.
Catharine G. Robinson, his wife, died Jan. 24, 1836,
and by her will, Feb. 27, 1834, devised the house to
her daughter, Sarah P. Coombe. The latter lived in
the old house for many years, and vacating it, she
rented the Coombe property. At her death, March 5,
1865, the estate became vested in her heirs, who still
retain the ancient dwelling.
Lamokin HaU.— The original Salkeld house, built
about 1708 by John Salkeld, Sr., as it now stands in
the way of Norris Street, between Third Street and
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail-
road, must shortly be removed to make room for im-
provements on that thoroughfare. During the last
half-century it was used as the tenant-house on the
Kenilworth estate after John W. Ashmead built the
large mansion in 1838 (since torn down), and also by
Dr. William Young, who purchased the estate iu
1849. The Perkins house, or, as it was known to a
past generation, " Lamokin Hall," was erected many
years afterwards by John Salkeld, a son of the noted
original emigrant of that naine.
John Bristow, to whom a large tract of land was
granted by patent from the proprietary, died seized of
the estate, and his son, John, an edge-tool maker,
Feb. 25, 1702/3, conveyed to Henry Wooley a
goodly number of these acres. The latter in turn,
Jan. 27, 1706/7, conveyed the premises to John
Salkeld, a man of means and education, whose ready
wit and quickness in repartee made him noted in his
generation, and many of his telling rejoinders are re-
[ counted even to this day. Salkeld visited this coun-
try in 1700, before he settled permanently here, and
on the 9th of Seventh month, 1705, he and his wife,
Agnes (Powley), sailed for Philadelphia. In the fol-
lowing year he purchased the property mentioned
and came to this vicinity to reside. He was an eflec-
tive preacher, and made many religious visits to
neighboring meetings in Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
and Delaware, and several times to New England,
Long Island, and on one occasion to Great Britain
and the West Indies. He, as I have already stated,
was a natural humorist, and a few of the stories which
have descended to our own time will repay narrating.
One day Salkeld was wearing a new hat that had a
button and loop, then quite fashionable, and he was
remonstrated with by a Friend for adhering to the
usages and customs of the world. John tore off the
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
offending part of his apparel, remarking, "If my
friend's religion consists of a button and a loop I
would not give a button and a loop for it." On an-
other occasion, when at a meeting of Friends, the
speaker who was addressing the audience being so
tedious that many in the assembly were almost asleep,
Salkeld sprang to his feet, exclaiming, " Fire! fire!"
Every one was awake immediately, and many put the
query, "Where?" "In hell!" responded John, "to
burn up the drowsy and unconverted." After he re-
turned from a religious journey to New Jersey, he
said, " I have breakfasted with the Ladds, dined with
the Lords, and slept with the Hoggs," the names of
the families that entertained him. One time as he
walked from his corn-field, a Friend by the name of
Cloud passing by, said, "John, thee will have a good
crop of corn." Salkeld afterwards relating the cir-
cumstance, stated that he heard a voice coming out
of a Cloud, saying, "John, thee will have a good
crop of corn." He rode at one time a horse with a
blaze in its face, and a neighbor who thought to be
merry with him, said, "John, thy horse looks pale
in the face." " Yes, he does," he replied ; " and if
thee had looked as long through a halter as he has,
thee would look pale in the face too."
He was personally about medium size, but his wife,
Agnes, was very tall and muscular, hence her de-
scendants, who are all noticeably tall, inherit this
characteristic from her. John Salkeld died Sept. 20,
17-39, and by will devised the farm of one hundred
acres, on which the house stood, to his son, David
Salkeld, and left the plot of ground whereon Lamokin
Hall was subsequently built to his wife, Agnes, and
she, by will Seventh month 11, 1748, devised the es-
tate to John Salkeld, the younger. The latter, in
1731, had married Elizabeth Worrall, who became the
mother of thirteen children. John Salkeld, the
younger, by will Dec. 13, 1776, devised his real estate
to his eight children (the others had died in child-
hood) in equal parts, his whole estate, however, being
charged with his wife's support. In the distribution
of the property the land under consideration was al-
lotted to his son, Peter, who built the western end of
Lamokin Hall. Dec. 7, 1789, he sold the property to
Jacob Peterson. The latter conveyed it to James
Withey, who made the addition to the eastern end of
the old house about 1796.
James Withey having become insolvent the pro-
perty was sold by Sheriff Fairlamb, April 12, 1819, to
Charles Justice and William Graham. The pur-
chasers interchanged deeds, dated Feb. 27, 1821, by
which Charles Justice acquired absolute title to the
land south of the Post road, and William Graham
that north of the same highway. The latter having
trust-money belonging to his sisters in his hands at
the time of his death, Lamokin Hall was in the dis-
tribution of his estate transferred to his sister, Henri-
etta, who had married Richard Flower.
John W. Ashmead, who had built the house on the
I farm adjoining, after the death of his father-in-law,
! Mr. Flower, purchased the estate June 3, 1844, from
j the Hon. Edward Darlington, trustee to sell the pro-
perty, for the purpose solely of adding a trifle over an
acre to the lawn of his dwelling, so that his house
should be located in the centre of the lawn. After
thoroughly repairing Lamokin Hall he sold it Sept.
5, 1846, to Abram R. Perkins for six thousand dol-
lars. The latter had been a successful merchant in
Philadelphia, but his purchase of the property at
that price, thirty-six years ago, was, perhaps, in the
shaping of events, one of the most fortunate transac-
tions in his business career, for the premises in that
period have so increased in value that it alone has
made his estate worth thirty times what it originally
cost him.
Charles Justice, on his portion of the old Withey
estate, which extended from about the present Ulrich
Street on the east to Lamokin Run on the west, and
I from the Post road to the river, built (in 1828) the large
brick dwelling, still standing, on Second Street east
of Pennell Street, the brick used being made on the
farm, and burned in a damp kiln. The property was
subsequently purchased by Edmund Pennell, and the
j dwelling is still called the Pennell house.
! The Thomas Barton House.— John Wade, of
Essex House, on July 27-28, 1736, conveyed to
' Thomas Barton a tract of land, which, from the pecu-
liar bend in Chester Creek, its eastern boundary was
known as the " Horseshoe." The plot contained a
trifle over seventy-one acres, and was sold subject to
the payment of ten shillings annually forever towards
the support of a free school in Philadelphia. In Sep-
tember of the same year John Wade conveyed twenty-
one and a half acres to Thomas Barton, in addition to
those already purchased, subject to two shillings
yearly forever, for the like purpose, which charge on
the land had been created by the will of Robert
Wade. Subsequently the trustees of the school in
Philadelphia accepted a ground-rent on Arch Street
in that city, and discharged the Wade estate from the
payment of the annual rent mentioned.
Thomas Barton, who was an Irishman, is said to
have been a sea captain, and, retiring from that avoca-
tion, he settled in Chester, where he married, and be-
came the ancestor of the Barton family of Delaware
County. He had, however, between the date of the
purchase of this land and the conveyance of the
estate to Jonas Preston, been engaged in coach-
making, for in the deed to the latter, Feb. 19, 1759,
the grantors are described as " Thomas Barton, coach-
maker, and Susanna, his wife," and in referring to
the Wade deeds, it is stated " the said Thomas Barton
has since [1736] erected a brick messuage or tenement
thereon." This house is still standing in the rear of
Joshua P. Eyre's mansion on Seventh Street.
The Sandelands House. — The ancient dwelling
standing on the west side of Edgmont Avenue, in-
terposing itself directly in the way of the extension
364
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of Fourth Street to Chester Creek, was built by Jonas
Sandelands, the second son of James Sandelands, the
elder, previous to Aug. 21, 1732, for at that date
Arthur Shields and Mary, his wife, as the adminis-
trators of Sandelauds' estate (his widow, Mary, having
married Shields) conveyed the premises as a mes-
suage and lot to Jacob Howell, a tanner by occupa-
tion, who, on May 1, 1733, conveyed the messuage
and a portion of the land to John Wharton, a saddler,
of Chester, who subsequently removed to Philadelphia,
having first sold, July 20, 1749, the premises to Wil-
liam Pennell. The latter, by will. Twelfth month 20,
1756, devised the property to his three sons, — James,
Robert, and William. Robert and William Pennell,
Dec. 20, 1762, transferred their interests to their
brother, James. The latter, by will, Dec. 22, 1763,
devised it to his son, Thomas, who died unmarried
and without issue, and his title vested in his four
brothers,— William, James, Nathan, and Jonathan.
The three first named, April 9, 1782, conveyed their
interests to Jonathan Pennell, the grandfather of the
present owner.
Jonathan Pennell was a blacksmith, and at the time
he purchased his brothers' interest did not reside in
the house, which had been used as a hospital and bar-
racks by the American troops during the Revolution-
ary war, and was then in a dilapidated condition.
It is related that when he first proposed to locate
here and purchase from the other heirs the entire
interest in the property, he called on Henry Hale
Graham, and desired his opinion as to his prospects
of success in his avocation at Chester. The latter, in
response, stated that he could uot answer with any
degree of certainty ; he simply knew that all black-
smiths in the town, theretofore, had grown so desper-
ately poor by crooking their little fingers that in a
short time they could not keep iron cold. In other
words, that intemperance had so reduced them that
they could keep no stock in their shops, but were
compelled to part with it to satisfy the cravings of
their appetites. However, Pennell must have im-
pressed Graham favorably, for he loaned him two
hundred and fifty pounds, and stipulated that he
would receive the principal at any time in sums of
ten pounds. So industriously and energetically did
Pennell labor that he succeeded far beyond his ex-
pectations. He soon began making payments as des-
ignated, and so often did he present himself with the
stipulated amount of ten pounds in liquidation of the
gross sum that one day, when he came on that errand,
Graham, after he receipted for the money, said, " Good
gracious, man, where do you get all this money ?" " I
hammer it out of cold iron," was the reply of Pen-
nell, who had not forgotten his first interview with
the judge. He ultimately acquired considerable
means, and became the owner of much real estate.
Jonathan Pennell devised the house and lot to his
son, Edmund, and the latter, Feb. 3, 1877, conveyed
it to his son, Jonathan Pennell, who resides therein.
I Licensed Houses in Chester.— The Boar's Head
Inn, heretofore mentioned as the noted public-house
where Penn spent the winter of 1682-83, was early
in the eighteenth century kept by Jonathan Ogden,
until 1727, when James Trego made application for
the license, and David Lloyd, chief justice of the
I province, recommended him in a letter to the jus-
I tice by a remonstrance against another applicant.
, " It is my opinion," he says, " that one will be suf-
ficient on that side of the Creek to answer the true
end of Inn-keeping, And If we had less on this
side [the east] the Creek It would be much bet-
ter." On Aug. 30, 1732, William Robinson had the
license, but at the August court, 1734, it was denied
to him because he then " Stands Indicted at New
Castle for an Assault." On the 28th of the same
month he boldly states that "being informed the jus-
tices would not allow him a recommendation as usual
. . . understand he is accused of some misdemeanor,
but wishes to be heard face to face by his accuser,"
but without success. William Weaver, on May 27,
1735, informed the court that he " hath Taken to
ffarm the house, with the appurtenances. Commonly
Called and known by the name of the Spread Eagle
Tavern, where William Robinson lately Dwelt, in the
Township of Chester," which indicates that the old
house had changed its name. In 1738, Abraham
j Taylor was the landlord, and in 1741-42 the petition
of William Hays states that for some years past he
had license at the " Spread Eagle," after which date
j the old inn passes out of the public records.
j The Black Sear Inn. — The hipped-roof house at
the northeast corner of Third and Penn Streets was
erected early in the last century, for in the will of
John Salkeld, Sr., Feb. 17, 1733/4, five years before
his death, he devised the premises to his son, Thomas,
and designated it as " the house and lot wherein my
I son-in-law, Anthony Shaw, now dwells." How long
Shaw lived there after the date mentioned I have not
, learned, but John Salkeld, Jr., on Aug. 30, 1737, on
, '■ Westerly side of Chester Creek, on great road to
New Castle," presented his petition to court stating
I that he wished to keep " a publick house," and being
i a maltster by trade, desired license to sell " Beer and
I Syder." In 1746 it was kept as a public-house by
John Salkeld, the youuger, for in that year he, among
other innkeepers, presented a petition to the Legis-
lature, asking compensation for the " diet of Capt.
Shannon's company of soldiers," quartered here
during the early part of the French war. At this
I time he was a tenant of his brother, Thomas, for the
latter in his will, June 21, 1749, after making specific
devises of other lauds, gave the residue of his estate
I to his brother, John Salkeld. The latter by his will,
I Dec. 14, 1775, gave an eighth part of his estate,
j which was large, to his daughter Sarah. He died
I early in 1776, for his will was probated January 29th
j of the same year. In the distribution of her father's
I estate, the Black Bear Inn became her portion. Sarah
THE CITY OP CHESTER.
365
Salkeld had married George Gill, an Englishman,
several years before her father's death, for in the
latter's will he leaves ten pounds to his grandson,
John Gill, and in all probability she was then land-
lady. George Gill was an outspoken Tory in the
Revolutionary struggle, and so ardent was he in the
defense of the English army and ministry that after
the battle of Brandywine, at the time the residents of
Chester were smarting under the outrages perpetrated
on them by the royal troops, he was compelled to
leave this neighborhood when the enemy abandoned
Philadelphia, and was proclaimed a traitor to the
colonies. When the British forces evacuated New
York, at the close of the war. Gill followed them to
Halifax. Subsequently he returned to Chester, was
arrested, and thrown into prison, but was discharged
therefrom by the act of Assembly, which, under cer-
tain conditions, allowed free pardon to proclaimed
traitors to the united colonies. The public-house
was kept from 1785 to 1789 by William Hazelwood,
and known as "The Ship in Distress." The dwelling
subsequently became the property of Hon. Frederick
J. Hinkson, and is now owned by his sons, — Henry
and Frederick J. Hinkson, Jr.
The Blue Ball Inn.— The old dwelling at the
northeast corner of Second and Market Streets was
erected by Francis Kichardson between the years
1765 and 1770. The land whereon it stands was
devised to him in 1760 by Grace Lloyd. At the
time he began the erection of this house Richardson
believed he was on the high road to great business
prosperity, but before he had finished it he became
financially embarrassed, owing to mistaken efforts to
advance Chester to the front rank as a commercial
rival of Philadelphia. There were holes still in the
brick walls until 1883, when the dwelling was re-
paired and modernized, where, when the house was
building, the timbers were inserted on which rested
the boards of the scaffolding. It is said by Martin
that in the days before the Mechanics' Lien law,
when masons were not paid for their work, these
holes were always left in the wall to indicate to their
fellow-craftsmen that default had been made in that
respect, and no mason would fill them in until the
builders' claims had been discharged.
When the house was first built it was a noted inn,
and from its peculiar sign — a blue ball suspended from
the end of a pole or staff, which projected from a hole
in the wall, in the gable-end on Market Street — it was
known as "The Blue Ball Inn." Its then landlord
was Samuel Fairlamb, who had married Hannah, the
daughter of Francis Richardson. It was one of the
dwellings struck by the balls from the English vessel
of war which opened fire on the town in 1777, as
narrated elsewhere, and the shot is said to have
passed directly through one of the rooms in the second
story.
The City Hotel.-On the 10th of December, 1700,
James Sandelands, the younger, conveyed the land on
the northwest corner of Third Street and Edgmont
j Avenue, on which this building was afterwards erected,
1 to David Roberts, and on May 26, 1714, Jonas Sande-
; lands, the brother of James, and Mary, his wife, con-
firmed the tract of ground to Roberts, reserving, how-
j ever, a yearly ground-rent of three shillings to his
heirs. I believe the building was erected by David
Roberts shortly after his purchase from James Sande-
lands. He received license there in 1717. In 1728,
David Roberts sold the property to Ruth Hoskins,
widow of Sheriff John Hoskins. On March 5-6, 1738,
Ruth Hoskins conveyed the property to her son-in-
law, John Mather. He was a prominent citizen, an
attorney with a large practice, and a justice of the
peace, an important dignitary in those days. John
I Mather leased the premises to .Tames Mather, perhaps
j his brother, since John Mather named his only son,
James, probably for the person mentioned. That
i James Mather kept the tavern here in 1746 we know,
[ for he was one of the number of innkeepers who pe-
titioned the Legislature for payment of certain claims,
more fully referred to in the account of the Black
Bear Inn, and in the journal of William Black, who
was the notary of the commissioners appointed by
Governor Gooch, of "Virginia, to unite with those from
the colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland to treat
with the Iroquois or Six Nations of Indians in refer-
ence to the land west of the Alleghany Mountains.
In describing the journey of the commissioners from
Virginia and Maryland to Philadelphia, under date
of Saturday, May 25, 1744, he records, —
"Nine miles from WilmiDgton. and at the line dividing New Castle
and Chester counties, were waiting the High Sheriff, Coroner and under
Sheriff of Chester county, who conducted us to Chester Town, six miles
further, where we arrived a few minutes before nine at night, and put
up at Mr. James Mathew, (Mather) the most considerable house in the
town; most of the company being very much fatigued with the day's
ride being very warm, they inclin'd for beds soon after they alighted,
and tho' for my pttrt I was not very much tir'd, yet I agreed to hug the
pillow with the rest."
The next entry in his journal, doubtless after re-
freshing slumber, is headed " Chester in Pennsylvania,
Sunday, the 26," and he records his doings in, and
impression of, Chester, of that day, thus :
" This morning, by the time the sun return'd to Enlighten My Bed
Chamber, I got up with a Design to take a view of the town. It is not
so large as Wilmington ; neither are the Buildings so large in General,
the Town stands on a Motith of a Creek of the same name, running out
the Delaware and has a very large wooden Bridge over it, in the middle
of the Town, the Delaware is reckon'd three miles over at this place,
and is a very good Road for Shipping; the Court House and Prison is
two tolerable large Buildings of Stone, there are in the Town a Church
dedicated to St. Paul, the Congregation are after the manner of the
Church of England; A Quaker Meeting and a Sweed's '(?}' Church-
about 10 of the Clock, forenoon, Comm'rs and us of their Leeve went to
St. Paul's ; where we heard a Sermon Preach'd by the Reverend Mr.
Backhouse, on the 16th Chapt. of St. Luke, 30 i 3l3t Verses, from this
some of us paid a Visit to the Friends' who were then in Meeting, but
as it happened to be a Silent One, after we had sat about 15 min., they
Shook hands and we parted, from this Return'd to our Inn, where we
had a very good Dinner, and about i in the Evening Set out for Phila-
delphia, Accompanied by the Shffs, Coroner, and several Gentlemen of
the Town, past thro' Darby a Town 7 miles from Chester, Standing on
a creek of the same name and at a Stone Bridge about half a mile fur-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ther, was met by the Sheriff, Coroner, and Sab-Sheritf of Philadelphi;
County. Here the Company from Chester took their leave of
James Mather subsequently purchased the lot on
which National Hall was erected, and there in an old
stone house for many .rears kept a public-house. It is so
described in the deed from Mary Morris to Jonas Eyre.
Mary Hoskins, who had married John Mather,
was a most admirable wife and mother. Her careful
training of her daughters is evidenced by the fact
that both of them became the wives of distinguished
men, and are alluded to by writers of acknowledged
position on several occasions for their personal ex-
cellence and womanly worth. Ruth Mather, to whom
the property was devised by her grandmother, mar-
ried Charles Thomson, one of the most noted men
in our national annals. He was a native of Ireland,
and during all the difficulties with the mother-country
was an ardent Whig. He was the first secretary of
the Continental Congress of 1774, and continued in
that office during the long struggle of the Revolution.
In recognition of the faithful discharge of his duties,
he was chosen to bear to Washington the intelligence
of the latter's nomination to the Presidency of the
United States. Of him John Adams, in his diary,
writes, "Charles Thomson is the Sam Adams of
Philadelphia, the life of the cause of liberty." He
retired from public office, and during his latter days
translated the Septuagint, which was published in
four volumes in 1808. He died in Lower Merion,
Montgomery Co., in 1824, in his ninety-fifth year.
Ruth Thomson died without children surviving her.
John Mather, by his will, dated May 26, 1768, devised
the premises to his daughter, Ruth, and his son-in-
law, Charles Thomson ; and in the event of the death
of Ruth without children, then to his granddaughter,
Mary Jackson. Jane Jackson and Ruth Thomson
were named as executors. Jane alone took out letters
testamentary. Charles Thomson, after the death of
Ruth, his wife, without children, March 5, 1785, re-
leased to Mary Jackson all his right and title in the
premises.
A description of the old tavern is furnished in the
following advertisement, which was published in the
Pennsylvania Oazette in the early part of that year:
" rpo BE SOLD.— A COMMODIOUS TAVEEN IN THE BORODGH
_; Chester, now in the tenure of Mr. Peter Sall<end;— the house
is three stories high, has four rooms on each floor,— large kitclieu ad-
joining, and a well of excellent water at the kitchen door ; the stabling
is good, can contain upwards of forty horses, and has room above for six
tons of hay ; there ar« a large yard aud garden belonging to tlie house,
also five acres of highly improved pastures. This house has been a well
accustomed luo for upwards of forty years past. For terms apply to the
subscriber in Philadelphia.
"David Jackson.
" January 19, 178S.
" N. B.— Depreciation certificates of the oflicers and soldiers of the
Pennsylvania line, as also final settlementsof the said line, at their cur-
rent value, will be taken iu part payment for the above premises."
1 Penua. Mug. of HkI., vol. i. p. 240. I have stated in "Historical
Sketch of Che«ter" that Jamea Mather was landlord of the Lafayette
House. This, I find, from examination of authorities of which I bad
then no knowledge, is an error.
On March 5, 1785, Mary Jackson conveyed the
hotel to Maj. John Harper, who gave it the name of
" The Ship George Washington." Harper was the
landlord of this tavern when the removal of the couuty-
seat to West Chester was the important topic of con-
sideration in Chester County, and the part he took in
that struggle has already been mentioned in this work.
Harper having removed to West Chester, he made de-
fault in the payment of the interest on the mortgage.
Suit was brought by the executor of Mary Jackson,
deceased, and on Aug. 1, 1788, Ezekiel Leonard,
sheriff, deeded the tavern and lot to her executor, Dr.
David Jackson, of Philadelphia; and the latter con-
veyed it, Jan. 14, 1793, to Matthias Kerlin, Jr., of
Trenton, N. J., who was the brother of William Ker-
lin, the owner and host of Washington House, and
subsequently returned to Delaware County to reside.
On March 30th of the same year, Kerlin sold the
tavern to William Pierce, of Lower Chichester, who
devised the estate to his widow, Mary. She married
David Coates, of Philadelphia, and the latter and his
wife conveyed the property, Feb. 27, 1802, to Abra-
ham Lee, of Saint George's Hundred, Del., and he, in
turn, March 22, 1803, sold the property to Edward
Eugle, who kept the hotel until he died (about 1810),
and his widow, Mary Engle, continued the business
until 1833, when she retired and leased the premises
to John J. Thurlow. The ancient hostelry under Mrs.
Engle's supervision was the fashionable and popular
hotel of the borough. In 1824, when Gen. Lafayette
was the guest of Chester, the First City Troop of
Philadelphia was quartered at her house, then known
as the Eagle Tavern ; for in a description of a journey
from old Ireland to Chester, written in verse by Philip
Sexton, then living at Squire Eyre's, on Edgmont
Avenue, during the early part of this century, he
referred to this hotel thus :
" If you stand on the bridge
And look to the east,
Tou'll there see an eagle.
Without any dread ;
You'll there get chicken,
Mrs. Engle was the mother of the late Rear Admiral
Frederick Engle, who died in 1866, and of Capt. Isaac
E. Engle, of the merchant service, who died in 1844.
Her daughter, Mary, married the late Hon. Samuel
Edwards, a member of the bar and representative in
Congress from this district from 1819-21, and again
from 1825-27, who died, leaving surviving him his
son, Henry B. Edwards, Esq., a member of the bar, a
leading citizen of Chester, and a daughter, Mary Engle
Edwards, who intermarried with Edward Fitzgerald
Beale, at that time lieutenant in the navy, and noted
for his celebrated ride across Mexico with dispatches
from Commodore Stockton during our war with that
country, subsequently prominent as superintendent of
THE CITY OF CHESTEK.
367
Indian affairs and in exploring expeditions, construct- ' Mr. Thurlow retired from business about 1840, and
ing public highways, and in surveys for projected rail- ' was succeeded by Maurice W. Deshong, who kept the
roads. In 1860 he was appointed surveyor-general of I house for a few years, and was followed by Maj.
California, and under Gen. Grant's second adminis-
tration was United States Minister to Austria. Gen.
Beale is one of the largest land-owners in the world,
his estate in California comprising two hundred thou-
sand acres of land.
Mary Engle's daughter, Abby, married John Kerlin,
Esq., a member of the Delaware County bar, and for
many years president of the Bank of Delaware County.
Her son, Frederick E. Kerlin, died in California more
than twenty years ago, and the other son, Capt. Charles
Kerlin, a well-known merchant captain, now retired
from service, lives in New Jersey. The latter in May,
1853, brought to Chester the first Chinese ever known
to have been in that town. His strange dress, and
"tail" three feet in length, drew a large crowd of
boys together, who followed him whenever he ap-
peared in the streets.
Mrs. Engle was succeeded in business by John J.
Thurlow, about 1828. I quote from John Hill Mar-
tin the following graphic description of the old hotel
in its palmiest days as a stopping-place for one of the
lines of stages which then passed through Chester for
Baltimore, Washington, and the South. He says, —
'Thurlow'8,'in the days of its busy greatness!
well I remember how, when I was a boy, I lingered near its hospitable
doors to see the handsome horses of the Reeside, Stockton & Stokes,
Murdeck & Sharp, and Janvier's rival lines of stage coaches changed ;
the smoking steeds detached by active hostlers, and the new relay of
well-groomed horses substituted, and saw the 'Stage driver,' an impor-
tant man in those days, with his great coat of many capes and long whip ;
the well dressed travelers sauntering about talking and smoking after
their meal, waiting for the stage. Oft I have peeped into the small,
clean bar-room, in the centre of which stood a large coal stove (in winter)
in a large sand box, that served as a huge spittoon. In one corner of
the room stood a semi-circuiar bar, with its red railings reaching to the
ceiling, into whose diminutive precincts the jolly landlady could scarcely
get her buxom person, while her husband with his velveteen shooting
coat, with its large buttons and its many pockets, excited my intense
admiration. At his heels there were always two or three handsome
Better dogs, of the finest breed and well trained. Sometimes I got a
glimpse of the south-west room. This was the parlor; back of it was u
room where travelers wrote their letters ; and back of the bar was a
cozy little room, mine hostess' sanctum, into which only special friends
were admitted. All these are now one large American bar-room.
"In reading accounts of the old English inns of coaching days, my
mind involuntarily reverts to 'Thurlow's,' for there on the walls were
hanging the quaint old coaching and hunting prints imported from
England, and around the house was ' Boots,' and the ' Hostler,' and ' the
pretty waiting-maid with rosy cheeks,' all from old England. The
horses are all hitched, the passengers are 'all aboard,' the driver has
taken his seat (the guard is blowing his horn, having taken one inside),
is gathering up his many reins ; now he feels for his whip, flourishes
:e within it Clay,
vhep I have stolen
1 seated around its
1 graceful
t does it with a report like a rifle-shot,
the hostlers jump aside, and with a bound and a rush, the coach is ofi
for Washington or Philadelphia, carrying perchai
Webster, or Calhoun. And of a winter's evening
out from home, I have passed the 'Tavern,' and sc(
cheerful fire the magnates of the town, telling stories of other days (as
I now could tell their names). And sometimes peeping through the
green blinds, I have seen a quiet game of whist going on ; perchance it
was 'all fours,' or else a game of checkers or dominoes." i
History of Chaster, p. 262.
Samuel A. Price, who continued the business until
1853, when the late George Wilson became the host.
After a few years Mr. Wilson retired, and was in turn
succeeded by Lewis A. Sweetwood. The death of
Mrs. Mary Engle, in 1870, at the advanced age of
ninety-four years, compelled a sale of the hotel and
other property, by order of Orphans' Court, to settle
her estate, and in that year William Ward, as trustee
to make the sale, conveyed the hotel property to
Jonathan Pennell, who, in turn, the same year,
sold the premises to Paul Klotz, the present owner.
The latter has made important additions and im-
provements to the eastern end of the ancient build-
ing.
The Washington House.— This ancient hostelry
was erected on a part of the twenty acres which by
patent dated May 31, 1686, the commissioner for
William Penn conveyed to James Sandelands. In
1720, Sandelands sold the land to John Wright, he
in turn conveyed it to William Pennell, he to James
Trego, who died the owner of the ground. In 1746,
Aubrey Bevan purchased the lot, which had been
used to pasture cattle, from the widow and son of
Trego. In the following year Aubrey Bevan erected
the present hotel building and gave it the title " Penn-
sylvania Arms," as will be seen by an inspection of
his will. He was an active and leading citizen of
Chester, and the structure, considering the time when
it was built, evidences fully the progressive spirit
which controlled his efforts. Aubrey Bevan died in
1761, and by will devised this property to his daughter,
Mary ; she, together with her husband, William
Forbes, by deed dated April 1, 1772, conveyed the
estate to William Kerlin, a wealthy man, as wealth
was then regarded, and a fervent Whig during the
Revolutionary struggle.
After the evacuation of Philadelphia by the Brit-
ish army, Kerlin named his hostelry " The Washing-
I ton House," a name it has been continuously known
j by to this day. Gen. Washington often, in passing
through Chester on his way to and from Mount Ver-
j non to the seat of government in New York and
Philadelphia, stopped at this hotel, and on those oc-
casions a certain room, the best in the house, was
assigned to his use. The ancient mahogany chairs
which stood in the room occupied by the first Presi-
lash, taking dent during these visits are still preserved among the
descendants of William Kerlin. He took an active
part in the discussion from 1780 to 1786 respecting
the proposed removal of the county-seat to West
Chester, and after the county-seat had been finally
removed from Chester he labored energetically to
bring about the formation of the present county of
Delaware. Kerlin did not remain mine host of the
Washington House until his death, for by his will,
proved April 29, 1805, he alluded, in his devise to his
i
368
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
daughter, Sarah Piper, to " the tavern house" being
at that time " in the tenure of Isaac Tucker."
Maj. Joseph Piper, who held a position in the
Philadelphia custom-house, under Gen. Steele, the
then collector, after the death of his father-in-law
resigned his office, removed to Chester, and kept the
Washington House, owned by his wife, until his death,
in 1827. It is related that Maj. Piper, being in Ches-
ter, saw Sarah Odenheinier, — formerly Sarah Kerlin,
— a well-formed, blooming widow, on horseback, and
was so impressed with her appearance that he wooed,
won, and wedded her for his wife. After his death his
widow continued the business at the hotel for several
years, but ultimately becoming weary of it, she leased
the premises to Evan S. Way, who had formerly kept
a tavern in Nether Providence. He was a conspicu-
ous man in the military affairs of the county a half-
century ago, an officer in the Delaware County troop,
and kept the hotel until he was elected sheriff, in
1837. The house was then rented to Maj. Samuel A.
Price. He was a genial gentleman, who is yet re-
membered by many of our old residents, an earnest
politician, and in 1834 was elected sheriff of the
county. In early life he was noted for his manly
beauty. An interesting item respecting the old hos-
telry during Maj. Price's occupancy was related in
The Delaware County Advocate several years ago. The
article stated that Gen. Harrison, in 1840, after he
had received the Whig nomination for the Presidency,
was returning from Washington, accompanied by a
number of gentlemen from New York, stopped for
dinner at the Washington House, and while there re-
ceived the congratulations of the citizens of Chester.
After dinner had been served the cloth was drawn,
wine, as usual on such occasions, was placed on the
table, and several toasts were drunk. It was observed
that Harrison drank water, and being thereupon
pressed to take wine, he rose and said, " Gentlemen,
I have refused twice to partake of the wine cup ; that
should have been sufficient; though you press the
cup to my lips, not a drop shall pass their portals. I
made a resolve when I started in life that I would
avoid strong drink, and I have never broken it. I
am one of a class of seventeen young men who gradu-
ated, and the other sixteen fill drunkards' graves, all
through the habit of .social wine-drinking. I owe all
my health, happiness, and prosperity to that resolu-
tion. Will you urge me now?"
The circumstance and remarks made by Harrison
were related by one of the gentlemen present nearly
forty years afterwards, hence the language used on
that occasion may not be accurately reported, although
the substance is doubtless correctly rendered.
Sarah Piper, by her will, proved Sept. 13, 1841,
directed that " the tavern-house and thereto belong-
ing, be sold within one year after my decease." In
compliance with that request, although there was a
longer interval than one year, her executors sold,
April 2, 1844, the premises to Henry L. Powell, who
in turn, October 11th of the same year, conveyed it
to Edward E. Flavill. Mr. Flavill conducted the
hotel as a temperance house, and Samuel West, an
earnest temperance advocate, employed Edward
Hicks, a Quaker artist, to paint a swinging sign, — one
side presenting a delineation of Penn's landing at
] Chester, and the other Penn's treaty (?) with the In-
dians,— which he presented to the landlord. This
I old sign, still in good preservation, is owned by the
1 present proprietor of the Washington House, Henry
I Abbott. The business proving unremunerative, Fla-
[ vill sold the property, Jan. 1, 1849, to Thomas Clyde.
Mr. Clyde had formerly kept an extensive country
store at the northeast corner of Market Square, the
building now owned and occupied by John C. Wil-
liams, and the eating-house of Mr. Dixon, adjoining,
having been erected by him for his dwelling and
store. He was also largely interested in quarries on
Ridley Creek. Mr. Clyde continued the hotel as a
temperance house with indifferent succe.ss for over
nine years, when he conveyed the property, April 12,
1856, to John G. Dyer. Mr. Dyer had formerly been
a clerk in the store of the late Joshua P. Eyre, and
subsequently had carried on the dry-goods and grocery
business in Philadelphia, Chester, and Rockdale, was
customs-officer at the Lazaretto, and was connected
with the late James Campbell in the manufacture of
cotton goods at Leiperville. He was a man of fine
conversational powers, possessing a ready, copious
vocabulary and pleasing address, which particularly-
fitted him for the business of keeping a hotel. He
died Oct. 26, 1881. In 1868, John G. Dyer conveyed
the estate to Samuel A. Dyer, and he, June 1, 1871,
sold it to Henry Abbott, who still owns the property,
and is the popular host of the Washington House at
this time. In 1883, Henry Abbott, Jr., at an outlay
of many thousand dollars modernized the old struc-
ture internally, and made extensive additions in the
rear of the building, preserving, however, its time-
honored appearance on Market Street.
The Columbia House. — The land on which this
ancient building stands was included in the patent
dated May 31, 1686, whereby the commissioners of
William Penn conveyed to James Sandelands, the
elder, in fee, twenty acres of ground in Chester. The
land descended to Jonas Sandelands in the distribu-
tion of his fathers estate. Jonas Sandelands died
subsequent to 1721, for at that time he held the office
of coroner of Chester County, and his widow, Mary,
married before 1731, Arthur Shields. Aug. 31, 1732,
Arthur Shields and Mary, his wife, the administra-
tors of Jonas Sandelands' estate, conveyed a tract of
land contaiiiing over two acres to William Trehorn,
subject to a yearly ground-rent of five shillings, to be
paid to the heirs of Jonas Sandelands. Trehorn and
Catharine, his wife, sold the land Nov. 14, 1733, to
Richard Barry, who built the present building pre-
vious to Dec. 7, 1736, and lived therein, for at the
last-mentioned date he mortgaged the premises, and
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
it is stated in that instrument that he had " erected a
new brick messuage upon the lot." " Barry made
Considerable preparation to follow the Employment
of a Distiller of Liquors." In February, 1738-39, he
asked the court for a license at this house, but he
failed to obtain the assent of the justices. In 1746,
John Hanly, who had purchased the estate, procured
the judges' favor, and continued annually to receive
it until 1770, when he died, although after the year
1764 he had removed to the house he owned at the
northwest corner of Market and Fifth Streets, which
then stood on part of the ground where Dr. Grey's
residence was in recent years. The Columbia House
(in 1764) was rented by John Wilhy, a retired Eng-
lish army officer, and he having died in 1765, the fol-
lowing year his widow, Mary, procured the license.
Mrs. Withy was a pensioner of the British government
for sixty pounds per annum. On July 18, 1771, she
purchased the property, and during the time she
was hostess the inn was reported to be the best-kept
tavern in America, and as such is frequently referred
to in publications of that day. This reputation
brought to her house numbers of prominent person-
ages when journeying between the seat of government
and points south of Chester. Mrs. Withy subsequent
to the Revolution retired from the -business and re-
moved to Lamokin farm. Her son, Samuel, main-
tained the most aristocratic notions, and became very
unpopular with the mechanics and workmen by de- j
daring that people in their condition should be re-
stricted from dressing in the same fabrics as used by
their more pecuniarily fortunate neighbors, so that
the wealthy and the laboring citizens could be desig-
nated by their apparel.
In this hotel tradition asserts the wounds of La-
fayette were dressed by Mary (Gorman) Lyons, but
that incident is claimed as having happened at three
other houses in the town of Chester. On Sept. 1,
1796, Mary Withy sold the premises to Maj. Wil-
liam Anderson, who at the date of his purchase had
been landlord of the hotel for two years, for it is
stated that he had built a frame summer house and
an ice house while the property was in his possession
as tenant. Maj. Anderson was a member of Congress
and associate judge of the courts of Delaware County.
A brief sketch of his life is given in the chapter re-
lating to the bench and bar, hence there is no reason
to repeat it now. In 1803 he built the Anderson
mansion, still standing at the northwest corner of
Welsh and Fifth Streets, and after that time until he
relinquished the hotel, his family resided in that
dwelling. On March 2, 1814, Maj. Anderson sold the
hotel to Nimrod Maxwell, of Huntingdon, who car-
ried on the business there for several years, when he
leased the house to John J. Thurlow, who remained
until 1828, when he removed to the National Hotel,
at Edgmont Avenue and Third Street, and James
Paist, Jr., kept the Columbia House. Maxwell having
died insolvent, suit was brought against his executors,
24
and April 12, 1830, Jehu Broomhall, sheriff, sold the
estate to the Delaware County Bank, which corpora-
tion held the title for several years, during which
time Samuel Lamplugh was landlord. March 13,
1833, the bank conveyed the property to Thomas
Ewing and Eliza, his wife. During the latter own-
ership, the hotel was kept by John Richards, the late
prothonotary, and he was succeeded by Frank Lloyd,
who, still living near Darby, loves to recount the
pranks and sports of the olden time, when woe awaited
a stranger at the hands of the madcap roysterers of
the ancient borough. Thomas Ewing and wife con-
veyed the estate, Jan. 17, 1839, to Capt. Elisha S.
Howes. He was a veritable "salt," who had earned
his title as master of merchant ships, and he kept it
for several years, until he relinquished it to embark
in the grocery business, and March 27, 1848, sold it
to James Campbell, who, after making extensive re-
pairs to the building, conveyed it, March 13, 1854, to
John Harrison Hill, who had kept the tavern at
Leiperville. The property being sold by the sheriff,
was purchased May 27, 1856, by Mark B. Hannum,
who conveyed it, April 1, 1857, to Mrs. Elizabeth
Appleby, who now owns it. Under the able manage-
ment of the present landlord, Thomas Appleby, the
old hostelry has become almost as noted as it was a
century ago.
The Blue Anchor Tavern and the Stacey House.
— The story of the old building at the southwest cor-
ner of Market and Fount Streets begins on Aug. 29,
1732, when James Trego presented his petition,
stating " that your Petitioner (has) Built a new
House on the Green, near the Court-House, for that
purpose,'; and desires a license " at ye said house as
usually he had in the said Town heretofore," which
was allowed him. On May 29, 1733, John West, the
father of Benjamin West, " Humbly showeth that
your Petitioner has taken to ffarm the house, with
the Appurtenances, where James Trego Lately Dwelt
on the Green, near the Court-House," and was ac-
corded the desired license. David Coupland, on Feb.
23, 1741/2, had leased the house where John Hanly
dwelt in Chester, — "the Blue Anchor," — received
license, and Hanly removed to the Columbia House.
Coupland kept the house in 1746, for in that year he,
with other innkeepers of Chester, petitioned the Leg-
islature for payment of the " diet furnished to Captain
Shannon's company," which troop was part of the
forces enlisted during the old French war.
David Coupland was born in Yorkshire, England,
and came to the colony with his parents in 1723, his
brother Caleb having preceded him nearly nine
years. In 1730 he married Isabella Bell, and from
that time seems to have taken an active part in the
movements of the day. Although hy birthright a
Friend, we find that in 1758, when Brig.-Gen. John
Forbes commanded the expedition which resulted in
the capture of Fort Du Quesne (now Pittsburgh),
David Coupland enlisted as a private in the company
370
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of Capt. John Singleton, and during that campaign,
he, with Benjamin Davis and John Hanby (Hanly), |
agreed to pay Hugh Wilson, of Lancaster County, j
five pounds as a bounty, for entering one wagon in [
the expedition, to be credited to the borough of j
Chester. j
When the misunderstanding between the colonies .
and England began David Coupland immediately
took sides with the former, and was earnest in his j
efforts to sustain the cause of the Whigs. At the as-
sembling of the people of Chester County in the old
court-house in this city, Dec. 20, 1774, for the purpose
of choosing a committee " to carry into execution the
Association of the late Continental Congress," David
Coupland was one of the committee chosen, and when
the body adjourned it was agreed that it should meet
on Jan. 9, 1775, at the house of David Coupland, and
from time to time it held its sessions at his tavern.
He was taken prisoner in 1778, in the night-time, by
a boat's crew from a British man-of-war lying in the
river off Chester, as heretofore related, and, as he was
an aged man, he died in consequence of the harsh
treatment to which he had been subjected. Who im-
mediately succeeded Coupland I have not learned, but
in 1790 Enoch Green was the landlord ; in 1796, Re-
becca Serrell. In 1801, Jesse Maddux received the
license. It is related that he had a number of ducks
of rare species, which, with pardonable pride, he
would frequently show his guests. On one occasion
a prisoner in the jail opposite threaded a strong cord
through a number of grains of corn, and dropped the
bait into the street, the other end being fastened to
one of the iron bars in his cell-window. A plump
drake, seeing the tempting morsel, bolted it, and the
man began to draw in his catch. The squeaking of
the duck apprised mine hostess that something out of
the usual way had happened, and she hastened to the
door. When she beheld the extraordinary rise in
poultry, she exclaimed, " You rascal, you ! that duck's
mine!" "That," replied the prisoner, coolly, "de-
pends on whether this string breaks or not."
In 1806 the license was granted to Rose Maddux,
and the following year to Jesse Agnew, who appears
to have named the tavern the " Hope Anchor." In
1817, Susan Dutton was the landladv of the Fountain
Inn, and in 1818, Elizabeth Pennell had license for
the " Hope Anchor." The following year John Ir-
win leased the tavern. In 1824, having purchased
the inn building, he changed the name to the
" Swan," and removed the old sign, and replaced it
with one representing a white swan swimming in
blue water, which creaked on gusty days as it swung
in the frame at the top of a heavy pole planted near
the curbstone at the intersection of the streets. Old
Chester Lodge, No. 69, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons, met in the third story of the building until
it surrendered its charter, in 1836, and after that date
the lodge-room was used by the Odd-Fellows. In
1854, Irwin died, and his widow continued the busi-
ness until 1844, when Maurice W. Deshong leased it
and changed the name to the Delaware County House.
In 1852, John Cochran purchased the property, and
converted the ancient inn into two stores and dwell-
ings. The corner store is now owned by the heirs
of Edward R. Minshall. and in 1879 was licensed as
a hotel, at present kept by Edward Kelly. The ad-
joining store and dwelling is now the property of
Joseph Ladomus, in which he carries on the jewelry
business.
The Stacey House, immediately adjoining the hotel
to the south, which was never used as an inn, was de-
vised by David Coupland to his daughter, Sarah,
who, in 1783, married Benjamin Bartholomew. The
latter was a member of the Assembly from Chester
County, and when that body, June 30, 1775, ap-
pointed a Committee of Safety, consisting of twenty-
five members, Bartholomew was one named from this
district. He was very active and efficient in discharg-
ing the duties of the position. He died in 1784, and
his wife, who survived her husband many years, re-
sided in the house until near her death, and by will
devised the premises to her niece, Tacey Ann (Bevan),
who had married George Stacey. The house is now
owned by the heirs of Sarah Van Dyke Stacey, wife
of David B. Stacey, a well-known, highly-respected,
and accomplished gentleman, whose memory is still
cherished by those who were so fortunate as to have
numbered him among their acquaintances.
The Steamboat Hotel.— Grace Lloyd, by her will,
dated the 6th day of Fourth month, 1760, devised
unto her cousin, Francis Richardson, of Philadelphia,
after certain specific devises of lands and bequests of
personal property to other parties named therein, " all
the rest, residue, and remainder of my lands, planta-
tions, lots of ground, rents, tenements, hereditaments,
and real estate whatsoever and wheresoever." This
Francis Richardson entered into possession of the real
estate thus devised to him, and began very extensive
improvements. He erected between the years 1761
and 1770, the substantial building at the northeast
corner of Market and Front Streets, now the Steam-
boat Hotel, as a dwelling for his family, built exten-
sive warehouses and a wharf at the site of the present
upper government pier, which wharf stood until the
year 1816, and was known as " Richardson's wharf,"
and prepared for a large business as a shipper of grain.
While he was making these improvements he was re-
monstrated with by many of his friends for his outlay
of money in the undertaking, and he was much in-
censed at their short-sightedness. Unfortunately for
his enterprise, the brewing troubles with the mother-
country worked disastrously for his speculations, and
resulted in entirely ruining him. His daughter, Deb-
orah, was married at Chester, June 10, 1773, to Jo-
seph Mifllin, and the same year Deborah, Hannah,
and John, together with their father, became members
of Chester Friends' Meeting. Hannah married Sam-
uel Fairlamb, Grace married Isaac Potts, and Frances
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
371
married Clement Biddle. The four daugliters of
Francis Richardson were much admired for their
beauty, and the exquisite transparency of their
complexion was so remarkable that the gallants of
those days reported that, when they drank a glass of
wine, " it might be seen trickling down their fair
throats." An elder son, who was born in Philadel-
phia, and named after his father, Francis, we are told
by the annalist, Watson, " was a person of great per-
sonal beauty," a statement Mrs. Deborah Logan fully
corroborates. About 1770 this son went to London,
having formed a passionate longing for military life
from associating with the British officers in Philadel-
phia, and secured a commission in the King's Life
Guard, of which crack regiment he subsequently be-
came colonel.' His brother John, who was a Friend
when the Revolutionary war broke out, was quite
active in military movements, and for that cause was
disowned by Chester Meeting in 1775. Francis Rich-
ardson died subsequently to the year 1779, for in April
of that year he was the lessee of a frame store-house
on the east side of Market, south of Fourth Street,
which afterwards became the property of Dr. Job
Terrill, and now of Mrs. John O. Deshong. He died
insolvent, and his real estate, dwelling, and ware-
houses were sold after his death by Ezekiel Leonard,
1 It is related that Sir William Draper made a tour of the American
colonies a short time after his newspaper eucounter with "Junius."
" During his slay in Philadelphia no one was so assiduous in his atten-
tions to him as Mr, Richardson, better known at that time by the name
of Frank Richardson, then from Europe, on a visit to his friends. This
gentleman was one of the most singular and successful of American
adventurers. The son of one of our plainest Quakers, he gave early in-
dications of that cast of character which raised him to his present sta-
tion, that of a colonel in the British guards. At a time when such at-
tainments formed no part of education in Pennsylvania, he sedulously
employed himself in acquiring skill in the use of the small sword and
the pistol, as if to shine as a duelist had been the first object of bis ambi-
tion. Either from a contempt for the dull pursuits of the * home keep-
ing youth' of this day, or from the singularity of his propensities re-
pelling associatiim, he was solitary and rarely with companions. Fair
and delicate to efferainancy, he paid great attention to his person, which
be had the courage to invest in scarlet, in defiance of the society to
which he belonged, in whose mind's eye, perhaps, as to that of the blind
man of Luke, this color from their marked aversion to it, resembles the
sound of a trumpet ; and no less in defiance of the plain manners of the
city, in which, except on the back of a soldier, a red coat was a phenom-
enon, and always indicated a Creole, or Carolinian, or a dancing mas-
ter. With these qualifications, and these alone, perhaps, Mr^ Richard-
son at an early age shipped himself for England, where soon having the
good fortune to establish a reputation for the theatre, he was received
into the best company, and thence laid the foundation of his preferment.
Such, at least, was the generally received account of bis rise. But
whether accurate or not, his intimate footing with Sir William is an
evidence of the style of his company whilst abroad, as well as the pro-
priety of his conclusion that his native land was not his sphere. As the
story went, on Mr. Richardson's first going to England, he happened to
be in the same lodgings with Foote, the comedian, with whom he became
intimate. One day upon his coming out of his chamber, * Richardson,'
said Foote to him, 'a person has just been asking for you, who ex-
pressed a strong desire to see you, and pretended to be an old Philadel-
phia acquaintance. But I knew better, for he was a d d ill-looking
fellow, and I have no doubt the rascal was a baitifi*; so I told him you
were not at home.' But here eitlier Foote'a sagacity had been at fault,
or he had been playing off a stroke of his humor, the visitor having
really been no other than Mr. , a respectable merchant of Philadel-
phia, though not a figure the most debonair to be sure."—" Reminis-
cences," Hazard's Register, vol. vi. p. 167.
high .sheriff, July 2, 1787, to Robert Eaglesfleld Grif-
fith, a lawyer of Philadelphia, who, on May 4, 1789,
conveyed the estate to Davis Bevan.
This Davis Bevan was of Welsh descent, and was
one of the most conspicuous characters in our city's
annals. He was married to Agnes Coupland, daugh-
ter of David Coupland, and was thirty-seven years of
age when the battles of Lexington and Concord were
fought. He is stated to have been an officer in the
Continental army, and Martin" relates the following
incident in his career as a soldier:
"He was with Washington at the battle of Brandywine, in 1777, and
after the defeat of the American forces he carried dispatches from Gen-
eral Washington to the President of the Continental Congress, then
sitting in Philadelphia, announcing the result of the engagement. A
gentleman by the name of Sharp accompanied Capt. Bevan. Proceed-
ing some distance from the army they observed they were pursued by
a l)arty of British light horse. Mr. Sharp was not so well mounted as
Captain Bevan, who had a thoroughbred mare of great action and en-
durance. Finding that the light horse were gaining on them constantly,
and that Mr. Sharp would persist in urging bis nag up the hills in spite
of his advice to the contrary, Capt. Bevan said, ' Sharp, if we keep to-
gether our capture is certain, therefore I think you had better take the
next cross-road that we come to, and I will continue on. They will
follow me, but I am confident they cannot capture me.' This proposal
was agreed to, and as soon as Mr. Sharp had turned off, Capt. Bevan
gave the rein to his mare, and his pursuers soon finding themselves dis-
tanced gave up the chase. When Capt. Bevan reached the Schuylkill
during the night, he found, owing to a heavy freshet, the ferry-boat was
either unable to run, or had been carried down the river. A boatman.
He landed safely on the Philadelphia shore, and replacing his saddle,
he hastened to deliver his dispatches. This officer had various adven-
tures, and otten ran great risks while the American army was at Valley
Forge. On one occasion he went to visit his wife at the house of a Mr.
Vernon, where she had come from Philadelphia, for the purpose of see-
ing him. Mr. Vernon's house was but a short distance from the British
lines, and it was therefore necessary that considerable caution should
be exercised to prevent capture by the numerous parties of British
foragers scouring the country. Mr. Vernon's sons were posted around
the house at convenient points for observation to give warning of the
approach of enemies, and Capt. Bevan went to bed. About the middle
of the night one of the boys came to his room, and informed him that a
jnonnted party were approaching the house and he had better prepare
to take his departure. Being rather an obstinate man he did not seem
to believe the report, but presently another picket came in and told him
that he would certainly be captured if he remained any longer. He
sprang out of bed, hurried on his regimentals, and reached the back
door just as the British party knocked at the front. He got to the
stable, where he found his mare already saddled, and leading her out,
and mounting, he leaped the farm-yard inclosure, and, being perfectly
familiar with the country, be had no difficulty in evading bis enemies."
During the Revolutionary war the house, whose
southern gable-end, as we know, stood near the river,
which at that time was a bold, gravelly shore, was a
conspicuous mark ; and when the British frigate
" Augusta," in 1777, sailed up the Delaware to be
sunk afterwards in the attack on Fort Mifflin, her
commander, in sheer wantonness, opened fire on the
defenseless town. One of the shot shattered the wall
in the gable-end towards the river, and the owner re-
paired the breach by placing a circular window in the
opening thus made. Id still remains there.
The house for many years was unproductive ; vari-
ous tenants occupied it, but because of the tradition
that shortly after the Revolution a negro named
« History of Chester, pp. 42, 43.
372
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Laban had been killed in the dwelling, being struck
on the head with an axe, whose blood was said to
have made an indelible stain behind the door where
he fell, and whose spirit wandered around the place
of his untimely death, they were of a class that could
not afford to pay remunerative rent for the premises.
After the death of David Bevan, his son, Matthew
Lawler Bevan, sold the property to John Ford, who
petitioned, in 1S27, for license for " the Steamboat
Hotel" stating that having lately purchased that cer-
tain large brick messuage, situated on Market Street,
at the upper pier, he is " desirous to keep the same as a
public houseof entertainment for the accommodation
of watermen passing up and down the river Delaware,
and also of travelers." This petition was accompa-
nied by a recommendation from the masters, pilots,
etc., of vessels of the port of Philadelphia, in which
they " certify that if license was granted to keep a
public house, situate at the Upper Pier in Chester, it
would be a great convenience and accommodation to
watermen passing up and down the river Delaware,
more especially in the winter season, during the time
of ice, etc." The business seems not to have been
successful, for in June, 1831, Jehu Broomhall sold the
property to Samuel Smith, who leased it to Henry T.
Reese, who was succeeded the next year by Welcome
D. Niles, for at the August court, 1833, the court
directed that a rule should be entered against Niles,
to appear on the first day of the November Court of
Quarter Sessions to show cause " why the license
hereinbefore granted to him should not be forfeited,
on account of his suffering disorderly riots and im-
proper conduct" in the house. In 1835, Nelson Wade
was the landlord. He was followed by Crossman
Lyons, a well-known citizen of Chester, the son of a
Revolutionary soldier, who, when a young man, had
joined Washington's army in its retreat through New
Jersey, had followed the fortunes of the Continental
troops through the war until its close, when he settled
in Chester, and married Mary Gorman, a woman of
extraordinary nerve, whose busy hands dressed many
of those wounded at the battle of Braudywiue, who
were brought to this city for attention. She it was
who waited on and dressed the wounds of Marquis de
Lafayette, on the evening of that disastrous day.
Crossman Lyons, Oct. 12, 1844, purchased the prop-
erty, and a few years subsequent he leased it to How-
ard Roberts, who, after keeping the hotel for about
three years, declined to continue the business longer, j
and Mr. Lyons resumed the post of "mine host"
until Nov. 12, 1851, w-hen John Goff, who had been
the landlord the year previous, purchased the prop-
erty. After his death, in 1857, his widow continued
the hotel, and she having died in 1883, the old hostelry
is presided over by her son, John Goff.
The Lafayette House. — The house at the south-
west corner of Tliird Street and Edgmont Avenue is
one of the oldest buildings in our city, and in a deed
from James Sandelands, the younger, Sept. 10, 1700,
to Stephen Jackson, the property is described as a
house and lot, thus showing that the structure ante-
dates that instrument. Stephen Jackson, on June
17th of the following year, transferred the property
to John Worrilow, and he in turn conveyed it, Aug.
29, 1704, to Philip Yarnall. The latter, after retain-
ing title to the estate for twenty-nine years, sold the
dwelling and lot to John Mather, Sept. 26, 1733, who
in his will. May 28, 1768, devised it to his daughter,
Jane. She first married Dr. Paul Jackson, who
dying in 1767, the following year she married Dr.
David Jackson. The latter and his wife, Feb. 27,
1775, conveyed the property to James Sparks, a mer-
chant of Philadelphia. The probabilities are that
Dr. David Jackson had lived in this dwelling, for in
1769 he was a resident of Chester. In 1784, William
Kerlin owned and resided there until his death, in
1804, when the propertii' descended to his son, John,
subject to his mother's life estate. John dying in
1817, his executors sold the house to James Chadwick,
who devised it to his son, John. The latter, while
owning the property, purchased two frame buildings
at Marcus Hook, and placing them on scows, had
them floated up to Chester, where he erected them on
the eastern end of his property on Third Street.
Both of these houses are now owned by the estate of
Henry Abbott, Sr., deceased. This was considered a
marvelous feat in those days.
The dwelling, in 1830, became the property of
Charles Alexander Ledomus, whose heirs still own
it. In 1875 it was leased to Caleb P. Clayton, who
obtained license for the old house and gave it the
name Lafayette House, tradition having credited the
dressing of the wounds of the French general in that
building.
Schanlan's Tavern. — In the historical introduc-
tion to William Whitehead's " Directory of the Bor-
ough of Chester," for the years 1859-60, it is stated,
" In the second house from the corner of Work Street
[now Fourth] on the east side of Market, was a
hotel kept by John Scantling, an Irishman, and the
resort of all the sons of the Emerald Isle." That the
house in which John Brooke now carries on the man-
ufacture of harness was at one time an inn, the
record's of the old county of Chester before the erec-
tion of Delaware County fully establish. At that
time only the dwelling, afterwards the residence of
Dr. Terrill, was on the same square to the north of
John Brooke's store. It was in the store-building
Schanlan — for that was his name, not Scantling — kept
public-house. It was erected by Thomas Morgan
previous to 1756, for the building was there when it
was sold in that year to William Eyre, of Bethel.
The lattei- rented the premises to Davis Bevan, who
kept tavern there from 1765 to 1771, when he was
succeeded by John Schanlan. At first the court
turned away from Schanlan, but he obtained the judi-
cial favor and continued to receive it until 1783, when
Dennis McCartnev had the license there. The fol-
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
373
lowing year (1784) Davis Bevan purchased it, and
therein engaged in a general store, as mentioned else-
where. The business was continued in this house by
Isabella Bevan after the death of her father. It was
subsequently occupied as a hat store and factory by
Maj. Samuel A. Price, and while it was owned by
Henry L. Powell, he had a boot and shoe store there.
In 1846, Joseph Entwisle owned the property, and
thereon he had the first bakery established in Chester
for custom business, the old granary of Jasper Yeates
being restricted to the manufacture of " hard tack"
for ships' stores. When Entwisle built a bleaching-
mill in South Ward, in 1851, he sold the house and
lot to John Brooke, who has continued in one occu-
pation and in one locality for a greater number of
years than any person at present in Chester, and has
gathered during that period a large business and a
competency.
The Goeltz House (Edgmont Avenue above Third
Street). — The frame structure on the east side of
Edgmont Avenue, south of Fourth Street, is not an
ancient building. In all probability it was built about
seventy years ago. It was formerly a stable, attached
to the house which was subsequently erected on the
lands donated previous to 1704, by Thomas Powell, to
the parish of St. Paul, for the gift is mentioned in
Eev. Mr. Nichol's letter to the London Society for
Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and in 1718,
Eev. John Humphreys, under date of October 24th,
alludes to it as containing the foundation of a par-
sonage (the front on Third Street) which the con-
gregation started to build, " but were not able to ac-
complish in & it remains as it has been these 3 years,
just about 4 feet above the ground as a reproach to
them and an infamous mark of their Poverty." The
parish did erect a building on the premises many
years afterwards, certainly subsequently to 1762,
which they leased previous to 1830, to William Kel-
ley, as well as the stable on Edgmont Avenue. Kel-
ley resided in the house on Third Street, wherein he
kept a restaurant, and in the stable he had a bottling
establishment, the first business of that kind ever in
Chester. The church wardens, however, were in-
structed to sell the premises on ground-rent, and in
compliance with that order George B. Lownes and
Pierce Crosby, May 5, 1831, conveyed the premises to
William McCafferty, subject to a ground-rent of
ninety-seven dollars yearly. The latter, in 1839, sold
the lot on Edgmont Avenue, on which was the stable,
to Ehrenreich Goeltz. Goeltz changed the stable into
a house, and on the rear of the lot erected a soap
factory and chandlery, which business he carried on
until his death. In the distribution of the latter's
estate, the house and factory became the property of
his son, George Goeltz, the present owner.
A peculiar circumstance connected with this build-
ing is that, several years ago when the alterations
were being made in the cellar, in excavating, at the
depth of three feet below the then bottom, a perfect
rubble pavement, similar to those in the roadway of
many of our streets, was found, respecting which no
person had the slightest information as to the reason
j why it was there, when it was laid, or by whom.
] The Old Johnson Tavern (on the west side of
Edgmont Avenue). — Adjoining the lumber and coal-
yard of Jonathan Pennell, to the north, is an ancient
building which is believed to have been built by
j Jacob Howell, subsequent to 1732, when he acquired
j title to a tract of land, on part of which the dwelling
I was erected previous to Dec. 10, 1748, at which date
Isaac Howell, a son of Jacob, conveyed the lot and
j "messuage" to William Pennell. In 1784, Samuel
i Johnson purchased the property and kept it as a
public-house, but becoming involved, it was sold by
Sheriff Ezekiel Leonard, July 5, 1787, to Robert
Pennell. A brother of the then owner, James Pen-
nell, kept it as an inn ; and as an attraction for the
public had a tame tiger, which he had taught to per-
form a number of tricks. Pennell, when he removed
to the Black Horse Hotel, in Middletown, took the
animal thither, and one day, when angry, it attacked
and killed its master.- The building, after it ceased
to be a public-house, had several owners, and is now
I part of the estate of Frederick J. Hinksou, Sr., de-
' ceased.
The Brown Hotel.— In 1875, Benjamin Morris,
who had been landlord of a popular public-house —
now Genther's Hotel— on Market Street above Third,
i purchased the old Cole House on Third Street below
i Market Square, where, about the beginning of this
century, Jane Davis had an apothecary-shop, the first
in Chester, and in more recent years the residence of
Dr. J. L. Forwood. Morris removed the old struc-
ture, and erected in its stead the present spacious
, hotel building. The property having been purchased
t by George W. Weaver, deceased, whose estate still
owns it, Morris leased the Beale House, the old Sam-
uel Edward mansion, at Sixth and Market Streets,
and removed thither. After several tenants had oc-
cupied the Morris House, Maj. Daniel Brown leased
it, and is the present landlord of the hotel, now known
by his name.
Banks and Bankers.— The Delaware County Na-
tional Bank was chartered under the act of March
21, 1814, then popularly known as the "Omnibus
Bank Act," which was passed by the Legislature over
the veto of Governor Simon Snyder, and with the ex-
ception of but one other similar institution incor-
porated by the same law, has been the most success-
j ful bank created by that act, for although a number
I of corporations started under its provisions, the great
I majority of them failed within a few years. On Aug.
; 27, 1614, the meeting of the first board of directors
; was held, that body consisting of Jonas Eyre, Pierce
Crosby, Joseph Engle, Preston Eyre, George G.
Leiper, Peter Deshong, Samuel Anderson, Enos
Sharpless, Charles Rogers, John G. Hoskins, and
Jonas Preston. Thomas Robinson and John New-
374
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
bold, who were members, did not attend. At this
meeting John Newbold was elected president pro tem-
pore, and a committee, consisting of Engle, Hoskins,
and Sharpless was appointed to ascertain what would
be necessary, and the probable cost " of making
Jonas Sharpless' house fit for the use of the bank and
for the family of the cashier," and Hoskins and Eyre
were appointed on behalf of the bank to enter into a
contract for the purchase of Sharpless' house at a
price not exceeding three thousand dollars. This
house was located on one of the corners of Market
Square. On Sept. 5, 1814, Preston Eyre, who at the
time owned the house and kept a general country
store in the building now the property of Thomas
Moore, on Third Street, at present occupied by Brown-
ing & Co. as a clothing store, was elected cashier pro
tempore. The committee appointed to purchase Sharp-
less' house on October 3d reported that a defect had
been discovered in the title of that property, and
they were instructed to ascertain whether such blur
could be removed, but on the 31st of the same mouth
they reported that " the defect in title cannot be rem-
edied." Hence, on November 7th, it was ascertained
that a dwelling and lot near the market-house, be-
longing to Elizabeth Pedrick, could be bought for
eighteen hundred dollars, and a committee was ap-
pointed to contract for the purchase of the property
and to have the title examined.
This house occupied the site of the present bank
building. It was a frame structure, which stood on
an eminence, steps leading up to the porch, and where
the Chester National Bank stands a large gate opened
to the lot, through which cattle were driven to pas-
ture in the field surrounding the house. At that time
the dwelling was occupied by two aged spinsters,
named Springer, who kept a cake- and candy-shop
there. In the mean while Preston Eyre, who had been
elected, on November 28th, permanent cashier, at a
salary of six hundred dollars per annum, agreed to
allow the use of the front room of his house on Third
Street to the bank, he being paid one hundred and
fifty dollars a year as rent for that apartment and a
small frame building adjoining it. The contract,
however, stipulated that Eyre should find the fuel and
candles for the bank without further compensation
and " with liberty given to the directors to leave the
contract when they see proper." Joseph Engle and
Peter Deshong were at the same meeting instructed to
make such alterations to the house of the cashier " as
will accommodate this bank for a temporary purpose."
On Nov. 28, 1814, the first regular board of direc-
tors was elected, consisting of John Newbold, Jonas
Eyre, Samuel Anderson, Peter Deshong, John G.
Hoskins, Thomas Robinson, George G. Leiper, Jonas
Preston, Charles Rogers, Joseph Engle, Pierce Crosby,
John Cowgill, and Nirarod Maxwell. The same day
John Newbold was chosen president of the bank. On
the 26th of December the agreement to purchase the
lot of Elizabeth Pedrick was entered into, and the
bank not having perfected its plans for a building,
determined, as a precautionary measure, to rent the
property for the time being, and it was rented by
Capt. Robinson. On March 10, 1815, the committee
to prepare plans submitted their report, in which they
stated that the banking-house, which would be of
brick, ought to be located in that part of the lot which
fronted on Market Street and the public square. The
suggestions were accepted, and Pierce Crosby, Joseph
Engle, Jonas Eyre, John G. Hoskins, and George G.
Leiper appointed the building committee. On March
16, 1815, they were instructed, if they could get pos-
session of the property rented to Robinson, — who in
the mean while had resigned from the board, — to take
the house down and use the materials in it to the best
advantage.
At this time the position of president was purely
one of honor, no salary being attached to the office,
but the board of directors at the conclusion of the
year would appropriate such sum as they thought the
services were worth, and liberality was certainly not
strikingly displayed in the amount tendered. On
May 1, 1815, at the close of the first six months, a
dividend of five per cent, was declared, and on No-
vember 6th of the same year a similar amount was
payable to the stockholders, — that being the showing
of the first year of business. During that year John
Cowgill and John Newbold resigned as directors, and
Jonathan Pennell and John Mcllvain took their
places in the board. In the mean while the bank
building had progressed so that on Nov. 20, 1815,
business was for the first time conducted in that struc-
ture, and on the 27th of the same month the dwelling
was ready for occupancy by the cashier. On that
day the latter's salary was increased to nine hundred
dollars; he was also instructed to occupy the dwelling
part of the bank rent free, and was, in addition, al-
lowed forty dollars per annum "for supplying hickory
wood for the bank." The building, torn down in
1882, appears to have cost, inclusive of the land,
$10,354.34. Early in that year William Graham had
been elected solicitor of the bank at an annual salary
of fifty dollars.
The business of the institution had so increased
that on Feb. 19, 1816, Peter Hill was appointed book-
keeper, " it having become necessary for an oflBcer to
be appointed to keep the books of the bank and in
other respects to assist the cashier in performing the
ordinary duties of banking," at an annual salary of
seven hundred dollars. It seems that in the early
part of this century the banks were obliged to keep
open on holidays, for on Monday, Dec. 25, 1820, it
was recorded, " Being Christmas, no business was
done in the bank," and during the terrible depression
of 1821 the general uncertainty of business is shown
by the following statement, under date of September
21st: "No notes discounted this day nor money
loaned." On Feb. 17, 1823, the first watchman, John
Kelley, was employed at the rate of one hundred dol-
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
375
lars per aonum, " to commence on 1st day of March
next."
So successful had the institution proved that other
parties at the session of 1832-33 made an effort to ob-
tain a charter for another bank, and the act incorpo-
rating "The Farmers' and Manufacturers' Bank of
Delaware County" passed both Houses, but was ve-
toed by Governor George Wolf. In the fall of 1834 !
it was ascertained that a large amount of redeemed [
notes of the bank had gotten into circulation, and
would have to be again paid. It is traditionally as-
serted that quite a number of these notes had been
thrown into the open fireplace, and the draught was |
so strong that many of them, borne upward in the j
chimney, were scattered in the street, were gathered
by parties unknown, who circulated them in Phila- j
delphia, and they were again presented to the bank
for payment. Be that as it may, the dividend was
passed several times between 1834 and 1887, and the
earnings of the bank were appropriated to make up
the deficiency found to exist in the capital of the in-
stitution.
The bank soon recuperated, and for years conducted
a steadily-increasing and profitable business, ranking
in credit second to no other in the State of a like |
character. When the civil war came, and all was ex- j
citement, even the staid directors seem to have im- i
bibed something of the war spirit, for on April 22,
1861, the president was instructed to subscribe two j
hundred dollars towards the purchase of " two hun-
dred muskets to be kept by the town to be used for
the defense of the people and property of the place." ■
On May 5, 1864, the bank made a donation of five hun-
dred dollars to the Great Central Fair, held in Phila-
delphia for the United States Sanitary Commission.
During the invasion of the State by the rebel army
under Gen. Lee, in June, 1863, on the 29th of that
month, the directors instructed the president and
cashier to make arrangements for the safe depository I
of the money and other valuables of the bank, if in
their discretion such removal was deemed necessary.
On Wednesday, July 1st of that year, Caleb Emlen
and Jonathan K. Johnson were dispatched in a !
wagon to Philadelphia with the money and valua- l
bles, starting from Chester at a very early hour in
the morning. The sum intrusted to these messengers
— clerks in the bank — was several hundred thousand
dollars, and although they were well armed, their re-
sponsibility was so great — fearing lest they might be {
attacked by parties who had learned of the proposed i
transfer— ^that when they placed the specie and other
valuables in the custody of the Bank of North Amer-
ica, Philadelphia, to be forwarded to New York with ;
that of the latter bank, should occasion demand it, ;
they breathed freely once more under the sense of I
relief it brought them.
On March 14, 1864, the old Delaware County Bank j
ceased as an active State institution, but it had merely 1
changed front, and was chartered by the United States I
as the Delaware County National Bank. During the
transition state the board of directors seem to have
acted in settling the affairs of the old institution until
Nov. 11, 1864, when the following board was elected
(the last under the old State charter) : Edmund Pen-
nell, Joshua P. Eyre, William W. Maddock, William
Hannum, Edwin Hannum, Jacob Sraedley, Joseph
Engle, Frederick Fairlamb, William Booth, David
Trainer, James Irving, Samuel Starr, and John H.
Baker. On March 6, 1865, after the amount of money
necessary was deposited in the United States Treasury
to secure the charter, the surplus funds of the old
bank were divided among the stockholders, paying a
dividend of seven dollars per share, and on Dec. 28,
1868, a further dividend of two dollars and fifty cents
was declared, which finally settled all the outstanding
business of the old bank.
The institution under the national charter throve
and prospered, the remarkable financial abilities of
the late John 0. Deshong being conspicuous in the
conduct of its affairs. It was everywhere known as a
strong and well-managed institution, usually carrying
large sums of money in its vaults. Hence it is not to
be wondered that efforts were made to rob it. On the
night of Jan. 12, 1872, such an attempt was made, the
burglars striving to effect an entrance by boring six
holes with an auger through a back window-shutter,
which, however, failed to penetrate the iron lining.
The watchman heard the noise and gave the alarm,
but the robbers fled before pursuit could be made.
In 1882 the old structure, built in 1815, was de-
molished, the business being removed into an adjoin-
ing building on Third Street, and the present fine
banking-house erected in its stead. In all its ap-
pointments it is a model building, and reflects credit
on the institution and on the architect, P. Welsh, and
besides is an ornament to our city. It seems hardly
credible that a structure such as it is could have
been erected for fifty thousand dollars, and yet the
building proper cost thirty-five thousand dollars,
while the vault and fixtures aggregated fifteen thou-
sand dollars additional. This was certainly a neces-
sary and judicious expenditure. The new building
was opened for business Jan. 29, 1884.
Following is a list of the presidents of the Dela-
ware County Bank : John Newbold, Nov. 28, 1814, to
March 23, 1815 ; Dr. Jonas Preston, March 30, 1815,
to Nov. 20, 1815; Pierce Crosby, Nov. 27, 1816, to
Nov. 15, 1834 ; John Kerlin, Nov. 15, 1834, to No-
vember, 1841 ; Jesse J. Maris, Nov. 22, 1841, to De-
cember, 1860 ; Frederick J. Hinkson, Dec. 12, 1860,
to Feb. 8, 1864; Edmund Pennell, Feb. 15, 1864, to
Dec. 25, 1868.
Presidents of the Delaware County National Bank :
Samuel A. Crozer, March 14, 1864, to Jan. 16, 1865 ;
Edmund Pennell, Jan. 16,1865, to Jan. 19,1874; Da-
vid Trainer, Jan. 26, 1874, to Jan. 25, 1875 ; Robert
H. Crozer, Jan. 25, 1875, to March 5, 1877 ; Ellwood
Tyson, March 12, 1877, present incumbent.
376
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Cashiers of the Delaware County Bank : Preston
Eyre," Nov. 28, 1814, to Dec. 11, 1834; Charles S.
Folwell, December, 1832, to March 3, 1836;" Freder-
ick J. Hinkson, March 10, 1836, to July 25, 1853 ;
James G. McCollin, Aug. 10, 1853, to Aug. 13, 1860 ;
William Taylor, Sept. 6, 1860, to March 17, 1864 ; I
Caleb Emlen, March 24, 1864, to Nov. 11,-1864.
Cashiers of the Delaware County National Bank :
Caleb Emlen, May 14, 1864, to February, 1874 ; J.
Howard Roop, Feb. 19, 1874, present incumbent.
Present board of directors; Ellwood Tyson, Joshua
P. Eyre, David Trainer, Robert McCall, D. Reese I
Esrey, William S. Blakeley, Thomas Appleby, Thomas
Scattergood, John O. Deshong, Jr. |
Every successful business enterprise is largely the j
result of the individual efforts of those men who have ;
controlled, directed, and shaped its course. Naturally j
it is the exponent of the tact and forethought of those [
persons on whom the responsibility of its manage-
ment has been cast. John O. De-hong, Frederick
J. Hinkson, and Edmund Pennell were conspicuous
in their connection with the Delaware County Na-
tional Bank. Hence it is eminently proper that their
biographical sketches should accompany this history
of the bank they did so much to place in the high
position it now holds in business circles.
John Odenheimer Deshong was born in Delaware
County, Pa., Sept. 6, 1807, his parents being Peter
Deshong and Mary Odenheimer Deshong. He was
the eldest of three children, the others being Maurice
W. and S. Louisa. His education was received in
private schools in Chester, Pa., and immediately upon
attaining manhood he engaged in general merchan-
dising at the corner of Fourth and Market Streets,
Chester, in which he was quite successful. In 1843 i
he engaged in the lumber business in Chester, and
being prosperous was able to retire from active busi- I
ness in 1849. He soon after turned his attention to j
financial affairs, using his capital as a dealer in com- ,
mercial paper, in which he became a large and sue- '
cessful operator, and continued it until his death, i
He avoided all financial speculations of uncertain
success, and his pecuniary losses were surprisingly
small in comparison with the large amount of capital j
used in his business.
From 1845 until his decease he was almost con-
tinuously a director of the Bank of Delaware County, I
of which institution his father was one of the original !
directors. He was also for many years a director of
the Chester Gas Company, and on his decease the
board of directors passed unanimously, and recorded
among the minutes, a series of resolutions, a part of
which is here quoted as an expression of the opinion
and feelings of those who knew him intimately ;
"That his intercou?se with his colleagues was marked
, Iowa, April 18, 1859, aged eighty-
1 PrestoD Eyre died ia Dubuqt
2 Bceigoed to accept a posftlon in the Bank of tlie United States, and
died in Gerniantown, Dec. 28, 187S, aged eighty years.
by uniform kindness and courtesy, and his counsels
were always for justice and fair dealing as well to
the community as to the stockholders." The direc-
tors of the Delaware County National Bank, into
which the Bank of Delaware County had been
merged, also recorded resolutions expressive of the
great loss that had been sustained: "In the decease
of one whose well-known business qualifications,
sterling integrity, and excellent judgment entitled
him to the respect and grateful remembrance of
stockholders and directors."
Mr. Deshong was a Republican in politics, but
would never for a moment seriously consider any
proposition to become a candidate for any office,
though he wielded a large influence on local public
affairs by unobtrusive advice and timely suggestions.
His counsel to friends with reference to their own
affairs was always valuable, and frequently given to
those in whom he felt an interest. He was decided,
prompt, and self-reliant, with strong and lasting affec-
tion for those he loved. A reader of standard works,
with a retentive memory, his mind was well stored
with useful knowledge, but conspicuous above all
other intellectual traits was his clear insight into the
motives and capacities of others. His foresight in
business matters was marvelous, his grasp of compre-
hension embracing not only his own, but the affairs
of others to an extent that was often astonishing.
In social intercourse Mr. Deshong was genial and
sprightly, fond of pleasantries and friendly jokes,
always meeting his friends with a cheerful smile and
a pleasant word.
On Dec. 6, 1826, he was married to Emmeline L.,
daughter of Dr. J. H. Terrill, of Chester, by which
union were seven children, of whom Alfred 0., John
O., Jr., Louise (wife of J. iE. Woodbridge), and Clar-
ence survive. Mr. Deshong died on May 28, 1881, in
his seventy-fourth year.
The Hinkson family came from the county of
Cavan, in the North of Ireland. The oldest members
of the family there say that three brothers emigrated
in the seventeenth century from Hanover, in tlie
North of Germany, to Ireland.
In the burial-ground of the family, in Belturbet
churchyard, many of the Hinksons are buried. The
Hinksons of this country are descended from John
Hinkson and Jane, his wife, who, with one son, came
to this country from Ireland, and settled in Upper
Providence township, Delaware Co. They had eight
children, four sons and four daughters, viz. ; John
(who married Abigail Engle), George (who married
Catharine Fairlamb), Thomas (who married Mary
Worrilow), James (who married Elizabeth Crossley),
Jane (who married Thomas D. Weaver), Mary (who
was unmarried), Sarah (who married William Haw-
kins), and Nancy (who married Joseph Dickerson).
The descendants live in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois,
and Maryland. The parents of Frederick James
Hinkson were John Hinkson, Jr.. of Lower Provi-
5^^-
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
377
dence township, and Abigail, a daughter of Frederick
Englg, formerly of the borough of Chester. They
were married in 1784. Their children (besides F. J.
Hinkson) who reached maturity were: Jane (who
married Ambrose Smedley, a farmer of Middletown
township ; she died in 1873, in her eighty-ninth year),
Ann (who married David Baker, of Middletown town-
ship,— he was a carpenter and builder), John (whose
business was that of a farmer. His first wife was
Jemima, a daughter of Joseph Worrall, of Upper
Providence; his second, who is now living in Chester,
is Orpha, a daughter of Joseph Naide, of Chester
township. John held the position of steward of the
House of Employment of this county, was sheriff, a
member of the State Legislature, and a recorder of
deeds and register of wills), Mary (who married Abra-
ham Hamor, formerly of Middletown, and afterwards
of Hamorton, in Chester County), Joseph (who was
a carpenter and builder. He married Ann, a daugh-
ter of Samuel Black, of Marple), Orpha (who married
Jacob Evans, of Upper Providence, afterwards of
Chester township), and Edward Engle Hinkson (who
married Sarah, a daughter of Samuel Slanter, of Ches-
ter township. He was a carpenter and builder. He
was the first building inspector of the city of Ches-
ter; held the ofiice for several years, and until his
death). All of the children of John Hinkson, Jr.,
are deceased.
Frederick J. Hinkson was born Nov. 8, 1803, in the
township of Upper Providence. When he was quite
young his parents moved into Middletown township.
Soon after his father's decease (which happened when
he was fifteen years old) he entered the store of Abra-
ham Hamor, of that township. Mr. Hamor, in con-
nection with his store, carried on tailoring. Mr.
Hinkson having learned his trade, that of a tailor,
went to school. He subsequently taught school at
Upper Providence meeting-house, at Village Green,
then at Columbia, in Lancaster Co., and again at Vil-
lage Green. While teaching at the last-named place
he was elected a clerk in the Bank of Delaware
County, at Chester, in which institution, in the ca-
pacity of clerk, cashier, and president, he remained
for over thirty years. He entered the bank in 1828,
and resigned in 186-4, for the benefit of his health.
For many years the Bank of Delaware County (now
"The Delaware County National Bank") was the only
one in the county. Mr. Hinkson drove occasionally
from Chester to the Black Horse Tavern (a noted cattle
market), in Middletown township, and sat there to
cash checks, and to do other banking business with
the drovers. Although he at times took with him
and brought back large suras of money, he was never
■molested. Before leaving the bank he engaged in the
tanning business at the old yard, on Edgmont Avenue,
in Chester, which his father-in-law, William Brobson,
had carried on for many years. During a part of the
time he had as a partner James S. Bell. He (Mr.
Hinkson) sold out, in 1865, to his sons, Charles and
F. J. Hinkson, Jr., who continued the same business
until the decease of Charles, in 1872, when the tan-
ning business was discontinued. Since then F. J.
Hinkson, Jr., has kept a store at the old stand for the
sale of leather and findings. The old tannery, after
more than a century of continued usefulness in tan-
ning and finishing leather, such as slaughter, belt,
loom, harness, bridle, skirting, welt, wax-upper, and
calf-skins, which helped to drive the machinery of
industrial establishments, to harness the horses and
to shoe the people, is a thing of the past.
Mr. Hinkson was for twenty years treasurer of the
borough of Chester. He was also the treasurer of the
first building association started in Chester. It was
called the Chester Building Association. John M.
Broomall was the first president. F. J. Hinkson filled
the same position subsequently. It was organized in
January, 1850. There have been many associations
since, which have rendered great help in building up
Chester.
In 1856, Mr. Hinkson was elected one of the as-
sociate judges of the county. He resigned before his
time expired. He was also elected a director of the
poor and a jury commissioner, and was a treasurer of
the Farmers' Market Company of Chester. He served
often as an executor and guardian, and performed
his duty with conscientious fidelity.
The firing on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861, aroused
the loyal North to intense excitement. The people of
Delaware County felt the patriotic impulse, and im-
mediately took action to stand by the government.
The Delaware County Republican, in its issue of April
26, 1861, said, " Capt. Edward's company, the Union
Blues, received marching orders on Saturday morning
last, at nine o'clock. At six o'clock the volunteers
were mustered in front of the Washington House,
where they .were addressed from the piazza by Judge
Hinkson, who informed them that the citizens of the
borough had pledged themselves that tlie wives and
children of the soldiers should be profjerly cared for
in their absence. The speaker paid a high compli-
ment to the men who were about to enter the service
of their country. The Rev. Mr. Talbot, of St. Paul's
Episcopal, and the Rev. Mr. SprouU, of the First Pres-
byterian Church, also made patriotic speeches. The
company left that night for Harrisburg. Measures
were soon taken to form relief committees, to raise
money to maintain the families of those who might be
in the service of their country. A county meeting was
held at Media, April 23, 1861 (of which Hon. H. Jones
Brooke was chairman), which divided the county into
seven districts, each district to have a committee of
three, with power to increase to twelve. Each district
was to have a treasurer, and collecting and distribut-
ing committees. The district treasurer was to return
the funds collected to the county treasurer appointed
by the meeting. The money was to be distributed joro
rata among the districts, the amount given to each
family to be regulated by the income made by the
378
HISTOKY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
soldier while at home. The first district consisted of
the borough of Chester and of the townships of Ches-
ter, Ridley, and Tinicum. The members of the com-
mittee were F. J. Hinkson, Samuel A. Crozer, and
Thomas A. Gesner.
The county committees appointed by the county
meeting of April 23, 1861, met at Media, April 29th.
F. J. Hinkson was chosen president; Jackson Lyons,
of Haverford, vice-president; Heury Green, of Edg-
mont, corresponding secretary ; Dr. G. B. Hotchkin,
of Media, recording secretary. Auditors, Thomas
Pratt, of Middletowu ; James Cloud, of Concord ;
and Washington James, of Nether Providence; Hon.
Charles R. Williamson, of Media, was appointed
treasurer for the county. These committees, and
others that were formed, did a noble and patriotic
work, second only in value to that of the brave men
from Delaware County who on land and water up-
held the cause of the imperiled Union.
In September, 1862, the Governor made a call for
fifty thousand men to defend the State. On Tuesday,
September 16th, Capt. Thatcher had a full company.
On the 17th Capt. Kershaw's company was organized.
The Town Council made an appropriation of fifteen
hundred dollars, which was judiciously expended by
John Larkin, Jr., Benjamin Gartside, and F. J. Hink-
son.
In 1874, F. J. Hinkson was a candidate for the
State Legislature by a popular call, and so great was
the vote cast for him that, although there were three
tickets in the field (he being named as an Independ-
ent), he was only defeated by a trifiing plurality. He
was not a member of any religious denomination.
He believed in the principles of the society of Friends,
and attended meeting. The only time when he devi-
ated from the peaceable teachings of that society was
during the late war, when he actively and outspokenly
stood by the government.
In 1837 he married Hannah H., the only daughter
of William and Reljecca Brobson. She was born
June 9, 1814, and died Jan. 9, 1844. F. J. Hinkson
died Sept. 10, 1879. They are buried in the Friends'
burying-ground in Chester. Their children were
William B., born Nov. 22, 1838; he died in 1871,
unmarried; Henry, born April 14,1840; he married
Lucy, a daughter of David F. Craig, of Wilmington,
Del.; Charles, born Nov. 21, 1841 ; he married Ara-
bella, a daughter of R. R. Dutton, of Chester; he
died in 1872, and is buried in the Chester Rural
Cemetery; and F. J. Hinkson, Jr., born Oct. 4, 1843.
Henry was for years a member of the late firm of
Hinkson & Smedley, who were engaged in the dry-
goods and grocery business in Chester. Henry and
F. J. Hinkson, Jr., are both ex-members of the
Council of Chester.
On the 4th of July, 1876, F. J. Hinkson, Jr., de-
livered the Centennial address at the celebration at
Upland. Samuel A. Crozer read the Declaration of
Independence.
The ancestors of Edmund Pennell were members
of the Penn colony, and settled in Rockdale, Aston
township, where they were owners of one thousand
acres of valuable land. His grandfather was prob-
ably William, whose children were William, James,
Nathan, Thomas, Jonathan, and several daughters.
The last-named son was born in Edgmont township,
and in early life apprenticed to his brother-in-law as
a blacksmith. He, in 1786, removed to Chester, and
there followed his trade for many years. He married
Sarah Hibberd, of Upper Darby township, whose
children were two sons, — James and Henry Hale.
By a second marriage to Ann Delaney, of Cliester,
were born children, — Edmund, and Jonathan who
died in 1798, Sarah Ann, Edmund (2d), Sydney, Jon-
athan {2d), Nathan, and several who died in early
life. Edmund, the subject of this biography, was
born April 22, 1802, in Chester, which has been his
lifetime residence. After receiving such advantages
of education as the schools of the day afibrded he
entered the shop of his father as an assistant, though
not with a view to perfecting himself in the trade.
Much of his attention was also given to the cultiva-
tion of a farm in the suburbs of the borough. During
the year 1835 he purchased a tract of land now em-
braced within the limits of the South Ward of Ches-
ter, and was for many years actively engaged as a
farmer. On selling this land, in 1863, he made the
city his permanent residence. Mr. Pennell was, in
December, 1830, married to Miss Elizabeth J., daugh-
ter of John and Elizabeth Price. Their children are
Jonathan, Anna Elizabeth (Mrs. Charles C. Larkin),
Charles D., Martha S. (Mrs. Joshua P. Eyre), Wil-
liam, Mary C, and Edmund and Sally deceased.
Mr. Pennell has been a leading spirit in the business
development of Chester, as also in its growth and
improvement. His father, who was an early director
of the Delaware County Bank, was, at his death, suc-
ceeded by his son, Edmund, who, on the adoption of
the national system, became its first president, and
filled the office of director for more than thirty years.
He was early in his political career a Whig, and sub-
sequently a Republican, having been, in 1846, elected
county commissioner. During his official term of
three years the county-seat was removed to Media,
which was surveyed and plotted under his auspices.
He has also served as a member of the borough
council. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pennell are Orthodox
Friends in their religious faith. In the winter of
1880 this venerable couple celebrated their golden
wedding, which was the occasion of congratulations
from a numerous assemblage of children, grandchil-
dren, and friends.
The First National Bank.— After the national
banking law went into efl'ect, and as one of the sec-
tions of the act required that all funds received by
revenue ofiicers and other collecting agents of the
United States should be deposited in the First Na-
tional Bank in tlie towns, cities, and districts wherein
'^^^^^^^^ y ^^-T^^^-^-^^^
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
379
such officers were authorized to act, it became an im-
portant matter to secure the first charter for a na-
tional bank in Chester, where, by reason of its manu-
facturing interests, the United States revenue tax
amounted to many thousands of dollars. Hence, on
Feb. 25, 1863, Samuel M. Felton, Thomas Keaney,
Samuel Archbold, Benjamin Gartside, Amos Gart-
side, Abraham R. Perkins, L. T. Eutter, Samuel Ec-
cles, Jr., Jacob Sinex, John Gartside, and William
Ward signed articles of association for a national
bank, to be located in Chester, and William Ward
was dispatched to Washington to secure the charter.
The bank was not regularly organized until JMay 15,
1864, when Abraham R. Perkins was elected presi-
dent, William Taylor cashier, and a board of directors
chosen, consisting of Abraham R. Perkins, Samuel
M. Felton, Thomas Reaney, Benjamin Gartside, Sam-
uel Archbold, Samuel Eccles, Jr., and William Ward.
The seal of the bank had been agreed upon at a pre-
vious informal meeting, when it was decided it should
represent a steam-engine and power-loom, the distinc-
tive industries of the city. On March 24, 1864, the
bank purchased a house and lot at the southwest
corner of Second and Penn Streets for thirty-four
hundred dollars, and there, at the date already given,
the First National Bank opened its doors to receive
deposits and to conduct a general banking business.
The location of the building was on a side street,
away from the centre of trade, hence it was deter-
mined to remove to another and better situation
when opportunity should ofier. To that end, on Oct.
10, 1870, the present banking-house, immediately
south of the town hall, on Market Street, was pur-
chased from George Baker, the front removed, a ser-
pentine-stone front substituted, and internally the
structure was arranged to meet the requirements of a
banking institution. On Jan. 18, 1871, the First
National Bank began business at its new location,
and the following day, January 19th, Abraham R.
Perkins, having removed from Chester, and because
of failing health resigned the presidency, to which
position John Larkin, Jr., was elected on the 23d of
the same month. The old banking-house on Penn
Street was purchased by George Baker, and later sold
to Orlando Harvey, who converted it into a dwelling-
house. On May 26, 1884, Frank R. Palmer was
elected cashier, William Taylor having resigned that
office, which he had held since the incorporation of
the bank. The present board of directors is as fol-
lows: John Larkin, Jr., Benjamin Gartside, John
Gartside, Mortimer H. Bickley, James Irving, Wil-
liam B. Broomall, and William Hannum.
John Larkin, Jr., the president of the First Na-
tional Bank, is one of four men to whom Chester is
indebted for much of its present prosperity, the other
three being John P. Crozer, James Campbell, and
John M. Broomall.
John Larkin, the great-grandfather of the subject
of this biographical sketch, emigrated from England,
and was one of the earliest settlers iu Delaware County.
He had among his children a son, Joseph, whose son,
John, married Martha Thomas, whose ancestors were
of Welsh descent. Their son, John, was born Oct. 3,
1804, in Concord township, Delaware Co., and after
limited advantages of the country schools, was em-
ployed until twenty-one years of age upon his father's
farm. He engaged in mercantile pursuits for one year
at Chichester, and later for three years at Marcus
Hook. He in 1832 purchased a freight-vessel and
established a packet-line between Marcus Hook and
Philadelphia, which was continued until 1839, when
he sold the vessel, wharf, and business interest. He
was elected sheriff of Delaware County in 1840, and
on the expiration of his term removed to a farm of
one hundred and fifty-five acres in Lower Chichester,
upon which he had erected new and commodious
buildings. During the years 1845 and 1846, he rep-
resented his district in the State Legislature. Mr.
Larkin, in 1848, made Chester his home, and the
same year built two vessels and established a daily
line of packets between that city and Philadelphia,
the boats having previously run but twice a week.
He in 1849 formed a copartnership with William
Booth, under the firm-name of Booth & Larkin, for
the purpose of running packets daily from Chester to
Philadelphia in the interest of the coal and lumber
business. The firm enjoyed a prosperous career until
1852, when the partnership was dissolved, and Mr.
Larkin's attention was directed to real-estate opera-
tions consequent upon the exchange, in 1850, of his
farm for eighty-three acres in the North Ward of
Chester, formerly used as a race-course. This prop-
erty was at once laid out in streets and the lots sold
for building purposes. In 1854 he entered into a
contract to erect for Abram Blakeley a cotton-mill of
any dimensions, which contract was completed before
the specified time, and adequately illustrates the
energy and business capacity of the subject of this
sketch. He also erected, the same year, twenty-two
dwellings, and by the large sale of lots was enabled
to carry out to the fullest extent the various benefi-
cent enterprises he had projected. This movement,
which gave a decided impetus to Chester and its man-
ufacturing interests, was followed by the erection of
a total of one hundred and forty-six dwellings and
thirteen manufacturing establishments of various
kinds. Mr. Larkin, in 1881, sold the last unim-
proved building-lot, and thus disposed of the eighty-
three acres he originally acquired. In 1870 he pur-
chased a tract of land at Marcus Hook, containing
twenty-three acres, which was at once laid out in
streets and building-lots. On this he erected sixty
dwellings, two machine-shops, two foundries, and a
large hosiery-mill. He has been actively identified
with the municipal interests of Chester, was for
eleven years a member of the Borough Council, and
for six years president of that body. On its incorpo-
ration as a city, in 1866, he was chosen its first mayor.
380
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and held the ofl5ce for six consecutive years, refusing
to receive a salary for his services. He was one of
the originators of the Chester Rural Cemetery, and
for years president of the association. He was also
one of the founders of the Chester Mutual Insurance
Company, and has been its president since the begin-
ning of its business operations. He has also been,
since 1871, president of the First National Bank of
Chester. Mr. Larkin was in 1827 married to Miss
Charlotte, daughter of Capt. Erasmus Morton, to
whom were born children, Charles C, Caroline (Mrs.
John M. Broomall), John M. (deceased), Lewis M.,
Nathan, Francis, Henry, Mary (Mrs. Thomas Gil-
bert). Mrs. Larkin died in 1847, and he was again
married to Miss Mary A., daughter of William Baggs,
whose children are Clarence and Ella (Mrs. Eichard
Wetherill). Mrs. Larkin's death occurred in 1877.
The Chester National Bank. — This institution,
under the above title, was chartered as a national
bank March 1, 1884, and began business as such on
the 1st day of April thereafter. Samuel A. Dyer was
chosen president; Samuel H. Leeds, cashier; and a
board of directors elected, consisting of J. Frank
Black, Robert Wetherill, Hugh Shaw, Charles B.
Houston, William Appleby, George B. Lindsay,
Jonathan Pennell, H. B. Black, and Samuel A. Dyer.
Its career has been one of marked success, its business
being largely in excess of that which its founders an-
ticipated. The banking-house is located on West
Third Street near Market Square, a handsome granite
building, which was erected in 1873 by Samuel A.
Dyer and William Appleby for a private banking
office, to which afterwards large additions and im-
provements were made. In 1875, William Appleby
retired from the firm, and the business was continued
by Col. Dyer until it was finally merged into the
Chester National Bank.
The Chester Library.— By the record of the old
Library Company of Chester, it appears, "a number
of the most considerable inhabitants of the borough
having from time to time had in consideration the
good consequences that would result from the erection
of a public library in the said borough for the promo-
tion of useful knowledge, did at length proceed to
enter into articles for the forming themselves into a
company for that purpose, agreeable to which articles
they met on the tenth day of May, Anno Domini,
1769, in order to pay in the sum of money proposed
to be advanced by each member, and to elect and
chuse proper officers for the more effectual carrying
their design into execution. At which time were
chose : Directors— Henry Hale Graham, Elisha Price,
David Jackson, Nicholas Fairlamb, Thomas Moore ;
Treasurer, Thomas Sharpless; Secretary, Peter
Steele."
Previous to this meeting preliminary affairs had
been adjusted, for on the 14th day of February, 1769,
an explicit agreement, entitled "Articles of the Li-
brary Company of Chester," had been adopted, signed
and sealed, the latter marks with a scrawl of a pen,
but the first sixteen names had attached to each a
veritable wax seal, stamped with the armorial bear-
ings of Henry Hale Graham, " That for distinction
sake," the old agreement declares, " the subscribers in
company, now and hereafter at all Times, are and
shall be called the Library Company of Chester."
The subscribers obligated themselves each to pay
thirty shillings to raise a fund for the purchase of
books. At no time should the number of subscribers
exceed one hundred, and no one could be a share-
holder unless he had subscribed to the articles of as-
sociation. Each and every subscriber was required
yearly to pay seven shillings and sixpence, a neglect
to do so being punishable with a fine, and at the end
of two years, if such shareholder was still in default,
he should " therefrom forever after be excluded from
the said partnership," and his share forfeited. The
association was to continue " for and during the space
of one hundred years," and the books and effects of
the company should remain "the indistinguishable
property of all the members."
The books in the library were loaned to subscribers
for designated periods, according to the size of the
volume, and a note was required to be given con-
ditioned for the payment of twice the value of the
book in case of its loss. On the 6th of September,
1769, the directors and officers of the company met
"at Joseph Ogden's, in Philadelphia, to purchase
books," which was done. The library was kept in
Francis Ruth's house, and he was directed "to make
a press of dimensions at least sufficient to contain the
said books," for which he was to be paid forty shil-
lings. On Aug. 10, 1770, it was ordered after " the
next purchase of books a set of compleat catalogues
shall be printed at the expense of the Company, and
each member shall be entitled to one for his own use."
On Nov. 10, 1770, Henry Hale Graham, Elisha Price,
and Hugh Lloyd were instructed to buy books " with
what money is in bank." At that date Ruth had not
furnished the " press," and he was fined for his neg-
lect, and informed that if it was not done in three
weeks he would be fined seven shillings and sixpence.
He finished it, and on May 25, 1771, complained that
the price for which he had agreed to make it was too
low, whereupon the directors allowed him three
pounds, out of which, however, they deducted his
fines, and the cost of a book, " The Husband," which
he could not account for. The treasurer paid him one
pound thirteen shillings and ten pence. Prior to May
15, 1775, the library was removed to the old school-
house at Fifth and Welsh Streets, and a board parti-
tion separated the place where the books were kept
from the other part of the room. During the Revo-
lution there appear to have been but few business
meetings of the company, the last one held May 20,
1775, and the next occurring May 10, 1780. Interest
had been lost in the association, and on Aug. 1, 1789,
it was discussed whether the company should not
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
381
disband and the books and other property be dis-
tributed among the members, but it was decided that
no such action could be had without an act of the
Legislature. The company dragged thereafter. On
Aug. 22, 1835, the books had been removed to the
town hall, a frame structure covering half of the
market-house, which stood in Market Square, com-
prising one room about twenty feet square. The
old frame town hall is now owned by J. Edward
Clyde, having been removed to Fifth Street east of
Market when the market-house was torn down, in
1857, and is now a Chinese laundry. When the
building was demolished the library was temporarily
placed in a room in the old court-house, remaining
there until 1866, when it was removed to the office
of Joseph Taylor, in National Hall. In 1840 the title
of the association was changed to " The Chester Li-
brary Company" by act of Assembly, but the ancient
" partnership" had become so enfeebled by its weight
of years that it could not be recuperated, so that
when in January, 1871, it was removed to a room
in the second story of the Farmers' Market, on
Fourth Street, it was laid away to accumulate dust on
its unused volumes, and that such an association ex-
ists in this city has been almost forgotten.
Holly Tree.^Hall, on the north side of Seventh
Street west of Edgmont Avenue, is a brick building
containing on the upper floor a large audience-room
capable of seating over six hundred persons, hand-
somely fitted and arranged for lectures and public
entertainments, while on the lower floor is a commo-
dious library and reading-room, and a large apart-
ment specially furnished for the use of Miss Laura J.
Hard's Bible-class. In the front there are two rooms
leased for store purposes. Holly Tree Hall is the
outgrowth of an attempt of Miss Hard to provide a
resort where workingmen and females might assemble
in the evening for conversation and reading. To this
end she labored diligently, succeeding in enlisting the
public in the enterprise. Money and books were do-
nated, and in January, 1873, three rooms were leased
0 ver H. B. Taylor's hardware store, on Third Street near
Market Square, and the " Mechanics' Eeading-Room"
opened to the public. The apartments soon became
too small to meet the demand made upon them, and
it was determined to erect a building adapted to the
purposes intended. A charter was obtained from the
court, stock was issued, and in May, 1877, the present
building was built. There are nearly two thousand
volumes on the shelves of the institution, the books
being free to all who may visit the library, but can
only be taken therefrom by stockholders, and the
reading-room is well supplied with daily newspapers
of Philadelphia, the local press, and current stand-
ard American periodicals. The officers of the as-
sociation are Hugh Shaw, president ; George B.
Lindsay, secretary ; and Miss Laura Hard, treasurer.
Chester Institute of Science. — A call for a meet-
ing of citizens to consider the advisability of forming
an Institute of Science was issued on Feb. 26, 1882,
by Thomas Moore, Adam C. Eckfeldt, and Dr. F. R.
Graham. Mr. Moore had long been interested in the
matter, and it was through his efibrts that the first
steps towards a formal organization were taken. On
Thursday, March 2, 1882, the following gentlemen as-
sembled at the office of D. M. Johnson, Esq. : Thomas
Moore, Adam C. Eckfeldt, Dr. F. R. Graham, George
Gilbert, Felix de Lannoy, Ward R. Bliss, Henry B.
Taylor, Dr. R. H. Milner, D. M. Johnson, Dr. C. W.
Perkins, Henry Palmer, Dr. C. W. de Lannoy, and B.
F. Morley. Adam C. Eckfeldt was called to the chair,
and Dr. De Lannoy was made secretary. Great in-
terest was shown in the matter, and, after .some gen-
eral discussion of the subject, a committee, consisting
of Ward R. Bliss, Thomas Moore, and Dr. De Lan-
noy, was appointed to draft a constitution and by-
laws.
A second meeting was held at the Armory, on
Friday, March 10th. George Gilbert was called to
the chair, and Capt. B. F. Morley appointed secre-
tary. A constitution was adopted, and under it an
election was held, April 14th, and the following per-
manent officers were chosen : President, George Gil-
bert; Vice-Presidents, Adam C. Eckfeldt, Professor F.
de Lannoy ; Secretary, Thomas W. Scott ; Treasurer,
Thomas Moore; Librarian, Henry B. Taylor; Man-
agers, Dr. Ellwood Harvey, Henry Greenwood, M.
Louise Clancy, Dr. R. H. Milner, and Dr. C. W. de
Lannoy.
Thomas W. Scott, secretary, resigned November
10th, and John Miller was elected in his stead. Upon
the removal of the latter from the State, Charles St. J.
McKee was made secretary on Feb. 9, 1883. Owing
to business engagements Mr. McKee resigned, and
Frank R. Gilbert became secretary on the 9th of
November.
At the first stated meeting, on April 14, 1882, D. M.
Johnson, Esq., Hon. Y. S. Walter, and Thomas Lees
were appointed a committee to procure a charter ; and
on June 5th the society was incorporated by the Court
under the title of the " Chester Institute of Science
and Mechanic Arts." The members named as corpo-
rators in the charter are as follows :
George Gilbert, Ellwood Harvey, Y. S. Walter,
Thomas Moore, F. de Lannoy, H. B. Taylor, Thomas
Lees, D. M. Johnson, Thomas W. Scott, Charles F.
Foster, Thomas B. Robinson, Benjamin D. Johnson,
Reuben Yarnall, J. L. Forwood, J. T. DeSilver,
Clarence Larkin, Benjamin F. Baker, M. L. Clancy,
Ward R. Bliss, and H. G. Ashmead.
The objects of the society are " to promote the dif-
fusion of general and scientific knowledge among the
members and the community at large, and the estab-
lishment and maintenance of a Library, Historical
Record, and a Museum."
A library of two or three hundred volumes is
already collected. The museum, of several thousand
specimens, has already reached such proportions as to
HISTOKY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
command much attention from visitors. The depart-
ments of mineralogy, antiquities, entomolog}', numis-
matics, etc., are well represented, and rapidly increas-
ing in interest.
Early in the fall of 1882 it was deemed best to sup-
plement the work of the monthly meetings by a series
of weekly lectures and discussions. Under this ar-
rangement there have been given before the institute,
since its organization, over one hundred lectures and
addresses by distinguished gentlemen from abroad or
by its own members. Great interest has been shown
in the meetings, and the constant donations and con-
tinued applications for membership show that the
society has a strong hold upon the people.
The regular meetings of the institute are held at
Fourth and Market Streets on the second Friday of
each month, except July and August, but through
the fall, winter, and early spring meetings are held on
every Friday evening. All meetings are open to the
public.
It is, perhaps, worthy of record that the first suc-
cessful course of lectures in Chester was held under
the direction of the institute during 1883-84. Six-
teen lectures were given, all of a high order of merit,
by some of the most distinguished talent in the country.
The institute is only two years old, but it has a
membership of over one hundred and fifty. It is in
a sound financial condition, and its most active pro-
moters include the ablest scientific and literary people
of Chester. The society is a necessity, and it will
therefore live and flourish.
Jefferson Library Association.— A number of
persons living near the ship-yards of John Roach
being desirous of having a library and reading-room
in that section of the city, gathered together about
the 1st of January, 1881, and organized an association
with the above name. Arrangements were made to
fit up the present room on Third Street below Kerlin,
in the block belonging to the Fennel estate. About
the 1st of March in that year, John Roach, Jr.,
donated to the association a number of very valuable
books and several valuable pictures. Other donations
followed, and as funds accumulated purchases of
books, and at present the library has about five hun-
dred volumes. The tables are also supplied with the
papers and magazines of the day.
The rooms are opened every evening, and the
membership is eighty-five.
The iiresent oificers are John B. Saunders, presi-
dent; James Barroclough, secretary; James Salter,
librarian ; James P. Barr, treasurer.
The Post-Boy and Upland Union.— The history of
the press in this city is a notable one, and perhaps
no town in Pennsylvania of the same population has
been the birthplace of as many newspaper enterprises
as Chester. Its earliest publication was the Post-Boy,
a weekly folio, fifteen and a half by nine and a half
inches, owned and edited by Steuben Butler and
Elii)halet B. Worthington, the editorial rooms and
printing-office being located in the Colbourn house,
on Third Street, directly opposite Brown's Hotel, which
is now being removed to erect on its site a large drug-
store and dwelling. The first number was issued
Monday, Nov. 8, 1817, and bore the motto, " Intelli-
gence is the life of liberty." The paper was edited,
printed, and distributed through the county by post-
riders; which was done by AVorthington and William
W. Doyle, then a small lad, who had entered the office
as an apprentice. The second issue of the paper was
changed to Friday. Little attention was paid to
passing events, and save only a few advertisements of
local interest it might have been published in Boston
or New York. During the first months a solitary local
item presented itself to the readers of the Post-Boy,
and, as it is the first local incident recorded in a news-
paper distinctively published in Delaware County, we
reproduce it :
"A Live Eel.— An eel was caught in Chester Creek a few days since
by Messrs. Sutton and Burk, which weighed six pounds, and was up-
wards of two feet and six inches in length."
In the latter part of the year 1824, Butler sold his
interest to Worthington, who continued to issue it
until 1826, when he sold it to Joseph M. C. Lescure,
who changed the name to the Upland Union, and in-
creased the size of the paper. Lescure had his office
on Market Street, nearly opposite to the court-house,
and in addition sold " blank-books, stationery, spell-
ing- and copy-books, slates, dictionaries, Testaments,
etc.," which branch of business he seems to have
discontinued after he removed his printing-office to
the north side of Fifth Street below Market. Mr.
Lescure continued the Upland Union with indifferent
success until 1838, when he sold the paper to Joseph
Williams and Charles F. Coates. Of the latter we
have no information other than given. Williams
we know was a lawyer of attainments, a good politi-
cal speaker, who could "sing a wine-song or a
hymn, preach a sermon or deliver a temperance
lecture, besides being a clever amateur performer on
several musical instruments." ' He was one of the
assistant secretaries of the convention which amended
the Constitution of Pennsylvania in 1837. The news-
paper was edited by Mr. Williams ouly for a short
time, when it was sold to Alexander Nesbit. Wil-
liams was appointed by President Polk a judge in
Iowa. During the Mexican war a volunteer company
paraded in front of the hotel where the judge was
lodging, and the captain told the former he had
marching orders. Judge Williams offered himself as
a volunteer. "The company is full," was the reply.
"Perhaps you want a musician?" said the judge.
"We want a fifer," responded the captain. "I'm
! your man!" exclaimed the judge, and he at once
! donned the uniform and marched away, playing
Yankee Doodle" like a regular. The quota being
led, the company was not forwarded to the front.
PhiUdelfhia Spirit of the Times, 1846.
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
After the Territory became a State, Mr. Williams
was made chief justice.
Alexander Nesbit in turn sold the Upland Union to
Alexander McKeever, an active Democrat, who con-
tinued its publication until March 30, 1852, when he
discontinued it.
Samuel Anderson McKeever, a son of the editor of
the Upland Union, born in Chester, died in March,
1880, at Pilatka, Fla. The young man had been
connected with the press of the city of New York,
and in 1874, in connection with James B. Mix, jjub-
lished " The New York Tombs," an interesting, but
in several instances inaccurate, story of that noted
prison and the conspicuous prisoners who had been
confined therein. In 1858 an attempt was made to
revive the Upland Union, and it "languished, and,
languishing, did live," under the editorial control of
Mr. Brimner, who at the same time edited the Pen?i-
syh'nnian in Philadelphia, and William Cooper Talley,
of Delaware County; but it finally suspended Feb. 19,
1861, the last-named person having removed to Nor-
ristown.
During the Presidential contest of 1828, William
Russell began the publication of the Weekly Victor,
and Strange N. Palmer was employed to edit it in the
interest of the opponents of the Democratic party, to
which political organization the Upland Union gave
earnest support. The owner and editor of the new
organ disagreed in their views, which difficulty ter-
minated by a sale of the establishment to thirty gen-
tlemen, warm advocates of John Quincy Adams, Pal-
mer being still retained to edit the paper. The fact
being noised abroad, the Upland Union dubbed its
opponent "The Son of Many Fathers," and predicted
its early demise. In that prognostication it was right,
for at the close of the campaign it was sold to Thomas
Eastman, who continued it, and it languished until
1832, when it died. Palmer, after he severed his con-
nection with the Visitor, removed to Schuylkill
County, where he subsequently became a judge.
The Delaware Cotmty Republican.— In the sum-
mer of 1833 the material and press of the Weekly Vis-
i/or were purchased by Y. S. Walter, who removed
them to the village of Darby, and published the first
number of the Delaware County Republican, on Aug-
ust 31st of that year. The Upland Union, shortly
after the Republican made its appearance in the county,
stated that " the first person who Walter consulted
was an old Tory of the Revolution, a partisan of King
George, who conducted Lord Howe into Philadelphia,
and escaped hanging for treason only by burying him-
self for several weeks in the neighboring woods of
Darby." The allusion has lost its point in lapse of
years, but the whole story is doubtless false, editorial
unpleasantness in those days being carried on, and
statements made without regard to fairness or truth.
On Oct. 25, 1841, Walter removed his printing-ofiiceto
Chester, locating on the northeast corner of Market
Square, thence, in March, 1845, to the brick building
on Third Street, now occupied by William Lamb as a
hat-store. In 1851 the paper was again removed to
Penn Buildings, and in 1876 to the new and commo-
dious ofiice erected by Walter at Market and Graham
Streets. During the fifty years the Republican was
edited by Walter it grew steadily in size until, at the
time of his death, it was four times as large a sheet as
when first issued at Chester. On Sept. 1, 1882, the
Delaware County Republican was purchased by Ward
R. Bliss, under whose able management the oldest
paper in the county has been compelled to enlarge its
size to accommodate the increasing advertising de-
mands on its columns.
Young S. Walter was born in Philadelphia, Feb.
14, 1812. His father, Capt. Peter P. Walter, was of
Scotch descent, and owner of a line of vessels trading
to the West Indies. He died when his son was quite
young, leaving him in charge of his grandfather at
Bedford, Pa., where he was educated in the common
district schools. He left school in 1826, and was ap-
prenticed to the printing business with Thomas R.
Gettys, of the same place, remaining with him until
1829, when he began life on his own account as a
journeyman in Philadelphia and New York, continu-
ing that occupation until 1833. He then removed
to Darby, and on August 4th, of the same year, estab-
lished the Delaware County Republican, which he con-
tinued to publish in that place until November,
1841. In that year he removed to Chester, where
he still published the paper on Whig and Repub-
lican principles. One of the most noteworthy fea-
tures of his journal was the strong and emphatic
opposition he made to slavery, being one of the
earliest advocates of its entire abolition in this
country, and the articles which frequently appeared
on this subject had so much weight, and were so ably
and forcibly written, that they materially increased
the sale of his paper, which had a larger circulation
than any in the county. He sent forth from his office
many apprentices who obtained eminent positions in
the country, among whom may be mentioned William
Ward, the first lawyer in Chester; John W. Forney,
Jr., of the Philadelphia Press; Henry T, Crosby,
chief clerk of the War Department at Washington,
D. C. ; and many others. Mr. Walter was inspector
of customs at Marcus Hook from 1842 to 1844, and
postmaster at Chester during President Lincoln's first
term of administration. He was also at different
times member of the Council of the borough and city
of Chester, as also president of that body. He was
prominent as an originator of the Farmers' Market of
Philadelphia, and of the corresponding one at Ches-
ter. He was also president of the Chester Library
Company, organized in 1769, and influentially con-
nected with many other enterprises and institutions
of a local and general character. Mr. Walter was
married, in 1833, to Lsetitia, daughter of Jesse Warne,
of Philadelphia. Throughout his long course of edi-
torial and journalistic life he uniformly maintained
384
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
a high character for ability and integrity, and con-
tributed largely by his personal influence and by his
pen towards the spread of that high tone of morality
which ever marked his own career. The death of
Mr. Walter occurred May 22, 1882, in his seventy-first
year.
Delaware County Democrat. — In 1835, Caleb
Pierce established a weekly newspaper under the
above title in advocacy of Henry A. Muhlenberg's
candidacy as Governor, but it was short-lived. In
October, 1856, John G. Michelon began the publica-
tion of a weekly, called the Upland Union and Dela-
ware County Bemocraf, and its life was also but a span.
Oct. 5, 1867, the Delaware County Democrat was estab-
lished by D. B. Overholt, whose interest was shortly
afterwards purchased by Dr. J. L. Forwood, who con-
tinued the publication of the paper until the fall of
1871, when he sold it to Col. William Cooper Talley.
Early in 1876 John B. McCay purchased it, but shortly
afterwards sold it to William Orr, who at the time was
publishing the Democratic Pilot, a paper which had
been started in 1872, and had died and been resur-
rected several times. The two papers were merged
into one, and were sold by the sheriff, on an execution
against Orr, to Dr. Forwood, in 1877, who, in turn,
sold it to William A. Gwynue. The latter, in August,
1879, disposed of his interest to Edw. J. Frysinger,
whose father, H. Frysinger, then became publisher,
and issued the first paper under his editorial charge,
Sept. 4, 1879. At the time Mr. Frysinger purchased
the Danocrat it had less than one hundred and sev-
enty-five bona-fide subscribers, and only a nominal
advertising patronage. It was purchased for the esti-
mated value of the printing materials belonging to the
office, the good will being considered valueless. The
energy, enterprise, and talent which Mr. Frysinger
devoted to his paper has made it a remunerative and
valuable property, and its circulation has very largely
increased. Being the only Democratic newspaper in
the county, the field for extending its circulation is
yet both broad and inviting.
On the 11th of February, 1884, H. & Ed. J. Fry-
singer issued the first number of the Daily Herald,
as an independent journal with " Democratic tenden-
cies." This newspaper venture was designed origi-
nally merely for the spring election, and more especi-
ally the mayoralty campaign ; but before the first
issue appeared it had been determined to establish
it permanently.
The Delaware County Advocate.— John Spencer,
who had a printing-office in the second story of the
old City Hall building, and Richard Miller, on June
6, 1868, issued the Chester Advocate, a weekly news-
paper ; size, fifteen by twenty inches, four columns to
the page. It was distributed gratuitously at first.
The paper was so well conducted and its reading mat-
ter so well selected that it soon met with public favor.
The proprietorship continued as above until May,
1869, when Mr. Miller withdrew, and Mr. Spencer
took sole charge. The paper was enlarged from time
to time, and soon a subscription of fifty cents per year
was charged. The popularity of the Advocate spread
beyond the limits of Chester City, and in September,
1874, Mr. Spencer changed its title to The Delaware
County Advocate, and raised its subscription price to
one dollar per year. It is now a nine-column folio,
thirty-one by forty-four inches, has an extensive cir-
culation throughout the county, and is regarded as
one of the most valuable newspaper properties in the
neighborhood of Philadelphia.
Chester Evening News. — Saturday, June 1, 1872,
the first number of the Evening News was issued by
F. Stanhope Hill, as editor and proprietor. It was a
folio sheet, eighteen by twenty-five. The title of the
paper was changed June 17th of the same year to
Chester Evening Neios. The first month of its publi-
cation the venture was regarded by the inhabitants
of the city in no kindly spirit, and many were the
prognostications of ultimate failure, but by degrees it
won its way to public favor. Mr. Hill, Oct. 1, 1872,
sold his interest to William A. Todd, and the latter
continued its publication until his death, Aug. 18,
1879, when it was purchased by William H. Bowen,
Oliver Troth, and Charles D. Williamson. During
Mr. Todd's ownership the circulation had so increased
that he was compelled to twice enlarge the presses to
meet the growing popular demand. The new owners
assumed the conduct of the jjaper September 29th of
the same year, and immediately after enlarged it by an
addition of two inches to the columns. Mr. William-
son did not take an active part in editing the paper
until nearly a year subsequent to its purchase, and in
less than twelve months after he began work in the
office as city editor he died, and his interest was pur-
chased by the surviving partners. Nov. 4, 1880, the
News was again enlarged by an addition of another
column to each page, and to meet its steadily-increasing
circulation its proprietors have twice been compelled
to add new presses of increased capacity and speed.
In 1883, for the third time the size of the paper was
enlarged. The Chester Evening News, aXihoMgh. strongly
Republican in tone, is never offensive in its presenta-
tion of its political preferences.
Chester Daily Times.— Maj. John Hodgson, who
had established the Jeffersonian in West Chester,
having sold that paper to the present proprietor, came
to Chester in the summer of 1876, and in September
of that year issued the first number of the Chester
Daily Times, the second daily afternoon paper pub-
lished in Chester. Mr. Hodgson continued as its
editor until his failing health compelled him to dis-
pose of it, March 7, 1877, to J. Craig, Jr., who had
been on the editorial staff since its first issue. He
managed it quite successfully, displaying consider-
able ability and enterprise in its conduct. On Octo-
ber 20th, of the same year, Mr. Craig sold the Times to
John Spencer, the proprietor of The Delaware County
Advocate. The owner enlarged the paper from five to
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
385
six columns and otherwise improved it. He continued
its publication until April 15, 1882, when he sold it to
the Times Publishing Company, its present owner.
The latter had purchased The Delaware County Gazette,
which, under the title of TIte Delaware County Paper,
had been established, in 1876, by Col. William C.
Gray, and subsequently passed into the ownership of
John McFeeters, then Maj. D. R. B. Nevin, who
changed its name to the Gazette, and finally of A.
Donath. The Times, under its new management, has
shown great energy, and to keep pace with the increase
of circulation and advertising patronage has been
enlarged three times, until now it is one of the largest
daily papers published in the State, excepting those
in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It is ultra Eepub-
lican in tone and well edited.
The Weekly Beporter, an octavo publication, adver-
tising legal notices, and reporting in full the opinions
of the courts of Delaware County, was established
March 31, 1881, by Ward R. Bliss, Esq. Mr. Bliss has
continued The Weekly Reporter with marlied ability.
Recently the opinions which have appeared in the
Reporter have been published in a liaudsome volume,
entitled " Delaware County Reports."
In 1882, The Chester Business Mirror, a monthly ad-
vertising paper, was published by Edward Frysinger,
and is now well established.
In August, 1842, Edward E. Flavill and Mr. Jack-
son published The Chariot, an advocate of the cause
of temperance. The paper was printed in Philadel-
phia, but after a few numbers had been issued it was
discontinued.
Occasionally, in 1848, a small folio. The Owl, was
published in Chester and circulated at night. It
was very personal in its articles, and although many
of its gibes and hits are pointless now, at the time of
its publication it caused much excitement in the
ancient town.
In April, 1850, S. E. Cohen, a new agent in the
borough, began the publicatiou of the Chester Herald,
issuing it monthly, subsequently changing it to a
weekly sheet, and finally discontinued it at the end
of twelve months.
In 1857, The Evening Star, a literary paper, made its
appearance under the auspices of the Washington
Literary Association, being at that time edited by Ed-
ward A. Price and Miss Kate Taylor, but, as with
many similar publications, interest in it abated, and
it was abandoned.
On Oct. 27, 1866, the Clifster Advertiser, a weekly
advertising sheet for gratuitous circulation, was is-
sued by John Spencer and Dr. William Taylor.
April, 1867, Mr. Spencer ceased to be a partner in the
enterprise, and Dr. Taylor continued its publication
until the following October, when it suspeuded.
In 1869, H. Y. Arnold and Wilmer W. James
began the publication of a weekly advertising sheet,
— The Independent. Arnold soon after withdrew,
and James associated J. J. Shields with him in the
25
enterprise, until 1871, when the latter retired, and
James continued the paper until 1874, when it was
discontinued.
The Delaware County Mail was established Nov. 27,
1872, by Joseph T. DeSilver & Co. Nov. 27, 1876, it
was sold to the proprietors of The Delaxoare County
Paper, and merged into the latter publication.
The Public Press was issued May 3, 1876, by Thomas
Higgins and Robert Simpson, but its publication was
suspended during the same year.
The Commercial Advei-tiser, a. Democratic paper, was
published by J. M. Stowe & Co. in February, 1878,
but after a few issues the publishers abandoned the
enterprise.
In 1877, during a revival of the temperance move-
ment, Andrew J. Bowen began the publication of
The Temperance World, and after several issues changed
the title to The Chester World. In a few months
interest in the paper ceased, and it finally was dis-
continued.
In October, 1883, the first number of The Brother-
hood, a monthly journal devoted to the interests of
the Brotherhood of the Union (H. F.), was issued by
the Brotherhood Publication Company, Charles K.
Melville, editor. The paper is printed by Blelville
& Hass, and is the official organ of the order in Penn-
sylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
The County Bridges.— The first bridge erected
over Chester Creek, where the King's road (the
present Third Street) crosses that stream, was a draw-
bridge. In 1686 the court ordered the building of a
horse-bridge over the creek, near Chester, as the
King's road at that time did not pass through the
borough, but to the north of the town, through the
present borough of Upland, where a horse-bridge had
been erected shortly after Penu's arrival, for at court
held 6th day of First month, 1687, " Nathin' Evins,
Supervisor of y" King's waves for Chester, presented
Caleb Pusey & Jno Hodskins [Hoskins] for not lay-
ing y'' planks on y^ bridge over Chester creek."
There is no evidence that the order of the court as
respected that bridge was ever carried into eflect;
indeed, the contrary seems to be negatively estab-
lished, for at the December court, 1699, Ralph Fish-
bourne presented a petition " for a convenient road
from the west side of Chester creek, where the ferry
is kept for to lead to the now King's road.'' The
court thereupon appointed six viewers to lay out " the
said roadway in the most convenient place they can
I for the convenience of the inhabitants."
In 1700, the inconvenience arising from the round-
' about way became such an annoyance to the traveling
public and the inhabitants of the borough of Chester
that a determined and successful effort was made to
change the route of the King's highway, so that it
I should pass through the town and nearer the river.
To avoid interrupting the free navigation of the
stream, it was determined that the creek be spanned
by a draw-bridge. Accordingly, in that year, an act
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of the Colonial Assembly was procured, which author-
ized the erection of a bridge over the creek at Ches-
ter, and ordered the justices of the County Court " to
lay out a road from the King's Road that leads to
New Castle and Maryland to the intended place for
a bridge over Chester creek." The act required that
the bridge should have a draw to it, provided for the
employment of a man to attend to it, and specified
what his duties were, — to draw it up when necessary
to let sloops and shallops pass to and from the mills
situated on the creek, and also designated that a space
of twenty feet should be left clear between the timbers
or stonework for " the conveniency" of rafts and logs
passing to said mills.
As early as the 4th day of the Fourth month, 1690,
a public highway had been laid out from Chester
Creek to Chichester Creek, but it was along the bank
in front of the Essex House, as the report filed shows :
" Wee of the Grand Jury doe Lay out A foot way of Six foot Wid att
the Lest, begining att Chester Creek over against the Comon Landing
place, from thence upon a Strait Line over the Swamp of Robert Wades
to the Corner of Robert Wades' pales, and so a long by the said pales
and fence to a popeler and White Wallnot Standing by the said Robert
Wades fence, and so to Remain a Louge the Syde way Accordingly, as
>t is already Marked and Cutt out unto Chichester."
The Queen's highway, which runs from Darby to
Chester bridge, at Third Street, was not laid out until
1706, and it is stated that the bend in the road from
the Lincoln Mills to Fifth Street, and then continued
the highway direct along Market Street to Third, was
due to the influence of Jasper Yeates, the course
chosen bringing the road along part of his property
and that belonging to the estate of his father-in-law,
James Sandelands. The people of that day declared
that " God and Nature intended the road to cross
directly across the creek, but the Devil and Jasper
Yeates took it where it was located."
The bridge was in course of construction late in the
fall of 1708, for at the court held November 24th of
that year, it was ordered " that 24 foot of Chester
bridge at the east end and 42 foot at the west end be
filled with wood and earth with all expedition." The
county treasurer was directed to supply Henry Wor-
ley and Henry Hollingsworth with money " out of
the county stock" to pay for the work. " And it is
further ordered, that James Hendrickson is to perform
and finish all the carpenter work relating to taking up
the planks and new railing the whole Bridge, and
laying the planks where it wants as soon as the work
is fit for it, for which he is to have five shillings per
day, and his man. Rich* Weaver, four shillings per
day, finding themselves."
The bridge thus made must have been indifferently
constructed, for on Jan. 7, 1709, the following agree-
ment was made and spread at large on the record of
the court;
"It is agreed on by the justices and Jasper Yeates aforesaid, in man-
ner following, viz.: That the bridge over Chester Creek, iu the Town of
Chester, be sufflciently and completely repaired in manner following, to |
wit: that the plunks at the westerly end of said bridge be taken up 24 I
feet in length and the place be filled with earth, and those of the planks '
that are sound and fit to he used to be to repair some other parts of the
said bridge, and what new planks maybe wanting for repairing said
bridge be procured two inches and a half thick, and good oak posts and
rails and braces affixed on each side of said bridge, only making use of
so many of the old rails that are good, which used to he placed at one
end of the said bridge, and that it be so repaired as aforesaid, or what
more the men hereafter appointed overseers of the said work may think
necessary to be done, be wholly completed and finished before the 15th
day of April next.
*' And the justices and Grand Jury aforesaid have and hereby do order
and appoint Eobt. Hodgson and Jos. Coburn to be overseers of the said
work, and for to agree with some workmen to do the same within the
time limited for which said work, when finished, do also for the said
Robt. Hodgson and Jos. Cobourn's trouble in the premises, they are to
be paid out of the county stock, and that the dangerous places in the
said bridge, by reason of the holes and rotten planks, Ac, be forthwith
repaired for the present security."
At the court held Oct. 3, 1710, the following further
reference to this bridge appears of record:
" Jasper Yeates, to prevent further debate with the county, allows the
county two ditches 9n each side the causeway, on the Westerly side of
Chester Creek to enlarge the Road in breadth, making it 40, with which
the Justices, Grand Jury, and Assessors, are satisfied and that is to de-
termine all further dispute.
" It is further agreed on by the Justice, Grand Jury, and Assessors
that Jos. Coburn do forthwith, as speedily as may be, repair the bridge
and causeway at Chester creek, and remove the causeway on the East
side of the creek straight with the street called James Street (now
Third) and fraime it and make it wharf-like at the end of the bridge
near low water-mark, and twenty feet wide and thirty feet along the
street, and make the causeway from the said wharf as far further as
will make it good and easy passing and repassing for carts, etc., and
he is to make the wharf and causeway of wood and fill in with good
sound wood, and lay it over the top with gravel and earth, and that he
keep an account of iiow many cords of wood he makes use of, all other
charges which he may be at about the said work, and bring in his ac-
count when he has done his work in order to be left to the judgmtof two
men mutually chosen between the said Jos. Coburn, and the Justices,
and so much money as tho said two men so as aforesaid chosen shall
allow him for the work that be his price, and also that he repair the
causeway on the Westerly side the said Creek, and bring in his account
to be allowed as aforesaid."
In the preamble to the act of Assembly, approved
Aug. 14, 1725, which was intended to prevent the ob-
struction of the navigation of Chester Creek, it is set
forth that the draw-bridge which had been erected
" is now gone to decay, and requires it to be rebuilt or
repaired," and the act " direct the County Commis-
sioners to repair the bridge within a period of twelve
months."
In a letter from Maj. John Clark, written at Mr.
Davis' house in Darby, Nov. 17, 1777,' to Gen. Wash-
ington, the writer says, " The bridge at Chester, on
the west side the creek, has caved in, it may be made
passable for a few foot ; individuals now cross it."
In the act of Sept. 3, 1778, it is stated that the
drawbridge, which had been built in 1700'' and re-
paired in 1725, " is decayed and ruined, and that
public necessity, as well as the convenience of travel-
lers on the highroad, requires that a good, safe bridge
over Chester Creek should always be maintained and
1 Bulletin Hist. See. of Penna., vol. v. (March, 1847) p. 11.
2 Clearly an error in date, tlie petition for the highway through
Chester being first presented to the Provincial Council March 19 ,1706 6,
and the survey was not made until 1706. Besides, the extracts from the
court records show that no bridge was built at Chester previous to the
fall of 1708, and th.it the bridge was not then finished.
THE CITY OP CHESTER.
387
kept in repair ; that the draw or engine to raise and
lower the same is of no public utility and is attended
with extraordinary expense and inconvenience to the
public." In view of these facts the act declares " that
the commissioners and assessors, with the concurrence
of the magistrates of the county of Chester, shall, as
soon as may be, cause a new bridge to be built at the
place where the old bridge formerly stood, leaving at
least twenty feet clear between the timber or stone-
work, and not less than eighteen feet in breadth, and
eight feet headway at high water, for the easy passage
for rafts, floats, shallops, and other crafts, and the said
bridge be made fast and close continued from one side
of the creek to the other, without any draw or open-
ing for a mast."
The bridge erected in obedience to this act was a
wooden structure, which was supported by heavy
wrought-iron chains passing over iron columns lo-
cated on either abutment. Each link of the chain,
Martin says, was about two feet in length, and at
either side of the bridge was a large plank cut to re-
semble an arch. Over each arch was a sign, the body
color white, and bearing the following notification in
black letters :
This structure was carried off' its abutments by the
water during the noted flood of Aug. 5, 1843, and
swept by the torrent against Eyre's wharf, where it
remained, held fast by one of the chains which did
not part, on the eastward side of the creek. Isaiah
H. Mirkil and Jerry Stevenson for more than two
months ferried horses, cattle, wagons, carriages, and
pedestrians across the creek in a scow. The county
commissioners raised the old superstructure to its
former position, in the fall of 1843, at a cost of two
thousand one hundred and fifty dollars. One of the
links or staples to which the chain was attached is
still to be seen standing in the roadway, at the north-
east side of the present bridge, in front of the store
now occupied by F. C. Torpey, in Ladomus' block.
In 1850 Chester began rapid strides in material im-
provements. The old bridge being deemed insufficient
to meet the public demand, early in 1853 John Ed-
ward Clyde prepared a petition for a new structure,
and Isaiah H. Mirkil circulated the paper for signa-
tures. The petition was met with a remonstrance by
several citizens of the town, who desired that the
structure should be a draw-bridge, if a new one was
built, and so energetically was the matter pushed on
each side that the good people of Chester were soon
divided into new bridge and anti-new bridge advo-
cates. It was a contest which in that day agitated
the newly-awakened borough from centre to circum-
ference. The struggle eventuated in the erection of
the present iron structure in 1853. On the southeast
end of the bridge, on the main stanchion (cast in
1 History of Obester, p. 58.
the iron), is a shield, which informs the reader that
the superstructure was built by F. Quickley, of Wil-
j mington, Del., in the year above stated, and that the
county commissioners during whose term in office the
work was completed were A. Newlin, J. Barton, and
1 W. H. Grubb. The bridge originally was without
1 sidewalks, which were added, in 1868, to accommo-
date the public, who up to that time had been com-
pelled to walk in the present roadway of the bridge
I in passing from one ward to another. In 1872 the
, county commissioners made some repairs to the bridge,
— relaid the planking, which was worn and decayed
I in many places, — but so enormous is the demand now
made on this bridge by the public that no repairs can
for any length of time keep it in good condition.
The Seventh Street bridge, over Chester Creek, was
built in 1870, being opened for public travel Decem-
ber 27th of that year. The superstructure is of iron,
but the traveling public have ever regarded this bridge
with doubts as to its stability, hence it is seldom used
by vehicles carrying heavy freight.
The Ninth Street bridge, over Kidley Creek, is a
substantial structure, which was erected in 1880-81,
being opened to public use on June 27, 1881.
At the December court, 1880, a lengthy petition,
signed by almost all the manufacturers and owners
of industrial works in the South and Middle Wards,
was presented to court asking for the appointment of
a jury of view for a bridge at Second Street, which
was done, and almost a year subsequently to that date
(Dec. 12, 1881) the Court of Quarter Sessions con-
firmed the action of the jury of view, which pre-
viously had been approved of by two grand juries.
The bridge which was built across Second Street
during the year 1883 is the most substantial structure
erected by the public in the county of Delaware.
The untiring pereeverance of Isaiah H. Mirkil,
after many years, culminated in securing a patient
hearing, and resulted in the erection of the Second
Street bridge. In recognition of his public service,
on the eastern abutment, on the southerly side of the
bridge, William B. Broomall had the words, " Isaiah
H. Mirkil, Pontifex Maximus," in large letters, cut
deep in the solid granite coping.
SMp-Building'.— During the colonial days a num-
ber of small coasting vessels were built at Chester, and
after the English army evacuated Philadelphia, in
1778, a regular station for building gunboats for the
commonwealth of Pennsylvania was established at
that place. Samuel Lyttle, whose descendants are still
residents of the neighborhood, was employed by the
State authorities in sawing planks for vessels, and re-
ceived his pay in Continental money, which depre-
ciated greatly before he could dispose of it.
In 1844, Archibald McArthur was a shipwright in
Chester, and built in that year the schooner " Richard
Powell," which,— framed of Delaware County oak,
— when inspected thirty years afterwards, was found
to be as solid and sound as when launched. In
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
May, 1849, Jacob Sines, who had been a shipwright
in Marcus Hook, removed to Chester, and in connec-
tion with Mr. Hargis, established a boat-yard in the
ancient borough. On Dec. 8, 1852, this firm launched
the schooner " Mary Pickup," of two hundred and I
sixty tons, the largest vessel ever built up to that date
at Chester. In 1856, William B. Fortner had located
.as a ship-builder at Chester. The first steamboat shaft
ever forged in the borough was made for the steam-
boat " Young America," in June, 1859, at the foundry
of Chester A. Weidner & Co.
Roach's Ship- Yard. — In 1859, Thomas Reaney, who j
had been a member of the firm of Reaney & Neafie, in j
Philadelphia, removed to Chester, he haviug pur-
chased the lot of ground on the Delaware River, where j
the Pennsylvania Oil-Works had been located in
1855, and had been destroyed by fire several years i
subsequent to that date. There he established an ex-
tensive ship-yard in connection with William B. j
Reaney and Samuel Archbold, the firm being Reaney, '
Son & Archbold, the industry itself being known as i
the Pennsylvania Iron-Works. Here a large busi-
ness was done, which required the erection of costly j
buildings, wharfing, and filling in of the river-front,
together with an outlay of many thousands of dollars
in the purchase of machinery. At these works during
the civil war the United States war vessels, the
double-enders " Wateree," " Suwanee," and " Sha-
mokin" were built, hull and engines complete, ready
to go to sea, as were also the monitors " Sagamon" and
"Lehigh," and the light-draught monitor " Tunxis;"
two powerful tug-boats for the United States, the
" Pinta" and " Nina," were constructed at these
works. Among the list of other vessels built by
Reaney, Son & Archbold, was the fleet river-steamer
"Samuel M. Felton." In 1871 the firm made an as-
signment, and the yard and machinery was purchased
by John Roach, who established "The Delaware
River Iron Ship-Building and Engine Company"
thereat, which since that time has become so familiar
to the people of the United States. In the year 1873
-74, at these works, were built for the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company the " City of Peking" and the |
" City of Tokio," each being four hundred and twenty- 1
three feet in length, with a capacity of five thousand !
and seventy-nine tons, — the largest vessels built in j
this country. The " City of Para" was launched
April 6, 1878, in the presence of the President of [
the United States, and hundreds of distinguished
guests from all parts of the country and thousands of
spectators. The following-named vessels have been
built since for the same company : " City of San
Francisco," " City of New York," and " City of Syd-
ney," each three thousand and twenty tons; "San
Jos6," "San Juan," and "San Bias," each two thou-
sand and eighty tons ; the " City of Panama" and [
the " City of Guatemala," each fourteen hundred and
ninety tons. 1
In the year 1873 the iron-clad sloops-of-war "Alert" 1
and "Alliance" were built for the United States gov-
ernment. The name of the latter was later changed
to " Huron." It was wrecked and lost off the coast of
Virginia.
In 1875 the United States monitor " Miantono-
mah," iron-clad, double-turret, was built, and is now
at Hampton Roads. There are at present In process of
construction for the government the " Boston," " At-
lanta," and "Chicago" (still on the stocks), the
"Puritan," a monitor, double-turret, with a capacity
of two thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight tons,
and the dispatch-boat " Dolphin," the last two lying
at the docks.
The following United States monitors have been
refitted at the yards: "Wyandotte," " Nahant,"
" Jason," " Passaic," " Nausett," " Niobe," " Cohoes,"
" Modoc," and " Napa."
In 1875 the " Graciosa" was built as a dispatch boat
for the Spanish government.
On Tuesday morning. May 22, 1877, the steamship
" Saratoga," which was on the ways, after it had been
Ijlocked up to be launched on the high tide, was ob-
served to be pulling, and the order was passed down
along the side of the ways to " stand clear." A num-
ber of men under the vessel ran from beneath it, and
after a few moments, no others appearing, the order
was given to cut the shoes which held the vessel, for
it was straining hard to tear itself loose. As the ship
started swiftly to the river, those who witnessed it
greeted her movements with cheers, which in a mo-
ment after were hushed, when a cry of terror went up
from those nearest the ways that a number of the
workmen, who had not gotten from under the " Sara-
toga" when the shoes were cut, had been caught in
the packing, which had been carried down with the
vessel (a mass of timbers and block at the point
where the ways are nearest the ground on the margin
of the river), and had been killed or were so injured
that death must ensue. The news spread with mar-
velous rapidity. The workmen in the yard were
from all sections in the city and South Chester, and
the anxiety to learn whether among the killed aud
wounded were relatives and friends caused a general
suspension of business. The streets leading to the
ship-yard were soon thronged with people hastening
thither, and a crowd of men, women, and children
besieged the outer gates clamorous for admission.
The physicians — for every medical man in the city
had been summoned to the works — had directed that
to avoid confusion and excitement the public should
not be admitted to the office where the dead and dying
had been carried. All that medical skill could do
was done, but with the exception of three men who
were slightly injured, all those who were under the
" Saratoga" at the time the vessel was launched were
killed or died in a few hours thereafter. The follow-
ing is a list of the dead : Edward Burke, Charles
Wright, Sr., Edward Fawley, John J. Crewe, John
Neilson, George Woof, and Bernard Cannon.
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
389
In the year 1877 there was built at the yards for
the, United States government a sectional dry-dock in
four sections, having a total length of one hundred
and sixty-eight feet and one hundred and eighteen
feet in width. After completion it was shipped to
Pensacola, Fla., where it was placed.
Vessels have been built for the Oregon Steamship
Company of San Francisco, Old Dominion Steam- j
ship Company of New York, Ocean Steamship Com- j
pany of Savannah, Brazilian Mail Steamship Com-
pany, Cromwell Line of New York, C. H. Mallory
& Co. of New York, J. E. Ward & Co. of New York, j
Since 1871 ninety vessels have been built at these
yards.
There is used annually at these works about sixteen
million pounds of iron, and about fifteen hundred
uieu are employed. The yards embrace about thirty-
two acres, with a frontage on the river of twelve hun-
dred feet. The buildings include a brick three-story
structure forty-three by forty-four feet, occupied as
otBces and draughting-rooms ; foundry, one hundred
and eleven by one hundred feet, blacksmith-shops,
boiler-shops, machine-shops, and many other build-
ings. Fifty comfortable dwellings are adjacent to the
yards for the use of employes.
John Roach, Sr., proprietor of the celebrated iron
ship-yard at Chester, and of the JNIorgan Iron- Works
in New York City, is one of the most remarkable
self-made men of the country. Few life-stories can
equal his in incident and interest. None can furnish
more striking illustration of what may be accom-
plished by purpose, perseverance, and pluck, backed
by a will which no difficulties could daunt, and by a
heroism of moral character which no test or trouble
could overcome.
Mr. Eoach was born in County Cork, Ireland, Dec.
25, 1816. In his veins flows that Irish blood which
has produced so many eminent names in Parlia-
mentary and military history, of the purest and stur-
diest to be found in Great Britain's isles. His family
were highly respectable and well-to-do trades-people.
Until he was thirteen he had such schooling as his
native neighborhood afforded, this, however, consist-
ing rather more in the application of birch than of
useful instruction on the teacher's part, and in devo-
tion to sport rather than to study on the part of the
scholars. The school-days, such as they were, were
cut short by money embarrassments at home, Mr.
Koach's father having become involved by indorse-
ments to such extent as to cause his financial ruin,
and finally his death from grief.
Inspired with the indomitable resolution which has
been the marked characteristic of his career, the boy
determined to seek his fortunes in America. The
previous emigration of an uncle was one inducement
to this step, and, in the expectation of finding this
uncle in New York, at the age of sixteen he crossed
the ocean, and landed a stranger, alone and almost
penniless, in the metropolis. There he learned, to
his dismay, that his uncle was in Texas. Left thus
to face the fact that he had no one to whom he could
turn for help, and that his small supply of money
must soon be gone, he resolved to work at anything
he could find to do to earn his passage back to Ireland.
Bethinking himself of a man who had once worked
for his father, and who was now settled in New Jer-
sey, he made inquiries, and at length found him in
Monmouth (now Ocean) County, N. J. Here he re-
ceived a welcome, but aid was beyond the poor man's
ability. Near by was a brick-yard, however, and he
got work as a hand with the wheelbarrow. That was
the beginning of a self-earned fortune. But the toil
was very severe for one so young, and he was treated
more like a slave and brute than a human being. A
month at this brought him seven dollars. Then he
went to the place where Mr. James P. Allaire, of
New York, was building the Howell Iron-Works,
and applied for work. As he could get nothing bet-
ter, he hired out as attendant on the masons. He
worked till he had saved fifty dollars. When it is
recalled how low the wages were for such labor, it
will be seen with what perseverance these hard-
earned dollars were made and laid aside. Always
before him was the purpose to rise to something
higher. In this spirit he boldly went to the foreman
of the department where iron hollow-ware was made,
and offered his fifty dollars as meeting the requirement
for apprenticeship to the trade. The foreman laughed
at his pretensions, and refused to receive him. Not
to be put down thus, he applied to Mr. Allaire him-
self, and by his intelligent remarks, bright face, and
worthy ambition so impressed the proprietor that he
gave orders to have the young man admitted to the
foundry. Here he had many obstacles to contend
with, but made steady progress notwithstanding.
His associates were ignorant, rough men, with no
idea of bettering their condition. A barrel ot
whiskey was kept for general use, contributions for
this purpose being exacted from each person. Young
Roach contributed, but refused to partake of the
liquor. At the end of the first year he had five hun-
dred dollars due him, and at the end of the second
one thousand dollars more. The conditions on which
the fifty dollars were paid to learn this trade were
that a certain class of articles moulded and cast from
the melted iron should be paid for by the piece. The
more and faster the person worked the more he made,
and while many with the same chance as himself made
nothing, by his skill and his indefatigable industry,
working over-hours, and wasting none of his energies,
he succeeded in saving this handsome sum. It was
from the start his firm conviction that no man could
rise in the world who could not lay by something in
whatever position he might be.
By this time he had married. Planning for the
welfare of his family, he concluded to go into the
new West and buy land with a view to settlement on
a farm. Drawing five hundred dollars of his money,
390
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTy, PENNSYLVANIA.
and traveling west by canal and stage and other slow
methods of those days, he at length reached what is
now the site of Peoria, 111., and bought three hundred
acres of land in the neighborhood, paying his five
hundred dollars as security. It seemed settled that
John Roach was to become an Illinois farmer. But
there was a different course of life mapped out for
him, with more telling work for his country. By one
of those providences which some wrongly consider to
be chance, just at this time Mr. Allaire failed. That ,
ended the Illinois farming. Mr. Roach, not being
able to get his thousand dollars, could not make the
further payments, forfeited what he had already paid,
and found himself far from home, without money [
enough to get back, and in a land where a day's wages
was not money, but as much corn as a man could
carry on his back. That would not pay fare, since
there was no market where it could be turned into cash. I
But there was no such idea as " give up" in his j
head. Within twenty-four hours after learning of his i
I0S.S, he was working his way homeward on the canals ; j
and in some four months after his departure from New ]
York, with high hopes of success in the great West, ;
he was back again, richer in experience, but poorer in
pocket, with nothing to do but begin over. He had,
however, the capital of a thoroughly-mastered trade,
a powerful constitution, and an indomitable will.
Mr. Allaire, who had resumed business, was glad to j
regain so skillful a workman. Mr. Roach, however,
was not satisfied with his old trade, and learned that '
of making castings for machinery. Here again a j
foreman opposed him, but Mr. Allaire knew his valu-
able qualities, and insisted that he should be taken
into the foundry. He rose rapidly, and subsequently
was offered the place of the very foreman who had
opposed him, but refused to take it from him. He
worked himself ill by his over-hours and his intense
application, and for a long time it was thought he
would die of consumption ; but the strong constitution
stood him in good stead, and he recovered.
When he got two hundred dollars ahead again, —
and it was slower work saving now with a family to
support, — he determined that he must be something \
more than a workman in a foundry if his children
were to be properly cared for and educated. He
finally hit upon the scheme of starting out for him-
self by buying a small foundry in Goerck Street, New-
York City,— the Etna Iron- Works,— then in the hands
of a receiver, and for sale. The property consisted of
only two lots of ground, forty by one hundred feet;
but before he left for yet larger works it was enlarged,
so as to cover fifty city lots. Nothing ever grew
smaller under his hands. Finding three other me-
chanics, each having two hundred dollars, who were
willing to join in the enterprise, the property was j
bought for four thousand seven hundred dollars, with
a small cash payment, which left an equally small
cash capital with which to begin business. The firm I
became Roach & Johnson, and the subsequently '
famous Etna Iron- Works sought public patronage, —
that is, Mr. Roach sought it. The responsibility of
the purchase was taken by him, and his partners left
the management of everything to him. Where he
was bound to succeed, they were doubtful ; where he
was resolute, they were holding back ; where he was
enterprising, they were timid. Those days showed
the man. He scoured the city for work. He was un-
known, without cash capital, credit, or influential
friends ; but his pluck shone in his face and inspired
confidence. The first work he got, after long search,
was to make some grate-bars for a Brooklyn distillery.
When this was done there was not a dollar left of the
cash capital, and he himself took the bars to the dis-
tillery, and asked for immediate payment, frankly
stating that money with him was scarce, and he would
willingly make a reduction for cash. His struggles
for success in this foundry were such as few men go
through. The partners early became discouraged,
and he promptly bought their interest, giving them
his note for three hundred dollars and a mortgage as
collateral, and keeping them in his employ. Not one
of them rose afterwards to a proprietor's place. He
made frank statements to the iron merchants of his
condition and prospects. His work was always satis-
factory, both in price and character ; his contracts
were always kept to the letter ; and his known probity
of character gradually obtained for him a limited
credit. Often during this period he had to obtain
credit in order to support his ftimily, because it took
all the money he had to pay his workmen on Satur-
day night. During all his more than forty years of
proprietorship and employment of thousands of work-
men, never once did his men fail to receive their
weekly wages when they were due.
Mr. Roach's first decided rise was when he was
fortunate enough to get a contract for an iron build-
ing, and made eight thousand dollars in six months.
This work was so satisfactory that his business and
credit were increased largely. He took contracts
which were beyond the capacity of his works, but
tore down the old buildings, and in forty days had
new and adequate works in operation, and carried out
the contracts. That was characteristic of the man.
Any work he could get to do he was sure he could
provide the necessary capacity to do.
Business was now fairly prosperous with him when,
in 1846, by the explosion of the boiler, his works were
mostly destroyed by fire, and what was far more
grievous, with accompanying loss of life. No in-
surance was recovered, and again he found himself
nearly ruined. But he had an enlarged experience,
an established business, and a sound though not large
credit, being so much the richer by his hard toiling
years. To go on with his contracts without loss of
time he laid pipes and carried steam from a boiler in
a factory over two hundred feet away to his own
engine, which in the general wreck had singularly
escaped destruction. By so doing, in forty-eight hours
;^^
'n^?1>yAHniXiaii£
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
391
work was resumed. By extraordinary exertions he |
overcame the most distressing discouragements and ,
re-established the foundry. There came out once more {
the indomitable spirit of the man. Business men
generally recognized the fact that nothing could |
crush John Roach, and from that time his credit was
good anywhere, and his word was as good as his bond.
Pluck and patience and persistency will powerfully
tell. All men honor the man who makes himself
the master of misfortunes.
With the profits of the business in eight years Mr.
Roach built an establishment having facilities to con-
struct larger marine-engines than any yet built in this
country. He was bound that nothing in his line
should be done anywhere in the world that he could
not do. He sent an agent to Europe to examine the
greatest establishments there, and thus was able to
avail himself of all the advantages in selection and
arrangement of machinery. Some of the tools intro-
duced were the largest in the country. Where other [
works were unimproved he was constantly making j
advance in facilities. He stimulated the inventive
genius of his workmen, and was quick to adopt a good
thing when he found it. Having gone through every 1
branch of his business, and understanding every detail,
his eye was swift to see and his judgment was rarely
at fault. Nothing escaped his personal attention. His
capacity for work was wonderful. His pay-lists en-
rolled from nine hundred to fifteen hundred men. Two
immense engines were built by him in these works for
the ironclad " Dunderberg," and the engines for the
double-end gunboat " Winooski," the steam frigate
" Neshaming," the great sound steamers " Bristol"
and " Providence," and other large vessels. No work
was too great or too difficult for him to do, and do at
its best, and no unsatisfactory work went out of his
establishment. His superior facilities enabled him to
do work in shortest time and at lowest price. In 1858
he took into partnership one of his sons, and the firm
became, as at present, John Roach & Son.
But Mr. Roach's ambition was not yet satisfied.
The Etna Works, large and complete as they were, lay
distant from the river-front and lacked other advan-
tages. In 1867 he bought the Morgan Iron-Works,
an immense establishment at the foot of Ninth Street,
on the East River. These works were built in 1838
by T. F. Secor & Co., and in 1850 were bought by
George W. Quintard, who conducted them until 1867.
The engines for a large number of first-class merchant
and war vessels were constructed in them. They con-
sist of various buildings, — foundries and shops, —
occupying six city blocks, giving a water-front of
three hundred feet. Great alterations were made and
the establishment was brought to the highest point
of capacity and perfection. For the construction
of marine-engines of the old style there was no
superior plant in the world.
But when the works were brought to this condition
another discouraging train of circumstances came on
which threatened to make establishment and expe-
rience useless and the property of little value, except
as real estate.
During the civil war our shipping was driven from
the sea, and England embraced the opportunity to get
possession of the carrying trade formerly ours. For
years a revolution had been going on in ship-building,
in the change not only from wood to iron, from sail
to steam, but from the wooden side-wheeler to the iron
propeller, and from the ordinary to the compound
engine. No compound engine had at that time been
built in this country. Our iron interest had not been
developed. And at this time, when England was
in possession of the carrying trade, and when every-
thing that entered into the construction of a ship was
taxed, the free-ship cry was raised in Congress. This
utterly discouraged capital invested in the iron busi-
ness, and nearly all the great iron-works in New
York, Philadelphia, and Boston were closed up. Mr.
Roach held on. He looked over the whole subject, —
saw the need of this great country for ships and its
danger without the power to build them, — and had
faith to believe that the people would demand a re-
vival of the American carrying trade. He proved
his faith by investing all he had in the ship-yard and
engine-works at Chester, an establishment which
covers some twenty-five acres and thirty branches of
skilled labor, and has in many respects no equal in
the world, and where a finished ship, from the ore up,
can be produced. Over three thousand men are in
his employ, and nowhere are to be found superior
facilities or superior ships. Nearly one hundred
splendid iron steamships have been launched by him,
and no unsatisfactory work has he ever done. It is a
remarkable fact that in his business career of over
forty years Mr. Roach has never been sued, nor has
he ever brought suit against any man with whom he
has had dealings. His ability to manage men is as
marked as his executive powers. Strikes have been
markedly absent from his work-shops, and his men
have ever been treated with kindness and considera-
tion. He is a model employer.
By his persistency in advocating an American policy
of protection not only for American ships, but for all
American industries, Mr. Roach has done more than
any other one man to stem the tide of foreign influ-
ence in favor of free trade, which means the pau-
perization of American labor in favor of foreign labor.
By his powerful arguments before Congressional com-
mittees, arguments which proved unanswerable, he
has, year after year, fought and defeated the bills for
free ships and free trade introduced into Congress ;
his opponents have conceded that they owe defeat to
him alone. This will secure him high honor at the
hands of the American people when our history shall
be written, and when, free from prejudice, men shall
be able to see how much the country and its indus-
tries owe to the firm stand taken and maintained with
consummate ability by Mr. Roach.
392
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
He is a man of genial disposition, a fluent and per-
suasive spealcer, overflowing with broad and sound
ideas on all subjects. He has aided man}' a young
man and influenced him to make something of him-
self. The rules which he has followed and which he
would recommend to all are these :
1. Keep your promises and appointments.
2. Never let a customer go away dissatisfied, if you
can possibly help it.
3. Never lend a friend your note, rather loan him
the money, if you can spare it. Never indorse another
man's note as an accommodation.
4. Do no business with a man who is troublesome,
and whom you know you cannot satisfy.
5. Pay your bills and workmen promptly when pay
is due.
6. Be honest and honorable in "all things, and kind
to all men.
The rules are characteristic of a man whose life
cannot be studied by young men without advantage,
and who is worthy of the honors that have been con-
ferred upon him by those who know his worth.
Sauville Spar-Yard.— In 1865 John Sauville es-
tablished a spar-yard .at the foot of Parker Street.
The masts and spars used at Roach's ship-yard are
here hewn from the large timbers which are brought
from Clearfield City, in this State, and the spruce logs
are brought from Maine.
The Frick's Boat- Yard.— In 1860, William Frick
and AVilliam Wilson, formerly of the firm of Frick,
Slifer & Co., of Louisburg, Pa., came to Chester and
purchased a large tract of land on the river, adjoining
the yard of Reaney, Son & Archbold. Here they
erected piers, which extended nearly seven hundred
feet from the fast land into the water, and expended
thousands of dollars in filling in the low and marshy
ground so that it might be utilized for the purposes of
a boat-yard. The firm made a specialty of building
canal-boats, and had established a large business, giv-
ing employment to nearly a hundred hands, when the
civil war unsettled value and so advanced the costs of
materials that it was very precarious to enter into
heavy contracts to be carried out in the future. Frick
& Co. had undertaken to huild a large number of
canal-boats at a designated price, which at the period
the contract was entered into, and the cost of mate-
rial at that time, promised to yield a large profit to
the builder, but the inflation came, lumber and iron
advanced threefold in value. The parties for whom
the boats were to be built demanded that the firm
should carry out its contract, although to do so would
entail the loss of many thousands of dollars. Find-
ing that the strict letter of the agreement would be
required, Frick & Co. strove to carry out their obli-
gation in good faith, but the losses entailed embar-
rassed them, and culminated ultimately in financial
failure. The boats were delivered, but the builders
were ruined, and that in a contract which when made
promised a large margin of profit.
Besides the yards already mentioned, Charles A.
Weidner, at the Chester Iron-Works, on Second Street,
between Edgmont and Market Streets, built several
river steamboats and other vessels. In 1873 the
United States revenue marine steamer " Manhattan"
was built at this establishment, and at the time was
pronounced by the government inspectors the best
vessel ever constructed for that service in the country.
In 1876 Nathan Pennell and George Robinson had a
ship-yard in South Ward, near Essex Street, and that
year the tug " Mary Ann" was built at this yard.
The depression of 1877 caused the proprietors to
abandon and retire from the business, which was at
that time very unpromising.
Court-Houses and Prisons. — At the session of
Upland Court, Nov. 14, 1676, an order was made pro-
viding that Neeles Laerson be paid " for his charges
for keeping the Court last year." Neeles Laerson was
a tavern-keeper, and his inn is believed to have been
on Edgmont Avenue, north of the present Second
Street. He was the owner of one hundred and
eighty-one acres of land in Chester, covering a large
part of the present thickly built-up portion of the
city to which I am now referring. Neeles Laerson
was a quarrelsome neighbor, as will be seen by an ex-
amination of the records. In 1678, James Sande-
lands, on behalf of the inhabitants of Upland, called
the attention of the court to the fact that Laerson
had built a fence closing the old and usual way to the
meadow, which obstruction the court ordered the
latter to remove. On the same day the church war-
dens complained that in taking possession of two lots
in Chester, which he had bought from Dominie Lasse
Carolus, he had included some of the church or glebe
lands. The court ordered that he should be allowed
that which he had bought, btit if it was found that
he had taken more than was by right his, it should be
annexed to the church lots.
The first court of which we have information was,
as shown, held at Learson's inn, but the justice or-
dered, Nov. 13, 1677, that Capt. Hans Jargin, who
had been occupying the building as a barracks for his
company, should "fit up" the House of Defense, or
block house, and furnish it " fitt for the Court to sitt
in against ye next Court." Although there is no pos-
itive record showing that the House of Defense was
used by the court for its sessions, it is now generally
conceded that the evidence fully establishes the fact
that it was so occupied. This building, which was
constructed of logs, stood on the east side of Edgmont
Avenue, about eighty-four feet from the present Sec-
ond Street, was rectangular in shape, and was four-
teen by fifteen feet in dimensions. It was erected at
an angle to Second Street, and extended into the
roadway of Edgmont Avenue. Neeles Laerson,
March 13, 1678, was ordered by the court " to make
or leave a lane or street from Upland creek to ye
House of Defence or County House" between that
time and the next court, and in default to be fined at
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
the discretion of the judges. As the early settlers |
traveled almost wholly by water, it was very essential
that there should be free access from the creek to the
public buildings, and this means of communication
the pugnacious Laerson seems to have interrupted
until the strong arm of the law dealt summarily with
him. It appears that the court-house was then a place
where articles were exposed by the public for sale.
The court, on 8d day of First month, 1684, deter-
mined that a revenue might be derived from this
source ; hence the old record shows this strange
entry :
" Ordered that all people that shall make use of the
Court House for sellerage of any goods shall for every
Tonne pay after ye rate of three Shillings fourpence
a Tonne for any time not exceeding a week. And for
what time it shall continue afterwards half so much."
How long the House of Defense was used as the
public buildings of the county is not known, but in
1703, after two other buildings in succession had been
occupied by the court, the grand jury presented the
old block-house " as being a nuisance, and dangerous
of taking fire, and so would endanger the town."
" The Court," — so runs the old entry on the docket, —
" in deliberate consideration, ordered the said house
to be pulled down, and that Jasper Yeates, Chief
Burgess of the Borough of Chester, shall see the order
performed." Previous to 1688 — there seems to have
been no place for the detention of prisoners in Ches-
ter for two years before that date — " John Ward for
sundry Felons, committed to the custody of the Sher-
iff, and made his escape with irons upon him."
The third court-house, or the third building wherein
court was held, was built in 1684-85. Dr. Smith says,
" A jail was erected at the same time, but there is
reason to believe that it was built near the creek, and
that there was a street laid out between the two
buildings." Henry Hollingsworth, who was a Friend,
"for cutting the eaves of the new prison," was dealt
with by meeting the same year. This court-house
Dr. Smith located on the east side of Edgmont Street,
which John Hill Martin thinks is an error, and
that it was on the west side of that highway,
an opinion which meets the approval of the present
writers. The student of our ancient annals will find
more confusion in the authorities respecting the sites
of the several court-houses than in any other details
of the early days of the colony. This last building,
after it was no longer used for county purposes, was
ordered by the court, at the March session, 1701, " to
be set on sale the 6th day of the Third month next,
papers to be set up to give notice that it is to be sold
at Vandew."
Whether the sale was had according to this order
does not appear, but the property must have passed
to Ralph Fishbourn, of Chester, gentleman, for in the
latter part of the year 1705 the Legislature passed an
act " to assure, grant, and convey unto Ralph Fish-
bourn one messuage, cottage-house, or tenement, and
lot of ground thereunto belonging, situated in Ches-
ter, in the county of Chester, formerly known by the
name of the ' Old Court-House.' "
The fourth court-house, so far as its foundation is
concerned, is still standing on the west side of Edg-
mont Avenue nearly opposite the House of Defense,
its precise location being two hundred and fifty-six
feet six inches from the southwest corner of Edgmont
Avenue and Third Street. It was built by John
Hoskins in 1695, and he conveyed the lot to the
county the same year. The old building, now owned
by Jonathan Pennell, has a part of the wall of this
court-house standing in the northern gable of the
present structure, between the two end windows, and
extending up nearly to the second story. The old
part of the wall, and that which was added after it
ceased to be the county building, is still easily dis-
cernible. The jail was in the cellar, and the iron
rods which formerly barred the prisoners" escape from
confinement, while admitting fresh air to the cells,
still remain in the weather-stained frames in the
foundation walls. The court-rooms and jury-rooms
were in the first and second stories.
At the same court, March, 1701, at which the sale
of the old court-house erected in 1684 was ordered,
the prison being found inadequate to retain the cul-
prits, Jasper Yeates, Ralph Fishbourn, Joseph Co-
bourn, and Andrew Jobe were appointed supervisors
to build a new prison on the grounds of James Sande-
lands, the younger, and were instructed that the erec-
tion should be twenty-five feet in length by eighteen
feet in width in the clear. This structure, so far as
the prison was concerned, was built, for the old draft
of Chester, now owned by William B. Broomall, Esq.,
locates this building as south of the court-house built
by Hoskins in 1695, and Sandelands, by his attorney,
David Lloyd, in open court, delivered a deed for the
land to the commissioners of the county.
We have serious doubt whether the court-house
alluded to in the report of the grand jury of the
24th of February, 1701, was ever built. The grand
inquest on that occasion called the attention of the
court to " the necessity of a Court Hous and prison
hous," but stated also that " there is little money in
the bank, and that many have not paid their moiety
J rate of the last assessment, desire that such may be
forced." They also recommended the speedy gather-
ing of the county tax remaining unpaid, and re-
quested the justices to issue warrants therefor, and
end their report with the declaration that in their
opinion " Law and Justice cannot have its perfect
courc without such housis for their distribution as
aforesaid." We know that at the December court,
1701, the justices ordered repairs to be made " to the
court and prison hous," and appointed Walter Martin,
John Hoskins, and Henry Worley to be supervisors
and oversee the work, with power to provide ma-
terials, employ workmen, and to finish the repairs as
speedily as possible. The supervisors were also in-
394
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
structed to provide a pair of stocks and a whipping-
post. Whether the expense of the building of the
new court-house, as desired by the grand jury, in
1701-2, Wiis greater than the county could undertake,
cannot now be determined, but there is no document-
ary evidence to show that such a structure was ever
erected, and we indorse the opinion of Dr. Smitli and
John Hill Martin that the next court-house in chron-
ological order was the old building on Market Street,
known to us of the present day as the City Hall.
COUBT-HOUSE AND JAIL.
The fifth court-house, including the tavern of
Neeles Laerson in the number, was the massive stone
structure still standing on the west side of Market
Street, which was built in 1724, the date-stone being
in the south wall, but covered with the dull brownish
preparation which still defaces the ancient edifice,
and hides the numerals from sight. The building
has the pent-roof projections over the first-story win-
dows, as was the style of architecture of that day,
and as originally constructed was surmounted with a
small belfry rising from the centre of the roof, in
which formerly hung a bell, with the words " Chester,
1729" cast in the metal. The bay or semi-circular
projection at the nortli side, in the rear of the judges'
bench, was added at a later date. The jury-rooms
were in the second story of the building. Dr. Smith
tells us that tradition has handed down an incident
•'as having happened during the building of the
court-house, or some other public building in Ches-
ter," which he relates as follows:
" During the progress of the work a young lady
wius observed to pa-^s and repass the building daily,
dressed in very gay attire. After the promenade had
been continued foi- some time, one of the workmen,
less mannerly than his as.sociates, upon the appear-
ance of the lady, called out,—
"* In silk aod scarlot walks many a harlot.'
" The young lady, feeling indignant at the insult,
promptly replied, —
"' By line and rule works many a fool.*"
Unfortunately for the tradition connecting this in-
cident with Chester, the same story is told respecting
the erection of an edifice in York, England, which
buildiug antedates the discovery of America by the
Genoese mariner, and the anecdote is related of sev-
eral localities in Great Britain years before we have
knowledge that any European had
settled at Upland.
When the new court-house was
finished an act of Assembly was
piocured "to enable the trustee
to sell the old Court House and
prison belonging to the borough
and county of Chester," and in
1725 the building mentioned, the
one built in 1695, and part of the .
wall of which stands in the house
now owned by Jonathan Pennell,
on Edgmont Avenue, was sold to
William Preston, of Philadelphia,
mariner, for twenty-seven pounds.
The presumption is that the
old jail, which stood at the north-
w est corner of Fourth and Market
Streets, was built previous to the
date of the erection of the court-
house on the same street. The
act of Feb. 22, 1718, required
"that within the space of three years after the
25lh day of March, 1718, a house of correction, or
workhouse, shall be built ... in Chester, at the
charge of the county of Chester." The old work-
house stood directly in the rear of the prison, and the
fact that it was located on the thoroughtare leading
from Market Street to Edgmont gave the name of
Work Street to the highway for more than a century.
The prothonotary's office, which still stands back from
the present building-line of Market Street, and now
owned by James Hampson, was not erected in that
year, for at " the private session" of the court, held
at the house of John Hannum, in Concord, Dec. 15,
1724, Joseph Parker petitioned the court, " setting
I forth ye great danger ye records of ye county lay in,
as well as by ca.sualties of fire, as other accidents;"
the court "allows ye petition to be reasonable, and
orders ye clerk to present ye same before ye commis-
sioners and assessors of ye same county, in order that
they may fit a room in ye new Court House for keep-
ing ye said records in ; and when prepared order ye
old clerk to transmit all ye said records to ye place so
approi)riated accordingly, and not to be removed
without ye Court's direction." Twelve years after
this order Joseph Paken, in his petition dated Jan.
24, 1737, gives a woeful description of the then con-
dition of the court-house. He says, —
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
395
" Which said Court house was at the Public Expense Furnished with
Tables, Cbaiis, fire fchovels. Tongs, D' ggs, fenderc, as many as Reason-
ably adjudged Necessary. . . . But whoever the Person charge the same
was Committed to It is Apparent to Every Person that will make use of
his Eyes that tiie Doors are most Commonly Left Open for Hoi-ses and
Cattle to go in and out at Pleasure, the Furniture broke and Exceed-
ingly Deminished, and the place made a Common Stage whereby Rude
people break the windows, Treads down Ceiling and Commits many
Disorders, which, if not timely Prevented must end in the Ruin thereof.
As the great Danger which proceed by the person Intrusted by you with
the Care thereof In making the same a Dwelling house and Keeping
Fires tlierein for some months Together."
The court-house appears to have been much out of
order, for on March 1, 1737/8, the commissioners and
assessors agreed with John Owens to repair it as fol-
lows :
"The Lower floor and the Bar and to provide Convenient Seats for the
Petty Jury to sitt on when in Court and to repair the windows and
shutters below stairs and above the Chimney case in the Grand Jury
room and to repair the Three Tables belonging to the several rooms
above stairs, and the Benches and to fix a Turn'd Column or Pillar to
support the Ceiling where the Bell rope comes thro' and to cause the
Ceiling to be Repaired, and to Provide as many Boards as may lay a
tfloor over the s* Ceiling and to make & put up shutters for the Belfry
(or place where the Bell hangs) and Likewise to make a window in the
Gable End in the Garret or Upper Room and glaze the same, and to En-
deavor to procure (with the help of Joseph Parker) the chairs that is
wanted belonging to the Court Uouse as also the Tongs and fire Shovels."
These repairs were made, for some of the improve-
ments designated, particularly the setting up of a
turned column to support the upper floor, was in the
apartment and removed after the building had passed
into the ownership of the city of Chester, when the
upper apartments were altered into the present Coun-
cil chamber.
As stated, the date of the erection of the prothono-
tary's office is well known, and I doubt whether the
building antedates the Revolution, for, on July 28,
1777, the records of the county were in the possession
of the late prothonotary, and at his residence, for on
that date the Executive Council authorized Caleb
Davis, — Benjamin Jacobs not having qualified, — who
was appointed in Jacobs' stead, to "enter the dwell-
ing and out-houses of H. H. Graham, take possession
of the books and papers of the county, and remove
them to a place of safety." Joseph Parker had kept
the records in an office alongside his dwelling-house,
— the old Logan house on Second Street, — and Henry
Hale Graham had after that deposited the records in
his office, the one-story building on Edgmont Avenue,
north of Graham Street, now belonging to the estate
of Henry Abbott, deceased. It seems that in the
growth of the business before the County Court, the
rooms in the second story of the court-house were
necessary for the use of the grand and petit juries,
and hence the order of the court of Dec. 15, 1774,
had to be disregarded. The prothonotary's office, I
am of opinion, must necessarily have been erected
subsequent to the battle of Brandywine, for it was
the dread of the threatened British attack on Phila-
delphia which occasioned the alarm of Council as to
the safety of the county records, and called forth the
order to Caleb Davis.
The old county prison and work-house, as before
stated, were built previous to or about the same time
as the court-house. The jail was two stories high,
built of square cut stone, and extended westwardly
along Fourth Street. In the front part of the build-
ing was the sheriff's house. This was a structure two
stories and an attic in height, presenting in the front
to the street the general style of the court-house.
Back of the prison, and extending along Fourth Street,
was the work -house, also of stone. In 1741 the court-
house and jail were repaired and painted, and a well
dug in the court-house yard. The old pump, with a
heavy iron handle, stood within the memory of many
of our older residents a nuisance in winter, because of
the drippings therefrom forming ice and rendering its
locality a dangerous one to pedestrians. Many years
ago the trunk was taken out and the well filled in.
Part of the old brickwork of the well is under the
front foundation of the store No. 404 Market Street.
During the year just mentioned the commissioners
paid Nathan Worley £10 for planks used in flooring
the two dungeons on the east side of the prison, and
Thomas Morgan was paid £5 lis. 6d. for one hundred
and fifty pounds of spikes used in laying the dungeon
floors. In front of the gaol and extending to the
court-house doors was a double row of Lombardy
poplars which afforded a pleasant shady walk in the
summer, and frequently during periods of political
excitement here the orator of the day held forth and
saved the nation by his noisy mouthings. The old
trees at length grew so unsightly, many of their
branches having died, that over half a century ago
the poplars were cut down and a double row of lindens
were planted to replace the ancient trees under whose
towering branches our Revolutionary sires discussed
the Boston Port Bill and other measures preceding
the actual outbreak of hostilities between the colonies
and the mother-country, and within the venerable
structure proceedings were had to raise the quota of
the Continental troops required from Chester County,
as in after-years similar meetings were held to provide
soldiers during the rebellion.
On the removal of the county-seat to West Chester,
the old court-house and public buildings in Chester
were sold, on the 18th of March, 1788, to William
Kerlin, for £415. After the passage of the act of
Sept. 26, 1789, creating the county of Delaware, Ker-
lin sold the property Nov. 3, 1789, to the county for
£693 3s. 8d. As long as Chester remained the seat of
justice of Delaware County courts continued to be
held in the old building, and at times it must have
been exceeding unpleasant to those who were com-
pelled to attend, particularly in rainy weather, when,
as is stated by a county newspaper in 1843, the mud
on the floor was nearly an inch in depth. It was cer-
tainly not in this condition on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 1824,
when Gen. Lafayette was the guest of Chester. He
was accompanied by Governor Shulze and staff. Gen.
Cadwalader and staff, and many of the dignitaries of
396
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Philadelphia. The steamboat did not reach the land-
ing until eleven o'clock at night, but a line of boys,
each bearing a lighted caudle, was formed, extending,
it is said, from the wharf to the Washington House.
Most of the houses in the town were brilliantly
lighted, and the windows decorated with transparen-
cies and designs. At one o'clock in the morning the
general and friends were " regaled with a sumptuous
entertainment" at the court-house, which had been
prepared by the ladies of Chester. Lafayette re-
mained in the ancient borough during Wednesday,
when he reviewed the volunteers of Delaware and
Chester Counties, and on Thursday, at seven o'clock
in the morning, he started in a coach and four for
Wilmington, accompanied by a suitable escort.
The old jail, during the last ten years it was used as
a place for the detention of prisoners, was " a miser-
able old rattle-trap, nearly all the bars of the win-
dows rusted off and the ceilings and windows any-
thing but secure." This is the description given of
the jail building in 1841 by the editor oi' the Belaroare
County RepMican. In truth it could only retain those
inmates who were too indolent to make an effort to
escape.
In 1824, when Joseph Weaver was sheriff, a convict
named Tom Low succeeded in making his escape from
confiuement. He had been in the jail-yard, as was
usual, at a certain time of the day, and, being for-
gotten, he managed to get possession of a spade, with
which he burrowed under the yard-wall, coming out
about fifteen feet from the court-house. He was never
recaptured. In the latter part of May, 1844, Henry
Johnson escaped from the jail by scaling the wall.
His sentence would have expired the next day, but,
learning that a commitment had been lodged against
him in Philadelphia, and that he would betaken there
for trial for another offense as soon as discharged, he de-
clined to serve out the full term of his imprisonment.
Indeed, the old jail had no terrors for the professional
cracksman, for on the night of Jan. 20, 1844, the
dwelling in the front, then occupied by Sheriff Hib-
berd, was entered by burglars, who decamped with
the wearing apparel of the family and other articles
of value. On Sept. 6, 1847, two prisoners attempted
to escape by making ropes of their blankets, but a
passer-by, noticing the head of one of the men just
above the wall, gave the alarm, and they were pre-
vented from making a general jail delivery. George
Harris, a colored man, by the same means escaped on
July 9, 1847, and was not recaptured, while another
of his race (Brown), who had four times before left the
jail without the consent of the county authorities, on
July 4, 1848, took the privileges of the day and re-
gained his freedom, shaking off the dust of the old
prison for the fifth time. After the county buildings
at Media were being constructed Arthur Goodwin, a
prisoner in the jail at Chester, on Sunday, Dec. 1,
18.50, dug through the walls. But as the convict
returned to his own house the sheriff had little diffi-
i culty in recapturing him. This is the last prisoner
who defied the bolts and bars of the old jail, for on
Dec. 9, 1850, the property in the borough was offered
i at public sale by the county commissioners. The court-
house and two lots were sold to the borough authori-
ties for two thousand six hundred and one dollars,
the prothonotary's office and lot, adjoining it on the
north, to James Hampson for fifteen hundred and
i twenty-five'dollars, and the jail and lots adjoining to
j James Campbell for three thousand five hundred and
twenty dollars.
A large frame building which stood in the rear of
the jail and work-house was bought by Campbell pre-
vious to his purchase of the old prison, and here he
began alterations for the reception of looms. In the
Delaioare Counfy Republican of Feb. 1, 1850, the fol-
lowing reference is made to the change then being
made, — the dawning of Chester's prosperity :
" Improvements in Chester. — Appearances indicate
that in the spring our borough will take a start in the
march of improvement. Our friend, James Camp-
bell, of Leiperville, has made arrangements for man-
ufacturing of cotton goods in the building back of the
jail. He will start with fifty power looms, driven by
a ten horse-power steam engine, and will soon increase
the number to one hundred. In this mill will be the
first looms ever set in motion on the spot first occu-
pied as the capital of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Camp-
bell will be the Columbus in manufacturing in
Chester."
In the issue of the same journal for April 5, 1850,
appeared the following local :
"Pioneer Factory. — The new manufacturing establishment pro-
jected in the borough by Mr. James Campbell, of Ridley, was put in par-
tial opera tiou last week, and the puffing of the steam-engine and the music
of the shuttle are daily heard in our midst, causing us increased wonder
why a town possessing so manyaud rare .advantages as our own was not
years ago converted into a great manufacturing mart. Mr. Campbell is
about to extend his buildings, and in a short time will have one hun-
dred looms in active operation. The machinery used is handsomely
finished and of a superior kind. We have examined a specimen of the
goods made by it,,and predict that they will find a ready sale in what-
ever market they may be offered."
As before stated, the factory mentioned in the Re-
publican was the old bowling-alley, which stood on
the north side of Fourth Street, where part of the
market-house is now located. The Republican failed
to record an incident which happened when the first
loom was started in the Pioneer Mills by the late
James Ledward, then in Campbell's employ. A
number of citizens of Chester were present when the
machinery first began to move, and as they saw it in
motion, all present broke into a cheer, and afterwards
they one and all sang " Hail Columbia." Many who
were then employed in the first manufacture of textile
goods in Chester will recall this incident to memory.
After Mr. Campbell purchased the jail and work-
house, he tore down the northern wall of the old
structure and built out in that direction, so that his
mills, retaining the name " Pioneer Mills," extended
over to and included the prison-yard walls. In the
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
397
new addition he kept the Jacquard looms, and thereon
were woven quilts and fabrics of a like character.
The great difficulty he had to contend with was the
scarcity of water, and to meet this want he expended
thousands of dollars in sinking wells in the yard.
The new enterprise, which had required a large out-
lay of means, was getting well established when the
panic of 1857 came upon the country, spreading ruin in
all directions, and crushing down industrial establish-
ments by the thousands Mr. Campbell at that time
became financially embarrassed, and in 1858 the " Pio-
neer Mills" passed
into the ownership
of the late Gen.
Robert E. Patter-
son.
After Campbell
had erected the
Pioneer Mills, the
heirs of William
Kerlin brought an
action in ejectment
against him, alleg-
ing that the land
and buildings which
Kerlin had con-
veyed to the county
of Delaware in 1789
was conditioned on
the use of the prem-
ises as a court-house
and jail, and that
inasmuch as the
buildings had
ceased to be used
for the purposes in-
tended, the title re-
verted to the heirs-
at-law of Kerlin.
The court below de-
cided that the deed
from Kerlin to the
county was absolute
and for a valuable
consideration, with
power of aliena-
tion in the county ;
and an appeal being
taken to the Supreme Court, this opinion was sustained.
James Campbell, to whom Chester owes so much
for its present manufacturing prominence, was born
in Stockport, England, on Aug. 12, 1805, where at an
early age he entered a mill, learning thoroughly the
trade of cotton-weaving. Energetic and self-reliant,
he came to this country in his early manhood, deter-
mining to make his way in this world. He sought
employment at the factory of Mr. Philips, at Rock-
dale, and subsequently became the manager of the
mills at Pennsgrove, then owned by James Houghton,
now by Samuel Riddle, continuing there until 1837,
when his employer removed to Groveville, N. J., to
which place James Campbell declined to go, although
he was urged to do so by Houghton, who was loath
to part with him. At that time John Garsed, whose
eldest daughter (Angelina) Campbell had married,
had a machine-shop at Pennsgrove, and he otTered to
his son-in-law sis cotton-looms, which he had made
for parties who had failed in business and could not
take the machines. Campbell accepted the offer, and
placed the looms in a vacant building at Pennsgrove,
and began his ca-
reer as a manufac-
turer. Industrious
and progressive, he
soon established a
reputation in busi-
ness, and in the
following year Hon.
George G. Leiper
proposed to erect an
additional story to
the bark-mill, at
Leiperville, so as
to afford sufficient
room for the ma-
chinery required in
a cotton-factory, if
Campbell would
agree to lease the
property after the
change was made.
The offer was ac-
cepted, and in that
locality Campbell
was very successful,
accumulating con-
siderable capital,
which he subse-
quently lost in his
effort to develop the
borough of Chester
into a manufactur-
ing town. His ob-
ject was attained,
hundreds have prof-
ited by his endeav-
ors, but in the panic
ot 1857, when many of the commission-houses with
whom he dealt suspended, it embarrassed him, and
finally caused his failure. So great had been his
struggles to prevent this result that his health broke
under the strain, and after several years of almost
unintermitting illness, during which his indomitable
energy never forsook him, he died. May 14, 1862.
The mill, after Campbell's failure, was occupied by
James Stevens until about 1863, when Messrs. Rob-
erts, Wilson & Willey carried on the manufacturing
[ business therein. In 1865, Gen. Patterson sold the
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Market Street front to James Chadwick, who, in 1866,
tore down the old building and erected Lincoln Hall.
While taking down the tall flag-pole which stood on
the sidewalk at Fourth and Market Streets, where it
had been erected during the excitement occasioned by
the news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter, the
halyards were drawn through the block, and Charles
Martine clambered up to make a rope fast so that the
pole, lower and topmast, might be pulled over into
the street. After he had reached some distance the
pole, which had rotted where it entered the ground,
broke off level with the sidewalk and fell, fatally
crushing Martine beneath it. The rear part of the i
old prison passed into the ownership of John Cochran, [
and on part of the lot the market-house now stands, j
Chadwick sold the property to Messrs. Gartside &
Sons, and they in turn conveyed it to Chester Lodge,
No. 236, F. A. M., who now own it.
When the present mayor's office was being built, in
1866, in digging the cellar, the southeast end wall of
the old prothonotary's office fell, and a three-months'
old infant of Michael Biggans, the then occupant of
the dwelling, who was asleep in a bed against the
wall in the second story, was thrown into the cellar
among the debris, a distance of twenty feet, without
sustaining any harm, while a child a few years older,
sleeping in the same room, was buried in the broken
bricks and plaster without receiving any serious inju-
ries.
After the borough authorities acquired title to the
old court-house they made many changes, provided a
commodious hall in the second story for the use of the
Council, which is to-day used by their successors, the
Council of the city of Chester; they also removed the
old belfry and built a steeple, in which was placed a
four-dialed clock and a new bell. The old one, which
had called together judges, lawyers, jurors, and suitors
for nearly a century and a quarter, was removed to
the ancient school-house at Fifth and Welsh Streets.
Broad Street Mills. — The buildings at Broad and
Crosby Streets, owned by James Stevens, and used
for the manufacture of bed-ticking, warps, and cops,
were originally built for a sash-factory and machine-
shop, the first on Broad Street, the second on Crosby
Street. In 1856 they were used by James Campbell
for the manufacture of cotton goods, and at his death,
in 1862, passed into the hands of Gen. Patterson,
under the charge of James Stevens. They were f>ur-
chased by Mr. Stevens in March, 1882. Since Mr.
Campbell's time the buildings have been much en-
larged and improved, and the old machinery replaced
with new. The main mill on Broad Street is two
hundred and si.x by twenty-eight feet, three stories
high, and on Crosby Street two hundred and twenty-
two by thirty-six feet. The latter is two stories high,
with the exception of sixty feet, which is one story.
In this part is the dye- and finishing-house, sixty by
sixty feet, provided with a small engine, and a pump
for forcing water over the building in case of fire.
The machinery consists of eighty-five looms, nine
thousand and forty-eight spindles, and sixteen cards,
driven by two engines, with two sets of boilers.
The Keokuk MiUs were established in 1852, by
Benjamin Gartside. Land was purchased at the foot
of Fulton Street, and the original structure, ninety
by thirty-eight feet, four stories, was built. On the
11th of August, 1852, a bricklayer employed in build-
ing the chimney of the engine-house of the factory
fell from the scaffold to the ground, a distance of sixty
feet ; he was severely but not seriously injured. In
1858-59 land adjoining to the north was bought, and
additional buildings erected. On the 1st of January,
1857, James and Amos Gartside, sons of Benjamin,
were admitted as partners, the firm-name becoming
B. Gartside & Sons, and has continued as such to this
time. The works occupy over two acres of ground,
comprising the square between Front Street and the
Delaware River and Parker and Fulton Streets. The
mill is supplied with four sets of cards, eighty looms,
and the necessary machinery for the manufacture of
woolen jeans. The power is supplied by a seventy
horse-power engine. Three thousand pounds of raw
material are used per week, and fourteen thousand
yards of goods are manufactured per month. Seventy
hands are employed.
Benjamin Gartside was born in Rochdale, Lan-
cashire, England, May 26, 1794. After a limited
education in his native country he learned the trade
of hand-loom weaving, and continued it until his
emigration to the United States in 1831. Coming at
once to Philadelphia, he found employment at the
Blockley Mills, and remained until 1838, when Man-
ayunk became his home and Joseph Ripka his em-
ployer. ' In 1838 he engaged in business on his own
account, first using but one hand-loom, but as busi-
ness increased, introducing four power-looms. In
1840 he rented a mill on the Wissahickon Creek,
fitted it with appropriate machinery and power-looms,
and conducted the business until 1843, when he re-
moved to Cardington, Delaware Co., and there leased
a mill for nine years. Here he introduced a new and
complete set of machinery, making it in every way
suitable to the business he proposed conducting. He
was very successful during his residence at the latter
place, which he left on removing to Chester to con-
tinue the business in a factory which he built in 1852.
This was at the time one of the most complete estab-
lishments in the country, and was subsequently in-
creased in dimensions by the purchase of additional
lands and the erection of other buildings. A full de-
scription of the business and its various ramifications
having been given elsewhere, renders repetition here
unnecessary. Mr. Gartside, by a technical knowledge
of the business, together with great industry and strict
integrity, has enjoyed a career of remarkable pros-
perity. On the 1st of January, 1857, he admitted his
sons, Amos and James, into partnership, the firm
becoming Benjamin Gartside &Sons. Since his resi-
r^^
x^^.
^2^ ^^y /^
c^^<_^
mm
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
dence in Chester, Mr. Gartside has been actively iden-
tified with its growth and prosperity. He was in pol-
itics early an Old-Line Whig, and later became a
Republican. He was for many years a councilman
of the borough, and filled various other positions of
trust. He was the originator of the First National
Bank of Chester, and has also been director of the
Chester Mutual Insurance Company. He was also
prominent in the projection of the Chester Rural
Cemetery, and has, by his public spirit and liberality,
ever been a promoter of all measures tending to the
development of the city of his adoption. In religion
he is a Baptist, and one of the oldest deacons in
period of service in the church of which he is a
member. Mr. Gartside was married in 1815 to Miss
Elizabeth Kershaw, of Rochdale, England. Their
children are Enoch, Robert, Mary (Mrs. John Ker- [
shaw), John, James, Ann (Mrs. Jonathan Grant), t
Amos, and Joseph. I
Amos Gartside, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth i
Kershaw Gartside, was born in Rochdale, Lancashire,
England, Oct. 23, 1829, and with his parents became
a resident of the United States in 1831. His pri-
mary education was chiefly obtained at the common
schools, though supplemented by a course at the Ger- ^
mantown Academy. Having finished his studies, at
the age of eighteen he entered his father's factory
for the purpose of becoming proficient in the art
of woolen-weaving. Here he became thoroughly ac-
quainted with the business in all its details. When
his father left Cardington, Delaware Co., and estab-
lished mills at Chester, hia son accompanied him and ;
remained in his employment until 1857, at which
time he was, together with his brother, James, admit-
ted to a partnership. He was the same year married
to Miss Emma, daughter of James Pierce, of Chester, ,
whose children are Elizabeth (Mrs. H. G. Pennell), i
Mary Ann, and Amy Alberta, who survive ; and
John, Georgie, and Katie, deceased. Mr. Gartside
has manifested an active interest in public affairs,
and done much to advance the growth of the city of j
Chester. He was for sixteen years a member of the
City Council, and president of that body. He was
formerly a Whig in politics, and more recently be-
came a Republican. He has been active in advo-
cating the principles of his party, and represented
the Sixth Pennsylvania District as a delegate to the
National Convention, held in Chicago in 1880. He
has been for eight years a member of the Board of
Port Wardens. Mr. Gartside has also been largely
identified with business enterprises as director of the
Steel Casting Company, of the Eureka Steel Casting
Company, and of the Chester Mutual Insurance Com-
pany. He is the originator of many public works in
the city of Chester, and has filled the oflnce of presi-
dent of the Chester Water- Works since its organiza-
tion. He was also a director of the Chester Improve-
ment Company, and of the McCafifry Direct Street
Carting Company. He is furthermore a director of
the Delaware River Railroad, and was largely instru-
mental in securing the terminus of the Chester Rail-
road at Chester. His business qualities are charac-
terized by a remarkable degree of judgment and
general ability, which gives him an influential posi-
tion in the commercial world.
James Gartside, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth
K. Gartside, was born in Rochdale, England, on the
20th of October, 1823, and emigrated with his father
to America in 1831. He enjoyed but limited advan-
tages of education, and at the early age of eight years
entered the mill of his uncle, James Kershaw, where
he acquired the trade of a spinner upon throstles. He
subsequently removed to Manayunk, and found em-
ployment with Joseph Ripley. His father having
started a milling interest at Blockley, his son continued
with him at that point, as also at Roxbury and else-
where. The mills established by Benjamin Gartside at
Chester, in 1852, were successful ; his son having been
admitted to the firm in 1857, which partnership is still
retained by him. He was on the 17th of August, 1851,
married to Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph T. and Su-
sannah Smith, of Blockley (now the Twenty-fourth
Ward of Philadelphia). Mr. Gartside joined the
emergency recruits during the late war, in defense of
Gettysburg, and on the expiration of his period of
service resumed his business. In politics he is a
Republican, but not active as a politician. In religion
he is a supporter of the Baptist Church.
Arasapha Mills.— Abraham Blakeley, the senior
partner of the firm of A. Blakeley & Sons, began
manufacturing cotton goods at Knowlton, Jan. 1,
1847, with Phineas Lownes. In the fall of 1853,
Blakeley disposed of his interest to J.William Lewis,
and removed to Chester, where, in September, 1854,
he commenced the manufacture of tickings, denims,
and stripes in the three-story brick building, one hun-
dred by forty-five feet, erected by John Larkin in that
year, at Eleventh and Walnut Streets. On the 1st of
January, 1860, his son, Benjamin W. Blakeley, be-
came associated in the business, under the firm-name
of A. Blakeley & Son. In 1873 the firm erected a
three-story building, one hundred and two by fifty-
five feet, a finishing-room, forty by thirty feet, offices,
and other buildings. On the 1st of January, 1874,
the present firm was constituted by the admission of
William S. Blakeley, another son of Abraham Blake-
ley. The mills, in 1873, were refitted with new and
improved machinery. Additions were made to the
buildings in 1874 and in 1877. The main building is
at present two hundred and seventy-six by fifty feet;
dye-house, one hundred by forty feet, with storage-
sheds for six hundred bales of cotton.
The mills contain 276 looms, 35 setts of cards, and
8500 spindles. The power is supplied by a Corliss
engine, with three sets of boilers ; 33 bales of cotton
are used, and 80,000 yards are manufactured per
week ; 200 persons are employed.
Abraham Blakeley, who is of English descent, and
400
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the son of Abraham and Nanny Turner Blakeley, was
born July 5, 1806, in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England,
where he remained until twenty years of age. After
very limited advantages of education he became an
employe of a cotton-factory at Staley Bridge, Lanca-
shire, and remained thus occupied until 1828, when,
having determined to emigrate to the United States,
he sailed in April of the same year, and on the
29th of the following month landed in Philadelphia.
During the succeeding eighteen months he was en-
gaged as a weaver of woolen goods by Messrs. Bullock
& Davis, of Germantown. In the fall of 1829 he re-
moved to Pottsville, and made it his residence until
1833, when he entered the factory of John P. Crozer,
of Delaware County, as foreman of the weaving de-
partment. At the close of the year 1846 he formed a
copartnership with Phiueas Lownes, as Lownes &
Blakeley, and the firm embarked in manufacturing
at Knowlton in 1847. Disposing of his interest in
the autumn of 1853 he removed to Chester, and em-
barked in his present extensive enterprise, the manu-
facture of cotton goods.
Having purchased the interest of a special partner
in 18.57, he operated the factory alone until the ad-
mission of his son, Benjamin W., who now assumes as
partner its active management, Mr. Blakeley still re-
maining the financial head of the firm. He was mar-
ried in 1836 to Miss Betsey Walker, a lady of Irish
extraction, to whom was born one son, Benjamin W.
Mrs. Blakeley died in January, 1837, and he was again
married Aug. 2, 1888, to Miss Maria A., daughter of
James P. and Sarah Miles. Their children are Sarah
(deceased), Eliza (Mrs. Henry E. Gilroy), Sophia (Mrs.
John N. Wilson), Sarah E., Mary E. (Mrs. John P.
Graham), Anna M. (deceased, Mrs. William Lister),
William S., Alice M. (deceased), and Henry G. Mr.
Blakeley has since his residence in Chester been
among its most enterprising and public-spirited citi-
zens, and has contributed largely to the building up
of its trade and its importance as a manufacturing
centre. He was formerly an Old-Line Whig, and
later became a Republican. He is not active as
a politician, but has served as member of both
branches of the Borough and City Councils. He is a
member of the Madison Street Methodist Episcopal
Church, in which he is both trustee and steward, and
has been one of its most active workers.
Phoenix Cotton- and Woolen-Mills.— These mills
were built by Spencer Mcllvaine at the corner of
Ninth and Mcllvaine Streets, and operated by John
Green as the Continental Mills. In May, 1871, they
were sold to J. Blazedell, Jr., of Chicopee, Mass.
The same year they came into possession of John
Maxon, by whom they were operated till 1882,
when they were sold to Ashforth & Downey, of
Philadelphia, who now own and operate them under
the management of John Maxon. The mills contain
one hundred looms, twenty-one hundred and sixty
spindles, and four sets of cards. Tlie mills were
partially destroyed by fire in Januarj', 1878, and
again in November, 1879.
Mohawk Mills. — The building now occupied by
this mill was originally built by John M. Broomall
for T. Bickum Price as a machine-shop, and for a short
time that business was conducted there by Price &
Mulford. In 1856, Samuel Eccles, Jr., purchased the
building and changed it into a cotton-mill. In 1868
he removed to Baltimore, and the mill passed through
several hands till May 13, 1871, when the property
was purchased by Robert Hall, who, on the 1st of
January, 1872, admitted his son as a partner in the
business. The original building was twenty-five by
fifty feet, and two and a half stories in height, and
later a building fifty by thirty-seven feet, and two
stories high, was erected. Mr. Hall, in 1872, in-
creased the capacity of the works by the erection of
a two-story building twenty-five by thirty-seven feet,
two stories in height. The mill contains two sets of
cards forty-eight inches, two self-acting mules, three
hundred and thirty spindles each, and forty-four
looms. Forty-four hands are employed, to whom
three hundred and twenty-five dollars per week are
paid. Twenty-seven hundred pounds of raw cotton
and wool are used, and ten thousand two hundred
yards of goods are manufactured weekly.
Irving and Leiper Manufacturing Company, —
James Irving erected, in the year 1853, a mill one
hundred and twenty by forty-six feet, three stories in
height, between Front Street and the Delaware River,
at the corner of Franklin Street. It was not put into
operation till 1859, when a partnership was formed
between James and David Irving and Thomas I.
Leiper under the firm-name of Irving & Leiper. The
death of David Irving occurred in 1862, and the busi-
ness was continued by James Irving and Thomas I.
Leiper until 1878, when the Irving & Leiper Man-
ufacturing Company was incorporated, with James
Irving, president; Thomas I. Leiper, treasurer; and
Charles H. Worthington, secretary. The main build-
ing at present is two hundred and thirty by fifty feet,
three stories in height. Engine-room forty feet square,
picker-room forty by sixty feet, warehouse thirty by
seventy feet. There are seventy-six sets of cards and
twelve thousand spindles, driven by a four hundred
horse-power engine. Three thousand bales of cotton
are used in a year, from which are produced weekly
twenty-two thousand pounds of yarn. A force of one
hundred and seven hands is employed.
Victoria Mill. — This mill was established by John
Gartside, who in 1860 erected a building four stories
in height, sixty-five by thirty-three feet, and in 1873
erected an addition fifty by thirty-three feet. At
present there are two buildings, one, one hundred and
twenty by forty, the other one hundred and twenty by
thirty. There are four sets of cards, twenty-four broad
looms, two thousand one hundred spindles, and all the
machinery requisite to manufacture the best qualities
of woolen cassimere and cloakings. Three thousand
^<^^f^n7
Ssiayiii Co Buiii^Jptoa.
(M^-Xd^cc'^ .
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
401
four hundred pounds of wool is used per week, from
which is manufactured eighteen liundred yards of
double-width goods. Fifty-four hands are employed.
John Gartside, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth
Kershaw Gartside, was born on the 25th of October,
1821, in Eochdale, Lancashire, England. After a
brief period at school he became an apprentice to
the " piecing" business, and in 1831 removed to the
United States with his parents. Finding employ-
ment at once in the Blockley Mills, Philadelphia, he
remained until 1835, and then accompanied his father
to Mauayunk, and when the latter embarked in manu-
facturing, in 1838, became an employ^ of his mills.
He continued thus employed until 1850, when on his
removal to Chester he formed a copartnership with
Samuel Cliff, under the firm-name of Cliff & Gartside,
and conducted a dyeing business until 1852. His
father having erected the Keokuk Mills, he then
rented a room in the building for the prosecution of
his legitimate trade. During the rebellion he served
as one of the emergency recruits during the Gettys-
burg campaign, resuming business on his return. He
is now the exclusive proprietor of an extensive woolen
mill in the city of Chester. He has been for many
years a director of the First National Bank of Chester,
and identified with the active business interests of
the city. Mr. Gartside was married in 1846 to Miss
Margaret, daughter of Joseph Smith, of Blockley.
Their children are Enoch (deceased), Benjamin,
Eliza (deceased), Laura, and Joseph.
Chester Dock Mills.— The business of this firm
was established, in 1853, by Phineas Lownes and J.
William Lewis at Knowlton, Middletown township,
where they remained until 1864, when the three-story
stone building two hundred and fifty-one feet by fifty-
three feet, and other necessary buildings, were erected
at Third and Garfield Streets, Chester, and the busi-
ness was removed to the new location. The members
of the firm at present are J. William Lewis and
Albert A. Roop. Emjjloyment is given to two hun-
dred and fifty persons, to whom six thousand eight
hundred and fifty dollars is paid monthly. Nine hun-
dred and fifty thousand pounds of cotton is used
yearly in the manufacture of plaids, Osnaburgs, ging-
hams, checks, and stripes. Ninety thousand yards of
cloth and fifteen thousand pounds of yarn are jiro-
duced weekly. Thomas Clough, Sr., is superintend-
ent.
Patterson Mills.— The main building, three hun-
dred and thirty-five feet long, eighty feet wide, and
two and three stories in height, was erected by Gen.
Robert Patterson in 1866, fitted with machinery and
put into operation in August, 1867. It is situated on
a four-acre tract of land, between Fifth Street and
Baltimore Railroad, and between Penn Street and
Chester Creek. The machinery consists of three
hundred looms, sixty-five sets of cards, and about
fourteen thousand spindles, which are operated by a
Corliss engine with eight boilers. Twenty thousand
26
pounds of cotton are used, from which is manufac-
tured sixty-seven thousand yards of cotton goods per
week. Two hundred and ten hands are employed,
whose wages are five thousand dollars monthly. The
mills are now owned by the estate of Gen, Robert Pat-
terson, and are in charge of James D. Davis.
Sunnyside Mills. — The buildings at the corner of
Morton Avenue and Ledward Street, fifty by one
hundred feet, and two stories in height, were erected,
in 1865, by Henry Mcllvaine and John Hinkson,
who leased the property to Lenny & Burk for a fac-
tory. They were not put in operation, but on the
26th of July, 1866, James Ledward, who had been
foreman in the mills of John P. Crozer & Son from
1847 to 1851, purchased the property and fitted the
mills with improved machinery, and commenced the
manufacture of cottonades, cassimeres, doeskins, etc.,
with a force of fifty hands. Additions were made to
the buildings from time to time. July 1, 1871, John
I. Ledward, a son of the proprietor, was admitted to
partnership. On the 4th of January, 1873, the ware-
house was destroyed by fire, and in the March follow-
ing the picker-house, warping- and weaving-rooms
were also destroyed. The buildings were rebuilt and
enlarged, and on the 1st of January, 1874, they were
running with one hundred and four hands, seventy-
two looms, four sets of cards, two self-acting mules
of six hundred spindles each, and other necessary
machinery.
They were operated by John Ledward until 1882,
when they were totally destroyed by fire, and again
rebuilt. On the 1st of January, 1884, the buildings
were rented to the Joseph Turner & Son Manufac-
turing Company, of Kent, Portage Co., Ohio, who
put in the necessary machinery for manufacturing
worsteds, and operated them for five months, when
they removed the business to Ohio, since which time
the buildings have remained vacant.
Algodon Mills. — On the 1st of January, 1866,
James Barton, Jr., and Simeon Cotton associated
together for the purpose of manufacturing tickings,
stripes, and denims. They purchased of Henry Mc-
llvaine and John Hinkson, who were builders, a mill,
one hundred by fifty feet, three stories high, with a
two-story addition sixty-six by thirty feet, and fitted
the mill with ninety looms and five thousand spindles.
The power was supplied by an eighty horse-power
Corliss engine. Simeon Cotton sold his interest to
James Barton, Jr., in the spring of 1876. Barton
continued the business for several years, and dis-
continued it in 1881, since which time the mills have
been closed.
Yeadon Mills. — The buildings were erected in
1867 by McCrea & Co., of Philadelphia, for the man-
ufacture of denims and tickings, and were known as
the Fulton Mills. They were operated by John
Brewster. Early in May, 1870, the mills were en-
tirely destroyed by fire. The grounds were pur-
chased, the mills rebuilt by William Bullock, and the
402
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
name changed to Yeadon Mills. In 1866, Denis, An-
derson & Co. established a business in Conshohocken
for the manufacture of fancy cassimeres, and in 1870,
G. P. Denis removed to Chester, jjurchased these
mills, and operated them. In 1880 additions were
made to the buildings and machinery. At present
the main building — stone and brick — is one hundred
and thirty feet in width by two hundred feet in
length. The mills contain thirty-eight broad Knowles
& Crompton looms, two thousand two hundred and
eighty spindles, four sets Engle sixty-inch cards, and
other machinery, which is driven by a one hundred
and twenty horse-power Corliss engine. About one
hundred and twenty hands are employed, twenty-six
thousand pounds of raw material are used weekly in
the manufacture of three thousand two hundred and
fifty yards of fancy cassimeres.
Lilley & Son's Manufacturing' Company.— On
the 1st of August, 1873, John Lilley & Son estab-
lished the business of manufacturing cotton and
woolen cloth and cotton yarn. A mill was erected
on Front Street, one hundred by tifty-four feet, and in
the rear a building one hundred and twenty-two by
forty feet ; these buildings were connected by one
eighty by thirty-six feet. The machinery consists of
one hundred and eleven looms, three thousand two
hundred and fifty-two spindles, twenty-five cards;
one hundred persons are employed, twelve thousand
pounds of raw material are used weekly, from which
is produced twenty-five thousand yards of cloth. On
the 3d of January, 1880, the company was incorpor-
ated under the name of Lilley Manufacturing Com-
pany. John Lilley, Jr., is suijerintendent.
Chester City Mills.— These mills were estab-
lished in 1877 by Branagan & Lamb, who erected a
building forty by forty feet, with the necessary struc-
tures adjacent, at the corner of Front and Parker
Streets, for the purpose of manufacturing woolen
yarns and woolen and cotton jeans. The mills were
supplied with ninety looms, seventeen hundred spin-
dles, five sets of cards, which are driven by a sixty
horse-power engine. Four thousand pounds of raw
material are used per week, from which is produced
seventeen thousand yards of goods. Seventy hands
are employed, forty of whom are women.
S. A. Crozer & Son's Chester Mills.— In 1837,
Jacob G. Kitts established the first foundry in Dela-
ware County, on the lot where Crozer's new cotton-
mill partly stands, on Edgmont Avenue, above the
present post-oflice. In his advertisement in the I)c/-
awarc Coiinti/ RcpuhUciiii, Sept. 29, 1837, he states,—
" The subscriber, having established an iron-foundry
at Chester, is now ready and prepared to receive orders
for iron castings of all kinds and descriptions, such
as mill-gearing and machinery for flour- and paper-
mills, horse-power for thrashing-machines, wheels for
railroad cars, axles, etc. All of which will be made
and fitted up to order."
In 1837, Kitts & Kerlin carried on the business, and
erected the first stationary-engine and steam-boiler
ever started in Chester, " and its advent produced,"
wrote John M. Broomall, " more sensation among the
simple villagers than did the fall of the French mon-
archy." In 1840 the firm made the second engine
and boiler used in Chester, for the tannery of William
Brobson. In 1841 " brass- and bell-foundry" was
added to the title of the works. In 1844, Kitts, who
had resumed entire control of the "Chester Iron-
Foundry and Machine-Shops," failed, and was suc-
ceeded the same year by Charles Cornog, Cadwallader
Evans, and Ferdinand Cornog, which firm carried on
an extensive business in 1845, building a twenty-five
horse-power engine for David Trainer, and casting a
pinion-wheel, weighing two thousand four hundred
pounds, for William T. Crook's factory. In 1851
they built a boiler for Samuel Riddle's mill, forty feet
in length, thirty-six inches diameter, and weighing
eight thousand pounds. In those early days of Ches-
ter manufacturing establishments, this was regarded
as remarkable work. In the year 1880, S. A. Crozer
& Son erected near Chester Creek, north of the post-
oflBce, on Edgmont Avenue, a brick building, two
stories in height, one hundred and forty by sixty
feet, with picker-room twenty-four by sixty feet. Six
thousand three hundred and thirt.y-six spindles and
forty-eight sets of cards were placed in the mill. The
power is supplied from a Corliss engine with three
boilers. Work was commenced in June, 1881. Fif-
teen men, forty-five women and girls, and twenty boys
are employed, whose monthly wages are nineteen hun-
dred dollars. Fifty thousand pounds of cotton per
month is used, from which is produced weekly twelve
thousand pounds of warp-yarn. The mills are under
the charge of William D. Howard.
Lincoln Manufacturing Company.— In 1881 a
stock company was organized in Chester, with a
capital of one hundred thousand dollars, for the pur-
pose of manufacturing cotton yarns. Laud was pur-
chased on Morton Avenue, and a brick structure,
seventy feet in width by one hundred and ninety
feet in length, two stories high, was erected, and
fitted with modern machinery. An engine- and
boiler-house, fifty by sixty feet, was built, supplied
with a two hundred horse-power engine. The ma-
chinery consists of six thousand eight hundred and
forty spindles and thirty-four Foss-Pevey cards.
Thirty-three bales of cotton are used weekly, from
which twelve thousand pounds of yarn are produced.
About sixty-five hands are employed.
The directors are S. Emlen Meigs, of Philadelphia,
president; Chalmers Dale, of New York, A. Blakeley,
Richard Wetherill, and W. S. Blakeley, of Chester,
treasurer.
The Stotesbury Mill. — The building on the corner
of Fourteenth Street and Edgmont Avenue was
erected in 1874 by J. Lewis Crozer, and in that year
the manufacture of cotton yarn was then established
by James M. Stotesbury. The building is of stone,
^^^
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
403
one hundred and sixty-five by sixty-two feet, and one
story in height. The macliinery consists of twelve
sets of cards, and three thousand five hundred and \
twenty spindles. Twenty-eight thousand pounds of |
yarn was spun monthh-, using thirty-two thousand :
pounds of raw cotton. The works were operated by '
Mr. Stotesbury till 1883, when they were closed, and
have not since been operated.
Bower's Mill. — In 1873, James Bower & Son
began business in Waterville, in the old Sharpless
cotton-mill, as a manufacturer of shoddy. At the
corner of Sixth and Madison Streets a building had
been erected about 1860 by Hinkson & Mcllvaine, as
aplaning-mill, sash- and blind-factory. It later passed
to Fairlamb Brothers, who continued the business till
1877, when Bower & Son came into possession, and re-
moved their machinery from Waterville to this place.
Improvements had been made from time to time, and
in the spring of 1884 a new building of brick and
stone was erected on the lot which they now occupy.
The material used is assorted waste, which is manu-
factured into wool.
Morton & Black's Saw-Mill and Sash-Factory.
— The business was established in 1865, at the foot of
Morton Avenue, by Crosby P. Morton and J. Frank
Black. In the next year Henry B. Black became a
member of the firm, and continued till 1879, when
he retired. The main building is one hundred and
fifty feet long, forty feet wide, and two stories high,
with a fire-proof engine-house thirty by sixty feet, and
offices adjacent. Three hundred thousand feet of
lumber per month are used in the construction of
doors, sash, blinds, and all kinds of wood-work neces-
sary for the construction of buildings. Fifty men are
employed, whose wages are fifteen hundred dollars
per month. The works are under the charge of Wil-
liam Hinkson, Jr. A lumber yard is connected with
the factory, and all the lumber used at the mill is from
the yard.
Cocoa Mat and Matting-Works. — This building,
occupied by the works, was erected in 1851, by Joseph
Entwistle and Henry L. Powell, who commenced
therein the bleaching and finishing of cotton goods.
Later, Mr. Powell sold his interest to Entwislle, who
continued till 1860, when John Hall became associ-
ated with him, and in 1865, John Longbottoni became
a partner. At this time the firm commenced the
manufacture of shoddy. About 1868, Mr. Entwistle
retired from the firm, which continued in business
for a short time, when the mill was burned. The
building was rebuilt. In 1871, Charles Roberts leased
it, and therein began the spinning of cotton yarn, and
continued there till 1875, when John Thompson &
Son purchased the business. The latter continued to
operate the mill until 1882, when the building was
leased by Edward S. Worrell, for the manufacture of
cocoa mat and mattings. Prior to 1878, J. Frank
Black established the business in a building which
stood on the corner of Second Street and Edgmont
Avenue. Mr. Worrel soon afterwards became asso-
ciated with Mr. Black, who later sold his interest to
Mr. Worrel. The latter continued the business until
May, 1882, when part of the ground on which the
building stood was required in the construction of the
Second Street bridge. The present building owned
by the water-works was rented, and in September,
1882, the building was ready for occupancy, having
been thoroughly fitted with improved machinery.
There are sixteen hand-looms and two power-looms,
which are operated by thirty-five employes. Two
thousand five hundred dozen of mats and one thou-
sand rolls of matting are made per annum.
Chester Edge-Tool Works.— John C. Beatty, son
of William Beatty, who established the business over
seventy-five years ago, removed his works from
Springfield to the city of Chester in the year 1871.
He erected a frame building, two stories in height,
and two hundred and seventy feet in length. These
works were operated by Beatty until April, 1875, when
they were purchased by H. B. Black, his son-in-law,
who made additions to the works. Early in April,
1880, the main building was destroyed by fire, and
rebuilt the same year. The works comprise tool-
mills, grinding- and polishing-mills, forge-shops, and
other buildings necessary to carry on the business
successfully. The goods marked " Beatty" are known
in every market for the excellency of the material
used and the superior quality of the articles made.
Samuel Black, the grandfather of Henry B. Black,
was of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and an early resident
of Marple township, in Delaware County. He was
united in marriage to Miss Catherine Van Leer, and
had children, — Joseph, Samuel, William V., Ann,
Catherine V., and John. William V. was born in
Marple township, Aug. 22, 1796, and died Nov. 24,
1883, in his eighty-eighth year, having been during
his active life both a farmer and a merchant. He
married Miss Maria, daughter of Isaac Cochran, of
Delaware County, and had children, — Catherine (Mrs.
J. C. Lindsey), Isaac C, Samuel G., Elizabeth Jane,
William, Hannah Maria, Susannah, Henry B., and
J. Frank, four of whom survive. Henry B. was born
May 9, 1837, in Upper Darby township, Delaware
Co., from whence, on attaining his eighth year, he
removed with his parents to Haverford township.
His education was principally derived from public
schools, with the advantage of one year's instruction
under more favorable circumstances. On completing
his studies, he became interested as a clerk with his
father in Media, and managed the business until 1859,
when he was admitted to a partnership in a general
country store. Here he remained until 1867 (mean-
while becoming a partner with his brother in the same
business), when in the spring of the latter year he
sought a more extended field in Chester, and be-
came a member of the firm of Morton, Black & Bro.,
who were engaged in lumber and coal traffic, steam
saw- and planing-mills, sash and blind manufacturing,
404
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and controlled the Chester dock. He retained his
connection with this firm until 1879, having in 1875
purchased the Chester Edge-Tool Works of John C.
Beatty, to which since the latter year he has devoted
his exclusive attention. Mr. Black was married on
the 24th of October, 1860, to Miss Lydia Ann, daugh-
ter of John C. Beatty, of Media, and has children, —
John B., William V. (deceased), Lillian M. (de-
ceased), Ada J., Bessie S., and Maria C. Mr. Black
is in politics an active Republican, has been for three
successive terms a member of the City Council, and
its president during a large portion of the time. He
is identified with the Chester National Bank as one
of its directors. He is in religion a Presbyterian, an
elder of the Third Presbyterian Church of Chester,
and has been for some years superintendent of its
Sabbath-school. He is also active in the cause of j
temperance, as also in all Christian and philanthropic
enterprises.
The Riverside Dye-Wood Mills.— In 1835 a
business was established at Waterville, by Smith &
Hartshorne, that later developed into the present
Riverside Dye- Wood Mills. Later the works came [
into possession of John M. Sharpless, by whom they i
were conducted till his death, in 1875. In 1878 the
firm of John M. Sharpless & Co. purchased the old j
site of Frick, Wilson & Co.'s boat-yard, west of |
Roach's yard, embracing twelve acres, having a front- I
age of two hundred and twelve feet on the Delaware [
River. On the 1st of April, 1879, the foundations of ;
buildings were laid, and buildings erected during that
year. The dimensions of the main building are one
hundred and thirteen feet front by sixty feet deep,
the redwood-mill forty-seven by fifty-four feet, and
the extract buildings fifty-two by fifty feet, in front
of which is about one hundred and eighty feet of
wharfage, where there is a depth of fifteen feet of
water at low tide. The main and extract buildings
are four stories in height, and the adjoining mill two
and a half stories. About sixty hands are employed.
The firm-name, John M. Sharpless & Co., is retained.
The present members are Thomas Scattergood, Rich-
ard Chambers, and John W. Pepper.
Combiaation Steel and Iron Company.— The
main building, two hundred and eighty by eighty
feet, with wing eighty by seventy feet, was erected in
1880, and operations commenced March 1, 1881.
John Roach is president ; George E. Weed, secretary
and treasurer ; and C. A. Weed, general manager.
The works contain eight heating-furnaces, a rail-mill
with a capacity of producing thirty thousand tons of
iron per annum, a twelve-inch bar-mill with capacity
of producing six thousand tons per annum, and a
twenty-inch mill for angle-iron of ten thousand tons'
capacity per annum. One hundred and seventy-five
men are employed. .
Eureka Cast-Steel Company.— The works of this
company are located on the corner of Broomull and
Sixth .Streets, South Ward, aud were erected in 1877,
and commenced operations in September of that year.
The area of the works is embraced in the limits of two
hundred and two feet on Broomall Street, and two
hundred and eighty-five feet on the line of the rail-
road. The building is of L shape, has a frontage on
Broomall Street of one hundred and thirty-two feet,
and to the same extent is parallel with the Philadel-
phia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, and in the
narrowest part fifty feet wide. As it is divided, we
may specify the main building as one-storied, forty-
one feet over all in height ; the machine-shop, eighty
feet long and twenty-five feet wide, comprising the
pattern-shop and pattern-safe. In the main building
there are five furnaces, — four for annealing purposes
and one for heating. These are, on an average, eleven
by eleven feet in dimensions. The cupola, where the
metal is heated, is forty-three feet in height, five feet
in diameter, with a melting capacity of sixteen tons
of iron. The planing-machine, used in the finishing
of the casts, is the best adapted to the purpose yet in-
vented. The vertical engine that supplies the power
needed was built by Jacob Naylor, of Philadelphia,
is of twenty-five horse-power, and is perfect and
noiseless in its operations. It supplies the blast-
works, the planing-machine, drill-press, rumblers,
emery-wheels, grindstones, elevator, etc. The smoke-
stack, connected with the annealing and heating fur-
naces, is eighty-five feet in height, five feet in diame-
ter, and on the north side of the building. Steel
castings are manufactured solely. One hundred and
twenty tons of raw material are used per month, and
one hundred persons are employed. The officers of
the company are John A. Emrick, president ; W. H.
Dickson, secretary and treasurer; Frederick Baldt,
superintendent.
Robert Wetherill & Co.— This firm originated in
a copartnership of Robert and Richard Wetherill,
Jan. 1, 1872. The property bounded by Sixth, Up-
land, and Seventh Streets, two hundred and seventy
by one hundred feet, was jHirchased and large build-
ings were erected. The machine-shop is two stories
in height and forty by eighty feet, with foundry at-
tached one hundred by fifty feet, a boiler-shop one
hundred by forty feet, with pattern loft one hundred
by fifty feet. They have at present seven large build-
ings, covering a square of ground. One hundred and
fifty tons of pig-iron, seventy-five tons of plate, and
twenty tons of wrought iron are monthly used in the
manufacture of Corliss engines, boilers, shafting, and
gearing. Two hundred and fifty men are employed,
and monthly receive ten thousand dollars in wages.
The works comprise machine-shops, smith-shop,
foundry, boiler-shop, casting-house, pattern-shop,
pattern store-house, store-rooms, and offices.
Chester Steel Casting' Company.— This company
was organized in 1870, and in 1871 erected at Sixth
and Norris Streets a foundry two hundred feet in
length by fifty feet in width, and other buildings cov-
ering an area of two hundred and fifty square feet.
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
405
The machinery consists of two engines with three
boilers, a heating-ftirnace, and seven annealing fur-
naces. The works were at first under the charge of
Samuel Archbold, president of the company, assisted
by Mr. McHafty, a native of Glasgow, who was the
patentee of a process of making steel, which this
company are using. At present one hundred hands
are employed under the charge of John J. Deemer.
The Phcenix Iron Works were established by
James Massey, in 1867, at the corner of Seventh and
Potter Streets. The main building is one hundred by
fifty feet, two stories high, the foundry one hundred
and ten by thirty feet. The goods manufactured are
finishing machinery, fulling-mills, washing machines,
tentering machines, stock-dryers, dyeing and sizing
machines, broad looms, and gigs. The works are now
owned by Thomas S. Hall.
The Chester Sugar-House.— In 1867, James Baker
& Co. purchased five acres of land at the foot of
Market Street, owned by Thomas I. Leiper, on which
there were no buildings. Much of the land was a
marsh, overgrown with reeds, which it was necessary
to fill up a distance of twelve feet before it could be
made practically useful.
Prior to the erection of the large building, piles
had to be driven to secure a solid foundation for the
structure. This was followed by the building of an
extensive pier, and the dredging of the river to allow
vessels of heavy draft to approach the wharf to un-
load their cargoes. After the erection of the first
building additions were made thereto; all kinds of
the best and most approved machinery were pur-
chased, and the refinery was in every respect well
equipped, the outlay, exclusive of the cost of the real
estate, being over four hundred thousand dollars. In
the summer of 1872 the firm suspended, and the re-
finery passed into other hands. John H. Barton and
Stephen C. Hall leased the works, and for a time
manufactured low-grade sugars, but ultimately aban-
doned the enterprise. The real estate is now owned
by Mr. Folsom, of Philadelphia, and has been idle
for several years.
Color-Works. — The Delaware County Iron- Works ;
were established in 1850 by William Trout & Co. j
Laud was purchased on Second Street below Market, ;
by John M. Sharpless, and large buildings were
erected in which the firm mentioned carried on a 1
foundry and machine-shop for a time, when the i
property passed to other hands. On the 1st of Feb-
ruary, 1881, it came into possession of H. C. Eyre & !
Co., who conducted the same business till the spring
of 1884, when the works were leased to parties in
Philadelphia, who are now refitting the buildings for
the preparation and manufacture of pigment colors,
printing varnishes, and refined oils.
The Chester Chemical Works were established
about 1860 by Mr. Mclntyre, and are now owned by
George S. Coyne. Large buildings were erected at
the foot of Market Street for the manufacture of mu- ■
riatic, nitric, and pyroligneous acids, ammonia, oxy-
mnriate of antimony, muriate and oxymuriate of tin,
and muriate of iron. The stills for muriatic acid
have a capacity of five thousand pounds per week, for
nitric acid of one thousand pounds per week, for am-
monia of two hundred pounds per day. Seven hun-
dred barrels of Glauber salts are made annually from
the residue left in the muriatic acid stills. Robert
Lidstone is superintendent.
Taylor's Carriage-Works.— The business was es-
tablished by Enos Taylor, grandfather of the present
partners, early in this century. At that time chaises,
gigs, riding-chairs, and sulkies were the principal
manufacture. About 1830, Enos Taylor built a sulky
for a naval officer, who took it to South America as a
present to a person there to whom he was under obli-
gations. The vehicle was so highly esteemed among
the wealthy residents of Valparaiso that Taylor re-
ceived orders for a number of similar carriages, which
were shipped thither. Joseph Taylor, his son, suc-
ceeded him in 1832, continuing the business many
years, and was succeeded by his sons, William and
Edward C. Taylor, who still conduct it. It was first
located at Fifth and Welsh Streets, later at Sixth
and Pine Streets, and in 1874 removed to the corner
of Twelfth and Edgmont Avenue, where they still are
located.
Stark's Carriage-Works.— In 1871, 1. P. Brauin,
who established carriage-works in Philadelphia in
1854, removed his business to Chester, at shops on the
corner of Fifth and Welsh Streets, and in May, 1876,
removed to Sixth and Pine Streets, where buildings,
eighty by eighty-four feet, with an addition of forty
by eighty feet, were built. Mr. Branin remained in
business at this place till April, 1883, when he re-
turned to Philadelphia.
In May, 1879, Davis & Stark established a carriage-
factory at the corner of Fifth and Welsh. On the
1st of October in that year, Mr. Davis withdrew from
the firm, and Mr. Stark continued the business at the
same place until April 1, 1883, when he removed to
the shops of I. P. Branin, corner of Sixth and Pine
Streets, where he now is.
Ocheltree's Carriage-Works.— The works of Mr.
Ocheltree were established on Edgmont Avenue below
its present site in 1877. The increase of business de-
manded greater facilities, and land was purchased in
1879, and the present building, one hundred and
twenty by forty feet, two stories in heighj;, erected on
Edgmont Avenue above the post-office, and supplied
with the best machinery tor the manufacture of fine
carriages.
Lukens' Grist-Mill. — L. L. Lukens & Co. began
business on Sixth Street in 1877, and in June, 1879,
removed to Seventh Street, below Edgmont Avenue.
The mill is operated by a thirty horse-power engine.
An elevator for unloading grain is in use. The mill
has a capacity of thirty thousand bushels per an-
num.
406
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Stroud & Co.'s Planing-Mill.— In 1871, John H.
Stroud aud Robert Booth established the sash-factory
on the south side of Front Street and Concord Ave-
nue, The machinery consists of one engine and
boiler. Fourteen men and two boys are employed at
a monthly pay of six hundred dollars. Two hundred
thousand feet of lumber is used peryear. In 1876 the
mill was destroyed by fire, and the firm then moved to
their present location, corner Front and Concord Ave-
nue. The main building is of brick, forty-five by
forty feet, three stories, with a two-story engine-room,
twenty-five by twenty feet, and a commodious oflBce.
The mill contains all the latest improved machinery.
Penn Street Planing-Mill.— In 1875, Henry M.
Hinkson erected on Fourth and Penn Streets a two-
story brick building, one hundred by forty feet, as a
planing-mill and sash- and blind-factory, and rented
it to Miller Cox, who began business Sept. 1, 1876,
continuing it until May, 1881, when Mr. Hinkson
established the present business at this mill. Eleven
hands are employed, and one hundred thousand feet
of lumber is used annually in the manufacture of sash,
blinds, doors, and other building material.
Miller Cox's Sash-Mill.— The business was estab-
lished by Miller Cox, Sept. 1, 1876, at the Penn Street
Planing-Mill, and in April, 1881, he removed to the
new mill at Seventh and Penn Streets. Fifteen men
are employed, and one hundred and fifty thousand
feet of lumber is used annually in the construction of
sash, doors, blinds, and other building material.
Hamilton's Box Factory. — A brick building,
thirty by sixty, at the corner of Front and Franklin
Streets was fitted with machinery for the manufacture
of boxes, and supplied with power from the Lilley
Manufacturing Company adjoining. About fifty
thousand feet of lumber is used per month. The fac-
tory is occupied by John Hamilton.
Price's Brick-Yard.— In 1854, John C. and Wil-
liam G. Price established a brick-yard on the site of
the Yeadon Mills at the corner of Tenth and Upland
Streets. About 1864, seven acres of land at Fifth and
Parker Streets were purchased of William and Joshua
P. Eyre. In 1879, while the firm were having clay
dug on the lot at the northeast corner of Concord Ave-
nue and Sixth Street, they uncovered the bottom of an
old kiln, respecting which the oldest resident could
give no information. The idea which prevails among
many of our people that bricks in old dwellings in this
city were of English make is entirely erroneous, for
not two years after Penn's first coming, in a lease
made by Robert Wade, of the Essex House, to Robert
Goforth, dated March 12, 1684, jiart of the property
leased is described as abutting on an old brick kiln,
near Chester Creek. A careful examination of the
locality shows that th^ old kiln unearthed was the'
one mentioned in the lease, and without doubt the
Hoskin-Graham house, Logan house, and others here,
were built of brick from this yard. At the Price yard,
at the present time, are manufactured thirty thousand
machine-made bricks per day. Three kilns are in use,
and twenty men are employed.
The Delaware County Insurance Company.—
In the winter of 1834^35, four gentlemen were accus-
tomed to meet in a small frame store kept by Jona-
than P. Newlin, on the west side of Ridley Creek,
north of the Queen's highway, on the lands owned
by Spencer Mcllvain. William Martin, Spencer Mc-
Ilvain, John L. Crosby, and Jonathan P. Newlin
were the four men who discussed at this meeting the
need of a local insurance company, and finally they
by the act of April 10, 1858, with others, were named
commissioners to receive subscriptions for a company,
which by the charter thus granted was termed " The
Delaware County Insurance Company." Subscrip-
tion-books were opened at the public-house of Isiiac
Hall in Nether Providence, and so eager were the
substantial citizens of the county to invest in the en-
terprise that on the day the subscriptions were re-
ceived the crowd was so large that many persons
"absolutely fought their way into the commissioner's
rooms in their anxiety to obtain the stock.'"
On July 27, 1835, the first board of directors, con-
sisting of John P. Crozer, Joshua P. Eyre, John L.
Crosby, Archibald T. Dick, Samuel M. Leiper, Charles
Kelly, David Trainer, George Serrill, and John Ban-
croft, met and elected George Serrill president and
William Martin secretary. In the fall of this year the
company began business, its oflice being in the double
house at the northeast corner of Market Square,
Chester, where it continued until 1837, when it was
removed to the present " Stacey Mansion," on Market
Street, south of Fourth. Here it continued until 1843,
when it was determined to enlarge the business of the
company and to remove its office to Philadelphia. To
that end the act of Assembly, March 17, 1843, was
procured, changing the title of the corporation to
"The Delaware Mutual Safety Insurance Company,"
under which name, in Philadelphia, it became one of
the most successful insurance institutions in the United
States. The list of the presiding officers of the com-
pany indicates that residents of the county of Dela-
ware have always held a prominent place in its man-
agement. George Serrill, the first president, was
elected July 27, 1835; William Eyre, Jr., Sept. 5,
1842; William Martin, Jan. 3, 1844; Thomas C.
Hand, Oct. 30, 1862. The latter is the only one in
the list who was not from Delaware County. In the
present board of directors, Hon. Edward Darlington,
who was elected Sept. 5, 1842, still retains that oflSce,
and Spencer Mcllvain, the only one of the four gen-
tlemen who organized the movement in the country
.store in Ridley a half-century ago, is now living ; has
been a director since Jan. 5, 1846.
The grandfather of Spencer Mcllvain, who was
of Scotch descent, resided in Ridley township, where
he was an extensive and successful farmer. He
' History of Cliester," p. aSO.
^"■g^iyA.H.IMi*^''-
Le-^2^^
c>&-V c^^^C€^ ay Ot^-^C^^^c^^-i^
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
407
married Lydia Bernard, of Chester County, and had
children, — John, Jeremiah, Richard, Hugh, James,
Lydia, Judith, and Margaret. Jeremiah, the father of
the subject of this biographical sketch, was born in
Eidley township, on the 29th of June, 1767, and mar-
ried Elizabeth Spencer, of Bucks County, whose birth
occurred Sept. 30, 1770. Their children were Lydia
(Mrs. Edward H. Bonsell), Elizabeth (Mrs. Jacob
Hewes), Spencer, John S., Jeremiah, Ann (Mrs. Levis
Miller), Samuel, and several who died in childhood.
Spencer, of this number, was born March 27, 1803,
on the homestead in Ridley township. After such
advantages of education as the vicinity aflbrded, he
became a pupil of a school at Burlington, N. J., and
on his return engaged with his father in various busi-
ness enterprises. The saw-mill, the farm, and the
tannery each received a share of his attention, though
the former interest absorbed much of his time. In
1828, the year succeeding the death of his father,
Mr. Mcllvain married Miss Sarah Crosby, daughter
of John and Sarah Crosby, of Ridley township.
Their children are Henry, who married Miss Sally
C. Pierson, of Philadelphia, and has two sons, — Ed-
win and Henry, — and Ann E. (Mrs. Edward C.
Diehl), of Philadelphia, whose children are Sallie
M. D., Ella F., and Mary. Mr. Mcllvain has spent
much of his active life cultivating his farm, fattening
cattle for the Philadelphia market, and working his
stone-quarries. On the sale of his landed property,
in 1872, he removed to his present residence in Ches-
ter, which has since been his home. Here he has
been identified with various business interests, as
director of the Delaware County National Bank, and
the Delaware Mutual Insurance Company, and in the
erection of various mills and dwellings, giving an im-
petus to the growth of the city. Mr. Mcllvain was
in early life a Whig, and on the organization of the
Republican party joined its ranks. He has not
sought office at its hands, though for a term was com-
missioner of the county. He was educated in the
religious faith of the society of Friends.
The Chester Mutual Insurance Company was in-
corporated by the court of Delaware County, Feb. 26,
1874. The organization of an insurance company in
Chester had been considered prior to this date, and as
early as February, 1869, the charter for a stock com-
pany had been obtained, but became void by reason
of non-user before Jan. 1, 1874. After that date the
projectors of the stock company, together with other
persons desiring the organization of an underwriting
association on the mutual plan, formed the Chester
Mutual Insurance Company, the original subscribers
being John M. Broomall, William Booth, John
Larkin, Jr., William Ward, John O. Deshong, George
Broomall, David Trainer & Sons, Samuel Mont-
gomery, Mortimer H. Bickley, George Baker, Wil-
liam B. Broomall, Benjamin F. Baker, Perciphor
Baker, Lewis & Parker, Lewis M. Larkin, B. Garcside
& Sons, David S. Bunting, James Irving, Jonathan
and Charles D. Pennell, George M. Booth, Henry L.
Donaldson, George M. Pardoe, Abraham Blakeley,
and Morton & Black. The first meeting of the sub-
scribers was held March 5, 1874, when a board of
directors was elected, consisting of John Larkin, Jr.,
George Broomall, William Ward, J. Newlin Trainer,
Mortimer H. Bickley, William Booth, Perciphor
Baker, William B. Broomall, James Irving, George
M. Pardoe, Benjamin Gartside, and William D. H.
Serrill. .John Larkin, Jr., was elected president,
Mortimer H. Bickley, vice-president, and George M.
Booth secretary and treasurer. The board of directors
from that date to the present has been changed as
follows : In 1877, John Sharpless was substituted in
room of William Booth, who declined re-election ;
in 1878, Frederick J. Hinkson in place of William
Ward, who desired to retire from the board, and in
the same year Jonathan Pennell succeeded to the
place formerly held by George M. Pardoe ; 1880,
Benjamin F. Baker was chosen to the seat made
vacant by the death of Judge Hinkson ; 1881, Samuel
A. Dyer was elected in the room of Perciphor Baker,
deceased; in 1884, John Larkin, Jr., declined re-
election, and Henry L. Donaldson was chosen in his
stead, and the same year, Amos Gartside was elected
in place of Benjamin Gartside, resigned. On Jan.
1, 1884, John Larkin, Jr., declined to continue to act
as president, a position he had held since the organi-
zation of the company, and Jonathan Pennell was
elected to that oflice. At the first regular meeting of
the directors, in 1874, it was decided that the company
should effect insurance to the amount of one hundred
and forty-six thousand dollars, and on April 1, 1874,
the first policy was issued. A singular circumstance
was that the first policy issued by the Chester Mutual
Insurance Company was to John M. Broomall, Jr., on
stock in the buildingat the northwest corner of Market
Square, Chester, and the building was insured by his
father, George Broomall, in the Delaware County
Mutual Insurance Company, the policy being the first
issued by the latter corporation in 1835. The business
of the Chester Mutual has been almost exclusively
confined to Delaware County, the risks judiciously dis-
tributed, and the amounts limited, desiring to trans-
act a safe rather than a large business. This policy
gave the company credit in the beginning, and not
only enabled it to accumulate a surplus fund suf-
ficient to meet any ordinary demand but placed the
Chester Mutual in good standing with the best simi-
lar insurance companies in the State. When the com-
pany was organized it occupied a part of the law-
office of Ward & Broomall, but in October, 1875, it
leased the back part of the building at the southeast
corner of Market Square, where it continued until
June, 1881, when it was removed to more spacious
rooms in the front of the same building.
Chester Gas Company.— The project of lighting
the city with gas had been agitated early in the year
1855, but for some reason the scheme failed to enlist
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the approval of capitalists at its inception. The con-
stant references in the newspapers to the advantages
which must follow the use of a better means than
oil-lamps for furnishing light to the large manufac-
turing establishments which were then located in the
borough, directed public opinion so favorably to the
scheme that on April 4, 185(5, the Chester Gas Com-
pany was incorporated, and William Bucknell, of
Philadelphia, assumed the responsibility of erecting
the works on the east side of Welsh Street, and laying
the pipes in the streets. So rapidly was the enterprise
carried forward that on Sept. 19, 1856, for the first
time gas was used in the town of Chester. This
statement, however, applied to that furnished by a
company for general consumption, for several years
before that date John M. Broomall had used private
gas-works to light his dwelling on Penn and Second
Streets. The officers of the company from the date of
incorporation have been as follows :
President.— U56, John M. Broomall ; 1858, John
Larkin, Jr. ; 1859, Frederick Fairlamb ; 1870, Jona-
than R. Johnson.
Secretaries.— 1S56, Frederick Fairlamb, until 1859,
when the offices of secretary and treasurer were con-
solidated, one person being elected to discharge their
duties.
Trea.wers.— 1856, William Eyre, Jr.; 1857, John
Larkin, Jr. ; 1858-59, John H. Baker; 1865, John O.
Deshong, Jr., who resigned on June 5, 1882, and J.
Howard Roop was elected treasurer and secretary.
Within recent years the works have been largely
increased by the erection of additional gasometers,
and many miles of service-pipe have been laid. The
mills, many dwellings, and stores in Upland are sup-
plied with gas from these works.
Farmers' Market Company,— About the middle
of the last century — for in 1745 an ancient deed men-
tions " the proposed market-jilace" — the old market-
house in the square at the intersection of Market and
Third Streets was built. It stood on a brick platform
about fifty feet in length, extending along Market
Street, and thirty in breadth, surrounded by curb-
stones. The roof was supported by seven brick
pillars on each side, and between the third and fourth
columns, on the east and west side, were small arches,
while the ceiling was arched, plastered, and covered
with a shingle roof. About 1830 a frame structure
was erected over the market-house, which was used
as a town hall, and was reached by a wooden stair-
way on the east side of the building. In the spring
of 1857 the old building was taken down, and in May
of the same year Joshua P. and William Eyre, Jr.,
built a market-house back of National Hall, on Edg-
mont Avenue. As the city grew the demand for a
commodious market-place became so pressing that in
the spring of 1868 an association was formed under
the title of " Farmers' Market Company of Chester."
A lot extending from Fourth to Fifth Street, in the
rear of the old prison and court-house, was purchased
from John Cochran, stock to the amount of eighteen
thousand dollars subscribed for, and the present
market building erected, which was opened fur the
sale of provisions on Dec. 11, 1868. The cost of the
lot and building amounted to twenty-six thousand
dollars. The first officers of the company were John
G. Dyer, president; Benjamin F. Baker, secretary;
and Frederick J. Hinkson, Sr., treasurer. The pres-
ent officers are as follows: President, Lewis Palmer;
Secretary and Treasurer, Edmund Jones ; Super-
intendent, Edward Jones ; Directors, Lewis Palmer,
George Trimble, H. L. Paschall, William Sharpless,
Samuel H. Wells.
The Water-Works.— Very early in the history of
the awakening of Chester from its lethargy of a cen-
tury and a half the need of an abundant water-sup-
ply in the town became apparent. James Campbell,
in his efforts to develop the ancient borough into a
manufacturing centre, encountered the greatest diffi-
culties in securing sufficient water to supply the
boilers of his mills with steam, and in the effiDrt to
avoid the cost and labor of carting water from Chester
Creek he spent thousands of dollars in sinking wells
in the yards of the Pioneer factory and the Henry
Clay Mills, on Broad and Mechanic Streets. To
overcome the difficulty an eflJbrt was made, in 1853, to
establish a private water company in Chester, but the
{ project failed, several persons only would subscribe
I for the stock, and the amount pledged reached but
a few thousand dollars. The necessity for the intro-
duction of water became constantly more pressing as
the town improved, — the safety of property, the de-
mands of large business enterprises, the public crav-
ing for a better water than generally found in the
wells in Chester (which was distasteful to many per-
sons by reason of its peculiar flavor), the delayed
wash-days (when the cisterns and rain-barrels were
[ empty), all combined to awaken public demand for
1 the erection of water-works. Particularly was this
I the case in the South Ward, where many of the mills
I were erected at points removed from the creek. In
j April, 1866, an act of Assembly was obtained em-
powering the city of Chester to build water-works,
j should a majority of the property-holders vote in
j favor of ratifying the provisions of the act. An elec-
tion was held which resulted in the Middle and North
Wards refusing to ratify the act, while the South
Ward adopted it. But the want still existed ; and as
the city extended, and became more compactly built,
the danger from fire increased and rendered it im-
perative that some action should be taken at once.
The act of March 2, 1867, authorizing the council-
men of the South Ward of the city of Chester, their
i successors, etc., to erect water-works, was accepted
April 15th of that year, and the board of directors
formed, consisting of Amos Gartside, William Ward,
William A. Todd, William B. Reaney, and William
G. Price. Amos Gartside was elected president; Wil-
liam Ward, treasurer; William A. Todd, secretary.
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
409
It was decided to use the water of the river Delaware j
as the surest source from which to draw the supplies i
for the city. Isaac S. Cassin, who had been chief
engineer of Philadelphia, was selected to prepare
plans and specifications and to supervise the construe- j
tion of the works. Joseph R. T. Coates and Robert
Gartside received the contract for the building of the j
works, and water was pumped into the basin of the j
reservoir for the first time on the evening of July 1, j
1868. The contract was completed in the month of |
October following, and the works, after a professional
inspection by Chief Engineer GraefT, accepted by the
board.
The original capacity of the pumps was eight hun-
dred thousand gallons per day. In 1878 additional
compound pumping-machinery was placed in the
works, at the foot of Franklin Street, with a capacity
of two million five hundred thousand gallons every
twenty-four hours. In the fall of 1882 a thirty-inch
flexible-joint pipe was extended into the channel of
the Delaware River six hundred feet from shore and
three hundred and ten feet from end of pier. Pre-
vious to that time the water was taken from near the
shore, and was frequently muddy, an objection which
is now removed. There are sixty-five fire-hydrants
in the city, and water is supplied to twelve hundred
consumers. Robert Anderson is superintendent of
the works.
The Chester Street Railway Company.— In 1870
the recognized need of a public means of passenger
transportation from one section of the city to the
other was attempted to be filled by the establishment
of an omnibus line, the route extending from the
Pennsylvania Military Academy, in North Ward, to
Third Street and Highland Avenue, in the borough
of South Chester. The project failed after a few
months' trial, and those who purchased stock in the
enterprise derived considerable experience from the
investment, even if the assets of the company were
insufficient to discharge its outstanding obligations.
In the spring of 1882 the question of street-railways be-
gan to be discussed among a number of the capitalists
of Chester and South Chester, the only public means
of communication between the remote limits of these
places, several miles apart, being a line of rickety,
uncomfortable stages. Upland, a mile and a half
beyond the city line to the northwest, was then con-
sidered impracticable of access by reason of the steep
hills on the road. Several attempts to establish a street
railway in Chester had, prior to this time, been made
by capitalists in Philadelphia and elsewhere, but all
of them had failed before work of laying the road had
commenced.
The capital required to build and equip the road
was subscribed almost exclusively by citizens of Ches-
ter and South Chester, and the stock was distributed
among a large number of holders. On June 27, 1882,
the first meeting of the subscribers was held at the
office of George B. Lindsay, Esq., in Chester, when
the name "The Chester Street Railway Company"
was adopted, and officers elected. Richard Peters,
Jr., was chosen president; Hugh Shaw, vice-presi-
dent ; William Appleby, treasurer ; George B. Lind-
say, secretary and solicitor. The board of directors
was as follows: Richard Peters, Jr., Hugh Shaw,
William Appleby, George B. Lindsay, J. Frank Black,
Samuel H. Dyer, F. Washington Thomas, William S.
Blakeley, Thomas J. Houston, J. Newlin Trainer, and
Robert Wetherill. The capital stock of the company
was fixed at fifty thousand dollars, to be divided into
one thousand shares of the par value of fifty dollars
each, which sum was required to be paid in full on
every share taken. A charter was obtained from the
commonwealth and ordinances adopted by the city
of Chester and borough of South Chester, that of the
city being approved by the mayor July 26, 1882. On
Oct. 17, 1882, the building of the road was begun,
and completed the middle of January following.
The route of the road extends from Clayton Street,
the southern limits of South Chester, along Third
Street to Market Square, in the city of Chester ; thence
up Market Street to Edgmont Avenue to Thirteenth
Street, where the stables, car-house, and office are
located, the length of the road being about three
miles. On Feb. 1, 1883, the company began regularly
to operate the road, with forty horses and five cars.
The schedule of time was every half-hour from an
early hour in the morning to a late hour at night, and
the fare established at five cents. The amount of
travel from the first day exceeded all expectations,
and a few weeks later additional cars and horses were
put on the road, and the time of the starting of the
cars changed to every fifteen minutes. E. Mitchell
Cornell, formerly secretary and treasurer of* the Sec-
ond and Third Streets Railway of Philadelphia, was
appointed superintendent, and elected secretary of the
company. In compliance with a general desire, the
company determined to extend the road to Upland,
on condition that the borough authorities should re-
duce the grades on the hills. This was done, and on
July 14, 1883, the road was completed to that bor-
ough, thus increasing the length of the road to four
miles. Cars began running on that date from Up-
land to Market Square every half hour. The work-
ing stock has been increased to sixty-seven horses and
mules and twelve cars. Each car, which is in charge
of the driver, is drawn by two horses. No conductors
are employed, the fares being deposited by the pas-
sengers in Slawson patent boxes. The traffic on the
road averages two thousand passengers per day. The
enterprise is in a prosperous condition, has no debt,
and has paid from the beginning a small semi-annual
dividend.
The Union League.— On March 23, 1863, a meet-
ing of prominent citizens of the borough and imme-
diate neighborhood of Chester assembled in National
Hall for the purpose of forming a Union League,
and organized by electing Henry B. Edwards presi-
410
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
dent; John Larkin, Jr., William H. Flavill, John H.
Baker, James Cochran, John Gartside, Samuel Ec-
cles, Jr., James Irving, Samuel A. Crozer, David
Trainer, and Thomas H. Maddock, vice-presidents ;
Frederick J. Hinkson, treasurer; Walter J. Arnold
and William Hinkson, recording secretaries ; William
Ward, corresponding secretary; the Executive Com-
mittee, Abraham R. Perkins, Amos Gartside, William
B. Reaney, Joseph Entwisle, Alexander M. Wright,
William Sharpless, Thomas Appleby, Stephen Cloud,
Jr., Joseph H. Hinkson, George Wilson, Thomas
Moore, John E. Shaw, William A. Menshall, Thomas
H. Mirkil, Frederick Fairlamb, Perciphor Baker,
Abraham Blakeley, William Frick, Dr. F. Ridgley
Graham, Frank Field, Eliakim T. Robb, Charles J.
Kenworthy, Henry L. Donaldson, Thomas Clough,
James Kirkman, John J. Thurlow, Jacob Perry, Abra-
ham T. Patterson. The membership consisted of
persons entertaining all shades of political opinions,
the constitution of tlie organization requiring that
every person who should become a member of the
League should sign the roll, which sets forth :
" We the undersigned citizens of the United States,
hereby pledge our earnest endeavors to put down the
existing rebellion against the rights and liberties of
the people ; and to spare no efforts to suppress all
sentiments and acts calculated to oppose or bring our
government into disrepute."
The League leased the large double frame house at
the southwest corner of Fourth and Welsh Streets,
which was handsomely furnished, and rooms set apart
for entertainment of guests, as well as apartments for
chess and other amusements. Here the League
continued until 1865, when it removed to National
Hall. On June 15, 1865, the members of the organi-
zation decided to dissolve the League. At that date
the following persons were its officers: President,
Henry B. Edward ; Vice-presidents, William Frick,
Samuel Archbold ; Treasurer, Thomas Appleby ; Sec-
retary, L. T. Butter; Executive Committee, Joshua
P. Eyre, William H. Morton, Thomas H. Mirkil,
George Wilson, Y. S. Walter.
Chester Republican League.— In the beginning
of the political campaign which resulted in the elec-
tion of President Garfield in November, 1880, an or-
ganization called the "Veteran Republican Club"
was formed by some of the older citizens of the party,
for the purpose of frequent consultations upon the
political interests of the city, the dissemination of
campaign documents, procuring speakers, holding
public meetings, and perfecting the details of securing
a full vote at the election. The officers of the club
were George B. Lindsay, president ; James M. Peoples,
secretary ; Stephen C. Hall, treasurer. The club held
its meetings in Edgmont Hall, and did valuable ser-
vice for the Republican ticket. The efficiency of the
club was recognized after the election was over by an
increased membership and a general desire that it
should be re-established in a permanent form, with
literary and social, as well as political purposes. Ac-
cordingly a charter was obtained, and the club was
erected into a corporation under the name of " Ches-
ter Republican League." The officers were G. P.
Denis, president ; Amos Gartside and J. P. Crozer,
vice-presidents ; Ward R. Bliss, secretary ; George B.
Lindsay, treasurer ; and a board of directors consist-
ing of Ward R. Bliss, George B. Lindsay, W. B.
Broomall, John J. Ledward, Thomas H. Mirkil,
Jonathan Pennell, F. W. Thomas, John Maxson, Jr.,
and Edward J. Worrell. Rooms in the Cochrane
building, on Market Street below the railroad, were
temporarily occupied. Steps were at once taken to
secure a permanent location, and resulted in the pur-
chase, in June, 1881, of the Joshua P. Eyre property
at Fifth and Edgmont Streets, Chester, by a syndicate
composed of members of the club. The cost of the
property was sixteen thousand dollars. The house
and grounds were at once improved to suit the needs
of the club. A portion of the upper stories was de-
voted to apartments for the use of such members as
desired to make their home there, and the remainder
of the premises was fitted up for parlors, reading-
rooms, chess- and other game-rooms. A large apart-
ment in the basement was fitted and furnished as a
billiard-room. No liquors whatever are furnished on
the premises. The care of the house and grounds,
subject to a house committee, was given to a janitor
and his wife, who reside in the building. The club
has been remarkably successful. Its membership
numbers about two hundred, and includes a large
number of the prominent Republican politicians and
business men of the city and county. Its initiation
fee is ten dollars, and its annual assessment is the
same. The club gives an annual reception at Christ-
mas, which is participated in by the members and
their friends.
Young Men's Christian Association.— The first
Young Men's Association formed in Chester was or-
ganized in 1860, with Samuel A. Crozer as president.
Meetings were held in Penn building on Market
Square. The breaking out of the civil war the next
year distracted the attention of the young men, and
j the association lingered until 1863, when it suspended.
No attempt was made to revive it until 1870, when
a second organization took place, having for its presi-
dent George K. Crozer. This association also met
for a time in Penn building, and afterwards removed
to the City Hall, where in 1874 it again suspended.
Mr. George Derbyshire and Charles C. Larkin had
I acted as president of the association.
In November of 1875, an association was again
formed, mainly through the exertions of Dr. W. S.
Ridgely, who became its first president. The officers
were chosen from the different church organizations
of the city. Rooms were fitted up in the Ward
building near the railroad depot. The aim and end
1 of the association was to bring young men under re-
I ligious influence.
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
411
After continuing for some time in the Ward build- j
ing, arrangements were made to remove to a room in
Holly Tree Hall, which was done, and the associ- i
ation remained till 1880, when rooms were obtained
over the post-office, and a reading-room opened. For
some reason this was not successful, and the associa-
tion returned to Holly Tree Hall, where they re-
mained till March, 1884. The association was not
accomplishing much good work by the methods em-
ployed, and it was determined to reorganize and
adopt the plans and methods now used by other asso-
ciations. In accordance with this decision the asso-
ciation was suspended, Nov. 14, 1883, and a new board
of managers elected, who held their first meeting
on the 5th of December. Ward Bliss was chosen
president; T. W. Stone, vice-president; B. Frank
Beatty, secretary ; B. F. Hall, treasurer. At the
meeting in November, the Rev. S. A. Taggert, secre-
tary of the State Association, explained new methods
of working now in use. At that meeting a committee
was appointed to select a room suitable for the asso-
ciation. This committee reported, Jan. 4, 1884, that
rooms could be had in Samuel Black's building on
Market Street. On the 15th of January they were
authorized to secure the rooms and fit them for use.
The room on the first floor in front is an office, where
are directories, time-tables, and the office of the gene-
ral secretary. In the rear is a reading-room, which
is supplied with the magazines, papers, secular and
religious. The second story is fitted as a conversa-
tion-room, connected by folding doors, with a well-
furnished parlor. These rooms can be thrown into
one, and are used for public talks, lectures, and re-
ligious meetings. The building was dedicated March
2, 1SS4, with appropriate services. Addresses were
delivered by the Rev. Thomas McCauley, Rev. Henry
Brown, Rev. Dr. P. H. Mowry, and Dr. John F. Van
Leer.
The association is controlled by a board of man-
agers composed of fifteen persons, who form the execu-
tive, finance, and lecture committees.
The other work of the association is delegated to
seven committees, chosen from the members, as fol-
lows : Membership, Reception, Christian Work, Em-
ployment and Boarding-house, Work for Boys, Visit-
ing, and Invitation.
The membership at the last annual report was
sixty-seven.
The present oSicers are Ward R. Bliss, president ;
T. W. Stone, vice-president ; B. Frank Beatty, secre-
tary ; Theodore Hampson, general secretary ; B. F.
Hall, treasurer.
The presidents who served the association from its
organization, in 1875, to November, 1883, were Dr. W.
S. Ridgely, Thomas W. Stone, Charles C. Larkin,
Col. Theodore Hyatt, Charles C. Larkin, and Dr.
John F. Van Leer,
Building Associations,— Chester is eminently a city
which has been benefited largely by the establishment
of loan associations, by which means men of limited
incomes were enabled to build or purchase homes. It
is not extravagant to say that one-fourth of the pres-
ent improvements in Chester have been made by the
opportunity offered to industrious toiling mechanics by
these associations. In 1850 the Chester Building Asso-
ciation, the first incorporated in the borough, was
formed ; John M. Broomall being the president and
Jo.5eph Taylor the secretary. It continued ten years
and ten months, during which time it loaned sixty-two
thousand dollars to its members. In 1852 the Penn
Building Association was formed, William Hinkson
being the secretary. In eleven years it ran its course,
during which time it had loaned many thousands of
dollars to its stockholders. In 1853 the South Ward
Association was organized, and in August, 1854, the
Washington Building Association was founded, and
both of these organizations settled their affairs and
were disbanded. The Second Chester was instituted
Nov. 24, 1860, and the William Penn on April 1,
1865. In November of the same year the North
Ward Building Association was founded, H. L. Don-
aldson secretary. On March 9, 1867, the City Asso-
ciation was instituted, and in July, 1869, the Dela-
ware County was founded, and has issued a new
series every year thereafter ; the first series expired
in 1879. The present officers are William Dolton,
president; D. M, Johnson, treasurer; Orlando Har-
vey, secretary and solicitor. The Mechanics Building
Association was established in 1873, — President, Ben-
jamin F, Baker; Solicitor, John B, Hannum ; Treas-
urer, Charles Roberts ; Secretary, H, L. Donaldson.
In October, 1873, the Chester and Upland Association
was founded, with Daniel V, Hoffman, president;
David Garrett, secretary; Amos Gartside, treasurer;
and D. M. Johnson, solicitor. In May, 1874, the
Third Chester Building Association was organized,
with Benjamin F, Baker, president ; Jonathan Jennell,
treasurer; Edmund Jones, solicitor; and George M.
Booth, secretar)-. The Excelsior Building and Loan
Association was instituted in 1876, of which D, M.
Johnson is president; P, M, Washabaugh, secretary;
Jonathan R, Johnson, treasurer; and Orlando Har-
vey, solicitor. On June 12, 1879, the Fidelity Associa-
tion was established, — Jonathan Pennell, president;
H, L, Donaldson, secretary; Jonathan R, Johnson,
treasurer; and John B. Hannum, solicitor; and in
November, 1879, the Iron-Workers Building Associa-
tion was organized, with David Houston, president,
and George B, Lindsay solicitor. The Home Building
and Loan Association was organized in February,
1881, with Jonathan Pennell, president; P, Bradley,
secretary; J, Howard Roop, treasurer; Ward R.
Bliss, solicitor. The Keystone Building Association
was organized May, 1882, — President, John Spencer;
Secretary, O, B, Dickinson ; Treasurer, Thomas Lees ;
Solicitor, D. M, Johnson, The People's Building and
Loan Association was formed May, 1883, — President,
Amos Gartside; Treasurer, D, M, Johnson; Secre-
412
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
tary, H. L. Donaldson ; Solicitor, John B. H
The Provident Building and Loan Association was
organized October, 1883, — President, Joseph F. Brew-
ster; Secretary, Garrett Pendleton ; Treasurer, Oliver
Troth; Solicitor, Patrick Bradley.. The Industrial
Building and Loan Association was established June,
1884,— President, Josiah C. Ross; Treasurer, D. M.
Johnson ; Secretary, Oliver Troth ; Solicitor, Edmund
Jones.
The Military. — Since the conclusion of the civil
war there have been several military organizations in
Chester under State regulations, but owing to the de-
fective feature of the law, the companies, until the re-
cent revision of the statutes governing those bodies,
were usually short-lived. The present effective man-
agement of the National Guard of Pennsylvania gives
promise of more thoroughness in the militia, and
hence it may reasonably be expected that Company
B, of the Sixth Regiment, will have a longer exist-
ence than any organization which has preceded it.
The first company of soldiers in Chester, after the
time mentioned, was the Chester City Safeguard,s, a
colored company of militia, organized in 1870, and
commanded in succession by Andrew Johnson, Isaac
B. Colwell, and Isaac Emory, until the fall of 1872,
when it was disbanded.
On Sept. 12, 1872, Company A, of the Gartside
Rifle Battalion, was organized, with Capt. Daniel
Brown commanding. Capt. Brown subsequently was
appointed major, and George F. Springer was elected
captain of Company A in his stead. Company B, of
the same regiment, was organized March 19, 1873,
Capt. David S. Gwynn commanding; but he resigned,
and the company elected William A. Todd as captain.
The organization finally disbanded. In July, 1875,
the Morton Rifles, so called in honor of John Morton,
the signer of the Declaration of Independence, was
organized, with James Barton, Jr., as captain, and in
August, 1875, was mustered into the Eleventh Regi-
ment, National Guard of Pennsylvania. Capt. Bar-
ton was subsequently promoted aid to Gen. Dobson,
and Charles A. Story, Jr., was elected to the captaincy.
Subsequently Capt. Story resigned, and John M. House-
holder was chosen to succeed him. During the riots
of July, 1877, the company was ordered to Pittsburgh,
where it did good service, but was the next year mus-
tered out. The Hartranft Rifles were organized Jan-
uary, 1876, by Capt. Perry M. Washabaugh, and April
20, 1876, were mustered into service as Company B,
Eleventh Regiment, and subsequently, after the ap-
pointment of Capt. Washabaugh to the staff of the
brigadier-general commanding the division, he was
succeeded by Robert H. Wood, and followed by Wil-
liam H. Williams. This company was also called into
active duty during the Pittsburgh riots, and was finally
mustered out of service.
Company A, Eleventh Regiment, National Guard
of Pennsylvania, was mustered into service March 30,
1881, with B. F. Morley, captain ; Frank G. Sweeney,
first lieutenant ; and John J. Hare, second lieutenant.
The company soon showed such efficiency in drill
that, when the State authorities consolidated the
military force of the commonwealth, — although the
youngest company in the State, — by general order No.
11, July 8, 1881, the title of the company was changed
to B, Sixth Regiment, First Brigade, National Guard
of Pennsylvania. In the summer of the same year a
scheme was broached by Lieut.-Col. Washabaugh to-
wards erecting an armory, and to that end a charter
was obtained, stock was taken by several prominent
citizens, a lot, sixty feet in front by one hundred and
twenty feet in depth, was purchased, and an armory,
after a design by P. A. Welsh, was built. The struc-
ture, begun Aug. 4, 1881, costing, including land,
about fifteen thousand dollars, is too recent to require
fuller description here. Sufficient it is to say that it
is the home of one of the best, if not the best-drilled
company in the service of the State, and is an orna-
ment and a credit to our city. The building, located
on the south side of Fifth Street, east of Crosby Street,
was opened on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1881, with a fair
which lasted ten days, and yielded several thousand
dollars towards the liquidation of the debt of the
armory company.
The roll of Company B at the present time is as
follows:
Ciii.t. Fniiik G. Sweeney was a military inBtructor at Penn-ylvaiiia Mili-
taiy Academy from September, 1877, to June, 1879; elected Ist
lieut. Co. A, 11th Regt., March 30,1881 (changed to Co. B.Cth Eegt.,
.Inly 8, 1881); elected capt. Co. B, 6th Kegt., Dec. 4, 1882.
First Lieutenant James A. Campl)eU enl, as a private in Co. A, 11th
Regt., March 30, 1881 ; app. 2d sergt. June 6, 1881 (changed to Co.
B, Blh Regt., July 8, 18S1) ; pro. to Ist sergt. July 29, 1881; elected
1st licnt. Jan. 8, 1883.
Second Lieutenant George C. de Lannoy enl. aa a private in Co. A, 11th
Regt., March 30, 1881 ; app. 4tli sergt. June 6, 1881 (changed to Co.
B, 6th Regt., July 8, 1881) ; pro. to 3d sergt. July 29, tS81 ; pro. to
I 2d sergt. Oct. 19, 188'i; pro. to 1st sergt. Nov. 17, 1882; elected 2d
lieut. Feb. 5, 1883.
Sei-geants, T. Edward Clyde, J. Frank Fairlamb, Horace F. LarkiQ,Har-
I well A. Cloud, J. Engle Baker.
[ Corporals, William J. Morgan, Charles B. Ross, J. Alexander Cochrane,
I Milton M. Allen, Robinson McCurdy, George C. Worrell, Samuel
j A. Price, Frank L. Brown.
Privates, James H. Birtwell, Theodore Blakeley, Charles B. Catling,
Radcliffe Clmdwick, William G. Clyde, William R. Carson, William
H. Derbyshire, Dean J. Deakyne, Edward Dougherty, Jackson B.
Fields, Arthur Grant, U. S. Grant, N. Clarence Grove, Emil 0. Haas,
Alfred Hinkson, Lewis E. Hinkson, John A. Ladomus, Edward
Miles, Frank B Eddy, George C. Johnson, R. Bruce Mowry, Alvin
G. MillH, Theodore Mooney, Charlton McCurdy, Edwin P. Mcllvain,
Harry S. Mcllvain, Edward A. Price, Arthur G. Rose, Matthew F.
Ross, R. Wilson Roberts, D. Elmer Reasin, William S. Ranier, Hil-
! yard B. Sweeney, Charles R. Sweeney, Garrett G. Slawter, George
; B. Smedley, William N. Sparks, Horace F. Temple, David M. Un-
angst, J. M. B. Ward, S. Ulrich Ward, Robert P. Wilson.
The Fire Department.— As early in our history as
October, 1696, an act was passed by the Colonial As-
sembly designed "for preventing of accidents that may
happen by fire in the towns of Philadelphia and New
Castle," and as the provisions of this law were made in
1700 operative in Chester also, it is interesting to learn
I the safeguards which by legal enactments our ances-
1 tors attempted to establish in the infant settlements
THE CITY OF CHESTER.
413
to avoid destructive fires. The act prescribed that
ten days after the publication of the law any person
" who should set on fire their chimneys to cleanse
them, or shall suffer them to be foul, that they shall
take fire so as to flame out at the top," on conviction,
should be fined forty shillings. By the same enact-
ment, within twenty days after its promulgation,
" every owner of every dwelling-house within the
towns aforesaid, shall provide and keep in or by his or
her house a swab twelve or fourteen foot long, and a
Bucket or pail, to be always ready agt such accidents
of fire." The act of Aug. 26, 1721, repealed that
part of the old law which required swabs and buckets
to be kept in every house under a penalty, but the
advantage of having such articles was so apparent
that it became the rule to have leather fire-buckets in
every house in the village, which were suspended
from the ceilings in the hallway, so that in the event
of an alarm they were easily obtained by opening the
front door. At a fire it was the recognized duty of
every able-bodied man to fall into the line, which ex-
tended from the burning building to the most availa-
ble point where water could be had, and along this
line full buckets would be passed to those persons
who had taken post near the flames, to throw the
water upon them, and the empty buckets would be re-
turned the same way to be refilled. Persons who re-
fused to fall into line and pass buckets were usually
doused with water as a punishment by their indig-
nant neighbors. After the fire had been subdued, or
it had ceased because it had totally destroyed the
building, it was rare sport for the boys to gather the
leather fire-buckets and return them to their several
owners, for every man's name was painted on his
bucket.
I do not know when the first fire company was es-
tablished in Chester, but seven months ago I found
among a quantity of old paper in a waste store a torn
leaf from a book which was the record of a fire
company. From the scrap which has fallen into my
possession, it seems evident that the organization was
similar in character to that of Darby borough. On
July 8, 1808, is given a list of members as follows :
William Graham, John Caldwell, James Withy, John
Odenheimer, James Birchall, William Anderson,
Jonathan Morris, Ephraim Pearson, Isaac Eyre,
Jonathan Pennell, Joseph Engle, Daniel Broomall,
William Siddons, Jonas Eyre, Samuel Anderson, Jo-
seph Piper, and Jonas Sharpless. From the report of
the various committees appointed, we learn that in
that time the buckets and ladders are up and in good
order, but that " the engine and hose want oiling."
Whitehead, in his historical introduction to the " Di-
rectory of Chester for 1850-60," says, " A beer-house,
called the Globe, was once kept upon James Street,
below Market, by a man named Scott, but abandoned
as a public-house for nearly fifty years. It was burned
down in 1830, and the site is now occupied by the
Uplaml buildings owned by Samuel A. Price."' This
building wiis brick, with a curb-roof It had been a
tavern in 1796, kept by William Harrison, and was
known as "The Indian Queen." Harrison's widow,
Elizabeth, followed her husband in the business until
1805, when Samuel Price had the house, when it was
known as " The Ship." After that date it ceased to
be an inn, but became an eating-house, the first ever
established in Chester. Martin' says Scott sold eat-
ables and table-beer, and that the fire occurred in
1835 or 1886, not in 1830, as stated by Whitehead.
The doggerel lines, which bring back the names of
residents of Chester about 1790, are said to have been
written shortly after a fire which consumed an old
shed on the property of John O. Deshong, in North
Ward. The lines, so far as they remain to this day,
are as follows :
"Fire! Fire! cried Anthony Guyer,
Where? where? aaid Squire Byre,
It's up street, said Parson Heath.
It's down town, said Dr. Brown.
It's here! it's here ! cried Charlie Lear.
It's iu Anderson's Hall, said Capt. Paul.
Ton are all wrong! cried Peter Deshong.
It's up in the shed, said Morris' Deb."
You lie ! you lie ! cried Kerlin's Sie.=
I'll go to it, said Mrs. Hewitt.
You sha'n't! you sha'n't! said John Denant.
It's time you're starlin' ! said Dr. Martin.
You'd better be quick, said Thomas Dick.
I'll be there in an hour, said Richard Flower.
Here's my bucket, said Jouathao Duckett.
Put on the water, said Martin Carter.
They're all too lazy, said Mrs. Daisy.
The roof is rotten, said Johnny Shotten.
Keep oflF my toes, said Odenheinier's Rose. 2
I'll make them whiz, said Odeuheimer's Liz." 2
The fire-engine was known as the " Liberty," and was
housed in a one-story frame building, still standing,
between the City Hall and the First National Bank,
now used as a coal-house and a place of deposit for all
the trash which accumulates in the mayor's and other
offices in the hall. Samuel Edwards was president
of the company in 1832. Some time after 1844 a new
hand-engine was purchased, the " Friendship," which
was more generally known as the " Pickle Tub," from
the fact that in 1850, at the fire at Market Square,
some of the active firemen of that day emptied the
contents of a tub, in which a lady had been greening
j pickles, into the engine, and it began squirting pickles
at the fire, until an unusually large one got fastened
in the nozzle, and effectually stopped the flow. After
the introduction of water into the city, the old fire-
engine became useless, and steps were taken to organ-
ize an efficient fire department.
The Franklin Fire Company was instituted Nov.
30, 1867, and incorporated Feb. 22, 1869. During
that year the lot on Concord Avenue was bought, and
; a two-story brick hose-house, fifty by twenty-two feet,
! was erected. For over ten years this house served the
i purpose for which it had been built, although, after
414
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, . PENNSYLVANIA.
the company had purchased, in 1874, the steam fire-
engine " Franklin," at a cost of four thousand dol-
lars, the organization was much cramped for room.
At first the handsome Silsby steamer was drawn by
hand, but the company purchased a pair of horses,
and it became necessary to enlarge the building.
This was done in 1882 ; the old structure was re-
moved, and a new building, three stories in height,
erected, on which was located a look-out station, and
a large bell suspended therein. The cost of this im-
provement was three thousand dollars. In October,
1882, the building was dedicated. On the roll of the
Franklin Fire Company at this date (July, 1884) are
seventy-eight active members. Samuel Phillips is
president; Benjamin D. Ayers, Jr., secretary; and
Thomas Brooks, chief engineer.
The Hanley Hose Company derives its name
from John Hanley, "Old Blind Jack," as he was
called, who, though sightless, was earnest and active
in effecting the organization of the company. The
Hanley Hose Company, No. 1, of Chester, was insti-
tuted Jan. 12, 1869, and was incorporated by the
court of Delaware County February 22d of the same
year. At first a hose-carriage was alone the appa-
ratus used ; afterwards a hand-engine was purchased,
and on April 8, 1874, the city authorities, at a cost of
five thousand dollars, procured a large steam fire-
engine from R. J. Gould, manufacturer, of Newark,
N. J., which, by ordinance, July 21, 1874, was as-
signed to the custody of the Hanley Hose Company,
No. 1, the city, however, retaining title to the steamer.
Prior to 1871 the company was located in a frame
building, which had formerly been a blacksmith-shop,
at the northeast corner of Fifth and Welsh Streets,
but in that year the lot now owned by them was pur-
chased from John O. Deshong, and the present three-
story building erected, to which improvements and
additions have been made from time to time. After
the steamer " City of Chester" had been placed in
their care the company purchased a pair of large bay
horses, known as Ben and Bill, which continued to
draw the engine until 1873, when the present team of
dapple grays superseded them. On the roll of the
Hanley are fifty-two active members. William
Gillson is president, and John Mackanaugh chief
engineer.
On Aug. 23, 1869, the Good Will Steam Fire-En-
gine Company, No. 2, of the city of Chester, was
incorporated, but no further steps were taken to
organize an active company under this charter.
The Moyamensing Hook-and-Ladder Company,
No. 1, of Chester was incorporated by the court of
Delaware County Feb. 28, 1870, and at first was
located in a frame building at the southeast corner of
Mechanic and Broad Streets; the truck and hose-
carriage being the gift' of the Moyamensing Company
of Philadelphia, for whom that of Chester had been
named. On July 26, 1875, the corner-stone of the
twostory building on Broad Street, west of Iljiland,
was laid. The following year the house was finished
and occupied by the company. In 1883 a lookout-
station and bell was placed on the building. The
expenses of maintaining the organization have largely
exceeded the annual appropriation from the city, and
the members are discussing whether, under the cir-
cumstances, the company should not disband to avoid
the personal cost which annually is entailed on them
for the support of the organization.
Parades and Public Demonstrations.— It is not
the jiurpose under this title to narrate the political
demonstrations which have occurred in Chester, for
if that was the intention, a bulky volume would be re-
quired to relate the story of the numerous instances
which could be gathered, but it is designed herein to
record those public ceremonies which have made a
lasting impress on the annals of the city. Washing-
ton, when on his way to be inaugurated President,
was received by the good people of Chester at that
day, and Dr. William Martin delivered an address,
the manuscript of which is in the possession of his
grandson, John Hill Martin. On April 29, 1841, a
mock funeral was held in the ancient borough on the
occasion of the death of President Harrison, in which
the Sunday-school, literary, temperance, beneficial
and secret societies took part. Maj. Samuel A. Price
was chief marshal, with Spencer Mcllvain, John G.
Dyer, Robert McCay, Jr., Jonathan Vernon, and J.
Gifford Johnson as assistants. A funeral oration was
delivered by Rev. M. R. Talbot. On Nov. 8, 1851, the
Pennsylvania Historical Society celebrated the One
Hundred and Sixty-ninth Anniversary of the Landing
of William Penn at Chester. William Rawle acted
as president. The ceremonies were held in the Metho-
dist Church on Fifth Street, and an address was made
by William Armstrong; after which the meeting ad-
journed, and in procession went to the foot of Penn
Street, where were planted several pine-trees near the
site of the venerable ones, the last of which was blown
down in a gale in October, 1846. On this occasion
John F. Watson, the annalist, states that the "holly
tree" standing at the foot of Penn Street was there
prior to the landing of Penn. At midnight, Friday,
Jan. 1, 1876, the streets of Chester were thronged with
the population of the city who had determined to
welcome the birth of the centennial year with an
enthusiastic, popular demonstration. The hotels,
lodge-rooms, newspaper-offices, public buildings, and
private dwellings were decorated with American flags,
and the windows brilliant with lights, while rows of
Chinese lanterns spanned the streets and were pend-
ent from almost every building. At an earlier hour
in the evening a public meeting was held in the City
Hall at which addresses were made by Mayor Forwood,
Col. William C. Talley, William Ward, and John P.
Gartside. About ten o'clock Maj. Daniel Brown, mar-
shal, ordered the procession to move, and the long line
— consisting of all the military, fire, and most of the
civic societies in Chester and outlying boroughs— tra-
THE CITY OF CHESTEK.
415
versed the principal streets of the city, greeted with
the shouts of the populace and the glare of rockets and
noise of firearms and crackers which added to the gen-
eral hubbub. At half-past eleven o'clock the colonial
salute of thirteen guns was fired by the artillery detach-
ment of Post Wilde on Seventh Street. When the
hands of the dial of the illuminated clock in the tower
of the City Hall marked the hour of twelve, the bells of
the city rang out a joyous peal, while the music from
the various bands, the cheers of the crowd, the dis-
charge of firearms and cannon made a din such as
Chester never before knew, and the scene will never be
forgotten by those who wit-
nessed the tribute to 1876 as
that year showed itself upon
the dial of time. The parade
on the 4th of July, 1876, was
one of the most imposing pa-
geants ever witnessed in Ches-
ter; the various organizations,
under the direction of Chief
Marshal Dr. Stoever, traversed
most of the streets in the city.
The literary exercises, under
the direction of Col. W. C.
Gray, were conducted on the
Beale House lawn ; noticeably
will be remembered the histor-
ical sketch of Chester, written
by William Ward, and the ora-
tion of Dr. F. T. Coates, subse-
quently published in a volume.
On April 6, 1878, when the
steamship " City of Para" was
launched at Koach's ship-yard,
Chester was visited by Presi-
dent Hayes, members of his
cabinet, Governor Hartranft,
State Treasurer Kawle, Col.
Quay, together with many Con-
gressmen and politicians who
for the time being were con-
spicuous, but have now faded
entirely out of public remem-
brance. The President, suite,
and friends, in a special train,
were brought to the railway
station, where, received by the city authority, they
were conducted in carriages and with military escort
to the ship-yard, the streets leading thither being
crowded with people, who greeted the President with
cheere and other demonstrations of welcome.
In the early spring of 1882 the idea of properly
celebrating the bi-centennial anniversary of the land-
ing of William Penn at Chester was discussed, but
no definite steps were taken until June 5, 1882, when
James Barton, Jr., mayor, and H. B. Black, president
of Council, D. M. Johnson, Frank S. Baker, Isaiah
H. Mirkil, and Richard Miller, a committee of that
body, issued an address to the citizens of Chester and
Delaware County, calling a general meeting on the
15th of that month, to effect an organization to carry
out the object. At the meeting then held the follow-
ing officers of the General Committee were elected:
Hon. James Barton, Jr., chairman ; George E. Dar-
lington, vice-chairman ; J. Craig, Jr., recording sec-
retary ; H. G. Ashmead, corresponding secretary; H.
B. Black, treasurer ; Col. W. C. Gray, chief marshal.
" The day fixed for the celebration of the bi-cen-
tenary of the landing of William Penn in Chester,"
said AVilliam Shaler Johnson, " was ushered in soon
after midnight by the ringing of all the bells in the
city, each bell giving two hundred strokes. The
morning was cloudy and threatening, but as the day
advanced the weather changed for the better. The
city put on its gala dress at an early hour, the houses
being handsomely decorated, and flags flying from
every available point. The Historical Committee
had designated all the important historical sites with
banners, on which the name and date of construction
were pl-ainly marked, while at the landing-place a
staff", eighty feet high, carried the American colors,
and it was evident from the beginning that the citi-
416
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
zens had given themselves up heartily to the enjoy-
ment of the great anniversary. All the mills and in-
dustrial establishments in the city and many of those
in the county were closed, and, as a consequence,
people had little else to do than to participate in the
exercises of the day. Kesidents of the city and
county, and hundreds of visitors, who had arrived on
Saturday to spend the bi-centennial season with
friends, thronged the streets long before the hour for
the celebration to begin, and each incoming train
from the north and south brought thousands to the
city."
The ceremonial lan.line: of Pniii was lia.I at lialf-
past nine o'clock in the morning of Oct. 23, 1882, at
the foot of Penn Street, as near to the exact spot
where Penn actually landed as could be, considering
the changes that have been made in the river-bank
in two centuries. Penn was represented by John
J. Hare, of Chester, and the other characters were
supported by members of the Chester Dramatic As-
sociation and the organizations of Red Men. The
landing was made fK»m a large old-fashioned yawl-
boat, and a dialogue, which had been written by W.
S. Johnson, gave dramatic features to the scene.
After these inauguration ceremonies the crowd gath-
ered at a lot on the corner of Concord Avenue and
Second Street, where the exercises were held. On
the grand stand were a number of prominent citizens,
including the invited guests from Philadelphia and
elsewhere, and the civic dignitaries from surrounding
cities. Among these were Governor Hoyt, Col. A.
Wilson Norris, Adjt.-Gen. James W. Latta, Col. D.
Stanley Hassinger, Col. Campbell Tucker, Chief En-
gineer Samuel L. Smedley, the Executive Committee
of the Bi-Centennial Association, Capt. Dean, U. S.
K. M., Col. M. Eichards Muckl6, Maj. Charles K.
Ide, President John McDonald, of the Produce Ex-
ebaiige, Frederick Lovejoy, Charles Lain, Carl Edel-
hein, and S. J. Linch, Hugh
J. Hamill, Galloway C. Morris,
John E. Ford, Lewis Wiener
and Alexander Barrows, of
Baltimore ; Mayor Barton, ex-
Mayors Larkin and Forwood,
Messrs. G. P. Denis and D. F.
Houston, Hons. William Ward
and Robert Chadwick, Cols.
W. C. Gray and P. M. Wash-
abaugh, of Chester; George E.
Darlington, of Media; Hon.
W. B. Waddell and Robert E.
Monaghan, of West Chester;
William Simpson, Benjamin
Gartside, Samuel Riddle, Dan-
iel C. Abrams, Samuel Lewis,
Hon. John M. Broomall,
George Broomall, David S.
Bunting, Charles Roberts,
Hugh Shaw, John B. Roach,
Abram Blakeley, Richard Mil-
ler, PL B. Black, Orlando Har-
vey, Revs. Thos. J. McCauley,
William J. Paxson, Henry
Brown, and others. The num-
ber of people assembled in the
square and streets near by must
have exceeded ten thousand.
The exercises consisted of an
introductory address by Mayor
Barton, followed by a prayer
by Rev. Henry Brown. Rev.
Samuel Pancost read a bi-
centennial poem, and Hon. John M. Broomall de-
livered an able oration appropriate to the occasion.
The ceremonies at the stand closed with the chil-
dren of the public schools of Chester singing the
Bi-Centennial Hymn, the words composed by Pro-
fessor Charles F. Foster, superintendent of the pub-
lic schools, and set to music by Professor John R.
Sweeney, followed by a prayer by Rev. Thomas Mac-
auley. In the afternoon the exercises of the day were
continued by a parade under the direction of Col. W.
C. Gray. The parade was the largest ever witnessed
in Delaware County. Over six thousand men were
THE CITY OF CHESTEK.
417
in line, and several of the industrial establishments —
for all the manufacturing interests were represented —
presented designs that were novel and interesting.
The fifth division, restricted to the various trades,
was one of the most noticeable in the parade. In the
evening a display of fireworks took place at the corner
of Ninth and Parker Streets.
On Thursday, Nov. 9, 1882, a number of gentlemen
connected with the Historical Society of Pennsylva-
nia and the Penn Club, having determined to cele-
brate the two hundredth anniversary of the landing
of William Penn by placing a memorial stone at the
actual spot where the landing occurred in Chester
(then Upland), came to Chester in a special train, and
were received by the mayor, members of Council, and
a number of prominent citizens, and escorted to the
ground, foot of Penn Street, in front of the residence
of Mayor J. L. Forwood.
The memorial stone had been erected on the 8th of
November, the preceding day, and was covered with
the national flag. Permission had been previously
obtained from the city authorities and the owners of
the adjacent property to place the stone on and within
the curb line, on the northerly side of Front Street,
which would bring it within a few feet of the actual
place where William Penn landed. The stone was of
granite, about five feet high and three feet by two feet
at the base, weighing over two tons. On the northern
or inner face was a marble tablet, on which was cut
the coat-of-arms of Penn and the words, "This Stone
marks the spot where William Penn landed October
28-29, 1682." The stone, which was designed by John
Struthers, of Philadelphia, was set upon a foundation
of solid masonry, five feet square and three feet deep,
the whole resting upon two thicknesses of heavy
planks, laid transversely.
Charles S. Keyser, who acted as director of the
ceremonies, made a brief address, after which Kev.
Henry Brown offered a prayer. Charles J. Stille,
LL.D., in behalf of the donors, presented the me-
morial stone to the city, which was received by James
Barton, Jr., the then mayor of Chester. Addresses
followed by William Ward, Lloyd P. Smith, Justice
Cox, Jr., Samuel Chew, George M. Conarroe, who in
his address read a letter from John G. Whittier to
Col. Frank Etting, regretting his inability to be pres- '
ent. The ceremonies were closed by a few remarks j
by Dr. James J. Levick. The party from Philadel-
phia, under the guidance of the Chester committee,
examined some of the historical buildings in the city.
The site of the Essex house and the old well, the
Boar's Head Inn, the old court-house and prison, site
of the House of Defense, Graham (Hoskins) house,
Logan house, Kichardson house, tomb of John Mor-
ton, Friends' meeting-house, site of Sandelauds' double
house, and other places of interest were among the
points visited. About noon the Philadelphians took
the special train for Codnor Farm, Col. Frank M. Et-
ting's place, in Concord, to which they had been in-
vited. The party was accompanied by a number of
gentlemen from Chester and Delaware County. Let-
ters of regret were received by Col. Etting from
Maj.-Gen. W. S. Hancock, Benson J. Lossing, and
others.
Chester Lodge, No. 69, A. Y. M.— The warrant
for this lodge which was granted June 24, 1796, was
signed by William Moore Smith, Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of the State of Pennsylvania ; Gavin
Hamilton, District Grand Master; Thomas Town,
Senior Grand Warden ; John Poor, Junior Grand
Warden ; Thomas Armstrong, Grand Secretary ; John
J. McElwee, Grand Treasurer. The warrant is di-
rected to William Martin, Worshipful Master ; James
Bernard, Senior Warden ; William Pennell, Junior
Warden ; John Odenheimer, Master Mason; Matthias
Kerlin, Master Mason; William Hill, Past Master;
and Eobert Smith, Master Mason. The first meeting
was held August 30th of the same year, in the third
story of a building on the corner of Fourth and Mar-
ket Streets, at which time it was the " Hope's Anchor"
Tavern, now kept as the "Farmer's Market Hotel" by
Edward Kelly. The device of the seal of the lodge
was, at the top the all-seeing eye, the square and
compass, enclosing two clasped hands expressive of
friendship, and the motto " United and Free." At the
first communication of the lodge, September 27th of
the same year, the first degrees were conferred on
Preston Eyre and Daniel Harmony. From that time
to 1836, when the lodge surrendered its charter, one
hundred and eighty -six Masons had been made or de-
mitted from other lodges and united with this lodge.
The following are the names of a few of the Past
Masters ; 1797, James Bernard ; 1799, William An-
derson ; 1800, Preston Eyre; 1801, Joseph Engle ;
1810, John Mackey; 1811, Joseph T. Johns; 1812,
Job Terrill ; 1814, William Hill ; 1815, Joseph Engle.
The property whereon the market-house now stands
was owned by Lodge No. 69 prior to 1816 ; mention
is made of it in the minutes as late as 1819, when
all reference to it ceases.
In the Delaware County Republican of Aug. 24, 1847,
appeared the following notice :
"ANCIENT YOBK MASONS.— The Brethren of Lodge No. 69, of Ancient
York Masons, meet to day at the residence of Mrs. Jane Irwin for the
purpose of applying for a new charter."
This meeting-place was the lodge-room of the soci-
ety at Fourth and Market. At this gathering a peti-
tion was prepared to request the Grand Lodge to re-
charter Chester Lodge, No. 69. The request was not
acceded to, but a charter was granted as Chester
Lodge, No. 236. This warrant was dated Dec. 4, 1848,
and the lodge was instituted on the 23d of February,
1849, by the installation of George W. Bartram, Wor-
shipful Master, Joseph Weaver, Senior Warden, and
Alexander M. Wright as Junior Warden. In addition
to the officers mentioned, the following were charter
members : Samuel E. Lamplugh, James Campbell,
Isaac S. Williams, Ezekiel Norman, Thomas Baker,
418
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Joseph Baker, John Martin, and others. At a stated
meeting of Lodge No. 236, held March 8, 1849, the !
members of Lodge No. 69 were requested to meet for
the purpose of uniting with the members of Lodge |
No. 236, which was done, in Penn Building, Market
Square. About 1856 the lodge-room was removed j
to the hall over George Baker's store, the present i
Chester Evening Newx building. In 1870, Lincoln
Hall was purchased by Chester Lodge, who at once
began arranging and decorating the room appro-
priately for their uses, at a large outlay of money.
The following persons have been the Worshipful
Masters since the recharter : 1848, George W. Bar-
tram ; 1851, Joseph Weaver; 1852, John Larkin, Jr. ;
1853, Charles D. Manley ; 1854, Joseph R. Morris ; [
1855, Persifer Baker ; 1856, Thad. K. Martin ; 1857, [
James Wilkey ; 1858, Samuel Cliff; 1859, James ,
Holmes; 1860, Daniel B. Thomson; 1862, George
Baker; 1863, John M. Greig; 1864, Dr. J. L. For- i
wood; 1865, Col. Thomas J. Leiper; 1866, Dr. John ;
M. Allen ; 1867, John Fountain ; 1868, George Rob- |
inson ; 1869, Dr. Jacob Boon; 1870, William H. Fla-
ville ; 1871, Robert S. Taylor ; 1872, Lewis W. Govett ; '
1873, Thomas Mould ; 1874, James Gartside ; 1875, i
Robert Singleton ; 1876, Moses H. Green ; 1877,
Charles Roberts; 1878, Martin L. Taylor; 1879, \
Edward S. Worrell ; 1880, Robert Chadwick ; 1881,
William S. Ranier ; 1882, William P. Thompson ; j
1883, Charles F. Foster, present incumbent. j
The lodge has a membership by the last annual I
report of one hundred and ninety-one. In August,
1871, George Caldwell, the last surviving member of
old Chester Lodge, No. 69, died in Chester township.
The present olKcers are Charles F. Foster, Worshipful
Master ; Henry Greenwood, Senior Warden ; William j
B. Broomall, Junior Warden ; Thomas I. Leiper,
Treasurer ; Robert S. Taylor, Jr., Secretary.
L. H. Scott Lodge, No. 352, F. and A. M.— This '
lodge was chartered Dec. 27, 1864. The warrant was ;
issued to John P. M. Greig, George Baker, Henry B.
Taylor, George E. Darlington, Esq., James Barton,
Jr., Stephen C. Hall, Charles D. Pennell, Alfred Tay-
lor, Rev. John R. Quigg, William D. Pennell, S. H.
Stevenson, John H. Barton, George Wilson, Samuel
A. Dyer, S. F. Baker, and Charles J. Andrews. The I
lodge was instituted March 16, 1865, in the rooms of
the parent lodge. No. 236. The following officers !
were installed: J. P. M. Greig, Worshipful Master; I
Henry B. Taylor, Senior Warden ; George E. Darl-
ington, Junior Warden ; George Baker, Treasurer ; j
and James Barton, Jr., Secretary. The following are
the names of the Past Masters : John P. M. M. Gregg,
Henry B. Taylor, James Barton, Jr., William N. ]
Pennell, George E. Darlington, John H. Barton, j
William Taylor, Caleb Emlen, Hiram Hathaway,
Charles A. Story,' William S. Lamb, Charles L. I
Leiper, Dr. Robert P. Mercer, Stephen C. Hall,
Henry Abbott, Jr., James A. Heargan, George W.
Beatty, J. Newton Shanalelt, and James B. Rutter.
Chester Royal Arch Chapter, No. 258.— In 1823
a Chester Mark Lodge was in this city, as on 20th of
December in that year Matthias Richards Sayres, as
recorder, issued a call in the Post-Boy for a meeting
of the Chester Mark Lodge. Beyond that fact no
other information has been obtained respecting this
lodge. Fifty-four years thereafter, in the fall of
1877, the Chester Royal Arch Chapter, No. 258, was
instituted, with Charles Roberts, Most Excellent
Priest; Edward S. Worrell, King; James Barton, Jr.,
Scribe; William H. Flaville, Treasurer; Theodore
W. Stone, Secretary.
The present High Priest is Henry W. Cullis, and
Theodore Stone, Secretary.
A Masonic Relief Association was chartered May
25, 1868, with George E. Darlington, President;
Thomas E. Leiper, Vice-president; Col. William C.
Gray, Treasurer ; Samuel Anderson, Secretary ; James
Barton, Jr., George Robinson, and Charles D. Manley,
Trustees.
The object of the association, as set forth in the
charter, is to provide for the widows and orphans of
deceased members, and for this purpose a liberal fund
is set apart by contributions, donations, etc.
Delaware County Lodge, No. 13, Knights of
Birmingham. ^This lodge was instituted in Chester
on the evening of Oct. 8, 1879. The order is confined
to the members of the Masonic fraternity, and was
largely attended on the installation of officers by
many from abroad. Ceremonies were held at Ma-
sonic Hall, and the following were the officers : Sir
Chief, Henry Abbott ; Sir Knight, George W. Beatty ;
Sir Herald, Robert Chadwick; Secretary, Theodore
S. Stone; Treasurer, William S. Rainer; Trustees,
Thomas Lees and Edgar C. Lyons. The meetings of
this society are held in Dyer's Hall.
Mount Tabor Lodge, No. 51, A. Y. M.— This lodge
was established many years ago, and meetings were
held in the hall at Fourth and Market Square, and
about 1870 was abandoned. In that year Mount
Vernon Lodge was chartered as No. 58. This also
was abandoned, and the Franklin Lodge, No. 58, was
chartered with the number of Mount Vernon Lodge.
This society still retains its existence, and has about
forty-two members, Thomas Handy being Worship-
ful Master. Meetings are held at the hall on Fourth
and Market Streets.
Rising Sun Chapter, No. 12, A. Y. M.— This
chapter contains at present twenty-three members,
and is presided over by Johnson Pernsley, High
Priest. Meetings are held in the hall at the corner
of Fourth and Market Streets.
Radiant Star Lodge, No. 1063, Grand United
Order of Odd-Fellows. — This lodge was instituted
about thirty years ago, and at present has a member-
ship of forty-five, with James H. Waters, Noble
Grand, and William T. Jenkins, Past Grand. Meet-
ings are held over the mayor's office.
Chester Lodge, No. 92, I. 0. of 0. F.— This lodge
THE CITY OP CHESTER.
419
was the iirst organized in the county, and received its
charter Dec. 8, 1843. The meetings were held in the
frame building on the corner of Third and Market
Streets, now owned by George Wonderlich. They
subsequently removed to a third-story room of White
Swan Hotel, Fourth and Market, and later to and are
at present in Dickinson Hall. James Hampson,
Thomas Liversidge, Thomas B. Donaldson, Thomas
McBride, and James Campbell were members of this
lodge, and withdrew to form Leiperville Lodge, No.
263, which was chartered Aug. 16, 1847. Chester Lodge
continued for several years, when it dissolved. Its
charter was restored on the 6th of December, 1873,
with five charter members named, and with John A.
Wallace as Noble Grand. The meetings of the soci-
ety are now held in Dickinson Hall.
The Delaware County Encampment of I. 0. of
0. F. was instituted in Chester April 15, 1846. It is
not now in existence.
Upland Lodge, No. 253, I. 0. of 0. F.— This
lodge was the second in the county, and was chartered
June 21, 1847, about two months prior to the organi-
zation of Leiperville Lodge. Among the active mem-
bers of the society in the county at that time were
Edward E. Flaville, William Gray, M.D., John Sitz-
enberg, and John Burk. A lodge-room was fitted up
over a double dwelling-house in Shoemakerville,
where meetings were held for several years. The
charter members for Upland Lodge were Cadwal-
ader Evans, N. G. ; J. M. Allen, V. G. ; John H.
Baker, Sec. ; John S. Weaver, Asst. Sec. The society
many years ago rented and fitted up a hall in th&
third storj' of the Penn Building, fronting on Third
Street, which they have since occupied. The present
oflBcers are Thomas B. Robinson, N. G. ; D. R. Esrey,
V. G. ; B. F. Bucha, Sec. ; James Z. Taylor, Treas.
The lodge has two hundred and nineteen mem-
bers.
Chester Encampment, No. 99, I. 0. of 0. F.—
This society is a degree of the Upland Lodge, No.
253, and was chartered April 17, 1850, with the fol-
lowing ofiicers : James Jones, C. P. ; James Kelly,
H. P. ; James Hampson, S. W. ; John Booth, J. W. ;
Archibald McArthur, Sec. ; Isaac S. Williams, Treas. ;
Thomas Liversidge, G. Later its charter was surren-
dered, and petition was made for restoration May 15,
1865. Meetings are held in Odd-Fellows' Hall, Penn
Building. The present officers are Hugh Crook, C. P. ;
D. R. Esrey, Jr., S. W. ; Robert Smith, Jr., J. W. ;
Robert Singleton, Treas. ; Robert Taylor, Jr., Scribe.
The encampment numbers ninety-one members.
Leiperville Lodge, No. 263, 1. 0. of 0. F.— Effort
was made about 1845 to establish a lodge at Leiper-
ville, which resulted in the granting of a charter by
the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, bearing date Aug.
16, 1847, aud the name and number was designated as
Leiperville Lodge, No. 263, I. O. of O. F. The offi-
cers named in the charter were James Hampson, N.
G. ; Thomas Liversidge, V. G. ; Thomas B. Donald-
son, Sec. ; and James Campbell, Treas. Other char-
ter members were Thomas McBride, James McCor-
mick, and George Crossley. The lodge was instituted
by Samuel Turner, D.D., Grand Master, on the even-
ing of the 11th day of September, 1847, in the garret
of the Leiperville Hotel, then kept by John Harrison
Hill. On the night the lodge was instituted there
were initiated by dispensation James Jordan, F. Der-
byshire, T. Bradley, Jonathan Taylor, A. Trimble,
William Liversidge, aud James Morton. The hum-
ble room of the society was kept by them till a change
in the business affairs of Leiperville by the withdrawal
of the manufacturing interests there rendered it advis-
able to remove the lodge to Chester. In the summer of
1852 a lot was purchased of John Larkin, Jr., on the
northwest corner of Broad and Crosby Streets, for the
sum of eight hundred and fifty dollars, and prepara-
tion made for the erection of a building. The corner-
stone was laid May 26, 1853, with appropriate services,
the Avondale Brass Band being present. A metallic
case was deposited in the stone containing minutes of
the Grand Lodge of the United States and Grand
Lodge of the State of Pennsylvania for the year
1850, Odd-Fellows' Register, constitution and by-laws
of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, those of Chester
Encampment and Leiperville Lodge, Bible, and issues
of the newspapers of Delaware County. The hall is
seventy-six by thirty-two feet, three stories in height.
The first and second stories are fitted up for dwell-
ing and stores, and the lodge-room is sixty-six by
thirty-two feet, with anteroom. The contract price
was five thousand three hundred dollars. The build-
ing was completed in the fall of that year, and dedi-
cated on the 17th of October, 1853. It has been used
by the lodge since that time, and other societies also
hold their regular meetings therein. The property is
worth at present fifteen or twenty thousand dollars,
and is unincumbered.
The present Noble Grand is H. W. Fairlamb, and
the membership is two hundred and four.
Since the organization of the lodge about twenty
thousand dollars have been paid out for relief to
members in distress. This amount was mostly dis-
bursed by Robert Smith, who was treasurer for sev-
enteen years, retiring from that office in 1881.
Post "Wilde, No. 25, G. A. R.— This post was char-
tered Jan. 9, 1867, and named in honor of Isaac Henry
Wilde, second lieutenant One Hundred and Eighty-
eighth Pennsylvania Regiment, who died in service
July 26, 1864. It was instituted July 27th, in the
same year, with James Cliff Post Commander. The
Past Post Commanders have been James Cliff, Ewing
W. Tibballs, William C. Paiste, William H. Martin,
Joseph F. Brewster, Thomas Lees, Joseph P. Chad-
wick, George G. Buck, James McDude, Edward
Blains, Marshall Miller, Edward H. Lilley, Theodore
A. Vansant, Ebenezer Birtwell, Edward L. Morgan,
James Cheetham, Gasoway O. Yarnall, William Band,
Samuel Martin, William Raniers, James Hollings-
420
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
worth, and James Morgan. The present Post Com-
mander is Samuel Oglesby. The post is large, active,
and in a prosperous condition. Meetings are held in
the Ward Building.
Old John Brown Post, No. 194, G. A. R.— This
post was organized in September, 1880, with twenty-
seven members. Its meetings are held in Edgmont
Hall, on Edgmont Avenue. The Past Post Com-
manders have been Daniel J. Eussell, Robert B.
Auter, and Samuel Lohman. The present Post Com-
mander is Robert B. Auter. The membership is
forty-five.
Tuscarora Tribe, No. 29, 1. 0. of R. M— A few
young men in Chester, desirous of forming themselves
into a society, met to discuss the merits of different
orders. Two of the number, James E. Golden and
N. N. Worrilow, were members of the Improved
Order of Red Men, and by their arguments and rep-
resentations prevailed upon the others to form a tribe
of Red Men, and it was decided to call a meeting and
obtain signatures of those who were willing to become
members of the tribe. Meeting was called, and thirty
persons affixed their signatures to the petition to the
Great Chiefs at Philadelphia for a charter, which was
granted. On the 22d Sleep Flower Moon, G. S. D.
363 (1854), the Great Chiefs assembled at Chester
with the " Brothers and Palefaces," and twenty-seven
persons took the obligation and were adopted into the
new Tuscarora Tribe, No. 29, of the Improved Order
of Red Men. The following officers were installed :
Sachem, James E. Golden; Senior Sagamore, N. N.
Worrilow; Junior Sagamore, Charles Sinex ; Chief
of Records, David M. Smiley ; Keeper of Wampum,
James Wilkie; Prophet, Jesse Gibson ; First Sannap,
William Kelly; Second Sannap, George Morris;
Guard of Wigwam, Alfred HofF; Guard of Forest,
William Lambson ; First Warrior, James P. Hunt;
Second Warrior, Jesse Baker, Third Warrior, John S.
Robinson ; Fourth Warrior, James Younker.
The meeting of the new tribe was on the 29th
Sleep, Flower Moon. The tribe grew in numbers
slowly for a time, then declined, and a dissolution
was seriously discussed. It finally was decided to
put forth renewed energy and zeal in the cause, which
was done, and resulted in an addition of thirty-six
members in the next thirteen months. Since that
time the tribe has increased in numbers, strength,
and wealth, and at present has a membership of two
hundred and fifteen. Meetings are held in their own
wigwam, Tuscarora Hall, Penn Building.
Mocoponaco Tribe, No. 149, 1. 0. of R. M.— This
tribe was chartered on the 19th of the Buck Moon,
G. S. D. 380, and was instituted in April, 1871, on
which occasion members of the order were present
from Philadelphia, Tuscarora Tribe, Lenni Tribe, and
from Media and other places. Twenty members were
initiated, and the following-named persons were
chosen officers for the year : Grand Sachem, George
Wigham ; Senior Sagamore, Abraham Mattis ; Junior
Sagamore, Abner Coppock ; Keeper of Wampum,
Enos F. Cloud ; Keeper of Records, Frank Bucha. A
lodge-room was handsomely fitted up in Cutler's Hall,
at the corner of Third and Kerlin Streets. The society
subsequently removed to Odd-Fellows' Hall, in the
Penn Building, where they now are.
Mocoponaco Haymakers Association, No. 149 J,
I. 0. of R. M. — This society is a degree of the Moco-
ponaco Tribe, No. 149, and holds its meetings in Odd-
Fellows' Hall, Penn Building.
Chester Lodge, No. 76, K. of P.— On Friday
evening, April 17, 1868, George Schureman, Lacy H.
Nicholson, E. Pennell, Jr., William L. Walker, John
Bell, James McNelly, Thomas Keen, Jr., W. G. Seth,
and Thomas Johnson went to Philadelphia to Ragau
Lodge, No. 28, K. of P., which met at the northeast
corner of Tenth and Chestnut Streets, to be initiated
into the order of Knights of Pythias for the purpose
of establishing a lodge in Chester. It was after twelve
o'clock when the ceremony was over, and, as there
were no cars running at that time, they had to walk
home through a snow-storm, arriving in Chester about
five o'clock Saturday morning. Steps were imme-
diately taken to constitute a lodge in Chester, and on
the evening of April 23d a preliminary meeting was
held, at which the following officers were elected for
the ensuing term : V. P., George Schureman ; W. C,
William L. Walker; V. C, Thomas Keen, Jr.; G.,
John Bell; I. S., James McNelly; O. S., Lacy H.
Nicholson ; N. S., W. G. Seth ; F. S., Thomas John-
son ; Banker, E. Pennell, Jr. The officers of the
Grand Lodge on April 30th installed the persons
named as officers of Chester Lodge, No. 76, K. of P.
George Schureman was elected the first representa-
tive to the Grand Lodge, and John Bell trustee for
eighteen months, Abram Mattin trustee for twelve
months, and William L. Walker trustee for six months
on June 25, 1868.
The following are the names of the presiding officers
from July, 1868, to July, 1884: Thomas Keen, Jr.,
John H. Williams, James McNelly, William B. Pierce,
Henry Ogden, Joshua Long, Thomas W. Mould, Mark
i W. Allen, Theodore J. Bell, Samuel B. Logan, Jeffer-
son W. Chalfant, Thomas D. Nelling, John W. Pen
nell, William Stillwell, John P. Smith, Samuel Mar
tin, Daniel W. Flenuer, John B. Allen, George W
Jenkins, Watson R. McClure, William H. Philips,
John Young, John H. Johnson, Harry Sigel, Mor
decai Lewis, David H. McCray, Robert P. Mackey
John Dunkerly, William P. Wood, Robert McMilien
James A. Stillwell, William H. Dawson. The fol
lowing-named persons have acted as treasurer of
the lodge : E. Pennell, Jr., from April 30, 1868, to
January, 1870; W. B. McBride, January, 1870, to
January, 1871 ; Mordecai Lewis, January, 1871, to
February, 1875; William Dotten, February, 1875, to
July, 1877; and George W. Wilson, from 1877 to
present lime, and still remaining as such.
Larkin Lodge, No. 78, K. of P.— This lodge was
THE CITY OF CHESTEE.
421
chartered on the 4th of May, 1868, with nine charter
members, and was named in honor of the then mayor
of Chester, John Larkin, Jr. Delegations from Crys-
tal Fount, Excelsior, Damon, Ragau,and other lodges
of Philadelphia were present. It has at present one
hundred and thirty-five members, and is presided
over by Gideon Herbert, Chancellor Commander.
Meetings are held in Dyer's Hall, over the office of
the Evening News.
Larkin Circle, No. 66, Brotherhood of the Union.
— A society of this order was organized at Marcus
Hook about 1845, and later one at Chester. The
circle was chartered March 2, 1872, and now has one
hundred and sixty-five members, and is at present
presided over by Dean J. Deakyne, Chief Washing-
ton. Meetings are held in Cutler's Hall, Third and
Kerlin Streets.
Good Intent Circle, No. 75, Brotherhood of the
Union. — This circle was organized several years ago
and dissolved, and on the 10th of May, 1882, was
reorganized. It has at present ninety members.
The present officers are : E. W., William Irwin ; C.
W., Andrew Corson; Treas., C. G. Hiorth; Scr.,
Charles Nothnagle; Reg., Jacob Titus. Meetings
are held in M. 6. U. A. Hall.
Lamokin Circle, No. 80, Brotherhood of the
Union, was also organized several years ago, and was '
reorganized in May, 1884. It has a membership of
thirty-six. Meetings are held in Riley's Hall, Third
and Edward Streets.
Chester CouncU, No. 36, J. 0. U. A. M.— This
council was instituted in 1868, with fifteen charter
members. A hall was fitted up by the society in the
upper story of the Penn Building, which is still used. I
Friendship Home Communion, No. 21, H. C. ,
(H. F.)— This society was instituted Nov. 1, 1872, j
with twelve charter members, and at present has fifty i
members. Meetings were first held in Cutler's Hall, I
Third and Kerlin Streets, and later the hall of the
J. O. U. A. M. was rented and is still used. j
Washington Camp, No. 20, Junior Sons of j
America, was organized Dec. 19, 1854, and after a
few years was discontinued. A camp of the same
name, No. 43, of the Patriotic Order of the Sons of
America, was chartered with fifty-eight members on
the 17th of January, 1882. Meetings are held in the j
Junior Order of United American Mechanics' Hall,
on Market Street.
Chester Council, No. 553, Royal Arcanum, an
assessment insurance fraternity, was organized in ,
Chester by Capt. H. C. Cochrane, Jan. 17, 1881, with j
twenty-three charter members. It has been very suc-
cessful, numbering now upon its roll one hundred and
sixteen members. Regent, Edward Barton ; Secre-
tary, J. M. Peoples ; Treasurer, J. Craig, Jr. ; Col-
lector, Samuel Lyons. Meets in Dickinson Hall, first
and third Wednesday evenings in each month.
Penn Conclave, No. 59, Improved Order Hepta-
sophs, was organized March 28, 1883, with twenty-
three charter members. The conclave meets in Dick-
inson Hall every second and fourth Wednesday even-
ing. Archon, Julius Gottschalk ; Secretary, J. Craig,
Jr. ; Treasurer, Oliver Troth ; Collector, S. L. Ar-
mour.
Excelsior Lodge, No. 9, Independent Order of
Mechanics.— This lodge was chartered April 23, 1884,
in the Odd-Fellows' Hall, Broad and Mechanic Streets,
where their meetings are still held.
Trinity Council, No. 23, Sons and Daughters
of America, meet at Edgmont Hall.
German Beneficial Society, No. 1, hold meetings
at Cutler's Hall, Third and Kerlin Streets.
Christian Home, No. 1369, I. 0. of G. T.— This
home was instituted in Fulton Hall, corner of Broad
and Upland Streets, where meetings were held for a
time. Later the society removed to No. 603 Green
Street, near Morton Avenue, North Ward, where they
are at present.
Ark of the Covenant Lodge, No. 86, American
Protestant Association.— This lodge was chartered
Aug. 27, 1869, with six charter members. Andrew
McClure is the present Worthy Master. Meetings are
held in Dyer's Hall.
Nelson Lodge, No. 19, of the Sons of St.
George.— This lodge was chartered Feb. 26, 1875,
and organized in the Odd-Fellows' Hall, corner of
Broad and Mechanic Streets, where their meetings
are still held.
Chester City Association of the Order of Philo-
zatheans.— This order was instituted at Chester on
the 17th of October, 1867, with twenty-five ladies as
charter members. The society has at present fifty-
seven members. The officers are Mrs. Alice Kline,
Recorder; Mrs. Emma Winterbottom, Financial Re-
corder ; Mrs. M. E. Taylor, Treasurer. Meetings are
held in Odd-Fellows' Hall, Penn Building.
Ark of the Covenant Lodge, No. 4, of the Amer-
ican Protestant Ladies Association.— This lodge
was chartered on the 11th of October, 1871. Meetings
are held in the hall of the Junior Order of United
American Mechanics, on Market Street. The lodge
has fifty-five members, and is presided over by Miss
Jennie Donaldson, Worthy Mistress.
Pride of Chester, No. 6858, American Order of
Foresters. — This society was chartered April 26, 1882,
with three charter members. Meetings were first held
at Odd-Fellows' Hall, Broad and Mechanic Streets,
and at present at Dickinson Hall. John Coombs is
the Chief Ranger.
Chester Purple Star, No. 86, Loyal Orange Lodge
of the United States of America.— The charter of
this lodge was granted Sept. 8, 1883. Its first Master
was John Ballantine. Meetings are held in Dickinson
Hall.
Mount Lebanon Lodge, No. 17, Masonic Ladies.
—This society was instituted Nov. 21, 1866, with fif-
teen ladies as charter members. It has a membership
of one hundred and sixty, and is presided over by
422
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Mrs. Lizzie Coppock, L. H. P. Meetings are held in
Odd-Fellows' Hall, Penn Building.
Crystal Fount Division, No. 20, Sons of Tem-
perance.— The division meets at Dickinson Hall, No.
504 Market Street.
Nonpareil Lodge, No. 30, Sons of Progress.—
This lodge was instituted on the 17th of July, 1883.
It has for its president David R. Worrilow, and has a
membership of twenty-five. Meetings are held in
Cutler's Hall, Third and Kerlin Streets.
The Post-Ofiice. — When the postal service was first
instituted under the Federal government, an office was
established at Chester. Particularly at that time the
town was in a measure headquarters for naval officers,
and a place where captains of shijis would send ashore
to get advices from the merchants in Philadelphia, if
anything had been overlooked when the vessel sailed
from the latter place. Early in the century the post-
office was located at Fourth and Market Streets, where
M. H. Bickley's drug-store is now. Mrs. Mary De-
shong was postmistress. Caleb Pierce followed Mrs.
Deshong, and the office was removed to Market Street,
in a building (now removed) adjoining the Central
Restaurant. William Doyle superseded Pierce, and
the migratory office was on the east side of Market
Street, in an old house torn down by James Gar-
dener when building the present stores on its site.
In a short time it was removed by Doyle to a frame
house, where Beaver's tin-store now is, on Third
Street, adjoining Penn Buildings. Mrs. Doyle was
appointed postmistress, and removed to Fourth Street,
near where the Farmers' Market now is. In 1857,
George W. Weaver became postmaster, the office
being in the old building which stood on the site of
Brown's Hotel. Y. S. Walter, in 1861, was appointed,
and the office again changed its locality, being in a
small store in the angle of Penn Buildings, on Mar-
ket Square. Maj. Joseph R. T. Coates, in 1864, fol-
lowed Walter, when, in 1866, the office was removed
to the city building, and under the mayor's office.
While located there William G. Price was postmaster,
and was followed by William H. Martin, the latter
holding the position for eight years. During 1880,
Levi G. James erected the present post-office, on
Edgmont Avenue, above Fifth Street, under an
agreement with the United States that they would
lease the lower floor for a term of five years. In
1881, John A. Wallace, the present incumbent, was
appointed postmaster.
The First Jewelry-Store ia Chester.— The frame
building recently removed by Henry Borden, to erect
on its site the present commodious cigar-store and
manufactory, was occupied sixty years ago by Charles
Alexander Ladomus, who located in a room in the j
Steamboat Hotel, then vacant, where he repaired |
clocks and watches. So marked was his success that I
he removed to the frame house on the west side of
Market, above Third, where he added jewelry to his i
business of repairing time-pieces. Ladomus had an !
eventful history. He was a Frenchman by birth,
and at the outbreak of the Revolution of 1793, his
mother (being of an aristocratic family) was com-
pelled to flee in the night-time to Germany with her
children. Charles was at that time a lad of ten years.
All the family remained in the land of refuge, and
after the battle of Jena, Oct. 14, 1805, Charles A.
Ladomus was in Berlin when the defeated Prussian
army fled through that city. When the French occu-
pied it, he acted as an interpreter for Napoleon. He
subsequently made a tour of Europe on foot, which,
as he practiced his occupation as a watchmaker in
the mean time, consumed twelve years. In 1824 he
came to the United States, married Catharine Schey,
a widow, and settled in Chester, where he followed
the business of a jeweler and watchmaker until
within a few years of his death, which took place
Dec. 30, 1859.
Old Settlers.— On August 8, 1834, William Long
died in Chester, at the advanced age of ninety-one
years and six months. It was worthy of note, for the
newspapers of that day assert that at the date of his
death his descendants numbered nine children, thirty-
five grandchildren, fifty-five great-grandchildren, and
one great-great-grandchild. Dr. Smith states that on
Sept. 14, 1678, Rebecca Pedrick was born at Marcus
Hook, " the earliest well-authenticated birth within
the limits of Pennsylvania, where both parents were
natives of England," that had come under his notice.'
The Pennsyhania Gazette, issue for " June 28th to July
5, 1729," contains the following item :
" On the 30th of 3Tay past the children, grandchildren, and great-
grandchildren of Richard BuJItiigton, Senior, to the number of one hun-
dred and fifteen, met together at his house in Chester County, as also
his niue sons- and daughters-in-law, and twelve great-grandchildren-in-
law. The old man is from Great Marie, upon the T/ianies, in Bticking-
hamsMre, in Old England, aged about eighty-five, and is sfill hearty,
active, and of perfect memory. His eldest son, now in the sixtieth year
of his age, was the first boru of English descent in the Province."
The fact that Rebecca Pedrick's birth antedates
that of Buffington is established by Mr. Smith's
researches, and hence "the first child of English
parentage born in Pennsylvania" was not a male, but
a female, and the place of birth removed from Chester
to Marcus Hook.
General Items. — Chester in the first half of this
century had ceased to show almost all evidence of en-
terprise. In the summer and fall of the year sports-
men came hither to shoot rail- and reed-birds in the
marshes of islands and flats, and it was the resort on
Sundays of persons who drove from Philadelphia for
recreation. Among such visitors were many turbulent
spirits, and the village authorities were powerless to
preserve order. So widely known was this immunity
from arrest of Sabbath-breakers from other places
that the Philadelphia Herald, in 1834, stated that a
young lad who had spent a summer in the borough,
on his return to his home, exclaimed, " Oh, ma, how
' History of Delaware County, p. 491, notice of Roger Pedrick.
SAMUEL PALMER.
THE CITY OF CHESTEK.
I do love Chester!" " Why, my dear?" was the in-
quiry. "Because there is no Sunday there," was the
boy's reply.
Business was confined to a few stores and small
industrial establishments. The even tenor of daily
life was almost stereotyped in its character. Hence it
was an incident of rare occurrence that even a fire
changed the current of events, and the quiet borough
must have been astounded on March 24, 1818, when
one Spear, who kept a grocery store in the old stone
building on Market Street, where John M. Broomall's
dry-goods store is now located, in passing behind his
counter with a lighted candle, by accident dropped it
into an open keg of powder, occasioning an explo-
sion which killed Spear instantly and damaged the
building.
In July, 1829, it is stated Aaron Denman had in
operation at Chester machinery for manufacturing
paper from straw, which was " especially valuable for
packing." ' I have been unable to locate the site of
this paper-mill, which was one of the first in the
United States in which straw paper was made.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
WILLIAM WARD.
William Ward, of Chester, was born at Philadel-
phia, Pa., Jan. 1, 1837 ; was educated at Girard Col-
lege, Philadelphia ; learned the art of printing in the
office of The Delaware County Republican, at Chester,
serving there four years ; studied law ; was admitted
to the bar in August, 1859, and engaged in the prac-
tice of law in connection with operations in land en-
terprises and public improvements in Chester and vi-
cinity, to which was added the business of banking in
1868. In 1873 he retired from the banking firm of
Ward & Baker, and devoted himself exclusively to the
other branches. He has held a number of positions
of public trust, such as president and member of the
City Council for a number of years, city solicitor, sec-
retary and treasurer of the Chester Improvement
Company, director of the First National Bank, treas-
urer of the South Ward Water Board, secretary of
the Chester Creek Railroad Company, and secretary
and treasurer of the Chester and Delaware River Rail-
road Company. He never held a purely political
office until 1876, when he was elected a member of the
Forty-fifth Congress, from the Sixth District of Penn-
sylvania, and successively to the Forty-sixth and
Forty-seventh Congresses. Upon the expiration of
his term in March, 1883, he returned to Chester, and
has since been actively and exclusively engaged in
the practice of the legal profession.
SAMUEL PALMER.
Aaron Palmer, the father of Samuel, was born April
13, 1792, and married Susannah Denny Nov. 24, 1811.
Their children were Samuel, Thomas, John, Pamela,
Mary Jane, Caroline, and two who died in infancy.
Samuel, the eldest, was born Dec. 28, 1813, in Frank-
ford, Pa., and resided until his sixteenth year in New
York, after which he removed to Philadelphia. He
learned the trade of a shell-comb maker, but not finding
this jnirsuit a congenial one, fitted himself for the vo-
cation of a teacher. Finding this sedentary life not
conducive to health he resumed his trade, and finally
engaged in the business of brick-making, having pre-
viously been connected in a clerical capacity with
various public offices in the city of Philadelphia. On
removing to Chester he rented a brick-yard, and for
several years conducted the business successfully.
He was married to Margaret, daughter of William
and Catherine Morrison News, of Philadelphia. Their
children are Eleanor (Mrs. Henry Goodman), Caro-
line (Mrs. Michael Cash), Kate (Mrs. James Dough-
erty), Susan (Mrs. John Moore), Margaret, John,
Thomas, Samuel, Lizzie, and four who are deceased,
— Susan, William, Ann Eliza, and an infant. Mr.
Palmer was in politics a Democrat, though not a
worker in the political field. He was an active mem-
ber of the Masonic fraternity, and much interested in
the advancement of the order. He was not during
his lifetime identified with any religious denomina-
tion, but died in the faith of the Catholic Church.
Mrs. Palmer and her sons have since conducted the
business with marked success.
JOSEPH TAYLOR.
Hazard's Register, vol. iv. p. 12.
Mr. Taylor was of English descent. Israel Taylor,
his father, a farmer in Aston township, Delaware Co.,
married Ann Malin, of Upper Providence township,
and had children, — Joseph, William, Anna (Mrs.
David Garrett), Bowman, and Gideon. Their son,
Joseph, was born April 6, 1802, in Upper Providence,
and when an infant removed with his parents to
Aston township, where he resided upon the ances-
tral home until 1844. He received his education in
the public schools of Delaware County, and, early
evincing a fondness for mathematics, made surveying
the business of his life. He was in his political pre-
dilections an Old-Line Whig, and, as the candidate
of that party, was, in 1844, elected prothonotary of
the county, which necessitated his removal to Chester,
where the sessions of the court were then held. On
the expiration of his official term he resumed his pro-
fession, was for a number of years county surveyor,
and, later, surveyor for the city of Chester, both of
which positions were filled with much ability. He
was also surveyor of Darby borough and exercised
his skill in the laying out of Chester Rural Cemetery,
of which he was one of the projectors. Mr. Taylor
424
HISTOKY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
was regarded as a man of undoubted skill in his pro-
fession and possessing a thorough knowledge of the
county to which his labors were chiefly confined.
He evinced qualities which won the respect and
affection of all who knew him, and was no less
regarded for his unquestioned integrity and probity
than for his generous instincts and warm sympathies.
Having been reared in the Quaker faith his inclina-
tions were for the Society of Friends, though a fre-
quent worshiper with other denominations and a
profound listener to an earnest discourse. Mr. Tay-
lor married Miss Hannah Berdett Taylor, daughter
of Joseph Taylor, of Upper Providence township, a
soldier of the Revolution, who was taken prisoner
and held as a hostage at St. John's, New Brunswick,
until the close of the war. The children of Mr. and
Mrs. Taylor are Henry B., John H., Annie W. (Mrs.
Richard Stevenson), of Atchison, Kan.; William,
cashier of the First National Bank of Chester; Cath-
erine R. (Mrs. H. M. Hinkson), and Alfred. John
H. joined the Pennsylvania Reserves during the late
war as lieutenant of Company C, First Regiment, and
fell at the battle of South Mountain. The death of
Mr. Taylor occurred on the 27th of February, 1884,
in his eighty-second year.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CHESTER TOWNSHIP.
This municipal district, which originally included
within its boundaries the present thriving boroughs
of North and South Chester, Upland, and the city of
Chester, was one of the first municipal districts erected
shortly after Penn's first visit to the province, in 1682,
when he divided the territory in counties; but the
lines and bounds then separating it from the adjacent
townships are not of record. The first official recog-
nition of the section afterwards known as Chester
township was at the court held Oct. 17, 1683, when a
grand jury of seventeen persons were " Impannelled
to take out a Convenient Highway leading from
Providence to Chester." At the court held July 1,
1684, Richard Crosby and Edward Carter were ap-
pointed collectors of the county levies for Chester,
and at the same court Richard Few was appointed
constable. Richard Few was the owner of two hun-
dred and twenty-seven acres of land, which was sur-
veyed to him Oct. 27, 1682. This tract began at
Bridgewater, and ran then directly across the town-
ship, through the Cobourn, Springer, and Engle farm
to Ridley Creek. Following that stream in a north
course, it extended to the southern point of Samuel
Bancroft's land, — a straight westerly line, thence
crossing the township to a point just beyond where
the run that empties into Chester Creek divides into
two branches, when that stream became the western
! boundary of the land until it empties into Chester
j Creek, and by the latter to Bridgewater, thus in-
cluding in the tract the greater part of the old Mullen
farm, that of McCay, the southern half of the Cald-
well, all of the Jones, and the greater part of the
Culbert farm. Sneath's Corner was of course in-
cluded within this tract. The remaining portion of
this township to the north of that tract, except the
upper parts of the Afllick and Bancroft's land, was
included in the three hundred and seventeen acres
surveyed to Thomas Coebourn, Nov. 28, 1682; and
on that tract, above Morgan's Station, just over
the Middletown township line, in 1686, Coebourn
erected the second grist-mill on Chester Creek. An
account of this mill will be given in the history of
Middletown. On March 29, 1684, three hundred and
eighty-five acres of land was surveyed to Thomas
Brassey, which included all the land lying in the
great bend of Chester Creek, from Bridgewater to
the western line of the borough of Upland, on which
are now the farms of Stephen M. Trimble, of Elias
West, the property of William Maris, north of the
Upland road, and part of that belonging to Joseph
Engle, lying west of Edgmont road. That part of
the farm of William Maris south of Upland road, and
the farm of Abraham C. Lukins, part of the estate of
Mary Kelley, and the remainder of Joseph Engle's
farm was included iu the patent of June 7, 1672, to
Neals Mattson, of one hundred and sixty-four acres,
during the government under the Duke of York.
The remainder of the land on the east side of Edg-
mont road, and the residue of the Kelley estate, were
on the land patented March 31, 1686, to James San-
delands.
Sneath's Corner, which is located in that portion of
Chester township east of Chester. Creek, already men-
tioned, is formed by the road from Hinkson's Corner,
crossing the Edgmont great road at that point. In
1816 the property at the corners was owned by George
Sneath, Justina Harlan, and Caleb Cobourn. It has
been for years noted as a residence for physicians,
Dr. Ellis C. Harlan, Dr. Jesse Young, Dr. J. S. Hill,
and Dr. David Rose having in succession lived at the
corner. The cross-road store at this point has always
been a profitable location. Prior to 1816, George
Sneath, who owned and occupied the dwelling (now
the residence of Dr. David Rose), opened a store in
that building. He kept it several years, and at his
death his daughter, Mary Sneath, continued the busi-
ness for some time, when it was discontinued. In 1823,
Joseph Engle, the elder, who had a few years previous
purchased the property at the corner from Joshua
i Harlan, erected the present store-building there, and
j it was first occupied by his son, William Engle. He
I was succeeded by Thompson Hawkins, he by D. Reese
j Esrey, who subsequently embarked iu manufacturing
at the Pennellton Mills, and William Engle again re-
I turned to the store. Frank Johnson, however, soon
CHESTER TOWNSHIP.
426
followed Engle, and he, in turn, gave place to J. Row-
land Cochran. The store is at present occupied by the
Beatty Brothers.
Crossing Chester Creek in the angle made by the
division line of Aston to the north, and Upper Chi-
chester to the west, was a tract of four hundred acres,
laid out to Michael Isard, Sept. 20, 1677, by order of
the court at Upland. This estate, which was known
as " Weston," on June 20, 1684, became the property
of Thomas Baldwin. Baldwin's Run traversed this
property from east to west, and the name which the
stream received in early days it still retains. On this
tract the farms of James C. Williams, Jethro John-
son, Lewis BergdoU, Charles Flower, and the larger
part of that belonging to William Graham Flower, are
located.
At the bend on Chester Creek, where the land of
Hannah Coppock borders on that stream, the original
" Great Road" to Philadelphia crosses so as to reach
the fords. At that time William Woodmansey owned
one hundred acres of land, extending over to the
Upper Chichester line, to which he acquired title Nov.
25, 1679. At the court held 3d day 1st week, Tenth
month, 1688, the grand jury in their report stated,
" Wee likewise present the Township of Chester for
want of a foote Bridge over Chester Creek by Wil-
liam Woodmansee's." This presentment was contin-
ued to the next court ; but that the wishes of the
grand inquest were not complied with is evident, for
June, 1689, the court " Ordered that William Wood-
mansee have an Order sent to him to make up a
Bridge near his house." The court at length ac-
knowledged that it had imposed more on Woodman-
sey than was altogether just, for it subsequently
"Ordered that William Colbourne, Supervisor of y"
Highways for y' Towne of Chester, have Power to
summon y° Inhabitances of s* Township to erect a
foote Bridge over Chester Creeke, att or near William
Woodmansee's. And that John Baldwin have an-
other order to Summon the Inhabitance of y° Town-
ship of Astone to assist y° Inhabitance of Chester in
y" matter." The foot-bridge was subsequently built,
for afterwards several of the residents of the town
of Chester were presented for failing to repair this
bridge.
These lands of Woodmansey were on the John Test
tract of four hundred acres, called " Hopewell of
Kent," which was surveyed to Test Sept. 27, 1678.
The latter sold this estate to various purchasers in
different-sized plots, and at different dates. The
lower part of this tract, extending southward into the
estate of Samuel M. Feltou, containing two hundred
and thirty-six acres, became the property of Robert
Wade, and he sold it to Henry Worley, March 8,
1698, and the latter conveyed the premises to Jere-
miah Carter, Nov. 23, 1702. Through this tract the
Upper Chichester road was laid out, Oct. 25, 1687, and
four years after the tract came into possession of Car-
ter the Aston road was laid out, beginning at Carter-
ville, on the Upper Chichester road, and running in
a northwesterly course through the township of Aston.
Jeremiah Carter is supposed to have been a native
of England, and came to this country with his wife,
Mary, in 1682, as is stated in the official paper on file
at Harrisburg. His first purchase of land was of
twenty acres, bought of William Woodmansey on the
9th of November, 1690, for which he paid £6 6s. He
is mentioned in the deed as " Jeremiah Carter, Lin-
ning Weaver." On the 27th of August, 1689, Mary
Carter, wife of Jeremiah, was one of a jury of women
at the court at Chester. Robert Wade, of " Essex
House," conveyed by deed, Sept. 11, 1694, fifty acres
of land to Lydia Carter, daughter of Jeremiah and
Mary, and provided that her father should have the
use of it until she was twenty-one years of age, pay-
ing a yearly quit-rent of half a bushel of good wheat.
The tract of one hundred and eighty acres which
Carter purchased in 1702 was surveyed in 1703, and
found to contain two hundred and fifteen acres. In
November, 1781, Jeremiah Carter deeded to Nineveh
Carter, one of his sons, eighty-eight acres at the
southwest part of the tract. Jeremiah Carter, the
settler, died in the latter part of 1736, and left three
sons, — Edward, Nineveh, and Abraham, — who all
settled on or near the old homestead. Edward, a son
of Abraham, married Eleanor Dod, of whom an in-
teresting story is told :
'*She was of English parentage, and, when a young girl, was invited
by a sea-captain's wife to come on board the ship and see the cabin and
furniture before the vessel sailed. She accepted the invitation, and em-
ployed a boatman to take her out to the ship as it lay at anchor in the
harbor, but when she set foot on deck the captain ordered the boatman
away, and at once weighed anchor and set sail for America with Miss
Dod on board. Tears passed and no tidings came from the loug-lost
daughter. Her family probably knew or suspected that she was some-
where in America, as about the year 1790 her brother Thomas set out to
! search for his lost sister, but he died on his passage to America. But at
last when she had been many years married, and her own daughtei-s had
grown up and settled in life, she was put into communication wilh her
I family after the following manner: An Englishman on a visit to
America being in the neighborhood, heard Ihat Mrs. Carter was of Eng-
lish birth, and called to have a chat witli her. This led to the unex-
pected discovery that he knew her parents and family in England.
When he returned she sent with him a letter to her people, which he
delivered in person, and of course gave full information as to her cir-
cumstances in America. This was the first her people knew of her
whereabouts."!
Joseph Carter, of Chester township, in 1798, in the
partition of his father's (Abraham Carter) estate, re-
ceived a tract of eighty-five acres of land running down
to and along Chester Creek. On this land, near a
little run emptying into the creek at the northeastern
end of the farm of Edward Carter, deceased, between
the years 1807 and 1810, Joseph Carter erected a saw-
mill, which, together with four acres of land, by his
will, July 17, 1828, he devised to his son, Daniel Carter.
The mill must have been in disuse in 1826, for it does
not appear on the assessment of the township for that
year. It rapidly decayed, and is spoken of in 1833 as
"an old deserted saw-mill." About 1800, Joseph
Pott's " History of the Carter Family," p. CO.
426
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Carter sank two shafts near the site of this mill in the
effort to develop a copper-mine on the estate, which
it was believed would yield a fortune to its owner. In
1833, John F. Watson, referring to this mine, says, —
" There was, many years ago, considerable indica-
tions and promise of a valuable copper-mine up the
Chester Creek. There is still visible remains of two
shafts now filled with water. They were said to con-
tain about fifty pounds of copper and about fifty
ounces of silver in one hundred pounds. At some
future day they will probably be worked with more
success and profit." '
Joseph Carter still clung to the idea that at a future
time the mine would be successfully operated, hence
by his will he provided " that in case the copper-mine
shall be opened on the land devised by me to my son
Daniel, the profit thereof shall be divided equally
amongst all my children, their heirs and assigns, with
this exception, that Daniel shall have two .shares."
This mine was never worked after Joseph Carter's
death, in 1830. In the Phlhaklphia Arid, May, 1832,
a writer in an article entitled " A Day in Chester," re-
cords bis visit to the mine, and describes it as it then
appeared :
*'Near an old deserted saw-mill we fuund the traces of an ancient
mine. Two shafts appear to have been sunk here, which are yet visible,
but filled with water and overgrown by bushes and briers. A consid-
erable quantity of the rubbish drawn from the mine is yet lying about
the place, from an examination of which it is apparent that the shafts
were sunk chiefly through clear white quartz, containing veins of cop-
per and molybdiena. The ore of copper which we observed here in the
greatest quantity is the yellow ferruginous sulphuret, though the green
carbonate and several other varieties may also be found. The sulphuret
of molybda^na is abundant, and so nearly resembles graphite or plumbago
(vulgarly called black lead) as not to be easily distinguished from it by
mere external characters. The two minerals are, however, essentially
distinct in their chemical compositions ; the plumbago being a carburet
of iron, i.e., iron combined with a large proportion of carbon, while the
other is the metal called molybdiena, combined with sulphur. It is a
rare metal, and we are not aware that it has been applied to any use.
Those persons who may desire specimens to add to their cabinet collec-
tions of minerals may obtain them without ditficulty at this place.
"We were informed by Mr. Edward Jackson, an intelligent old gen-
tleman whom we met at the mine, that altout thirty years ago three
assays were made of the copper ore obtained here, the average result
of which was fifty-throe per cent, of copper, with forty-eight ounces
of silver in every one hundred pounds, and, as he saye, one grain of gold
in each ounce of the ore. Before any great depth had been obtained
the progress of the work waa suspended, owing to the want of funds,
and it has ever since been neglected. But from the awakened attention
manifested at present to the mineral treasures of our country, we ven-
ture to predict that the work at this place will be resumed at no very
distant day. The strong probability of obtaining large quantities of
rich ore by sinking the shaft to a greater depth may induce some of our
enterprising capitalists to make an attempt to render that mine pro-
ductive." -
Joseph Carter not only built a saw-mill, sunk shafts
for copper on his estate, but, previous to 1800, he
built a pottery at Cartertown, and there his son,
Abraham, learned the trade of a potter. The latter,
in 1810, removed to Bridgeton, N. J., where he built
a pottery, which be carried on successfully for many
years. In 1813, Edward Carter, who had also learned
> Historic Tales of the Olden Times.
I Hazard's Register, vol. ix. p. 334.
the trade of a potter, had charge of the business at
Carterville, which he conducted until his advanced
age compelled him to abandon business.
During the Revolutionary war, Chester township,
then including the borough of Chester, suffered
greatly from the depredations of the British army.
Under an act of the Colonial Assembly a list of the
losses sustained by the residents was made. The in-
dividual bills then presented are preserved in the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania. We append
merely the names and the amount of loss sustained
by the then residents of Chester township :
From John Crosby, Sept. 13 1 1
" the late Sana Cawpland 72
" Benjamin Bartholomew, " stolen by the British army
under Gen. Howe." 43
" Alexander Mills, by Mr. Johnson, Comissary of the
British array commanded by Count Donop and Col.
Starlen, Dec. 13, 1776 1796
" Sarah I>ay, furniture destroyed by the British when
in Philadelphia, 1777-8 20
" Estate of James Mathews, by a party of Scotch and
Hessians, when marching from Wilmington to
Philadelphia, Oct. and Nov 62
'* Edward Vernon, by a party of Scotch and Hessians,
from Wilmington to Philadelphia,
Oct.
Nov .
Sarah Thomas, robliery by Scotch and Hessians, when
marching from Wilmington to Philadelphia, Oct.
Wm. Evans, team pressed
George Spear, saddle
■Wm. Kerlin, harness
Thomas Logan, sundries
Elisha Price, cart
Henry Myers, cow
Thomas Pedrick, horses
James Beatty, sundries
John Odenheimer, 2 horses
Raper Hoskins,
Mary Withy, s
Robert Fergus-
Capt. Stork's Estate
Valentine Weaver's Estate
Mary Norris' Estate
Martin Carter
John Powell
"Widow Deacon's Estate
John Hogan
Joseph Neidy, by British under Cornwallie
Ann Davis, by British under Cornwallis
Henry Hale Graham, by British under Cornwallis ..
Zedekiah H. Graham, by British under Cornwallis..
Adam Grubb, by British under Cornwallis
' We also append a list of the taxables of the town-
1 ship in the year 1799, which includes all the territory
1 now embraced in the township, the city of Chester,
the boroughs of North and South Chester, and the
borough of Upland:
I William Anderson (tavern-keeper,—" Columbia House"), Joseph Ash-
bridge (biscuit baker), William Ashford, Irwin Armstrong, Jane Ash-
brldge (shop-keeper), James Barnard, John BIrchall (tanner), Eden Bar-
ton, Abner Barton, James Burton, Jacob Eyre (cordwainer), James
Burns, Daniel Broomall (carpenter), Jesse Brown, Joseph Burns (cord-
wainer), Davis Bevan, Esq. (prothonotary and shop-keeper), James
' Baggs (weaver), Sarah Bartholomew, Roxanna Bond, David Broomall,
I John Caldwell (house carpenter). Pierce Crosby (miller), Caleb Cobourn,
j Joseph Carter, John Craig, Daniel Carter, Edward Carter, Samuel Cros-
ley, Aaron Cobourn, John Crosby, Elenor Davis, Jonathan Button (mil-
I ler), Jane Davis (apothecary), Thomas Davis, William Evans, Jonas
I Eyre (store-keeper), Isaac Eyre (justice of the peace), William Elliot,
I John English (cordwainer), Edward Engle (tailor), Joshua Elkins, Jo-
1 seph Engle (carpenter), Nicholas Fairlamb (justice of the peace), Richard
Flower (miller), William Ford (ship-wright), John Gill, George Gill,
John Gibbons, Mary Grubb, William Graham (attorney-at-law), Michael
I Hagan, Elizabeth Harrison (tavern-keeper), Robert Henvis, William
Hawkins (wheelwright), William Hoskins, Edward Hunter, Joseph
1 Johnson, John Kees, William Kerlin (tavern-keeper, " Wadigla House"),
THE BOROUGH OF UPLAND.
427
Jediab Lyons, Jacob Lee, Djizey & Leonard fshop-keepere). Job n Moulder,
Jonathan Morila (blacksmitli), Joseph Marlow, Tboniaa Malin, Erasnins
Morton, Margaret Muniford, Rebecca McCarty, Margaret Moubier,
Sicbard Newlin (cooper), Joseph Neide, Mary Norria, James O'Hara
(miller), John Odenbeimer, John Powell, Thomas Pedrick, Philip
Painter (joiner), Joliu Price (lawyer), Elizabeth Pedrick, Jonathan
Pennell (blacksmith), Samuel Price, Peter Price, Black Pompey, Eliza-
beth Price, Epbraim Pierson, George Roberts, Jacob Richard, John
Shaffer, Jonas Sbarpless (joiner), Triatam Smith (cord\Yainer), Robert
Squibble, George Sneath (weaver), John Stilley, Peter Stemmel, James
Shaw (victualler), William Sbarpless, William Siddons, William Spear
(blacksmith), John Wood, Mary Williams, John Wood (potter), Samuel
West, James Withey, Hannah West, Joseph Thatcher, Thomas Bow-
man, John Middleton (carpenter), Daniel Harmony (sub-sheriff). Moses
Minshall (hatter), John Baggs (blacksmith), Martin Carter (cooper),
George Syng (carpenter), Richard Latchford (carpenter), William Hill
(miller), William McCafferty (cordwainer), John Etress (potter), George
Hinkeon (millwright*, John Smith (tanner), Abraham Carter (hatter),
Joseph Sharp (cordwainer), Thomas Cobourn (millwright), Benjamin
Neide (bo&tler), Luke Cunin (hatter), Samuel Broomall (tanner). Israel
Cobourn (cordwainer), Abraham Kerlin, James West, Michael Mc-
Kamee, and William Parsons (carpenter).
The following is a list of the justices of the peace
of Chester township :
William D. Shoemaker April 14, 1840.
George W. Bartram April 12, 1845.
E. B. Loveland April 11, 1854.
E. B. Loveland May 3, 1859.
Thomas R. Nichol April 9, 1881.
Schools. — There is some evidence to support the
assertion that as early as 1787 a frame school-house
was erected at Cartertown, but documentary evidence,
the deed of partition in the Carter estate, positively
asserts, in 1793, that this building was then standing.
It was known as the Mud Wasp, and stood on the
site of the present ice-house on the estate of Samuel
M. Felton. It was built by Collins McLaughlin, a
Scotchman, who taught therein until he was compelled
to abandon the occupation because of his deafness.
Henry L. Powell was a pupil there in 1821, and Paul
B. Carter later. In this school-house the early Meth-
odists in that section of the county held occasional
meetings. In 1828 a church and school-house was
built in the Carter burial-ground, which was known
as the " Ebenezer" Methodist Church. The funds
necessary to erect this unpreteutious meeting-house
were contributed by John Lloyd, Gilead Carter, and
others. Here a school was taught for many years,
but finally it was taken down by Abraham Carter,
and its site inclosed in the graveyard lot. The pres-
ent school-house, known as "Franklin Public School,"
near the residence of Samuel M. Felton, was built in
1871.
Prior to 1800, Caleb Cobourn donated a lot of
ground at Sneath's Corner, and a log school-house,
thirty feet square and one story in height, was thereon
erected. Between the years 1819 and 1823 the follow-
ing pedagogues taught there : Silas Hoff, John Cald-
well, George Powell, and Isaac Powell. The log
house was used until 1824. when it was replaced by
the present stone building, which originally was thirty
feet square; it has been remodeled as occasion de-
manded.
The following is the list of directors of Chester
township, which at first included Chester borough, all
I of Chester township, and Upland. In 1859 Chester
I borough was set off" as a school district from the
rest of the township, and the several boroughs as they
I were erected were also made separate districts :
1840, John H. Denning, Samuel Weaver ; 1842, John Hinkson, Alexander
McKeen ; 1843, J. W. Hickman, Alexander McKeen ; 1844, Joseph
H. Hinkson, Isaac S. Williams; 1845, Joseph Taylor, Frederick J.
Hinkson ; 1846, Edward Darlington, Spencer Mcllvain ; 1847, Wil-
liam Weaver, Abrani Cobourn ; 1848, Peter W. Green, Isaac S. Wil-
liams; 1849, John Larkin, Charles D. Manley ; 1850, Samuel Cro-
zer, Jesse Young; 1851, Peter W. Green, F. J. Hinkson; 1852,
Edmund K. Edwards, David S. Bunting; 1853, no report; 1864,
David Irving, Samuel A. Crozer; 1855, D. S. Bunting, E. B. Love-
land ; 1856, Jeremiah Flickner, E. M. Edwards ; 1857, Samuel A.
Crozer, William L. Gregg; 1868, Peter W. Green, E. B, Loveland;
1859, E. R. Edwards, James Irving; 1860, S. A. Crozer, A. Castle;
1861, William L. Gregg, John Beatty; 1862, John Harvey, E. B.
Loveland; 1863, James KirUman, S. A. Crozer; 1SC4, David Rose,
William L.Gregg; 1805, Israel Mattock, J.William Lewis; 1866,
J. W. Lewis; 1867, David Rose, William Roebuck; 1868, Joseph A.
Kite, Thomas J. Leiper; 1869, W. L. Gregg, George Grubb; 1870,
David Rose, Beece Esrey ; 1871, E. R.Edwards, John Eves; 1872,
Joseph L. Carter, C. L. Pierce ; 1873, Joseph Engle, John Beatty;
1874, Thomas B. Mace, W. Graham Flower; 1875, Jacob Ebright,
C. L. Pierce: 1876, John Beatty, Joseph Engle; 1877, G.W. Flowers,
Thomas Mace; 1878, Caleb L. Pierce, Jacob Ebright; 1879, David
F. Rose, Joseph Engle; 1880, Thomas Mace, William G. Flower;
1881, Jacob Ebright, Caleb L. Pierce; 1882, Joseph Engle, David F.
Rose; 1883, Thomas B. Mace, William G. Flower; 1884, Caleb L.
Pierce, Jacob Ebright.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE BOROUGH OF UPLAND.
Although the site of the first mills erected in the
province of Pennsylvania after the territory passed
into the ownersliip of Penn were located within
this municipal district, it nevertheless remained a
part of the township of Chester until May 24, 1869,
when the borough of Upland was incorporated by
the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County.
The boundaries of the municipality were described
in the order as follows :
" Begiiming at a point on the north side of the Upland road where it
crosses a stream of water called ' Ship Creek ;' thence down the said
thereof, about eighty perches, to the
-water mark; thence up the said creek
at low-water mark, and on a line of the city of Chester, five hundred
and eighty perches, to a stone on the east bank of the said Chester
Creek, a corner of William West's land; thence by said West's land
north nineteen and one-half degrees, east seventy-four perches and
seventy-three one-hundredth of a perch to a stone; thence north
eighteen and a half degrees, east ninety-six perches and three-tenths of
a perch to a stone by William Maris' land; thence south seventy-three
and a half perches, east ninety-seven perches, to a stone a corner of
Abraham Lukeus' land; thence by the said Lukens' land north twenty
and three-fourth degrees, east forty-eight perches and seven-tenths of a
perch to a stone a corner of Richard Wetherill's land; thence by the
same south seventy-two degrees, east thirty perches and twenty-eight
one-hundredths of a perch to another corner of said Wetheriirs land ;
thence by the same north twenty-three degrees, east thirty-six perches
and fifty-two one-hundredths of a perch to a stone another corner of the
said Wetherill's land; thence by and through the same and through
lands of J. Lewis Crozer south sixty-four degrees, east ninety-two
perches to a stake in the west line of Chester Rural Cemetery ; thence
by the said cemetery south twenty-six and a half degrees, west forty
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
perches and eight-tentlis of a perch to a post on the north side of the I
Chester and Upland road; thence along the north side of tlie said Up- I
land road south seventy-two and a half degrees, east eighty perches, I
and north seventy-one and three-fourth degrees, east seventeen perches,
and thirty-four one-hundredths of a perch, to the place of beginning,
containing three hundred and thirty-five acres of land."
Ten years subsequent to the erection of the bor-
ough, on Sept. 18, 1879, the court made an order add-
ing to the incorporated area of the borough of Upland
as follows :
"Beginning at a stone a corner of Abraham C. Lukens' land, and a
corner of the said borough of Upland ; thence partly by the said borough
of Upland, and partly by the borough of North Chester, north twenty
and one-half degrees, east ninety-four perches and fifteen one-hun-
dredths of a perch to a stone, a corner of the said Abraliani C. Lukens'
land; thence partly by the same and partly by lands of the heirs of
Jesse J. Maris, deceased, north seventy-seven degrees, west one-hun-
dred and thirty perches and three-tenths of a perch to a stone; thence
by lands of the said Jease J. Maris, deceased, south five and one-fourth
degrees, west eighty-flvo perches to a corner, a stone by Samuel A.
Crozer's land, in a line of the paid Upland borongli ; thence south sev-
enty-three degrees, east ninety-seven perclies, to the place of beginning,
containing sixty-five acres two roods thirteen perches, thirty-nine acri'S
two roods and two perches thereof being lauds of the heirs of Jesse J.
Maris, deceased, and twenty-six acres and eleven perches being lands
of the said Abraham C. Lukens."
Prior to the dates given the act of April 21, 1851,
dividing the township and the borough of Chester,
was obtained, and by its provisions the elections for
the township were directed to be held at the school-
house in Upland.
Forty years ago the site of the thriving borough of
Upland was occupied only by the mansion-house of
the then owner of the land, six tenement-houses for
the mill-hands, a cooper-shop, a four-story stone grist-
mill, and a frame saw-mill, with the usual out houses
on ordinary farms. To-day it is one of the neatest
manufacturing villages in the United States, contain-
ing a population approximating three thousand per-
sons. On the hill-crests to the north of the village
are located the palatial residences of the Crozer
family, the well-kept grounds adding largely to the
attractiveness of the place. The Chester Street Rail-
way Company has extended its road to Upland, which
aflbrds easy access to the city and the mills, and many
of the private residences and stores are supplied with
gas by the Chester Gas Company. In 1854 the Bank
of Delaware County issued notes of the denomination
of twenty dollars, on which were engraved a view of
Upland as a vignette. At the present time the same
engraving is used as a head-piece on certificates of
stock issued by that corporation.
By virtue of the charter incorporating Upland as a
borough its local affairs have been controlled by a
chief burgess and Council. Following is a list of
these officials :
CHIEF BUKGESSES OF UPLAND.
1809, Samuel A. Crozer ; 1874, George K. Crozer; 187G, Eoliort H. Crozer;
187H, J. William Lewis; 1880, Robert H. Crozer; 1881, J. Lewis
MEMBERS OF BOROUGH COUNCIL.
1809, William Band, F. B. Jarnian, J. Lewis Crozer, Benjamin Crowther,
Robert H. Crozer, J. William Lewis; 1S70, J. Lewis Crozer, Robert
H. Crozer, William Band, Michael Leech, James Sample, J. William
Lewis ; 1872, Robert H. Ciozcr, Morris P. Hannum, George K.
Crozer, K. B. Jarman, J. William Lewis, M. E. Parker ; 1873, Morris
P. Hannum, George K. Crozer, F. B. Jarman, J. William Lewis,
Augur Castle, Robert H. Crozer; 1874, George W. Knowles, Samuel
A. Crozer, F. B. Jarman, Morris P. Hannum, J. William Lewis, Rob-
ert H. Crozer; 1875, J. Lewis Crozer, Samuel A. Crozer, Benjamin
F. Pretty, J. William Lewis, Robert H. Crozer, George W. Knowles ;
1876, Samuel A. Crozer, George K. Crozer, William D. Howard, Ben-
jamin F. Pretty, Morris P. Hannum, F.B. Jarman; 1877, George K.
Crozer, Samuel A. Crozer, F. B. Jarman, J. Wmiam Lewis, George
W. Knowles, William Robuck ; 1878, Samuel A. Crozer, George W.
Knowles, George K. Crozer, F. B. Jarman, H. Marshall, Joseph
Dransfield, Jr.; 1879, Benjamin F. Pretty, George W. Knowles, Wil-
liam Howard, William Band, Samuel A. Crozer, William Grimrod;
1880, Samuel A. Crozer, George K. Crozer, J. William Lewie, Calvert
Cardwell, William Newton, William Roebuck, William Grimrod;
1881, Samuel A. Crozer, George K. Crozer, John P. Crozer, William
Grimrod, William Newton, Calvert Cardwell; 18S2, Samuel A.
Crozer, J. William Lewis, Calvert Cardwell, J. Perry Lukens, Wil-
liam Newton, Jacob Mills; 1883, Samuel A. Crozer, William Grim-
rod, William Maris, James W. Barker, Augur Castle, John P.
Crozer; 1884, Samuel A. Crozer, George K. Crozer, William Maris,
J. William Lewis, Dr. L. M. Bullock, Benjamin F. Compton.
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
Daniel G. Ciomplon, commissioned July 20, 1869, March 24, 1874, June
27, 1879, March 30, 1880.
The Pusey House.— The oldest building in the
State of Pennsylvania is the Pusey house, at Upland,
which is preserved by the Crozer family as a sacred
relic connecting the olden times of the province with
the active progressive present. The structure stand-
ing to-day, almost as it was when built by Caleb Pusey,
is on the north side of the mill-race, to the west of the
road leading to the bridge spanning Chester Creek,
facing to the south, and is about thirty feet in length,
fifteen feet in breadth, and one story in height,
crowned with a hipped roof, which gives to it the ap-
pearance of being a story and a half building. The
walls, which are noticeable in their thickness, are of
stone and brick, while the floor is of broad solid oak
planking. The brick part of the old wall was evi-
dently put there to take the place of stones which be-
came loose and fell out of position, a fact strongly
supported by an inspection of the inner side, which
shows no bricks at all. The bricks in the eastern
gable were placed there, it is said, after Chester Mills
had become the property of Samuel Shaw, when he
repaired the structure. The house has two doors and
two windows in the front, while a dormer-window is in
the roof, and the roof itself has been several times re-
newed. A dwarfed door-way gives admission to the
room, with low ceilings and the heavy beams support-
ing the floor above, still disclosing the marks of the
broad axe which, two centuries ago, hewed the felled
timber into form, and to the left of the room is a step-
ladder, inclosed in a rude gangway, giving access to
the apartments overhead. There is the old wide-
mouthed fireplace (now inclosed), before whose
hearth — whereon the ruddy flames flared and flick-
ered two centuries ago— the founder of a great com-
monwealth and his trusty friend and agent, Pusey, sat
discussing the prospects of their business enterprise,
or laying plans for the future welfare of the colony.
THE BOROUGH OF UPLAND.
429
If it be correct that Caleb Pusey made the noted visit,
in 1688, to the Indian town on the Brandywine, where
the iron-works of William Twaddell were subse-
quently erected, when the province was started from
its propriety by the rumor that the aborigines were
about to begin hostilities and massacre the whites,
then, indeed, it is true that " Caleb Pusey, going out
unarmed into the forest to meet a threatened attack
of the savages, is a more heroic figure than blustering
Miles Standish, girt with the sword he fought with in
Flanders." To the left of the fireplace, within easy
reach, still remains the deep square hole in the wall
which the early settlers frequently made in their
dwellings, as a sort of tobacco-pouch, so that the con-
solation which comes with smoke should be always
close at hand and accessible to their guests and to
themselves.
Caleb Pusey was one of the most active men of the
early settlers in Pennsylvania, honest, sagacious, and
absolutely fearless. Notwithstanding his ignorance
of "school learning," ' he has left an impress on our
State history which will ever remain. He was a last-
maker by trade, and emigrated in 1682, accompanied
with his wife, Ann, settling at the present site of Up-
land. His name is inseparable from that of Chester
Mills, although long before his death he had parted
with all interest in the land and business carried on
there. He djed in February, 1726/7, leaving no
male descendant bearing his name.
It is hardly necessary, at this day, to correct the im-
pression conveyed by Richard Townsend, in the ex-
tract published by Proud,^ or the direct statement
of Stephen Day, in his " Historical Collections of
Pennsylvania," that Richard Townsend "erected the
dwelling for the accommodation of his family while
he was tending the first mill erected in the province."
That statement has been corrected so often that it may
be accepted, if any historical fact has been established,
as no longer a subject for refutation. The land on
which the house stood was a tract of one hundred
acres patented to Pusey, Fourth month 10, 1684, and
was known by the name " Lauding Ford," the King's
road crossing Chester just above his plantation.
The Chester Mills.— The first mill in the province
of Pennsylvania was the Swedish water-mill, built by
Governor Printz, on the east side of Cobb's Creek,
near the noted Blue Bell Tavern, at Paschalville, in
the county of Philadelphia. But at the time Penn
obtained possession of the province that structure had
fallen into disuse and had been abandoned to decay,
it necessarily having been rudely constructed. The
first mills in the county of Chester were brought to
the province in the " Welcome," with Penn, having
been framed and fitted so that they might be put to-
gether with expedition when the land of promise had
been reached. Previous to the departure of William
Penn from England, in 1682, he entered into a verbal
copartnership with Philip Ford, John Bellars, Daniel
Worley, Daniel Quare, John Barker, Richard Town-
send, John Bickley, Thomas Burberry, and Caleb
Pusey, all at that time in England, and it was agreed
among them to erect one or more water-mills, to the
cost of which they were to contribute in proportionate
shares, for the agreement among themselves partook
of the nature of a stock company, and each party
received the interest in the venture in proportion to
the amount contributed. Caleb Pusey was appointed
agent and manager of the " said joint concern." The
tract on which the mill was erected was patented to
Pusey, " for the use of the mill," Second month
5, 1690. Many of the partners in the enterprise
never came to the province. William Penn, we are
told by Hon. Joseph J. Lewis, in his sketches of
Chester County, was present when the first dam was
made. It is documentary evidence, in an old deed,
dated Dec. 19, 1705, now owned by the Crozer family,
that in 1683, Caleb Pusey, " with the advice of the sd
Proprietary and such others of the said partners as
there were in the Province," erected a " corn mill on
Chester creek, near his new dwelling house," which
mill, with the dam belonging to it, were soon carried
away by the flood. Caleb Pusey afterwards, by ad-
vice of Penn and " ye other partner that was here"
(doubtless Richard Townsend), erected a little above
where the first mill stood another grist- and saw-mill
upon part of the twenty acres patented for the use of
the mill at the cost of the firm. The second dam was
in turn swept away by flood, and he erected a third
dam, at the distance of a mile beyond where the
others were located, and constructed a race to convey
the water to the mill. The expenses attending these
constant repairs were so great that the outlay far ex-
ceeded the earnings of the mill, and Pusey borrowed
money from time to time from Robert Turner, a mer-
chant of Philadelphia, in order to pay for the improve-
ments.
In settlement of these advances Pusey, on June 21,
1688, drew a bill of exchange on Daniel Worley & Co.
(the court record gives the name Whearley), mer-
chants, of London, partners in the mills, for one hun-
dred and eighty-seven pounds, payable at forty days'
sight to Robert Turner or order. On Oct. 15, 1688,
the original bill was presented to the drawee, who
said " that he would not accept the s'' bill for that the
others Concerned in the same would not allow their
proportionable shares," and the bill was protested.
At the following March court, 1689/90, Turner sued
Pusey, who came into court and acknowledged judg-
ment for £293 10«. 4(1. Considerable delay was had
in issuing execution, apparently with the intention of
having the matter adjusted, but the partners still re-
fusing, with the exception of Penn and Pusey — Rich-
ard Townsend had sold his interest to Pusey several
years before — the mills were finally taken on execu-
tion, June 14, 1692, and the coroner, Jacob Simcock,
430
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
— Pusey was sheriff of the county at the time, —
was required to sell the estate in payment of the
debt. The property was assessed at five hundred
and fifty pounds. It was offered at public sale, but
found no buyers, and on Sept. 13, 1692, the coroner
sold the interest of the delinquent parties to Robert
Turner at the appraisement, and the latter sold his
interest to Samuel Carpenter, who, for thirteen years,
until Dec. 19, 1705, was a partner with Penn and Pusey
in the milling business. Doubtless when repairs were
made to the mill, in 1699, the rude iron vane bearing
the initials W. P. (William Penn), S. C. (Samuel
Carpenter), C. P. (Caleb Pusey), and the date, 1699,
was placed on the building. When Richard Flower
owned the property the old vane surmounted the
dwelling-house of the owner, but on gusty nights,
turning in the wind, it squeaked and groaned so
noisily that it was taken down. In 1870, Reese W.
Flower presented it to the Historical Society of Penn-
sylvania, and it now points the wind on that building,
although so added to and gilded that those who re-
member it as it was in Upland would hardly recognize
it now.
In 1705, Carpenter sold his interest to Pusey, and
on March 15, 1706, Pusey sold his interest in " all
those three water corn-mills and saw-mills, commonly
called and known by the name of Chester Mills," to
William Penn, and the property subsequently had
several owners. About 1745, the old mill having been
almost destroyed by an accidental fire, a new stone
mill was built by Joseph Pennell, the then owner of the
property, and the grandfather of John P. Crozer, who
was a builder, worked on the structure, which stood,
I think, until 1858, when it in turn was destroyed by
fire. The dam-breast was built in 1752 by Samuel
Shaw while he was owner of the property.
In 1764, Shaw was returned as constable of Chester
township, an office which in colonial days was selected
only from owners of real estate. Shaw was not
anxious to serve the public in that capacity, and to
avoid the honor thus thrust upon him presented the
following petition to the court :
" To the Honorable JuUices of the Court of Privute Sestiom, held at Ches-
ter oil Iftf 26«i day of March, 1764 :
"Tlie petition of Samuel Shaw, of Chester Township, Miller, Humbly
Showeth—
" That your Petitioner understands that he is on the return for the
oflBce of Constable of the said Township for the ensuing year; That
your Petitioner has formerly served that office, and there are several
others places that have never served, and it being a custom that all
places in the s'^ Township should serve in their turns before any should
be obliged to serve again, your Petitioner apprehends it will not fall to
his turn to serve for several years yet to come ; and your Petitioner has
annexed a list of some persons' names who are Inhabitants of the said
Township, and have never yet served, as your Petitioner stands in-
structed,
"Tliatyour Petitioner has lived biit a few years in the said Town-
ship, and now hath a very Idrge family, and is also involved in such a
multiplicity of business at present that he cannot serve the said office
at this time without greatly prejudicing his own private affairs. That
wheu your Petitioner dwelt in the county of Philadelphia he was com-
missioned by the Go' as a Major and Captain of a Company, and being
an old regular soldier did discipline several other Companies as well as
bis own without any reward from the Government, which proved a
Considerable Expense to him, as well as a hinderance to his own private
" Your Petitioner therefore most humbly Prays that your Honors will
he pleased to take the premises into consideration and excuse him at
present from the said Office of Constable, and appoint some other person
to that office in bis stead.
'* And yonr Petitioner shall ever pray, etc.
"Samuei. Shaw."
Attached to the above quaint document is the fol-
lowing: "List of Persons who have not served as
Constables : Jacob Howell, Jr., John Eyre, George
Spear, David Jackson, Henry Piatt, Thomas Sharp-
less, Thomas Roman, Philip Roman, Jacob Ridge-
way, Valentine Weaver, John Salkeld (part of a year
formerly)."
On Oct. 31, 1777, Gen. Washington ordered Gen.
Potter to remove the millstones at Chester Mills so
that no flour could be ground there for the British
army, and we know that these orders were obeyed,
but where the stones were removed to is not known.
Subsequent to the Revolution, in the shrinkage in the
value of real estate, the Chester Mills passed out of
the ownership of Samuel Shaw, and were purchased
by Henry Hale Graham, who subsequently sold them
to his son-in-law, Richard Flower. In 1793, Richard
Flower purchased from Oliver Evans the right to use
the latter's patent " for elevating grain and meal from
the lower to the upper stories, and conveying the
same from one part of the mill to another, and for
cooling the meal and attending the Bolting Hoppers."
The motive-power, we learn from this old document,
then consisted "of two Water wheels situate on Ches-
ter Creek . . . called Chester Mills." The same year
Richard Flower made entry under the act of Assem-
bly at the county court of the brands exclusively
used by him at these mills, which were "Chester
Superfine," "Chester," "Chester Middlings, No. 2-
96," "No. 4-98." While he was still engaged in
milling, Richard Flower made several successful
ventures in shipping flour to Europe. When the
misunderstanding existed between France and the
United States, previous to 1800, he, in connection
with his brother, John, his half-brother, Reece Wall,
and his brother-in-law, Capt. John McKeever, loaded
three vessels with flour and cleared them for Liver-
pool. All three of the ships were captured by French
cruisers and condemned in French prize courts, al-
though one of the vessels was within sixty miles of
the Delaware Bay when taken. The loss he sustained
by French spoliation was so great that he never
again attempted to seek a foreign market for his bread-
stuff. During the war of 1812 the American troops
were instructed to impress all the flour at Chester
Mills for the army, but the government paid full value
for all that was taken. In 1824 he was succeeded
at Chester Mills by his son, William G. Flower, who
continued to operate them until the death of Richard
Flower, in 1843. The Chester Mills were sold to
John W. Ashmead, under proceedings in the Orphans'
<^^^^''/^-z^ -^ (^^-z-^t-yt^
THE BOROUGH OF UPLAND.
431
Court, and in 1845 the latter conveyed them, together
with a tract of land of something over sixty acres, to
John P. Crozer.
In 1845, after the purchase from John W. Ashmead
of the Chester Mills, John P. Crozer immediately
made preparation for erecting a cotton-factory at that
place. The following year he built the rail! known
as No. 1, a five-story stone structure, one hundred and
thirty-eight feet in length by fifty in width, and also
erected a number of stone dwelling-houses for the
operatives. In June, 1847, there were forty-six tene-
ments on the property, and an eighty horse-power
engine had been attached to the factory, so that in the
event of the water in the creek at any time proving
insufficient to operate the machinery the mill might
not be compelled to suspend for that cause. At that
date there were one hundred and fifty power-looms,
eleven self-acting mules, with three thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four spindles, while the whole
number of spindles amounted to six thousand. This
mill has been much enlarged, and at present contains
eight thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight throstle-
spindles, two thousand nine hundred and ninety-two
mule-spindles, and two hundred and ninety-eight
looms. In 1852, John P. Crozer built mill No. 2, one
hundred and fifty-eight feet in ' length by fifty-two
feet in width, four stories and an attic in height, and
containing seven thousand spindles and one hundred
and fifty looms. This mill, after it passed to Samuel
A. Crozer, was enlarged, and now contains seven
thousand four hundred and fifty-six throstle-spindles,
four thousand four hundred mule-spindles, and nine
cards. In 1863, to meet the demand for the goods he
then manufactured, John P. Crozer erected mill No.
3, fifty-two feet by two hundred and twenty-two feet,
four stories in height, in which were used six thou-
sand spindles and one hundred and fifty looms. This
mill contains seven thousand one hundred and forty
throstle-spindles, two thousand one hundred and
twelve mule-spindles, and two hundred and fifty-six
looms. Mills No. 1 and No. 8 have capacity to con-
sume ninety bales of cotton weekly, and produce
eighty-two cases of goods per week. William I.
Woodward is manager of the mills of John P. Crozer's
Sons. After the death of Mr. Crozer, in 1866, the
mills were divided among his sons, Samuel A. Crozer
taking No. 2 mill, and Nos. 1 and 3 being operated
by J. Lewis, George K. and Robert H. Crozer, under
the firm-name of J. P. Crozer & Sons.
In the township of Springfield, Delaware Co., at a
place called for a time West Dale, now Swarthmore,
and near the college of that name (which stands on
a part of the property), in the same house, were born
two persons destined to be celebrated in their re-
spective spheres of action : Benjamin West, one of
America's most celebrated painters and a president
of the British Royal Academy, and John P. Crozer,
a manufacturer, and especially noted for his philan-
thropic and benevolent actions.
John Price Crozer was born Jan. 13, 1793, and was
the son of John and Sarah Price Crozer.
The first ancestor of John P. Crozer in America
was James Crozer, who, with his four brothers, —
Samuel, John, Robert, and Andrew, — emigrated from
Ireland in the early part of the eighteenth century.
Soon after arriving in this country James Crozer was
married to a lady of English descent named Gleave,
whose parents resided in Springfield.
John Crozer, the father of John P., married Sarah
Price, daughter of John Price, of English descent.
He was a carpenter, and pursued his occupation in
Philadelphia till after his marriage. After residing
for a short time on a farm owned by the estate of
John Knowles, of which he was executor, he pur-
chased the farm at Springfield, now owned by the
trustees of Swarthmore College, and upon which
John P. was born. Though following the humble
trade of a carpenter he possessed an education far
superior to his calling, and was a good Latin scholar
and well versed in the classics. His religious views
were in sympathy with the society of Friends, though
he was not a member of any denomination.
Sarah Price Crozer was a woman of strong religious
convictions, gentle and charitable towards all. She
had been educated as an Episcopalian, and was a sin-
cere and earnest friend to all real Christianity, with-
out regard to creed. She endeavored to instill by her
life and teaching the principles of godliness and true
grace in the minds of her children, and to teach them
the ways that lead to true greatness.
The children of John and Sarah P. Crozer were
Elizabeth (who became the wife of John Lewis),
James, Sarah (who became Mrs. Samuel Y. Camp-
bell), John Price, and Samuel.
The educational advantages of John P. Crozer were
very limited. He began attending school at the age
of six years at the little stone school-house about
three-quarters of a mile from his home, and here all
the days of his school-life were spent excepting a
short term of three months at a school about two
miles away. The amount of knowledge that could
be acquired at these schools was very meagre, and
was mostly comprised in the three " r's," — " readin',
ritin', and 'rithmetic." His studies were, however,
prosecuted vigorously ; and supplemented by the small
but well-selected library of his father he acquired a
much better education than was usually attained at
that day.
At the early age of fourteen he became a member
ot the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, having
been converted under the ministrations of the Rev.
Dr. Staughton.
From his early childhood he had been accustomed
to the hard labor of the farm, and from his seven-
teenth year had rested upon his young shoulders al-
most its entire management. Upon attaining his
majority, in consideration of this fact his father had
given him a one-third interest in its profits. In
432
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1816 his father died, and his mother's death occurred
the next year.
He was very desirous of purchasing the farm, and
preventing its falling into the hands of strangers, but
upon carefully considering the matter in all its lights
be became convinced that it was not practicable.
In 1820, after leasing the farm pending its sale, he
made an extended trip through Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Kentucky, and the then sparsely-settled country in
Indiana and Illinois. The trip was made almost en-
tirely upon horseback, and covered a distance of
twenty-seven hundred miles, extending from April to
December. Upon his return the farm had been sold,
and his share of the property was about two thousand
four hundred dollars. This, together with a little
more than one thousand dollars additional, was his
sole capital, and with it he began his business career.
His first enterprise was in connection with Mr.
G. G. Leiper, who had bought the home-farm, and
was that of conducting a saw- and merchant grist-
mill. The capital was to be furnished equally, and
the rent of the mill owned by Mr. Leiper was to offset
Mr. Crozer's personal services. After prosecuting the
business vigorously, and accumulating a large stock
of lumber, the depression in business prevented a
ready or profitable sale, and to prevent a failure,
which he foresaw, he retired from the business with
the consent of his partner. After looking around for
a new field, he decided to engage in cotton manufac-
turing, and to this end rented Mr. G. G. Leiper's mill
on Crum Creek. His entire capital was about three
thousand seven hundred dollars; this, with two thou-
sand dollars put into the business by Mr. John Lewis,
was the entire capital at commencement.
The business was at first small, and many were the
difficulties to be overcome, but by unceasing personal
effort and patient, tireless economy he was at last
upon the high road to success. In 1825 he bought
the property known as Mattson's paper-mill, on the
west branch of Chester Creek, and after altering it
as seemed necessary, he moved his machinery here
in the autumn of that year. From this time onward
his business interests grew larger and larger, and
continued to increase as long as he remained in busi-
ness. In 1845 he purchased the Flower estate, about
two miles from Chester, and gave it the name of Up-
land. Here he erected an elegant and spacious man-
sion, and to it he removed from West Branch on
April 19, 1847. From this time to the date of his
death he made his home at Upland, and dispensed
that generous hospitality for which the place is noted.
Though a man of great business cares and ventures
to engross his time, his enlarged and advanced views
of the duties of a Christian, and of the responsibilities
of the enjoyment of property, made him an active
and incessant workei-in benevolent projects.
Mr. Crozer died at his home at Upland, on Sunday
morning, March 11, 186G. Among the many good
works he accomplished, and to which he was a liberal
contributor, were the building of the First Baptist
Church at Upland, the endowment of a Professorship
in the University at Lewisburg, the founding of the
Normal School at Upland, after his death endowed by
his family and now the Crozer Theological Seminary.
He was president of the Pennsylvania Colonization
Society ; president of the board of directors of the
American Baptist Publication Society; president of
the Pennsylvania Training-School for Feeble-Minded
Children, at Media ; president of Home for Friendless
Children at Twelfth and Fitzwater Streets, Philadel-
phia; president of Women's Hospital at Philadel-
phia; president of Pennsylvania Baptist Education
Society. He was one of the founders of the Christian
Commission, and, together with George H. Stuart,
represented the city of Philadelphia at the meeting
in the city of New York, on Nov. 14, 1861, at which
the Commission originated. During the war of the
Rebellion he gave the use of his school at Upland
for a hospital. It would be almost impossible to
enumerate the services of this benefactor of human
kind, so numerous are they, and his benefactions
seem to have been guided by an intelligence more
than human. He passed away in the seventy-fourth
year of his age, in the full possession of his strength
of mind, still planning future acts of benevolence.
Mr. Crozer was married on the 12th of March, 1825,
to Miss Sallie L. Knowles, the daughter of a near
neighbor of his youth. She was a lady of intelli-
gence and education, and an active participant in all
of his plans for good. In addition to grace of mind
she had that grace of the heart which springs from
pure goodness and innate, true Christianity. To
them were born in the fullness of time nine children,
— Samuel A., Margaret, Elizabeth, J. Lewis, Sallie K.,
James, George K., Robert H., and Emma. Of these
James died Oct. 25, 1888, Sallie in August, 1852, and
Margaret in March, 1870. His widow died August 3,
1882, aged eighty-two years.
The Schools of Upland.— Prior to the year 1849
the children residing at Upland were comiielled to
attend school at Sneath's Corner, or at the " Old
Mud Wasp" at Cartertown. The distance from
Upland to these schools was a serious difficulty to
the residents of the village, for in the winter season
and early spring the roads would often for weeks
together be almost impassable, the clay soil having
softened to a thick adhesive mud. Female children
frequently could not go to school for days together.
John P. Crozer, in the year mentioned, proposed to
the school directors of Chester township that if they
would establish a school at Upland he, at his personal
expense, would erect a building which could be used
exclusively for school purposes without cost to the
board. This offer was accepted, a house was built
on Rose Street, not far from the Pusey house, a
school was established, and Mrs. Warren Dixon was
employed to teach the pupils. For nine years this
building was used by the directors, but in 1858 the
THE BOROUGH OF UPLAND.
433
number of children applying for admission to the
public school compelled the erection of a new build-
ing. A lot was purchased at the corner of Sixth and
Upland Streets, and the brick school-house known as
No. 1 was built. In 1880 it was enlarged, and has
now accommodations for four schools. Upland had
increased so much in population that in 1868 the Hill
school-house, a stone building known as No. 2, was
erected, and two schools established therein. In the
six 'schools at the present time about three hundred
and twenty-five pupils are in attendance.
When the borough of Upland was incorporated, in
1869, it was made an independent school district. In
1880, John W. Parsons was appointed principal of
the schools, a position which he still retains.
The directors of the public school of Upland bor-
ough have been as follows :
1869, Kev. J. ^Y. PendletoD, Benjamin F. Pretty, Eev. Dr. George D. B.
Pepper, George H. Crozer, James Blight; 1870, James Sample,
Augur Castle; 1872, George Vansant, William Band; 1873, Rev. Dr.
George D. B. Pepper, Daniel G. Compton ; 1874, Jolm Gilston, Morris
P. Hannum : 1875, Benjamin F. Pretty, Calvert Cardwell; 1876,
Joseph Dalton, Jr., Daniel G. Compton, Timothy Kceley ; 1877, Wil-
liam Baud, William Give; 1878, Mark W. Allen, John Gilston,
Morris P. Hannum ; 1879, James West, Angur Castle ; 18SU, J, Parry
Lnkins, Joseph H. Carroll, Benjamin Crowther, James H. Moore;
1881, Benjamin Crowther, Garrett Pendleton; 1882, John McMur-
ray, John Greenaway ; 18S3, Lewis J. Smith, George T. Watson,
Joseph H. Carroll ; 1884, Dr. Isaac Crowther, James A. Forsyth.
The Upland Baptist Church.— In the spring of
1851 John P. Crozer began the erection of a church
edifice, previous to which date religious services con-
ducted by Baptist clergymen were held in a room in
the factory. In March of the following year the
structure was so far advanced that it was dedicated,
and on Nov. 17, 1852, when fully completed, was pub-
licly recognized as a house of worship, prominent
Baptist clergymen taking part in the ceremonies on
that occasion. Eev. John Duncan was the fir.st pastor,
but he resigned iu 1854, and Rev. William Wilder
was called and accepted the pastorate of the church,
continuing in the discharge of the duties appertaining
thereto until July, 1865. In November of that year
Rev. James M. Pendleton was installed as the min-
ister, a relationship which was continued eighteen
years, until the latter part of October, 1883, when he
resigned. One night in the early spring of the year
1871 the reverend gentleman had a remarkable adven-
ture with several burglars. He was awakened by a
light in his study, which adjoined his sleeping-room,
and, believing that by neglect the gas had been al-
lowed to burn at that late hour, arose. As he ap-
proached the room the light was extinguished, and a
determined voice ordered the clergyman to return to
his bed and lie quiet. This command was obeyed,
and the owner of the articles which were then under-
going inspection in another room by strangers over-
heard one of the intruders remark to the other, " If
he don't lie still put a IniUet through him." The
doctor remained quiet until daylight came, when he
arose to find the burglars had gone, as also a gold watch,
a pair of gold spectacles, and thirty dollars in money.
During Dr. Pendleton's pastorate the church pros-
pered, and in 1873 the edifice was for the second time
enlarged, the improvements made in that year costing
fourteen thousand dollars, the first addition to the
original building having been made in 1860. Not
only did the membership of the Upland Church in-
crease threefold during the pastorate of Rev. Dr.
Pendleton, but a mission chapel was established at
Leiperville, and another at Bridgewater, while the
Baptist Church at Village Green and in South Ches-
ter were originally offshoots from the parent sanctuary
at Upland. The church in the borough since Dr.
Pendleton's resignation has been without a regular
pastor, the services being conducted by Prof E. H.
Johnson, of the Crozer Theological Seminary, with
marked success, for during the brief period in which
he preached there one hundred and thirty persons
were added to the roll of members. Rev. C. L.
Williams, a recent graduate of the Crozer Seminary, is ■
at present in charge of the church. The brick par-
sonage was built by John P. Crozer in 1855, and is a
roomy, comfortable dwelling.
Crozer Theological Seminary.— Just beyond the
incorporated limits of the city of Chester, to the
northwest and within the borough of Upland, is lo-
cated the institution of learning which was estab-
lished by the Crozer family, in 1868, as a memorial of
their father, the late John P. Crozer. In 1857, Mr.
Crozer had begun the erection of the present main
building, at a cost of forty-five thousand dollars, with
the intention of locating there a normal school, and
in September of the following year it was formally
opened as an academy of the higher grades of intel-
lectual training, and as such was continued for several
years.
The war-storm having burst with fury on the coun-
try, early in June, 1862, Mr. Crozer tendered, without
charge, to the United States the building as a hospital,
conditioned only that it should be returned to him,
after it was no longer required, in as good condition
as when he placed it at the disposal of the govern-
ment. The offer was accepted, the necessary changes
in the building made, and on June 18, 1862, Dr.
George K. Wood, formerly an assistant surgeon in the
regular army, was appointed surgeon-in-charge of the
hospital. As soon as it was ascertained that a hospital
would be established there, on the date last mentioned
a number of ladies organized a society known as " The
Soldiers' Relief Association," of which Mre. Samuel
A. Crozer was first directress ; Mrs. Abby Kerlin, as-
sistant directress; Mrs. Samuel Arthur, secretary;
Mrs. J. Lewis Crozer, assistant secretary ; Mrs. John
P. Crozer, treasurer, with a directress in every town-
ship in the county. For some time the sick, disabled,
and dying soldiers in this hospital were supplied with
all the delicacies and luxuries so necessary to tempt
the appetite and assuage the anguish of the inmates
of that house of bodily suffering. The first patient was
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
admitted July 17, 1862, and on the 29th of the same
month the steamer " State of Maine" arrived at Chester
with two hundred and twenty-three sick and wounded
Union soldiers on board, who had been captured in
the Seven Days' Fight before Richmond, and had just
been exchanged. The building contained nearly a
thousand beds, but so great was the demand made
upon the hospital that thirteen hundred persons, in-
cluding patients, surgeons, attendants, and guards,
were gathered within its walls. Until the 14th of
July, 1863, the hospital was used almost exclusively
for wounded Union soldiers, but after the battle of
Gettysburg the Confederate wounded, left on the field
by Gen. Lee in his retreat, were so many that the
government was compelled to designate a certain hos-
pital for the reception of the rebels, and the one at
Chester was selected for that purpose.
In July, 1862, Rev. John Pinckney Hammond, a
brother of Surgeon-General Hammond, and at the
time rector of St. Paul's Church, Chester, was ap-
pointed chaplain of the hospital. This selection
proved unsatisfactory to a large number of the most
active friends of the institution, whose desire was to
minister to the wants of the unfortunate men who
were sent thither, unrestrained by cumbersome and
unnecessary rules, the enforcement of which caused
much difficulty in the working of the auxiliary bodies
connected with the institution. Dr. J. L. Le Conte, j
the noted entomologist, on July 14, 1862, was ap- '
pointed to succeed Dr. Wood. He adhered firmly
to the rules already promulgated respecting visita-
tions to the hospital, which largely obstructed the
unselfish- and earnest work of the ladies of "The Sol-
diers' Relief Association," while returning nothing
in exchange for the hindrance offered. The dispute
between the hospital authorities and the people cul-
minated in petitions for the removal of these officers
being presented to the appointing power, and at last
they were removed in the fall of 1862, but not until
Hon. John M. Broomall, the then member of Con-
gress, had rejieatedly demanded such action. Dr.
Eben Smith succeeded Dr. Le Conte.
After the hospital was set apart for the reception
of Confederate wounded, a picket-fence, twelve feet
in height, was built, surrounding the grounds, and
guards were stationed to prevent the escape of con-
valescent prisoners of war. Notwithstanding the
vigilance of the authorities, one dark stormy night
in August, 1863, Capt. Edward Shay, of the Sixteenth
Mississippi Regiment, and Lieut. Davis, of Gen.
Trimble's staff, evaded the guard and escaped.
The hospital furnished accommodation for more
than six thousand wounded soldiers, and many men
tn-day. North and South, remember with grateful
hearts the kindness they received while inmates of
the hospital at Chester. While located here, Dr.
Ellwood Harvey was assistant surgeon from July,
1862, to September of the same year ; Dr. F. Ridgely
Graham, from October, 1862, to June, 1863 ; and Dr.
J. L. Forwood from July 21, 1863. Dr. Charles J.
Morton was also assistant surgeon.
At the conclusion of the war, in 1865, the building
was returned to its owner, and in December of the
same year Col. Theodore Hyatt leased the property
until the summer vacation of 1868. John P. Crozer
having died March 11, 1866, as soon as the Pennsyl-
vania Military Academy had vacated the building
the Crozer family, as a memorial of their father, as
before stated, determined to set it apart as a Baptist
Theological Seminary, and it was formally dedicated
to that object on Friday, Oct. 2, 1868.
The seminary has, beside the land and buildings, an
endowment fund of two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, so judiciously invested that the interest there-
from meets fully the ordinary expenses of the institu-
tion. There is also a lecture fund of ten thousand
dollars, the interest of which is applied to defraying
the cost of lectures on subjects not directly appertain-
ing to the educational course. The Crozer family in
1882 gave fifty thousand dollars to endow a professor-
ship as a memorial of their mother, tlie late Mrs.
Sallie K. Crozer. Connected with the seminary and
erected on the campus is "Pearl Hall," founded by
William Bucknell, in memory of his late wife, Marga-
ret, daughter of John P. Crozer, and the name it bears
— Pearl — is the signification of Margaret in the Latin
tongue. Mr. Bucknell's gift, including tiie sura ex-
pended in the structure and books, amounted to fifty
thousand dollars. Pearl Hall was formally opened on
June 14, 1871, one of the conditions of the trust being
that the library shall be free to the young men of
Delaware County. The building, a Greek cross, is of
serpentine stone, the floor of the main apartment laid
in tiles, and is admirably arranged for the purposes
of the library, which comprises about ten thousand
volumes, a large number being works of reference,
but in the collection are many early-printed and
scarce books. In a few instances the only known
copies of several theological treatises extant are to be
found in this library. In 1881, Mr. Bucknell gave an
additional sum of ten thousand dollars, the interest
of which is to be applied yearly to the purchase of
books for the library. One of the conditions is as
follows :
*'lf at any time the iuliabitantB of Delaware County sliouUi be de-
barred by any action of the Trustees or Faculty from the privilege Oj.
consulting the Library, or should the Library ever cease to bear the
' Bucknell' name, I wish this ten thousand dollars to be taken as the
foundation of a Public Library for Delaware County, that being my
native county, by any corporate body of Christian men who will secure
with this fund only pure, moral, and religious literature, and who will
protect the Library by charter from any possibility of indebtedness."
The seminary building is of brick stuccoed, two
hundred feet in length, forty in width, and three
stories in height, with basement. From the rear of
the building is an addition, forty feet wide and fifty
feet in length, at right angles to the main structure.
The present faculty consist of Rev. Henry G. Weston,
D.D., president and professor of Preaching and Pas-
SOUTH CHESTER BOROUGH.
435
toial Duties; Rev. George R. Bliss, D.D., LL.D.,
professor of Biblical Interpretation ; Rev. John C.
Long, D.D., professor of Church History ; Rev. Elias
H. Johnson, D.D., professor of Christian Theology ;
Rev. James M. Stiffler, D.D., professor of New Testa-
ment Exegesis ; and Rev. Barnard C. Taylor, A.M.,
assistant professor of Biblical Interpretation.
Upland lodge, No. 428, K. of P.— This lodge was
instituted May 21, 1874, with twenty charter members,
and at present contains one hundred and twenty-four
members. The Past Chancellors are here given :
George Booth, Mark W. Allen, Jefferson W. Chal-
fant, James West, James Holme, John Gilston, B. F.
Pretty, Samuel J. Lee, Lewis J. Smith, John W.
Allen, George Phillips, John 0. June, Thomas O.
Bryan, William Hardman, William Miller, William
Burns, Alexander McEweu, John Hepworth, John
Nichols, Albert Chowish, George E. Forsythe, Henry
O. Bryan, A. F. Alexander, Robert S. Bentley, G. A.
McDaniel, and Bristol R. Lord. The present secre-
tary is Lewis J. Smith.
CHAPTER XXXV.
SOUTH CHESTEU BOROUGH.
The whole of the territory now included within the
municipal boundaries of South Chester was part of
the enormous tract granted by Queen Christina, of
Sweden, on Aug. 20, 1653, to Capt. Hans Ammund-
son Besk, which extended from Marcus Hook Creek
to Chester Creek. Besk, it seems, never entered into
possession of this land, and after the British power j
acquired title to the province, and previous to Nov.
25, 1679, Albert Hendricks had received a patent
from the English Governor for a tract containing
five hundred acres, lying between Lamokin Run and
Haeryck Kill (Hendricks' Run, and now known as
Harwick Run). The land thus patented to Hendricks
was known as " Lamoco," or, as now written, Lamo-
kin. On this tract were located the farms of James
Laws and John Jeffrey, along the river, while that
part of the farm of John W. Ashmead west of Lamo-
kin Run, all of Jeremiah W. Fleckwir, Jennie Carr,
Grossman Lyons, the Taylor lands, and that part of
the farm of Daniel Robinson lying east of his house
on a line running northwest to intersect with High-
land Avenue, a short distance above the Frick man-
sion, were also included therein. The remainder of
the territory was part of a patent of five hundred and
fifty acres surveyed July 30, 1675, to John Johnston,
James Justason, and Peter Hendrickson, " adjoining
to the said River side between two creeks, the one
called Marrity's Creek dividing this from y° land of
Marityes Hook, and the other called Harwick's Creek,
which at the mouth thereof divideth this from the
land Called Lamokey." ' Within this tract on the
river were the farms of John J. Thurlow, Dr. Hayes,
and Erasmus Morton, and above the post road was
the Daniel Robinson farm, other lands of John J.
Thurlow, and Erasmus Morton.
The eastern boundary of the present borough of
South Chester, as it had been the western boundary
of the old borough of Chester since the act of incor-
poration, March 5, 1795, and is still that of the city
of Chester, was Lamokin Run.
At the court held at Upland, on Tuesday, Nov. 25
and 26, 1679, occurs the first mention of record of the
name Lamokin. Before the justices at the time
stated :
" Albert Uendrlx of Lamoco Apearing in Court, declared to Transport
and make ouer unto John Test of Upland all his Right Tytle and In-
terest to a Certayne small parcell of Land, Lying and being at y^ head
of Upland Creeke beginning att Robberd Waedes markt beetch tree
standing att y syde of the Creeke, and soe up along the Creek syde to
a small gut or Run, and soe up along thes"* run to a markt whyte oake
tree and soe stricking downwards agaiue W" a Lyue of markt Trees to
the place of beginning, itt being a narrow slipe alongst the run or
Creeke syde and Contaynes about fourthy acres of Land ; This Land
being part of a greater quantity Granted unto him y^s-i Albert by Pat-
tent from ye Governo' and Called Lamoco; and bee y^ s'^ albert declared
to have Received full satisfaction for the same.
"John Test of Upland, dechared in Co" to Transport and make ouer
unto Richard Boveington and John Grub all and singular the slip of
Land here abovementioned, made ouer unto him the s* John Test by
albert Hendrix of Lamoco and declares to have Received full satisfac-
tion of them y^ s^ Richard and John for ye same." -
Although the land thus conveyed is in Chester
township, being part of the Green and Carter farms
lying along Chester Creek, the record is interesting,
as therein occurs, as before stated, the first reference
to Lamokin, which is traditionally asserted to be an
Indian word signifying " the Kiss of the Waters."
The accuracy of this derivation we have no means of
ascertaining.
The country lying between Chester and Marcus
Hook was, early in the last century, very thinly set-
tled, and the public duty of maintaining the King's
highway through that section pressed so heavily upon
the people that at court held Aug. 28, 1707, was pre-
sented an " application of the overseers and Inhabitants
of the West side of Chester Creek, that the road there
are very burdensom and chargable to them in regard
to their small number, and requesting the Court would
appoint the inhabitants on the East side of the s''
creek to aid and assist them in mending and repair-
ing the Bottoms and low grounds in the Road to Chi-
chester, so far as their township goes, promising them
to maintain and hereafter to keep all the s'' road.
" Its Ordered by the Court that Jno. Hoskins, su-
pervisor, do summon the inhabitants of his precinct
to meet Guyan Stephenson, with the inhabitants on
the West side, and repair the bottoms & low ground
aforesaid, & that afterwards the inhabitants of the
West side do always repair & support the s^ Road."
436
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
At the upper end of the present borough, on La-
mokin Run, between the King's highway and the
river, was the James Laws farm ; the old mansion,
owned by Samuel Eccles, Jr., is still standing at the
foot of Edwards Street, surrounded by towering trees.
The red-cedar pillars of the porch still remain,
as they were when the dwelling was noted for the
hospitable reception which awaited a guest under
its roof-trees. Farther along on the sandy beach in
front of this farm was a valuable shad and herring
fishery, which was leased annually in the spring for a
goodly rental, until the improvement along the river
rendered it valueless. In the olden time, tradition
relates, a pirate buried his treasure on this shore, and
many were the stories told of the unsuccessful at-
tempts made by daring money-diggers to recover the
corsair's hoard. Above the post-road was the narrow
strip of land following Lamokin Run, on the Ash-
mead farm, where, on the north of the railroad, was
the grove first used for a picnic-ground in 1844, when
the Sunday-school of the First Presbyterian Church
of Philadelphia visited the ground. In after-years,
under the name of Young's Grove, it became quite a
resort for pleasure parties. Alongside of this property
was the " Fairview farm," belonging to Jeremiah W.
Flickwir. Tradition states that in the last century,
when wagers at play were the rule, the then owner of
the land being seated so that the cards he held could
be seen in a mirror, his antagonist succeeded in win-
ning this farm, because of the advantage the looking-
glass gave him. Just below the Fairview farm was a
tract of two or three acres, owned by Jennie Carr,
who resided in a log house, with a pole-well near the
door, located on the post-road, near where Morton
Street is now. Flickwir purchased the land, tore
down the old log building and the dividing fences,
making the few acres an addition to a large field be-
low the railroad and west of the lane now Flower
Street. To the west of the Carr lot was a small prop-
erty owned by Crossman Lyons, alongside of which was
another small plot, owned by Taylor. To the west of
the latter was the Daniel Robinson tract, noted forty
years ago for an orchard of luscious peaches which grew
thereon. Below this estate was part of the Thurlow
farm, while to the west of the last-named property
was part of the Erasmus Morton estate, which ex-
tended to the Lower Chichester line. South of the
post-road, to the west of the Laws farm, was the
John Jeflreys property', the owner of which was a
noted sportsman in his day, who was so expert a shot
that often, with the fowling-piece reversed, the trig-
ger instead of the hammer being uppermost, he would,
for a small wager, shoot at pennies thrown into the
air, and rarely did he fail to strike the coin before it
fell to the earth. Toihe west of Jeffreys was the farm {
of John J. Thurlow, who, when he retired from hotel- j
keeping, jiurchased the estate at the present Thurlow i
Station, on the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more Railroad, whereon he built a commodious house, I
taken down about ten years ago, to which he gave
the name of " Sporting Hall," and here for many
years the annual " Harvest Homes" in the southwest-
ern part of the county were held, on which occasions
the people for miles around would gather, and on the
thrashing-floor the beaux and belles passed away the
afternoon and evening in dancing, while the old folks
enjoyed the hours in conversation and quiet pleasures.
When the railroad company established a station in
the immediate neighborhood of " Sporting Hall" the
depot was named " Thurlow," in honor of the then
owner of the real estate near by.
Mr. Thurlow is of English parentage, and the son
of Thomas and Mary Thurlow. He was born in the
county of Essex, England, on the 1st of February,
1795, and during his youth enjoyed but limited ad-
vantages of education. He was, however, as a lad,
industrious and quick of perception, which qualities
rendered his services valuable at the early age of fif-
teen to Thomas Barston, of Yorkshire, who made him
general manager of his business, which included the
charge of his real estate, together with the purchase
and sale of property. Desiring a wider field than was
offered at home to a young man of ambition, he sailed
at the age of twenty-four for America, landing in the
city of Philadelphia on the 12th of June, 1819. Mr.
Thurlow at once repaired to Newport, Delaware
Co., and after purchasing a farm opened a public-
house. In 1823 he removed to Chester, and became
the landlord of a hotel called " The Sign of the Ship,"
over which he presided for seven years, and in con-
nection with it established a line of stages running
from Philadelphia to Baltimore. At the expiration
of the fourth year he sold this property and became
the landlord of the " City Hotel," which he kept for
ten years. Much of the responsibility in connection
with the management of this hotel Mr. Thurlow left
to the care of his efficient wife, while he engaged in
the construction of various public works. He aided
in the building of the Pennsylvania Canal, having
the contract for the completion of a section, and sub-
sequently constructed the Spruce Street tunnel for
the Pennsylvania Railroad. He also built a tunnel
on the North Pennsylvania Railroad, and eleven and
a half miles of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad. After an active business career
Mr. Thurlow determined to enjoy the more quiet and
congenial pursuits of the farm, and located upon land
two miles from the city of Chester, where he has since
been exclusively devoted to the employment of an ag-
riculturist. He was first married in England, in 1819,
to Miss Mary, daughter of Richard Shepherdson, of
Yorkshire, whose two children are Thomas, a resident
of Washington, D. C, and Emeline (Mrs. George
McMullen), of San Francisco, who was lost on the ill-
fated steamer " Golden Gate" when en route to her
father's home. Mrs. Thurlow's death occurred in
1863, and he was again married on the 15th of June,
1867, to Miss Rachel Brewton, daughter of Capt. Wil-
^ i^n^^c^y^ &&'iUJ~
SOUTH CHESTER BOROUGH.
437
liam Brewton, of Charleston, S. C, and granddaugh-
ter of Capt. Daniel Brewton, of the merchant service.
He has been identified with the jjublic interests of
Chester, and for years a director of the National
Bank of Chester. Mr. Thurlow was formerly in poli-
tics an Old-Line Whig, and subsequently became a
Republican, but has taken no active part in the polit-
ical campaigns of the day. He was educated in the
tenets of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and is a
worshiper at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, of Ches-
ter. Mr. Thurlow is in his ninetieth year, and still
enjoys exceptional health and mental vigor.
Six years before public attention was directed to
the availability of South Chester as a manufacturing
locality, William H. Green saw the opportunities
which that section of Chester township presented as a
business point. Hence in 1864 he purchased lands
on Delaware Avenue and Reaney Street, and erected
the Vulcan Works. To him above all other men is
to be ascribed the credit of first giving direction to
that locality, so far as an industrial centre is con-
cerned. It was not the effort of combined capital,
strong by incorporation and association, but the indi-
vidual energy of one mau, w-ho fully comprehended
the advantages which South Chester presented for
manufacturing. At first the Vulcan Works were con-
ducted in a building forty by one hundred and twenty
feet, but so earnestly and understandingly did the
proprietor labor, that success came because it was
merited, not merely the result of large capital and
concentration of other interests to maintain and sup-
port the enterprise. The Vulcan Works have been
enlarged by a handsome brick structure, one hundred
and forty-four by one hundred and twenty feet, with
other necessary buildings thirty feet square. The
latter are used as a cupola-house and oven, and as a
casting-, cleaning-, and boiler-house. The articles
manufactured are of steel, iron, and brass. A specialty
is made of brass and steel valves and cocks of all
kinds, while'a large amount of general machine-work
is also done. In 1883 several valves were made at these
works for the water department of Philadelphia, each
of which weighed six tons, and were the largest valves
ever made in the world. A practical mechanic, Wil-
liam H. Green has earned his success by dint of hard
work, unfaltering energy, and shrewd business judg-
ment. As the pioneer of industrial works in South
Chester, he has done much to bring about that mar-
velous growth which has in a few years developed that
borough from a rural suburb to a prosperous, busy
town, now numbering its inhabitants by many thou-
sands of active, industrious people.
George Green, the grandfather of William H.
Green, resided in Stockport, county of Cheshire, Eng-
land, where he was a professor of music. Among his
twelve children was Moses, a native of Stockport,
born in 1805, who married Miss Jane Campbell,
daughter of Joseph and Mary Campbell, of the same
town, and had children, — William H., Sarah, John,
James, Jane, Mary, Sarah, and Moses. Mr. Green
emigrated to America in 1847, and engaged in the
calling of an engineer until his death, which occurred
in October, 1879. His son, William H., was born in
Stockport, Aug. 3, 1831, and on completing an ordi-
nary school education was apprenticed to the trade
of a machinist and engineer. On attaining his six-
teenth year he removed to i\Ianchester, and in 1850
emigrated to America. His first location was Phila-
delphia, where for three years he pursued his trade,
and then removed to Richmond, Va., which city be-
came his residence until September, 1857, while act-
ing as superintendent of the machine and engineer
department of the Tredegar Iron-Works. In 1857,
Mr. Green married Miss Elizabeth Chalmers McKen-
zie, of Richmond. Their children are William H.,
Margaret, Jane, Mary (deceased), Laura (deceased),
Alfred Tennyson, Lillie Christina, and George
Thomas Reed List. During the year of his marriage
Mr. Green's skill was made available by the Bureau
of Steam Engineering, at Washington, when he was
assigned to the navy-yard in Boston, and acted as su-
perintendent of the construction and repairing of the
steam machinery of all vessels fitting out at that port.
In 1861 he received from the government a commis-
sion aschief engineer, and in 1863 resigned to assume
the direction of the Globe Works in Boston, then
doing much of the general machine-work for the gov-
ernment. Here he remained until his removal to
Chester in 1864, where he established in June of the
same year the Vulcan Works, new buildings having
been erected for the purpose, and an extensive and
successful business in brass and iron instituted. In
politics Mr. Green is a conservative Democrat, always
seeking men of ability and character for office irre-
spective of party. He was elected the first burgess of
the borough of South Chester, has been a member of
the Council, and also member and president of the
Board of School Directors. He is active in the Ma-
sonic fraternity, having attained the rank of a Knight
Templar. He is a member and one of the wardens of
St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church of .Chester.
In 1868, Norris L. Yarnall located in Chester town-
ship, at the foot of Flower Street, and erected the
Auvergne Mills, the second manufacturing enterprise
in the territory which was subsequently made South
Chester. An account of this mill will be found here-
after.
In 1863, John M. Broomall and William Ward
purchased the farms of James Laws and John Jeffrey,
and in 1863, Broomall & Ward, together with Seybert
& McManus, of Reading, the farms of George Wil-
I son, John J. Thurlow, and William Johnson. These
lands were surveyed and laid out in building-lots
and sold on advantageous terms, which resulted in
j the erection of a number of houses and giving direc-
tion to the march of improvement tending westward
along the river front.
1 On April 15, 1869, the Legislature constituted the
438
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
territory between the following described boundaries, I
the district of Lamokin : " Beginning at a point on
the Delaware River where the line dividing the town-
ships of Chester and Lower Chichester meets the same ;
thence a northwardly course, partly on the said line
and partly on the line dividing the said township of {
Chester and Upper Chichester, to the north side of \
Chichester road ; thence along the north side of the !
said Chichester road an eastwardly course to a point j
opposite Highland Avenue ; thence crossing the said
Chichester road at right angles to a point on the south
side of the same ; thence along the south side of the
said Chichester road an eastwardly course to the cor-
ner of land belonging to the heirs of William G.
Flower, deceased ; thence on the line dividing the
lands of the said heirs of William G. Flower, de-
ceased, Israel Maddock, heirs of Sydney Baker, de-
ceased, and Stephen C. Hall, on one side, and lands
of Samuel M. Felton, Daniel Robinson, lands late of
Robert Taylor, and land late of James Garland,
and land late of Dr. William Young, on the other
side, to a point in the southern line of the said
Flower's land and in Lamokin Run, where the
northern line of the city of Chester meets the same;
thence down the said run a northwardly course to the
said Delaware River; thence down the same a west-
wardly course to the place of beginning shall be and
the same is hereby established, erected, and incor-
porated into a separate and independent district from
the remainder of the said township for road purposes,
and shall be known by the name of the District of
Lamokin."
The act of March 12, 1870, provided, "That the
District of Lamokin, in the County of Delaware,
together with two certain tracts of land, each con-
taining about twenty acres, lying adjacent to the said
district, and now or formerly owned respectively by
Stephen C. Hall and the heirs of Sidney F. Baker,
deceased, be and the same is hereby constituted a
Borough, under and subject to the general Borough
laws of this Commonwealth, except as hereby changed,
with the name, style, and title of the Borough of South
Chester, in the County of Delaware."
The same act declared, " That the said Borough
constitute a separate school and election district, and
that the place for holding the first and all subsequent
elections shall be at the brick public school-house in
the said district."
Prior to the passage of the act changing the title
from District of Lamokin to South Chester the act of
March 3, 1870, had provided that the Court of Com-
mon Pleas of Delaware County should adjust the
indebtedness of Chester township and the District of
Lamokin, while the act of Feb. 20, 1872, authorized
the same court to make a division of the school-funds
and property between Chester township and South
Chester.
The officers of the borough of South Chester since
its incorporation are as follows:
BURGESSES.
April, 1870, Thomas J. Clayton ; October, 1870, William H. Greeu ; Or-
tober, 1871, to 1873, Tliomas J. Clayton ; February, 1874, Thomas
J. Clayton ; February, 1875, John P. Gartside ; April, 1875, John P.
Gartside (reorganization under Constitution of 1874) ; April, 1876,
John P. Gartside ; April, 1877, to 1882, David F. Houston ; April,
1883, to 1884, Norris L. Yarnall.
CLERKS OF COUNCIL.
April, 1870, Christopher Blakeley : October, 1870, Solomon W. May ; 1875,
Z. T. Bartleson ; 1877, Gasway 0. Yarnall.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
Chosen at first election, April, 1870.— Thomas I. Leiper, Samuel M. Fel-
ton, William H. Morton, Solomon W. May, David Brown. l
October, 1870. — Samuel M, Felton. David Brown, Thomas I. Leiper,
John W. Martin, Solomon W. May.
October, 1871.— John J. Thurlow, Norris L. Yarnall, Isaac Major, Mar-
maduke Gray, Joseph Byram, John P. Gartside.
October, 1872.— James E. Holt, John W. Martin, Edward O'Donnell.
October, 1873.— James Hutchinson, Norris L. Yarnall, John E. Now.
land, Edward Y. Seiders, John W. Martin, Caleb C. Clayton.
February, 1874.— James Hutchinson, Norris L. Yarnall, Edward Y. Sei-
derB.2
February, 1875. — Marmaduke Gray, John R. Nowland.
April, 1876 (Reorganized).— Norris L. Yarnall, Marmaduke Gray, James
Hutchinson, John R. Nowland, William H. Green, Joseph Byram,
John Law.
April, 1877.- Michael Honan, John Law.
April, 1878,— John R. Nowland, Thomas Doyle.
April, 1879.— Patrick Reily, William H. Greeu.
July, 1879.— Michael Honan resigned, Joseph Byram elected to fill
vacancy.
April, 1880.— Norris L. Yarnall.
April, 1881.— John K. Nowland, T. A. McDowell, Simeon H. Cotton.
April, 1882.— John Law, Edward Ferry.
April, 1883.— William J. Brown, Casper H. Snyder.
April, 1884.— John R. Nowland, T. A. McDowell.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
David H. Hill May 17, 1870.
James M. Gray Jan. 14, 1874.
A. P. Fields March 13,1875.
John Deveney March 25, 1878.
Ambrose Wood April 14, 1880.
A. P. Fields March 3, 1880.
Joseph Brown April 9, 1881.
John Freshley April 9, 1881.
A. P. Fields March 27, 1882.
William H.Wallace May 7, 1883.
The first vote by a colored man in Pennsylvania
was at the first election in the borough of South Ches-
ter, April 14, 1870, which ballot was cast by William
Henry Cooper.
In 1879 the borough authorities erected a spacious
town hall, with a Council chamber in the second
story, and the cellar arranged as a lock-up and place
of detention for persons under arrest. The building
was dedicated Oct. 27, 1879.
Schools, — Before South Chester became a borough,
and while the territory was part of Chester township,
the school-house that now stands unused on the public
ground was built, and under the provisions of the act
of Feb. 20, 1872, the court of Delaware County as-
signed the building and lot to the directoi-s of the
borough, and it was used as a school until after the com-
pletion of the present buildings on the same ground.
Immediately after the organization of the borough pre-
1 Elected but declared not eligible, and Council appointed Norris L.
Yarnall in his stead.
' Resigned October, 1874, and Council elected Marmaduke Gray to fill
vacancy, November, same year.
SOUTH CHESTER BOROUGH.
439
parations were made to build a new school-house, and
in the next year (1871) the large and commodious brick
edifice was erected on the public grounds, on Third
Street, at a cost of seven thousand dollars. On the
same grounds, in 1883, the directors erected, at a cost
of eight thousand dollars, the high school building,
which is of brick and two stories in height. In 1S74 a
brick school-house for colored children was erected
on Townsend Street, between Front and Second
Streets, at a cost of four thousand dollars. It is now
used for public-school purposes, irrespective of color.
In 1879-80 a brick school-house, two stories in height,
at a cost of five thousand dollars, was erected on what
is known as the forty-acre lot, in the northeastern end
of the borough. In 1881 a two-story brick house was
built, at a cost of four thousand dollars, on the corner
of Second and Thurlow Streets.
The first school board was organized April 30, 1870,
with the' following members: Thomas J. Leiper,
James Kirkman, Wil'iam H. Green, Owen Lynch,
James Bnweu, James Elliott. Aug. 9, 1870, James
Elliott resigned ; Samuel H. Stevenson filled the va-
cancy by appointment of board.
Members of the school board since that time have
been as follows :
June C, 1871, Jiiuies Kirkmnn, James Bowen, Owen Lyncli, D. C. Thomp-
son, James Counaii, S. H. Stevenson: Juno 4, 1872, James Kirkman,
James Coonan, D. C. Tlionipson, T. J. Clayton, Wmiani Fow, John
McDowell; Oct. 11, 1872, James Kirkman resigned, J. R. Nowiand.
appointed ; Dec. 6, 1872, Solomon W. May appointed to vacancy
caused by death of William Fow ; June 11, 1873, T. J. Clayton, Sol-
omon W. May, D. C. Thompson, J. R. Nowiand, John McDowell,
James Kirkman; April 3, 1874, Rev.W. R. McNeil and Rev. S. W.
Gehrett appointed in place of James Coonan and D. C. Thompson
resigned ; Nov. 11, 1874, T. J, Clayton resigned, W. H. Green ap-
pointed; March 5, 1875, S. W. Gehrett resigned, Z. T. Bartleson
appointed; June 7, 1875, W. R. McNeil, John McDowell, James
Kirkman, J. K. Nowiand, Z. T. Bartleson, J. A. Watts ; April 7, 1876,
■W. B. McNeil resigned, G, 0. Yarnall appointed ; June 5, 1876, G. O.
Tamall, Z. T. BurUeson, John McDowell, Casper Gulp, J. A. Watts,
Jacob Sears: June 6, 1877, G. 0. Yarnall, John McDowell, Jacob
Scare, J. A. Watts, Z. T. Bartleson, James Bradley; June 3, 1878, G.
0. Yarnall, John McDowell, Jacob Sears, James Bradley, Z. T. Bar-
tleson, J. A. Watts; June 4, 1S79, Jacob Sears, James Bradley, John
McDowell, J. A. Watts, B. H. Smith, Thomas Belmont; June 10,
1880, Jacob Sears, John McDowell, Wm. Belmont, B. H. Smith, J. A.
■Watti, Z. T. Bartleson ; June 6, 1881, Jacob Sears, John McDowell,
Wm. Belmont, B. H. Smith, Z, T. Bartleson, Casper Gulp; June 7,
1882, Jacob Sears, B. H. Smith, John McDowell, C. G. Neal, Casper
Gulp, and Z. T. Bartleson; Oct. 11, 1882, Jacob Sears resigned, G. 0.
Yarnall appointed ; June 13, 1883, B. H. Smith, Z. T. Bartleson, Cas-
per Gulp, 0. G. Neal, 0. T. Pancoast, John McDowell; June 7, 1884,
B. H. Smith, John McDowell, C. G. Neal, X. T. Bartleson, 0. T. Pan-
coast, Dr. J. B. Weston.
The Felton Fire Company.— The company was
organized early in 1882, and in the same year erected,
at a cost of three thousand dollars, a brick building
on Third Street, between Morton and JeflTrey. The
association, which at present has seventy-four mem-
bers on its roll, have a hose-carriage, but are contem-
plating the purchase of a steamer. R. Peters, Jr., is
president of the company.
South Chester News. — This paper was established
by W. Warren Webb, March 23, 1883, as an adver-
tising medium, and conducted as such for about six
months, when it was changed to a four-column
weekly newspaper, and later enlarged to six columns.
The office is at No. 1726 West Third Street, South
Chester. It is Republican in politics.
Plain Speaker. — This paper was established by
Olin T. Pancoast, in an office at 2105 West Third
Street. The first number was issued Aug. 1, 1883,
and contained four columns, later was enlarged to
five columns. On the 5th of July, 1884, the office
was removed to No. 1929 West Third Street. It is
Republican in politics.
South Chester Methodist Episcopal Church.—
This society was organized in 1870, under the care of
the Rev. S. W. Gehrett. In the next year a lot, one
hundred and forty by one hundred feet, was pur-
chased of John M. Broomall, at the corner of Third
and Jeffrey Streets. Upon this lot the society erected
on Jeffrey Street, in 1870, a brick edifice, thirty-
six by sixty-three feet, which is used as a chapel.
This church was built as a mission ch:ipel of Trinity
Methodist Episcopal Church of Chester, and was
dedicated in November, 1871. The Rev. Mr. Urie, of
Wilmington, preached the dedicatory sermon. The
society intend in the near future to erect a church
on the corner of Third and Jeffrey.
The society now numbers one hundred and forty
members. A Sunday-school containing two hundred
and eight pupils, under the superintendency of John
Neal, is in connection with the church. A parsonage,
on the corner of Second and Jeffrey, is owned by the
society. The names of the pastors who have served
the church from its organization are here given :
Revs. S. W. Gehrett, David McKee, Dr. Matthew
Sorin, John B. Maddux, David M. Gordon, Abel
Howard, Eli Pickersgill, Matthias Barnhill, and
Israel M. Gable, the present pastor.
Baptist Chapel.— The First Baptist Church of
South Chester was organized in 1871. A lot was pur-
cha.sed by Samuel A. Crozer, on the corner of Third
and Jeffrey Streets, and a chapel built thereon by Mr.
Crozer.
The pastors who have served the church have been
the Revs. William R. McNeal, Reece W. Perkins,
Alexander McArthur, and Henry B. Harper, the
present pastor. The church has two hundred mem-
bers, and a Sunday-school of three hundred and fifty
pupils, under the charge of the pastor.
St. Daniel's Methodist Episcopal Church. — This
church was organized in 1871, and erected at a cost of
about four thousand dollars. The brick church is on
Edwards Street, between Third Street and the rail-
road. The pastors who have served the church are
Revs. Henson, Broden, George Washington,
Jolly, Webb, J. Hugli Peirce, N. Morris,
Dr. Butler, and J. J. Campbell, the pre.sent pastor.
The church has about one hundred and seventy-five
members.
First Baptist Church. — This church was organ-
ized in the spring of 1879, and through the liberality
440
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of Samuel A. Crozer, a brick structure, fifty feet in
length and thirty-three feet in width, was erected on
Second Street, below Lamokin. It was dedicated in
August, 1879. The Rev. Dr. Griffith, of Upland,
preached the dedicatory sermon. The church has
about seventy members, and the Rev. Samuel Chris-
tian is pastor.
African Methodist Episcopal Bethel Church. —
This society was organized in the old school-house on
the public grounds in May, 1871. A lot on Engle
Street, between Second and Front Streets, was pur-
chased of John M. Broomall, the consideration being
one dollar. By the exertions of William Murphy
two thousand dollars were subscribed and used for the
erection of a brick edifice twenty-five by thirty-eight
feet. It was dedicated June 6, 1872. The first pastor
was the Rev. G. T. Waters. He was succeeded by the
Rev. W. H. Davis, Henderson Davis, John M. Davis,
John W. Norris, and Thomas H. Moore, the present
pastor. The church has at present one hundred
members.
Bethany Mission. — The First, Second, and Third
Presbyterian Cliurches of Chester united in establish-
ing a mission called Bethany in South Chester. The
corner-stone of a brick chapel, thirty-five by sixty,
was laid by John Wanamaker, of Philadelphia, on
the 25th of June, 1884. The box deposited in the
stone contained a Bible, copies of the papers in Ches-
ter and South Chester, a paper containing the names
of the ministers of the Presbyterian Churches, names
of the former and present Sunday-school officers, and
the names of the teachers. On the day when the
corner-stone was laid Mr. Wanamaker addressed the
audience, and concluded by subscribing one hundred
dollars towards the building fund. Subscriptions
followed rapidly, and over a thousand dollars were
contributed in a short time.
Auv-ergne Mills. — Norris L. Yarnall erected a
stone mill two and a half stories in height for the
manufacture of Kentucky jeans, at the foot of Flower
Street, in 1868, which was in operation till Oct. 3,
1873, when it was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt
in the fall and winter of that year, and manufacturing
resumed there in April, 1874. Additions have been
made from time to time to the mills. The present
main structure is fifty feet in width by one hundred
and twenty in length, an engine-house twenty by
twenty feet, a picker-house thirtj'-two feet square, a
dye-house sixty-five by seventy feet connected there-
with. The machinery consists of eighty-eight looms,
four sets of woolen cards forty-two by forty-eight
inches, and two self-acting mules with six hundred
and seventy-six spindles each. About six thousand
pounds of cotton and wool are used weeklj in the
manufacture of twenty thousand yards of cloth.
River Mills. — These mills, located at the foot of
Jeffrey Street, were built, in 1872, by Capt. James
Jerome, and were operated by him for the manufac-
ture of cotton warp until 1875, at which date they were
rented by Charles Roberts. In 1871, Mr. Roberts
began the manufacture of cotton yarn in the building
belonging to the water-works, now used as the Cocoa
Matting Works by Edward S. Worrell. In 1875, Mr.
Roberts removed to the River Mills. One of the
buildings is sixty-six feet in width by one hundred
and fifty feet in length, two stories in height. The
necessary out-buildings comprise the engine- and
boiler-rooms, dye-house, picker- and finishing-room.
The other mill is fifty feet in width by one hundred
feet in length, two stories in height, and has in con-
nection therewith an engine- and boiler-room, dye-
house, and dry-room. The machinery consists of one
hundred and fifty looms, five thousand five hundred
cotton-spindles and eighteen cotton-cards, one thou-
sand woolen-spindles, and two sets of woolen-cards.
The power used to drive the machinery is supplied
by three engines, one of ninety horse-power, one of
forty horse-power, one of twelve, and five tubular
boilers. One hundred and sixty hands are employed.
Eight thousand pounds of raw material are used
j weekly, from which is produced thirty-six thousand
I yards of tickings, cheviots, and Kentucky jeans.
Trainer's Mill. — The Chester Improvement Com-
j pany awarded a contract in May, 1872, to Samuel
Montgomery to erect on their land a building for a
] cotton-factory sixty feet in width by two hundred
! and thirty-eight feet in length, two stories in height.
I The contract price was fifty thousand dollars, and the
buildings to be completed by Nov. 1, 1872. The
property was occupied by D. Trainer & Sons, who
placed therein eleven thousand spindles, fifty-four
I spinning-frames, forty-six cards, and nine speeders
for the manufacture of fine yarns. The engine that
drives the machinery is a two hundred horse-power
Corliss engine. The mill has a capacity of spinning
j three thousand pounds of yarn weekly.
Wyoming Mill. — The mill building was erected in
1873, fitted with machinery by Samuel Montgomery,
and operated by his sons for several years, when it was
1 purchased by John Roberts and Abuer Coppock, by
; whom it was operated about two years and a half It
then remained idle several years, and on the 10th of
October, 1882, it was again put in operation by Joseph
Byram, who is the present occupant. The mill has
fifty-eight looms, one thousand spindles, and two
cards, driven by a sixty horse-power engine. Three
thousand pounds of cotton are weekly made into
cotton, yarn, and thirteen thousand yards of cotton
cloth are made weekly. Fifty hands are employed.
Centennial Mill.— This mill was established by
Simeon Cotton, in May, 1876, at which time he had
completed the main building, one hundred by fifty
feet, at the foot of Second and Clayton Streets, and
manufacturing was commenced therein May 11, 1876.
I Three thousand six hundred spindles and thirteen
' cards are used, and sixteen bales of cotton are manu-
factured weekly into seven thousand pounds of cotton
warp.
SOUTH CHESTBK BOROUGH.
441
Garfield Mill.— The Garfield Mill, a two-story
brick building, one hundred by fifty feet, was erected
at the corner of Morton Street and the Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, by Messrs.
Law & Devenney, in the year 1881, and fitted with
machinery for the manufacture of cotton yarn. Sub-
sequently its capacity was doubled, and it nosv con-
tains three thousand and twenty-four spindles and
fourteen cards, which are driven by an eighty horse-
power engine. Twenty loom-hands are employed,
and five thousand three hundred pounds of cotton
yarn is produced weekly.
Oil-Cloth Works. — About eighteen years ago Eli
D. Pierce erected on his farm in Nether Providence
a building for the tanning of sheep-skins. The busi-
ness increased so rapidly that he purchased land at
the foot of Tilghman Street, where-he erected frame
buildings, and removed thereto. Here he began
largely the tanning of goat-skins, and continued till
the spring of 1882, when, by reason of the failure
of business men in Boston, to whom he sold largely,
lie W.1S compelled to make an assignment. In the
summer of that year the buildings were rented by
Edward S. Worrell, who fitted them with the most
improved machinery for the manufacture of oil-cloth.
Six thousand yards of oil-cloth are made weekly.
George P. Worrell is superintendent.
Chester Rolling'-Mills.— The Chester Rolling-
Mills were incorporated March 10, 1875, with John
Eoach, John Q. Denny, C. B. Houston, John B.
Roach, D. F. Houston, and Garret Roach, as corpora-
tors. John Roach was chosen president, C. B. Houston
secretary and treasurer. The original capital of the
company was three hundred thousand dollars, which
was increased to five hundred thousand dollars in
1880, and in 1882 to six hundred thousand dollars.
The real estate of the old bridge and steel- works was
purchased, at the foot of Wilson and Hayes Streets,
between Townsend and Highland Avenue, and from
Front Street to Delaware River. In that year (1875)
the company commenced the erection of main rolling-
mill building, one hundred and sixty by one hundred
and eighty-five feet ; in 1879 it was doubled, and is now
three hundred and twenty by one hundred and eighty-
five feet, the capacity of the works being increased in
proportion. Above the rolling-mill, in 1880, the blast-
furnace was erected, covering about one and a quarter
acres with its difierent buildings, and was put in blast
Nov. 1, 1881. The machinery is of the latest and most
improved kinds.
The steel-works, erected in 1881, are ninety by one
hundred and forty feet. The first blast was made
April 1, 1882. Five hundred hands are employed,
and the wages amount weekly to six thousand dollars.
The capacity of production of these works is three
hundred tons of plate, seven hundred tons of pig-
iron, and three hundred tons of steel ingots weekly.
Fourteen hundred tons of ore, six hundred tons of
limestone, and one thousand tons of coal are used
weekly. Much of the ore is imported direct from
Spain and Africa. The present officers of the com-
pany are John Roach, president ; Charles B. Hous-
ton, treasurer; Richard Peters, Jr., secretary, and
Thomas J. Houston, general manager.
The Chester Pipe and Tube Company was incor-
porated in 1877, with a capital of three hundred
thousand dollars. Seventeen acres of ground at the
intersection of Front and West Streets was purchased,
and two large brick buildings and other smaller ones
erected. Twenty thousand tons of skelp iron are
used, from which is manufactured eighteen thousand
tons of wrought-iron pipes annually. Two hundred
hands are employed.
Standard Steel Casting Company.— This com-
pany was incorporated June 22, 1883, with Pedro G.
Salom, president ; William E. Trainer, vice-presi-
dent; Richard Wetherell, treasurer; John B. Booth,
secretary. Ten acres of ground were purchased at
Thurlow Station, on the line of the Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, and a building,
one hundred and fourteen feet in width by one hun-
dred and sixty feet in length, was erected. Work
was commenced on the 1st of March, 1884, with
seventy hands. The mill has a capacity of producing
three thousand tons of steel per annum.
Chester Oil-Works.— In September, 1880, the
Chester Oil Company was organized. A large tract
of land along the river front and on the southwest-
ern limit of South Chester borough was purchased,
and the large buildings, which cover an area of twelve
acres, were built. On the 23d of March following
the refining of oil was commenced, and twenty thou-
sand barrels of crude oil is used per week. Twelve
large stills with a charging capacity of ten thousand
barrels, two agitators, six bleachers, and six large
boilers for engine and pumping purposes, with much
other machinery, are used in turning out two_ thou-
sand barrels of refined oil per day, and naphtha, tar,
and other products. The company have a storage ca-
pacity for one hundred and forty-six thousand barrels
of crude oil tankage and six thousand barrels of other
tankage. Three of the largest pumps have each a
capacity of three thousand barrels per hour. They
carry fourteen-inch suction-lines and twelve-inch sup-
ply-lines. Beneath the surface of the entire ground
is a network of pipes, all of which are accurately
drawn on a plan of the works, so that at any time an
engineer with compass and chain can not only find
any pipe desired, but every joint and stop-cock can be
designated and its size and use told. There is not a
tank or a building anywhere in the works that is not
well protected in case of fire, as both steam and water
can be turned on in all of them in such quantity as
to extinguish the flames. Four artesian wells have
been sunk to obtain cold water for condensing pur-
poses. One of these is four hundred and fifty feet
deep and furnishes seventy barrels per hour. The
ordinary supply of water is obtained from the river.
442
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
There is wharfage for thirteen vessels, with a depth
of twenty to tweut3--four feet at low water, and for
the protection of the shipping in winter ice piers
have been erected, which are the only private ones
on the Atlantic coast. Seventeen difterent kinds of
oil are made and shipped to all parts of the world.
Besides barrels, five-gallon tin cans are used for this
purpose, works for the manufacture of the latter
having just been completed and fitted with intricate
and e.xpensive machinery. Little, if any, of this work
is done by hand. The tin is cut, squared, bent into
proper shape, stamped, and soldered by machinery.
The last operation is performed by an ingenious in-
vention of Frank W. Edward, superintendent of the
works, and the machine can turn out ten thousand
perfectly soldered cans in ten hours. Before shipment
these cans are packed, two being placed in a wooden
box, which is also made entirely by machinery. Three
hundred and seventy-five hands are employed.
The Seaboard Oil Company, composed of Crew,
Levicli & Co., was organized in 1881, and purchased
a tract of land on Front Street, between Trainer and
Booth Streets. Eight buildings were erected, which
cover about three acres. Eight engines, three boilers,
and fifteen stills are used in the manufacture of lubri-
cating oils, parafiine oils and wax, refined burning
oils, gasoline, and naphtha. Thirteen hundred bar-
rels of crude oil are consumed daily. Thirty-three
men are employed. Charles T. Miller is superintend-
ent.
Delaware Oil-Refining Works.— The Delaware
Oil-Refining Company was established by W. F.
Young, in August, 1881, at its present location, be-
tween Second and Front and Johnson and Price
Streets, South Chester. It was incorporated Oct. 15,
1881, as the Delaware Oil-Kefining Company. The
works comprise eight good-sized buildings of brick
and frame, covering about half an acre. The articles
manufactured are paraffine oil and wax. The engines
are sixty-five horse-power, and there are six stills, the
weekly capacity of which is four hundred barrels.
Eighteen hands are employed. Five hundred and
fifty barrels of residuum of petroleum oil are used per
week, and the weekly capacity of the works is three
hundred and fifty barrels of oil and fifty of wax.
Law &Devenney's Brick-Yard.— This firm estab-
lished a brick-yard on an eight-acre tract of land situ-
ated on Morton Street and the line of' the Philadel-
phia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. They
have three large kilns, and produce daily twenty-
three thousand bricks, which requires the labor of
forty-five men.
Robinson Brick- Yard.— Adjoining the yard men-
tioned above and situated on Sixth and Eugle Streets
is a brick-yard that was established by James Caven.
The business was la'ter conducted by Charles Fair-
lamb, Fairlamb & Robinson, and since 1876 has been
carried on by D. Robinson. Forty men are employed,
and seventeen thousand bricks are made daily.
Palmer Brick-Yard. — The brick-yard situated on
Third Street north of West Street was established in
1865 by Mrs. M. Palmer, who still conducts it.
Twelve men are employed, and about seven thou-
sand bricks are turned out daily. Thomas Palmer
is in charge.
South Chester Ship-Yard.— Joseph K. Clouser es-
tablished, November, 1881, a ship repair-yard at the
foot of Lamokin Street. Fifteen men are employed.
It is the only yard nearer than Marcus Hook where
repairing of wooden vessels is made a specialty.
CHAPTER XXXVL
NORTH CHESTER BOROUGH.
The territory now comprising the recently-erected
municipal district of North Chester borough, was in
the distribution of land surveyed and patented to four
of the early settlers of the province. The upper part of
the borough was part of the one hundred and eighty-
four and a half acres surveyed to James Sandelands
Dec. 2, 1685, and adjoining this tract to the southeast
was the land surveyed the same day to Thomas Bras-
sey, containing the same number of acres as were in
the Sandelands plot. On the last-mentioned estate the
villages of Shoemakerville and Irvington are located.
At the southwestern end of the borough, on Dec. 18,
1685, one hundred and ninety-seven acres was sur-
veyed to Eusta Anderson, the greater part of which
is not included in North Chester; that part which is
within the borough is popularly known as Powhattan,
because of the mills of that name being thereon
erected. The remaining land at the southeast of the
borough was part of the three hundred and seventy
acres patented to Israel Helms, June 18, 1668.
By act of March 14, 1878, that part of Chester
township hereinafter described was incorporated as
the borough of North Chester.
" Beginning at a point in the middle of the public roiid leading from
the borough of Upland to Edgmont Road, being at the intersection of
the boundary lines of the city of Chester, the borough of Upland, and
the township of Chester; thence along the northeastern boundary of
the said borough of Upland to the line dividing the properties of A. C.
Lukens and John Wetherill; thence along the said line to the southern
side of Kdgmont Road; thence along the said southern side to a point
opposite the line dividing the properties of Mary Kelly and Isaac Engel
Cochran ; thence crossing the said road and along the said line to Rid-
ley Creek; thence down the said creek to the northern boundary of the
said city of Cliester; and thence following the said boundary to the
place of beginning; said limits including the town or villages of Paul-
town, Powhattan, Waterville, and Shoemakerville."
The borough elections were directed to be held the
third Friday in March of each year at the Oak Grove
school-house. The act also created North Chester a
separate school and election district. At the time of
the erection of the borough the Powhattan Mills
and Irvington Mills were located within the municipal
district, and were then in successful operation. The
Chester Rural Cemetery was within its limits, and the
NORTH CHESTER BOROUGH.
443
little hamlets that had in former years gathered around
the early mills were stationary or had lost the vitality
to increase. AVhat was known as Shoemakerville was
laid out about 1830 by William D. and R. Shoemaker,
and in 1 833 there were at the place a store, blacksmith-
and wheelwright-shop, several stone and frame dwell-
ings. Hopes were entertained that it might grow to be
a town of some importance, but it did not thrive, and is
now but little larger than it was three years after it
was begun. In 1842, Eobert E. Evans kept store in
Shoemakerville, and in 1850, John C. Murray had a
coach-factory at that place.
On Aug. 23, 1847, at Burk & Powell's quarry, a
ledge of rock weighing about eighty-six tons which
had been displaced by a sand-blast fell. Burk was
under it at the time, and hearing a noise above him
attempted to escape, but his foot was caught by the
falling rock and literally crushed into a mass. He
was taken to his home in Shoemakerville, but bled to
death before a physician could be summoned. The
blood-stains on the floor of his then dwelling are visi-
ble to this day, and for many years the owner of the
house had diflSculty in obtaining tenants who would
remain over a day or two in the building.
The first election for burgess and Council was held
on the 29th of March, 1873. John M. Sharpless was
elected burgess, but declined to serve, and at the or-
ganization of Council, on the 7th of April, 1873,
Henry L. Powell, of the Council, was chosen to act
as chief burgess, since which time the burgesses
elected have been as follows :
1874, Stephen Parson ; 1S75, Hugh Shaw ; 1876, Adam C. Eckfeldt ; 1877,
Thomas Coulter; 1878-79, Henry Greenwood; 1880, Anthony Mc-
Munn ; 1881-84, John W. Martin.
MEMBERS OF BOROUGH COUNCIL.
1873.— Joseph G. Fell, Henry L, Powell, Hugh Shaw, John Wetherell,
James Irving, Daniel McCurdy.
1874.— Joseph G. Fell, Henry Greenwood, Hugh Shaw, Edward S. Wor-
rell, John Walker, John Wetherell.
1875.— John Farmer, Henry Greenwood, James Tongue, John Walker,
Edward .S. Worrell, John Wetherell.
1876.— Nathan Berry, Henry Greenwood, J. Harlan Miller, Hugh Shaw,
John Wetherell, James Tongue.
1877. — Nathan Berry, Henry Greenwood, James Morgan, Abram Taylor,
Hugh Shaw, John Wetherell.
1878.- Samuel L. Wood, Isaac Parson, James Wall, Edward S. Worrell,
William H. Brangan, Theodore Dransfield.
1879.— Hugh Shaw, John W. Martin, Isaac Parson, John H. Evans,
William Neale, William Hunter.
1S80.— Hugh Shaw, John W. Martin, James Elder, Edward S. Worrell,
Cornelius Allison, Capt. Raudle.
1881.— Hugh Shaw, Henry Beaumont (three years), Edward S. Worrell,
Alexander McFate {two years), W. W. McNutt, Thomas Cook (one
year).
1882.— W. W. McNutt, Theodore Dransfield (three years), John Kobin-
1884.-
TKEASURERS.
D. B. Esrey, from 1873 to 1879; C. W. Andrews, from 1879 to 1885.
CLERKS.
Charles Worthington, 1873-74; C. W. Andrews, 1875-7" ; David Aarons,
1878-84; Wright Sutcliffe, 1884.
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
Robert E. Hannum, March 13, 1875; March 30, 1880.
Friends' Meeting-House at Shoemakerville was
built by the members of the Orthodox branch of the
society in 1828, on land donated for that purpose by
Enos Sharpless. It is a stone building, forty by sixty
feet, and stands on a large plot of ground well shaded
by forest trees, and adjoins the Oak Grove school-
house. The prominent members of the society were
Enos, John, Henry, Isaac, George, Daniel, and John
M. Sharpless, Jesse J. Maris, Stephen M. Trimble,
Richard Wetherell, and Gideon Smith, the last a
ministering Friend. The present membership of the
society attending this meeting is about fifty persons.
The North Chester Baptist Church was founded
April 26, 1873. At that date a few persons favorable
to the establishment of a congregation, and the erec-
tion of a place of worship for the Baptist denomination
in the borough, met at the residence of James Irving,
where, after some informal agreement and understand-
ing, the congregation was organized by the appoint-
ment of James Irving chairman, and E. Mills clerk.
At tliis meeting it was decided to erect a church edi-
fice in North Chester borough, ten members of regular
Baptist churches registering their names as an earnest
of their purpose. Invitations were sent to the Union
Baptist Church at Media, the First Baptist Church at
Chester, the Baptist Church of South Chester, as also
that of Ridley, and Mantua Baptist Church, Phila-
delphia, to meet in council with the organization in
North Chester borough. On May 9, 1873, this coun-
cil met and organized by the appointment of Rev. Dr.
J. M. Pendleton, of Upland, to preside, and William
R. McNeil, of South Chester, secretary. The visiting
brethren were requested to take part in the exercises.
The recognition services being concluded. Rev. Ed-
ward Wells was called to the pastorate of the church.
In the eleven years which have intervened since its or-
ganization the church has had three pastors : Rev. P.
S. Vreeland, who assumed pastoral charge Oct. 1,
1876 ; in January, 1879, Mr. Vreeland resigned, and
on Aug. 31, 1879, the present pastor, Rev. John
Brooks, was called, being ordained Oct. 2, 1879. The
congregation has grown rapidly, largely composed of
the operatives in the mills, — the present membership
being about sixty. Pecuniarily the church has been
sustained largely by the liberality of James Irving,
who built the present sanctuary, and donated it and
the lot on which it stands to trustees for the use and
benefit of the congregation. The date stone has the
figures 1872 cut upon it, which is clearly an error.
No organization was effected looking to a church con-
gregation there until April, 1873. It was recognized
in May, and the church dedicated in June of that
year, 1873.
Schools. — The first school-house erected in what is
now North Chester was on a lot which was sold by
Daniel Sharpless, March 18, 1813, to William Davis,
Pierce Crosby, and Enos Sharpless, who were chosen
trustees by the inhabitants in that part of Chester
township. The lot had twenty-three square perches,
444
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and thereon a one-story stone school-house was soon
erected. This building was used for school purposes
until the erection of the present Oak Grove school-
house, in 1860. In 1836 the Sharpless school-house
passed into the control of the directors of Chester
township, and in 1873 was transferred by authority
of the act erecting the borough to the directors of that
municipal district.
In 1830, two years after the building of Friends'
meeting-house, that society built a small frame struc-
ture below the meeting-house, on the road to the
Waterville Mills, wherein Miss Ann McGill (after-
wards Mrs. Richard Wetherell) and Miss Amy Grif-
fith were early teachers. The pupils in that school
had a small plot of ground on which they vied with
each other as to who could raise the best roses, vio-
lets, and other flowers, as also beets, parsnips, and
various kinds of vegetables. This piece of land was
fenced and guarded with jealous care, being carefully
locked when school was not in session. School has
been kept in this house from 1830 to the present time,
but not with any degree of regularity. After the
erection of North Chester borough, the two-story
brick school-house on Twenty-second Street was
erected, and is now used for that purpose. The first
directors of the borough were elected in March, 1873,
and were Josiah Berry, H. Greenwood, Nathan
Berry, H. L. Powell, D. R. Esrey, and Daniel Mc-
Curdy.
The directors since that time have been as follows:
1874, Hugh C. Sample, Jonas Tongue, E. Wells ; 18K, John Shaw, Ed-
mund Wells, Henry L. Powell ; 1876, D. B. Esrey, Uenry Beau-
mont ; 1877, Kobort Campbell, James Moss ; 1878, George W. Gilton,
A. P Garfleld; 1879, D. K. Esrey; 1880, John Wetherell, Adam C.
Eckfeldt; 1881, Kev. John Brooks, James Moss; 1883, D. R. Esrey ;
1884, William H. Floville, H. L. Powell.
Chester Rural Cemetery. — This association was
organized in 1863, and incorporated by act of Assem-
bly March 18, 1863. The preamble of the act set forth :
" Wh£heas, The following named citizens of the Borough and Town-
ship of Chester, in the county of Delaware, have agreed to subscribe the
sum of one thousand dollars each, for the purpose of providing a public
cemetery, to be located within the limits of said borough or township ;
therefoie,
**Sec. 1. Be it enacted, ttc, by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met,
and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same. That Benjamin
Gartside, Frederick Fairlamb, Joshua P. Eyre, Abraham Blakely, John
Larkin, Jr., Raney, Son and Archibold, John H. Baker, George Wil-
son, Joseph Taylor, Samuel M. Felton, Samuel A. Crozer, Mortimer H.
Bickley, John P. Crozer, and such other persons as may hereafter sub-
scribe and contribute each a like sum, and their successors, be and they
are hereby created and declared a body politic and corporate, for estab-
lishing a public cemetery, to be located in either the borough or town-
ship of Chester, by the name, style, and title of the Chester Rural Cem-
etery Association."
The stockholders at their first meeting, March 21,
1863, elected Joshua P. Eyre president, and John H.
Baker secretary of'' the company. A tract of forty
acres, belonging to I. Engle Hinkson, a short distance
north of the limits of the borough of Chester, the land
extending from Edgmont to Upland road, was pur-
chased, the price paid being two hundred and fifty
) dollars per acre. The plot was immediately laid out
for the purposes of a cemetery, the first interments
within its lines being the Confederate soldiers who
died at the United States Hospital (now the Crozer
Theological Seminary). Over one hundred and fifty
of these men were buried within the grounds. The
first lot was purchased by Bennett Dobbs, Sept. 26,
1863, and his wife, Nancy, was buried therein two
days afterwards, September 28th. No deed was given
for this lot until two months had elapsed, the first
conveyance bearing date Dec. 7, 1863. Nearly in the
centre of the cemetery an artificial lake was made, the
water being supplied by a run which passed in a
northwesterly course through the grounds. On Dec.
10, 1869, a sad accident occurred at this lake, on which
Herman L. Cochran, son of John Cochran, and Mat-
tie H. Irving, daughter of James Irving, both about
sixteen years, were skating when the ice broke and
they were drowned. " The Soldiers' Monument," a
tribute to the soldiers of the civil war enlisted from
Delaware County, stands on the highest point of land
in this cemetery. Although this testimonial was
erected in the name of the citizens of the county, the
funds necessary to procure and put it in place were
contributed by a few persons. Much credit was due
to Mrs. Mary B. Leiper, who was untiring in her
efforts to procure the means required. The Soldiers'
Monument, a bronze figure by Martin Millmore, rep-
resenting a private soldier standing at rest, and ele-
vated on a massive granite pedestal, was dedicated
Sept. 17, 1873, with appropriate ceremonies. Col. W.
C. Gray read a history of the Soldiers' Monument
Association, Col. John W. Forney delivered an ad-
dress, and after the procession returned to Chester the
very creditable work of the artist was committed to
the seclusion of a burial-ground, whence only the
corroding hand of time is likely to remove it.
Irvington Mills.— The site of these mills is on the
tract surveyed to Thomas Brassey in 1685, and of
which one hundred and seventy-six acres, on Aug.
20, 1705, became the property of Caleb Pusey. It has
been generally accepted that the report of the road
laid out in 1713 "from Providence Lower road by
Richard Crosby's mill to Edgmont road" had refer-
ence to the mill erected at Crosbyville, and that it
had been built prior to that date. In reading the
report of the jury carefully it seems clearly to point
to the Jarvis or Crosby mills farther up the creek,
where now is located the Media water-works. When
the mills at the present Irvington were erected we have
failed to learn, but prior to 1767 grist- and saw-mills
were located there which previous to 1790 came into the
ownership of the Crosby family. In 1799 thesaw-mill
had fallen into disuse. The stone grist-mill must have
been an expensive building, for in the year last men-
tioned the mill was assessed at four thousand dollars,
i while the same year the Flickwi house, on Third
I Street, now being removed, was rated at two hundred
^/^/.t^v ^:::>i~-i^-7^'7^t^
NOKTH CHESTER BOROUGH.
445
and fifty dollars, by which we can form an opinion as
to the value of the mill property at that day. In 1826,
Pierce Crosby had not only the grist-mill, which was
making thirty to fifty barrels of flour a day, but there
was a saw-mill on the estate which cut betweeu two and
three hundred thousand feet of lumber per annum.
In 1843, Crosby leased the mills to James Riddle and
Henry Lawrence, who changed them to a woolen fac-
tory, which they continued to operate until 1845. In
that year James and David Irving, who had estab-
lished the Irvington Mills in Philadelphia in 1842,
leased the Crosbyville Mills and removed their busi-
ness to that location, where they remained as tenants
of the Crosbys until 1857, when they purchased the
property. The business had so increased that in 1860
the firm erected Mill No. 2, a building one hundred
feet in length by forty feet in width. In 1862, David
Irving died, and his interest in the business was pur-
chased by James Irving, who continues manufacturing
at Irvington, the old mill seat being now known by
that name. On Jan. 1, 1866, Washington Irving was
given an interest in the business, the firm being
James Irving & Son. The son, however, died the fol-
lowing September, but the firm remained unchanged
in title, and in 1879, James Irving's son, William A.
Irving, was admitted to an interest in the mills. In
1873 the old grist-mill building was removed, and a
four-story stone structure one hundred and seventy-
two by fifty feet erected on its site by James Irving,
and Mill No. 3, a stone factory forty by fifty feet, two
stories in height, was built in 1880 by James Irving.
The machinery in these mills consists of one hundred
and six looms, two thousand one hundred spindles,
and six sets of cards, the goods manufactured being
woolen doeskins and tweeds.
James Irving, the subject of this biographical
sketch, was born in 1817 in New York, where his
parents, John and Jeannie B. Irving, emigrated from
Glasgow, Scotland, and settled in the year 1811.
The family subsequently removed to Montgomery
County, Pa., where the two sons, James and David,
were apprenticed to Bethel Moore, then one of the
largest woolen manufacturers in the State, and with
him learned the trade of which he was master. In
1842 they began business in Philadelphia County,
and remained until 1846 in that locality.
James Irving the year previous removed to Dela-
ware County and established woolen-mills at Irving-
ton, under the firm-name of J. & D. Irving, which
continued until the death of David Irving, in 1862,
when James Irving & Son succeeded to the business.
James and David Irving and Thomas I. Leiper also es-
tablished in Chester, Pa., a mill for the manufacture of
cotton yarns, under the firm-name of Irvings & Leiper,
now the Irving & Leiper Manufiicturiug Company.
James Irving, in May, 1839, was married to Chris-
tiann, daughter of John Berry, of Chester County, Pa.
Their children are Jeannie M. (wife of Hugh Lloyd,
of Darby, Pa.), E. Matilda (wife of William H. Star-
buck, of New York), William A., and D. Edwin.
Both the sons are interested with their father in busi-
ness. Mr. Irving was in politics formerly a Henry
Clay Whig, and actively participated in the political
issues of the day. He later became a conservative
Republican, and indorses the platform of the party
in general. He is a director of the First National
Bank of Chester, and has been for a long time one of
the active trustees of the University of Lewisburg,
Union County, Pa., one of the best educational in-
stitutions of the State. He is in his religious views
a Baptist, and member of the North Chester Baptist
Church of Chester, Pa.
Powhattan Mills.— In the fall of 1863, Hugh
Shaw and D. Reese Esrey entered into partnership
as Shaw & Esrey, and purchasing from Patrick Kelly
the machinery and personal property in the Pennell-
ton Mills, at Bridgewater, together with his interest in
the brand of goods known as Powhattan jeans, began
the manufacture of cotton and woolen jeans and all-
wool jeans at those mills, employing sixty hands and
producing four hundred thousand yards of goods an-
nually. In 1865 the firm bought a plot of ground on
Green Street, Chester, from Spence McUvain, design-
ing to erect a mill thereon ; but early in the spring of
1866, D. R. Esrey purchased from John Cochran six
acres of ground and the mansion on the Engle prop-
erty at Powhattan, near Chester, and the firm con-
cluded to buy other lands adjoining, consisting of
three acres. On this plot they immediately erected
the building now known as Powhattan Mill, No. 1,
removing from the Pennellton Mills the machinery
purchased from Kelly and adding a new set of woolen
machinery. In September, 1866, operations were
begun at the new location. To the machinery in
this mill a set of woolen machinery was added in
1867, and another set in 1872. Besides the mill
building the firm erected four tenement houses. At
first the basement of Mill No. 1 was rented to Joseph
G. Fell, who, in one part, was engaged in weaving
cotton cloths, and the remainder of the basement to
Joseph Monroe for the manufacture of warps. In
1871 the business of Shaw & Esrey had so increased
that, to keep pace with the demand for their goods,
another lot of ground was purchased and Mill No. 2
was erected. In this building, in the fall of the year,
four sets of woolen machinery were placed, in 1872 two
other sets were added, and again in 1874, making a
total in both mills of fourteen sets and two hundred
and twenty-eight roller and clipper-looms. The power
in each mill is furnished by an eighty horse-power
Corliss engine, receiving steam from six boilers, of
one hundred and fifty horse-power. Mill No. 1 is
one hundred and seventy-eight feet in length by fifty-
five feet in width, and three stories in height. To it
is attached a two-story dye-house thirty-two by fifty-
five feet, and a one-story dye-house twenty-five by fifty-
five feet. There is also attached to this mill a boiler-
house thirty-two by sixteen feet, and all necessary
446
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
buildings. Mill No. 2 is one hundred and fifteen feet
in length by fifty-eight feet in width, three stories in
height. To it are attached an engine-, boiler-, dry- and
dye-houses, forming a wing one hundred and fifty by
thirty-three feet, and directly at the other end of the
main building is a weave-shed, one hundred and six-
teen by forty feet, one story in height. There is
also detached a spreader and a mixing-room, seventy
by thirty feet, two stones in height, and other ne-
cessary buildings. Connected with these mills are
thirty-five comfortable dwelling-houses, two- and
three-storied buildings, erected by the firm for the
convenience of the operatives. The grounds con-
nected with the Powhattan Mills comprise twenty
acres. The goods manufactured in these mills are
known in the market as Powhattans, Covingtons,
Provident, and all-wool jeans.
In the spring of 1877, Shaw & Esrey decided to
erect a third mill, to be used exclusively for the
manufacture of a finer class of goods. This building
is one hundred and thirty-eight by fifty-five feet,
three stories in height, with engine-, boiler-, dry-,
dye-, and store-houses attached. In January, 1878,
the firm began operations in this mill with four large
sets of the best and latest-improved machinery, and
in 1880 added two more sets of the same kind of
machinery. In January, 1878, the firm of Shaw &
Esrey was changed under the act of Assembly to a
limited company. At that time the property owned
by the company consisted of three mills, out-building,
and machinery, fourteen dwelling-houses, and a tract
of land, in all, with a capital of three hundred thou-
sand dollars. The company consisted of Hugh Shaw,
D. Reese Esrey, John Shaw, H. C. Esrey, and Wil-
liam H. Shaw. In 1879 the stock of H. C. Esrey,
deceased, was tr.ansferred to C. S. Esrey, and he was
admitted to the company. In 1878 the firm having
occasion to use the basement of No. 1 mill, required
Joseph G. Fell and Joseph Monroe to vacate it, and
fulling and finishing machinery for finishing the wool
doeskins, cashmeretts, and cassimeres made at No. 3
mill was placed therein. An admirable system pre-
vails in these mills. Everything that can contribute
to the progress of the business or the welfare of the
employes is secured, without regard to the trouble or
expense it may occasion. Many of the dwelling-
houses are owned by the operatives, the firm having
always striven to aid their hands to that end. The
arrangements for extinguishing fires are unsurpassed,
water and steam being introduced into each room by
an automatic process, and an automatic alarm is also
attached to give warning should any fire occur in the
buildings. Each mill is provided with a steam pump
in constant readiness, and each and all pumps are
connected, so that should a fire occur in one mill,
where by any acciijent the pump could not be
worked, either of the other pumps could be used in
its stead. Detached from each mill is a large build-
ing for storage of wool, cotton, and other materials.
The Powhattan Mills at the present time contain
twenty sets of cards, seven thousand one hundred and
thirty-four spindles, and three hundred and thirty
looms. The yearly production is about two million
five hundred thousand yards, and three hundred
hands are employed in the mills.
Hugh Shaw is of English parentage, his paternal
grandfather having resided at Grotten Head, York-
shire, England, where he was a successful weaver.
His children were James, Alice, Betty, and Ann.
James was born in the year 1800, in Saddleworth,
Yorkshire, England, and learned the trade of a
spinner, which he followed for many years. He mar-
ried Betty, daughter of Daniel Andrew, of Shelders-
low, Saddleworth, Yorkshire, and had children, — •
Samuel (deceased), Hugh, William, John, Andrew
(deceased), James, and Elizabeth. His son, Hugh, was
born Dec. 2, 1823, in Lees, near Oldham, Lancashire,
England. Having entered the mills at an early age,
he enjoyed but limited advantages of education, ob-
taining instruction principally in night-schools, from
contact with others, close observation and research.
He continued as a spinner until 1843, when on emi-
grating to the United States he entered the mills of
W. T. Crook, at Crooksville, Delaware Co., Pa. Here
he subsequently became foreman, and continued so
until 1854, when he engaged in farming in Chester
township. He remained thus employed until 1863,
when forming a copartnership with D. R. Esrey, the
interest in the mills of Patrick Kelly, of Aston town-
ship, was purchased, and the'firm embarked in the
manufacture of Powhattan jeans. In 1866 a mill was
erected near Chester; in 1871 the increase of business
warranted the building of another mill, and in 1877
a third was erected, doeskins and cassimeres having
been meanwhile added to their productions.
The firm named was in 1878 changed to a limited
company, with Hugh Shaw, D. R. Esrey, John Shaw,
H. C. Esrey, and W. H. Shaw as members, the inter-
est of H. C. Esrey, deceased, being in 1879 trans-
ferred to C. S. Esrey. Mr. Shaw married as his first
wife Miss Anna Whittaker, of Lancashire, England.
There were born to this marriage several children, the
only survivor of whom is Elizabeth (Mrs. Samuel
Crowther). By a second marriage, in 1853, to Miss
Ann, daughter of Samuel Boaz, of Worcester, Eng-
land, are children, — William H., Mary B., and Han-
nah C. Mr. Shaw is in his political predilections a
Republican. He is identified with the Chester Na-
tional Bank as one of its directors, and is also a
stockholder in the Glenmore Worsted Mills of Phila-
delphia. In religion he is a worshiper with the con-
gregation of the Third Presbyterian Church of Chester.
He is an active member of the Masonic fraternity, in
which he has risen to the rank of a Knight Templar.
Joseph Esrey, the grandfather of David Reese
Esrey, who was of English descent, resided in Radnor
township, Delaware Co. He married Miss Hannah
Haley, of Chester County, and had children,— John,
J^.^^:^^ -d^Z^iiZ^^yi
^7^£^
^^
y.
NOKTH CHESTER BOROUGH.
447
William, Joseph, Jonathan, Richard, Margaret, Eliz-
abeth, Mary, Ann, and Sydney. Jonathan, of this
number, was born, in 1791, in Delaware County,
which was his life-long residence. His death occurred
in 1851, while serving a term as sherifl' of the county.
He married Miss Margaret Newlin, and had one
child, a son, Edmund. By a second marriage, to Miss
Jane, daughter of William and Sarah Hawkins, his
children were Sarah, Eliza Ann, George W., David
E., Lydia, Henry F., Mary E., William, Jonathan,
Jane, and Sydney. David Reese was born Dec. 4,
1825, in Ridley township, and at an early age removed
to Walliugford, Nether Providence, where his youth
was occupied in various industrious pursuits or in
attendance upon the limited advantages offered by
the country school. In 1844, at the age of eighteen,
he left the paternal roof to enter a store at Brook
Haven, Chester township. Continuing here for a
number of years, he in 1850 purchased the stock of
the owner, and remained disbursing goods to his
various country patrons until 1866. Discerning, after
an exceptionally successful career as a merchant, a
profitable field in the business of a manufacturer, he
in December, 1868, in connection with Hugh Shaw,
purchased of Patrick Kelly, of Aston township, his
interest in the Pennellton Mills, with the right to
manufacture Powhattan jeans. In 1866 they erected
a mill in the suburbs of the city of Chester, which
was occupied immediately on its completion. In
1871 another mill, known as Mill No. 2, was erected,
and in 1877, Mill No. 8, — meanwhile including doe-
skins and cassimeres among their products. The
firm-name was in 1878 changed, and John Shaw, H.
C. Esrey, and William H. Shaw admitted to a limited
partnership. At the death of H. C. Esrey, in 1879,
Charles S. Esrey was made a member of the firm.
Mr. Esrey was, on the 25th of April, 1850, married to
Margaret, daughter of Jonathan M. Marker, of Upper
Darby. Their children are Jonathan M. (deceased),
Henry C. (deceased), Charles S., William H., and
Mary Ella (who died in infancy). Mr. Esrey was
formerly in politics an Old-Line Whig, and later
became a Republican. Though decided in his polit-
ical views he has not aspired to public office, other
than those immediately connected with the township.
He is a director of the Delaware County National
Bank. Mr. Esrey is a member of Madison Street
Methodist Episcopal Church of Chester, and president
of its board of trustees.
The North Chester Brick-yard was established by
Samuel J. Rose in 1869, he having been engaged in
the same business at Upland Street near Tenth, in
the city of Chester. The present yard, under the
management of S. J. Rose & Son, comprises fifteen
acres of land on Providence Road and Twenty-first
Street. Brick of all description used in ordinary
building are here manufactured. Three kilns arc
required in the business, which gives employment to
forty men and boys. Twenty-two thousand is the
daily average of brick made in this j-ard.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
ADAM C. ECKFELDT.
Jacob Eckfeldt, the grandfather of Adam C, was a
soldier in the war of the Revolution, and manufac-
tured bayonets for the army. He emigrated with his
wife from Mecklenburg, Germany, and settled in
Philadelphia. Among his sons was Adam, born in
the latter city, who learned the trade of a blacksmith
and machinist, which craft he followed in the city of
his birth. He established a factory for the manufac-
ture of wrought-iron nails, and by the excellence of
his work obtained large contracts from the United
States government for the construction of machinery
for the United States Mint. He married Miss Mar-
garet Baush, of Philadelphia, whose children were
Sarah, Jacob R., Anna Mary M., Elias B., Susannah,
Adam C, and Margaretta. Adam C. was born Aug.
26, 1812, in Philadelphia, where his youth was de-
voted to study, supplemented by a course at an excel-
lent school at Doylestown, Pa. After a brief career
in the commission business in his native city, he re-
moved to Haverford township, Delaware Co., and in ■
connection with his brother devoted his energies to
the cultivation of a farm. In 1838, by the decease of
this brother, he came into possession of the farm,
which he continued to cultivate until 1865. Mr. Eck-
feldt made his calling a matter of scientific siudy,
and introduced all the modern appliances which serve
to modify the labor of the husbandman. He returned
again to Philadelphia for a brief period, and in 1868
purchased his present home in North Chester, where
he has since resided. Mr. Eckfeldt was married in
1839 to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Jacob Sulger, of
Philadelphia, whose children are Elias B., Anna S.,
and Margaretta. The first of these children enlisted
during the late war in Company D, One Hundred
and Twenty-fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volun-
teers, for a service of nine months, and fell at the bat-
tle of Antietam. Mr. Eckfeldt was a second time
married on the 21st of May, 1851, to Miss Martha
Ann, daughter of John Campbell. They have one
daughter, Sarah E., wife of Dr. Charles Perkins. In
his political predilections Mr. Eckfeldt is a Republi-
can, having formerly affiliated with the Old-Line
Whig party. He has refused various proffers of office,
but served for ten years with acceptance as justice of
the peace for Haverford township. He is an elder in
the Third Presbyterian Church of Chester, and active
in church and Christian work.
HISTORY" OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
CHAPTER XXXVIL
UPPER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
The records of Chester County are silent respecting
the time at which the original townships in that part
of the territory now Delaware County were erected,
nor is there any description of the lines dividing one
township from the other. In the early days of the
province the term Chichester generally was used to
indicate that section of the county now comprising
Upper and Lower Chichester. We know that pre-
vious to 1686 Chichester had been surveyed, that some
difficulty was had respecting the survey, and at the
October court of that year the justices " Ordered that
the township of Chichester extend its bounds as
formerly laid out by Charles Ashcom, until further
order." The peculiar western line which separates
the upper township from Bethel was run to conform
to the lines of the tracts surveyed to the early settlers,
and doubtless the authority which adjusted the bound-
ary of the several municipal districts at that time
permitted freedom of choice among the land-owners
as to the township in which their real estate .should
be located. Certain it is, a more irregular line than
the western boundarj' of Upper Chichester it would
be difficult to lay out.
Among the earliest settlers of the township was
Walter Martin, the founder of St. Martin's Church,
the tract of five hundred acres surveyed to him being
at this time parts of the farms of John B. McCay,
George Broomall, and Samuel Vernon. Adjoining
Martin's land to the east were two hundred and fifty
acres surveyed to Jeremiah Collett, June 16, 1682,
being lands sold in England by Penn to Joan May, in
September, 1681, which right to locate that number of
acres in the province May transferred to Collett. The
latter was an earnest churchman, and by will devised
a certain sum of money to be applied to the support
of the rector of St. Martin's Church, and providing I
for services according to the Episcopal ritual to be
held in that church on certain days in each year
thereafter. Andrew Osborn, David Boyd, John Ste-
venson, P. Birnbaum, and Thomas Beeson's farms
are located on the Collett tract. Above Walter Mar- I
tin's, or rather part of his plantation, on the road
from Concord to Chichester, was a plot of sixty acres, I
which, on Oct. 6, 1684, became the property of James
Brown. This James Brown came from Bedfordshire, i
England, and settled on the tract mentioned, located
on the east branch of Naaman's Creek, and gave the
name of " Middleton" to his new home, possibly
from the location of the land near the centre of the
township, although previous to that date he had re-
ceived a patent for one hundred and fifteen acres
known as " Podingtcn," lying north of Jeremiah Col-
lett's tract, and bounded on the east by Chichester
Creek. In December, 1685, he purchased one hun-
dred acres lying between the two divisions of the east
branch of Naaman's Creek from Thomas Garrett, to
whom the land was laid out in April of that year.
The plantation known as " Middleton" is now part of
the farm of John B. Okie. "Podington" is now the
property of Andrew Armstrong, while the one hun-
dred acres lying between the dividing streams of the
east branch of Naaman's Creek, above mentioned, is
now part of the farms of John B. McCay, Mrs. E. M.
Halsey, and John B. Okie. It is stated by George
Churchman, in his "Reminiscences of Nottingham,"
written in 1822,' that James Brown and William
Brown were brothers, that the former came to Penn-
sylvania in 1693, and the latter in 1696, a statement
which partakes of the two-brother theory so frequently
presented in family history, whereby, as a rule, the
second generation is confused with the first.
William Brown subsequently became the owner of
the Podington estate, but it was not until June 21,
1705, at which date no person named James Brown
owned land in Upper Chichester. It is probable that
William Brown and James Brown, who subsequent to
1696 purchased nine hundred acres in Nottingham,
were sons of James Brown, the immigrant. On the
east side of Chichester Creek, at the line dividing
Upper and Lower Chichester, and extending to
Chester township, was a tract of five hundred acres,
which was purchased by William Withers, and on
Jan. 22, 1682, was conveyed to Thomas Withers. On
this tract was included the real estate of Jeremiah L.
Brown, Daniel N. Larkin, Matthew Boyd, Robert
McClintock, E. and T. Worrilow, Susan Harvey,
John H. Williams, W. F. Patterson, John G.
Smeet, Mary and Susan Magin, Edward Johnson,
Donaldson, and part of T. Roberts and the Norris
estates. Above Withers' land was a plot of one hun-
dred acres surveyed to Thomas Clifton, June 24, 1684.
This estate passed to James Brown in 1685, and it
was on this purchase that he gave the ground on
which Chichester Friends' meeting-house was built.
The tract bought from Clifton extended from the
Chichester Creek to Chester township, and on it parts
of the farm of Jeremiah C. Brown, T. Roberts, and
the Norris estates are located. Above this last men-
tioned tract to the north, on Sept. 4, 1682, four hun-
dred acres were surveyed to Henry Hastings and
Richard Buffington, which includes the upper jjart
of the farm of Jeremiah Brown and T. Roberts, all of
that belonging to Joseph R. Johnson, that of Charles
Posotta, the most of James M. Craig's, as well as
those of W. Henry Dutton and Thomas Dutton.
Above this four-hundred-acre tract was a plot of
three hundred and fifty acres, which, on Nov. 16, 1683,
was surveyed to John Kingsman. This tract began
at a point where Baldwin's Run crosses the line be-
tween Chester and Upper Chichester townships, ex-
tending directly westward to the junction of Greer's
and Bezer's Runs, when the course of the latter
1 Published in Oxford (Clie
r County) Pi-ess, July IG, 1
UPPER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
44<J
was followed in a northeasterly direction to the point
where the Upper Chichester road crosses the last-
named run, and then a straight line to the upper
corner of Thomas V. Button's farm. The road from
Chichester to Aston traversing the township almost
due north, running through the tract of Jeremiah
Collett, William Withers, Thomas Clifton, Henry
Hastings, and Richard BufBngton, and John Kings-
man, was laid out 1688, while the Upper Chichester
road was laid out on Oct. 25, 1687. On this tract
part of Charles Button's farm is located, as are also
those of Thomas W. Henry and Bavid M. Balton.
Bavid Morrow's land is entirely within the boundary
of the Kingsman patent, as is that of Benjamin
Elliott, a part of Samuel Wells, and a very small
part of Thomas V. Button's plantation. Bue west
of Kingsman's land was the five hundred acres sur-
veyed to John Bezer, June 19, 1682. The run which
traversed the entire length of his estate received its
name from that fact. The greater part of the Wil- 1
liam Booth farm, all of Mrs. Reynolds, A. Jester
and E. Jester properties, and all of Salkeld Larkin's
land lying east of the road from Concord to Chiches-
ter, which was laid out Jan. 19, 1716/7, are included
within the original Bezer tract. The farms of T. B.
Jones and Simon H. White are entirely a part of the
one hundred and eighty-four acres patented to Walter
Martin, Jr., June 10, 1703, which was at the north-
west extremity of Upper Chichester. In the oddly-
shaped line dividing Bethel from the township under
consideration the farms of Thomas Marshall, Joseph
Newlin, George Hammond, H. Barnes, Joseph Pyle,
Mrs. Nathan Penuell, and parts of the farms of Sal-
keld Larkin and Mrs. E. M. Halsey, are located on
the tract of two hundred and fifty acres surveyed to
Francis Harrison April 3, 1683, known in early days
as " Jacob's Well," that name having been given to
it because of a noted spring of water on the lands.
West of the Concord road, including all the land be-
tween the road and the easternmost feeders of Naa-
man's Creek, extending from Larkin's school-house
lot through the lands of Salkeld Larkin, southward to
and embracing that of J. Todd as also the northern I
end of John B. Okie's farm, was included in the fifty j
acres surveyed to William Thomas, June 2, 1682. On
the west side of the east branch of Naaman's Creek j
the entire remaining territory in the township was
included in four tracts. At the northwest and along
the creek into Bethel, William Clowd had two hun-
dred acres surveyed to him Sept. 28, 1685, one hun-
dred of which was in Bethel and a like number in
Upper Chichester, which included the properties of
William S. Goodley, Thomas Painter, John C. Ogden,
and the upper part of the farm of John B.McCay.
The next tract to the south, containing two hundred
acres, extending from the middle branch of Naaman's
Creek, touching at its southern end the circular line, [
was patented Nov. 12, 1683, to Henry Reynolds, and I
included the farms of Charles W. Hance, the greater I
part of that of John B. Smith, as also much of that of
John B. McCay. Intruding itself between the west
line of Reynolds' tract of two hundred acres, already
mentioned, and the circular line was a triangular
piece of land, part of a tract of five hundred acres
surveyed April 23, 1684, to William Cloud,— the
Prince property. At the southwestern limit of the
territory was a tract of two hundred and fifty acres,
which was located Sept. 5/6, 1681, to George Ander-
son, and by him transferred. Bee. 15, 1683, to Henry
Reynolds. The circular boundary line of the State
of Belaware traverses this tract. That part of it which
became part of Upper Chichester is now the property
of George Broomall, J. S. Beeson, and parts of the
farms of John H. Smeet and John B. McCay.
f- The list of taxables for the year 1715 shows the fol-
lowing persons as the then residents of Upper Chi-
chester: Enoch Flower, William Chandler, Walter
Marten, Henry Reynolds, Francis Reynolds, Ruth
Chandler, George Leonard, Francis Routh, Matthew
Wood, John Bezer, John Kingsman, Humphrey Scar-
let, James Whitaker, Shadrick Scarlet, Thomas Lin-
vill, Thomas Withers, Jeremiah Collett, John Cham-
bers, Richard Weaver, Jeremiah Cloud ; Freeman,
Richard Mashell (Marshall).
We give the following list of the taxables in the
township in the year 1799 :
Joseph Arkew, Daniel Brown, Nathaniel Brown, John Booth, John
Burns (cordwainer), Peter Brown, James Craig, Mordecai Cloud, Pierce
Crosby, Jonathan Dutton, Jacob Denibarker, Charles Dinger (saddler),
Rachel Dutton, Caleb Eyre igrazier), Isaac Engle, William Ford, Ke-
becca Huston, Ann Huston, Matthias Kerlin, Joseph Larkin, Bezer
Lamplugb, Josiah Lamplugh, George Martin, Joseph Martin (black-
smith), John Oliver, Adam Peirce, Susanna Pennell, Isaac Pennell
(cordwainer), Phebe Keynolds, James Rowen, Jacob Richards, Thomas
Ryerson, Susanna Robeson, Sarah Moore, John Smith (blacksmith),
James Shelley, John Sholtz, John Talbot (miller), Caleb S. Sayera, Jo-
seph Talbot (saw-mill), Thomas Wilson, Joseph Walker, James Withey,
Jolin Dutton (tailor), James Henderson (weaver), Thomas Young
(weaver), Jeremiah Dutton (cordwainer), Elijah Farr (blacksmith),
Aaron Huston (hatter), Joseph Pennell (cordwainer), Edward Pennell
(cordwainer), Samuel Pearson (miller), George Wood (carpenter).
The division of Chester into Upper and Lower
Chichester was made early in 1700 by the people of
that section to facilitate public business. About the
middle of the last century an effort was made to have
the division which had been thus made officially recog-
nized, and to that end the following petition was pre-
sented to the court :
" To the Honourable Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sestiotis held
at Chester on the ilth of February, 1753.
'* The Petition of divers of the Inhabitants of the Township of Upper
Cliichester in the said County in behalf of themselves and otbera of the
said Township
" Humbly Sheweth
"That the limits of the Township of Upper Chichester aforesaid are
not fully determined by proper Anthority but remain uncertain.
" That your Petetioners labour under very great hardships and Incon-
veniencies for want of the true lines thereof being Settled, especially
the line dividing the township of Lower Chichester from the said town*
ship of Upper Chichester.
" Your Petitioners therefore Pray that your Honours wonld be Pleased
to appoint a Set of men to run-out. Survey, mark, and fix the Boundries
of y said township of upper Chichester, but more especially to run-out,
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
mark and fix the line dividing the townshs of upper & lower Chichester
.fores* or such other Way as you i
*' And your Petitioners as in dut;
" Kingsman Dutton.
" Joseph Askew.
" William Askew.
" Harry Reynolds.
'* Jacoh Dingee.
"Mary Clayton.
"Benj« Weldon.
" Joseph Wood.
I your Wisdoms shall see meet.
Bound Shall Pray
Francis Routh.
Benjft Reynolds.
W" Clayton.
Jesse Piatt.
John Dutton.
Francis Routh, Jun'.
Nicholas Newlin.
Daniel Brown."
The movement was, however, met by sturdy oppo-
sition from the leading citizens and land-owners of
Lower Chichester, which was presented to the court
at the same session as that at which the people of
Upper Chichester preferred their request. The fol-
lowing was the counter-statement made by the remon-
strants :
" To the Honourable Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the
Peace to be held at Chester on the 21th da,y of February, 1753.
" The Petition of Several of the Inhabitants of the Township of Lower
Chichester in the said County on behalf of themselves & the rest of the
Inhabitants of s"! Township Humbly Showeth.
" That Your Petitioners Apprehend that the Inhabitants of the Town-
ship of Upper Chichester Intend to Petition your honours for men to be
Appointed to Run out Survey Mark and Fix the Boundaries of the ."^aid
Townp of Upper Chichester, but more Especially the Line dividing the
Township of Upper Chichester from the Township of Lower Chichester
afsd. But as the said Townships are as they now Stand, Convenient
enough, they Apprehend there is no Need of any Separation, And as
Your Petitioners, have of late laboured under many hardships by Reason
of Mending the highways in the said Township of Lower Chichester,
they being very bad, and also by reason of having Several Poor to Pro-
vide for, for which reasons and for none Else Your Petitioners Conceives
the Inhabitants of the said Township of Upper Chichester Intends to
Petition Your honours.
" Your Petitioners, therefore Pray that your honours Would be Pleased
to Reject the said Petition of the Inhabitants of Upper Chichester And
Your Petitioners as in duty bound Shall Ever Pray Ac.
" Jno. Marshall. Benj« Moulder.
" George Chapman. Adam Clayton.
" Kich<i fflower. Rich* Mosely."
"Joseph Coborn.
The knotty question thus submitted to the justices
for adjudication the grave magistrates seemed loath to
determine, but in some way not apparent permitted
the matter to drag along for six years, during which
time the reasons for the official recognition became
apparent to the remonstrants. Hence at the August
court the following petition was presented, bearing
the signatures of almost every freeholder in Upper
and Lower Chichester, which was approved by court:
" To the Honourable Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of ye
Peace lo be held at Chester for the Countijof Chester, the 2Slh day of Au-
gust, Amio Dom. 1769.
" The Petition of the Inhabitants of the township of Upper Chichester
and of the Inhabitants of the township of Lower Chichester in the said
county.
" Honestly Sheweth
" That on or about the year of our Lord 1718 the then Inhabitants of
the township of Chichester did (among themselves) divide the saidtowu-
ship into two townships and did call the upper part thereof Upper Chi-
chester and the lower part thereof Lower Chichester, that tlirough some
Neglect or omission at that time the division was not (as your peti-
tioners can find) ever presented to or approved of by the Court, that
Notwithstanding the said Omission the township of Cliiche.^ter has ever
since been deemed and reputed two distinct & seperate townships in
all respects save that of maintaining the Poor, that it does appear by I
tile records of this Court that they are called two Townships, that some !
uneasiness and Contention have lately arisen & may hereafter arise
occasioned by the division aforesaid not being recorded among the
records of the Court to prevent which for the Future Your Petitioners
Inimbly pray tliat the township heretofore called Chichester may now
be divided and that the division line may Begin at the corner of the iand
of Francis Johnston & in the line of the land of Joseph Parker, Esq.,
and extending thence West by South along the Head of the Hook lotts
untill it intersects the line dividing the Counties of Chester and New
Castle and that the township of Upper Chichester may in all respects
hereafter be deemed, & taken to be a distinct & seperate township from
that of lower Chichester & Your Petitioners Shall Pray.
" W" Lamplugh. William Askew.
John Dutton . ffrancis Booth .
Moses Vernon. Fran" Routh, Jun'.
Dav* Weatherly. Hugh Linn.
Mordecai Clowd. William Eyre.
Thomas Dutton. William Huston.
Benjn Weldon. Samuel Hewes,
Saml Minshall. William Linsey,
Tho9 Vernon. John Brown.
Joseph Askew. Edward Inskep.
Nicliolas Newlin. Tho> Maris.
Jeremiah Collett. Sam' Kain.
Henry Reynolds. Jno. Marshall.
John Sliarpless. Zach. Pedrick.
Daniel Sharpless. Jno. Riley.
Isaac Weaver. Richard Clark.
Thomas Swayne. Tho« Phillips.
Jacob Deriger. Daniel Brown.
David Jackson. Moses Moore.
George White.
" The freeholders of Nether Providence In Concurrence with the above
Petitioners have subscribed their names.
" W» Lindsay. John McMuhill.
James Sharpless. Joseph Vernon.
"Allowed."
The following is the list of the justices of the peace
for Upper Chichester :
Samuel Price Aug. 30, 1791.
John Edwards Ian. 24, 1797.
Joseph Marshall Mav 20, 1800.
Matthias Kerlin July 4, 1808.
Thomas Pierce Feb. 5,1814.
James Bratton Feb. 3,1820. *
Joseph Fox Dec. i, 1823.
John Mattson Dec. 13, 1823.
Joseph Bowen Nov. 10, 1824.
Joseph Trimble April 21, 1827.
Robert Fiame Ian. 15, 1829.
Robert Hall Feb. 8,1831.
William Mendinhall Dec. 6,1836.
James Huston April 14, 1840.
James Huston April 15, 1845.
James Huston April 15, 1861.
.rohn B. Okie Aug. 20, 1881-.
William Hannum April 10, 1882.
Chichester Friends' Meeting. — The present
Friends' meeting-house is the second building erected
by that society on the lot of two acres lying east of
Chichester Creek, in the sharp angle of the road
leading from Chichester Cross-roads to the highway
from Aston to Marcus Hook. Chichester Meeting,
for record and business, was held for the first time on
the 17th of First month, 1684, although religious
services had been had in that section of the county
as early as 1682. The meeting originally comprised
Aston, Bethel, Birmingham, Concord, Thornbury,
and Westtown, and beyond the limits of these town-
ships, west and north, indefinitely. At this time the
religious meetings were held at private houses; and
after the organization of Monthly Meetings, Friends
would assemble at designated dwellings.
In the record of Chichester Meeting we find that a
UPPER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
451
subscription was taken among Friends at the Quar-
terly Meeting held in Fourth month, 1687, to " en-
able a poor man to build a house." This practical
charity was so noticeably the rule in the society that
William Moraley, in 1752, records:
" The Quakers have a Custom of raising Money at their several Meet-
ings, as I ohserv'd before, with which they <lo many Charitable OtBces
to the Poor and Indigent. I have myself experienced the Eflfects of
their Benevolence- If any Person, though a Stranger continues to do
well, by preserving a good Character, and they have a good Opinion of
them, they will enquire into bis Circumstances, and if it appears he is
Distressed in his Business for Want of Stock, or necessary Implements
to carry on his Trade, they will set him up out of this Money, without
demanding any Security either by Bond or Promissory Note; and if be
repays them, will relieve other Persons in the like Circumstanc.s. If
be never repays them, they will never give him any Trouble."
The want of a proper meeting-house for the society
soon made itself felt, and hence we learn that an
effort was being made to erect a building for that pur-
pose. The minutes state :
" At a monthly meeting held at Chichester the 11th
of Eleventh month, 1688, it was proposed and agreed
to build a meeting-house upon a parcel of land granted
by James Brown, as by deed may further appear, and
some time afterward it was agreed by Friends to fence
in a burial-ground upon the said land joining to the
meeting-house. The subscriptions thereunto are as
follows, viz. :
£ s. d.
"James Brown 3 2 0
John Kingsman 2 5 0
John Harding 3 6 0
Thomas Withers 0 16 6
Edward Bezer 2 8 6
Joseph Bushell 18 0
Jacob Chandler 2 10 0
Philip Roman 1 15 0
rrancis Harris™ 1 12 0
William Hughes 10 0
Susanna Beezer 2 0 6
Nathaniel Lamplugh 2 4 0
William Brown 0 16 0
John .Vyres 0 10
Francis Chadsey 1 10 0
KobertPyle 2 8 0
William Clayton, Sr 3 2 0
John Beales 0 10 0
William Clowd, Sr 14 0
Elizabeth Lockley 0 10 0
Edward Carter 0 6 0
WidowJohnson 0 2 0
Edward Walter 0 6 0
Nicholas Pyle 0 10 0
RogerSmith 0 .5 0
William Clayton, Jr 0 6 0
Total _ 36 4 0"
The deed from John Brown, dated fourth day of
Tenth month, 1688, in consideration of one shilling
and sixpence, conveyed the two acres heretofore men-
tioned to William Clayton, Sr., Philip Roman, Robert
Pyle, Jacob Chandler, Joseph Bushell, and John
Kingsman, in behalf of and for " the only use of the
people of God called Quakers. . . . Provided always
and at all times, that if any one or more of the above
said purchasers, or any one or more than shall be law-
fully chosen to succeed hereafter, shall fall from the
belief of the Truth as held forth by the people of God
called Quakers, as aforesaid, either in a profane and
scandalous life, or in doctrines, and continue therein,
it shall and may be lawful in such case, for the afore-
said people of the town and county aforesaid, by their
order and consent in their monthly meeting, always
and at all times to remove and put out any such one
or more of the said purchasers, or any other that
shall succeed. And always and at all times hereafter
to nominate and chose and put in one or more in his
or their room, as they shall see fit."
It is presumed that the meeting-house was erected
shortly after these proceedings were had, but the exact
date is not recorded. In the ground surrounding the
building many generations of Friends belonging to
Chichester Meeting have been buried, but the testi-
mony of the society in early times being opposed to
the erection of tombstones, the resting-place of many
of the first'settlers in that quiet graveyard cannot now
be designated with any degree of certainty. On Dec.
4, 1768, the old meeting-house was totally destroyed
by an accidental fire. The following year the present
meeting-house was erected, and tradition records that
the greater part of the fund raised for that purpose
was contributed by Richard Dutton, and Friends, in
recognition of his generous aid, caused a stone bear-
ing, in rude figures, the date " 1769" and the initials
" R. D.," the latter divided by a small star, to be built
into the gable of the house.
While Cornwallis' command lay at Aston, from the
13th to the night of the 15th of September, 1777,
British foraging-parties went out from Village Green
in all directions, and one of these marauding expedi-
tions halted at the meeting-house, and in mere wan-
tonness shot repeatedly at the closed doors, the marks
of the bullet-holes being readily seen in the front door
to this day. Nehemiah Broomall, for many years sex-
ton of the meeting-house, used to relate how the Brit-
ish army, on its way from the Brandywine to Philadel-
phia, encamped near the old meeting-house, and on
that occasion the soldiers were permitted to discharge
their muskets at the doors as a pastime. The British
army never moved in that direction ; the closest the
division under Cornwallis approached Chichester
meeting-house was about two and a half miles away,
as that commander marched down the Concord road
towards Chester. In the last half-century the attend-
ance on religious worship in the venerable meeting-
house has been growing less and less ; still, it is said
Jonathan Larkin often would lie the only person who
would attend regularly Fifth-day meeting, and the
hour allotted to worship would be passed by the one
person present in silent communion with his God.
Upper Chichester Meeting.— In the fall of 1829,
after the division in the society, those Friends be-
longing to Chichester Meeting who adhered to the
teachings of Elias Hicks retained ownership of the
old meeting-house, while those known as Orthodox,
in connection with Friends of Concord, determined
to erect a new place of worship in Upper Chichester,
near the residence of Salkeld Larkin. A lot was do-
nated for that purpose on the Marcus Hook and Con-
cord road, and Joseph Talbot, Thomas Griffith, Isaac
Morgan, George Martin, Nathan Larkin, Salkeld
452
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Larkin, Joseph Pennell, Isaac Hughes, and Hester
Hughes were organized in accordance with the rules
of the society to act as a preparative meeting. On the
lot given for the purpose a stone meeting-house, thirty-
two by forty feet, was erected in 1831. In the same
year a school was organized, and for two years John
Reeves taught the pupils in the meeting-house. In
1834 a stone school-house twenty-five by thirty feet
was built, and was under charge of the Monthly Meet-
ing. Joseph Bennett and his daughter, Louisa Ben-
nett, were teachers, as were also John Cardwell and
Thomas Speakman. After the public-school law was
adopted, and until the directors erected a school-
house, the building just mentioned was I'ented and
used for school purposes. During the lifetime of
Salkeld Larkin he was the head of the meeting, and
at his death. April, 1870, aged ninety years, Nathan
Pennell succeeded, to be followed in turn by Caleb
Eyre. In 1883, Upper Chichester Meeting was " laid
down," and Friends in that section united with Con-
cord Meeting.
Schools.— In 1793 the society of Friends estab-
lished a school in Upper Chichester, which was main-
tained and continued under the auspices of that re-
ligious organization until the public-school system
was accepted and introduced in the township, when
its further continuance was unnecessary. Besides the
school under the supervision of Friends, previous, to
1825, was a subscription school kept in a brick house
erected for that purpose on the site of the present
No. 1 public-school building, a short distance north
of Chichester Cross-road, McCaysville, and Chiches-
ter, for the cluster of buildings — wheelwright- and
blacksmith-shops, and a few dwelling-houses — at the
intersection of the Chichester and Concord road have
been known by all three of these names. On Dec.
31, 1819, a meeting of the citizens of Delaware County
was held in this school-house to form a society for the
suppression of vice and immorality. Thomas Ryer-
son was appointed chairman, and John Kerlin secre-
tary. George Martin, Jr., Dr. R. M. Huston, Thomas
Ryerson, Joseph Walker, Jr., Thomas Dutton, and
James Brattock were appointed to draft a constitution
and by-laws, which they were instructed to report at
a meeting to be called at a future time to be deter-
mined. As they seem never to have reported, and as
the names are all those of Upper and Lower Chiches-
ter residents, the other sections of Delaware County
appear to have taken no interest in the movement.
Hence the projectors of the society failed to efl'ect an
organization. After the adoption of the school law
of 1836 the building was placed in charge of the
school directors, and was continued to be used until
18G7, when the old structure was taken down, and
the present two-story brick building erected. The
lower story was builtjiy the school directors, at a cost
of two thousand five hundred dollars, and the second
story was erected and completed at a like cost by the
voluntary contributions of the citizens of the town-
ship, who were desirous of providing a room for Sun-
day-schools, and where public meetings could be held.
After the question of continuing the public schools in
the township had been decided in the affirmative by
a popular vote, in 1837, on January 4th of the follow-
ing year John Talbot was appointed teacher at the
brick school-house, near Chichester Cross-roads, but
he seemed totally unable to control the pupils, and
on February 15th the school was discontinued until
the directors could obtain the services of a more effi-
cient teacher. After a few weeks Joseph Henderson
was employed for the remainder of the term, and
the school was opened. The children attended, but
no complaint appears of record of the new pedagogue's
inability to command obedience from the scholars.
The Dutton school-house, at the intersection of the
Upper Chichester road with the highway leading from
Aston to Marcus Hook, was built many years before
the free public-school system was established in the
commonwealth, and because of the material employed
in the construction of its walls and the abundant use
of lime, was also known as the stone or white school-
house. The lot and house being located on lands
formerly of Richard Dutton, it is very probable that
this was the site of the early Friends' school, and that
Dutton, who did not die until 1795, had, two or three
years before that date, given the lot and contributed
to the erection of the building for educational pur-
poses. Let that be as it may, after public schools
were established in Upper Chichester the Dutton
building passed into the control of the directors, and
continued to be used for such purposes, an addition,
in 1838, having been made to the house. On May
22, 1837, Elizabeth Harvey began teaching at this
school, but on December 18th of the same year John
Lloyd was the master there. In 1870 the directors
purchased additional laud adjoining the school lot
from William H. Dutton, the ancient stone house was
removed, and the present school-building erected, at a
cost of nineteen hundred dollars, the contractors being
Mifliin Wright and Benjamin F. Green.
The two schools mentioned had become so crowded
that on Dec. 9, 1842, an additional school was opened
in a house of Salkeld Larkin, on the Chichester and
Concord road, of which Larkin Pennell was the first
teacher. This was known as No. 3 school, and con-
tinued to be kept in Larkin's house until 1859. On
the 26th of May of that year an acre of land was
purchased from Enos Thatcher, near Salkeld Larkin's,
and a stone house, twenty-four and a half by twenty-
nine feet, was erected. This was known as Larkin's
school-house. In 1874 the directors discontinued in-
struction in this building. The following year school
was resumed there, to be discontinued in June, 1876,
since which time it has not been used for educational
purposes.
After the passage of the act of 1834, under its pro-
visions the court appointed Joseph Henderson and
William Booth inspectors of the public schools for
UPPER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
453
Upper Chichester. The township, however, did not
adopt the law, but under that of 1836 organized public
schools. The following is a list of those persons who
have discharged the duties of school directors therein :
1S37, George Martin, Salkeld Larkin, Aliralmm Juhnson, Jeremiah C.
Browu, John B. McCay, William H. Grubb ; 1S;',8, George Marliii,
William Smith, Jonatlum Duttoii; 1S39, William Booth, Robert U.
Button, Andrew Banco, Robert B. Craig : 1840, Joseph Henderson,
Joseph Pennell; 1S42, Jonathan Dntton, Andrew Home; 1843, John
Stevenson, George Harvey; 1S44, John M. Broomall, Jonathan C.
Larkiu ; 1845, Jonathan Diitton, George Broomall ; 1846, Harry B.
Grnbb, Stephen Bladgin ; 1847, John B.McCay, Jonathan C. Larkin ;
1848, George Broomall, William Grubb; .1849, Robert McClintock,
Joseph Casey ; ISoO, Andrew Hance, Jonathan C. Larkin ; 1851,
Robert M. Brown, Larkin R. Broomall; 1852, Samuel Wells, Wil-
liam H.CJrubb; 1853, W-illiam Cloud, William H. Grubb; 1854, Wil-
liam H. Grul.b, Larkin B. Broomall; 18.5.5, Caleb E. Thomas, David
Boyd ; 1850, Harry B. Grubb, Jeremiah C. Browu ; 1857, William
H. Grubb, David Boyd; 1358, John E. Warne, Thomas Roberts;
1859, George Broomall, Jeremiah C.Brown ; 1860, George Bi-oomall,
David Doyd ; 1861, James Larkin, David N. Larkin ; 1862, Abram
Ward, Robert M. Brown ; 1863, Clark W. Hance, James Craig; 1864,
James Larkin, Tlioniiis B. Jones ; 1865, Davis 0. Barlow, Joseph R.
Johnson ; 1866, Clark H. Hance, Lloyd Norris ; 1867, James Lar-
kin, Nathan Pennell; 1868, David H. Dalton, Andrew Osborne;
1869, Melchior Ebrigbt, John Todd; 1870, Nathan Pennell, Alvanza
W. Jester; 1871, Thomas Harvey, C. W. Hance; 1872, Thomas
Harvey, William McCay; 1873, Joseph Newlin, John B. McCay;
1874, Samuel Vernon, Mis. D. H. Dutton ; 1875, Clark W. Hance,
Pennell Eyre; 1876, James McClintock, Joseph Newlin; 1877,
Charles W. Todd, William G. McCafferty ; 1878, David Dutton, John
B. McCay; 1879, Joseph Newlin, E. B. Jester; 1880, Andrew Os-
borne, William G. McCafferty; 1881, David H. Dntton, John B. Mc-
Cay ; 1882, E. B. Jester, Lewis Fraim; 1883, Lewis Fraim, Andrew
Osborne ; 1884, John B. McCay, Sr., William O'Donnell.
James Annesley, Earl of Anglesey. — Of all
notable cases which have been presented to judicial
tribunals for adjudication it is doubtful whether any
can be found in the records of civilized nations
which pre.sents more romantic incidents than those
set forth in the trial of fact between James Annesley
vs. the Earl of Anglesey, in the Irish Exchequer
Court, in 1743. The circumstances of this cause j
have not been overlooked by the novelist, and on {
them Smollett founded " Roderick Random," Sir i
Walter Scott " Guy Mannering," and, in more recent )
times, Charles Reade "The Wandering Heir." The '.
ca.»e is reported in Howell's "State Trials," Burk's :
" Celebrated Trials connected with the Aristocracy,"
and in other authoritative works. It has been alleged i
that the incidents in the case, so far a.s this territory
is concerned, are disproved, because the records of
Chester County are silent as to James Annesley's im-
prisonment in the jail at Chester or the trial of the
fugitives with whom he was captured. The objection,
however, is untenable. The crime was one punish-
able with death, and the county courts were prohib-
ited from trying such issues, hence no mention of the
case would appear on the records of our county, such
entry being made only on the docket of the Supreme
Provincial Court, and the minutes of that tribunal
have not been preserved (so far as known), excepting
in a book, covering about ten years prior to 1728, of
trials held in Chester County by the supreme judges. !
The volume is in the office of the prothonotary of ,
Delaware County, at Media. Annesley, for a period
of his term of service as a redemptioner, was a resi-
dent of Chichester, hence we present a brief account
of his extraordinary adventures as found in a recent
publication:'
" Arthur Annesley, Viscount Valencia, who founded the families both
of Angleaea and Altbam, was one of the stanchest adherents of Charles
II., and had a considerable hand in bringing about his restoration to
the throne. Immediately after that event bis eflbrta were rewarded by
an English peerage, his title being Baron Annesley, of Newport-Pagnel,
iu tlieCouoty of Buckingham, and Earl of Anglesea. Besides this honour
he obtained the more substantial gift of large tracts of laud in Ireland.
The first peer had five sons. James Annesley, the eldest son, having
married the daughter of the Earl of Rutland, and having been consti-
tuted heir of all his father's English real property and a great part of
his Irish estates, the old earl became desirous of establishing a second
noble family in the sister kingdom, and succeeded in procuring the ele-
vation of his second son, Altham, to the Irish peerage as Baron Altham
of Altham, with remainder, on faihire of male issue, to Richard, his
third son.
"Altham, Lord Altham, died without issue, and the title and estates
accordingly devolved upon Richard, who, dying in 1701, left two sons,
named respectively Arthur and Richard. The new peer, in 1706,
espoused Mary .•>hetfield, a natural daughter of the Duke of Bucking-
ham, against the wishes of his relatives. Helived with his wife in Eng-
land for two or three years, hut was at last obliged to flee to Ireland
from hie creditors, leaving Lady Altham behind him iu the care of his
mother and sisters. These ladies, who evidently hated her, set about
ruining her reputation, and soon induced her weak and dissipated hus-
band to sue for a divorce, but, as proof was not forthcoming, the case
was dismissed. Thereupon his lordship showed a disposition to become
reconciled to his wife, and she accordingly went over to Dublin in Octo-
ber, 1713, and through the good offices of a friend a reconciliation was
efifected,and the reunited couple, after a temporary residence iu Dublin,
went to live at Lord Altham's country-seat of Dunmain, in the ti'ounty
of Wexford. Here, in April or May, 1715, Lady Altham bore a son,
w'hich was given to a peasant woman, named Joan Landy, to nurse.
At first the young heir was suckled by this woman at the mansion, and
afterwards at the cabin of her father, less than a mile from Duimiain.
In order to make this residence a little more suitable for the child it
was considerably improved extei-nally and internally, and a coach-road
was constructed between it and Dunmain House, so that Lady Altham
might be able frequently to visit her son.
■' Soon after the birth of the child Lord Altham's dissipation and his
debts increased, and be proposed to the Duke of Buckingham that he
should settle a jointure on Lady Altham, and for this purpose the pair
visited Dublin. The effort was unsuccessful, as the estate was found to
be covered by prir.i sroiiritii - : in 1 Lord Altham, in a fury, ordered hie
wife back to Duiiiii I' ^! ' ■ iciiiied behind in the Irish capital.
On his return ln^ -1 : i -.iined to have revived, and not only
did he insult her m ii:- i I., i, i- i ;ua-hes, but contrived an abominable
plot to damage her reputation. Some time iu February, 1717, a loutish
fellow named Palliser, who was intimate at the house, was called up to
Lady Altham's apartment, on the pretence that she wished to speak
with him. Lord Altham and his servants immediately followed ; my
lord stormed and swore, and dragged the supposed seducer into the
dining-room, when he cut off part of one of his ears, and immediately
afterwards kicked him out of the house. A separation ensued, and ou
the same day Lady Altham went to live at New Ross.
*' Before leaving her own home she had begged hard to be allowed to
take her child with her, but was sternly refused, and at the same time
the servants were instructed not to carry him near her. The boy there-
standing his father's injunctions, was frequently taken to his mother by
some of tlie domestics, who pitied his forlorn condition. When he
came to an age to go to school, he was sent to several well-known
seminaries, and was attended by a servant both on his way to them and
from them; ' was clothed in scarlet, with a laced hat and feather,' and
was universally recognized as the legitinnite son and heir of Lord
Altham.
" Towards the end of 1722, Lord Altham— who had by this time picked
up a mistress named Miss Gregory — removed to Dublin, and sent for
1 Celebrated ClaimanU. London, 1873.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
his sou to join him. He seemed very fond of the boy, and the woman
Gregory for a time pretended to share in this affection, until elie con-
ceived the idea of supplanting him. She easily persuaded her weak-
minded lover to go through the form of marriage with her, under the
pretence that his wife was dead, took the title of Lady Altliam, and
fancied that some of her own possible brood might succeed to the title,
for the estates were by this time wellnigh gone. With this purpose in
her mind she used her influence against the boy, and at last got him
turned out of the house and sent to a poor school ; but it is, at least, so
far creditable to his father to say, that he did not quite forget him, that
he gave instructions that he should be well treated, and that he some-
times went to see him.
" Lord Altham's creditors, as has been stated, were very clamorous,
and bis brother Richard was practically a beggar : they were both sadly
iu want of money, and only one way remained to procure it. If the boy
were out of the way considerable sums might be raised by his lordship
by the sale of reversions, in conjunction with the remainder-man in
tail, who would in that case have been Lord Altham's needy brother
Richard. Consequently the real heir was removed to the house of one
Kavanagh, where he was kept for several months closely confined, and
in the mean time it was indiistrioully given out that he was dead. The
boy, however, found means to escape from his confinement, and, prowl-
ing up and down the streets, made the acquaintance of the idle boys of
Dublin. Any odd work which came in this way he readily performed,
and although he was a butt for the gamins and an object of pity to the
townspeople, few thought of denying his identity or disputing his legiti-
macy. Far from being unknown, he became a conspicuous character
in Dublin ; and although from his roaming proclivities it was impossi-
ble to do much to help him, the citizens in the neighborhood of the col-
lege were kindly disposed towards him, supplied him with food and a
little money, and vented their abuse in unmeasured terms against his
father.
"In 1727, Lord Altham died in such poverty that it is recorded that
he was buried at the public expense. After his death his brother
Richard seized all his papers.and usurped the title. The real heir then
seems to have been stirred out of his slavish life, and declaimed loudly
against this usurpation of his rights, but his complaints were unavail-
ing, and, although they provoked a certain clamor, did little to restore
him to his honors. However, they reached his uncle, who resolved to
put him out of the way. The first attempt to seize him proved a failure,
although personally superintended by the uncle himself; but young
Annesley was so frightened by it that he concealed himself from public
observation, and thus gave grounds for a rumor, which was industriously
circulated, that he was dead. Notwithstandiughiscaution, however, he
was seized in March, 1727, and conveyed on board a ship bound for New-
castle, in America, and on his arrival there was sold as a slave to a
planter named Drummond.
"The story of his American adventures was originally published in
the Genfteman''a Magaztue, and has since been rehearsed by modern
writers. It seems that Drummond, who was a tyrannical fellow, set his
new slitve to fell timber, and, finding his strength unequal to the work,
punished him severely. The unaccustomed toil and the brutality of his
master told upon his health, and he began to sink under his misfortunes,
when he found a comforter in an old female slave, who had herself been
kidnapped, and who, being a person of some education, not only endeav-
ored to console liim, bnt also to instruct bim. She sometimes wrote
short pieces of instructive history on bits of paper, and these she left
with him in the field. In order to read them he often neglected his
work, and, as a consequence, incurred Drummond's increased displeas-
ure and aggravated his own position. His old friend died after four
years, and after her death be resolved to run away. He was then sev-
enteen years of age and strong and nimble, and, having armed Iiimself
with a hedging-bill, he set out. For three days he wandered in the
woods until he came to a river, and espied a town on its banks. Al-
though faint from want of food, he was afraid to venture into it until
nightfall, and lay down under a tree to await the course of events. At
dusk he perceived two horsemen approaching, the one having a woman
behind him on a pillion, while the other bore a well-filled portmanteau.
Just as they reached his hiding-place, the former, who was evidently the
second man's master, said to the lady that the place where they were
was an e.xcellent one for taking some refreshment; and bread and meat
and wine having been produced from the saddle-bags, the three sat down
on the ground to enjoy their i"6pa8t. Annesley, who was famished, ap-
proached closer and closer, until ho was discovered by the servant, who,
exclaiming to his master that they were betrayed, rushed at the new-
comer with his drawn sword. Annesley, however, succeeded in con-
vincing them of his innocence, and they not only supplied bim with
food, but told him that they were going to Apoquenimink to embark
for Holland, and that, out of pity for his misfortunes, they would pro-
cure him a passage in the same vessel. His hopes were destined to be
very short-lived. The trio remounted, and Annesley had followed them
for a shortdistancepaiiifnlly on foot, when suddenly horsemen appeared
behind them in chase. There was no time for deliberation. The lady
jumped off and hid herself among the trees. The gentleman and his
servant drew their swords, and Annesley ranged himself beside them,
armed with bis hedge-bill, determined to help those who had generously
assisted him. The contest was unequal, the fugitives were soon sur-
rounded, and, with the lady, were bound and carried to Chester gaol.
"It appeared that the young lady was the daughter of a rich mer-
chant, and had been compelled to marry a man who was disagreeable to
her; and that, after robbing her husband, she had eloped with a previous
lover who held a social position inferior to her own. All the vindictive-
ness of the hnsband had been aroused; and when the trial took place,
the lady, her lover, and the servant were condemned to death for the
robbery. James Annesley contrived to prove that be was not connected
with the party, and escaped their fate ; but he was remanded to prison,
with orders that he should be exposed to public view every day in the
market-place; and that if it could be proved by any of the frequenters
that he had ever been seen in Chester before, he should be deemed ac-
cessory to the robbery and should suflfer death.
" He remained in suspense for five weeks, until Drummond chanced
to come to Chester on business, and recognizing the runaway, claimed
him as his property. The consequence was tiiat the two years which
remained of his period of servitude were doubled ; and when be arrived
at New Castle, Drummond's severity and violence greatly increased, A
complaint of his master's ill-usago was made to the justice, and that
worthy was at last obliged lo sell him to another; but Annesley gained
little by the change. For three years he continued with his new owner
in quiet toleration of his lot ; bnt having fallen into conversation with
some sailors bound for Europe, the old desire to see Ireland once more
came upon him, and he ventured a second escape. He was recaptured
before he gained the ship, and under the order of the court, the solitary
year of his bondage which remained was increased into five. Under
this new blow he sank into a settled state of melancholy, and seemed
so likely to die that his new master had pity upon bis condition, began
to treat him with less austerity, and lecommended him to the care of
his wife, who often took him iuto the house and recommended her daugh-
ter, Maria, to use him with all kindness. The damsel exceeded her
mother's instructions, and straightway fell in love with the good-look-
ing young slave, often showing her affection in a manner which could
not be mistaken. Nor was she the only one on whom his appearance
made an impression. A young Iroquois Indiau girl, who shared his
servitude, made no secret of her attachment to him, exhibiting her love
by assisting him in his work, while she assured him that if he would
marry her when his time of bondage was past she would work so hard
as to save him the expense of two slaves. In vain Annesley rejected
her advances and tried to explain to her the hopelessness of her desires.
She persistently dogged his footsteps, and was never happy but in his
sight. Her rival, Maria, no less eager to secure his affi'ctions, used to
stray to the remote fields in which she knew he worked, and on one
occasion encountered the Indian girl, who was also bent upon visiting
him. The hot-blooded Indian then lost her self-control, and having
violently assaulted her young mistress, sprang into the river 010:^6 by
and thus ended her love and life together.
" Maria, who had been seriously abused, was carried home and put to
bed, and her father naturally demanded some explanation of the ex-
traordinary quarrel which had cost him a slave and vory nearly a
daughter. The other slaves had no hesitation in recounting what they
had seen, or of saying what they thought, and the truth came out. An-
nesley's master was, however, resolved to be certain, and sent him into
her room, while he and his wife listened to what passed at tlie inter-
view. Their stratagem had the desired success. They heard their
daughter express the most violent passion, which was in no way returned
by their slave. As they could not but acknowledge his honorable feel-
ing and action, they resolved to take no notice of what passed, but for
their daughter's sake to give him his liberty. Next day his master ac-
companied him to Dover, but instead of releasing him, as he had prom-
ised his wife, sold him to a planter near Chichester for the remainder
of his term.
" After various ups and ilowns, he was transferred to a planter in New-
castle County, whose house was almost within sight of Drummond's
plantation. While in tliis employ he discovered that he was tracked by
the brothers of the Indian girl, who had sworn to avenge her untimely
fate, and nearly fell a victim to their rage, having been woundt;d by one
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
455
of them who lay in wait for him. By another accident while he was
resting under a hedge which divided his master's ground from a neigh- j
houring plantation he fell asleep, and did not awake until it was perfectly
dark. He was aroused by the sound of voices, and, on listening, found
that his mistress and Stephano, a slave on another farm, were plotting
to rob his master and to flee to Europe. Repressing his desire to reveal
the whole scheme to bis master, he took the first opportunity of inform-
ing his mistress that her infamy was discovered, and that if she perse-
vered in her design he would be compelled to reveal all that he had over-
heard. The woman at first pretended the utmost repentance, and not |
only earnestly promised that she would never repeat her conduct, but by j
many excessive acts of kindness led him to believe that her unlawful
passion had changed its object. Finding, however, that she could not j
prevail upon him either to wink at her misdeeds nor gratify her de-
sires, she endeavored to get rid of him by poison ; and an attempt having I
been made upon his life, Annesley resolved once more to risk an escape, |
although the time of his servitude had almost expired.
"On this occaision he was successful; and having made his way in a
trading ship to Jamaica, got on board the 'Falmouth,' one of his
miyesty's ships, and declared himself an Irish nobleman. His arrival,
of coui-se, created a great stir in the fleet, and the affair came to the
ears of .\dmiial Vernon, who, having satisfied himself that his preten-
sions were at least reasonable, ordered him to be well treated, wrote to
the Duke of Newcastle about him, and sent him home to England. He
arrived in October, 1741. His uncle Richard had in the mean time suc-
ceeded, through default of issue, to the honors of Anglesea, as well as
those of Altham, and became seriously alarmed at the presence of this
pretender on English soil. At first he asserted that the claimant,
although undoubtedly the son of his deceased brother, was the bastard
child of a kitchen wench. He next tried to effect a compromise with
him, and subsequently endeavored to procure his conviction on a
charge of murder. It is also said that assassins were hired to kill him.
But it is certainly true that Annesley having accidentally shot a man
near Staines, the Earl of Anglesea spared neither pains nor money to
have him convicted. He was tried at the Old Bailey, and being ac-
quitted by the jury, proceeded to Ireland to prosecute his claim to the
Altham estates. On bis arrival at Bunmain and New Ross, he was very
warmly received by many of the peasantry. His fii-st attempt to secure
redress was by an action at law. An action for ejectment was brought
in the Court of Exchequer in Ireland for a small estate in the county
of Meath, and a bill was at the same time filed in the Court of Chancery
of Great Britain for the recovery of the English estates.
" In Trinity term, 1743, when everything was ready for a trial at the
next ensuing assizes, a trial at bar was appointed on the application of
the agents of the Earl of Anglesea. The case began on the 11th of
November, 1743, at the bar of the Court of Exchequer in Dublin, being,
as is noted in Howell's ' State Trials,' the longest trial ever known, lasting
fifteen days, and the jury (most of them) gentlemen of the greatest
property in Ireland, and almost all members of parliament. A verdict
was found for the claimant, with 6d. damages and Cd. costs. A writ of
error was at once lodged on the other side, but on appeal the judgment
of the Court below was affirmed. Immediately after the trial and ver-
dict, the claimant petitioned his Majesty for his seat in the Houses of
Peers of both Kingdoms; but delay after delay took place, and he
finally became so impoverished that he could no longer prosecute his
"Ja
The Talbot Mill.— In 1767, John Talbot built a
stone grist-mill on the east branch of Naaman's
Creek, which for many years was noted in that sec-
tion of the county commanding a large and remuner-
ative trade. The mill, shortly after 1820, passed into
possession of Nathan Pennell. In 1826 it was owned
by his heirs and rented to Mordecai Larkin, and sub-
sequently to others. It was finally purchased by Wil-
liam McCay, and subsequently became the property
of his son, John B. McCay. In 1884 the ancient mill
was entirely consumed by fire.
Button's Saw-Mill.— On a branch of Green Creek,
and on the tract of land surveyed to John Kingsman
in 1682, a saw-mill was built shortly after the middle
of the last century by Kingsman Button, the grand-
son of the settler, Kingsman's daughter Elizabeth
having married John Button. The date stone on the
east gable of the two-story brick house standing near
the east branch of Aston township, erected by Kings-
man Button, bears that date, and it is supposed that
he built the saw-mill about that time. He died
leaving his estate much involved, and the premises
were sold by the sherifl" in 1768. Joseph Talbot be-
came the owner of the mill and plantation, and the
estate descended to his grandson, Benjamin Elliott,
who removed the old saw-mill building in 1860 ; it
having been long discarded, became dilapidated and
an unsightly ruin.
Evening Star Lodge.— The only secret society in
Upper Chicliester, Evening Star Lodge, No. 13, of
the Baughters and Sons of St. Luke, was chartered in
June, 1879. The members of this lodge, an organiza-
tion of colored men and women, reside mostly in
Lower Chichester, although the meetings are held at
Upper Chichester Cross-roads. The society was in-
stituted with thirty charter members, but the number
has largely increased since that time.
The quiet stillness which pervades the township
of Upper Chichester, wherein license to keep public-
house has not been granted for almost a century, was
rudely shaken on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1860, when the
body of a female was found in the middle branch of
Naaman's Creek, on the farm of George Broomall,
which is located in the southwestern end of the town-
ship on the circular line. The utmost excitement
prevailed. The dead girl was a stranger, and al-
though the circumstances strongly suggested that she
had committed suicide, inasmuch as her hat and veil
were found on the bank near by, and her under-skirt
had been removed and wrapped around her head in a
way that indicated that she had placed it in that posi-
tion, yet there was much anxiety to learn the cause
prompting the act. It was subsequently ascertained
that the deceased was Ellen Haggerty, and that her
mind had become diseased, the result of religious ex-
citement. The body had lain in the water four days
before it was discovered.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
A FEW years before the Butch wrested the authority
from the Swedes on the Belaware, Queen Christiana,
of Sweden, was graciously pleased to grant a large
tract of land in the colony to Capt. John Ammund-
son Besk, his wife, and heirs, in consideration of ser-
vices he had rendered the State and was expected to
render to the government in the affairs of New
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Sweden. The following translation of this royal gift
is reputed to be the most accurate extant:'
" We Christiana, by the Grace of God, Queen of Sweden, Gothen and
Wenden, Grand Princess of Finhind, Duclieas of Eastland, &c.:
"Be it known that of our' favor, and hecause of the true and trusty
service wliich is done unto us and the Crown, hy our true and trusty
BerTant, Captain Hans Animundson Besk, for whicli service he hath
done, and further is obliged to do so long as he yet shall live ; so have
we granted and given unto him freely as the virtue of this open letter
is and doth show and specify, that is, we have given and freely granted
to him, bis wife and heirs, that is heirs after heirs, One Certain piece
and tract of land, being and lying in New Sweden, Marcus Hook by
name, which does reach up to and Upwards of Upland Creek, and that
with all the privileges, appurtenances and conveniences thereunto be-
longing, both wet and dry, whatsoever name or names excepted of them,
that is which belonged to this aforesaid tract of land, of age, and also
by law and judgment may be claimed unto it and he and his heirs to
have and to hold it unmolested forever for their lawful possession and
inheritance. So that all which will unlawfully lay claim thereunto,
they may regulate themselves hereafter. Now for the true confirma-
tion hereof have we this with our own hand underwritten, and also
manifested with our seal, in Stockholm, the 20th of August, in the year
of our Lord, 1663.
" Neils Tunoell, Secretary.
"Christiana fL. S.]."
Only that portion of Lower Chichester lying east
of Marcus Hook Creek was included in this patent,
as has been very conclusively shown by the late
Edward Armstrong, and it is unnecessary for me to
further allude to his argument.' The land west of that
creek, comprising all the remaining territory now
known as Lower Chichester, was patented by Gover-
nor Andros, March 28, 1679,^ to Charles Jansen, Olle
Eawson, Olle Nielson, Hans Hopman, John Hen-
drickson, and Hans Olleson, containing one thousand
acres. Dr. Smith says, in the survey, it is mentioned
that this land " was formerly granted unto the said
persons in the time of the Dutch Government." * The
quit-rent reserved in the patent by the Duke of York
was ten bushels of winter wheat. At Upland Court,
March 13, 1678/9, Rodger Pedrick appeared and ac-
knowledged that he had sold to William Hughes, in
fee, half of his land at Marcus Hook, which land he,
Pedrick, had purchased of John Hendrickson ; and
at the same court, Hans Ollsen (Olleson) acknowl-
edged a deed to William Clayton for all his land,
" right & interest of & to his houses and appurtances
Lying and being att Marretties hooke."^
The ancient name of Marcus Hook was sought to
be changed by the residents of that locality early under
Penn's administration, for at the court at Upland,
June 13, 1682, the old records show that " the grant
formerly made from Governor Markham to the in-
1 Martin's " Hi-story of Chester," p. Y.
2 Kecord of Upland Court, p. 135. See note 2.
8 Benjamin H. Smith's historical introduction to atlas of early grants
and patents of Delaware County, page xii. "This tract was called
'common,' and comprised all the land between Naaman's Creek and
Chichester Creek, extending from the river to the present line dividing
Upper and Lower Chichester. There appears to have been a partition of
the tract among the owners, but owing to the vagueness of the descrip-
tions as recorded, it is now a matter of great difficulty to locate the orig-
inal property. Many deeds from the patentees remain on record."
4 History of Delaware County, p. 621.
6 Record of Upland Court, p. 135.
habitants of Marcus Hook, at their request for the
the calling of said Chichester, which said Grant bears
date the Twentieth day of April, Anno 1682, and was
read and published in the Court held at Upland June
the Sixteenth, Anno 1682, according to order as a
record thereof"
Although in legal documents for many years there-
after the settlement at Chichester is thus designated,
the popular name was so fixed in the public mind
that it would not accept the more modern title, and
to this day, despite legislation and executive power,
the village still retains its time-honored nomencla-
ture.
In September, 1682, as before mentioned, Marcus
Hook was visited by Lord Baltimore when the latter
was on his way to New Castle, after his unsatisfactory
interview with Markham at Upland, and by his asser-
tion of title to that place and all the territory north
of the degree of forty, occasioned the utmost conster-
nation among the settlers there. The first appearance
in our records of Chichester township was at the
court held 27th of Fourth month (June), 1683, when
Willard Hughes was appointed constable for " Chi-
chester liberty." What territory was included in that
term liberty is now purely conjectural, but Dr. Smith
is doubtless correct in declaring that it was probably
the township of Chichester, as it had been laid out by
Charles Ashcome. That there was some dispute re-
specting the bounds of that municipal district is evi-
dent from the decree of court made the 6th day of
Eighth month, 1685, whereby it was "Ordered that
the township of Chichester extends its bounds as
formerly laid out by Charles Ashcome until further
ordered."
After the coming of Penn, in 1682, Marcus Hook
grew apace, and for a time it was a formidable rival to
Chester. In 1708 the two places were of almost equal
size, for a writer at that time, describing them, states
that both of these settlements " consist of almost 100
houses." ^
In the early judicial records of Chester County,
Chichester, being an important locality, furnished
perhaps more than its due proportion of business for
the courts of those days, which, no doubt, was largely
owing to the fact that during the Swedish administra-
tion the Fins, who were mostly of the convict class
of the mother-country, had collected to the east of
that hamlet. The cases were generally of that char-
acter of misdemeanors prevalent among the lower
order of society,- — particularly where ignorance is the
rule. I do not propose to draw largely from the
records or to present extended extracts from the pro-
ceedings in those cases, but I cannot refrain from call-
ing attention to two trials, the particulars of which,
even in the lapse of two centuries, will be of interest
to the modern reader. The first case was tried at
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
•457
Chester on the 7th day of Second month, 1685, and '
at that time aroused intense public feeling, due,
largely, to the prominent social position of the parties
litigant, as also the serious matter involved. As the
case terminated, it would have been better for the
plaintiff if he had never instituted the action. Henry
Renolds, of Marcus Hook, who became a resident
there early in 1680, was a publican, keeping a tavern
in the village (at which he sold liquor with license
when he could get the court's approval, but whether
he obtained that permission or not he persisted in
vending ardent spirits), seems to have been a man of
quick temper, which would often cause him to do that
which was of the utmost disadvantage to him. At
the court held at the date stated, Renolds sued Justa
Anderson for scandalous and defamatory words, in
that he had reported that Renolds had beaten his
servant-girl and the next day she died. The plaintiff
showed by James Sandelands, James Brown, William
Hawkes that Justa Anderson had asserted that he saw
Henry Renolds " beat and kicke his maide and that
he saw her alive no more." The defendant was able
to show by Thomas Pearson that when he was at
Renolds' house he saw the latter lift " up the tongs"
and threaten to strike his maid-servant " for not eat-
ing such things as was provided for her," while
Wooly Rosen, who lived just below Naaman's Creek,
in New Castle County, testified that while he was at
Renold's the girl asked him for some milk, which
angered her master,— she was an indentured servant,
— and he struck her " one Blow with a broome StafTe,
asking her whether tliere was not vituals enough in
the house?" William Cornell declared that he saw
Renolds " Beate his maide with a Broome staffe and
afterwards kicked her as she was by ye fire." While
Robert Moulder related a marvelous story that the
night the girl died " he see the maide sleeping by
ye fireside, and sometimes afterward shee went to
bed, after which a 'revelation' came to him that the
maide would dye that night." Prudence Clayton,
Renolds' mother-in-law, who, after the girl died, had
been sent for " to lay her out, did not remember that
shee did see any manner of hurt about her." The
jury found, how'ever, for the defendant, and the case
had aroused such public attention that James Ken-
ueily, the first coroner of whom we have record in
Chester County, intervened in the matter. This we
learn from the order of the court, held 1st 8d day of
Seventh month, 168.5, that "Execution be granted
against Henry Renolds for ye Crowner's fees, charges
of Inquest & taking up ye said Renolds' maide, with
all other charges whatsoever thereunto belonging."
The sheriff in this execution levied on an ox, and
Renolds at the next court had to pay £-i lO.s., when
" the court ordered him his Oxe againc."
The other case was heard at a court held at Chester
on the 1st day of 3d week. Fourth month, 1690, when
John Martin, a weaver, was tried for having stolen
from the house of Thomas Brown fourteen dressed
deer-skins, of the value of thirty shillings. Thomas
Brown, the plaintiff, testified that the accused had
acknowledged the theft, but the interesting feature of
the case was presented in the manner in which the
crime was traced to the prisoner. It appeared from
the evidence of Francis Chads, who, before his re-
moval to Birmingham, was a shoemaker in Chichester,
that he had mended the shoes worn by Martin, and
that he had done so " with 2 nails & 2 plates towards
ye towes of his shoes." William Clayton stated that
he and Thomas Brown, Jr., while the prisoner and
Thomas Brown, Sr., were talking, had gone to the
house of Thomas Brown, Sr., where Martin lived,
"and there we saw the print of a shoe, and we fol-
lowed it, and we perceived it to be print with nails &
a pleat with natls, & we followed it to the swamp &
there in a hollow tree we found the skins, and after-
wards we took the measure & went to James Brownes
& compared the measure with the prisoners. It
seemed to be the very same." George Foreman, a
justice, testified that on the morning of the theft
Brown told him of his loss, that his house had been
broken open, and asked for a search-warrant, which
he issued. He also states, after the search had been
made, that he told Brown to " go to his house & see
if there were no tracks of anybody. He went & re-
turned shortly after, saying there was a print of a
foot. Then I went to his house myself & saw the
window open, & upon the ground the print of a shoe
with nails & clamps of iron. We followed the tracts
down to the side of the fence, & then along the swamp
until we came upou Wm. Clayton's new cleared field,
and there in a swamp, in a hollow tree, we found
fourteen drest skins. Then we went to James Brown's
house & took along with us the measure of the print
of the shoe & measured John Martin's, and it seemed
to us to be the very same. Martin seemed to be
startled at my taking his shoes off." The jury con-
victed the prisoner, and he was sentenced to be sold
for eight years to another province, to make good all
damages to the party aggrieved, and his master's
charges, — he was an indentured servant, — amounting
in all to £17 7s. 9Jrf., and to " receive 39 lashes well
Laid on his Bare Back at ye Cart's Tayl."
If tradition be accepted as authority, at the conclu-
sion of the seventeenth and the first and second de-
cades of the eighteenth century the pirates which
then infested the Atlantic coast from New England
to Georgia would frequently stop at Marcus Hook,
I where they would revel, and when deep in their cups
! would indulge in noisy disputation and broils, until
I one of the streets in that ancient borough from that
j fact was known as Discord Lane, which name the
same thoroughfare has retained for nearly two cen-
turies. Blackbeard, who for many years kept the
coast in alarm, with his crew it is said often visited
Marcus Hook, where at the house of a Swedish
1 woman there, to whom he gave the title of Marcus,
! although her name was really JIargaret, he was ac-
458
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
customed to indulge in the wildest disorder and
drunken debauches.^
At the meeting of the Provincial Council in Phila-
delphia, Aug. 11, 1716, Governor William Keith called
the attention of Council to ''the great losses which
this colony has already sustained beyond any of its
neighbors by our Trade's being blocked up and
infested with pirates at the Capes of this river and
bay/' and further informed them '* that one Trench,
a noted pirate, who has done the greatest mischief of
any to this place has been lurking for some days in
and about this town."^ We know that on Friday,
Sept, 1, 1698, a pirate ship and tender landed fifty
armed men and plundered Lewistown.* In May,
1701, a French pirate appeared above Bombay Hook,*
and for many years thereafter the colonial records
show the constant alarms the province was subjected
to by fears of piratical demonstration on the settle-
ments on the river.
1 Trench, or Drummond, let his family Dame be what it may, was as
grotesquely conspicuous a villain aa can be found in the annals of
crime. Blackbeartl, for that was his piratical name, in pi-rson tall, of
swarthy complexion, and with an exuberant black beard of extraordi-
nary length covering his whole face, from which hia sobriquet was de-
rived, and which he used to twist into numberless small tails, the ends
tied with bows of brightly-colored ribbons, was a picture sufficiently
repulsive, one would think, without calling in, as additional decoration
when in battle, three braces of huge pistols dangling across his shoul-
ders, and lighted matches protruding from beneath bis hat to illuminate
his dusky face and savage eyes with a supernatural glare. His was, in-
deed, when prepared for action, a figure to be gazed upon with fear and
apprehension. Socially he was a sensual polygamist, whose harem of
fourteen wives was the scene of brutalities such as even his hardened
crew coulU not witness unmoved with pity, and yet which no one dared
to reprove. To render his power over his lawless men absolute, he an-
nounced that he had entered into a compact with hell, and once, when
at sea, a mysterious personage appeared on the ship, sometimes aloft,
sometimes on deck, sometimes below, who spoke to no one but Black-
beard, and who disappeared as secretly as be had come among them.
The crew firmly believed that this was the veritable devil himself, aud
that this was but one of many dark communications their chieftain
held with the powers of evil. At another time when afloat, it is re-
corded he said, maddened with drink, '* Come, let us make a hell of our
own, and try how long we can bear it," Going below with some of his
crew, he caused the hatches to be closed, and had several large tubs
filled with sulphur and other combustible articles, to which he set fire ;
then while the thick choking vapors rolled in dense columns through-
out the ship, he danced and filled the sickening air with his profanity,
until those above released the half-suffocated and fainting men from
their perilous situation, which, apparently, gave the piiatical chieftain
no respiratory uneasiness. His convivial pleasantries were also of a
similar hideous character; for once when drunk, seated at the head of
his cabin table, he blew out the candles, cocked his pistols, and crossing
his hands fired on each side at his associates, one of whom was wounded
so desperately that he never recovered. This incident Blackbeard often
himself related in gleeful moments, stating in conclusion, "If I did
not now and then kill one of my men, they would forget who I am."
In the fall of the year 1718 the Governor of Virginia sent Lieut. May-
nard with two vessels to cruise for Trench, and on the 21st of November
he encountered the pirate, who, fortunately, then had but a small crew
on board his ship. A bloody fight resulted,— Maynard and Blackbeard
contested band to hand,— and it is related that the corsair received over
twenty wounds with swords, aud almost as many bullets struck him,
before he was slain. Maynard cut off the dreaded pirate's head and af-
fixed it to the bowsprit of 'his vessel, and thus he entered Hampton
Roads with the ghastly, grinning token of his success exposed to public
2 Colonial Records, vol. iii. p. 54.
< lb., vol. ii. p. 21.
' lb., vol. i. p. i
In 1698, when Gabriel Thomas wrote his quaint
"History of Pennsylvania," he specified, among the
four great market towns, Chester as enjoying that priv-
ilege, and " likewise all those towns have fairs kept
in them." It seems that Marcus Hook, shortly after
this statement was made, desired to invest itself with
the dignity of a market and fair, for at the Council
at Philadelphia, May 16, 1699, at which Governor
Markham presided, the minutes show :^
"Upon reading the petition of some of the Inhab-
itants of Chichester, in the Countie of Chester, Re-
questing a weeklie markett & two fairs in the year;
After a full debate yrupon, the Leivt Gov & Council
granted ym a weeklie market on friday's to be keept
in broad street as is desired."
On Feb. 14, 1700, Penn having returned, and per-
sonally presiding over the deliberations of Council,
on the minutes of that body under the date given is
the further reference to Marcus Hook as a market
town : ^
" The petition of the ffreeholders in and about the Town of Chichester
was read, setting forth thatLieut.Gov. Markham & Council, bad granted
to the said Town of Chichester, the Privilege of a fair and Market, and
therefore humbly requests that what was then imperfectly done, the
Gov. would be pleased fully to Compleat and perfect."
" Resolved, That they shall have a Charter for a ffair & Market, with
this proviso; That because some Complaints have been made agst lairs
in General, their fairs should, notwithstanding anything Contaiu'd in
the said Charter, he put down whenever it should be thought fitt that
the other fairs of the Government should be also suppressed."
It was not, however, until seven months after Penn
bad consented to grant a charter to Marcus Hook
that he actually gave the ambitious borough the
charter, with all the rights and privileges, defined in
an official document. The following is a copy of that
charter, and it is very interesting, inasmuch as it
locates the habitations of the prominent men of that
day residents there, and presents other historical data:
"William Penn, True & Abzoiute Prop' & Governor in Chiefe of the
Province of Pensilvania & Terri'es thereunto belonging:
"To all to whom these p'sents shall come Sendeth Greeting:
"Whereas, the ffreeholders & Inhabitants of the lower parts of the
County of Chester, on the river Delaware in the s^ Province, through a
laudable desire & inclination of improving the s^ parts, by selling more
close together, <fe enlarging of commerce, have humbly besought mee
that I would erect into a market town a certain comodious place, well
situated for that purpose, aforetime commonly called Marcus Hook,
with the privilidges of a Fair & Weekly Market to he held therein.
"Know Ye, therefore, That I, favoring the just & reasonable re-
quest of the sd ftreeholders & Inhabitants, by virtue of the powers by
the King's Letters Patent to me & my heirs given & granted, have
erected, & do, for me, my heirs & successors, by the tenour of these
p'aents, erectinto a MarketTown the s* place, aforetimes called Marcus
Hook, or such part thereof as is hereinbefore described, under the
bounds A limits hereinafter mentioned. That is to say, all that tract
or space of ground lying & being situate on the river Delaware: Bk-
QiNNiNO at the upper point of the land of Jonas Sandilands upon the
river & extending along the s^ river to the lower point of the land of
Nathaniel Lamplugh, about two hundred & fifty perches, be it more or
less; and from the river Dellaware extending backwards about one
thousand feet, by lines at right angles with the river, from the a^ two
points to the sixty foot road leading to Chester; which town, as above
bounded, I will shall be called Chichester, as of late It has usually
been called, and I doe hereby grant unto the inhabitants of the s*^ town
free ingress and egress, by land & water, to & from the s^ town, through
Bib., vol. i. p. 558.
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
I lay out nil such streets,
meet & couvenieut to lay out for the accouiudatioa thereof; & more
especially, that lliere shall be one street called tfront street, leadiug
from the upper to the lower part of the s^ town; The whole length of
the 8*1 town ; bounded to the north north-west, with a line paralell to
the river, at the distance therefrom that Vt'°^ Clayton's dwelling house
now stands, aud in breadth fifty foot : Also, one other street called Broad
street beginning at the s^ ffront street, on the east north-east of the s'^
House of Wm Clayton, running in a direct line north north-west, one
thousand ffeet or thereabouts, to the s^ sixty foot road leading to Ches-
ter, & in breadth the same distance that now is between the s-* W"" Clay-
ton's House & the house now of Roger Jackson, for the length of two
hundred and fourteen feet ; & at the extent of the s^ two hundred and
fourteen feet there shall be a Publick Market Place, in breadth one
hundred and forty feet, & in length aloug the Broad street two hundred
and thirty feet; & from the s* market place to the sixty foot road
afores<*, the %^ Broad Street shall be in breadth one hundred feet: Also,
one other street called New street, in breadth twenty five foot, begin-
ning at the Bd ffront street at the distance of ffour hundred & twenty
foot to the east north-east of Broad Street & running in a direct line
north north-west, to the s-^ sixty foot road : Also one lane, called Market
Lane, in breadth thirty foot, beginning at the s-* New street ffour hun-
dred & fourteen feet from the ffront street & running parralell to the s**
ffront street, three hundred eighty-three feet into the Marketplace:
Also, one other lane called Discord Lane, in breadth thirty foot, begin-
ning at the south corner of the Market Place 4 ninning west south-
west, paralell to the s'l Front Street, to the outhermost bounds of the
town; which s* street, Slarket Place, & Lanes, I do hereby grant & con-
firm for the si publick uses forever, together with all other such streets,
squares, alleys t>r passages as now are or hereafter shall be laid out as
afores'l, reserving always to all persons whatsoever all the rights 4 in-
heritances which they now have or hereafter may have or lawfully
claim in or to any lands or lotts within the bounds or limits afores'l, the
publick streets, ways, lanes, alloys & Market Place only excepted. And
I doe further, for me, my heirs & successors, grant *to the s^ inhabitants
and ft'reeholdei-s, to have, hold & keep a free market in the s* Market
Place, on the sixth day of every week, forever, with ffree leave and
liberty, to & for the s'l inhabitants & all others who shall resort thither
to buy & sell on the s'i sixth day of every week at the said place, all
manner of provisions & other necessaries for life, with the right, privi-
lidges X- immunities whatsoever that to a free market, according to the
comon customs & vsages of England do belong: For the better regula-
tion of which Market, I do hereby constitute & appoint Walter Marten
Clark thereof, to he succeeded, in case of death, removal from the s'i
place or other incapacity by such person & persons in the s'l oflice for-
ever, as two justices of the Peace for the County of Chester, dwelling
in or nearest to the s'' town, together with six of the chiefe inhabitants
thereof, to be chosen in the Market Place by the ff'reeholders of the town
& township of Chichester, shall appoint, with full power to the s'i Walter
Marten & his succes.s', to he appointed as afores^, to discharge all the
parts & duties of the s* office of Clark of the market as flfully & amply,
to all intents & purposes, as any other Clark of the Market within this
Government may or can: And, for the greater iucouragement of trade
to the 8'' town, by the resort of persons from remoter parts, I doe further
grant tu the s'i inhabitants, tfreeholders & other's, ftuU power & liberty
to FlAVE, Hold i Keep a PtiBLicrc Fair, to he held on the nine & twen-
tietli day of September, & on y two days ffoHowing, in every year, for
all lawful wares & merchandizes in the s'i Market Place, and for horses
4 cattle in the upper part of Broad street, adjoyning the s'' Market
Place : Provided, That there shall be no unlawful sports, plays, gaming,
revelUirg, drunkeniress, or debauchery, nor any other disorder, nor loose
& idle practises, tolerated in the s'i ffair, in any part or place thereof,
or in the s'i town, by reason of the S'i fair, at any time whatsoever ;
nor any ale, wine, rume or other strong liquor-s, sold in the s'l fair, but
in the nsuall dwelling houses of the s'i town : And for the better regu-
lation of the S'i fairs and preservation of good order therein, I doe hereby
constitute & appoint Waller Marten & Philip Eoman, Wardens of the
S'i ffair, to he, in case of death, reuiovall front the s'i place, or other in-
capacity, succeeded by such twrr persons in the s'i office, forever, as two
Justices of the Peace of the county of Chester, dwelling in or nearest
to the S'i town, with twelve of the chiefe freeholders of the town &,
township of Chichester, (to be chosen as afores'l) shall think fltt to ap-
point, and upon the decease, removall or other incapacity of any of the
S'i Wardens to act arry further in the s'i oflrce, no fair shall be held in
) the s'i Warden or Wardens be
these p'sents, anything herein
the S'i town I
duly chosen, according to the tenor (
contain'd to the contrary notwithstanding; And I doe hereby grant to
the S'i Wardens & to their successors to be elected as afores'i full power
forever to exercise within the s'i fail-a every year, dirring the time they
shall be kept, all necessary' jurisdiction & authority for suppressing of
vice, maintaining good order, & regulating all other things whatsoever
within the s^ town, to the s'i fair's immediately relating:
"In Witness Whereof, I have caused these, my Letter's to be made
Patent; Witness myself, at Philadelphia, the twelfth day of September,
in the thirteenth year of the reign of William the Third, over England,
Scotland, Ffrance, and Ireland, King, Ac; & the one & twentieth of
my Govermt over this Province of Pennsilvania, Annoq. d'm. 1701.
"W" Pens.
" Recorded ye IV'', 1<", 1701
" By conrand of the Prop'J
& Govern'
"James Logan, Secnj."
On one occasion, at least, the good people of Mar-
cus Hook attempted to give vitality to this charter;
hence sixty years after it was granted a meeting of
the residents was held April 29, 1760, whereat John
Wall and John Crawford were chosen successors of
Walter Martin and Philip Roman and John Flower,
clerks of the market, after which date the old charter
has lain accumulating the dust of a century undis-
turbed. The powers of the people in their collective
characters in those days certainly was much over-
estimated, for in Lower Chichester,
"At a town meeting held this 17th March, 17T0, it is unanimously
agreed by us present that every freeholder not attending at the two an-
nual elections & not showing a sufficient reason shall be subject to pay
into the Overseers of the Poor the sum of one shilling to be applyed as
will be thought most proper 4 any of the officers not attending shall be
subject to the payment of two shillings to be employed as aforesaid And
farther it is agreed that the publick expennses at Town Meeting shall
be regulated & fixed for the whole year to any sum not exceeding Ten
Shillings in Regard to the Poor by the Overseers by them to be allowed
in their accounts.
" Present — Jacob Worril, Richard Riley, Samuel Lamplugh, John
Crawford, Wm. Dockerty, Arch'd Dick, Adam C. Clayton, Isaac Law-
rence, Jno. Flower, Joseph Marshall, Rich'd Clayton, Benj. Miller, Jo-
seph Clayton, Samuel Armor."
In the last century Marcus Hook was noted for the
number of vessels built there. Acrelius, in 1755,
made particular mention of this industry, while in
1748, Peter Kalm, the Swedish naturalist, who re-
mained for a brief season at Chichester, records that
" they build here every year a number of small ships
for sale, and from an iron work which lies higher up
in the country they carry iron bars to this place and
ship them." The furnace mentioned was the famed
Sarum Forge, on Chester Creek, near the present
Glenn Mill. In 1753, William Howell, of Marcus
Hook, was a leading shipwright at that place, and in
that year sold a lot of ground to Charles Jsorris, on
the southeast side of Discord Lane, e.xtending to high-
water mark on the Delaware.' In 1800, Samuel Trim-
ble was also a ship-builder there.
The ancient town continued to remain prominent
as a ship-building locality until the tonnage of ves-
sels in recent years had increased so greatly that its
lack of large yards, capital, and other facilities re-
stricted the industry to small coasting crafts. As late
Deed of partition of estate of Charles Norris, May '24, 1788, Deed-
' Book D, No. '20, p. 303, etc. Recorder's office, Philadelphia.
460
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
as the middle of this century Samuel T. Walker car-
ried on quite an extensive trade in the building of
schooners and sloops, the work being done by Wood-
ward & Farray, who seem to have been sub-contract-
ors under him. In May, 1849. Jacob Sinex, who had
been for several years engaged in ship-building at
Marcus Hook, removed to Chester, where he carried
on the same business. At the present time Samuel J.
Burton has a ship-yard at the Hook, and in March,
1884, a large-sized schooner was launched from his
yard.
William Cranston, who died in 1811, aged seventy-
seven, in Delaware, was a native of Marcus Hook,
and in early life was a noted ship-builder in that bor-
ough (was assessed as such in 1800), as was Simon
Sherlock, with whom Cranston had served his appren-
ticeship. Simon Cranston, born at Marcus Hook in
1768, and died near Stanton, Del., in 1856, aged
eighty-eight years, was named by his father in honor
of his old master. He frequently related that he
could remember, as a lad of eight years, when the
British fleet coming up the river opened fire on the
town. His recital of that incident is as follows :
" The fleet lay opposite the town, and the Conti-
nental Light-Horse were stationed back of the village.
My parents' dwelling lay between the two forces. The
fleet fired on the troops, and the British sent a boat
ashore, and an otficer told my mother to take her
children into the cellar ; in her fright she took them
outside of the house and down into the cellar, in that
way exposed to the flying balls." '
In the fall of the year 1784, we learn from a letter
written by Judge Francis Hopkinson, that a vessel
had been built at Marcus Hook ; was attached by a
tradesman, on a claim for work and materials furnished
in construction of the craft. When she was launched
the attachment was laid, but the owners forcibly
ejected the officers and moved the vessel to Wilming-
ton. The judge was anxious that the State govern-
ment should take " the most speedy measures for
bringing the oflTender to answer for the Indignity they
have thrown on a Court of Justice of this Common-
wealth." ^
Peter Kalm, to whom reference has just been made,
in the fall of the year 1748 tarried a brief season in
Marcus Hook, and spoke of it by its legal name,
Chichester, as " a borough on the Delaware, where
travelers pass the river in a ferry." How long this
regular, mode of conveyance to New Jersey was main-
tained does not appear. But about the beginning of
this century an attempt was made to sustain such a
means of communication with the eastern shore of
the river, but after a brief trial it was abandoned for
want of patronage. Kalm made particular reference
to the fact that in the town and neighborhood were
" many gardens, which are full of apple-trees sinking
1 Martin's " History of Chester," page 109.
- Penna. Archives, Ist Series, vol. x. page 355.
under the weight of innumerable apples." In 1828
the newspapers of that day called attention to a re-
markable cabbage-tree, then growing in the garden of
John S. Van Neman, at Marcus Hook, which was five
feet high, eleven and a half feet in circumference,
and had twenty limbs, on which were more than fifty
small heads of cabbages.
At the beginning of this century Marcus Hook was
the residence of one of the early noted painters of
the United States. I copy the account of him given
by Thompson Westcott:'
" Adolph Ulrick Westmuller, a native of Sweden,
after having painted in Europe, came to America,
at the age of forty-four years, in 1794, and settled
at Philadelphia. He brought with him some of his
paintings, which were greatly admired. President
Washington sat to him. He recopied, it is said, for
James Hamilton, the portraits of the Hamilton fam-
ily, and then Hamilton destroyed the originals.
Westmuller went back to Europe in 1796, where he
lost money by the failure of a great house in Stock-
holm. He came back to Philadelphia in 1800, and
brought with him his celebrated picture of Danse,
which, being a nude figure, was exhibited only to such
as might apply to view it ; and from the exhibitions
Westmuller received a handsome income. He re-
mained in Philadelphia some years, married a lady of
Swedish descent, and finally removed to JIareus
Hook, Delaware Co., where he lived until his death,
in 1812. His pictures were sold at auction shortly
after his death, and brought good prices. For a copy
of his Danre five hundred dollars were paid."
St. Martin's Episcopal Church,— Walter Martin,
of Upper Chichester, a Quaker, tradition relates, who
being " dealt with" by that society, became embittered
against Friends, on Dec. 18, 1699, "for divers good
causes and considerations him thereunto moving,"
conveyed to the town and inhabitants of Chichester —
Marcus Hook — an acre and one perch of ground for
a church and free burial-place for the inhabitants,
" Quakers and reputed Quakers only excepted." This
ancient deed is explicit as to the doctrine to be taught
by the persons who should avail themselves of the
donor's bounty to erect a church or meeting-house
there. "The inhabitants of said town and township,
which are to have free liberty to build a church,
chapel, or meeting-house, are intended to be such as
own the two ordinances of the sacraments of baptism
and the Lord's Supper of bread and wine; and such
as own the resurrection of the bodies of the dead, and
own the ordinance of singing of psalms in the praise
of God in the congregation, or in their families, and
such as own the taking of an oath on the Bible, ac-
cording to the laws of England, if lawfully called
thereto for the confirmation of the truth ; and it is to
be a free burying-place to such as will bear part of
the cost of keeping up the fences, or concern them-
s History of Philadelpliia, chap, cxvi., S«nd<'ii Dispatch of Philadelphia.
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
461
selves with building a church, chapel, or meeting-
house thereon."
This lot, the donor strictly declared, was to be kept
for the purposes expressed in the deed, " and for no
other, whatever," and explained his exception against
Friends, " because the Quakers have a meeting house
of their own in the said township." William Thomas,
the quaint document provided, should be the " first
sexton or grave digger for the town of Chichester,
during his life, or so long as he is able to perform
duties appertaining to the office of sexton or grave
digger," with power to those " concerned" in keeping
the burying-place to name a successor when Thomas
should cease to act in that capacity.
The adherents of the Church of England in that
neighborhood availed themselves of Walter Martin's
gift, "feeling little or no satisfaction in their own
minds, without having a sacred place set apart for
holding public worship according to the ritual of that
church," but " being few in number and of less ability
to build a place of worship," in the year 1702 they
purchased from John and Tobias Hendrickson a rude
frame building, which had been used as a blacksmith-
shop, for which they paid about five pounds, and all
the male residents aided in moving the structure to its
new location, where it was subjected to a bountiful
coat of whitewash within and without, rude benches
constructed, and the nameless church, other than that
which it derived from its location, was established.
In connection with St. Paul's, at Chester, and the
church at Concord, it became a missionary station,
under the protection and support of the Society for
Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Eev. Evan
Evans, in a letter written in 1707, states that in 1700
he was sent over as missionary to Philadelphia, but
the churches of that denomination increased so rap-
idly that he was frequently compelled to make long
and weary journeys to preach to the scattered congre-
gations, " for this reason," he states, " I went frequently
to Chichester,'" until, in 1704, Rev. Henry Nichols
was placed in charge of St. Paul's parish, then in-
cluding the churches at Chester, Marcus Hook, and
Concord. Walter Martin died in 1719, and was buried
in a lot in the churchyard which he had reserved as
a place of interment for himself and friends. The
place where his remains lie is marked with a head- and
foot-stone, which, a half-century ago, by order of the
wardens and vestry, was redressed and the letters re-
cut. The ancient monument presents, near the top,
the carved representation of an hour-glass and cross-
bones, and bears the following inscription :
"In tlie memory of Wnlter Martin,
buried June 26, 1710, aged 68 years.
In 1714, Rev. John Humphreys was in charge of the
parish, and continued as the rector until 1725, when
1 Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, vol. iii. p. 338; Dr. Perry's
" Papers Relating to the Churches in Pennsylvania," p. 33.
he went to Baltimore (?), and refused to return unless
the churches at Marcus Hook and Chester would raise
his salary to forty pounds per annum. This the parish
appears not to have done, for from a paper dated April
5, 1727, signed by Ralph Pile, of Birmingham, Philip
Ottey, and others, it is stated that, in 1726, " a great
mortality reigned amongst us ; we were obliged to de-
sire the Eev. Mr. Hesselius, the Swedish minister at
Christiana, who, out of his pious and Christian dispo-
sition, came to bury our dead, and seeing the discon-
solate condition of our churches, offered to assist us
once a month at our churches, which he still continues
to do." ^ In the summer of 1728, Rev. Richard Back-
house was appointed missionary to St. Paul's parish
by the society. The letter apprising Governor Gor-
don of the appointment of Mr. Backhouse is dated at
London, August 3d of that year.' Rev. Israel Acrelius,
who came from Sweden in 1749, arriving at Christiana
on July 20th of that year, states that so constant were
the demands made upon him to hold divine services
in the Episcopal Churches at Concord and Marcus
Hook, besides his direct charge at Christiana, and as
each church desired him to preach there on Sundays,
it became impossible to satisfy the congregations, for
" there were not as many Sundays in the months as
there were congregations to serve. . . . The good old
Swedes now began to murmur, partly at the minister,
that they never got to hear him on Sunday in their
own church, and partly at the English, who wished to
have him with them, and never once paid his expenses
of travel." * The parish of St. Paul's was then with-
out a rector. Rev. Richard Backhouse having died at
his home in Chester, Nov. 19, 1749. He had been
succeeded by Rev. Thomas Thompson, who aban-
: doned his charge, apparently, shortly after he as-
j sumed the responsibilities of the position.
[ In the will of Jeremy Collett, in 1725, a legacy of
' fifty pounds was bequeathed for the " better support
] of the Episcopal minister officiating in the chapel" at
Marcus Hook, doubtless a welcomed addition to the
slender means of that congregation. Twenty years
after that date, in 1745, the old frame structure be-
coming insufficient to meet the need of the neighbor-
1 hood, an effort was successfiilly made to provide a
better house of worship. A fund was raised sufficient
to erect a small brick church, about twelve by sixteen
feet, which was surmounted by a belfry and an iron
vane, in which the figures 1745 were cut. Three years
subsequent to the erection of this new edifice, the old
frame structure being still standing was used from
time to time as a school-house, under the auspices of
The above statement appears in a note to Martin's " History of Cbes-
,"p. 97. The statement is slightly erroneous. The town of Baltimore
i was not laid out until 1730. The sesqni-centonnial of that city was held
in the fall of 1S80. Mr. Humphreys could hardly have gone there in
1 1725. He doubtless went to Whetstone Point, now within the city limits,
: for, as we know, Whetstone Point was incorporated as early as 1706.
3 Pennu. Archives, 1st Series, vol. i. p. 226.
I * Acrelius, p. 305.
462
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the church organization. A new difficulty arose, for in
a letter written by Mr. Backhouse, June 26, 1748, a
year before his death, he says, " The Moravians have
hired a house to keep their meetings in twice a month
at Marcus Hook, to which place my congregation re-
sort, but I hope (and believe) more through curiosity
than anything else, because they show me the same
respect they ever did, and carefully attend the church
as formerly, when it is my turn to be there." ^
In 1759, Rev. George Craig become the rector,
having been sent from London as a missionary by the
Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts,
and continued in charge of tlie church during almost
the entire war of the Kevolution, until 1783. He
died a few years subsequent to this date, and his re-
mains were deposited in the aisle of the church. It
was during his rectorship, in 1760, that the nameless
sanctuary received the title it now bears, St. Martin's,
and it was accepted by the vestry at the suggestion of
Emanuel Grubb, as commemorative of Walter Martin,
its founder. The annalist Watson states that Emanuel
Grubb was the first child of English parents born
after the grant to Penn of the province, 1681, and
that his birth occurred in a cave in the bank of the
river, near Chester. The statement, however, as re-
gards the date of birth is contradicted by the tomb-
atone in St. Martin's churchyard, the inscription
being, —
" Emanuel Grubb,
Died August 9, 1767,
Aged 85 years and 10 days."
which makes the date of his birth to have been July
30, 1682.
In 1765 the Episcopal Churches at Chichester and
Concord were going to decay, and to raise money to
repair these buildings and to aid other churches in
other localities, in January of that year the Assem-
bly passed an act authorizing a lottery to secure the
sum of £3003 15s., and although the Governor re-
turned the bill for some amendments,- we know that
such an act was finally approved, for in 1769 the
provincial treasurer paid to St. Martin's Church £66
13s. 4rf., the share it was entitled to as the proceeds
of that lottery.
In 1845 the old church, built one hundred years
before, became so dilapidated, and besides was in-
sufficient to meet the requirements of the congrega-
tion, that it was determined to build a new edifice,
which was promptly done, and the present building,
the third, was erected. In 1822 St. Martin's Church,
which, previous to that date, had been a part of the
parish of St. Paul's, of Chester, became a separate
organization, and from that time has been in charge
of the following rectors : Rev. Benjamin S. Hunting-
ton, 1852-53; Rev. .lohn Baker Clemson, 1853-58;
Rev. Henry Hall Hickman,^ April 8, 1860; Rev. Jo-
seph A. Stone, 1860-68 ; Rev. J. Sturgis Pearce, 1863-
71 ; Rev. Gustavus Cleggett Bird, 1871.
In 1860 the old brick school-house, which had been
built in the hitching-yard belonging to the church in
1801, was taken down by William Trainer, who gave
one hundred dollars for the material, and with the
bricks obtained from the old building Mr. Trainer
erected the wall on the north side of the hitching-
yard. The sheds belonging to the church cover the
site of the old school-house, and on Sunday, Oct. 15,
1870, a pair of horses belonging to Thomas W. Wook-
ward, of Linwood, being back from the shed, broke
through and fell into the well which was formerly
used, but having been covered with a few boards and
some earth, in time was forgotten, until the incident
narrated brought its existence to memory. One of the
horses broke its neck in the fall, and the other was
found severely injured when extricated. In 1871 the
congregation erected a parsonage adjoining the Odd-
Fellows' Hall, the church in all its preceding history
never before having a residence for its rector. The
land was donated for that purpose, and the cost of the
building subscribed by several of the wealthier mem-
bers of the congregation. In 1879, John Larkin, Jr.,
presented a tract of ground comprising about two
acres adjoining the churchyard to St. Martin's
Church, thus adding space to the burial-lot, which in
almost two centuries had grown crowded with the
dead of many generations.
St. George's Methodist Church.— The Methodists
had no church organization in Lower Chichester until
1835. In that year Rev. Brooke Eyre visited Marcus
Hook, where at that time only three persons resided
who were members of that denomination. Mr. Eyre
was invited to preach in a shoemaker's shop ; and so
earnestly and effectively did he address his audience
that an interest was immediately aroused. While
the excitement was at its height one of the three
Methodists in the town chanced to enter the store of
William Trainer, and in conversation said if they, the
Methodists, had a church in Marcus Hook it would
be of great benefit to the village and neighborhood.
"Build one," said Mr. Trainer; and, taking down a
pass-book, he wrote the formula of a subscription,
and headed the list with a promise to pay twenty
dollars towards building a Methodist Church. With
that beginning the paper was circulated, John Lar-
kin, Jr., contributing the like sum. That afternoon
between two and three hundred dollars was pledged
to the object, and in less than three weeks a sufficient
amount was obtained to justify the erection of a plain
wooden structure on Discord Lane, where the Meth-
odist burying-ground is now located, the land for
that purpose being sold by William McLaughlin at a
trivial price. The building was supplied with rude
uncushioned benches, and a raised platform at one
end, where an unornamented board desk served as a
pulpit. The congregation was poor, and hence it had
to rely on the circuit preachers to conduct its regular
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
463
services, but the body increased steadily in member- |
ship. On Feb. 20, 1839, Lewis Massey and wife '
made a deed of trust of a house and a lot of land in
Marcus Hook as a parsonage for the minister of the
Chester Circuit, which lot of ground was located on
Broad Street, where the present church edifice now
stands, and it continued to be held by the Wilming-
ton Conference until St. George's Church became a
station, in 1870. At that date the board of trustees
decided to petition the Court of Common Pleas to be 1
empowered to convey to the trustees of Marcus Hook
Methodist Church one hundred feet on Broad Street,
and extending in depth the whole length of the lot,
to be used for the erection of a church thereon, and
to sell the remaining part of the lot to John A. Ste-
venson for two thousand five hundred dollars, which
sum was proposed to be used in the purchase of an-
other parsonage, the house in Marcus Hook, then 1
dilapidated, being six miles distant from the place '
where the clergyman of Chester Circuit was appointed
to preach. The court authorized the trustees, in No-
vember, 1873, to make the deed to Stevenson in fee-
simple, free, and discharged from all the trusts men-
tioned in the deed of trust.
The old frame church, in the thirty-five years of
constant use, had grown too small for the Congrega-
tion, and besides was fast falling to decay ; hence it
was resolved to build a new sanctuary. The corner-
stone was laid on Saturday, July 8, 1871. Edward S.
Parsons, although not a member of the church, took
warm interest in the building, and it was through
his influence in a large degree that the present ornate
church edifice was erected, which is one of the most
imposing structures in the ancient borough.
Previous to 1868 the Methodist Episcopal Church
of Marcus Hook was one of the five appointments
which constituted the Chester Circuit. In 1868 the
territory embraced in the Philadelphia Annual Con-
ference was divided into two Annual Conferences.
The part lying between the Susquehanna and the
Delaware Rivers, and north of the Delaware State
line, was made the Philadelphia, while the State of
Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland consti-
tuted the Wilmington Conference. After this division
Marcus Hook was the only appointment of the old
Chester Circuit which remained in the Philadelphia
Conference, the other appointments becoming part
of the Wilmington Conference. The following year
(1869) the Marcus Hook Church was made a sta-
tion, and Rev. E. H. Hoffman was appointed pastor.
On Nov. 22, 1869, a charter was secured, in which
the church was named Cokesbury, in honor of the
first bishojjs of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury, and that still re-
mains as the charter-name of the church, although at [
the present it is popularly known as St. George's t
Church. At the close of the year 1869 the church ]
had seventy-nine members in good standing, and the
property belonging to the station was valued at four 1
hundred dollars. In March, 1870, Rev. J. H. Wood
was appointed pastor, and was succeeded the follow-
ing year by Rev. George A. Wolfe, who continued
there for two years. It was during his pastorate the
present church edifice was built, at a cost of nine
thousand dollars ; and when the building was dedi-
cated there was an incumbrance of three thousand
dollars upon it.
The following is a list of the pastors of St. George's
Church from that time : 1873-74, Rev. AVilliam M.
Gilbert; 1875, Rev. T. W. Maclary; 1876, Rev. M.
Lorin ; 1877-78, Rev. A. M. Wiggins; 1879-81, Rev.
R. Smith ; 1882-84, Rev. William K. Macneal.
The debt which remained on the church at the
time of its dedication was discharged in full during
the pastorates of Rev. T. W. Maclary and Rev. R.
Smith. At the present time there are one hundred
and fifty-one members of the church in good stand-
ing, and the property is valued at nine thousand dol-
lars, and is free of debt.
Baptist Church. — The Baptist Church of Marcus
Hook was organized May 3, 1789, the members form-
ing the association being Rev. Eliphaz Dazey, who
died about 1796, Judge Richard Riley, Richard Moore,
Thomas Perkins, George Price, John Walker, who
subsequently became a Baptist clergyman, George
White, William Perkins, Mary Riley, the judge's
wife, Jemima Dazey, who after her husband's death
kept a store in Chester, on Market Street, in the second
house from the southeast corner of Fourth Street,
Sarah Cannell, Christiana Dick, Hannah Moore,
Elizabeth Parsons, Mary Perkins, Elizabeth Walker,
and Sarah Price. The later was the wife of Samuel
Price, who owned a large part of the real estate where
the villages of Linwood and Trainer's are now located.
The church was built by subscription, and erected in
1789,' the cost of the structure being £164 16.s. 6J(/.
It was built of bricks, which were made from clay dug
near by, and burned in a clamp-kiln. The dimen-
sions were twenty-two by twenty-five feet, one story
in height. The gallery was located at the south end
of the auditorium, and the congregation sat on plain
benches having backs to them. At the north end was
a raised platform set off from the remainder of the
apartments by a baluster and a seat for the minister.
The wood-work was in its natural state, excepting the
windows and doors, which were painted white. In 1814
the congregation had increased so much in numlier that
an addition of fifteen feet was made to the length of
the church, and pews witli doors took the place of the
old benches. The church as an organization was ad-
mitted into the Philadelphia Baptist Association Oct.
6, 1789. For many years Bristow was the sexton of
the church, and it is related that on the evening of
May 17, 1853, while the old man was driving his cow
homeward, he fell to the earth dead.
The corner-stone of the present handsome church
1 Smith's " History of Delaware CoUDty," p. 302.
464
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
edifice was laid Sept. 10, 1853, and the same niglit the
box deposited in the stone was robbed of its contents.
The church was completed the following year, and on
Oct. 21, 1854, the first services were held therein. In
March, 1862, Mary Moulder, the daughter of Joseph
and Margaret (Flower) Moulder, died at Marcus Hook,
aged one hundred and five years, and was buried in
the Baptist burial-ground at that place. She had
been an earnest member of the church nearly three-
quarters of a century.
The list of pastors of Marcus Hook Baptist Church
is as follows : Rev. Elephaz Dazey, May 3, 1789, to
April 2, 1796 ; Rev. John Walker, Sept. 5, 1818, to
March 10, 1821 ; Rev. Joseph Walker, Aug. 7, 1824,
to 1842 ; Rev. D. L. McGear, Aug. 9, 1845, to
June 13, 1846 ; Rev. Theophilus Jones, May 20, 1«48,
to Feb. 7, 1849 ; Rev. Isaac Gray, May 1, 1853, to Jan.
4, 1855 ; Rev. Miller Jones, 1858 to 1861 ; Rev. E. W.
Dickinson, D.D., August, 1862, to Dec. 8, 1875 ; Rev.
H. B. Harper, May 6, 1876, to April 17, 1878 ; Rev.
C. C. W. Bishop, Sept. 23, 1879.
Hebron African Methodist Church.— This re-
ligious society was organized about 1837. The first
meetings were held in a log house which stood on the
road from Dutton's Cross-roads to Upper Chichester
Cross-roads. In 1844 a lot was purchased from John
Mustin, and the present frame church erected during
the pastorate of Rev. Abraham C. Crippin. The pas-
tors from the organization of the church have been as
follows : Rev. Israel Geott, Rev. Jeremiah Downer,
Rev. John Cornish, Rev. Henry J. Young, Rev. Abra-
hem C. Crippin, Rev. Isaac B. Parker, Rev. John L.
Armstrong, Rev. Adam Drener, Rev. Jeremiah Buley,
Rev. William W. Schureman, Rev. Sheppherd Hol-
comb, Rev. Jeremiah Young, Rev. Peter Gardiner,
Rev. Caleb Woodward, Rev. Jacob Watson, Rev.
George W. Johnson, Rev. William H. Davis, Rev.
Henderson Davis, Rev. John W. Davis, Rev. John
W. Norris, and Rev. Thomas H. Moore, the present
pastor. The church has a membership of thirty, and
the trustees are Samuel Anderson, William D. Laws,
and Peter Lunn.
The Schools. — The first school of which we have
any information in Chichester was conducted under
the auspices of the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts, and was held in the old
frame house of worship on St. Martin's lot, after the
first brick sanctuary was erected, in 1745, and con-
tinued for nearly sixty years. In 1801 a new brick
school-house was erected on the church lot, the fund
for that purpose being raised by contributions among
the members of the parish. Here, too, all the public
meetings of the township appear to have been held,
certainly after 1805. The old school-house was torn
down in 1860 by William Trainer, as mentioned in
the account of St. Martin's Church. About 1854
the school-house known as Cedar Grove was erected
near the Baptist graveyard, and the building on the
St. Martin's lot ceased to be used for school purposes. I
After the passage of the school act of 1834, the di-
rectors of Lower Chichester were active in the ad-
vocacy of the system, and the following year erected a
school-house near the present Linwood Station, on
lands given by John D. White, one of the directors,
for that purpose. The building was defectively con-
structed, the walls cracked, and being pronounced un-
safe, it was pulled down, and another house built in
1844 at Rocky Hill. The old site being near the rail-
road, was believed to be dangerous to the children.
On Dec. 7, 1876, the court, on the petition of Samuel
Hickman, ordered his farm on the east and west
branches of Naaraan's Creek to be attached to Upper
Chichester school district. In 1880 an ornate school-
house was built on the great Southern Post road, near
Trainer's Station.
In 1860, and for some time thereafter, the Misses
Emanuel kept the Linwood Seminary in Lower Chi-
chester.
The full list of school directors of Lower Chichester
township is as follows :
1834, Joseph Walker, Jr., John D. White ; 1840, Samuel F. Walker,
Joseph Marshall; 1842, David Trainer, William Eyre; 1843,
Peter N. Gamble, Charles P. BunUng ; 1844, William McGlaugh-
lin, William Trainer; 1845, Joseph P. Pyle; 1S46, William
Eyre, William B. Roberts; 1847, John Stewart, John T. Broom-
all; 1848, John Larkin, David Trainer; 1849, no report; 1850,
Benjamin F. Johnson, John Stewart ; 1851, David Trainer, James
Price; 1852, Charles P. Bunting, William H. Eigby, John Ste-
venson; 1853, Edward McDade, Towusend Kowand, John F.
Broomall; 1854, John H. Casey, John Stevenson; 1855, Peter N.
Gamble, Charles F. Wishman; 1856, Manuel Emanuel, Peter K.
Gamble, George C. Healy; 1867, Thomas Taylor, Alfred Bunting;
1858, Isaac Eyre, Jacob English ; 1859, Manuel Emanuel, Isaac
Hendrickson ; 1860, Alfred Bunting, Daniel C. Green ; 1861, Samuel
Spansey, Jacob English; 1862, Isaac Hendrickson, William Trainer;
1S63, J. E. Casey, Benjamin Johnson ; 1864, Daniel C. Green, Wil-
liam Appleby; 1865, Samuel Spansey, Benjamin D. Johnson; 1806,
William H. Eigby, Isaac Heacock ; 1867, Frauk Gray, George
Barton; 1868, William Barto, Dr. Mauley Emanuel ; 1869, Nathan
Pennell, Alfred Bunting; 187ii, Frank Gray, Charles Weston ; 1871,
William L. Derrickson, Tracy E. Walker; 1872, Isaac Eyre, John
Eoherts; 1873, Stephen Hall, E. W.Casey; 1874, Frank Gray, Ed-
win Lisler; 1875, J. Eyre, John Lamplough ; 1876, J. E. Green,
Clifford Loughead, William M. Black ; 1877, no report ; 1878, John
D. Goff, Clifford Loughead; 1879, Clarence Larkin, John Lamp-
lough ; 1880, J, E. Green, S. J. Burton; 1881, B. D. Johnson, A. D.
Hastings ; 1882, John Roberts, Clarence Larkin ; 1883, James Philips,
Henry Heacock; 1884, John D. Goff, William Trainer.
Licensed Houses, Lower Chichester.— One of the
first cases which occurs in our county annals wherein
license is alluded to was heard " November 30, 1661,
before William Markham, Esq., and Justices," the
defendant being a resident of Lower Chichester. The
case, as it ajipears of record, is set forth in the quaint
phraseology of that period :
"Henrj^ Reynold having appeared at this court to
answer for his selling strong liquor by small measure
in his house contrary to the Governors and Council's
order, upon his submission to the court, was dis-
charged."
Six years subsequently to this proceeding, at De-
cember court, 1687, another of the early settlers at
Marcus Hook figured in connection with a violation
of the license law, as follows:
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
465
" Robert Moulder being yt last Court Indichted for |
suffering Thomas Clifton and Samuel Baker to be
Drunk att his house was upon ye same called to ye
Barr Butt nothing being Proved ordered to keep an
ordinary provided he keep Horse meat & man's
meate."
Moulder must have been indicted under that clause
in the " Duke's Booke of Law" which, promulgated
Sept. 22, 1676, enacted that "no Licenced Person j
shall suffer any to Drink excessively or at unseason- ]
able hours after nine of the Clock in or about any of
their houses upon penalty of two shillings, six pence
for every Offence if Complaint and proof be made
thereof" Hence it would seem that the defendant
was at the time keeping a licensed house of enter- 1
tainment, for Law 10, enacted by the first General !
Assembly in December, 1682, at Chester, " against I
such as Suffer Drunkenness in their houses, and about
Ordinances," clearly could have been intended to !
punish those only who, having special privileges con-
fided to them, exercised the same to the injury and
disadvantage of the public. The penalty prescribed
for this offense was that they " who suffer such excess
of Drinking in their house, shall be lyable to the
punishment with the Drunkard," which was, for the
first offense a fine of five shillings or five days' deten-
tion at hard labor in the House of Correction, and to '
be " fed only with bread and water," while for the
second and all subsequent convictions, " ten shillings
or ten days' labor, as aforesaid."
The case of Peter Stewart, who was tried in Octo-
ber, 1688, for feloniously breaking open the chest of j
John Wickham, who was then stopping at the house
of William Clayton, seems to indicate, from the sen-
tence, that at that date Clayton was keeping a public- [
house at. Marcus Hook. The record shows that he i
was not licensed in 1704, for at the conclusion of that j
year he was presented " for keeping an Ordinary i
without license," but petitioning the court for such i
license it was granted to him.
The first instance I have found of license being l
granted in Lower Chichester, other than to Clayton
and Moulder, occurs under date of May 25, 1714,
when Richard Edwards presented his petition to keep
a public-house at Chichester, which was allowed. In
1720, Edward Smout had license granted him for a
house of entertainment, with leave " to sell all sorts
of liquor," at Chichester, and continued there until
Feb. 26, 1724, when his petition states that he " had
obtained license for a publick house at Chichester,
but now removed to Chester and desires license there,"
which was approved by the court. Feb. 23, 1725, An-
drew Rawson informed the justices that he had taken
the house late of Edward Smout, in Chichester, which
house he asked might be continued as a license house,
which was granted.
P21izabeth Clayton, wife of William Clayton, Jr.,
Sixth month 28, 1717, petitioned for a renewal of
license in Chichester, possibly at the house kept by
.30
her father-in-law, William Clayton, Sr., in 1688, as
mentioned above. On Ninth month 23, 1719, Wil-
liam Clayton asked to be permitted " to keep a com-
mon ale house in the house where he dwells." On
Aug. 20, 1720, he was given full license for a public
inn, and Aug. 25, 1724, he petitioned for renewal of
this privilege. The following year Elizabeth Clayton
states that, " having for several years past obtained ye
Honours Recomendacon," ask that it be continued,
which was approved for that as well as the following
year, as also in 1727.
In 1728, Thomas Clayton obtained the grace of the
courts, which was extended to him during the year
following. In 1730 the license was granted to Wil-
liam Weldon, who had rented the premises. Aug.
27, 1734, Thomas Clayton again presented his peti-
tion to the court, in which he says, that " having
some years ago leased the house where he formerly
Dwell at Chichester & kept a house of entertaint there
to one William Weldon, who ever since kept a pub-
lick house and the terms of the said leace being near
expired, your petitioner Inclined to return their
again," but the justices were not so inclined at that
session, yet, on Nov. 26, 1734, when Clayton again
petitioned for the license, setting forth that " your
Petitioner's father having kept a house of entertain-
ment for several years in Chichester until his Decease
and your Petitioner some time after his said ffather's
Decease, until his affairs Called him abroad," etc.,
had followed the same occupation, the court yielded
to his importunity, and annually thereafter his name
appears on the list of approved licenses, until 1756,
when Hannah, his widow, kept the house, and re-
mained there until 1770. In that year John Flower
purchased the property and continued the business
until 1787, when license was granted to him for the
last time at " The Ship." Caleb Pierce followed the
next year, when Sarah Flower, a maiden daughter of
John Flower, took charge of the house in 1789. In
1803 she received license from the court of Delaware
County, after which I fail to trace the license until
1808, when John Marshall had the house, and re-
mained there until 1809, when Jonas Fairlamb fol-
lowed him.
Benjamin Collam kept the Ship in 1810, and in
1811, Mary Goodwin was granted license there. In
1813, Thomas Noblet petitioned leave to keep a house
of entertainment at the " noted old stand formerly
kept by Mr. and Miss Flower, and lately by John
Marshall, who has removed to another place in Mar-
cus Hook," which was accorded him. The next year
the house ceased to be an inn, and being then much
dilapidated, it was taken by Rev. John Walker, who
taught school therein for several years with success.
The ancient hostelry subsequently was used as a store,
and was such on the evening of May 16, 1872, when it
was totally destroyed by fire. At the date mentioned
Charles P. Bunting occupied it, and the accidental
overturning of a vessel containing an inllammable
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
liquid, which took fire from a lamp in Mr. Bunting's
hands, resulted in a few moments in enveloping the
building in flames. Even the records of the school
board, in Mr. Bunting's custody, were destroyed, and
he narrowly escaped being burned to death. The loss
was over twelve thousand dollars. The broken walls
of the ancient structure as the fire left them are still
to be seen at the southwest corner of Front and Broad
Street, Marcus Hook.
On Front Street, " facing the lower pier," in the
early part of this century, David Marshall, who had
been a lieutenant in Wayne's regiment, kept the
tavern known as the "sign of George Washington."
In his petition for the year 1799, he states the place
" has been a noted stand for the space of forty years.
A great number of shipping lying for the space of
three months and upwards opposite your petitioner's
tavern, and his house is constantly crowded with per-
sons from vessels." Over half a century before he
filed this petition, John Kerlin, in 1748, had license
for many years at this place, and after being kept as
an inn by several parties, William Pierce seems to
have become the landlord, until it was taken by Mar-
shall, who continued to receive the court's approval
until 1824, when it in turn ceased to be a public-
house.
In 1771, Reece Peters obtained license for a house
on Front Street, and in his petition states that it was
the house formerly occupied by William Hughes. In
1787, John Taylor was granted license there, after
which it ceased to be an inn until 1804, when Joseph
Merrihew, in his petition for the old house of Reece
Peters, urged the court as an inducement for their
bounty that " if granted license, intends to keep ferry
boats in order to transport horses, cattle, and heavy
articles to New Jersey, as for want of such convey-
ance the public very frequently suffer great inconvey-
ance ; there being no ferry on either side of the Dela-
ware from New Castle to Gloucester Point." The
court granted his application, but as he did not peti-
tion at the next court, he doubtless found that the
business was not remunerative. In 1814, Isaac Dut-
ton, who had been refused license at the old Blue
Ball, obtained the court's favor for this stand, which
he dubbed the Fountain Inn, and under that title
William Warden kept it in 1816, but the following
year changed the name to the Eagle, and John
Perrine, who succeeded him in 1818, added to the
sign the word "Golden" Eagle. In 1821, Richard
Barry followed as the landlord, but the next year he
was denied license. In 1828, Margaret Marshall kept
the house, and in 1830, James Marshall followed her,
and continued as landlord of the Farmers and Me-
chanics' Inn until 1841, when John Larkin, Jr., kept
it for three years, after which time it disappeared
finally from the listr of public-houses in Lower Chi-
chester.
At the cross-road, below where the Union Hotel
stands, in former years was a tavern, the record of
I which I cannot trace farther back than 1812, when it
was kept by Thomas Noblet, who took with him the
j name he had formerly used at the Union Hotel, " the
I United States Arms," and gave it to this house. It
subsequently was kept by Fanny Irving, and she was
followed by Susan Dutton. Objection being made to
the continuance of the license, she removed to Wil-
mington, and the house ceased to be a public inn.
The Old Blue Ball Tavern.— Nathaniel Lampleu
(Lamplugh), Oct. 10, 1727, stated to the court that he
" had been at considerable charge in building a house
for public house on King's Road to Newcastle" and
asked license for the same, which was allowed, and
annually continued to him until Aug. 31, 1731, when
Samuel Gray presented his petition to court, alleging
that he had " taken to farm ye House with the appur-
tenances Commonly called & known by ye name of
the Blew Ball Tavern, where a house of Entertain-
ment hath been for some considerable time & now is
kept." Gray remained at the noted inn, which was
about a half-mile above the Delaware State line, until
1736, for on August 31st of that year Thomas Howell
states that " having taken the house when Samuel
Gray lately Dwell on the Great Road from Chester to
New Castle, in the township of Chichester," he de-
sired license, and it was granted to him annually
thereafter until 1753, when he having died, the tavern
was kept by his son until 1765, when Jonathan Pugh
was the landlord. He was succeeded in 1765 by Wil-
liam McCoy, who seems to have died, for the next
year Rachel McCoy had licensed, and in 1767, who
gave place to John McCoy, and the latter in 1770 to
Archibald Dick, who in his petition states that he suc-
ceeds McCoy in business, and that the building and
farm are his property. Here Archibald Dick continued
yearly to receive license until and including 1776,
when, so far as the records show, his last application
was in 1776, which was approved. Dick is said by
Martin to have lived like a nabob at the Blue Ball, or
rather as that author erroneously, I think, located his
dwelling as being the large frame house standing at
the southwest corner of the Chichester (Hook) Cross-
roads, which at that period was an imposing struc-
ture. He says that when Dick visited Philadelphia,
he drove thither "in a barouch with four splendid
horses, with his negro driver and servant," and that
he was the owner of fine stock.'
May 4, 1772, Mr. Dick announced in the Peiiimil-
rania Packet that he has purchased the " noted horse
Dove, imported from England by Dr. Hamilton," and
in the same paper, May 17, 1773, he advertises that
he has " at Marcus Hook the horse Pennsylvania
Farmer, without exception the greatest beauty i n Ame-
rica, under care of David Miller." During the Revo-
lutionary war he was active in behalf of the colonies,
and held in 1779 the office of assistant quartermaster-
general, and in 1780 was assistant forage-master for
1 History of Chester, p. 396.
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
Chester County. He must have resided in Chester in
1779, for in the Pennsylvania Packet of July 1st of
that year is published a letter from Archibald Dick,
dated " Liberty Hall, Chester, June 28, 1779." He
died March 9, 1782. His distinguished son, Dr.
ElishaCuUen Dick, who was born near Marcus Hook,
March 15, 1762, was one of the consulting physicians
called in by Dr. Craik, the family physician, to visit
Gen. Washington in his last illness. " When all
hope of recovery from less extreme remedies had
been abandoned. Dr. Dick proposed an operation
which he ever afterwards thought might have proved [
effectual in saving the general's life, but it did not ;
meet the approval of the family physician." • Archi-
bald Dick was succeeded in business as host of the
Blue Ball by Zebidee Hollingsworth, who remained
there until 1783, in which year Dr. Dick sold his un- 1
divided half-interest in his father's real estate, April |
29, 1783, to Isaac Dutton, for nine hundred and
eighty-five pounds. Thomas B. Dick made partition
of the estate, and the Blue Ball was taken by Isaac
Dutton, who continued there until his death in 1793,
and from 1794 to 1808 the inn was kept by Elizabeth
Dutton, his widow. In 1809, Benjamin Collum had
the tavern, and also in 1810. The following year, 1
and that of 1812, the court refused to license the i
Blue Ball. In 1814, Cornelius Pratt stated in his j
petition that he had purchased the property with the
express view of occupying it as a tavern ; that the i
house and stables were the most commodious for an ;
inn " of any on the road between Chester and the
State line," having been constructed and prepared long
since for such use; that since the unfortunate obstruc- I
tion to the navigation of the Delaware and Chesa-
peake, the road aforesaid has been so much used by
travelers and wagoners as to have made it difficult
sometimes to find convenient and uncrowded accom-
modation, "your petitioner, suffering under an op-
pressive restraint by the want of a license, and loosing
that just and reasonable advantage of applying his
property to end most profitable and beneficial to his
family." He seems, however, to have purchased it
subject to the condition of obtaining the license. In
1817, William Worden petitioned, but the court re-
jected the application, as also in the year 1818, when
Susanna Dutton petitioned " to keep a public house
at the old Blue Ball Tavei'n, about five miles below
Chester," but was refused. The continued denial of
license at last compelled a sale of the property, and
John M. Smith, having purchased it in 1821, after i
considerable pressure being brought to influence the
court, succeeded in obtaining the approval of the !
judges. In 1822, Ashbill Taylor became landlord, '
and continued there until 1828, when John Bowlen,
Jr., succeeded him. In 1830 and 1831 James Mar- i
shall; 1832, John Bowlen, Jr.; in 1832, William I
Holston until 1834, when the Blue Ball was a tern- !
1 Thomas Maxwell Pott's " History of Carter Family," p. 79.
perance house. In 1835, Priscilla Thompson was the
landlady ; in 1837, James Plunket was mine host,
and in 1838 he was succeeded by Sarah Bullock.
From that date the old Blue Ball inn disappeared
from the list of public-houses, even the ancient build-
ing itself being demolished. In 1843, John Larkin,
Jr., built in close proximity to the site of the noted
tavern the large square house which he sold to John
Cochran in 1850.
The site of the old Blue Ball subsequently became
the property of Thomas W. Woodward, an extensive
wholesale tobacco merchant of Philadelphia. On Feb.
19, 1873, while Mr. Woodward was conversing with his
family, he suddenly expired, dying in the chair in
which he was then seated.
The XInion Hotel.— John Flower, who had kept
tavern at another location in Lower Chichester from
1729 to 1734, and perhaps before the first date, in
1736, presented his petition, setting forth that
" having lived long in this county, and now unable
to labour for maintenance of wife and family, hath
taken an House lately erected on the main Road
from Chichester into the back parts of Chester county,
where the same Crosses the Road leading from Phila-
delphia to New Castle," and desired to keep a public-
house thereat, but the court refused to grant him the
license, although in the following year they gave him
the privilege. He died in 1738, and that year his
widow, Mary, was granted the right to continue the
business, and that the court extended its indulgence
to her the following year we learn from the remon-
strance of residents of Lower Chichester, dated Aug.
29, 1739, against the petition of Elizabeth Bond for
hotel license. The latter, on Aug. 30, 1738, the year
previous, had presented a petition, in which she in-
formed the court that she " is Left a widdo with a
Considerable Charge of small Children, and having
no way to maintain them but by my hard Labour,"
asks that she be permitted " to sell Beer and sider."
Her application being indorsed by a number of the
most substantial citizens, the justices acted favorably
on her request. The following year, however, when
she presented herself, with the statement that " having
three small children to maintain, wishes to sell rum
and other liquors, by small measure," a remonstrance
was filed by the inhabitants of Lower Chichester,
representing that " there are already four public-
houses — Thomas Clayton, Mary Flower, William
Weldon, and Thomas Howell — in the township," and
that no necessity exists for another, whereupon her
application was rejected.
In 1741, Humphrey Scarlet, who had married the
widow Flower, was licensed at the cross roads until
1746, when he dying also, the widow again succeeded
to the business in 1747, and in 1749, she having mar-
ried her third husband, John Rain, became the land-
lord. Rain was no exception to the rule, and he
dying in 1756, Mary again became the landlady. In
1759, Richard Flower, her son by her first husband,
4G8
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
had license for the inn. He died in 1763, and his j
widow, Hannah, continued the business until 1768,
when she married John Wall, who seems to have had
license for a public-house in the township from 1759
to 1764. The following year, 1769, Wall was suc-
ceeded by Joseph Gribble, and the latter, in 1773,
gave place to John Dunlap, who, in his petition,
stated that the inn was then known as the " Ship
Princess Amelia." In 1774, David Ford followed
Dunlap, and in 1776 John Taylor became the land-
lord, the title of the tavern having been changed to
the King of Prussia. In 1778, Jacob Cobourn fol-
lowed as mine host of the inn, after which date I
lose record of it until 1791, when Henry Odenheimer
had license for the tavern, including 1793. In 1795-
96, John Walker was the host, while in 1798-99,
Henry C. Barker was the landlord. He was suc-
ceeded, in 1800, by John Selah, at which time the
inn was known as " the Sign of the Leopard."
In 1803, Charles Afflick became mine host of the
Leopard, and was followed by Henry C. Barker,
in 1804. For six years Jacob D. Barker was the
landlord, to be succeeded, in 1810, by Edward Sal-
liard, and he in turn, in 1811, by Thomas Noblett,
who called the house "the United States Coat of
Arms," and, in 1813, Jacob D. Barker again returned
to the cross-road inn. The petition of Barker, in
1820, states the house is known as "The LTnion
Inn." In 1824, George Ho.skins followed Barker, j
and continued there until 1839, when John Harper, I
Jr., had the license. In 1841, William Appleby be-
came the landlord, and remained there as such until
1850, when he having died, the license was continued
to his widow, and she in turn was followed by her son,
William Appleby, in 1861. The latter remained as
landlord of the ancient hostelry until 1866, when Wil-
liam Wilson had license until 1873,— the year of local j
option. In 1876 the house was again licensed to his
widow, Hannah H. Wilson, and she continued an-
nually to receive the court's approval until 1884, when
the license was withheld from all houses in Lower
Chichester.
At this road-side inn the great men of the last gener-
ation have stopped, that their horses might be watered
and themselves refreshed. William Trainer informs
me that he can distinctly remember seeing John
Quincy Adams riding along the road to and from
Washington, with four horses to his coach, and with
out-riders. The sturdy farmers of that day gazed with
a kind of awe as " the leaders of the political parties"
passed by with their followers without deigning, in
many cases, to return the profound bows of the rustic
freemen.
The Spread Eagle.— In 1782, William Burns ob-
tained license for the tavern facing the upper pier, the
name of the house Being set forth as the " Tun and
Punch Bowl," but in 1791 the name was changed to
the Spread Eagle, which title it retains to this day.
In 1815, Burns having died, the tavern was kept by
his widow, Hannah, but the following year Henry
Houghton was the landlord, who was succeeded, in
1817, by John Marshall, and in 1819, Benjamin Fit-
man succeeded the former. Ann Lane kept the tavern
in 1820, and John Barton in 1821, who gave place to
John Manderson in 1823. Margaret Marshall fol-
lowed the former in 1827, and the next year William
McLaughlin, who had purchased the property, kept
the tavern there. In 1842, Charles P. Morris was the
landlord, and the next year Jesse M. Justice, who was
followed by Lydia A. Justice. George C. Healey had
the house in 1850, and in 1853, Charles P. Swing.
Edward Chandler had license in 1855, and Humphrey
P. Gibson in 1856. In 1850, Mary A. Gibson was the
landlady of the Spread Eagle, and two years there-
after William Wilson became the landlord. In 1864,
Lewis Wolcott had license granted him, but the same
year he transferred it to Kobert K. Jacquett, and in
1868, John J. Thurlow secured the court's favor, but
he soon afterwards transferred it to Henry Wilkins.
After the local option law was repealed William H.
Gibson had the hotel until 1878, when John H. Kerlin
became the landlord, to give place, in 1880, to Caleb
C. Perkins, who is the present host of the ancient
public-house, to which license was refused by the
court in 1884.
The population of Lower Chichester was small in
1715, if we form our opinion from the following names
returned by the assessors as the male taxables of
that township : Philip Roman, Jonah Roman, Robert
Roman, John Rawson, Richard Bezer, Philip Pedrick,
Anthony Baldwin, William Flowers, Mordecai How-
ell, John Royley, Richard Edwards, William Clayton,
William Hewes, William Hewes, Jr., John Hopton,
Richard Crosby, John Ross; Freemen, John Flower,
Thomas Clayton, and Thomas Howell. That the
above list is far from complete is evident. The name
of Lamplugh does not appear, and yet we know from
the county records, other than the assessors' returns,
that the family did reside then in that locality. In-
deed, the records of the old borough and township, as
with Chester, are sadly deficient, while the traditions
are very inaccurate.
In 1799 the following names appear on the assess-
ment-roll for the year :
Samuel Amor, Charles Affleck, William Bams, Sr. (iiiukeepei), Wil-
liam Burns, Jr. (waterman), John Burns (cordwainer), Jacob Burns,
Henry C. Baker (innkeeper), Nathaniel Brown, Curtis Clayton, Joseph
Clayton (punipmaker), Bichard Cockshott (carpentei), William Connell
(shop-keeper), William Cranson (shipwright), Benjamin Cloud, Thomas
Connarroe, Elizabeth Button (innkeeper), Zacharinh Derrick (wheel-
wright), William Fordson, John Harding (tanner), William Howell
(cordwainer), David Johnson, Benjamin Johnson, MelchiorLooen (shop-
keeper), David Marshall (shop-keeper and tavern-keeper), Joseph Mar-
shall (shop-keeper), John Marshall (innkeeper), Hester Mitchell, Joseph
Merrihew, Hannah Moore, George Martin (tailor), Nicholas Newlin
(physician), Samuel Rice (justice of the peace), John Prince, Sarah Per-
kins, Richard Riley (judge), Joel Scott (pilot), Caleb Sayers (physician),
Samuel Trimble (shipwright), Joseph Walk.'r, Thomas Wallace (tailor),
Thomas Wilson, Thomas Biggert (weaver), Ncheniiali Broomall, Joseph
Cobourn, Jr. (cordwainerl, George Derrick (wheelwright), John Ellis,
Thomas Eanix (carpetter), Joho Goodwin (wlieelwright), William Max-
II ill III I II 1 1 III II
ill
■1
::ilillM^^^^^^^^^^^
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
469
well (weaver), James Marshall (weaver), John Richards (millwright),
Heber Thomas (joiner), Jitmes Tliomas, James Burns (carpenter),
Benjamin Talley (cordwainer), Ellis Wright (carpenter), Thomas York
(merchant).
It will be noticed that the above list of taxables
presents almost without exception the names of Eng-
lish settlers, so rapidly did the latter race supplant
their Swedish predecessors.
The time when the old market-house, removed in
1870, which stood in Broad Street, was erected in
Marcus Hook I have been unable to ascertain, but as
it was a counterpart of the similar building which
stood in Market Square, Chester, I do not believe it
antedates the middle of the last century, that in Ches-
ter liaving been erected subsequent to 1744. I learn
that about 1838 a town hall, or large room, was built
on the top of the market-house, running the entire
length of the building, and here public meetings,
singing-schools, and the like were held. Nothing
seems now to be known regarding the mill which
stood on Front Street, almost at the extreme south-
westerly limit of the borough, as shown in a plan of
the town of Chichester, said to have been made by
Isaac Taylor, the surveyor of Chester County, about
1701, which date I much question, since the plan shows
a road in early times, called the road to Chester, ex-
tending from New Street, obliquely, to the King's
Highway, a short distance west of the bridge over
Chichester Creek, and we know that short road was
not laid out until 1704.
Kinap's Highway and Chichester Creek Bridge.
— The present Southern post-road was not laid out
until June, 1704, as appears from the following-
report :
" By virtue of a law made at New Castle the 27tli day of tlie 9th mo.,
1700, Confirmed at Philacielphia the S" day of the 10 mo., 1701, ordering
and appointing the Justices of the County Court for this county to lay
out a road from the King's Road that leads to New Castle and Maryland
near as may be to Ralph Fishborn the intended place for a bridge over
Chester Creek. We the present Justices did accordingly this day view
and lay out the said road but in regard some of the inhabitants of the
township of Chichester did declare that they would never cut nor clear
the same. We order and appoint the inhabitants of the township of
Chester with such others as are willing to assist them at their own
proper charge for the more effectual answering the said law and speedy
accommodation of all travellers to cut and clear the road as we have
now laid it out & make return to us of their so doing the next Court of
Quarter Sessions to be held at Chester, aforesaid. Given under our
hands the 10>k day of June in the year 1704.
" Caleb Ptjsey,
"Jonathan Hayes,
"John Guest,
"Jaspek Yeates,
" JtufUces.
"We the inhabitants of the Township of Chester in pursuance to the
within order of Court Do certify to the Court that according as the Jus-
tices was pleased to make the within mentioned road we have at our
own charge cut and cleared the same requesting it may be recorded and
confirmed according to law. Witness our hands.
" Edward Danger. George Simson.
James Townes. Joseph Edge.
Robert Barber. James Sandiland.
Charles Whitaker. John Hoskins.
Paul Sanders. John Wade.
Samuel Tomlinson. William Pickles.
" Allowed in open court the 20 day of August, 1704, and ordered to he
Entered on Record."
A bridge over Chichester Creek on this road was
erected prior to 1708, for on Nov. 24, 1708, the jus-
tices, commissioners, and assessors of Chester County,
in open court, entered into an agreement for building
or repairing the bridge at Chester Creek, and the
record states, —
" It is further agreed that the said James Hendrickson shall build a
bridge over Marcus Hook Creek in the Queen's Road, where the old
bridge now is, and erect it ten feet broad and so long as is sufficient and
necessary for the same to extend, and to build it all of white oak tim-
ber completely finished with and the said bridge lo be finished at or
before the 1st day of April next, in consideration the said James shall
be paid £14.
"Further ordered that the causeway at the end of the bridge shall be
repaired and made a sufficient road and it is also ordered that I^iilip
Roman shall be Supervisor of the same to agree with workman and see
it completely finished."
The Linwood Mills, at Trainer's Station, on Chi-
chester Creek, occupy the site of a grist-mill erected
on that stream, about the middle of the last century,
by John Price, the then owner of the land. In 1790,
Samuel Price, his son, owned the mill, which was
operated by George Pearson. In 1806, Samuel Price
having died previous to 1802, David Trainer, the
father of the present owner, purchased the grist-mill,
and in 1811 a John K. Pine built a saw-mill near by
on his late father's estate ; but subsequent to 1813,
David Trainer, Sr., in connection with Gideon
Jacques, purchased the saw-mill and carried on the
grist- and saw-mill at that place. The former was
driven by an overshot wheel, while the saw-mill was
fed by a separate race, the waters being discharged
into that which turned the grist-mill. In the fall of
the year 1814, when the militia of Pennsylvania sum-
moned to the field by the President of the United
States to repel the threatened invasion by the British
army were assembled in encampment near Marcus
Hook, the troops, numbering over five thousand men,
were located on this and adjoining estates, and close
by, at Widow Price's, Maj.-Gen. Gaines, of the regu-
lar army, in command of the department, had his
headquarters, and in the neighborhood of the mills
reviewed the entire force on Oct. 12, 1814.' The logs
used at the saw-mill were generally floated by water
to a point very near the building, and it was neces-
sary that the water-way should be preserved ; hence
to that end the General Assembly, on March 24,
1817, declared Lower Chichester Creek, "from the
mouth thereof up the same to the mill of David
Trainer and Gideon Jacques, be and the same is de-
clared a public highway for the passage of rafts,
boats, and other vessels, and it shall be lawful for the
inhabitants and others desirous of using the naviga-
tion of said creek to remove all natural and artificial
obstructions which may be within the same." ^ The
1 1 have seen it stated that Gen. Anthony Wayne was
ing officer who reviewed the troops on that occasion. Of course that is
a mistake. " Mad .\nthony" died at the present site of Erie, Dec. 15,
179C, and had been dead almost eighteen years when the review took
place.
2 Bliss' " Digest of Delaware County," p. 19.
470
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
act itself declared that under no construction were
its provisions to be held as authorizing the removal,
injuring, or impairing of the bridge spanning the
great post road.
In 1837 the old grist-mill was changed into a cot-
ton-factory, and an addition, eighty by forty feet, two
stories in height, erected, which was operated by
David Trainer, Jr., and John Hastings, Jr., until
1842, when, the firm having lost heavily in that year
through the failure of the commission house with
whom they dealt, the partnership was dissolved, and
under discouraging prospects David Trainer contin-
ued the business there. At the National Fair, at
Washington, D. C, in May, 1846, the goods made at
Trainer's mill received special notice. Success at-
tended his efforts, and he had already accumulated
considerable means, when at Ms father's death, in
1849, the estate became his by inheritance. Two
years thereafter Mr. Trainer met with a serious loss
in the destruction of his mill by fire.
On Monday morning, Oct. 13, 1851, between one
and two o'clock, as the night-train from Baltimore
came in sight, the conductor and engineer noticed a
bright flickering light in the mill, and as no one in
the neighborhood seemed to be stirring, the train
was stopped and the alarm given. The fire was sup-
posed to be the work of an incendiary, as the flames
had broken out in a cotton-shed where fire was never
used. The loss amounted to fifty thousand dollars, of
which only eighteen thousand dollars was covered by
insurance. While the walls of the burned factory were
being demolished a tremendous mass fell, burying a
mason named Armstrong to his waist in the rubbish,
and to the surprise of all who saw the accident, when
extracted he was found to have sustained no serious in-
juries. The work of rebuilding was pushed rapidly, and
on Aug. 1, 1852, the old structure having been replaced
by a new mill three and a half stories high, one hun-
dred and ten by fifty feet, fully stocked with new ma-
chinery, operations were resumed. In 1865 an addi-
tion of ninety feet was added to the mill, thus making
the main building two hundred by fifty feet, to which
were attached spacious buildings used as cloth- and
picker-rooms, a dye- and finishing-house and an engine-
room. In 1865 the firm became David Trainer & Son,
J. Newlin Trainer having been taken into partner-
ship, and again, in 1868, it became D. Trainer & Sous,
William E. and Edward Trainer having been admitted
into the firm. In 1869 mill No. 2 was erected. It is
a two-story building, sixty by five hundred and two
feet, with the necessary outbuildings for boilers, en-
gines, etc., and in the spring of the following year,
having been fitted with the best and improved ma-
chinery, the firm began manufacturing in this mill.
In the fall of that year the neat iron bridge spanning
Hook Creek, near th§ mill, which had been made at
the Chester Bridge- Works, was put into its place. An
industry such as this, giving employment to a large
number of persons, necessarily resulted in building
up in its immediate vicinity a village of dwellings
for the operatives. In 1873 the Chester Improvement
Company erected a large factory in South Chester,
which was purchased by D. Trainer & Sons, and is
now known as Mill No. 3. A brief account of this
mill will be found in the historical account of South
Chester borough. In 1878, at the Paris Exposition,
David Trainer & Sons were awarded a bronze medal
for superior tickings manufactured at their mills.
David Trainer was born in Delaware County, Pa.,
on the 9th of July, 1814, and reared on the farm where
I his birth occurred, and where he still resides. Here
he enjoyed such advantages as the subscription schools
I of the period aflforded. His father, David Trainer,
had purchased, in 1806, the property, consisting of a
farm and flouring-mill erected before 1753 by John
Price, and the lad was employed on the farm and
j about the saw-mill, which had been erected by his
j father in 1812. In 1837 an addition was made to the
j old flouring-mill, and the whole having been fitted
with machinery, was put in operation for the manu-
facture of cotton goods by the son and John Hastings,
! Jr. The firm become deeply involved by the failure
j of their commission merchant in 1842, and having
dissolved the partnership, David Trainer resolved to
retrieve his fortunes single-handed. Upon the death
of his father, March 1, 1849, he fell heir to the estate,
consisting of the mills and some fifty acres of land.
: A disastrous fire destroyed the old mill Oct. 8, 1851,
1 but nothing daunted he took immediate steps for
j rebuilding, and by Aug. 1, 1852, the old flouring-mill
j had been replaced by a new structure and equipped
with new and improved machinery. In 1865 he en-
I larged this mil), and in 1869 erected Mill No. 2, which
was followed in 1873 by the erection of Mill No. 3.
These structures are models of comfort and con-
venience. In addition he has erected three mansion-
I houses and eightj'-five dwellings for the accommoda-
' tion of his operatives, in whose welfare he manifests
a deep interest. Having thoroughly educated his
I sons, and acquainted them with the practical details
j of cotton manufacture, he gave to each an interest as
he attained his majority, the firm now being D. Trainer
& Sons. Mr. Trainer became connected with the
Bank of Delaware County in 1833, and upon its
reorganization as the Delaware County National Bank
I he was chosen a director, and in 1873 elected its presi-
dent, serving a term of two years, when he was re-
elected, but declined the honor. He is in politics
a stanch Republican, having formerly voted the Whig
ticket. He is in his religious associations an Episco-
palian and member of St. Martin's Church, of Marcus
Hook, of which he is senior warden. Mr. Trainer is
public-spirited and enterprising, courteous to all, and
a vigorous supporter of every public improvement.
Diamond Mills. — On the east branch of Naaman's
Creek, near the northwest boundary of the township,
is the saw- and grist-mill of Samuel Hockman, which
1 is one of the old mill-seats and landmarks of the
r/l/i^^y^^^;Cc^^^2x^-7Z^j:'^
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
471
county. Towards the end of the last century it was
the property of Nathan Pennell, but he having died
about 1800, it was leased to Andrew Steel, and in 1802,
Nehemiah Broomall became its owner. In 1826 the
mill is recorded as grinding between three and five
thousand bushels of grain per annum, while the saw-
mill was run only occasionally, and was not rated as
a first-class mill. On Oct. 19, 1829, Nehemiah Broom-
all sold the property to Benjamin Hickman for three
thousand dollars.
A strange incident connected with the mill occurred
on Saturday night, Aug. 23, 1849. Benjamin Hick-
man that night was aroused shortly before midnight
by the barking of his dog, and going out to the mill
saw no one. Before he entered the house the dog
barked furiously, and then Hickman noticed a light
in the woodshed. He called several times to know
who was there, but receiving no answer he discharged
his gun, and the reisort was followed by an exclama-
tion, " You have shot me !" Hickman went to the
place, and found a haggard, withered old woman lying
on the ground, the shot having taken effect in different
parts of her body. She had collected a large amount
of combustible materials in a mass, apparently with
the intention of setting fire to them. A physician
was sent for, and the next day the woman, who would
not tell her name, was lodged in jail. She was sub-
sequently sent to the county house. After Benjamin
Hickman's death the widow, Ann, conducted the
business. The mill is now owned by Samuel Hick-
man, who has erected a new merchants' mill on the old
site, and at this time the brand of " Diamond Mills"
is accepted by the trade as the equal of any flour in
the market.
In 1870, John H. Barton and Jarius Baker erected
a sugar-refinery on a tract of land to the east of the
upper pier at Marcus Hook. It was a large brick
building, forty-five by fifty-six feet, and towering up-
wards to the height of sixty feet. A new wharf was
built adjoining the upper pier, and a canal or way was
dug to enable vessels of large size to come close to
*the building to receive or discharge cargoes. In April,
1871, sugar was first made in the refinery. Early on
Sunday morning, Feb. 25, 1872, fire was discovered
in the char-room, and in two hours thereafter nothing
remained of the building but the fire-marked walls.
The loss was one hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars, which was not entirely covered by insurance.
Subsequently, James Baker, using the standing wall,
erected a large flour-mill on the site of the refinery,
but four years after the first fire the new structure was
in its turn totally consumed, the fire being, it is sup-
posed, an incendiary one.
In 1878, John Larkin, Jr., purchased the site of the
burned flour-mill, and using part of the walls, erected
a machine-shop and foundry, which was occupied by
Keesey & Hubbell for a few months, when they aban-
doned the enterprise. In 1880 the Pioneer Iron-
Works, a limited company, became the lessees of the
establishment, but after building seven iron vessels it
failed, and the premises were rented by Charles C.
Glover, who manufactured steam-fittings therein, which
business also proved to be unsuccessful. The build-
ing is now leased to Joseph Kidd, who is engaged in
manufacturing iron conductors for the Union Line
cable-roads in Philadelphia, and has at the present
time an iron vessel on the stocks, building for parties
in New York.
In 1871, Mr. Larkin erected a large brick building,
three stories in height, intended for a shoe-factory.
It was occupied by Morton Bowker for a few months,
j but was subsequently changed into the Riverside
1 Hosiery-Mill, and on Sept. 1, 1877, Clarence Larkin
and John G. Campbell began manufacturing hosiery
therein. In October of the same year Mr. Campbell
withdrew, and the business has been conducted by
Clarence Larkin from that date. About 1875, John
Larkin, Jr., built a machine-shop and foundry on
Market Street. It was occupied by William Pearson
for some time in building hosiery machinery, but more
recently it was rented by the Titanic Steel-Casting
Company. It is now unoccupied. Within the last few
I years Mr. Larkin has built sixty houses in Marcus
Hook. In all the history of the town for a century
and a half preceding Mr. Larkin's improvement, the
number of houses erected in that period did not
equal those built by Mr. Larkin in the time men-
tioned.
Kaolin has been found in Upper Chichester, for in
1839, when William Trainer was digging in the side
of a hill near his dwelling, a body of clay was ex-
posed, which was submitted to Professor Hare, Wil-
liam J. S. Warner, and Professor Rogers, the State
geologist, for examination, and the last-named per-
son pronounced it the purest porcelain clay he had
ever seen. No effort seems to have been made to put
this article in the market. Although kaolin has been
found in several townships in Delaware County, only
in Birmingham has the industry ever been established
or maintained.
During all its history Marcus Hook was prominent
as a fishing station. In a description of the village in
1802, published in the "Traveller's Directory" for the
year, it is mentioned as " a place engaged in shad and
herring fisheries." Inhabitants of the deep other than
the fishes mentioned have occasionally been captured
off Marcus Hook. In July, 1869, William Blizzard
caught off that place a shovel-nosed shark, which
measured over five feet in length and weighed a trifle
over two hundred pounds. On May 16, 1879, a sea-
I lion was taken in a seine near Marcus Hook. Its
captors being under the impression that it would in-
, jure their net, killed it. It was thought it had escaped
from the Zoological Garden in Fairmount Park sev-
eral weeks previous to the time it was caught.
On Saturday evening, Jan. 26, 1879, a remarkable
accident occurred near Linwood as the southward-
' bound express-train was approaching that station.
472
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The wind was blowing furiously, when two students 1
of Princeton College, named Vaughan and Larkin, at-
tempted to pass from one car to another. Vaughan
was swept from the platform by the strength of the
gale, and his skull fractured by the fall. Larkin's
life was saved simply by his coat catching on the knob
of the car-door, which held him on the platform until
the conductor and brakesman came to his assistance. '
Societies. — In 1845 a band was located at Linwood,
which furnished the music on several occasions for
public meetings and military displays. I have no
further information of the organization than is here
given. On June 14, 1869, the Linwood Building As-
sociation was organized, with George Broomall, presi- i
dent ; William H. Dickinson, secretary and solicitor ;
and David Trainer, treasurer. The association has i
settled its business and disbanded. j
Farmers' and Mechanics' Lodge, No. 185, 1. 0.
of 0. F., was instituted July 11, 1846, with the fol-
lowing charter membei;s : Kichard Leach, Robert
Black, James Stott, William Appleby, Sr., James
Phillips, Stewart Smith, John Stevenson, Sr., George
Williams, Townsend Rowand, and Edward Waggoner.
On the night of institution nine candidates were in-
itiated, making a total membership of nineteen. Dur- [
ing the year twenty-five persons were initiated, making ,
a membership of thirty-five at the beginning of the
year 1847. Since that time the lodge has been in '
active operation, never suspending benefits, paying
promptly all lawful claims on the treasury. On July
4, 1849, the corner-stone of the present Farmers' and
Mechanics' Odd-Fellows' Hall was laid, C. C. Burr,
of Philadelphia, delivering the address on that occa-
sion. John Larkin, Jr., was largely instrumental in
suggesting and carrying forward the building to com-
pletion. The total number of members of Lodge No.
185 since its institution is two hundred and thirty-
four, of which number thirty-two have been buried.
At present the membership is seventy-two. The lodge
since it was instituted has paid over ten thousand
dollars in benefits, mostly distributed in Upper and
Lower Chichester, and, besides, has about four thou-
sand dollars safely invested. Four of the charter
members still survive.
Wawasett Tribe, No. 172, I. 0. of E. M.— This
tribe was instituted eighth sun, flower moon, G. Y. D.
381 (8th day of May, 1872), with twenty-one charter
members. The tribe now numbers eighty-one mem-
bers. The appointed chiefs are : 1st S., R. H. Dutton ;
2d S., L. K. Bane; G. of F., Wilmer Heacock ; G. of
W., Frank H. Wooley; 1st W., George B. Rowand;
2d W., Amos Pennell ; Sd W., James P. Yeager ; 4th
W., Levin C. Barton; 1st B., Ellis Maxwell; 2d B.,
Isaac McKinley ; 3d B., Daniel Congleton ; 4th B.,
George W. Vernon, Jr. The elective officers are : S.,
Andrew Mahla; S. S., Charles Green; J. S.,
George W. Morton ; P., Samuel Congleton ; C. of R.,
F. S. Vernon ; K. of W., I. F. Heudrickson.
Golden Star Council, No. 319, 0. U. A. M.—
This council was chartered July 9, 1873, with twenty-
two members, and Isaac J. Brown, Councilor. The
first meeting was held in the second story of the ma-
chine-shop on the southwest corner of Fourth and
Market Streets, Marcus Hook. After that council met
until November of the same year at the Spread Eagle
Hotel. At that date the society rented the hall at-
tached to the hosiery-mills, and used it as a council-
chamber until the room was required for mill pur-
poses. By dispensation from the State Council
granted Dec. 1, 1880, council was authorized to re-
move to Linwood Station, where they leased Odd-
Fellows' Hall one night in a week. The present
Councilor is Edward Truitt, and the number of mem-
bers is fifty three.
Linwood Lodge, No. 499, K. of P.— This lodge
was instituted May 12, 1884, by District Deputy Dan-
iel W. Flenner, of Chester. Meetings are held in the
Odd-Fellows' Hall. John D. Goff is C. C. The
present number of members is fifty-six.
Old Residents and their Homes.— Dr. Caleb Smith
Sayers settled at Marcus Hook, where he practiced his
profession until his death, in 1799, at the early age of
thirty-two years. He was a victim of yellow fever,
with which he was attacked after visiting a man on a
vessel who was lying ill, the captain being ignorant
of the serious nature of the disease. The house where
the doctor lived, almost as it was in his day, facing the
river, still stands. At the time of his death he owned
sixty-three acres of land in Upper Chichester, and a
brick house and lot and half an acre of ground in
Marcus Hook. His son, Hon. Edward S. Sayers, who
was consul for Brazil and vice-consul for Portugal,
at Philadelphia, died March 29, 1877, was born at
Marcus Hook shortly after his father's death. Sub-
sequently thereto the family removed to Philadelphia,
where Edward S. Sayers became a prominent mer-
chant. When the Emperor Dom Pedro visited the
Centennial Exposition, he was always attended by
Mr. Sayers, the latter in early life having personally
become acquainted with the royal family in Brazil.
In early times Marcus Hook appears to have been a '
favorite locality for physicians, and success seems to
have attended their eflTorts there. In 1799, Dr. Nich-
olas Newlin not only had his own residence and one
hundred and ninety-eight acres of land, but he owned
several houses which he rented to families, — a very
unusual thing at that period.
During the second war with England, Marcus Hook
in the fall of the year (1814) was the designated en-
campment of Pennsylvania militia called to the field,
as well as a few regiments from Delaware, and the
United States regular army, the force gathered there
amounting to eight or ten thousand men. During
the time of the threatened attack on the city of Phil-
adelphia by Admiral Cockburn, the armed gunboats
patroled the river to a point near New Castle, and
it was no unusual thing for the residents of Marcus
Hook to see three or four of these gunboats sailing
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
47c
by the town in a day. They were flat sloop-rigged
crafts, of forty or fifty tons, carrying one large gun,
and commanded by an ofiBcer and ten or twelve men,
the latter armed with muskets, cutlasses, and pikes.
The old houses standing east of the creek, Jlorton,
Johnson, Pennell, and several others, were all erected
before or about the middle of the last century, the
clay being dug and the bricks made and burned near
where the houses were built. On those farms to this
day the excavations made in digging the clay can be
pointed out. The Pennell house was built in two
parts, the kitchen in 1744, by William Hendrickson,
who then owned the property. The figures given
have been pressed in the bricks in several places.
He sold the estate to John Smith, who built the
main part of the present house. Smith was an Irish
Quaker, who settled near Kingsessing, and married a
Bunting, of Darby. It is stated by tradition that,
when looking for a farm, he was told that this was
one of the best in the county, and purchased it. He
subsequently acquired much real estate in the neigh-
borhood. The Trainer family, in the maternal line,
are descended from John Smith. Elizabeth Smith,
the centenarian, who died in 1802, aged one hundred
and three years, and is buried in St. Martin's grave-
yard, is said to have been a sister of John Smith, but
was always a stanch member of the Church of Eng-
land, and a liberal contributor to the struggling parish
of St. Paul. The inscription on the gravestone in
St. Martin's Church-yard where she lies is simply —
"Elizabeth Smith. Born August, 1699. Died Oc-
tober, 1802,"— thus proving that she had lived in
three centuries. The Johnson house, on the west
side of the great post-road, near Stony Run, was built
about the same period mentioned as the date of the
Pennell building, and with the exception of about
twenty years, as long as our records run, the estate
has been in the ownership of the family. Benjamin
F. Johnson, the old squire, as he was termed, then an
octogenarian, on Nov. 9, 1871, died suddenly while
seated at his supper-table. A man of studious habits
for years, he had maintained the reputation of being
one of the best-informed men in the county, and in
his lengthened lifetime had been county treasurer, a
justice of the peace for nearly half a century, and for
sixty successive years a vestryman of St. Martin's
Church, — ^the longest period of continuous service, in
any capacity, so far as I have knowledge, ever per-
formed by a resident of this county.
The Eyre mansion, just west of the line of the
borough of South Chester, is of more recent date,
having been built by William Eyre about the begin-
ning of this century. Forty years ago, Jan. 2, 1845,
Martin Sullivan, a lad on this farm, fell through the
funnel in the barn on that estate and was instantly
killed.
The village of Linwood is a direct outgrowth of
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail-
road, and its history does not extend backward in our
annals a half-century. The incidents connected with
the story of Lower Chichester I have already given,
so far as I have information.
In 1878, John Lenkins, a printer, began the publi-
cation of a newspaper in Lower Chichester, called
The Linwood Times. After one issue the paper was
suspended.
The following is a list of justices of the peace :
Names. Date of CommiBSinD.
Samuel Price Aug. 30, 1791.
Joseph Marshall May 2IJ, 1800.
.lames Withey July 4, 1800.
Jacob Edwards Jan. 1, 1807.
John Caldwell Nov. 15, 1814.
Joseph Walker Feb. 3, 1820.
Samuel Smith March 12, 1822.
David Marshall March 3, 1824.
George W. Bartram June 3,1824.
Benjamin F. Johnson Oct. 25, 1825.
Abraham Kerlin June 7, 1830.
Samuel T. Walker Nov. 11,1831.
John Afflick June 6,1834.
Samuel Shaw Nov. 18,1835.
William Martin June 10, 1836.
George™W.^Bariram.'.'.'!!'..'.'.''.'.'.'..'. - ' 3:;', 1839!
JordanD.Bitting(l.oronghof Mi:. II n 14,1840.
Benjamin F. Johnson \, . 14,1840.
William Eyre \l) ' 14,1840.
John Larkin,Jr.(boroaghofMaiciiBHoukl, April 9,1844.
Benjamin F. Johnson April 15, 1845.
William Eyre April 15, 1845.
Edward Waggoner (borough of Marcus
Hook) April 14,1846-
Benjamin F. Johnson April 9, 1850.
William Evre April 9, 1860.
SamuelT. Walker(boroughof MarcusHook)April 11,1854.
Benjamin F. Johnson Oct. 23, 1S65.
William Eyre Oct. 2.3, 1855.
Benjamin F.Johnson April 10,1860.
Alfred Bunting (borough of Marcus Hook)..April 10, 1860.
Manley Emanuel April 16, 18G1.
Benjamin F. Johnson April 28, 1865.
Robert A. Longhead April 16, 1867.
Samuel T. Walker ,. April 14,1867.
1. Henry Walker (borough of Marcus Hookj.April 13, 1869.
Robert A. Longhead April 19, 1872.
Henrv Larkin April 15, 1873.
Daniel Fergerson March 25, 1876.
Robert A. Longhead .luly 2, 18T7.
.lohn A. Green March 25, 1878.
Robert A. Longhead April 10, 1882.
John A. Green April 6, 1883.
The Marcus Hook Piers.— The wooden piers at
Marcus Hook were erected by the State of Pennsyl-
vania subsequent to the Revolutionary war. Previous
to that date there were wharves at that place,— one in
front of lands belonging to William Burns and the
other that of Robert Moulder (the latter generally
known as Moulder's wharf). They, of course, were
indifferent structures, mere landing-places, affording
no protection to vessels during the heavy spring
freshets and ice-drifts. In January, 1785, it appears
a committee of merchants in Philadelphia memorial-
ized the State government,' setting forth the necessity
for the construction of new piers along the Delaware
River at designated localities, and the advantage to
be gained by such an outlay in maintaining the com-
mercial supremacy of the city by affording protection
to vessels in the winter season and during the ice-runs
in the spring, for at that period it was no rare inci-
dent for crafts at anchor to be cut through by the
heavy ice and sunk. The ship "John" was lost in
that way, and the shoal still known by the name of
that vessel was formed by the deposits settling around
. Archiv.
,vol. X. p. 406.
474
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the sunken hulk. The State government regarded
the project with approval and submitted the memo-
rial to the port wardens, and on May 13th the latter
body made a favorable report, on which the Supreme
Executive Council ordered the wardens to enter
into contracts with the owners of lands at Marcus
Hook, abutting on the river, so that any " improper
extension" of wharves into the Delaware at that
place would be prevented thereafter.' Drawings of
the proposed improvements had also been prepared,
for on May 19th Council delivered the plans for
the piers at Marcus Hook to the port wardens, with
the understanding that they were to be returned
" when called for."'-' Previous to that date (on May
7, 1785) Thomas Davis submitted a bid for the con-
struction of the piers, four in number, in which, for
the sum of four thousand one hundred pounds in
specie, he agreed to have the piers " so far carried on
& made this spring as to be sufficient for receiving &
protecting the shipping next winter and the whole
work to be completed on or before the first Day of
September, 1786." ^
Thomas Davis, however, appears not to have re-
ceived the contract, but on the 1st of June, 1785, the
owners of land on the river at Marcus Hook exe-
cuted the following contract, which, as it is ah
important document, the full text is given :*
"Articles of agreement, made the first day of June, in the year of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five between tlie Supreme
Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in behalf of
the said Commonwealth, of the one parj and sundry persons whose
names are hereunto subscribed and seals affixed of the other part:
" Whereas, The said Supreme Executive Council have contracted and
agreed with a certain for sinking and building of sundry piers
at Marcus Hook, iu the county of Chester, in the State of Pennsylvania,
for the accommodation of vessels entering into and going out of the
Port of Philadelphia. And
"Whereas, The said said several persona whose names are hereunto
subscribed and seals affixed, are seized of sundiy lots or pieces of ground
situate on the river Delaware, at Marcus Hook aforesaid, and lying near
or between the piers so intended to be sunk as aforesaid: Now, it is
hereby agreed by the said Supreme Executive Council in behalf of the
said Commouwealth, with the said several persons whose names are here-
unto subscribed and seals afiixed, their heirs, executors, administrators
and assigns, that they, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns,
may have and enjoy the liberty and privilege of sinking, building and
carrying out from the ends of their respective lots, any piers, wharves
or other erections whatever, provided the same be not carried out further
than the extent of the wharf or pier now called Moulder's Pier, lying to
the southward of the said lots of ground and of the wharf or pier in-
tended to be sunk by William Burns, opposite the wharf or pier called
Bunn's Pier, lying to the northward of the said lots of ground. And
the said several persons whose names are hereunto subscribed and seals
affixed, do hereby, for themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators
and assigns, several covenant promise, and grant, and agree to and
with the said Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not to build, sink, or
carrj- out any piers, wliarfs or other erections whatsoever, from the ends
of their respective lots, further than the extent aforesaid, and permit or
suffer all persons whatsoever to pass and repass across and along their
respective wharves, and to permit and suffer all vessels lying at the pub-
lic piers to load and discharge their cargoes witliout any let, hindrance
or molestation by or from them, or any or either of them, or their, or
any of or either of their heirs, executors, administrators or assigns.
"In witness whereof, the President of the said Supreme Executive
' Colonial Records, vol. xiv. p. 4
1 Penna. Archives, lat Series, vol. x. p. 713
' Colonial Kecords, vol. xiv. p. 474.
lb., p.
acil hath set his hand hereunto, and caused the seal of thesaid Corn-
wealth to be hereunto affixed, and the said several persons have
unto subscribed their names and affixed their seals, the day and
year first above written.
"Joseph Few. [l. 8.1 John Dickinson, [l. s.]
"John Crawford, [l. s.] John Flower, [l. b.]
• Bich'd EiLET. [l. 3.] William Burns, [l. s.]
" EOIIT. MotJLDER. [L.6.] JcHN PRICE. [L. 8.]
Thomas Moore, [l. s.]
"Sealed and delivered by John Crawford, Richard Riley, Robert
Moulder, John Flower, William Burns, John Price, and Thomas Moore,
in presence of
" Nath'l Falconer,
" Jos. Bullock.
"Sealed and delivered by Joseph Few, in presence of us.
"Georoe Oed,
"John Hazelwood."
On Wednesday, June 8th, two of the port wardens
appeared at the session of the Supreme Council, and
delivered the foregoing agreement, and submitted
several proposals made by Joshua Humphreys and
Thomas Conarroe for building the piers at Marcus
Hook. On the 15th the contract was awarded to
Thomas Conarroe, of the Northern Liberties of Phil-
adelphia, wharf-builder, and Council ordered that
the wardens of the port should be furnished with a
copy of the agreement " for the building and sinking
four piers, etc., etc., at Marcus Hook, on the river
Delaware," with authority to the wardens to make
payments as they severally became due.* The man-
ner of the work or the price agreed upon, so far as
Conarroe was concerned, does not appear, but we
learn something from the proposals presented by
Joshua Humphreys. The four piers were not four
separate and distinct piers, each leading directly to
the land, but an inner and an outer pier, forming
one landing-place, the sluice-way between Moulder's
wharf and the first pier being forty feet, while be-
tween the inner and the outer pier there was a sluice-
way of thirty feet, both of these sluices being spanned
by heavy sleepers and floored with two-and-a-half-
inch oak planks, the pier over all two hundred feet,
the outer pier thirty feet wide. The other pier at
William Bunn's wharf was to be in all respects simi-
lar to the lower pier (Moulder's) already described.''
Conarroe seems to have prolonged the work at the
piers, if the bid of Thomas Davis, already mentioned,
is any indication of the time deemed necessary by
other contractors for building them.
The piers were in an unfinished condition in De-
cember, 1786, for on the 15th of that month Thomas
Moore, of Marcus Hook, wrote to the port wardens
that the Spanish frigate " Loretto" was then lying
about ten or fifteen feet without the pier, and " her
mooring made fast to the Ties of the same (still in
an unfinished state)," and, as the ice on the river was
unusually heavy, and "forcing itself against the stern
of the frigate," the contractor Conarroe and residents
of the place were apprehensive that great injury
might be done to the pier.' The same day the war-
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
475
dens called the immediate attention of the Supreme
Council to the danger, and the following day John
Hazelwood and Nathaniel Falconer, members of the
Board of Port Wardens, were dispatched to Marcus
Hook, bearing a letter from President Benjamin
Franklin to Capt. De Ugarte y Lianes, of the '' Lo-
retto." The gentlemen were instructed by Franklin
in writing as to their course of action, which was to
deliver the letter, view the situation of the ship and
pier. This being done they were directed to offer the
Spanish officer their opinion as to the best means to
secure her from damage by driving ice, which advice
was to be put in writing. If the commander refused to
follow their advice, and they deemed his action would
be injurious to the pier, that they should apprise him
that the matter would be made the subject of a demand
on his government for all damages sustained. They
were also especially instructed to inquire into the
rumors " of Injuries done by his People to the Inhab-
itants," and if it appeared that the reports were well
founded, to request the captain to prevent such in-
juries for the future. On Dec. 17, 1786, Hazelwood
and Falconer were at Marcus Hook, and by letter in-
formed the commander that they had come there to
aid and assist him in placing the vessel in a place of
safety, " as the Winter setting in sooner than com-
mon, with a very severe Frost, which filled the Rivers
suddenly with Ice, and fearing, as you are Strangers,
& unacquainted with the dangerous situation that
ships are thrown into by the violence of the Ice in
this River, therefore it is our Opinion & Necessary
there should be an Anchor & Cable got out from the
Bows of the Ship to the Shore, in Order to Support
the Post & Fasts that are now out to keep the Ship
from going off the Bank, and that we also recom-
mend that some of the Guns may be run over, in
Order to list the Ship in towards the wharf, and that
there be some Spars got ready pointed «& drove down,
on the Starboard Quarter, Then, we are of Opinion
the ship will remain perfectly safe." That this advice
was followed we learn from the Spanish commander's
letter of thanks to President Franklin, which he dates
from the " Frigate N. S. De Loretto, at Anchor in the
Delaware, now secured in one of the Moles at Marcus
Hook." ' The ship wintered at that place. Two large
cannons, said to have been put ashore from this Span-
ish vessel of war, remained on the pier at Marcus
Hook for at least a third of a century.
Conarroe seems to have lost money on the contract,
and he petitioned Council to make him whole. On
June 21, 1787, the port wardens attended the session
of Council, and were instructed to inquire into the
loss, if any, sustained by the contractor, growing out
of " difficulties he has met with in the said business,"
to report to Council, together with their opinion.'
On the 26th the port wardens reported, stating that j
two hundred and fifty pounds would be " but a very
moderate compensation for the services rendered by
him in erecting and completing the piers at Marcus
Hook," on which report Council ordered the treasurer
of the commonwealth to pay Thomas Conarroe that
sum.'
In the description of Marcus Hook which appears
in an exceedingly rare book, the " Travellers' Direc-
tory," published in Philadelphia, 1802, it is stated
that the creek of that name is eighteen miles and
three-quarters from Philadelphia by the post road,
and adds, " at the confluence of this creek with the
Delaware is a small town called Marcus Hook, where
vessels are defended from the ice in winter by long
wharves or piers made for that purpose."
Marcus Hook has ever been a dangerous place for
unprotected shipping. As late as Dec. 24, 1842, the
brig " Henrietta," owned by John De Costa, of Phila-
delphia, was caught in a severe storm and blown
ashore a short distance below Marcus Hook. The
drifting ice was so heavy that the ship was cut
through and sunk in nine feet of water. The wreck
was afterwards moved to Naaman's Creek, but proved
a total loss. On Feb. 4, 1871, the ship "Research,"
bound for Antwerp, with the largest cargo of coal oil
ever to that time shipped from Philadelphia, struck
on the Hook rocks, a short distance above Marcus
Hook, where she sank in twelve feet of water. The
cargo was lightered and the vessel raised.
The Hunter-Miller Duel.— On Sunday, March 21,
1830, William Miller, Jr., of Philadelphia, a young
lawyer of much prominence, was killed in a duel with
Midshipman Charles G. Hunter, of the United States
navy. The meeting took place a short distance be-
low the Delaware State line, near Claymont, and cre-
ated much excitement in Delaware County, where for
many years afterwards it was a favorite theme for nar-
ration in stores and public places where people as-
sembled in the evening. Strange as it may seem, the
two men who stood facing each other on that Sabbath
morning, at the inception of the misunderstanding
were not parties to the quarrel which resulted so
tragically, but were drawn into it in the endeavor to
bring about a settlement of the difficulty. The cir-
cumstances connected with the fatal encounter are
briefly these :
In Philadelphia, on Friday afternoon, Feb. 17, 1830,
Henry Wharton Griffith meeting R. Dillon Drake at
the house of a friend, accompanied by several gentle-
men, the parties being well acquainted went to a bil-
liard-room at Third and Chestnut Streets, where Grif-
fith, while playing, was asked by Drake whether he
would try a game with him. Griffith was a noted
billiard-player, and, as he stated, knowing his superi-
ority to Drake in that respect, he merely smiled and
made no reply. The latter, apparently enraged at
this trifling circumstance, struck Griffith in the face,
476
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
following the assault with several other blows. That
evening Griffith sent a message to New York to Mid-
shipman Charles H. Duryee, of the United States
navy, requesting him to come to Philadelphia, and
at the same time addressed a note to Drake apprising
him that a friend would wait on him to demand satis-
faction for the insult. This letter Drake returned by
the bearer. On Tuesday night, the 21st, Midshipman
Duryee reached Philadelphia, and the next morning
waited on Drake as the friend of Griffith. Drake re-
fiised to entertain any message, alleging that Griffith's
reputation was not above reproach, and for that rea-
son he could not accord to him the satisfaction of a
gentleman. Capt. Vorhees, of the navy, when the re-
sult of the interview was repeated, wrote a certificate
stating that under similar circumstances in his own
case, he would not hesitate to meet Griffith. Armed
with this certificate Duryee returned to Drake, when
the latter referred him to AVilliara H. Carmac. Then
it was asserted that Griffith in having addressed a
letter to a lady to whom Dr. Drake, a brother of R.
Dillon Drake, was to be married on the very day the
assault took place, — which letter was derogatory of
Dr. Drake, — had by that act put himself beyond gen-
tlemanly recognition. At the meeting William Mil-
ler was introduced by Drake to Duryee. Pending
these proceedings eight days had elapsed.
On February 26th, Duryee, who declared that he
would post Drake as a coward, was challenged by the
latter, William Miller being the bearer of this note.
The next day Lieut. Hampton Westcott, United
States navy, on behalf of Duryee, replied that the
latter could not accept the challenge until Drake had
given Griffith satisfaction. To this Drake stated that
he must decline " the degradation of placing him-
self on a level with that degraded individual." The
matter did not rest here, for on March 7th several
gentlemen of New Brunswick, N. J., friends of
Duryee, whom it appears in now accepting the chal-
lenge was placed in questionable position among his
brother-officers, wrote to William Miller, asking
that the whole matter be referred to a committee
appointed by both sides ; to which proposition Mil-
ler (on the 9th) replied that both Drake and he
looked upon the difficulty as finally and satisfactorily
settled.
On March 10th, Midshipman Charles G. Hunter,
then barely twenty-one years of age, came to Phila-
delphia as Dnryee's friend, and wrote to Miller de-
manding the immediate delivery of the letter written
from New Brunswick, giving the latter one hour to
reply. The result was an interview between Hunter
and Miller, at which Hunter stated Miller had de-
stroyed a letter which, he said, was the one in con-
troversy. A few days after this interview the New
Brunswick letter was printed.
Hunter thereupon announced that Miller's base
and ungentlemanly conduct in suffering a letter to be
published after he declared it had been destroyed
was such that he demanded immediate satisfaction,
and on March 17th dispatched Lieut. Westcott with
a cartel to Miller. The latter in writing denied being
in any wise connected with the publication, and being
entirely ignorant of it, declined to receive the chal-
lenge from Hunter. During the interview, R. Dillon
Drake entered the office and handed to Miller a man-
uscript copy of the New Brunswick letter, stating
that it had been in the possession of his brother, Dr.
Drake. Miller, turning to AVestcott, said, " You see,
sir, that I fulfill my promise to Mr. Hunter, and will
destroy the copy in your presence." " I do not care
about seeing it destroyed," replied Westcott, "as
there are printed copies of it in circulation."
On Saturday, March 20, Hunter posted Miller, and
concluding the document by stating that he held
Miller in the utmost contempt as a coward, and
knew him to be guilty of base falsehood, "yet I am,
and always will be, ready to meet him whenever he
may think proper to accept." Previous to this pub-
lication, on March 17th, Midshipman Duryee seut
Hunter to Drake, accepting his challenge of February
26th, but Drake declined the meeting at that late
day.
After Hunter's statement was posted, Lieut. Edward
Bj'rne, as the friend of Miller, waited on Hunter with
a written acceptance of his challenge, and was re-
ferred to Westcott, who would arrange with him for
the meeting. It was agreed that the duel should
take place the nest morning at the nearest boundary
of the State of Delaware, and that besides the seconds
on both sides one gentleman should be present. For
some reason it was not until noon of the next day —
Sunday — that the combatants left Philadelphia in
separate carriages for Chester. One party, consist-
ing of Miller, Byrne, Craig, and a surgeon, left the
dwelling on Chestnut Street which formerly occupied
the site of the present German Democrat building,
while the other, consisting of Hunter, Westcott, Dur-
yee, and another gentleman, left the United States
Hotel, which stood on the north side of Chestnut
Street, opposite the custom-house. At Chester the
suspicions of the residents of that quiet village were
aroused, for it was rightly conjectured that a duel
was the object of this Sabbath journey, and the people
in the ancient borough were greatly excited over the
mysterious silence preserved by the party as to their
destination. When Naaman's Creek was crossed
arrangements were immediately made for the inter-
change of shots. It was subsequently alleged by
Hunter's friends that, after the firat fire, if Miller
should act as a brave man. Hunter had determined to
withdraw the charge of cowardice, and upon Mr.
Miller's friend declaring on his honor that he be-
lieved Miller innocent of the publication of the letter,
the parties should be reconciled. The paces being
measured off, and each end of that distance marked
with a stone, the preliminaries were gone through
with and the men stationed. Not a word passed on
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWiNSHIP.
477
the grounds between the principals in the duel, and
so far as remembered all that either said was the as-
senting answer to the question, " Gentlemen, are you
ready?" At the word both fired in accordance with
the agreement, so nearly together that the separate
reports of the pistols could hardly be distinguished.
Instantly Miller wheeled, and, uttering an exclama-
tion, fell to the earth. Hunter, advancing towards
the fallen man, said in a loud voice, " Gentlemen, I
assure you that I had no enmity against that man ;
his blood must rest upon the heads of others who
have dragged him into their quarrels." Miller died
almost immediately, the bullet having perforated his
lungs. As soon as the fatal result of the encounter
was ascertained, the gentlemen who had accompanied
the dead man to the field urged Hunter, Westcott,
and Duryee to leave the State before the determina-
tion of the duel could be known, and acting on that
advice they hired conveyances, were driven to New
Castle, where they boarded an out-bound vessel and
finally reached New York.
The dead man was placed in a sitting posture on
the back seat of one of the carriages, a cap, fashion-
able at that time, drawn down over his forehead so as
to shade his eyes to prevent them being seen by any
one glancing into the vehicle. To hold the body up-
right one of the men sat by its side and two on the
front seat, and they managed to preserve the semblance
of life (in what was really a corpse) to a casual ob-
server passing by. This carriage started on the jour-
ney to Philadelphia, the second being occupied by
the surgeon and the gentleman who accompanied
Hunter, and had not fled to New Castle. In the
mean while several young men of the neighborhood of
Chester who had been riding in the vicinity of Clay-
mont learned that a duel had taken place, and as
they preceded the carriages, the fact became known
abroad, and it was determined, if possible, to arrest
the principals at the bridge over Chester Creek. A
number of the citizens of Chester assembled there for
that purpose. By this time night's shadows had set-
tled down, and as the first carriage came in sight of
the bridge, the driver, noticing that a body of men
seemed gathering there, and knowing his coach bore
an unusual passenger, whipped his horses almost to a
run, crossed the bridge in a gallop, and passed on un-
molested. The second carriage, however, came along
at an easy trot, and was without difficulty brought to
a full stop, when it was found that only the surgeon
and a looker-on had been detained. Shortly after
they were permitted to resume their journey to Phila-
delphia.
The first carriage, after it had dashed through the
village, continued on the way to its destination, and
it was about nine o'clock that night when it halted
with its ghastly passenger at the house on Chestnut
Street from which that noonday it had taken away
the dead— then a living man. Rumor relates how all
that night the men kept the corpse in a room, while
those present drank deeply, due largely to the extreme
excitement under which they labored. The next day
the father of the dead man was informed of his son's
fate, and shortly after six o'clock the following morn-
ing the remains were interred without waiting for
the form of a coroner's inquest.
The duel caused the utmost excitement throughout
the country, and on Saturday following, March 27th,
Mr. Moore, of Beaver County, in the House of Repre-
sentatives, at Harrisburg, ofl^ered a resolution that
the President of the United States be respectfully re-
quested to strike the said Lieut. Charles G. Hunter
from the roll of the navy, and also requesting the
Governor of Pennsylvania to forward a copy of the
resolution to the President. On Monday, the 29th,
the resolution was adopted and forwarded immedi-
ately.
On the following day the Secretary of the Navy
wrote to the President:
"NAvr Department,
" iMaicb 30, 1830.
"Sir: It has been proved to my satisfaction that Lieuts. Edward
Byrne and Hampton Westcott, Passed Midshipman Charles H. Duryee,
and Midshipman Charles G. Hunter, of the navy of the United States,
were recently concerned in a duel which took place between the last-
named officer and William Miller, Jr., of Philadelphia, which resulted
fatally to the latter. I respectfully recommend to you that the names of
the said officers, Edward Byrne, Hampton Westcott, Charles H. Duryee,
and Charles G. Hunter, be erased from the list of officers of the navy of
the United States.
" I am very respectfully,
"John Bkanch."
On the back of the letter the Executive indorsed :
" Let the above-named officers of the navy be stricken from the roll.
"AsDHEw Jackson.
"3l8t March, 1830."
Shortly after this was done a number of influential
persons declared that the proceeding was arbitrary,
that the men had been dismissed without a hearing,
and petitions were circulated for signatures, asking
that they might be reinstated and an inquiry could
be had as to the circumstauces attending the duel.
William Miller, Sr., the father of the slain man, per-
sonally petitioned the President that Hunter might
be reinstated; that he did not regard him as guilty
of his son's death, but that his life had been sacrificed
to the absurd code of honor which then maintained in
the naval service of the government. Hunter was re-
instated, and during the Mexican war was court-mar-
tialed and dismissed from the squadron because he
had captured the town of Alvarado and the Mexican
forts in that vicinity without having been ordered by
the commodore to do so. Ever after he was known
as Alvarado Hunter.
The writer can recall Hunter just previous to his
death in St. Joseph's Hospital, New York, when poor,
dissipated, and broken in health, it was a gleam of
sunlight on his darkened life journey when those who
knew him in better times noiklcd their recognitions
or shook his trembling hand. His life had been em-
478
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COIJNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
bittered and full of troubles, all dating from that quiet
Sunday, near the Delaware, when a man he had never
met but twice in his life lay dead before the unerring
aim of the best pistol-shot in the American navy.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr., at his own cost, placed a
tombstone over the grave of an accomplished, brave
gentleman, who had dare to capture an enemy's town
and fortress without orders, and was suspended be-
cause he was victorious.
The Webb and Marshall Duel.— Forty years ago
Thomas F. Jlarshall was one of the most conspicuous
men in public life. As an orator he was the foremost
Kentuckian of any period, and ranked superior to
Clay, Crittenden, Barry, Pope, Rowan, Bledsoe, Mene-
fee, the Breckinridges, and the galaxy of brilliant
men who carried the name of their State to the front
in the spoken literature of the nation. So potential
was his eloquence that in 1841, when he oflFered him-
self a candidate for Congress from the Ashland dis-
trict, no antagonist could be found to contest with
him on the hustings the issues of the hour, and with-
out opposition he was elected a member of the
Twenty-seventh Congress. On the floor of the Houe,e
be was an earnest advocate of the repeal of the bank-
ruptcy bill of 1841, while Col. James Watson Webb,
editor of the Courier and Enquirer, a daily paper of
large influence, published in New York City, was as
earnestly enlisted on tlie other side, and took occasion
in bis editorials to criticise severely those opposed to
his views. Marshall's prominence in advocacy of the
measure made him a distinguished figure, and the
shafts of Col. Webb's sarcasm and vituperation were
frequently directed at the tall Kentuckian, so espe-
cially that their purpose was not to be misunderstood.
Early in 1842, Col. Monroe Edwards had been ar-
rested in Philadelphia, charged with forging drafts
amounting to sixty thousand dollars on Brown
Brothers, the bankers, and other well-known business
men of New York. He was taken into custody on a
requisition from the Governor of New York. The
trial ranks as one of the American causes cHi>bres.
The colonel had played no trivial part in the pomp
and fashion of the day; he was a man of conspicuous
presence, of fine address, and a cultivated conversa-
tionalist, who bad mingled familiarly, abroad and in
the United States, in the best society. The case at-
tracted additional attention because of the magnifi-
cent array of counsel employed. The defense was
represented by Hon. John J. Crittenden, of Ken-
tucky; Hon. Thomas F. Marshall, of the same State;
Messrs. William M. Evarts, J. Prescott Hall, and
Robert Emmett, of New York. The commonwealth
was represented by Hon. James R. Whiting, district
attorney (familiarly known as " Little Bitters," be-
cause of his sarcasm), assisted by Hon. Ogden Hoff-
man, United States district attorney for the Eastern
District of New York, then the most brilliant forensic
orator of the United States, whose address in behalf
of Richard P. Robinson, when tried for the murder of
1 Helen Jewett, has ever been regarded as a masterpiece
I of legal advocacy.
The trial began on the 7th of June, 1842, before
Judge William Kent, and the Courier and Enquirer of
that date published editorially the following para-
graph :
" We learn from the Tribune tbat the Hon. T. F. MarshaU, after wan-
dering about tlie country for some thirty days lecturing on temperance
and giving his experience as a devotee of the bottle, has returned to
this city to defend the notorious Monroe Edwards. When he gets back
to Washington he will have been absent about forty days, for which he
will doubtless draw from the treasury, with the sanction of his brother
membera, three hundred and twenty dollars ! Now, while the editor of
the Tribune was advocating the reduction of the army and navy, why
did he not gently hint to Congress the necessity of reducing their own
pay, and of not paying themselves anything from the public purse while
making mountebanks of themselves or devoting their time to advo-
rindlers."
Mr. Marshall, when he came to make his address to
the jury at the close of the evidence, alluded to this
attack on him, and said, —
" Now, I would venture to assert that under all the circumstances of
the case, so far as the public are acquainted with them, that the parallel
of that paragraph cannot be found in the whole historj- of the press of
this country. . . . But to the attack itself, gentlemen, let me explain
the nature and cause of it. It is, let me tell you, a mere personal mat-
ter. It is intended for me alone, and for the sole gratification of wreak-
ing private revenge in certainly the most dignified manner and under
the most humane circumstances. In short, I did not believe that human
revenge on one individual could be conceived in so lofty, so exalted a
manner; but I do believe that I was alone the motive, the sole victim
sought. But so elevated were the feelings of this writer, so intent was
he of gratifying his revenge on me, that he entirely forgot the cruel
and unmanly manner in which he was wreaking it upon the unfortu-
nate prisoner, who had never done him the slightest injury or ill-will.
I regret exceedingly that this thing is so, and I regret that it occurred,
and that this explanation is necessary. I feel the awkwardness of it,
and I am aware if the counsel on the opposite side choose to make an un-
generous use of it, it may be made a subject of attack on me. But I
felt compelled to make this statement, and it has happened to be my
misfortune, my most unpleasant situation, to have had to notice this
same disreputable source of attack twice recently, and both times in
discharge of my public duties, and I will explain to you the circum-
stances that drew forth this noble mode of revenge, the precious morsel
against myself. Last winter this same wiiter made a charge agiiinst
Congress — I state the substance of the charge — that a quantity of
British coin had been brought to this country for the purpose of bribing
the members of Congress, of which I was one, and that they had been
bought to the tune of one hundred thousand dollars apiece I I, in
my place in Cougress, instantly repelled the charge, and in very
mild language for so gross an attack. This brought a letter from
the writer of the article asking me to retract what I said. Well, I
reviewed the ground, and I didn't, retract it, and haven't retracted it,
and I never would retract it on the face of the earth till I die !
This brought a second letter, but no retraction followed, and there
stuck the correspondence and here is the revenge. Well, I don't know
that I am exactly the thing represented in this corrupt paper, but I
believe that I can lay some claim to the character of a gentleman, that
I am a tolerably good judge of what pertains to the character of a gen-
tleman,—at least as well as the man who wrote that article, and who
pretends to be a gentleman. But I will simply remark that in Congress,
at the bar, before the people, in all these various characters,— all of
which I consider are merged in the character of a gentleman, — that I
stand ready at any time and at all times for whatever I am responsible,
and for anything that may have occurred in this so perfectly filthy a
quarrel. Under any circumstances, I pledge my honor that I shall
plead no privilege that pertains to my position as a member of Congress,
audi do hope that such gentlemen as have any personal revenge to
gratify against me will seek some other mode and place, if they can,
and not by means of the public prints gratify their malice against me
by attacking my client, — such time and place as gentlemen can seek,
and they will always find me ready to meet them."
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
479
Although Marshall had thus publicly intimated
that he not only expected, but would accept, a chal-
lenge from Col. Webb, no such message came. The
conviction of Monroe Edwards, and the remarks the
prisoner made to the court, complaining that he had
been hounded by the press, doubtless deepened the
impression on the mind of Marshall that he had been
most grossly insulted and ill-used. He, therefore, at
the termination of the trial, addressed a note to Col.
Webb, demanding satisfaction, and gave it to Lieut.
Duke to present to the colonel. When the epistle
was delivered to the latter, he, through Mr. Charles
Livingstone, informed Lieut. Duke that in the city of
New York Col. Webb could not receive such a mes-
sage, but that he would be in Wilmington, Del., with
his friend, Maj. Morell, on Friday, the 24th day of
June, at two o'clock in the afternoon, and he would
then receive any communication Mr. Marshall might
desire to send him.
At the time designated the parties met at Wilming-
ton, I believe at the Indian Queen Hotel, on Market
Street. In this, however, I may be in error. Here
the challenge was again proffered by Marshall, and
was accepted by Webb, who, it was understood, went
there to be challenged. Marshall was accompanied
by Dr. Carr, of Baltimore, in the capacity of second,
and Dr. Gibson, of the same city, a son of Professor
Gibson, of Philadelphia, as surgeon, Mr. Hunt, of
Kentucky, and his (Marshall's) brother being present
as friends. Col. Webb was attended by Maj. Morell,
proprietor of the New York Courier, as second, Dr.
Tucker, formerly of Virginia, then of Philadelphia, as
surgeon. Josiah Randall, Esq., father of ex-Speaker
Samuel J. Randall, of Philadelphia, and George Bryer,
Esq., were present as his friends. After the prelim-
inaries were arranged, and articles written providing
for the manner in ■which the duel was to be con-
ducted, both the principals, accompanied by their
friends, left Wilmington, intending that the encounter
should take place the same evening. The presence of
Marshall and Webb in that citj' quickly became
known, and as the intelligence of the bitter blood be-
tween the gentlemen had preceded them, the purpose
of their visit was surmised, and the authorities were
immediately on the alert. The duelists drove in
their carriages to Marcus Hook, or rather the present
Linwood, but as a number of persons, said to have
been nearly one hundred, were following them, they
stopped at the Union Hotel, at Hook Cross-roads, then
kept by William Appleby. Here Col. Webb (for the
purpose of quieting the suspicions of the authorities
of Delaware County, for he learned that Hon. John
Larkin, Jr., then sheriff, was in the neighborhood,
and would use every means at his disposal to prevent
the proposed breach of the public peace) left his
carriage, went to Marcus Hook, embarked in a boat,
and was rowed across the river to the Jersey shore.
The impression then became general that Marshall
would shortly follow Webb, and that the duel would
be fought in New Jersey during the following
I day.
I The crowd that had gathered stood on the pier
I watching the movements of the boat, which was
rowed slowly along the opposite shore, without indi-
cating any disposition on the part of the inmates to
disembark on that side of the river. Several persons
followed the course of the boat by the use of tele-
scopes, until evening coming on, darkness screened
the movements of the little craft from further obser-
vation. Then the assembled crowd reluctantly dis-
persed.
Col. Webb, taking advantage of the darkness,
lingered on the river in the boat until late at night,
when he returned quietly to Appleby's, about eleven
o'clock, and passed the remainder of the night in his
carriage. Marshall and his friends were comfortably
housed in the Union Hotel. An hour before day-
break all the parties interested in the duel assembled,
and a few minutes before four o'clock the carriages,
closely following each other, left the hotel and started
for the place designated for the encounter to take
place, — an open field on Samuel T. Walker's farm, a
few yards to the south of the King's Highway, and just
within the Delaware State line. Two gentlemen from
Philadelphia, who had not been invited, were present,
as well as between thirty and forty persons who
resided in the neighborhood.
When the seconds had measured the ground — ten
paces — they marked the extremities of the line with
stones, one at each end, where the principals were to
be stationed. By this time it was daybreak. Maj.
Morell tossed a coin to determine the choice of posi-
tions, and the silver fell in the grass, a fact which
gave rise to some controversy between Dr. Carr and
Maj. Morell, the seconds, as to which of the parties
had won, both gentlemen resolutely declining to
yield. Marshall hearing the dispute, cried in an
impatient tone of voice to Dr. Carr, —
"Give it to them, doctor, give it to them. I came
here to have a shot at him, and I do not mean to be
baifled by trifles."
"We ask you to give nothing," proudly and angrily
replied Maj. Morell. " We ask but what is our
right."
Marshall's second, however, having yielded the
point as instructed by his principal, he, Dr. Carr,
tossed a coin to determine whose second should give
the word. In this fortune again favored Col. Webb.
The principals took their places when told to do
I so with alacrity, and with the utmost coolness.
I Neither had attired himself in apparel best calculated
j to fight a duel in with the least danger to the wearer.
i Marshall's tall form, six feet two inches in height,
' erect, symmetrical, and lithe, was clad in a blue
[ cloak, dark coat and pantaloons, and a light vest.
I Col. Webb, above the average height in stature, was
1 dressed in a dark coat, vest, and light-brown pair of
I pantaloons. Each of these two men, as they stood at
480
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the places assigned them, phxced his left foot against
the stone, before nieutioned, so as to stand firmly, the
right leg advanced slightly towards his antagonist,
the weight of the body being supported mainly by the
left leg. The pistols — ordinary dueling-pistolg —
having been loaded, Dr. Carr, Marshall's second, then
desired that the articles of agreement which were to
govern the encounter should be read by Maj. Morell.
One of the clauses stipulated that the friends of the
duelists on the ground should be searched. Col.
Webb's second and friends insisted that under the
terms of tlie agreement Marshall should himself be
searched. Thereupon Dr. Carr walked over to where
Col. Webb stood, and received from him his watch,
which was worn on the left side of his vest, in a fob-
pocket, with a slight gold chain extending across the
right breast. Col. Webb, as he took these trinkets
from his person, did not move from the position in
which he had been placed by his friends. Maj. Morell
remained standing at the place when he had read the
agreement, and Marshall, noticing this, approached
him, and requested the major to search him. This
the latter persistingly declined to do, whereupon
Marshall produced a small pocket-comb and several
other trifling articles, stating that they were all he had
in his pockets. He then returned to his place.
Maj. Morell, in a clear, distinct voice, inquired,
" Gentlemen, are you ready?"
" I am," responded Col. Webb.
" No, I am not," replied Mr. Marshall. And for a
moment he paused, while every person gazed earnestly
and wonderingly at him. He looked fixedly and
searchingly at Col. Webb for a minute or two, then
unfastening his cloak, and slowly lifting his hat from
his head, he tossed both articles of apparel from him
without having apparently altered his position in the
least.
" Now, sir," he said, " I am ready."
During this peculiar proceeding on the part of his
antagonist Col. Webb preserved the utmost coolness
and self-possession.
Maj. Morell glanced hastily at the combatants, and
then in full, audible tones exclaimed, " Fire! One —
two — three !"
Just before the word " one" the pistols were dis-
charged, and so simultaneous were the reports that
for a moment it was believed that Col. Webb had not
fired his weapon at all. The ball from his pistol,
however, had fallen in a direct line, and entered the
ground almost at the feet of Marshall, while the lat-
ter's ball struck the earth ten feet in front, and about
three feet to the right of where Col. Webb stood.
Marshall then raising his pistol in the air above
his head, cried, " Another shot."
A parley was thereupon had between the seconds,
who consulted with their principals, and it was deter-
mined that another fire should be exchanged. The
pistols were accordingly loaded once more and placed I
in the hands of the two men who stood facing each I
other, without having changed position fi-om that in
which the first fire had been had.
Again the word was given, and again the pistols
were discharged.
At the word " Fire !" both men brought their
weapons to a level, and before the word " two" was
spoken, as at the first discharge, the reports mingled
together. The ball from Col. Webb's pistol passed
in close proximity to the person of Marshall, but he
escaped without a scratch. Col. Webb for a moment
after the firing kept his position, apparently unhurt,
then he faltered on the left foot. Maj. Morell, his
second, believing that his principal was unharmed,
was looking in the direction of Marshall, when Dr.
Carr suddenly exclaimed, —
" Sir, your friend is falling. Why don't you catch
him?" -
Dr. Carr, as soon as he noticed that Col. Webb was
staggering, had called thus to Maj. Morell, but with-
out waiting for a response he sprang towards and
caught Col. Webb in his arms and gently laid him on
the grass, supporting his shoulders. Dr. Tucker, the
wounded man's surgeon, came forward and examined
the injury. The ball had entered the left leg just
below the knee, on the back part of the inside, and
had passed out on the outside of the leg. After the
wound had been examined Dr. Carr returned to
Marshall, when the latter inquired where Col. Webb
had been hit. The doctor stated that he was wounded
below the knee.
" What !" exclaimed Marshall, " hit in the knee !
It is the damnedest lowest act of my life ! We must
exchange another shot. That man has injured me
more than any other being on earth. If he can stand
I expect and demand that we shall exchange another
fire."
Dr. Carr immediately walked over to Maj. Morell
and told him that Marshall desired a third shot. The
major quickly responded that it would depend upon
Col. Webb's condition, and Dr. Tucker would decide
as to that. The wound by this time was bleeding
profusely. Maj. Morell, addressing himself to Dr.
Tucker, said, —
" Dr. Carr informs me that Mr. Marshall insists on
a third shot if Col. Webb can possibly stand. The
demand strikes me as unwarrantable, as Col. Webb's
wound, it seems to me, will put him at most serious
disadvantage; but I desire that you, doctor, shall
decide this matter."
Quite a number of the bystanders by this time had
gathered around the seconds, and listened anxiously
to the conversation.
" Col. Webb's wound might, of course, have been
more dangerous," replied Dr. Tucker. " As it is, it
may be serious, for my examination has not yet been
sufficiently thorough to determine whether any of the
nerves or muscles have been permanently injured.
It fortunately now appears to be only a flesh wound.
Under any circumstances, however, it is impossible
/M^^^^^^^^^r^
' y^T>^y\'\^ay<^
LOWER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.
481
for Col. Webb to continue the matter at present. I
will not listen to it, sir."
Marshall's brother, who had withdrawn some dis-
tance from the ground where the duelists stood dur-
ing the firing, now joined the group, and said, with
much warmth of manner, —
" It is absurd to talk about another shot. This
matter has already gone far enough. Tom has no
right to ask it of Col. Webb, but he should rather
thank God that things are not more serious than they
are."
The bystanders now joined in and declared that
they would not permit the duel to be continued ; that
both the gentlemen ought to be satisfied, at least for
the time being. Col. Webb, who was lying on the
ground, supported in the arms of Maj. Morell (who,
after he had told Dr. Tucker the import of Marshall's
demand, had returned to the side of his principal),
inquired what was the subject-matter of discussion.
Maj. Morell stated that Marshall was not satisfied,
and had demanded another exchange of shots.
" I have entertained no unkind feelings towards
Mr. Marshall at any time," replied Webb ; " nor do I
now feel unkindly towards him. I do not know why
he should bear such uncompromising malice against
me."
When it was announced to Marshall that the second
and surgeon of Col. Webb, and even the bystanders,
would not consent to the continuation of the duel at
the present time, he shrugged his shoulders, remark-
ing—
" We've no further business here ; we may as well
return to the hotel." And almost immediately Mar-
shall and his friends left the grounds, both parties ap-
parently entertaining the same hated feeling towards
each other as when they met. In a few moments after
Marshall left. Col. Webb was assisted to his feet by
his friends, and partly lifted over the fence and placed
in his carriage, which drove off to Appleby's.
Marshall and his party went to Marcus Hook, in-
tending to get aboard the steamboat, but finding that
they could not do so, they returned to the Union Hotel
for breakfa.st. Marshall meeting Mr. Randall on the
porch, inquired how Webb was, trusted that his
wound would not be a serious one, and expressed re-
grets that he had insisted upon the third shot. His
excitement and anger, seemingly, had entirely abated.
Marshall and his party, later in the day, went directly
to Baltimore and Washington.
At the Union Hotel, Col. Webb had his wound
dre.ssed anew, and while the surgeon was probing he
is said to have watched the movements of the doctor
with interest, but without exhibiting the least fear or
indicating in anywise that he was suffering pain. At
an early hour Col. Webb's party drove to Philadel-
phia, reaching that city at half-past nine o'clock in
the forenoon, and stopped at the United States Hotel,
where the wound was again examined, and some ap-
prehension expressed that it might be necessary to
31
amputate the leg. This anticipation was not realized.
Col. Webb in a few days became much better, and his
flow of spirits never deserted him. On one occasion
when a friend asked him if he was not tired of being
confined to his bed, he, with a good-natured laugh,
replied, " I can't help it; I am under Marshall law."
On the return of Col. Webb and Maj. Morell to
New York, they were arrested for violating the
statutes of that commonwealth, which made it penal
to leave the State to accept, fight, or be anywise con-
nected with a duel. The grand jury found a true bill
against Webb ; he was tried, and the jury rendered a
verdict of guilty. The case excited general public
attention, and Webb was for a season one of the noted
sensations. His friends brought enormous pressure
on Hon. Silas Wright, then Governor, who made him
the object of executive clemency.
On June 9, 1845, Washington Keith and Morris
Meredith, both of Philadelphia, fought a duel on the
old field, — where, it was said, the stones marking the
spaces where Hunter and Miller stood remained un-
disturbed, and every spring were whitewashed to
make them conspicuous. By a stupid blunder of the
seconds, at the word only oneof the principals (Keith)
fired, his ball lodging in Meredith's thigh. The
wounded man, too badly injured to return the fire of
the man who had shot without being shot at, was
brought to Chester, where Dr. McClellan, who had
attended as one of the surgeons, extracted the ball,
and after many weeks the wound healed kindly.
There was, however, no further effort made to give
Meredith a chance to rectify the error. He had es-
caped with his life, and honor's demands had been
fully met.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
WILLIAM TRAINER.
David Trainer, the grandfather of William, emi-
grated from Ireland when nine years of age, and
entering the service of George Hinkson, of Nether
Providence, Delaware Co., remained until he attained
his majority. He married Martha, daughter of
Bethel Robert Booth, to whom were born children, —
Jane, Lydia, Mary, Martha, Margaret, Prudence, and
David. He married, a second time, Margaret Morton,
whose children were Daniel, Edith, George, and
James. Mr. Trainer for a while cultivated a farm,
after which he engaged extensively in the quarrying
of stone, in Ridley township, in connection with his
former occupation. His son, David, was born Feb.
19, 1777, in Darby township, and during his active
life was both a farmer and a miller. He was an in-
fluential citizen, public-spirited and progressive, in
politics a pronounced Federalist, and for one or more
terms commissioner of the county. He married Mrs.
Sarah Newlan, of Lower Chichester township, whose
482
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
birth occurred March 27, 1771. Their children were
Sarah (Mrs. James H. Walker), William, Josiah,
Mary (wife of Capt. Frank Smith), and David. Mr.
Trainer died Feb. 29, 1846, in his seventieth year, and
his wife, July 29, 1849, in her seventy-ninth year.
Their son, William, the subject of this sketch, was
born Dec. 10, 1806, in Lower Chichester township,
where his life has been spent. After such advantages
of education as were obtainable in the neighborhood
were enjoyed, he became for six months a pupil of
Benjamin Tucker, a celebrated Quaker instructor
resident in Philadelphia. Eeturning to his home,
the labor of the farm engaged his attention until
twenty-one years of age, after which a year was spent
in travel in the AVest. Another year was employed
as superintendent of the work connected with the
Delaware breakwater, after which he embarked in
the business of store-keeping at Marcus Hook, and
in 1838 resumed the labors of a farmer. He was
married, in 1832, to Miss Mary P., daughter of Israel
Heacock, of Darby township, whose children are
Emma (wife of Joseph McElrey), Henry Clay, David
E., and William, — all married and residing in Phila-
delphia. The death of Mrs. Trainer occurred, after
a most useful and exemplary life, on the 12th of Sep-
tember, 1883. Mr. Trainer, after his marriage, in-
herited the farm which is his present home, and con-
tinued its cultivation until 1883, when he abandoned
active labor. In politics he was early a Federalist,
after which he became an earnest supporter of the
Whig principles of which Henry Clay was the able
exponent, and now votes the Republican ticket. He
was formerly active in local politics, and for many years
director of the poor of the county. Under his super-
vision the old almshouse property at Media was sold,
and land purchased at advantageous figures in Mid-
dletown township, on which the present spacious
buildings are located. Mr. Trainer was educated in
the Quaker faith, but, with his wife, in 1837 became
a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Blar-
cus Hook, though at present one of the congregation
of the Methodist Episeojtal Church of that place.
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
Concord Township, the largest municipal division
in the county of Delaware, is first mentioned at the
court "held at Chester, for the County of Chester, on
the 27th of the 4th month, called June, 1683," at
which session John Mendenhall was appointed con-
stable for " Concord liberty." The name it bears is
believed to have beeji bestowed because of the harmo-
nious feelings which in early times prevailed among
the settlers there. The township was laid out origi-
nally in a rectangular form, and a road exactly in the
centre (called Concord Street) ran from Bethel, on
the south, to Thornbury, on the north, dividing it in
halves. This street, laid out in 1682, appears never
to have been opened to public travel. The south-
western end of Concord, which intrudes into Birming-
ham, rendering the boundary-lines of that township
the most irregular in the county, resulted from the
fact that the lines of the manor of Rockland, in New
Castle County, ran along the western boundary of
Concord, and, after the division of Pennsylvania and
Delaware, the Rockland manor lands were patented
to settlers who, doubtless, selected and were annexed
to the township in which they wished their lands
located. This idea is inferentially established by the
fact that no land, either in Concord or Birmingham
townships, within the manor was patented previous to
1701, in which year Penn authorized the division be-
tween Pennsylvania and the three lower counties —
the present State of Delaware— to be made. That
part of the Rockland manor which is now in Concord
was patented by four persons. George Lee, Dec. 23,
1701, had surveyed to him two hundred acres border-
ing on Bethel to the Concord line. Nathaniel Newlin
received two patents, June 2, 1702, for six hundred
acres, — one of two hundred and the other of four
hundred acres,— beginning at the eastern boundary of
the original township and extending to the present
western line of Concord. His patents were located
on the north of Lee's tract, and included almost all
the lands between parallel lines, except one hundred
and thirty and a half acres, which were surveyed to
Francis Chads, April 9, 1702. This tract began a
short distance west of Elam, and ran eastward to the
original township-line. The irregular piece of land,
which juts to a point almost northwest into Birming-
ham, was patented to John Chevers, as two hundred
acres, Oct. 28, 1708.
Early in the history of the township the savages,
whose custom was to roam undisturbed wheresoever
they pleased, hunting for game and killing the swine,
became an annoyance to the settlers in the " back
woods" of Concord. This disposition on the part of
the red men created much trouble, and soon became
so detrimental to the residents that on Nov. 16, 1685,
they presented a petition to the Provincial Council
respecting it, which is of record as follows :
"The Complaint of y«> friends, lohabitants of Concord and Hertford"
(Haverford), — widely separated townships, — "against the Indians, for
y Rapine and Destructions of their hoggs, was Read.
"Ordered that y Respective Indian Kings be sent for to y Council!
with all speed, to Answer their Complaint.
" The Inhabitants of the Welsh Tract Complains of the same, by an
Endorsement on y"^ aforementioned Complaint."^
What ultimately resulted from this action of the
Concord settlers does not appear of record, nor has
tradition preserved anything respecting it.
At the southwestern end of the original township
of Concord was a tract of three hundred acres, which
1 Colonial Records, vol. i. p. 162.
CONCOKD TOWNSHIP.
483
was surveyed to William Beazer March 29, 1683, and
which shortly afterwards passed into the ownership of
William Cloud, who, although an aged man, accom-
panied by his family, came to the colony among the
earliest settlers and moved " into the woods" at Con-
cord. He was a native of Calne, county of Wilt-
shire, and from him the Cloud family of Delaware
County claim descent. Just above his tract John
Beal, who had married Mary Cloud, took up two
hundred acres on rent in 1683, but he subsequently
removed. Nearly midway of the township, extend-
ing from the western limits of Concord as originally
surveyed to Concord Street, which ran north and
south, dividing the district into halves, was a tract of
five hundred acres, which was surveyed Oct. 12, 1683,
to John Haselgrove. This estate, after passing through
several owners, none of whom were residents, in 1710
was acquired by Henry Peirce, who settled on this
land and was taxed therefor in 1716. Above Con-
cordville, John Lee, on Dec. 3, 1701, received a patent
for one hundred and fifty-two acres. He was a wool-
comber by trade, and came from Wiltshire, England,
in 1700, and settled in Concord. He lived until 1726,
and was a noted public Friend in the early days of the
province. Above Lee's tract John Mendenball pur-
chased three hundred acres of land, which was pat-
ented to him June 27, 1684. On this property Con-
cord Friends' meeting-house was located, the land
being given by Mendenball for that purpose. He is
believed to have come from Mildenhall, county of
Sussex, England, and was one of the original pro-
jectors and owners of the Concord Mills. Above the
Mendenball tract William Byers had two hundred
acres surveyed to him Jan. 17, 1683/4, which, in 1693,
passed into the ownership of Nicholas Pyle. He
settled in Concord, in 1686, at which time he may
have already occupied the estate. In the company's
mills he took an active part as one of the owners.
He was a member of Assembly, serving as such for
six years, and was an active, enterprising man, whose
energy did much to tame and subdue the wilderness.
In 1701 he purchased the western half of the five
hundred acres taken up by William Hitchcock, which
extended from the east to the west boundary across
the township, for on that part of the estate bought by
him the Society Mills were located. The tract of
two hundred and fifty acres lying above Pyle's land
was surveyed to Philip Roman, February, 1682/3, but
it is not probable that he ever resided thereon. On
the eastern side of Concord Street, extending from
that road to the eastern line of the township, and
immediately south of Thornbury, John Harding, at the
same date as Roman, acquired title to two hundred
and fifty-five acres of land, but he, as with Roman,
never resided on the property. Just south of this
tract was the William Hitchcock land, already men-
tioned, which was subsequently purchased by Benja-
min Mendenball, who resided thereon in 1715, and
probably followed his occupation of wheelwright. In
1714 he was a member of the Assembly, and, retain-
ing the good opinion of the public, he lived loan ad-
vanced age, dying in 1740. Below this tract Nicholas
Newlin, on Sept. 24, 1683, received five hundred acres.
He was reputed as very wealthy, a nobleman by de-
scent, being one of the De Newlandes, who had come
over with the Conqueror. Although of English fam-
ily, he emigrated, with his wife and children, from
County Tyrone, Ireland. He was appointed a mem-
ber of the Provincial Council and a justice of the
courts. His son, Nicholas, was about twenty-four years
old when he accompanied his father to Pennsylvania,
a man of education and means. In 1698 he was a
member of Assembly, and served a.s such at several
different periods. He was also appointed one of the
proprietaries' commissioners of property, and a justice
of the courts. In 1722 he was one of the trustees of
the loan-oflSce, a position he continued to fill until
his death. On the Newlin lands, Codnor farm, owned
by Col. Frank M. Etting, the author, is located.
Below the present Markham Station, on the Balti-
more Central Railroad, was a tract of two hundred
acres, patented to Thomas King, July 22, 1684, and
thereon he resided until his death, in 1706. On the
south of King's land was one hundred acres surveyed
to Thomas Moore in 1684, while immediately below
him were two hundred acres, patented July 15, 1684,
to Nathauiel Park. Jeremiah CoUett on March 1,
1682/3, took up two hundred acres on tract immedi-
ately south of Park's plantation. On March 1, 1686,
this property passed to John Hannum, who gave the
ground at the northwest corner of the. tract on which
St. John's Church was built. He was the grandfather
of Col. John Hannum, of the Revolution, who was the
controlling mind which caused the removal of the
county-seat to West Chester, an act which eventually
resulted in the erection of Delaware County. Col.
Hannum, it is said, was born on this plantation.
South of the Hannum property were three hundred
acres, which on July 12, 13, 1682, were surveyed to
George Strode, of Southampton County, England, a
grocer by trade, but beyond that fact very little is now
known respecting him. Directly south of Strode's
tract were one hundred acres entered on rent Sept.
24, 1683, by William Hawkes, which on March 26,
1688, were patented to John Palmer. The latter, tra-
dition says, was enticed away from his widowed
mother's home, in England, and came as a redemp-
tioner to the colony. He married Mary Suddery, a
woman of great courage, for it is related that on one
occasion she drove a bear away from a chestnut- tree
on this plantation with a fire-poker, or poking-stick.
Two hundred acres south of the Palmer tract was sur-
veyed to William Oborne July 3, 1688, and a similar
tract to the south of Oborne's land was patented to
John Beazer, Aug. 4, 1684, but he did not reside on the
estate. Dennis Rochford, Feb. 10, 1 682, had surveyed
to him five hundred acres, to the south of the Bezer
land. Rochford was an Irishman, from Emstorfey,
484
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
County of Wexford, and accompanied William Penn
in the " Welcome." His wife, Mary, died on the pas-
sage in that plague-smitten vessel, as did also two of
his daughters. He settled on the estate in Concord,
and in 1683 was a representative from Chester County
in the Assembly. On Oct. 6, 1691, Thomas Green pur-
chased four hundred acres of the Rochford lands. He,
with his wife, Margaret, and two sons, Thomas and
John, settled in Concord in 1686, possibly on the
tract he subsequently bought. From him the Green
family of Delaware County trace descent. The re-
maining one hundred acres bordering on the Bethel
line was sold to William Clayton, Jr., Feb. 14, 1684/5,
but he never resided on the land in Concord.
Concord Friends' Meeting-House.— The land for
a Friends' meeting and graveyard at Concord, the
sixth in the county, was conveyed or rather leased
to trustees, by John Mendenhall, in 1697, they pay-
ing " one peppercorn yearly forever.'' In that year a
sum was obtained by subscription for fencing in a
burial-ground at Concord, and at a monthly meeting
held at the house of George Pearce, on the 10th day
of Fourth month, 1697, the following paper was read :
" Whereas, the has been some diflFerences by some that have sepa-
rated from Friends in their subscriptions towards their building of
meeting-houses, Ac, for the service of Truth, We, whose names are
hereunder subscribed, do promise and oblige ourselves hereby, that if
we, or anyone or more of us, should separate ourselves from the Society
and Communion of these Friends of Concord, Birmingham, and Thorn-
hury, that now we walk in fellowship with, either in doctrine, life or
conversation, we will make no trouble amongst these people by reason
of any right we, or any one of us think we have because of this, or any
other subscription that was, or may be, towards building a meeting-
house or making a burial-place for the youse of the said people of God
called Quakers. And we further promise to relinquish and lay aside all
pretence of right or claim whereby any disquiet may arise among the
aforesaid people of God called Quakers, of Concord, Birmingham, and
Thornbury. According to the purport, true meaning and intent of the
i above said,
'■ Nath'l Newlin ,
Benj. Mendenhall...
Elizabeth Hickman
Thomas Ring
Nicholas Fyle
William Cloud
William Coilett
Edward Jones
Nicholas Newlin....
I follows :
Peter Dix 5 15
George Pearce 5 6
Isaac Taylor 2 8
Wm. Brinton, Sr 3 10
Wm,
John Mendenhall..
Benj. Woodward....
16 0 John Bennett..
Edward Bennett
Thomas Radle.v
Eichard Thatcher...
Francis Cliadsey....
Jonathan Thatcher.
ertchim 1 2
Joseph Edwards 0 16
Joseph Gilpin 0 10
John Sanger ; 0
Goodwin Walter 0
Daniel Davis 0
Although this sum was subscribed for the building
of a meeting-house in Concord, it seems not to have
been completely ready for use until 1710, and was
then a frame or log structure, which, in 1728, gave
place to a brick edifice. In the early times the meet-
ing-houses had no stoves in them, but were partially
warmed by charcoal fires, which were built on large
stones in the centre of the building, which were
allowed to die out before the hour set for meeting, or
were warmed by open wood-fires in wide chimuey-
places. Concord meeting-house was warmed by
these latter means, large wood-fires being built in the I
attic at each end of the building, to which members
would resort previous to assembling in the apartment
below. Concord meeting-house having become too
limited in its dimensions to meet the wants of Friends
of that neighborliood, a movement was made looking
to its enlargement or the building of an entirely new
edifice. In the winter of 1788, while Friends had
assembled to consider that question, the house caught
fire from the soot in one of the chimneys, and despite
the eSbrts of those present was burned, leaving only
the brick walls. Immediate steps were taken to re-
build the house, the expense being borne jointly by
Concord Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, the for-
mer agreeing to pay six hundred pounds, one-third
of the estimated costs, and the six Monthly Meetings
in Chester County obligating themselves to discharge
the remaining two-thirds. The present Concord
meeting-house was built under these circumstances,
the old walls being used, an addition being made
thereto. The cost of the structure exceeded largely
the estimate, and a call was made for three hundred
and seventy-five pounds additional to complete the
meeting-house. In this old building for seventy
years the question of human slavery was discussed,
and by degrees the feeling grew that it was unjust,
until on 20th day Second month, 1800, at Concord
Quarterly Meeting for the first time appeared on its
record this announcement: " Clear of importing, dis-
posing of, or holding mankind as slaves." At two
o'clock on Friday, Sept. 12, 1777, Maj.-Gen. Grant,
with the First and Second Brigades of the British
army, marched from Chad's Ford to Concord, and
some of his men were quartered in the old meeting-
house, while foraging parties scoured the " country and
woods" near by, picking " up Waggons, Horses, Am-
munition, Provision and cattle, and several Rebels
that had secreted themselves."' Tradition records
that the meeting-house was made a hospital by the
English for their wounded, but the inference is more
probable that disabled American soldiers, in striving
to escape, were found in the woods by the English
scouting parties, were brought there,. and on Sunday
following, when Dr. Rush with three surgeons came
to " attend the wounded Rebels left scattered in the
Houses about the field of Battle, unattended by their
Surgeons till now," he visited that building on his
errand of mercy. Gen. Grant, tradition also asserts,
occupied as his headquarters, while he tarried at Con-
cord, a house built in 1755, near St. John's Church,
which in recent years has been removed to make
room for needed improvements. The English ofiicer,
when he advanced to unite with Lord Cornwallis at
Village Green, left a guard at the meeting-house for
the short time intervening before the whole British
army marched away from that neighborhood never to
return. The venerable Friends' meeting-house had
1 Journal of Capt. John Montressor, Penna. Mag. of EisL, vol. vii.
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
485
been the scene of many incidents connected with the
family history of the old families of Concord and
surrounding townships which will ever render it a
place of interest and considerate care.
St. John's Episcopal Church.— The first mention
of an Episcopalian Church at Concord occurs in the
letter of Rev. Evan Evans, dated London, Sept. 18,
1707, on " the state of the church in Pennsylvania,
most humbly offered to the venerable Society for the
Propagation of the Gosi)el in Foreign Parts." Rev.
Mr. Evans, in 1700, was sent to Philadelphia by
Bishop Compton, the then Bishop of London, to aid
by his ministry and teachings the infant Christ
Church, the congregation of which, in 1696, had
erected a place of worship in the " Great town" in
the colony. This missionary gave glowing accounts
of the growth of the doctrines of the Church of Eng-
land among the people of the province, and in order
to show how deeply the seed he had sown had taken
root, records, " And the true religion (by the frequent
resort of persons from remote parts to Philadelphia)
did so spread, and the nuaiber of converts did so in-
crease that I was obliged to divide myself among
them as often and as equally as I could, till they were
formed into proper districts, and had ministers sent
over to them by the venerable society. For this rea-
son I went frequently to Chichester, which is twenty-
five miles ; Chester or Upland, twenty ; Maidenhead,
forty (where I baptized 19 children at one time) ;
Concord, twenty ; Evesham, in West Jersey, fifteen ;
Montgomery, twenty ; and Radnor, fifteen miles dis-
tant from Philadelphia. All which, though equally
fatiguing and expensive, I frequently went to and
preached, being by all means determined to lose none
of those I have gained, but rather add to them till the
society otherwise provided for them."
In the same letter Mr. Evans states, " Our winters,
being severe in these parts, detain many from church
whose plantations lie at a distance, and for that rea-
son Mr. Nicholas preached sometimes at Concord in I
the week-days."'
The first St. Paul's Church at Chester was built in
1702, and on Sunday, Jan. 24, 1703 (new style), it was
opened for public worship. In 1704, Rev. Henry
Nichols was assigned by the Society for the Propaga-
tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts as missionary in
charge of St. Paul's parish, then including Marcus
Hook and Concord ; hence the week-day services I
mentioned by Mr. Evans must have been held in that I
year, certainly prior to 1707. On March 17, 1682/3, !
Jeremiah (or, as he is usually termed in the early
records, "Jeremy") Collet, an earnest Episcopalian, |
entered on rent two hundred acres of land in Concord, '
and on March 1, 1686, conveyed the property to John !
Hannum (who settled in Concord about that time,
certainly within two years thereafter), an ardent
' Bpiscopal Church in Pennsylvania," Hazard's Register, vol. iii. pp.
churchman, who is alluded to by Rev. Mr. Ross in
his report to the society, June 2.5, 1714, in which he
furnished " an account of the Building of St. Paul's
at Chester," as among the " Parishers who were chief
helpers to carry on the work." In 1702, John Han-
num gave a lot of ground at the northwest corner of
his tract on which to erect a church, and doubtless a
log building was located thereon about that year. A
tradition prevails that long previous to this date the
Swedes were accustomed to hold divine service in
Concord. A similar tradition maintained until within
recent years that the early Swedish settlers had a
church at Chester on the site of the old St. Paul's ;
but careful investigation has so fully demonstrated
the error of this statement that it is no longer an open
question. Indeed, previous to Penn coming it is ex-
tremely doubtful whether a Swedish person ever saw
the territory now Concord township. The tradition
originated in the fact that often for months together
no clergyman of the Church of England could be
procured to preach in these remote settlements. And
as late as 1751, Rev. Israel Acrelius records that the
Swedish pastor in charge of the Lutheran Church at
Christina was frequently requested to preach in the
Episcopal Churches, " as otherwise their (the parish-
ioners') children would become unchristened heath-
ens or Quakers, their churches would be changed into
stables alongside of Quaker meeting-houses. They
praised Mr. Tranberg as a warm-hearted man, who
had always assisted them. The Provost, therefore,
took some time to see whether it was possible to
please everybody. He preached once a month in all
these places. He was at Christina every Sunday, but
on week-days and saints' days in the others. That
became the rule, and at first was all right, but after-
wards each congregation wanted preaching on a Sun-
day. So there were also added the churches at Con-
cord and Marcus Hook, which presented the same
request ; and then there were not as many Sundays
in the month as there were congregations to serve,
and so Christina would always have been vacant.
The good old Swedes now began to murmur, partly
at the minister, and partly at the English, who
wished to have him with them and never once paid
his expenses of travel."-' Hence, while the names
of several Swedish ministers appear among the list of
pastors of St. Paul's, St. Martin's, and St. John's
Churches, they were there merely to fill a vacancy,
and were never regularly ordained rectors of St.
Paul's parish, which included until 1835 St. John's
Church in Concord.
Ralph Pyle, of Concord, who was a liberal contrib-
utor to the first church of St. Paul's, at Chester, in his
will, dated Jan. 1, 1739, and proved Sept. 1, 1741,
provided :
"Hem. I give twajity pounds, thnt is to say, the Interest of the said
money, for the use of a minister of the Church of England, to preach
three Sermons yearly in the Township of Concord, that is to say, the
- Acrelius' " History of New Sweden," p. 305.
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Sunday before Christmas Day, the Sunday before Easter, and the Sun-
day before Whitsunday, tliat is the lawful interest of the said twenty
pounds shall be carefully paid unto such minister yearly who shall
preach the sermons at the times as above mentioned, whilst there is a
Church remain in Concord aforesaid."
Although thii3 bequest was not made a specific charge
ou the real estate of Ealph Pyle, yet William Pyle,
his son, by will Jan. 8, 1746/6, proved four days there-
after, devised to his son, John Pyle, a plantation of
two hundred and fifty-six acres in Birmingham, sub-
ject to the annual payment of this and other " de-
mands which his grandfather, Ralph Pyle, ordered to
be paid by his last will and testament." The peculiar
feature of this devise was that the land on which the
grandfather's bounty was made a charge by William
Pyle in his devise to his .son, was conveyed to him by
his father, Ralph, twenty years before the latter made
his will, in which the above bequest was made.
Six years prior to the death of John Hannum — he
died in 1730 — Isaac Taylor, the noted surveyor of
Chester County, on Sept. 25, 1724, surveyed the plot
of ground given to the church twenty-two years prior
to that date. The log church erected in 1702 was
located on the present cemetery, just below the Foucitt
lot, and the old church records " the graves of Rev.
Richard and Mary Saunderlands were at the church-
door." I have been unable to designate who Rev.
Richard Saunderlands was. His name does not ap-
pear in Professor Keen's carefully-prepared and ex-
haustive history of the descendants of James Sande-
lands, of Chester. The first books of the church
have been lost, and no record remains prior to 1727.
That the congregation of St. John's Church was
organized and recognized many years previous to that
date is accepted as historically established the refer-
ence made to it by Rev. Mr. Evans, heretofore men-
tioned, can leave no doubts existing, and the fact
that Queen Anne presented, in 1707/8, a silver com-
munion set to St. John's Church, at Concord, is con-
firmatory of this statement. The frame structure was
the only house of worship for the Episcopalians of
Concord for many years. In February, 1766, the
Provincial Assembly passed an act authorizing the
raising of £3003 15s. by a lottery, the proceeds to be
divided among the congregations of St. Peter's
Church, in Philadelphia, St. Paul's, in Chester and
in Carlisle, to be used in furnishing those churches,
to build a church at Reading, to repair the church at
Molltown, in Berks County, and Huntingdon town-
ship, York County, " and for repairing the Episcopal
churches in Chichester and Concord, and purchasing
a glebe for the church at Chester, in the county of
Chester." In 1769 the treasurer of the Province paid
to the congregation at Concord its proportion of the
funds netted by this lottery. With this sum in 1773 a
western end, laid with brick, was added to the frame
church, and in 1790 an eastern end, iaid with stone,
took the place of the early rude structure in which
the congregation for nearly a century had worshiped.
Tlie new building, however, did not cover the site of
the first church. In 1837 another addition was made,
but as the edifice had been erected at various dates,
and was insuificient to meet the requirements of the
congregation, it was determined to build a new church.
On June 15, 1844, the corner-stone of the present
building was laid, and the work was so hastened to
completion that on Oct. 27, 1844, the new church was
consecrated by Bishop Lee, " acting with the permis-
sion and at the request of Bishop Henry W. Onder-
donk, Bishop of Pennsylvania." With the exception
of such repairs as from time to time became necessary,
the present building is the one erected in 1844. A
large chancel window was placed in the church as a
memorial of the late Bishop Onderdonk, and several
other smaller memorial windows have also been
erected. New furniture since the building was com-
pleted has taken the place of that of ancient days.
St. John's Church has an endowment of one thousand
dollars, a bequest of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Sharp-
less. During the years 1883-84 a new church was
erected in the parish,— St. Luke's, at Chad's Ford, —
which is in charge of Rev. J. J. Sleeper, rector of St.
John's.
The pastors of St. John's parish have been* as
follows :
Kevs. Evan Evans, Henry Nichols, George Ross, John Humphreys,
John Backhouse, Thomas Thompson, George Craig, John Wade, James
Connor, James Turner, Levi Heath, Joshua Reece. M. Chander, William
Pryce, Jacob M. Douglass, Samuel C. Briuckle, Jacob Douglass, George
Kirke, John Baker Clemson, M. D. Hirst, E. Wilson Wiltbank, Alfred
Lee, Samuel C. Stratton, Benjamin S. Huntington, R. B. Claxton, W. H.
Trapnell, Charles Buck, John R. Murphy, Richardson Graham, John
B. Clemsen, M. Cliristian, J. J. Craigh, Joshua Coupland, H. Baldwin
Dean, Joseph J. Sleeper, the present rector.
It is unnecessary to refer to the Roman Catholic
Church establishment in Concord, that being presented
in the account of Ivy Mills and the Willcox family.
The Taxables in 1715 and 1799.— The following
taxables appear on the assessment-list for 1715, of
taxables in Concord :
Nath. Newlin, Ju', Nicholas Pyle for y-^ mill, James Clamaton, Nath.
Newlin, Senr, Joseph Cloud, Henry Oburn, John Palmer, John Palmer,
Jn', Godwin Walter, George Robinson, Jacob Pyle, Ralph Pyle, Henry
Peirce, Matthias Carlo, Ralph Evenson, James Heavrd, William Amme',
Tliomas Smith, John Lee, Robert Chamberlin, Robert Chamberliu, Jun'.
Thomas West, William Hill, Morgan Jones, Thomas Durnall, George
Lee, Daniel Evans, Joseph Nicklin, John Hannum, Benj«n Mendenhall,
John Mendenhall, John Newlin, Joseph Edwards, Thomas Broom, Wil-
liam fforde, ffrancis Pulin, John Peuneck, James Chiffers, John Hackney,
Christopher Penock.
flreemen, Caleb Pearkins, Richard ffar, Peter Poulstou, John Pennock,
John Eugram, Henry Jones, Thomas Ealthan.
In the assessment for the year 1799, the following
persons appear as taxables in the township :
William AUeson, taylor; Moses Bullock, mason; John Bail, weaver;
Joseph Cloud, carpenter; Joseph Ilutton, mill-house, currying-shop,
and tan-yard, tanner; James Jefferies, tavern-keeper and store-keeper ;
Thomas Marshall, one stone mill and currying-shop, tanner ; Thomas
Newlin, Esq., justice of peace ; Nathaniel Newlin, saw-mill; Thomas
Newlin, blacksmith; John Newlin, stone grist-mill, miller; Moses
Palmer, assemblyman and hatter; John Palmer, saddler ; John Perkins,
Micajah Speakman, hiacksmitli ; Thomas Speakman,
; Jacob Thomas, store-keeper; William Trimble, one saw-mill,
rge paper-mill; Ann Vernon, tavern-keeper; William Vernon,
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
487
saw-mill; William Willis, taylor; William Walter, miller, one stone
Sristmill; William Howard, millwright.
7iii?w(M.— Abeshai Mellon, weaver; Wheleback Paulin, tanner;
Eobert Selah, paper-maker; William Clughson, paper-maker; George
Moore, paper-maker; William Hull, mason; Thomas Willcox, paper-
maker; Jesse Plankinghorn, wheelwright ; Thomas Melleon, weaver;
Thomas Hance, weaver; Joseph Finch, miller; James Cloud, mill-
wright; Thomas Cheney, hatter; John Masson, shoemaker; Daniel
Doaks, wheelwright; James Hall, mason; Pridey Kimber, carpenter;
John Hatton, carpenter; James Mendenhall, wheelwright; Moses
Perkins, shoemaker; John Selah, paper-maker.
LIST OF THE JUSTICES FOE CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
Names. Date of Commission.
Thomas Newlin Aug. 19, 1791.
Thomas Pierce Feb. 6, 1SI4.
Matthias Kerlin July 4, 1808.
James Bratton Feb. :i, 1820.
Joseph Fox Dec. 4, 1823.
John Mattson Dec, 13, 1823.
Joseph Bowen Nov. 10. 1824.
Joseph Trimble April 21, 1827.
Robert Frame Jan. 16, 1829.
Robert Hall Feb. 8, 1831.
William Mendenhall Dec. 6, 1836, April 14, 1840.
Casper W. Sharpless, April 16, 1845, April 9, 1850, April 28,
1857, April 24, 1862.
Edward J. Willco.x April 11, 1867.
Darwin Painter, April 11, 1867, April 15, 1872, March 23,
1877, April 10, 1882.
Roads.— On Oct. 25, 1687, the grand jury, or those
members of that body who attached their names, laid
out a thirty-feet wide road from Dilworthtown, fol-
lowing the course of the present road to a point a
short distance south of the present Concord Station,
and above St. John's Church, on Concord road, at
which point the road widened to forty feet, as will be
noticed by following the description in the report sub-
mitted to court :
" Laid out a High way from Burraingham to Concord, being a thirty-
foote way, by vertue of an order of Court hearing date y^ 4th of October,
1687, laid out by us, Walter Marten, John Mendenhall. John Kingsman,
William C'oud, Rich. Thatcher, being one-third part of y^ present grand
Jury of y county of Cliester, as foUowes, viz. :
" Beginning att a white oake standing on a Small Branch att William
Branton's, marked with five knotches; thence along a lyne of marked
trees between Alice Brunson and land lat Edward Turner to Concord
corner tree; thence doune Concord lyne Between ye said Alice Brunson
and Philip Roman to a white Oake marked with five knotches; then
crosse y« Corner of said Philip Roman's land ; then crosse William
Hitchcock's land; thence crosse land that was William Biases ; thence
crosse John Mendenhall's land ; thence crosse land that was Peter
Lounders'; thence crosse part of John Symcock's land to y° foote-
Bridge of Tbomas Moore; then crosse part of ye said Thomas Moore's
laud to a White Oake marked with five knotches.
" Laid out by vertue of y" aforesaid Order, a fourty-foote Road from
Concord to yo King's Highway in Chester, as followeth, by us, whose
hands are under written, y* 25th of October, 1687.
"Beginning at a white oake with five knotches, standing att y corner
of Nathaniell Park's land, next Thomas Moore's land; thence through
y laud of y said Nathaniell ; thence cross John Hannum's land ; thence
crosse George Stroud's land ; thence crosse John Palmer's land ; thence
crosse land late William Oburne's; thence crosse land late John Bea-
sar's; thence crosse Dennis Kochford's Land; thence crosae William
Clayton, Jun''s laud to y« Hamlett of Bethell.
"Thence crosse Edward Beason's land ; thence cross ffrancis Smith's
land; thence crosse Robert Eyre's land to Chichester; thence crosse
Walter Martin's land ; thence crosse land late John Beasars'; thence
crosse John Kingsmau's land; thence crosse Henry Hastings' and Rich-
ard Bufiington's land ; thence cross James Brown's laud ; thence Thomas
Wither's land to Chester.
"Tlience crosse part of Robert Wall's land to a small blacke oake
marked with 5 knotches, standing att the King's Highway.
"Walteh Maeten, John Kingsman,
"John Mendenhall, William Clood,"
"Richard Thaicheb,
At the court held on " 3rd day, 2d week, 7th month,
1688, George Strode, Nathaniel Parker, John Palmer,
John Hannum, Thomas Moore, John Sanger, Robert
Pyle, Petitioned against y' Road lately laid out
through the town of Concord. Ordered that y'
Grand Inquest doe Inspect y' Road, and make report
to y*^ nest Court under y" hands of noe le.ss than
twelve."
All these petitioners owned land on the present
Concord road, south of the present Concord Station,
on the Baltimore Central road. The jury, however,
confirmed that highway, but the road leading from
Concord to Birmingham at Dilworthtown appears
not to have been immediately opened, but remained
until May 21, 1707, when, after twenty years, the
route as laid out by the jury in 1687 was finally ac-
cepted.
The losses sustained by the residents of Concord,
occasioned by the pillaging of the British army in
1777, was severe, and the extent of the damages in-
flicted in that township will never be ascertained.
The greater part of the inhabitants were Friends,
whose religious principles precluded them from de-
manding pay for articles destroyed in war. Under
the act providing for a registration of claims for
damages on account of the British spoliations, the
following demands were filed :
From Alexander Vincent, Sept. 13 90 17 6
" William Hannum 329 10 0
" Jauies Hatton 6 0 0
" Amos MendenhHil 10 0 0
" Alexander Lockhait 183 0 0
" Thomas McCall 3 7 0
" Samuel Blendenluill 4 0 0
" Same persiin, Concord 61 14 0
" James Ti.ylor (by Knyphauseu's party)... 34 10 0
" William Pierce, September 7.t 15 0
" William McCoy, Sept. 13 16 0 0
" Patrick Gamble, " 15 146 15 0
961 6 6
Isaac Arment, who died in Concord, Nov. 23, 1848,
aged ninety years, could recall the fact that he was
living at Chad's Ford on the day the battle of Brandy-
wine was fought, and from the heights on the east side
of the creek, which afforded a commanding view of
the scene, he witnessed the engagement, of which, as
years rolled by, he delighted to relate to those who
would listen to his recollection of those stirring days.
Schools.— The first reference in anywise in Concord
township to the subject of education occurs in the will
of Ralph Pyle, dated Jan. 1, 1739. The clause is as
follows :
"Item, I give twenty pounds the Interest thereof to the use hereafter
mentioned viz : to support the Schooling of a poor mans child who shall
then reside either in Concord or in the Township of Birmingham in the
County of Chester, So if the Parents of the said child shall be Estab-
lished Church of England, to be paid by my Heir and him and his Heirs
successively and shall have the liberty to put such child out to school
and shall change the child once in three years, if any arrears by hook
for the children."
This bequest was subsequently made a charge on
land in Birmingham by William Pyle, of that town-
ship, the son of Ralph, who in his devise of a plan-
tation to his son, Jolm, charged the estate with the
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
payment of bequests contained in Ealph Pyle's will.
Nothing has come to our knowledge respecting this
schooling of a poor man's child other than stated.
The first schools known to have been established '
in the township were conducted under the charge of :
the society of Friends. One such school is believed 1
to have been located in Friends' meeting-house about
1779, and in 1793 a dwelling was built close by for the
accommodation of the teacher. In 1827 a school-
house had been erected, a two-storied building, and,
it is alleged by County Superintendent Baker, in his
report for 1877, was partially graded. In the follow-
ing year the division in the society of Friends oc-
curred, and from that date the Orthodox and Hicksite
branches educated their children in separate schools.
Under the act of 1804 school directors in Delaware
County had been elected prior to the law of 1834. On
March 18, 1825, Concord elected trustees of schools
for three years. Ralph C. Marsh, William Menden-
hall, and James M. Willcox were returned to court as
elected. At that time school was held at Mattson's,
and preparations were made to accept other houses
in the township. In 1834, when the school law was
passed, the court appointed James M. Willcox and
W. H. Palmer to act as inspectors of schools until di-
rectors had been elected. On Nov. 4, 1834, a county
convention was held at the court-house at Chester, to
which delegates, chosen by the several townships,
were requested to be present. Concord neglected or
refused to elect delegates, and the township was not
represented at the meeting. The opposition there
was so general that it was not until the act of 1836
was passed that Concord accepted the provisions of
the law. That is the received opinion, and yet, in
1835, $165.90 was received by the township as county
and State appropriations.
The first board of directors elected under the act
of 1836 consisted of William Mendenhall, James M.
Willcox, Joseph Cloud, Joseph Palmer, Robert N.
Palmer, and Reece Pyle, and on August 27th of that
year the first meeting was held at the public-house of
James Hannum. It was resolved that Neal Duffee
should be employed as teacher for Lower School, No.
2 (Mattson's); Jesse Green, for Union School, No. 3
(near Elam) ; and Alexander McKeever, for the Up-
per School (Concord Hill), at twenty-five dollars per
month of twenty-four days.
The following notice was soon after posted in the
township :
"Notice.— At .-i meeting Concord, Sept. 2, 1836. To all concerned.
The Directors of the distiict of Concord have resolved to open three
schools in said District, viz.; At Millers or Lower School and Union
School, near Newlins store and Upper School, Concord Hill, on second
day the 12th inst. for the reception of all children over four years old
for tuition and instruction.
" By order of the Board,
" Eeece Pyle, Secretary."
On the 8th of October, 1836, Alexander McKeever
was notified by the board that his pay would cease at
the expiration of two months, but on the 13th of
May, 1837, he was again chosen with Neal Duffee and'
Jesse Green to teach the schools. June 7, 1838, the
directors employed Moses M. Lincoln teacher for
school No. 1, Amos H. Wickersham No. 2, Jesse
Green No. 3. Wickersham resigned January 14th,
and Feb. 11, 1839, James G. Hannum was appointed
in his place. The question of continuing the public
schools in Concord seems to have been undecided as
late as 1840 when in May of that year an election
was held, and it was voted to continue them. In the
year 1853 the school-houses in the township were
known as follows : No. 1, Hatton's ; No. 2, Mattson's ;
No. 3, Gamble's; and No. 4, Sharpless'.
The first school-house erected in the township, ex-
cept that of the Friends at Concord Hill, was upon
a lot of land which by deed dated Dec. 10, 1796, Levi
Mattson gave in trust for that purpose. The people
of that section, to the number of eighteen, appointed
Moses Palmer, Stephen Hall, William Hannum, Na-
thaniel Walter, and Thomas Hatton, trustees to ac-
cept the real estate. It consisted of half an acre of
land situated on the north side of the great road from
Concord to Chester. A one-story stone school-house
was erected by contribution from the neighbors upon
this lot and used for school purposes. The building
was under direction of trustees until the school law was
accepted. The old contribution school passed to the
control of the directors, and in the notice of Sept.
2, 1836, it is mentioned as Miller's or Lower school.
John Larkin, Jr., of Chester, and Mrs. George Sharp-
less, of Springfield, were pupils here from 1812 to
1815 ; John McClugen was a teacher at that time.
His Saturday night libations at the Cross-Keys Tavern
often incapacitated him from appearing Monday morn-
ing in proper condition to teach. William Neal, Nich-
olas Newlin, and Thomas Haines were also teachers.
In 1859, when the directors were about erecting a new
house on this lot, the deed from Mattson could not be
found, and much doubt was expressed as to the title,
but subsequently the deed was procured and recorded.
The title being perfected, the directors contracted with
Robert Barleu to erect a stone school-house at a cost
of nine hundred and fortj'-four dollars, which was
completed Sept. 15, 1859. It has been used for school
purposes. On the 13th December, 1826, Robert N.
Gamble sold to Joseph Larkin, William McCall, and
Samuel Hance (who were trustees of schools of the
township in that year) a half-acre of land on the road
leading from Naaman's Creek road to Concord road,
in consideration of having a school-house erected
thereon. A school-house was built and used under
the charge of trustees until 1836, at which time it
was placed in care of the directors of the public
schools, when it was known as School No. 3. It was
maintained by them until 1856, when a new house was
erected at Johnson's Corners which is still in use.
The Gamble lot was sold to William H. Slawter, and
the sale confirmed by the court Feb. 27, 1860. The
land is now owned by Mrs. Mary Collins, who resides
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
there. The lot at Johnson's Corners was purchased
by the directors from Thomas Harlan, July 28, 1856,
for one hundred and ninety-eight dollars and twenty-
five cents, and Emmor Taylor contracted for the erec-
tion of a frame school-house at a cost of nine hundred
and sixty-three dollars, to be completed Nov. 15, 1856,
when it took the place of Union School, No. 3, men-
tioned above.
On April 15, 1837, the directors appointed a com-
mittee to ascertain whether a suitable lot could be ob-
tained for the erection of a public school-house. This
action was rendered necessary by the refusal of Friends
to allow the school-house at their meeting-house to be
longer under the charge of the directors. No mention
is made of a report of this committee, and on the 14th
of May, 1838, the board of directors resolved to rent
a house in the vicinity of Concord meeting-house for
the purpose of a free school. James S. Peters and
Samuel Trimble were appointed to rent and furnish a
room. On May 24th, they reported that they had
rented a house of Matthew Ash, in which school was
opened and kept for a long time. The first agitation
to build a school-house in Concordville was made in
1860, and April 26th, in that year, a meeting was
called to consult on the subject. Nothing, however,
was accomplished until 1873-74, when the present
commodious two-story brick house was built, at a cost
of four thousand dollars. It is located on the State
road at the western end of the village.
On the 15th of June, 1847, the school directors pur-
chased ninety-six square perches of land of Casper
Sharpless. A stone school-house was erected, and
school opened May 15, 1848, with Sarah C. Walton
as the first teacher. This house was used till 1870,
wlien the lot was exchanged with Fairman Rogers,
and the present brick house, forty by forty feet, was
erected. It is located in close proximity to Markham
Station.
On May 3, 1851, the board of directors resolved to
build a school-house to supply the place of No. 1, and
on the 9th of September, 1852, purchased ninety-six
perches of land of Hannah Hatton and Deborah
Peters. A contract was made with Robert Barlow to
erect the building for five hundred and fifteen dollars.
This house was built, and was known as the Spring
Valley House. It was used until 1874, when it was
abandoned, and the district was absorbed in the
present No. 1 District, at Concordville, and McCart-
ney District, No. 5.
The McCartney school-house lot was purchased of
Samuel Myers about 1878, and the present house
erected. This is known as No. 5, and is situated in
the south part of the township below Smith's Cross-
road.
The following is a list of the school directors
since 1840, as obtained from the election records of
Media:
1844, Samuel Hanes, William W. Palmer; 1845, John H. Marah,
Evan P. Hannum; 1846, Robert Gamble, Thomas Marshall; 184T,
Samuel Hance, William W. Palmer; 1848, Thomas Marshall, Peter
W. Maltson ; 1849, Edward Greeu, Matthew Wood ; 1850, Joel
Swayue, Thomas P. Powell; 1851, Joseph Walter, Isaac Tussey ;
1852, Nathaniel Pratt, Andrew Hudson ; 1853, Davis Richard, Sam-
uel Myers ; 1854, Robert H. Palmer, John Sharpless ; 1855, Andrew
Pratt, David L. Manley; 185G, John Miller, Thomas Hinlison ; 1857,
Davis Richards, John Hill ; 1858, William Gamble, R. H. Hannum,
Joseph Johnston ; 1859, David S. Manley, Job Hoopes ; 1860, John
Shaw, George Rush; ISfil, George Drayton, Heurj' L. Paschall;
1862, John H. Newl in, Robert H. Hannum; 1863, Emmor S. Lee-
dom, Thomas W. Johnson ; 1864, Henry L. Paschall, Penrose Miller ;
1S65, R. H. Hannum, John H. Newlin ; 1866, Samuel Benuington,
T. W. Johnson ; 1867, H. L. Paschall, Penrose Miller; 1868, R. H.
Hannum, T. I. Peirce; 1869, Samuel Bennington, T. W. Johnson;
1S70, Lewis Palmer, Peter Ingram : 1871, B. H. Hannum, Milon S.
Hejburn; 1S72, no report; 1873, Lewis Palmer, D. Darlington;
1874, Henry Bishop, George Rush; 1S75, Samuel Bennington,
Thomas W. Johnson ; 1876, R. H. Hannum, William Gamble ; 1877,
Ralph M. Harvey, Harry Bishop; 1878, Thomas W. Johnson, Sam-
uel Bennington; 1879, William Gamble, R. H. Hannum; 1880,
Henry C. Bishop, Samuel N. Hill; 1881, Thomas W. Johnson, W.
G. Powell ; 1882, Isaiah H. Miller, B. Henry Hannum; 1883, John
L. Tucker, Joseph Trimble ; 1884, Elwood Hannum, Daniel Fields.
Maplewood Institute. — A large tract of land,
near Friends' meeting-house, at Concordville, was
purchased by Professor Joseph Shortledge, who
erected thereon a building fifty by eighty feet, three
stories in height, especially designed for a seminary
of learning. In the fall of 1862 he established a
school, which was conducted successfully, both sexes
being admitted as pupils. The academy was well
patronized, and soon won its way in public favor.
On April 6, 1870, it was chartered by an Act of As-
sembly, as the " Maplewood Institute," with collegi-
ate privileges. Shortly after this date the building
was enlarged by the addition of a wing to the rear,
forty by eighty feet, affording facilities which were
much needed. The institute at the present time has
accommodations for eighty pupils, a well-selected
library, and is also well supplied with chemical and
philosophical apparatus.
Ward Academy. — In 1882, Benjamin F. Leggett
erected on the road from Concord Station to Concord-
ville a commodious building for educational pur-
poses, and therein established the Ward Academy.
Although an institution of recent date, it has been
well attended, and gives promise of extended useful-
ness. It has grown rapidly in public approval, and
is firmly established.
Leedom's Mills. — At the court held Oct. 2, 1695,
occurs the first mention of Concord Mills, now Lee-
dom's. The grand jury, following the recommenda-
tion of a previous grand inquest " to lay an assess-
ment" to pay the judges' fees, to meet the county
expenses, and provide funds for the erection of the
prison then building, assessed Concord Mills at ten
pounds. According to Smith's map of early grants
and patents, accepting the above date as the year of
the erection of Concord Mills, in 1695, the company's
enterprise was located on the west branch of Chester
Creek, and on the tract of five hundred acres which
was entered by William Hitchcock, Sept. 8, 9, 1681,
490
HISTOEr OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
secured to him Feb. 18, 1682, and a patent was issued
therefor June 27, 1684. This tract was a long and
narrow strip, extending the entire width of the town-
ship, near its northern boundary. On Feb. 7, 1701,
Hitchcock sold two hundred and fifty acres of this
land on the west of Concord Street road, laid out in
1682, — the road has ceased to be, excepting the
upper part known as Thornbury Street,— to Nicholas
Pyle, and the same day the remaining two hundred
acres east of the road was conveyed to Benjamin
Mendenhall. Concord Mills is on the extreme east-
ern and lower end of the Pyle tract, the race be-
ginning a long distance above the mill, on the west
branch of the creek. The mill was built by a com-
pany of which William Brinton, the younger, of Birm-
ingham, was one of the owners and the chief pro-
jector of the enterprise. In those days the mill was
of great importance to the neighborhood, for prior to
its erection there was none within several miles, and
hauling was difficult excepting in the winter, when
sleds moved easily over the frozen snow. The assess-
ment in 1695, which gave the appraised value of this
mill as ten pounds, clearly indicates that it was a
frame structure, which subsequently, at a date not as-
certained, gave place to a stone building. In 1715,
Nicholas Pyle had charge of the mill, for he appears
on the assessment-roll for that year " for ye mill."
When Concord meeting-house was burned, in 1788,
the mill was used as a temporary place for Friends to
gather until the present meeting-house was rebuilt.
At that time it was owned by Thomas Newlin, who
had acquired title to the mill prior to 1780. From
1790 to 1810, John Newlin rented and operated it,
and in 1817 he became the owner. A short distance
below this mill, in 1696, Nicholas Newlin built a
saw-mill, which in 1790 was owned by Nathaniel
Newlin, in 1802 by Thomas Newlin, and in 1817 by
Benjamin Newlin. The grist-mill, from 1810 to 1820,
was rented and operated by Mendenhall and Pennell,
and after the latter date by John Newlin. He con-
tinued there many years. The grist- and saw-mill sub-
sequently became the property of Casper W. Sharp-
less, and finally was owned by George Drayton. The
latter, in 1859, sold thirty-eight acres and the upper
mill to Samuel Leedom, by whose son, Emmor S.
Leedom, both the saw- and grist-mill are now held
as trust estate.
Hill's Mill.— On Sept. 24, 1683, five hundred acres
of land was surveyed to Nicholas Newlin, which,
lying to the south of the Hitchcock tract, extended
from the eastern township line westward to Concord
Street road, which ran north and south, dividing the
township in the centre. Within this estate, which was
patented to Newlin May 1, 1685, a part of the head-
waters of the west branch of Chester Creek were em-
braced, and through the lower part of Newlin's land,
running east and west. Providence and Concord road
was laid out Aug. 15, 1715. Twenty-two years prior
to this highway being approved, Aug. 21, 1693, a road
still in use, beginning east of the present school-house
on that road, and running thence northward to the
Thornbury line, was laid out by the grand jury. On
April 2, 1703, the tract was resurveyed to Nathaniel
Newlin, the son of Nicholas, and was found to con-
tain five hundred and fifty-two acres of land. The
following year (1704) Nathaniel Newlin built a stone
grist-mill on the west branch of Chester Creek, now
owned by Samuel Hill. In the walls of this old mill
is a date-stone marked " Nathan and Ann Newlin,
1704." This mill passed from Nathaniel or Nathan
Newlin to his son Thomas, and in 1817 was sold to
William Trimble as twenty-seven acres, and the
" Lower Mill." Thomas Newlin having for many
years previous to that date been the owner of the
" Upper Mill," or Society Mill, as it was known in
early days, and now as Leedom's. The terms Upper
and Lower Mills being used to designate the one from
the other, after they had both become the property of
Newlin. The Lower Mill later came into possession
of Abraham Sharpless, who operated it several years,
and after his death it was sold by Casper W. Sharp-
less, executor of his father, Abraham Sharpless, in
April, 1861, to John Hill & Son. The junior mem-
ber of the firm, Samuel, operated it until the death of
his father, John Hill, when the latter's interest was
acquired by his son, Samuel Hill, who is the present
owner of the mill.
Trimble, or Felton Mills.— In 1734, William
Trimble appeared at Friends' Meeting at Concord
with Ann Palmers, and there they declared their in-
tention of marriage. Soon after their marriage, Wil-
liam Trimble bought one hundred acres of land, the
half of the two hundred acres patented to Thomas
King, July 22, 1684. The part purchased adjoined
the Nicholas Newlin Mill land, to the south of the
latter. In 1742, William and Ann Trimble built a
stone house, which is still standing, and now owned
by Dr. Joseph Trimble. William Trimble, the younger,
had on this estate a saw-mill in 1782, and prior to
1799 had erected a pai)er-mill, which was operated as
such by him until 1813, when it was changed to a
cotton-factory at the instance of John D. Carter, an
Englishman, who had just previous to that time immi-
grated to Pennsylvania. This factory was four stories
in height, sixty by thirty-four feet, and was conducted
by Carter until 1826, when he purchased the Knowlton
Mills and removed there. The Trimble cotton-factory
at that time contained four carding-engines, ten hun-
dred and sixty-eight spindles, and spun seven hun-
dred and fifty pounds of cotton yarn weekly. The
mills, after Carter's removal, were leased by Jacob
Taylor, and later by Joseph Trimble, Charles Cheel-
ham, Callaghan Brothers, and others. In March,
1873, the mills were destroyed by fire, and the prop-
erty was sold to Gen. Kobert Patterson. The execu-
tors of the Patterson estate, on July 1, 1884, sold the
site of these mills to George Rush, Jr., who is rebuild-
ing the burned mills, wherein he proposes to manu-
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
491
facture the Rush roller skates, of which article he is
the patentee. Early in this century, Samuel Trimble
conducted the saw-mill in the immediate neighbor-
hood of the Trimble paper-mill, and continued there
many years.
Marshall's Tannery.— In the year 1785, Thomas
Marshall had a tannery and stone bark-mill on the
west bank of Chester Creek, below the present Mar-
shall Mill. It was still owned and operated by him
in 1826, and later fell into disuse. The property is
now owned by Ellis P. Marshall.
In 1770, Robert Mendenhall was operating a saw-
mill on the Mendenhall tract, which he conducted till
1788, when it was in charge of Stephen Mendenhall,
and later went out of use. In 1788, Thomas Hatton
owned and operated a saw-mill until 1799, when John
Hatton succeeded him in the business, and also con-
ducted a curry ing-shop and tan-yard. In 1802, Joseph
Hatton appears to have control of the business, and
he conducted it subsequent to 1830. In 1770, John
Newlin was operating a grist-mill, and in 1774, Cyrus
Newlin and Daniel Trimble were also engaged in that
occupation. In 1782, Abraham Sharpless and Hugh
Judge were each running a grist-mill. About 1800,
William Walter built a grist-mill, which was oper-
ated by him many years. A grist- and saw-mill is
now on the site of the mill, which is owned by his
descendants. In 1788, William Hannum was oper-
ating a saw-mill on Green Creek, where in 1811 the
business was conducted by William Hannum, Jr., who
in the same year had a tan-yard connected with the
mill. In 1818, Aaron Hannum built a grist-mill,
which, prior to 1826, had been changed by John Han-
num to a fulling-mill and woolen-factory, which was
operated by John Jones. At that date the machinery
consisted of two carding-engines, one belly of thirty-
six spindles, one jenny of fifty spindles. Subsequent
to 1848 the business was abandoned and the building
no longer used as a factory.
In 1811, Matthias Corliss had a carding- and spin-
ning-machine in Concord, which he operated for a
short time. In 1779, Henry Myers owned a saw-mill
on Concord Creek, which, in 1811, was owned and
operated by John Myers, and in 1848 by Jesse Myers.
It is not in use at the present time. Prior to the last
century William Vernon had a saw-mill on Green
Creek, near the Bethel line, which was discontinued
many years ago.
Johnson's Corners. — The locality known by the
above name was the site of the old Three Tun Tavern,
established by Nathaniel Newlin in 1748, which was
kept as a public-house until 1814. The property in
1848 was owned by John H. Newlin and William
Johnson. A school-house was erected there in 1856,
which is still used. A store was at the Corners in
1875, but is discontinued. The land on the west side
of the road is now owned by Thomas Johnson. The
grounds of the Brandywine Summit Camp-Meeting
Association are located on the farm of Thomas
Johnson. Camp-meetings have been held at the
j place for twelve or fifteen years, but without organi-
zation. In the summer of 1884 an association was
formed, and a charter was granted by the court of
Delaware County. The association obtained a lease
of twenty acres of land, and meetings are held there
in the month of July or August. The Brandywine
Summit Camp-Meeting is under the charge of the
Wilmington Conference.
Elam. — The tract of land on which the hamlet is
situated was first granted to Francis Chads, and con-
tained one hundred and thirty and a half acres of
land. It was resurveyed April 9, 1702, and April 19,
1708, it was sold to John Willis. The road that runs
northerly through it was laid out in February, 1705.
At the place now called Elam, formerly known as
Pleasant Hill, James Smith lived, and in 1819 he
petitioned court for a license, which was not granted
him till 1823. A full account of his troubles will be
found in the account of the licensed houses. Sub-
sequent to 1832, the property was sold as the estate of
James Smith to Edward Hoskins. It passed from
Hoskins to Joseph Cheyney, and later to William
May, whose heirs are now in possession of the land.
In 1848 there was at the place a store, post-otfice, and
tavern. The store was built by Marshall P. Wilkin-
son, and later was sold to Miller & Yarnall. Mrs.
Mary A. Yarnall now conducts the store and post-
office, having been postmistress since 1865.
The Elam Methodist Episcopal Church, situated a
short distance from Elam, was established as a branch
of the Siloam Methodist Episcopal Church, of Bethel,
in 1882. A lot was purchased of Daniel Husband
and Jehu Tolley, and a neat stone chapel, thirty by
forty-five feet, was erected. The pastors of Siloam
Church, Bethel, have this in charge.
Concordville. — Except the few dwellings clustered
about the Friends' meeting-house at this point there
was no conspicuous settlement until 1831, when John
Way was licensed to keep a public-house there, and
in the next year a mail station was established, and
known as the Concordville Post-oflSce. A line of
stages from this time ran through the village on the
New London, Philadelphia and Brandywine Turn-
pike. John Way acted as postmaster until 1844,
when he was succeeded by George Rush, who in
June, 1869, was followed by Mrs. Sheoff. The latter
held the office for only a short time, and was suc-
ceeded by George Rush, the present incumbent, who
established a store at Concordville in 1844.
Ivy Mills and the Willcox Family.— For many
reasons a historical sketch of the Willcox family is
interesting, identified as' it has been with Delaware
County since an early period. Their business, estab-
lished in this county as far back as 1729, has continued
in the family for more than a hundred and fifty years,
descending from father to son through five successive
generations. This is the oldest business house now
standing in the United States. It has had intimate
492
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
relations not only with Franklin, Carey, and all the
principal printing-houses of the last century, but also
with the authorities of all of the old Colonies that
issued paper money in the colonial days for forty
years preceding tlie Revolution ; with the Continental
authorities of the Revolutionary period, and with the
United States authorities ever since that period ; all in
the line of its regular business as manufacturers of
printing, currency, and security papers. On three
different occasions, far apart, the services it was able
to render the government, in times of war and dis-
credit, were so important that it may be said they
were services of necessity. After more than a century
and a half of continuous business the principal place
of manufacturing is still within two miles of the orig-
inal location, and the mercantile house still remains
in Minor Street, Philadelphia, where it has always
been.
The Willcox family in Pennsylvania dates back to
1718, in which year Thomas Willcox and his wife
Elizabeth (nee Cole), settled in Delaware County,
selecting their future home on the west branch of
Chester Creek, in Concord township. Their property
has passed by inheritance four times from father to
son, and is now owned by their direct descendant of
the fifth generation of the same name as the founder,
Thomas Willcox.
The name Willcox (Wild Chough) is undoubtedly
of Saxon times and origin, as the family crest (a Cor-
nish chough upon a pile of rocks) indicates. The
chough is a red-legged raven of the southwest of Eng-
land, and the first Willcox was so called, doubtlessly,
because he bore a wild chough (pronounced gutturally )
upon a shield or pole in the many battles fought in
those rude days.
Thomas Willcox, originally from Devonshire, Eng-
land, came over young, as he and his wife lived
together in Concord from 1718 until his death, in 1779,
his wife dying in the following year. They were of
the Roman Catholic faith, as are all their descendants
of the name in Pennsylvania to-day, and the family
is believed to be the oldest Catholic family in the
State. At their house was established one of the ear-
liest missions in Pennsylvania, but at what precise
date cannot now be determined, as the early records
of some of the Jesuit missions (of which this was one)
were destroyed by a fire at St. Thomas, Md., where
they were kept ; but it is supposed to be about 1732.
A room devoted to chapel purposes has always been
reserved in the mansion-house of all the successive
proprietors up to this time, and the Catholics of the
neighborhood have ever been invited and accus-
tomed to attend the religious' services conducted there.
Many articles of the old chapel furniture, such as
chalice, missal, vestments, etc., that have been in use
there from the beginning, are still preserved and prized
by the family. In 1852, chiefly at the cost of James
M. Willcox, the then proprietor of Ivy Mills, the
church of St. Thomas was built near Ivy Mills, since
which time the private chapel has been maintained
for occasional services and private devotion.
Thomas and Elizabeth Willcox had nine children,
— John, Anne, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Deborah,
Thomas, Mark, and Margaret. The eldest son, John,
and Mary (married to John Montgomery) removed to
North Carolina in early life, settling near Fayetteville,
and their descendants of several generations are nu-
merously scattered throughout the Southern States.
The counties of Willcox in Georgia and Alabama,
respectively, have taken name from some of these, and
the old family Christian names of Thomas and Mark
are carefully handed down among the Southern
branches of the family. The eldest daughter, Anne,
married James White, and a distinguished Governor
of Louisiana of that name was her grandson. Her
grave and tombstone are in old St. Mary's church-
yard on Fourth Street, in Philadelphia, the lettering
nearly obliterated by time. John's and Mary's de-
scendants embrace many of the best-known names in
nearly all the cotton States, and are particularly nu-
merous along the Ocmulgee River in Georgia, and
in the Carolinas. The original home in Concord,
including the large farm and Ivy Mill, descended to
the youngest son, Mark, born in Concord in 1743.
Mark Willcox, better known in the community as
Judge Willcox for the last thirty years of his life, after
an early study of law entered into business with his
father for a time, and then removed to Philadelphia,
where he became a prominent merchant of that city.
The firm (Flahavan & Willcox) consisted of his
brother-in-law Thomas Flahavan and himself; and
their books, some of which are still preserved, show
that they owned several vessels, and traded principally
with Wilmington and Newberne, N. C, and with
London, Dublin, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. Some
of the letters of their letter-book, covering the period
of 1783 to 1787, are interesting, and contain valuable
materials connected with the history of the time, re-
garding not only Philadelphia and vicinity but a
number of other places. In one, for instance, of date
Philadelphia, March 20, 1786 (per ship "Adolph,"
Capt. Clarkson, ria Amsterdam), they write to their
correspondents Messrs. Roquett F. A. Elsires and
Brothers Roquett, of Rotterdam, requesting the latter
to sell in Europe all or part of six thousand acres of
land belonging to the firm, lying above Mount Vernon
on the Potomac ; and, subsequently, in letter of date
April 21, 1786, they thus enter into a fuller expla-
nation of the location and value of the lands:
" Should you not be able to sell, you'll keep the Papers in your bands
belonging to us until you hear from us. We have the pleasing news
from a Gentleman who has Lands in the same Neighborhood, & has
moved lately 2S Families on them, that the County is settling faster
than any other in tlie States, & he says he makes little doubt of those
Lands being soon settled as thick as within 20 Miles of Philadelphia.
There is another advantage which they have, that we neglected to men-
tion to you in our former Letters, that is, that General Washington's
Lands are in the vicinity of our's, that Virginia has uuiiertaken to clear
the Potowmack River, and that the General has the Direction of it, &
uo doubt as well for his Country's Interest as his own, will forward the
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
493
work as fast as possible. Also that a Town is to be built within 5 Miles of
the Lands by Order and Permission of Government. You may therefore
Insure them as prime Lands and of the First Quality. There is very
little doubt but in a little time this will be the first Country in the World.
There maybe some Objections Respecting the Savages, but this you
Savages
■ithii
ir up by informing to a Certainty that the
L hundred Miles of them, Ac, &c.
" With great esteem,
The future " town to be built by order of Govern-
ment" is the present city of Washington, rapidly be-
coming one of the most beautiful capitals of the world.
The " savages" are now far enough away.
They were very e-xtensive owners of land, as will
appear from the following extract of a letter to the
same correspondents, in Rotterdam, dated June 4,
1787:
"Since then we have Accts. from France to Gentle-
men here, who had letters from their Correspondents
in Europe, of their contracting with the Farmer Gen-
eral for 200,000 acres in the neighbourhood of our
Lands, for 200,000 French Crowns, & that the Govern-
ment was sending out Settlers. If so no doubt it will
add to the value of our Lands. If you could not sell
on advantageous terms you had better find out the
Gentleman that sold those Lands and send him the
papers. Perhaps he may have it in his power to sell
ours along with his Own. Or, if you could sell a
larger tract, say twenty thousand acres more, that is,
if Speculators in Land would rather have a larger
Tract, we would have you engage 20 or 30 Thousand
Acres more, and shall send you out all the papers, or
deliver them to your Order. We have also Accts.
from England of Mr. Vancouver's selling 100 Thou-
sand Acres to English settlers who are coming out
next Spring, so that that Place will be as thick as
any Place in the States. If these Schemes should fail
send back the papers as Quick as Possible. You wiW
soon hear if this news of sale to Farmer General is
true and you will be able to judge whether a tryal in
France will answer." It is also well known that
Mark Willcox, following the example of many promi-
nent men of means in Philadelphia at that time and
long after, committed the mistake of investing in
lands in many of the interior counties of Pennsyl-
vania, instead of at their very doors. The rapid growth
of the city was not foreseen, nor the overleaping by
emigration of the mountaiuous districts of Pennsyl-
vania, where they purchased, for the rich and vast
valley of the Ohio and Mississippi. The whole tenor
of this venerable letter-book shows plainly the great j
and lasting depression in all business that followed j
the Revolution. Its foreign correspondence contains
many references to public matters transpiring at the
time, one of which to the great Convention of '87
shows the feeling of the intelligent portion of the
community in regard to it. This letter is of date July
18, 1787 : " We have nothing new to Relate you except
that Our Grand Convention, being deputed from the
different States, is now sitting here. They have sett
for upwards of six Weeks, and are as Respectable a
Body as one ever had to meet on Public Business, as
well for their Understanding & Fortunes as for the
unbounded Confidence being placed in them by their
Constituents. The purport of this Meeting is to see
into the Situation of the Foederal Union, mend De-
fects, and Strengthen it upon such solid Basis as will
give power to Congress as well as many Resources, so
that they'll be reputable abroad as well as at Home.
In the mean time to guard against the Infringing
upon the Liberty of the Subject. This, no doubt,
they will be able to Accomplish, as the People are
Tired of the Loose Manner in which they have been
Governed for Some time."
The last reference to the convention appears in a
letter dated Sept. 25, 1787, as follows : " The Conven-
tion has broken up, & has recommended us a Code of
laws which, if adopted, will make us Happy at Home
and Respected abroad, and we have little doubt of
their being adopted, as the People are Generally for it.
Nor is there any doubt of General Washington being
Universally appointed President General, &c."
There are many precious bits of history and histor-
ical reference in this old book which should not be
lost, and which will become more valuable as time
passes and the still fresh tints of recent history fade
away.
Mark Willcox's first wife was his partner's sister,
Ellen Flahavan ; another sister became the wife of
Mathew Carey and the mother of the late Henry C.
Carey, of Philadelphia, whose writings on social sci-
ence and political economy have given him a world-
wide reputation. Among the brothers-in-law an inti-
mate friendship always existed, ending only at the
death of Mark Willcox, in 1827. The only child of
this first marriage, Ellen Willcox, was educated at the
only boarding-school in Pennsylvania at that time,
the Moravian School at Bethlehem. She married
William Jenkins, of Baltimore, Md., and their de-
scendants, quite numerous, are among the best-known
and most-esteemed citizens of that city. His second
wife was Mary Kauffman, daughter of Dr. Theoph-
ilus Kauffman, of Strasburg, Germany, who came to
Philadelphia long before the Revolution, and who
died some years afterwards in Montgomery County,
whither he removed away from the " rebels," who had
captured the city, and with whose Revolutionary ideas
he had no sympathy.
When his father died, in 1779, Mark Willcox con-
tinued to live in Philadelphia, and carried on the
manufacturing of paper at the Ivy Mill. At what
date he removed from the city is not precisely known,
but one of the letters in the letter-book spoken of
mentions the fact of his living in the country in 1789.
The old Ivy Mill had then been running sixty years,
and was the second paper-mill built on the American
continent, the Rittenhouse mill, on the Wissahickon,
being the only one before it. Following its lead, a
number of paper-mills were built in Delaware County,
494
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
commencing on Chester Creek ; and as late as the be-
ginning of the nineteenth century more paper was
made in Delaware County, Pa. (then shorn to its pres-
ent dimensions), than in all the rest of the whole
United States. This was the pioneer county in that
particular industry, and long it held its pre-eminence.
The old Ivy Mill, after standing over a hundred years,
was torn down fifty-four years ago, or rather the
greater part of it, and rebuilt by James M. Willcox.
Two men of two generations, father and son, had
conducted it ninety-eight years. The ponderous ma-
chinery, however, of modern mills silenced it long
ago, but it still stands, a silent relic of its early time.
Its wheel has long since decayed ; its stone gable is
thickly covered with the venerable ivy-vine whose root
came over the ocean (in 1718) from near the old Ivy
Bridge, in Devonshire; and the day is drawing near
when it will begin its last change into a picturesque
ruin as ancient as we have them in this New World.
The old mill has a history deeply interesting from its
connection with the printing-presses of historic men,
and perhaps more so from its relations to the old col-
onial governments that preceded the formation of the
United States, and the general government subse-
quently. The Colonies were wont to issue each its own
particular currency, and up to the time of the Revo-
lution the paper for all the money of all the Cohmies,
from Massachusetts to the Carolinas, was manufac-
tured by Thomas Willcox at his Ivy Mill ; after
which followed, out of the same mill, the paper for
the Continental currency, and after that the paper for
the government issues made necessary by the war of
1812.
After Mark Willcox removed to the country (about
1789) he never afterwards returned to the city to live.
He was a man of erudition, and a genial but dignified
gentleman, and up to the time of his death (in 1827)
it was his habit and pleasure to receive frequent visits
from his many friends in town, who would drive their
twenty miles to pass some days, in the old-fashioned
way, at his pleasant country home.
Many years before his death Judge Willcox had
associated his sons, John and Joseph, in business with
him, but retired early, as the books show that in 1811
the firm consisted of John and Joseph Willcox.
Joseph died young and unmarried, and John again
united with his father, the product of the mill being
always principally bank-note, bond, and similar papers.
John died in 1826, leaving two daughters, and his
widow married, some years afterwards, Lieut. John
Marston, Jr., U.S.N., who has survived her. He now
(1884), as Rear-Admiral Marston, resides in Phila-
delphia, enjoying good health at eighty-nine years
of age.
On the death of Jolin Willcox his youngest brother,
James M., assumed charge of the hereditary mill,
and threw more vigor and activity into the business
than it had ever known. His father dying the fol-
lowing year, James became the sole proprietor.
Three years afterwards he tore down the mill that
had run for a century, and built upon the site a new
one of double capacity, with improved machinery.
Bank-note paper still continued to be the specialty.
For a long period not only were the banks of the
United States supplied with their paper from the Ivy
Mill, but its lofts were at times piled with peculiar-
looking papers of various tints, bearing the ingrained
watermarks of most of the governments and banks of
South America. Nearly the whole Western Continent
drew its supplies from tliere, such was the reputation
of the establishment ; and Eastward its paper went as
far as Italy and Greece. But an end had to come to
this. The sagacity of James M. Willcox foresaw the
impending changes that were to revolutionize the
paper manufacture, and he began early to prepare for
them ; at first by improving and enlarging facilities,
and then by adopting at once the revolutionary pro-
cesses according to their best features, for which he
had not long to wait. He was very early to appre-
ciate the full merits of the Fourdrinier machine,
and one of the first enterprising enough to adopt it.
In 1835 he purchased from the heirs of Abraham
Sharpies the elder, on the main branch of Chester
Creek, and about two and a half miles from Ivy Mills,
an extensive water-power, and the property on which
the Sharpies iron-works, consisting of rolling- and
slitting-mills, had been situated. Here he built the
first of the mills known as the Glen Mills, in which
was placed one of the new Fourdrinier paper-machines
of the largest class then known. He took his sons,
Mark and William, into partnership, and for many
years conducted a large and successful business, di-
viding his attention among his various interests, — his
farm, the Ivy Mill, the Glen Mill, and his mercantile
house in the city. In 1846 he built the second of the
61en Mills. Soon after his health became precarious,
and, although he suffered much, he remained actively
engaged in the details of all his many engagements as
long as he lived. On March 3, 1852, he completed
his long-contemplated arrangements and retired from
business, leaving it to his three sons, Mark, James,
and Joseph, and died unexpectedly before the follow-
ing morning. He was a man of unusual intelligence,
strength and earnestness of character, and fervent
religious convictions that governed all his intercourse
with other men. No man was better known or more
respected in the entire community. His charities ac-
corded with his means. His influence was great, and
always for good ; and his death was a public loss.
Born in 1791, and dying in 1852, he was not sixty-two
years of age. His remains repose in the old family
burying-ground upon the Ivy Mills property, where
those of his father and grandfather were laid before
him ; and in the same ground lie the remains of
many colored people, formerly slaves of his ancestors
when slavery existed in Pennsylvania, and a number
of their descendants for several generations.
Without change of title, Mark, James M., and
C_-_-^
t:i!^tyicn-r„^
^^^^^^^i^^^^w)/
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
495
Joseph, the three oldest sons of James M. Willcos,
succeeded to the Ivy Mills and Glen Mills business in i
1852. In 1866, Joseph retired from business, after i
disposing of his interests to his elder brothers, since
when he has devoted his time to scientific pursuits,
chiefly in the departments of geology and mineralogy.
In the mean time the civil war had broken out, and 1
the government was again forced to the issue of paper
money, this time on a scale unprecedented in the his- j
tory of the world. For the third time, under the j
pressing necessities of war and broken credit, it had
recourse to the Willcox House to supply its needs.
Fortunately this had kept in advance of the times,
and the brothers had, but a few years before, suc-
ceeded in changing the manufacture of bank-note
paper by bringing it also upon the Fourdrinier ma-
chine, thus enabling themselves to produce more in
a day than the old practice, by hand process, could
produce in a month. When, therefore, the emergency
came they were able to meet it, first with one large
mill, and soon after with a second. The supply was
maintained, and always up to the requirements of the
government. All the bank-note paper-mills of
Europe, save one, are still hand-mills, and it is not
too much to say that, at that time, all of them united
could not have supplied the paper needed for our
government's issues of paper money.
In 1864 the United States Treasury Department,
prompted by the desire to prevent the counterfeiting
of its issues, undertook the task of manufacturing a
currency paper for its own use, and imparting to it
some peculiarity of character by which counterfeiting
could be detected. A costly mill with Fourdrinier
machine was built on the lower floor of the Depart-
ment building, and experiments at great cost were
conducted there for four years. There was no out-
come of any value ; the attempts were all failures, and
the Treasury mill ended where it had begun, with an
inferior quality of simple white paper. It was then
torn out, and the Willcox Brothers were invited to
undertake a task that the Department, with all the
scientific aid it could command, had failed in, and
that had never yet been successfully performed any-
where. This they were prepared to do by means of a
peculiar paper invented by them, and patented three
years before. The " local ized-fibre" paper, manufac-
tured for many years after this at the Glen Mills for
the notes and bonds of the government, attained not
merely a national, but a world-wide, reputation, for it
accomplished the object desired. So jealously was it
guarded by the government that for ten years the
mills and premises were occupied by a government
officer with a numerous police and detective force, and
some forty employes of the Treasury Department, to
insure that no sheet or bit of paper should be ab-
stracted for unlawful purpose, and that every sheet
should be counted and registered as made, and tracked
through the various stages towards completion, until
it should be delivered over to the express company to
be taken away for use. During that period not a
sheet, out of hundreds of millions made, was lost or
missed, not a counterfeit seen on any treasury note or
bond of the issue or series that began with that paper;
and at the end, when Secretary John Sherman, in
1878, removed the manufacture of government paper
from Pennsylvania, the paper account at Glen Mills
balanced, a clear quittance was given, and the Treas-
ury issue of paper money with which he began his
administration was free from counterfeits.
In 1880, Mark Willcox purchased his brother James'
interest in the Glen Mills property, the Philadelphia
business, and the Sarum farm adjoining Glen Mills,
of which they had been joint owners. Some years
before he had purchased from his younger brothers,
Edward and Henry, the old Ivy Mills estate, so that
at his death, in April, 1883, he had acquired posses-
sion of nearly all the properties of the family in Del-
aware County that had historical interest. His two
sons, James Mark and William, the present owners
of the Glen Mills property, have recently enlarged
the principal mill and are actively engaged in the old
business, the mercantile department of which is still
conducted by them at No. 509 Minor Street, Phila-
delphia. These two young men constitute the oldest
business house of any description in the United States ;
one that has continued from father to son, in one lo-
cality, a hundred and fifty-five years. The Ivy Mills
property^ the original home, now belongs to the
youngest brother, Thomas, of the same name as the
founder of the family in America.
James M. Willcox the younger, whose portrait is
herein presented, was born at Ivy Mills, in the same
house in which his father and grandfather were born,
Nov. 20, 1824. He is the fourth son of James M.
Willcox, and the second son of a second marriage
contracted in 1819. His mother was Mary eldest
daughter of Capt. James Brackett, of Quincy, Mass.,
in which State the Bracketts have resided for ten gen-
erations. The first of them, also Capt. James Brack-
ett, was born in Scotland, in 1611, and came over with
the early Puritans. This ancestor figures in Haw-
thorne's " Scarlet Letter," as captain of the soldiery
and custodian of the jail in which Hester Prynne was
confined. Her mother, Elizabeth Odiorne, descended
from the ancestor of that name who came over with
the Church of England colony that founded Ports-
mouth, N. H. The old Odiorne mansion is still stand-
ing, and is one of the most interesting antiquities of
that place. James M. Willcox's early school years
were passed at Anthony' Bolmar's boarding-school, at
West Chester, Pa., and thence he passed to George-
town College, D. C, whose reputation for superior
classical and literary training has always been recog-
nized. After leaving college he commenced the study
of medicine, but before completing the course changed
his intentions and went to Italy, where he spent three
years, mostly in Rome and its vicinity, in the study
of ancient and modern languages, the higher mathe-
496
HISTOEY OP DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
matics, and philosophy. There existed nowhere bet-
ter or higher schools of languages and philosophy
than the Roman Propaganda and Sapienza. In them
the Latin, instead of being an object of study, was the
text of the class-books, the medium of communica-
tion, the spoken and written language of the schools.
In it Greek, Hebrew, the sciences, and philosophy
were learned and expounded by the professors. The
rare advantages within his grasp the young Ameri-
can student employed to the best advantage, and
brought home a full share of the honors competed
for, becoming an accomplished linguist, speaking
several languages, and attaining in the end to the Doc-
torship in Philosophy. This degree is lightly given
in the United States, frequently without any course
of philosophy at all, but in the universities of Conti-
nental Europe it is conferred on but few, on account
of the very severe course and examination required
in logic, metaphysics, and ethics, as well as in physics
and mathematics. At this time Mr. Willcox enjoyed
the privilege of the acquaintance and conversation of
men whose names are now historical in the literary
world, the recollection of which he now cherishes as
among the most pleasant of his life. Not the least
among these friends was the greatest of all linguists,
ancient or modern. Cardinal Mezzofanti, who was
master of forty languages, and with whom he made a
study of ancient Anglo-Saxon. In 1847 he received
from Pope Pius IX. his degree in philosophy, the di-
ploma issuing, not from the faculty, but, as a special
favor, directly from the Pontifl', as thus set forth in
its text: "Pius Papa Nonus, volens eum speciali
gratia cumulare, eum Doctorem in Philosophia
creavit, cum omnibus honoribus et oneribus quae Phi-
losophise Docloribus propria sunt." This diploma, it
is unnecessary to say, is much valued and preserved
with great care. After spending some months in
visiting many parts of Europe Mr. Willcox returned
home in the fall of 1847, with health somewhat im-
paired, and some years afterwards entered into busi-
ness with his father and brother at Glen Mills. Trans-
ferring the same industry and ambition into practical
business that he had carried into his scholastic career,
he gradually introduced features into it so radical as
to entirely change its character.
The advantages of superior education are not lost
in any career in life, for the discipline and enlarge-
ment of the mind attained can be advantageously
applied almost anywhere. One of Mr. Willcox's first
aims was to raise the paper manufacture to a higher
level, out of the routine into which it seemed to have
settled ; and to this end he conducted a series of ex-
perimental researches, producing, in the course of a
few years, as he relates, a greater variety of papers
than had ever before been made by any one person.
Taking as his depsJtment of the business the prac-
tical manufacture, he turned special attention towards
the plan of making bank-note paper by machinery,
and with complete success. Then, impressed with the
importance of checking, and perhaps preventing, the
counterfeiting of money, so commonly and easily
done at that time, he conceived the task of accom-
plishing with paper what the bank-note companies,
with their arts of fine and geometrical engraving,
could not accomplish ; the result being the invention
of the " localized-fibre" paper, so long and so effi-
ciently used by the United States government for its
notes and bonds. For many years, as was said before,
this distinctive paper was manufactured at Glen
Mills, under the government's supervision and pro-
tection. Its success at home brought it to the favor-
able consideration of the governments of Europe,
and in 1878, under agreement with the Imperial Gov-
ernment of Germany, Mr. Willcox sent out an agent
to Berlin, near which city was put in successful oper-
ation a bank-note paper-mill with the special ma-
chinery required, as at Glen Mills, for the manufac-
ture of the German currency paper. So pleased were
the authorities with the product of the new mill that
he received from them a testimonial stating that the
contract had been more than carried out, to their
great satisfaction ; and the localized-fibre paper be-
came the currency paper of the Empire. An exhibit
of this protective paper was subsequently made at the
great Paris Exhibition, and there received the highest
possible award of " Diplome d'Honneur."
The chemical paper long used by the United States
Treasury Department for the stamps and checks of
the department, and called "Chameleon" paper on
account of its sensitive changes when tampered with,
was also Mr. Willcox's invention, and put an end to
the counterfeiting and re-using of Internal Revenue
stamps, by which the government had long been ex-
tensively robbed of its revenue. Thus in many parts
of his business he found fields for the employment of
knowledge acquired outside of its ordinary sphere,
and so succeeded in vastly enlarging its proportions
and lifting it to the highest plane of usefulness.
During this long period of active life and heavy cares
his earlier tastes for literature were not neglected, and
the hours unoccupied by business were generally de-
voted to scientific study. He has been an occasional
contributor to The Atnerican Catholic Quarterly Review,
always upon subjects of metaphysical philosophy ; and
a few years ago he published the conclusions from a
long course of abstract reading and reflection in an
octavo volume of logico-metaphysics, taking strong
ground throughout, from the stand-point of rational
analysis, against the growing materialistic atheism of
the times, impelled thereto, as set forth in the dedi-
cation, by the desire to contribute his part in a good
work. He has in progress, he states, two other works
of somewhat kindred character, upon which he labors
alternately, which will require several years to com-
plete.
1 Elementary Philosophy, Parts I. and II. By James M. Willcox,
Ph.D. Porter & Coates, No. 822 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
497
When the scheme for a Centennial Exhibition was
projected Mr. Willcox was among the first to earnestly
advocate that it should be international, and to do all
in his power to advance it. He was appointed a mem-
ber of the first Board of Finance created by act of
Congress, and at a later day was requested by the
Centennial Commission to act as one of the Judges of
the Exhibition, of whom there were one hundred
American and one hundred foreign selected. At the
first meeting of the committees he was chosen Presi-
dent of Group XIII., and after six months' active
duty in that capacity he wrote, by request, a critical
compendium of the entire work of his committee for
publication. His services were recognized in a letter
of thanks, with a special medal, by the Commission.
In 1852 he married Mary Keating, of Philadelphia,
daughter of Jerome Keating, who, in partnership
with John J. Borie, was one of the early manu-
facturers of Manayunk ; and granddaughter of John
Keating, a distinguished officer of the French army
in the last century, who, for having captured the
island of St. Eustache from the British, was decorated
by Louis XVI., and made Chevalier of the Order of
Saint Louis. Of this marriage there are five children
living, of whom two are married, one residing at Col-
orado Springs and the other in Philadelphia. His
present wife is Katharine, daughter of the late Abra-
ham W. Sharpies, of Thornbury township, and grand-
daughter, on her mother's side, of Right Rev. Henry
U. Onderdonk, formerly the Episcopalian Bishop of
Philadelphia. Of this marriage there are two children,
both living. The family have lived in Spruce Street,
Philadelphia, for many years, but still retain posses-
sion of a farm in Thornbury, near Cheyney's Station.
Since his retirement from regular business in 1880,
Mr. Willcox has been in the habit of spending the
winter months in Florida. He early foresaw the phe-
nomenal development of South Florida, little known
six years ago, but now rapidly distancing the northern
part; and made extensive purchases of property in
Orange County and on Indian River that are now
very valuable. With the care of these and his ma-
terial interests at home, the responsibilities of direc-
torship in some large corporations, the continued
pursuit of scientific study, and the labor upon his
works in hand, he indulges in little leisure; and, to
judge from the past and present, is not likely to find
the pleasures of idleness as long as he lives.
Licensed. Houses. — The first record that appears
of license being granted in Concord is at the August
court, 1722, when the petition of Mathias Karle
(Kerlin) was presented, asking that he be permitted
to keep a public-house in that township, and to sell
rum and other liquors therein, which application was
approved by the justices. At the same court John
Hannum desired the privilege of keeping a house of
entertainment to sell " Beer and Sider," which was
also granted. Kerlin's name annually thereafter, to
and including the year 1726, appears of record, after
which it is omitted from the clerk's list, as is also
that of Hannum from the list of 1731. Hannum's
house, I learn from the application of his son, John
Hannum, in 1747, was on the road from Chester to
Nottingham, — the Concord road, — and the latter's
name appears annually thereafter up to 1760. In
1761, Robert Hall succeeded Hannum, and in 1771,
John Palmer followed Hall in business, and continued
there until 1776. In 1782, Frederick Steen seems
to have kept this house, then called the " Buck," and
the following year John Gest succeeded him. Robert
Burnett obtained license for 1784, and William Han-
num from 1785 to 1787, when William Lockart took
his place until 1788, at which date the inn disappears
as a public-house.
To return to Kerlin's inn. On Nov. 24, 1730, Mat-
thias Kerlin presented his petition, in which he states
that he "had license for several years and no com-
plaint made, but on account of other afiairs had de-
clined making application for a considerable time, now
wishes to renew," which application was granted.
Michael Atkinson, Aug. 31, 1731, presented his pe-
tition, wherein he sets forth that for some time past
" he had a recommendation to keep a public-house in
West Town, and being desirous to remove into Con-
cord, found a suitable place, but hearing that Matthias
Kyrlin had an inclination to get into that business,
he went to him and received a denial of the report."
Atkinson then agreed with the landlord for a term of
years at eight pounds per annum, and obtained li-
cense to remove into Concord. " The license now
being expired," he wished it renewed. It appears
that, notwithstanding Kerlin's declaration that he did
not propose to apply for license, he did present his
application to the court, which was supplemented by
the following petition emanating from the " Inhabi-
tants of Concord," bearing date Aug. 31, 1731, " That
whereas our Township have been through some mis-
fortune in some measure oppressed by so many pub-
lick houses allowed in our town, & by some this last
year without our knowledge or good liking. Let us
have but one of that Calling, and if you think fit to
grant recommendation to Mathias Kyrlen we shall,
&c.," be pleased if the court act on these suggestions.
The remonstrance was signed by Benjamin Menden-
hall, Thomas Downing, and nine others.
The foregoing remonstrance is indorsed "Allowed,"
while the petition of Atkinson is marked " Not Al-
lowed." Kerlin's name appears regularly on the
clerk's list from that date to 1738, when I lose sight
of him until 1745, when he regularly is allowed to
entertain the public until Feb. 26, 1750, when his pe-
j tition states that he has kept tavern twenty-eight
years; that his family is small, as his children are
provided for, but he is unable to work at his trade of
shoemaking. As an additional reason why he should
be allowed license, he urges that he and his wife are
descendants of the "first adventurers who came into
this province when money would not purchase
498
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Bread." The court, however, declined to grant him
the privilege desired.
In 1785, William Underwood was licensed to keep
puhlic-house in Concord. In 1786, Samuel Johnson,
Alexander Lockart, and Caleb Taylor received the
court's approval. The latter, in 1788, had the privi-
lege continued to him.
In 1748, Nathaniel Newlin was granted license for
his house " near several great roads," and it was con-
tinued to him until 1776, excepting during the years
1757-59, when William Smith seems to have been the
landlord, and in 1760 no names appear of record.
Lifense may have been, but probably was not, denied
to Newlin during that period. This house was on the
Wilmington and Great Valley road, near where the
Naaman's Creek road crosses the former highway,
now Johnson's Corners. From 1776 to 1782 there is
no record respecting license in Concord ; in fact, the
tracing of successive landlords for public-houses in
that township is more difficult than in any other in
our county, Ridley and Lower Chichester not ex-
cepted. In 1782, Amos Mendenhall had license ; in
1774, John Burnett; and from 1758 to 1788, Thomas
Maddock, when I lose trace of this house. In 1791,
however, John Fred appears to have been landlord
of Newlin's Tavern, and in 1800, James Jeffries kept
the house, to yield it, in 1806, to John Hickman. In
1810, Charles Hughes had license for The Three Tuns
(a favorite name for inns at that day), and Nathaniel
Newlin superseded Hughes in 1814, and continued
as "mine host" there only one year, when, in 1814,
Thomas Smith took his place for a season as the laud-
lord of the old house. After that year the owner
declined to have it longer licensed as a tavern.
Moses Bullock, Jr., in bis application ibr the
year 1815, says that the noted tavern. The Three
Tuns, the property of Nathaniel Newlin, is about
-"to Drop, and your petitioner has lately erected a
convenient House for Business on the same road
leading from the Borough of Wilmington to Great
Valley, about half a mile from the former stand, and
a tavern will be badly wanted in said neighborhood."
Bullock's Tavern, — for his application was allowed, —
we learn from the remonstrance against James Smith,
was located on the Wilmington road, about a quarter
of a mile above Elam. It was known as the Buck,
and he was licensed annually thereafter until 1832,
when as a public inn it disappears from the records.
In 1783, Joshua Vernon had leave to keep a tavern
known as The Blue Ball, at which house he was
superseded, in 1787, by James Oliver, who had
license only for that year, while Joshua Vernon re-
ceived the privilege to keep an inn at a house located
on the Concord road a short distance beyond Chelsea.
The ancient hostelry, well known as the Cross-Keys,
no longer as a puWic-house, is now owned by Michael
McGinnis. In 1789, the last year the justices of Ches-
ter County granted license for the territory now com-
prising Delaware County, Joshua Vernon was the
only person in Concord to whom the judges show
partiality. Under the new order of things, at the
first court held at Chester, after the division, he re-
ceived license, and was continued yearly to be favored
until 1796, when James Jeffries succeeded him at
the Cross-Keys. The latter was the landlord until
1799, when Ann Vernon had the license, and in
1800, George Mattson followed her. Thomas Ring had
the house in 1802 ; Samuel Chapman was there in
1805, and the next year he gave place to Jonathan
Paul, Jr., who, in 1807, was succeeded by Amos Wad-
dell. In 1809, Curtis Jeffries was " mine host," but
he surrendered the honors to Amos Waddell the next
year, and the latter, in 1811, to Peter Harper. In
1812, James Marshall took the responsibility of the
Cross-Keys on himself, and sustained them during the
second disagreement with England, and for three
years after the cruel war was over, when, in 1818,
David Howes succeeded him, to be superseded the
next year by William Baldwin. The latter remained
there for eight years, until 1828, when ReecePylc had
license for the inn, and in 1833,. Nathaniel Stevens
became the last landlord of the Cross-Keys of Con-
cord, for after 1836 it disappears from the list.
In 1817, Joseph Hannum petitioned court for license
to keep a public house of entertainment on the West
Chester and Concord road, although it would have
been more accurate had he said on Concord road,
for the White Horse Inn was located on the latter
highway, a short mile above Chelsea. The old build-
ing, partly of logs and partly of stone, recently the
property of Robert M. Smith and now owned by J. &
J. Darlington, still stands. He was successful in his
application, and he received the court's favor annually
thereafter until 1837, when it ceased to be a tavern.
During all the time it was a licensed house, the elec-
tors of Concord, Birmingham, Bethel, and that part of
Thornbury lying west of a public road, from Street
road by the shops and continuing by the house of
Jacob Parks, to the road dividing the townships of
Concord and Thornbury (in 1823), all voted at this
inn, while in 1830 the second election district of
Delaware County, comprising Concord, Birmingham,
Bethel, and Thornbury, had their polling-place at the
White Horse, and continued annually to be held there
until and including 1837, when a tavern at that place
was discontinued.
On Jan. 15, 1819, James Smith, the owner and oc-
cupier of the premises at the intersection of the roads
leading from Wilmington to West Chester, and from
Brandywine to New London Turnpike road, states in
his petition that he is desirous of keeping a public-
house at that location, and to that end has improved
his property and provided himself with buildings and
other things necessary and convenient for that busi-
ness. On Jan. 18, 1819, a remonstrance from the in-
habitants of Concord and Birmingham sets forth that
the signers " have heard with much consurn that
James Smith has petitioned your honours to grant him
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
499
a Licence to keep a house of public entertainment on |
the Wilmington road, in the neighborhood of the public
houses on the same road, one of them but one-quarter 1
of a mile above and the other one mile and a half be-
low, which is sufficient to accommodate the public.
Besides it is feared that if the number of public houses i
should be encreased that some of them will have to re- |
sort to neighboring custom for support." Thecourtre- I
jected the petition, as also a similar one dated October
18th of the same year, which was indorsed by seventy-
nine signatures. The remonstrance filed against the
latter application states that the petitioner wanted " to
locate a tavern at the intersection of the road from
Chandlers bridge to the Philadelphia and New London
Turnpike road with the road from West Chester to
Wilmington, which we consider wholly useless and
apprehensive, and would be injurious for many reasons.
On the West Chester and Wilmington road there is a
tavern, about one-quarter of a mile above the afore-
mentioued intersection, and below it there is one in
New Castle County, a small distance more than a
mile, so that travelers from West Chester to Wilming-
ton can need no opportunity for refreshments more
than is already afforded. The other road from Chan-
dler's bridge is but lately laid out and your remon-
strants confidently state that few (if any) loaded
travelling waggons have been seen on that road, be-
sides the said road crosses the Concord road not more
than a quarter of a mile from Hannum's Tavern, so
that those who have really occasion to pass along the
said cross road can have no difficulty in obtaining re-
freshments in passing at either of the intersections."
The remonstrants continue, " Although they acknowl-
edge the names of many inhabitants of Delaware
County very respectable, are signed to the petition of
James Smith, yet it is a matter of certainty that a
large proportion of the signers are inhabitants of the
State of Delaware, inhabitants of Chester County, and
other places distant from James Smith's, who prob-
ably can have no opportunity of knowing the facts set
forth in his petition nor any occasion of passing by
the said cross road." The remonstrance had sixty
names attached thereto.
Jan. 27, 1820, James Smith again petitioned far a
license for the house, his application being signed by
one hundred and twenty-four persons. He also filed
an additional paper with seventy-six names attached,
in which the signers state "that, learning that a large
number of respectable citizens stating" (to the peti-
tion already filed) " their belief that a Tavern is much
wanted at the stand where the said James Smith lives
and that he is a suitable character to keep such house
of entertainment. We under the influeuce of a simi-
lar opinion and from a conviction that the public con-
venience would be promoted by such an establish-
ment, which is needed both for the accommodation of
travellers and drovers using the road with cattle, unite
in requesting that license be granted to Smith." The
court, however, shook their judicial heads, and again
the petitioner was turned unsatisfied away. The next
year he remained dormant, but March 22, 1822, he ap-
pears again. The judges held his petition under ad-
visement and finally refused it, but at the April court,
1823, James Smith came off with flying colors, and
after four and a quarter years of bitter struggles the
Drove Tavern, at present in Elam, was established.
In 1826, James Smith changed the name of the house
to the Drovers' and Travelers' Inn, and it was so
kept by William Smith in 1827. In 1831 the tavern
was licensed to Jane Smith ; in 1835, to James ; and
in 1887 to William Smith, who remained there until
1844. In the latter year Milton Stamp became.the
landlord of the old hostelry, changing its name again
to the Drove, and the following year he gave it a
new title, that of Pleasant Hill. In 1849, Isaac B.
Gilpin succeeded to the business, to be followed in
1854 by Edward B. Hoskin, and in 1856 Joseph
Cheyney became the " mine host" of the inn. John
Reven had license the following year, and in 1858
Charles Cheyney received the court's favor. In 1859,
William S. Cheyney was the landlord, and continued
as such until 1860, when Joseph Cheyney had license
granted him, but he died before taking it out, and the
privilege was extended to his widow, Mary Cheyney.
In 1864, William E. May became the proprietor of
The Farmers' and Drovers' Inn, to be succeeded, in
1868, by Richard T. Plummer, who restored the more
modern title. Pleasant Hill, to the tavern. In 1869,
Joseph Chandler was the landlord, to be followed, in
1870, by Plumn)er, who owned the property. The
house was not licensed from 1871 to 1875, when Za-
dock T. Speakman had license granted him, to be suc-
ceeded, in 1878, by Benjamin French. In 1879, Wil-
liam F. May was landlord, and, in 1881, was followed
by Jackson McFarlan. In 1883, when the general
remonstrance against granting any license in Concord
was presented, the court denied to McFarlan the
privilege for the sale of liquor at Elam, exactly sixty
years after James Smith was first granted the right to
keep a public-house there.
The Coucordville Inn was established as a public-
house in 1830, in which year John Way was granted
license there, and being centrally located in the town-
ship, after Joseph Hannura retired from tavern-keep-
ing, the election polls were ordered to be held at that
point. In 1858, John Way declined to apply, and
the privilege for that year was granted to David M.
Hannum, but he failing to take out the license,
George W. Taylor was permitted to enjoy it in his
stead. The latter continued annually to petition suc-
cessfully until 1861, when he was followed by Zadock
T. Speakman, who, in 1869, gave place to James
Cloud. The latter called the house the Coucord-
ville Hotel, and in 1871 he was the only person in
the township who received the approval of the court.
In 1872, Frank H. Cloud had the license, after which
time it does not appear to have had the indorsement
of the Quarter Sessions until 1876, when the present
500
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
owner and landlord, James Neeld, secured that favor.
Annually thereafter he was among the licensed houses
until April, 1883, when two lengthy petitions, one
signed by one hundred and twenty-eight men, and
the other by one hundred and fifty women, were pre-
sented to court protesting " against granting of any
hotel license in the said township, and especially
against granting license for the sale of intoxicating
liquors to James Neeld, of Concordville, or Jackson
McFarlan, of Elani, . . . believing that such license
and sale is fraught with results disastrous to the com-
fort, prosperity, and morality of a portion of our peo-
ple and the disturbance of our peace, that their peti-
tions are very generally signed by those who bear but
a small share of taxation, and who are intoxicated to
their own injury. We are fully persuaded that such
licenses are not necessary for the accommodation of
the public, and that our neighborhood will be better
without them." After a lengthy hearing. Judge Clay-
ton refused to grant the license. At the January
court, 1884, the license was restored to the Concord-
ville Hotel.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CHARLES W. MATHUES.
The Mathues family are of Irish lineage, Andrew,
the grandfather of Charles W., having emigrated
after the war of the Revolution, and settled in Balti-
more County, Md. He was united in marriage to a
Mrs. Smith, widow, and had a son, William, born
Dec. 16, 1796, in the above county, where his early
life was spent. When about twenty-one years of age
he came to Chester County, Pa., and followed the
trade of a paper-maker. He married Susan Mc-
Heury, whose children were Andrew W., John Mc-
Henry, William F., Moses R., Charles W., David S.,
Alexander C, and Susan E. (Mrs. Daniel Hart).
Charles W. was born March 15, 1830, in Chester
County, and when thirteen years of age became a
resident of Delaware County, at which early period
of his life he began a self-supporting career by enter-
ing the cotton-mill of John P. Crozer. After two
years spent at that point he became an employe of
other mills in the vicinity, and at the age of tvventy
entered the professional field as a student of dentistry.
Concluding, however, not to practice, he became a
clerk for N. L. Yarnall, at Lenni, and subsequently
purchased and ran a stage line for a jieriod of two
years. He, in 1851, married Amanda, daughter of
Milcah Richardson, and has children, — Andrew W.,
William M., Mary E., Susan M., Charles G., Samuel
W., Amanda E., and Ida May. Having determined
to become a farmeT, Mr. Mathues, in 1857, rented
land in Aston township, and subsequently in other
localities, finally purchasing a farm in the above
township, which his son now cultivates. In 1S79 he
located in Concord, and has since that time filled a
position of prominence as an agriculturist in that
township. He is iu politics a pronounced Repub-
lican, and as a representative of that party was elected
in 1875 sheriff of Delaware County, which ofljce he
held for the term of three years, as also various town-
ship offices. He has since that time been devoted to
the cultivation of his farm. Mr. Mathues is a mem-
ber of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, as
also of the Improved Order of Red Men, the Knights
of Pythias, and the American Protestant Association.
He is active as a leader in the temperance cause, and
has carefully shunned the use of strong drink and to-
bacco during his lifetime. These correct principles,
together with habits of industry and self-reliance, have
rendered him independent. In religion he worships
with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
THOMAS p. POWEL.
Davis Powel, the father of the subject of this bio-
graphical sketch, was born in Chester County, and
married Miss Catharine, daughter of Thomas Peu-
nell. Their children were Thomas P., Charles
Rogers, Davis, Benjamin Rush, Hannah A. (Mrs.
William Baldwin, of Harford County, Md.), and G.
Washington. Mr. Powel eventually removed to Mary-
laud, where he purchased an exten.sive landed prop-
erty, and remained until his death. His son, Thomas
P., was born on the 7th of April, 1811, in Philadel-
phia, and in early life repaired with his father to
Maryland, where he enjoyed superior advantages of
education. Circumstances influenced his removal in
youth to Concord township, Delaware Co., where he
engaged in the cultivation of the estate of his maternal
relatives. In 1861, having inherited the farm, he made
it his residence, and during the remainder of his life
followed the business of a farmer. He married, on
the 3d of February, 1852, Miss Lydia, daughter of
William Garrigues, of Philadelphia, and grand-
daughter of Samuel Garrigues, of Haverford town-
ship. Their only son, William G., now occupies the
Pennell homestead, which, in the direct line of de-
scent, is the property of Mrs. Powel and her son.
The latter is actively identified with the public meas-
ures of the county, was for years secretary and treas-
urer of the Republican Executive Committee of the
county, as also its chairman in 1880, and in 1882 was
elected to the State Legislature. Thomas P. Powel
made his influence felt in the social and political life
of the county. He was in politics a Democrat of the
Jeffersonian school, and an ardent supporter of the
principles of his party. During the sessions of 1857-
58 he was its representative in the State Legislature,
and served on the Committees on Agriculture, Rail-
roads, etc. He also filled various less important
offices in connection with the township. Though a
Friend by virtue of his antecedents, he worshiped
with the congregation of St. John's Protestant Epis-
/Z^X^ "yk^i^
.0{U/TJ
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
501
copal Church of Concord, and was a member of the
vestry of that church. Mr. Powel was frequently
called upon to act as trustee of estates and guardian,
while his unbiased judgment made his services es-
pecially valuable in cases requiring arbitration. In
public life he was a man of sterling integrity, the
strictest justice, and great decision of character. In
his social relations he was distinguished by an emi-
nently sympathetic, kind, and benevolent nature.
His death occurred Jan. 7, 1872, in his sixty-first year.
CHARLES PALMER.
John Palmer, the progenitor of the family in Dela-
ware County, in 1688 purchased one hundred acres of
land in Concord township, the greater part of which
has remained in the possession of his descendants to
the present time. He married Mary Southery, and
had among his children a son, John, who married
Martha Yearsley, whose son, Moses, inherited two-
thirds of the homestead. He married Abigail New-
lin, whose only son, John, born in 1745, married Han-
nah, daughter of Abram Martin, of Aston, and had
children, ten in number, of whom John, born in 1788,
in conjunction with the occupation of a farmer,
learned the trade of a saddler. He married Beulah,
daughter of William Walter, of Centreville, Del., and
had children,— Lewis, William W., John, Rachel,
Charles, Hannah, Lydia, and Beulah. By a second
marriage to Elizabeth Hall were born no children.
Charles Palmer, whose birth occurred Sept. 16, 1811,
in Concord township, spent his youth at the home of
his parents. At the age of sixteen he removed to
Wilmington, Del., and served as a merchant's clerk.
He later repaired to Chester, Pa., and acted in the
same capacity for J. P. & William Eyre, remaining
with them until his marriage, in 1833, to Deborah,
daughter of Benjamin and Mary Pitman, of Mon-
mouth County, N. J. Their children are Mary F.
(Mrs. Edward Darlington), Lewis, James (deceased),
Edwin H. (deceased, who served in the late war), and
Hannah Ann (deceased). Mrs. Palmer died Nov. 1,
1870. She was a woman of marked character, and
much respected in her neighborhood for works of
charity and love. He was again married in 1874 to
Joanna Stoll, of Concord, who survives. After his
marriage Mr. Palmer engaged in mercantile pursuits
at Beaver Valley, Del. ; but finding that no trade
could there be successfully conducted without the
sale of liquor, he abamloned mercantile ventures and
became a farmer. In 1842 he was appointed steward
of the County House, and filled the office with entire
satisfaction for a period of twelve years. On the ex-
piration of this term he purchased the Hall home-
stead, in Concord township, and during the remainder
of his life engaged in the cultivation of ils broad
acres. He was, as an early Whig and later as a
Republican, actively interested in public men and
measures. As supervisor for a term of years he did
much to improve the roads of his township. He held
the offices of director of the First National Bank of
Media for several years, and of the Delaware County
Mutual Insurance Company from its organization.
He was in religion a member of the society of
Friends, and attended the Concordville Friends'
Meeting. His death occurred April 12, 1876, in his
sixty-fourth year. The following resolution of the
Delaware County Mutual Insurance Company on the
occasion of his decease bears witness to his character:
"nesolved. That in the death of Charles Palmer the company has lost
one of its most faitliful and efficient officers and society a useful member.
Active and energetic in the discharge of his duties, moderate and con-
scientious in his counsels, prompt and constant in his attendance at our
meetings, and pleasant in his intercourse witli his fellow-members, his
absence will be noted and his loss felt. Hia helping hand was ever
ready for those who were needy, and his death will be mourned by many
to whom his unostentatious kindness has been extended when strug-
gling in the toils of adversity."
The First National Bank of Media, also, in a sim-
ilar series of resolutions, expressed the fact
"That in his death the board and society have lost one of their most
useful members, one who by his attention and integrity contributed in
a considerable degree to the success of the institution. Pleasant and
considerate to all with whom he had intercourse, his loss will be greatly
deplored."
LEWIS PALMER.
Lewis Palmer, the son of Charles and Deborah Pit-
man Palmer, was born Oct. 2, 1837, in Concord town-
ship, and in early youth removed to the present site of
the borough of Media, where he remained until sixteen
years of age. His education was principally received
at the school of 8. M. Janney, of Loudoun County,
Va., and in Chester County, Pa. On completing his
studies he returned to the farm and cultivated the land
on shares for his father. He was married in 1862 to
Hannah H., daughter of Joseph and Susan Pancoast,
of Salem County, N. J., and has children,— Charles,
Joseph P., Mary D., Anna T. (deceased), Edwin L.,
and Samuel C. Charles, of this number, graduated
with honor at Swarthmore College, and is now en-
gaged in teaching. Mr. Palmer, on the death of his
father, inherited the paternal estate upon which he
now resides. He devotes his attention principally to
the manufacture of butter for the Chester market.
He has also given some thought to genealogical re-
search, and prepared with much labor and care a
record of the various branches of the Palmer and
Trimble families. He is in politics a Republican;
has served for six years as school director, and been
a leading spirit in the erection of commodious school
buildings in Concord township. He has also been
one of the most earnest advocates of the temperance
cause in the township. Mr. Palmer is a member of
the Delaware County Institute of Science, and corre
sponding member of the Historical Society of the
State of Delaware. He is also president and director
of the Farmers' Market of Chester. In religion he
is a Friend, and an acknowledged minister of the
Concord meeting. His views on religious subjects
are, however, of a liberal character.
TTTSTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
>
■^
n4
.•"
M
c
S
^
<
ci
fa
\.
H
J.i
Wl
* S
<
^.^
H
•S r
0
K
H
1-
1^
«
fS
^r^
M
c^
^1^
»
■^ -^
0
S
W
0
5 'S
S 5
H
f
t^l
ill
m
U
2
"5,1^
0
5
>;
H
o
• 5
!li
6
C9
^
s ^
H
1
s -5
&S
=^1
H
fa
n
0
Is
S5 =
fa
•>!
fa
:2
PJ
a^
u
?
M
r^
Q
fa
~
Ek
i? af "^
tl!lii
J't =-"=* §1
III
:- i.i
•=■0 £«.? «
If
Si
Ifeii!
o 11 ".I II
i
I S
lit''
-iii
•-d.;.'i «!
-"■^sliwS'rm
JOSEPH GEST.
REBEKAH GEST.
CONCORD TOWNSHIP.
§il
i'SJ
Ills
iisi
5
lij^s
--
S
^
i«.2'">r
B
=
-i
^gS»l
g
l?|l^
^
K
H
riili
^
-S
p
a
[I
j
ii
«,
-5
gf~==
p
s^'-^
.
.1.1°
"
-^
^aiL
=•
"
9
£
a
i
pii§
a
if -ill I
"^l^s&s
.zi=S-=ag|'
Igl|ip t
||s3r°'J
Q&^'o■S
go a I
111
ii
lill
i'l s-~
•If I a,
sgag
7 *•- a
I^a^
lllal
'^-IsSIIIe
.=' S s" £ S
s;=|5^
S^sg^^^-sa
S-02S
-p^lsi
i'Bizi^y
llll^l^?!^
2 S °| I? f 2 Sri . ■I'
III
R_.gJ
-illlll Pilfifls'^ =1
l^T!tl il; lis
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
s s?
IgSg
I i ^St^.
6
z * S 3 •- s 2" o z ^ o" It ■' = "^ 5 « '^" I ^ ~ i
II II 511 is !] sfoS
|1| 5<sJ 'Jill ||f
%v.
1?
iW|
il
■^w^S
^i^^
ES
fill
Jl
1 1 i s I 5 g i
gfll^ ell
B H-^ il I s "'
il.
S3^
JOHNPASSMOUEni.MA
• tei- of Humphry
England, Nov. 3,
tied in Kennet,
in West Moreb.nc
He d. about 1746.
11
il
il
0
i-i
II
il
i
1
1^
mm
i
bI
1!
iili
355 =Sh III ||j|jj III il ||p^i
O'gs
^i^ -imi mk r I li ^1 1^1?
s-f S
Jbd3 sGJ J=-S3=.= »^E«5 «:;=»•= g 9= -E g S2.2o«:
»^ |S|ls
i
Sill i^il ^a f« plj^
CO
'SS B'
SS2
DARBY TOWNSHIP.
505
CHAPTER XL.
DARBY TOWNSHIP.
In alluding to the name of the municipal district
which in early times included Upper and Lower
Darby as one township, Dr. Smith says, " Perhaps
the opinion is universal that our ancestors, who came
from the county of Derby, in England, corrupted the
spelling of the name in their former place of resi-
dence when they, in kind remembrance, adopted it
for their home in America. The corruption, if it be
one, was effected in England before our ancestors
migrated to America. In the ' New World of Words,'
published in 1671, Darby and Darbyskire are given,
but not Derby or Derbyshire; and in the certificates
brought over by early Friends, it is almost uniformly
spelled with a instead of c. The author of the work
referred to makes the name of the English tovvn a
coptraction of the word Derwentty, 'because it
standeth on the river Derwent.' This would make
the proper spelling of the name Derby; but it is
clear that our ancestors brought the name with them
as it was generally written when they migrated to
America, and so it has remained, notwithstanding
some fastidious persons have made efforts from time
to time to change it."^
Darby was settled almost immediately after the
coming of Penn, and in 1683 was recognized as one
of the localities where a permanent lodgment had
been made, but, despite that fact, the population must
have been sparse for more than a quarter of a century,
for Mrs. Ann Davis, who was born at Darby — she was
the daughter of John Bethel, the miller — informed
Dr. William Martin, in 1790, "tliat she was born in
the place where Darby now is, and remembered play-
ing with the Indian children in the neighboring wig-
wams." ^ In 1684 Darby Friends' Meeting had been
established, the members meeting at the dwelling of
John Blunston, which was located nearly iu front of
the present meeting-house, and near the mill-race
which was " digged" through Blunston's meadow.
In the same year the first official record of Darby
occurs in the list of collectors " to gather the assess-
ment for the building of the court-house." Thomas
Worth and Joshua Fearne were appointed to those
offices for Darby, and Mons Stacker and William
Cobb " for Amosland & Calcoone Hook." Tlie latter
was recognized as a distinct municipal district until
1686, when Calcoone Hook was made a part of Darby
township, and Amosland was annexed to Ridley.
Calcon or Calkoen's Hook comprised all the ter-
ritory between Cobb's Creek on the east, and the
Mokormpates Kill or Muckinipattas Creek on the
west, and derives its name from the Swedish word
Kalkon, " a turkey," Watda Kalkoen, " wild turkeys,"
having " very much abound in that vicinity." ' Later
the territory known by that name became restricted
to that part lying south of the Philadelphia, Wil-
mington and Baltimore Railroad, while its eastern
boundary was Morhorhootink, as shown in the atlas
of the early grants in Delaware County. The his-
torical map of Pennsylvania terms the stream Tena-
kong Kolen, and Acrelius says that " Nyecks Kihl"
was the Indian name of Darby Creek, which it will
be difficult to convince the public ought to be ac-
cepted as a term known to the Indian tongue, even
on the authority of the usually accurate historian of
New Sweden. On June 18, 1668, Governor Lovelace
issued a patent to Israel Helme, Hendrick Jacobson,
Ole Kock, and Jan Minsterman for that " portion of
land on West side of Delaware River within the Mill
Kill upon the Hook commonly called Calcoone Hook,
reaching from the said mill kill to that which is called
by the Indians Mokornippates, including all the
lands between the said two Kills as also the valley
or meadow ground thereunto belonging, containing by
estimation as it lies along the river (creek) side about
an English mile, and there being also in the said
Mill Kill, a certain little Island near unto and over
against the said laud known by the name of ' hay
Island,' as the said land was granted Aug. 4'" 1663 to
Ericke Nichels, Moorty Poulson, Andreas Johnson
& Henry Jacobson, the three former of whom after-
wards parted with their rights thereto."* The ter-
ritory mentioned in the patent included almost all the
land in the township south of the Queen's Highway,
and west of a line drawn due south from the toll-gate
on that road. On this tract the real estate of the
Sharon Land Association, incorporated by act of
Assembly March 4, 1871, is located. The Calcoon
Hook road, which enters the Queen's Highway at the
toll-gate, is first alluded to at the court held Oct. 3,
1691, when complaint was made to court " concerning
a way to y* landing at Calcon Hooks, ye inhabitants
there being at difference about it. To end y" discourd
the Co" ordered y" Grand Inquest to lay out a road &
make return of y" same at next court." At the sub-
sequent sessions the following report was submitted
to the justices, approved, and was the route on which
the road was afterwards opened to public use and
travel :
"Grand Jury vetuin road in Darby township to Landing place at Cal-
con Hook. The &^ road to begin at a corner stone near to an ash tree
by y creek Bide at ye bottome of Morton Mortonson orchard, then on a
straight line four perches to another corner stone being at the lower
corner of s-i Morton's orchard, then continuing the s-i straight line eleven
perclies and four feet to a corner stone near y" upper end of s* orchard
which s^ stone standith on y" outermost straight line mentioned in
Mounce Pettersons deed from Andrew Swanson Bone. Then continuing
a line at thirty-two feet distance, the end of 6^ Morton's house beiug
built before y s*! road was agreed upon, standing about six foot in y s"*
road, excepted from said Mouuce Pettersons fence to the end. Still con-
tinuing yo 8»* Line through y woods to a tree with notches liy ye road
agreed on among themselves to Darby, thence along y severall corses of
* Record of Upland Court, p. 197.
I Smith's " History of Delaware County,'
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
yo 8^ i-oatl to yo Kings road at ye Easternmost corner of Thomas fFoxes,
from tlience turning Northeasterly at thirty two feet distance, from the
aforesaid line back again on y several corses, still continuing thirty two
feet distance y" s^ Morton's House End extend as aforesaid to the cross
way near ye b'^ Morton's house then upon a strait line across ye s'' way to
a cornerstone standing in y corner of y« Mounce (Pettersons) house
fence being also yo corner of y cross roads, from thence down in a straight
line down past and so forth to another corner stone standing by y s^
Mouncy's liouse fence-side making here the road thirty two foot from
aforesaid stone at the lower corner of the s'i Morion's orchard then along
by s'i Morton's corner of ye s^ Morwin's farm, from which s'i stone to y
first mentioned stone it is six perches and two foot broad."
On the Mokormpates Kill, and just above the
northern line of the Calcoon Hook patent, was a tract
of two hundred and fifty acres, known in early times
as " Boon's Forest," which was laid out to Andres
Swason Boon April 13, 1680. From this sturdy
Swedish settler a greater man descended, or at least
he has secured more of the world's attention, than
did his ancestor in Delaware County,— Daniel Boone,
the pioneer of Kentucky. On the Boon tract the
Knowles Presbyterian Church is located. To the
east of Boon's land, extending to Darby Creek, was a
tract of two hundred and fifty, entered to Surveyor-
General Thomas Holme, Dec. 10, 1683, and July 1,
1688. John Blunston, as the agent of Holme, ac-
knowledged a deed in open court conveying this es-
tate to Joseph Wood. The property not only reached
to Darby Creek, but a strip extended along the north
line of Boon's land to the Muckinipattus Creek, as
the stream forming the western boundary of Darby
township is now called, and on that part of the estate
Horntown is located. Above this tract, extending
from creek to creek, was "Good Intent," a plantation
of two hundred acres, which was surveyed to Edward
Gibbs July 12, 1683. Immediately north of this
estate was a tract of three hundred acres, taken up
by Thomas Brassey, March 15-16, 1681, who never
resided thereon, but sold the property to John Bar-
tram Aug. 30, 1685. On this plantation John Bar-
tram, the earliest American botanist, was born. May
23, 1699. His early attention was first directed to bo-
tanical studies by one of those accidents which seem
to shape the destinies of all great men. When a mere
lad, he was plowing on the Darby farm, and uprooted
a daisy. Despite everything the modest little flower
kept intruding itself on his consideration, until after
several days he hired a man to plow while he rode to
Philadelphia to procure a treatise on botany and a
Latin grammar. He, fortunately for himself and the
world, had inherited a farm from a bachelor uncle,
which gave him the means to marry early, and pur-
chase the land on which he afterwards established the
noted " Botanic Gardens." On this estate he built
with his own hands a stone house, and on one of
the stones in the gable was the inscription, — " John *
Ann Bartram, 1831," with a star between their first
names, as was then 'the custom, to indicate man and
wife. Here he pursued his studious habits, his repu-
tation spreading abroad until correspondence was so-
licited by the leading botanists of the Old World,—
Linnaeus, Dr. Fothergill, and others,— while in the
colonies, all scientific men in the same line of study
sought his favor, advice, and opinions. Dr. Franklin
was his earnest friend, and constantly urged Bartram
to authorship. His fame had so extended that in 1765
George III. appointed him botanist to the king. He
died Sept. 22, 1777, in the seventy-ninth year of his
age.
Above the Bartram farm a tract of three hundred
acres, reaching to the Upper Darby line, which was
taken up by William, John, and Thomas Smith,
Aug. 30, 1685, to -each of whom a plot of one hun-
dred acres was allotted. John Smith came from
Harly, County of Leicester, England, and resided on
the estate until 1714. It is presumed that William
and Thomas were of the same family, but the exact
relationship is not known. That part of the Thomas
and John Smith tract lying to the east of the Spring-
field road and west of Darby Creek became the prop-
erty of John Ash. His heirs resided at the old home-
stead until their deaths. In the spring of 1862, within
six weeks, Hannah, aged seventy-six years, James,
seventy-four, Sarah, seventy-eight, and Alice Ash,
aged eighty years, died. They were all unmarried,
and had lived there all their lives. " Their habits
were those of the world before the flood, retiring to
their beds at five o'clock in the afternoon, having no
furniture in their house but what had been purchased
prior to the Revolution, and some of them, it was said,
and perhaps correctly, never having visited that den
of iniquities, the city of Philadelphia." On the east of
Darby Creek, at the Upper Darby line, on Sept. 10,
1682, was surveyed to Thomas Worth two hundred and
fifty acres, which he had purchased prior to leaving
England. He was a man of superior education for
that day, and was a member of the Provincial As-
sembly in 1697. He lived to an advanced age, dying
in 1731. Below Worth's plantation, John Blunston,
on Aug. 10, 1682, acquired three hundred and fifty
acres of land, and he is said to have given the name
of Darby to the settlement, in remembrance of his
old home in England. The fact that the mill-race
was cut through his land, and after John Bethel pur-
chased the Darby mills, the right to use this mill-race
was conveyed by Blunston, seems to indicate that he
was the first person who operated the mills there. The
tract of two hundred and twenty-two acres bounded
on the east by Cobb's Creek, and to the west by Church
Lane, was taken up by Samuel Bradshaw Aug. 10,
1682, the date of the early surveys to Penn's adher-
ents, many of whom, it is said, accompanied the pro-
prietary in the "Welcome," and located in the neigh-
borhood of Darby. He emigrated from Oxton,
County Nottingham, and the estate passed to Thomas
Bradshaw, March 5, 1697/8, who, it is thought, was a
brother of Samuel. To the south of Bradshaw's and
partly of John Blunston's tracts was a plot of fifty
acres, bounded on the east by Cobb's Creek, and on
the west by Blunston's Run, which was surveyed, Nov.
DARBY TOWNSHIP,
507
10, 1682, to William Smith, and to the west of the
Smith land, in irregular lines, were one hundred acres
patented to Peter Erickson, Nov. 30, 1681, the Mat-
thew Baird estate is partly located on this tract.
The property was subsequently absorbed, May 29,
1685, into the large plantation of Joseph Wood, on
which the village of Darby was originally laid out.
In December, 1739, George Whitefield, the celebrated
preacher, left Philadelphia for Chester accompanied
by about one hundred and fifty horsemen.' On his
way he stopped at Darby. Bamfylde-Moore Carew,
the noted king of the English mendicants, who was
escaping from servitude in Virginia, records that while
on his way from Chester to Darby, " but before he
reached there, lie was overtaken by hundreds of peo-
ple going to hear Mr. Whitefield preach. He joined
them, and they all proceeded to Darby, where he
found Mr. Whitefield preaching in an orchard, but
could not get near enough to hear his discourse by
reason of the great concourse of people." The artful
rogue, however, afterwards went to the house where
the clergyman was stopping, and by a forged letter
and a piteous story succeeded in obtaining several
pounds in the paper money of Pennsylvania from
Whitefield, as he had done the day before from Mrs.
Turner, in Chester.
Watson, the annalist, informs us that' William
Taylor, who came from England.in 1726 and settled
at Darby, was the first person to make a pair of
smith's bellows in the English colonies, if not in
North America. We know that in 1739 the commis-
sioners appointed to adjust the boundary-line between
Maryland and Pennsylvania, in surveying to ascertain
the proper starting-point for the due west line, passed
through the township, for Friday, April 13, 1739, they
reported, — "The Surveyors proceeded on the Line
till Evening, and left ofi" in the lauds of Thomas
Worth, in Darby Township,"' which was located in
the northern end of the present township, and east of
Darby Creek.
The marshes of Darby Creek, until after the middle
of the last century, were often covered with water,
until by that reason many of the farms adjacent be-
came almost valueless. The advantage of the bottom-
lands as places for pasture was appreciated by some
of the early farmers, but it required a few years before
a sufficient number could be educated to urge the
pa.ssage of the act of March 4, 1763, which impowered
the owners and possessors of the southern district of
Darby marsh or meadow ground to embank and
drain such lands, and to keep the outside banks and
dams in good repair forever. The act authorized the
raising of a fund, and by certain compulsory process
to enforce payment from unwilling land-owners.
The land thus reclaimed has become of great value
and is very productive.
Roads. — On the 25th of May, 1695, a petition was
presented to the Provincial Council from the residents
of Chester, asking for a " ferrie att the rocks," which
prayer was acceded to and Benjamin Chambers, who
had received a patent for lands on the western side of
the Schuylkill, was authorized to keep a ferry there,
which previous to 1747 had passed into the ownership
of George Gray. On Sept. 3, 1701, a complaint was
laid before the Provincial Council "by some of the
Inhabitants of Darby Township against some parts
of a road laid out by the Govr's order, from B. Cham-
ber's fferry, through Darby Township to Edgmont.
Ordered that Nichohis Pyle, Sam'l Levis, Geo. Maires,
& Randal Vernon, all of Chester County, do on y'
sixth day next, that one being y' 12th instant, view
the controverted parts of the said Road, beginning at
the said fterry, and upon a Due Consideration of the
allegations on both sides, to give their judgment
whether the s'> Road is conveniently laid out for a
Cart Road, as it now is, or whether it may not, with
equal Conveniency for the said purpose and advan-
tage to the Public, as well as Justice to each particu-
lar in all respects, be laid out otherwise according to
the complaint's desires, and make report thereof to
this Board in writing, at the next session."' If any
report was ever made it does not appear in the official
papers of the State, as published.
At a court held Feb. 9, 1687, the following report
was approved by the court, which road is still used,
and now known as the Radnor and Darby road :
" A Highway laid out by y-^ grand Jury and other neighbours betwixt
Hartfort and Darby vpon y T'l" day of the twelfe moneth, 1687. Begin-
ning at Widdow Panthir's, and from thence on y head lyne betwixt
y said Widdows land and y« land of John Levis, from thence crosae ye
land of William Howell, from thence crosse y« land of Arthur Bruce,
from thence crosse y land of Henry Levis, thence Enteri ng the Township
of Darby, from thence Crosse y" land of Adam Roads, thence Crosse ye
land of John Kirk, thence Crosse y laud of William Garrett, then crosse
ye land of Michael Blunstone, then Crosse ye land of George Wood,
then Crosse ye land of Robert Smith, then Crosse y land of Thomas
Worth, then coming vpon the land of Joshua tfirne, sbe downe yoTowne
street of Durby to ye Kings Road, and soe to y» Landing; this Highway
to be sixty foote as needs requires.
"William Gabrett. "Thomas Beadshaw.
"KioHARD Parker. "Thomas ffox."
"Edmono Castledqe.
The ftueen's Highway. — The Southern Post road
from Darby to Chester, Edward Armstrong states,
was the earliest highway laid out by authority in
Pennsylvania. While that assertion may be correct,
there is no evidence, so far as the records show, to
establish the fact that the road was ordered by the
Governor and Council, the only power authorized to
make such ways. Previous to the coming of Wil-
liam Penn all roads led to Chester, not to Philadel-
phia ; and while we hear of .suspervisors for Darby,
Ridley, and Chester townships soon after Penn's ar-
j rival, there is no evidence to show the public require-
I ment of a road to Philadelphia. Hence we may ac-
cept the latter way as simply a compliance with the
i Colonial Records, vol. ii. p, 33.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
order made Nov. 12, 1678, that " the court this day
ordered that Every p''son should, w"'in the space of
two months, as far as his land Reaches, make good
and passable wayes, from neighbour to neighbour,
w'" bridges where itt needs, To the end that neigh-
bours on occasions may come together. Those ne-
glecting, to forfit 25 gilders." Indeed, the petition
presented to Council March 19, 1705/6, corroborates
the foregoing statement. The petition is as follows:
" To the HorChle John Evans, Esq., Lietd.-Govemor of the Pi-ovince of Penn-
sylvania and the Three Lower Cmnlies, and to hit ConncU :
" The HuDible petetion of the Inhabitants of the town and County of
Cheater and others, humbly Bhoweth: That whereas, by ye Laws of this
Government, ye sole power of laying out of the Queen's Koad is lodged
in the Governor and Council; and whereas the Town of Chester is daily
improving, and In time may become a great place, and very advan-
tageous to the Propriatour, but forasmuch as most of the People of that
place concerned In the Improvement is much discouraged for want of a
direct Koad from thence to Philadelphia, wee, your Petitioners, whose
names are hereunto subscribed, do beg the Governor and Councill that
an ord'r may be granted to fitt and proper persons to lay out the
Queen's Koad on as direct a Line as can be from Darby, to answer the
bridge on Chester Creek, and your petitioners in duty bound will ever
pray.
"Edward Dutton.
Jonathan Ruttland.
David Powell.
John Wiley.
Isaac Taylour.
Charles Booth.
Joshua Calvert.
Richard Prichard.
John Honldston.
Samuel Bishop.
Jonathan Hayes.
John Grubb.
Henry HolUdgsworth.
George Simpeou.
Peter Trego.
James Swatfer.
Edward Jennings.
Morgan Jones.
James Chivei-s.
David Lloyd.
Jasper Yeates.
James Sandelands.
John Hoskins.
John Wade.
Paul Sanders.
Robert Barber.
Sam' Tonilinson.
David Merredith.
Edward Danger.
John Hekenes.
Thomas Oldham.
Joseph Richards.
Walter Martin.
Tho. Powell.
Nicholas Fairlaml
Moses Key.
Henry Coburn.
Nathan Baker.
Geo. Chandler.
John Worrall.
James Hendricxs<
Bichard Crosby.
Joseph Clowd.
Edward Wilburn.
Thomas Buffington.
Edward El well.
Jonathan Munrow.
John Morton.
David Jones.
James Thomas.
Joseph Baker.
David Lewis.
William Gregory.
Ephraim Jackson.
Edward Kennison.
Phillip Yarnall.
John Gibbeans.
Roger Jackson.
Eichard Addams.
John Childe.
Ralph Fishburn.
W» PickelLs.
W" Huston.
David Roberts.
W" Swaffer.
Thomas Cartwright.
John Bauldine.
John Test.
John Test, Jr.
John Dutton.
Thomas Dutton.
Alexander Badcock.
George Woodiar.
John Bristow.
^George Oldfield.
John Sharpies.
Thos. Vernon.
Jeremiah Collett, Sr.
Mordecai Howell.
Israel Taylor.
Jeremiah Collett, Jr.
Humphrey Johnston.'
jouncil in
response to this petition^ ordered, —
" That the said Road be laid accordingly and if there shall be occasion
for building a bridge over any Navigable creek or water for the greater
conveuieucy of Travelling the said Road ; that such bridge shall be so
built that the same may in nowise hinder any boats from passing up or
down such creek or water. And it is further Ordered yt Jasper Yates,
Caleb Pusey, Jeremiah Collett, Robert Barber and John Hendrickson, or
any four of them, do survey and lay out the said Roads, and that they
return as soon as they can to the Board,— Under their hands and seals
an exact draught setting forth the several courses thereof." '
This road was laid out, and bitter feeling was en-
gendered against several of the commissioners, par-
ticularly Jasper Yeates, for the manner in which the
road was surveyed. The people of that day declared
that his influence carried the highway through Ches-
ter at the point it did, so that his own and his father-
in-law's estate might be benefited thereby. "God and
Nature," it was asserted, " intended the road to cross
directly across the creek, but the Devil and Jasper
Yeates took it where it was located." However, it
was so laid, and at the August court, 1706, the sheriff
was directed " forthwith" to give notice " to the Su-
pervisors of the highways for Chester, Ridley, and
Darby for clearing the new Road lately laid out by the
Governor & Councill leading from Darby to Chester
and further that they, the Supervisors, do without de-
lay, upon notice thereof, cause the same new Road to be
opened and cleared fifty foot wide." Previous to that
road being laid out the highway to Philadelphia was
considerably to the north of the present post-road, so
that creeks could be crossed above tide-water at the
fords. The King's Highway of the early days, if it
could be called such, crossed Ridley township almost
in a straight line from Irvington to Darby. William
Worrall, whose recollections were written by Judge
George G. Leiper, in 1820 (Worrall was born in 1730),
and published in the newspapers of that time, stated
that frequently, in plowing his fields, the plow-
share would throw up nails or other articles dropped
by the settlers in journeying across the land. He
pointed out to Judge Leiper the course of the old
road which Penn and his followers took when on their
way by land to Philadelphia, as it passed through his
farm.
The road laid out in 1706 in time having fallen in
bad condition, many of the residehts refused to work
on the highway, alleging that it was never ofll-
cially confirmed and was not a legal road, and, more-
over, except for a very short distance, the traveled
road was from twenty to forty perches south of the
route surveyed in 1706. The dispute could only be
adjusted by the Provincial Council. Hence on Aug.
17, 1747, the following petition of George Gray and
others was presented to Council:
" To the Sonourable^ the President and (Jouncil of the Province of Penn-
sylvania :
"The humble Petition of George Gray, Keeper of the lower Ferry
over Schuylkill, on the Road from the City of Pliiladelphia to Chester,
and of others, living in the County of Chester, and using the said Road,
Sheweth,
"That the said Road, leading from the south street of the said City
over the said Ferry to Cobb's Creek Bridge, near Darby, in the County
of Chester, has Time out of Mind been the only old and accustomed
Road to Darby, Chester, Newcastle, and the Lower Counties.
1 This petition waa for the first time printed in Martin's " History
of Chester," p. 59, it being copied from the manuscript in the " Logan
Papers," vol. iv. marked " Roads," in possession of the Historical Society
of Pennsylvania.
DAKBY TOWNSHIP.
509
•* That the Inhabitants of the Townships through which tho same Road
passes, not doubting its being a recorded Road, have hitherto duly re-
paired and amended the game, but now being apprized that it either has
not been regularly recorded, or that the Record thereof cannot be found,
80 that they are not obliged to repair the same or contribute thereto,
the said Road is at present much out of Repair, and, growing worse,
will, in the Winter, become utterly impassable or dangerous to travel
with Horses, Chaises, or other Cfft-riages, unless the same be repaired
before tho ensuing Winter. That your Petitioners are informed that if
the said Road was surveyed and recorded according to Law, the same
would and ought to be from Time to Time repaired by the Inhabitants
of the Townships through which the same lyes, whereby the same,
being a great and much travelled Road, would become safe and passable.
" Therefore your Petitioners humbly pray the Honourable the Presi-
dent and Council would be pleased to grant an Order or Warrant for
surveying the said Road, so that it may be surveyed and recorded and
BuflSciently amended and kept in Repair, or that you would please to
give such other Order or Warrant concerning the same as the Nature
of the Ciise may require.
" And your Petitioners will ever pray, Ac:
"Joseph Bonsall. Geo. Gray.
Samuel Levis. George Wood.
John Davis. Jonathan Paschall.
Job Harvey. Thos. Pearson.
Samuel Bunting. William Horne."i
At the same meeting of Council a petition from
the commissioners and sundry inhabitants of the
county of Chester was presented, which stated that
" it appears after strict search made that there are
divers parts of the king's road leading from Cobb's
Creek Bridge, over Chester Bridge, to the line of
New Castle County, not to be found upon Record or
any return thereof," and for " the Benefit of the Pub-
lick" respecting the erection of bridges and repairs
to the highways, requested the appointment of per-
sons " to lay out such Parts of the said Koad as are
deficient."
To these petitions Council replied that " as the
Road mention'd is an antient Road, in use before the
Grant of the Province, the Board thinks there must
have been some Orders of Council made about it, &,
therefore, postpone the Consideration thereof till the
Council Books be well search'd by the Secretary, & it
be known what Orders have been formerly given.""
At the meeting of Council, Sept. 8, 1747, the secre-
tary reported that he had examined " the council
Books, and had found several orders of Council for
laying out the several Parts of the said Road, and
likewise the Record of that part of the said Road
which lies between Darby & Chester;" that he was of
opinion that the whole road had been actually laid
out, and that the returns were given to the late secre-
tary, Patrick Robinson, who had omitted to enter
them in the books of Council, and that his papers,
both public as well as private, came into the hands of
"his Wido' upon his decease," were lost or destroyed,
and the returns of the road might be among those
missing papers. Council, however, ordered that the
road should be resurveyed, beginning at the south
boundary of the city of Philadelphia; thence to the
lower ferry (Gray's) ; thence to Darby Creek ; and
"thence by the courses described in the recorded
Return made in the year 1706 to Chester Bridge ; &
from thence by the present Courses thereof to the
Limits of New Castle government."' Caleb Cowp-
land, Esq., Joseph Parker, Esq., -Joseph Bonsall,
Esq., Samuel Levis, James Mather, John Davies,
Peter Dicks, Thomas Pearson, and John Sketchley,
of Chester County, or any five of them, were in-
structed to join the persons named for Philadelphia
County, or any three of them, " in continuing to lay
out as aforesaid the said Road from the Division
Line which parts Philadelphia County from Chester
County to the Limits of Newcastle." The surveyor-
general was also directed to assist them in the survey.
They were to report by the first day of October, 1747.
On the day designated the surveyor-general re-
ported to Council that he, with the persons who
had been appointed to lay out the road from Philadel-
phia to New Castle, had met and the road had been laid
out as far as Darby, but from this point they could
go no farther, unless Council would alter the order,
which directed the surveyor and those associated
with him in making the highway to conform to the
courses of a road " said to be laid out between Darby
& Chester Creeks in the Year 1706 & give the same
directions as to that part of the Road which they had
given as to all other parts, viz' to follow the Courses
of the Road as it is now used. The Council consider-
ing that that part of the Road was actually laid out,
returned and Recorded, tho' it does not appear ever
to have been cleared or taken Notice of, did not incline
to come to any determination till they shou'd receive
full Information how it would affect the Inhabitants
and the Possessors of Lands between Darby &
Chester." *
On March 2, 1748, the following petition from per-
sons living along the road from Darby to Chester was
presented to the Provincial Council :
" To the Honobh. the Premlent and Cmimil of the Province of Pennsylvania^
d-c. :
" Whereas, You was pleased by Your Order bearing date the 8th Day
of September last to appoint us, the subscribers, with some others, to
lay a Road out from Cobb's Creek to New Castle line, with directions to
follow the Road as now used, where it is not already laid out, and where
it is to follow the Courses & Distances therein mentioned in order (as
we presume) to prevent as much as might be injuring the Owners of
the Land adjacent to the s'* Road. We, therefore, in obedience to the
said Order, met at Cobb's Creek Bridge, and took the courses and Dis-
tances of the Road as now used, until we came to that part of the Road
which leads from Darby to Chester, and has been laid out by courses &
Distance, & then upon trying the courses thereof found them to run
a considerable distance in divers Places from the Road now used, i that
frequently through Improved as well as wood Lands, and would in our
opinion be very injurious to a Great number of the Inhabitants adjacent
to the Road & as we conceive very contrary to Your Intention.
" Therefore we pray, in behalf of ourselves & others, that you wou'd
be pleased to appoint a jury and Grant them such Powers as you may
think proper to enable them to lay out a Road in the most convenient
Place to accomodate the Publick & least injurious to the Inhabitants,
which We apprehend is agreeable to Your Design, & we as in Duty bound
shall ever Pray.
' December 3d, 1747.
' Samdel Levis. Caied Cowpl;
'* Joseph Bonsall. Petbk Dices.
"John Davis.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
"And Mr. Bonsall & Mr. Davis attending without were called in, &
on their Examination & Inspection of a Draught of the Road as it wou'd
run was it to be made agreeable to the Return of tlie Tear 1706, and of
another Draught of the Road as it now runs, the Board made the fol-
lowing Order, viz.: •
" Whereas, by our Order of the Eighth Day of September last, We di-
rected Yon, among others to lay out the Road leading from Darby to
Chester, agreeable to the Courses described in a Recorded Return of the
same made in the Year 1706 : And whereas, on Examination of several
Persons living on or near the. same Road, it appears that the same was
never actually cleared according to said Return, and that was it to be
now it wou'd exceedingly prejudice the land through which it shou'd
pass, and on further consideration of the matter & perusal of the Draught
of the Road as it now runs, it appears to us that it will be most conve-
nient to have it laid out agreeable thereto. And therefore we have
thought proper to revoke that part of our former Order which relates to
the Return made in 1706, and Do now Order & Direct that You lay the
same Road out in the manner it now runs, making no alterations that
what may be absolutely necessary to make it more regular & direct in
some Places, or more commodious to the Fording Places or Bridges that
are now used on the said Road." i
Division of Upper and Lower Darby. — The terri-
tory now constitutiug the township.s of Upper and
Lower Darby continued under one municipal govern-
ment until 1747, when, for the convenience of the in-
habitants, at a town-meeting, it was decided to sepa-
rate the upper part from the lower in all matters save
the levies made for the support of the poor. The lines
thus agreed upon are not the township lines now-
existing, but Upper Darby, being less densely peopled,
extended farther south. The inconveniences arising
from the unofficial division so frequently presented
themselves as a disturbing element in local govern-
ment that forty years thereafter the following petition
was presented to the court :
" To the Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions to be held at Chester
the 3d day of May, 1786 :
"The undersigned, Inhabitants of Darby Township, Respectfully
Sheweth :
" That the Townships of Darby hath been hereto Considered as one
Township tho' it was many years ago divided by the Inhabitants for
their own Convenieucy, which temporary division we desire the Court
to confirm by the following line. Beginning at Cobb's Creek on the
Northwest side of a tract of land belonging to the heirs of Joshua Ash
and in the line of said land, thence along said line and the line of land
late Enoch Bonsall's & Joshua Bonsall's To Darby Creek thence down
the said Creek to the northwest line of John Ash's land, thence along
said line and the line of Samuel Ash and Nathaniel Smith to the line of
Ridley Township, and That the lower part may be called Darljy and the
other part Upper Darby.
'' John Sellers.
"Rich'd. Willing,
" As gai-i to Tho». Phillips.
" Oborn Garrftt.
" Nathan Davis.
On Aug. 30, 1786, the court granted the prayer of
the petitioners.
The Revolution. — The history of Darby township
during the struggle of the Revolution should present
many stirring incidents, but, unfortunately, little has
been preserved of the happenings of that period to the
present generation. Early in 1776, a part of Wayne's
regiment, under the command of Capt. Lacey, was
1 Colonial Records, vol. v. p. 202.
stationed in or near the village, recruiting from the
yeomanry of the neighborhood, and in the summer of
the same year Capts. Laurens, William Walker, and
Robert Tatnall were in command of gunboats sta-
tioned in the creek, a part of the provincial flotilla
designed to dispute the passage of the British vessels
of war to Philadelphia. On Sunday, Aug. 24, 1777,
Washington's army marched through the village and
along the Queeu's Highway, when moving southward
to offer battle to Howe at Brandywine. On the very
day of that unpropitious combat the Council of Safety
instructed Col. Warner to take post with his com-
mand of militia at Darby, and if they were there on
Friday, Sept. 12, 1777, they saw the defeated Ameri-
can army as it " poured through Darby on its way to
Philadelphia." On 22d of December, Gen. Howe, with
seven thousand enemy, marched out from the latter
city and encamped on the heights of Darby, his lines
extending along the road from Gray's Ferry to the
heights below the village, stretching westward up the
Springfield road to the then dwelling of Justice
Parker, and their pickets advanced to the intersection
of the Springfield and Providence roads, near the
then dwelling of Mr. Sharp, now the estate of the late
Thomas A. Scott. At two o'clock on the afternoon of
December 22d, Maj. Clark, from Newtown, wrote to
Washington: "My spy was taken by their advanced
guard one mile this side of Darby, on the Springfield
road, and carried to the general at Darby. They have
made a great number of fires. One of their guards
assured my spies they were only foraging and meant
to proceed toward Chester. I now observe a consid-
erable smoke towards Providence meeting-house. In-
telligence from another says they have three hundred
wagons with them. . . No wagons had passed Darby
before my spy came away." ^
It was during this raid of the British army that the
incident recorded by Dr. Smith occurred. Capt. Wil-
liam Brooke, of Haverford, was with his company of
militia in the command of Gen. Potter, whose duty
was to harass the enemy and capture straggling
parties of Howe's troops. While taking their ease one
night in a house late the property of George Swayne,
which stood on the south side of the post-road,
about midway between Sharon Hill and Glen Olden
stations, the house was surrounded by a strong
party of British soldiers. Brooke determined, if pos-
sible, not to be captured, and to escape by leaping
from a window. In getting over the fence by the
roadside he found that a partial dislocation of his
knee, to which he was subject, had happened, and
quickly placing his foot through the bars of the fence
he gave his leg a quick extension, which brought the
joint into its proper position. He succeeded in mak-
ing his escape.' While Howe was encamped at Darby
another American officer had a narrow escape from
2 Bulletin of Peuua. Hist. Society, vol.
' History of Delaware County, p. 32.'i,
No. 10, March, 1847, f
DARBY TOWNSHIP.
511
falling into the hands of the enemy. Maj. Samuel
Crozier, who had been in service for two years without
a leave of absence, received permission to visit his
family, who were then residing near Darby. About
sunset a lad came running to the dwelling with the
intelligence that a large force of British were close by,
and doubtless would visit the house. It was impos-
sible for Crozier to flee without being, observed ; he
therefore crept under a haystack standing near the
back-door. His wife, anxious to save the family Bible,
placed it under her apron, and apparently as if about
attending to some ordinary and accustomed duties,
walked to the woods, only a short distance, where she
secreted it in a hollow tree. The Bible, which was a
copy printed in 1653, is now owned by a great-
granddaughter residing in Philadelphia.
Sarah Urian in 1876 had a china plate bearing the
legend " God save King George, 1716," and also three
pewter platters which were brought by the family
from Europe two centuries ago. But the rarest of her
relics is a strangely shaped copper kettle, which two
hundred and forty years ago was brought to this
country in the " Stoork," one of the vessels which
conveyed Governor John Printz and his Swedish
colonists to this country to make the first permanent
settlement, of which we have authentic record, in the
province of Pennsylvania. Connected with the china
plate is a scrap of Eevolutionary history. While the
English were in Darby on this raid, a number of
British officers dined at the house of Urian, and it
chanced that this dish with the face turned downward
was on the table. The loyal legend attracted the at-
tention of one of the officers, and he read it to his
companions, all of whom indulged in much merri-
ment at the expense of their worthy host.
Gen. Potter, who was keeping an active outlook on
the movements of the enemy, on the day Howe re-
tired to Philadelphia, wrote to President Thomas
Wharton as follows :
"Eednee (Radnor) Dec. 28"', 1777.
" Sir, — On Monday last the enemy came out with a view to Furridge
they encamped along the Road from Grays ferry to the heiglits below
Darbey, there was a detachment sent down from our army to this place,
who with Morgans Riflemen and the Militia went down to their lines
and cept them Close in their line. On Tuesday we took 13 of there light
horse and ten of there horsmen, the next day two more of there horses
and there Riders, they have been prevented from plundering the Inhabi-
tance as they usely do, there has been but little scrimidging, we had one
Killed and two wounded, we have taken upwards of twenty prisoners,
and a number of Deserters have cum in, they have carreyed off a larg
Quantity of Hay from the Islands and Darbey. It is said that the High-
landers are gon to New York, and Lord Cornwalas is certanly go to
great Bitan. I think they have provided there winter Furidge and fuale,
and they will bless themselves and sit down in peace this winter in the
City— this day they have Returned to the City. My Brigade is near
Breacking up, they will be all discharged about the fifth of nixt month
but about one hundred men, his Excellency, General Washington, de-
sired me to let you know that he expected that you would keep out the
same number you had now in the field all winter.
" I am your Kxcellencys
" Most obedant Humble serv'
" Jas PorrEE."
In a letter from Gen. Sir William Howe to Lord
George Germain, dated at Philadelphia, Jan. 19, 1778,
he refers to the operations in the neighborhood of
Darby, thus :
'* There has not any thing more material happened since the depart-
ure of Lord Corawallis, who I requested to be the bearer of my last dis-
patches, than the passing a considerable detachment of the army across
the Schuylkill on the 22d of December, to take post on the heights of
Darby, in order to cover the collecting and transporting by water, as well
ashy land, a large quantity of forage which that country afforded. About
iroo tons were brought in, a quantity judged to be nearly suflScient for
the winter consumption ; and the detachment returned on the 28th of
December, without any further attempts from the enemy to retard the
progress of the foragers, than from small parties skulking, as is their
custom, to seize upon the straggling soldiers. One of these parties, con-
sisting of two officers and 30 men were decoyed by two dragoons of the
17th regiment into an ambuscade, and made prisoners."!
The spoliation inflicted upon the residents in the
neighborhood of Darby was excessive, much of it
having been visited on Friends. No record has been
preserved of their losses, their religious principles
preventing them from asking indemnity for the dam-
ages they had sustained. The following list of claims
filed includes the territory now comprising Upper
and Lower Darby :
From Joseph Rudolph, " by the British army,
while they lay in Darby, foraging, De-
" Benjamin Braonan, " by the British army,
while they lay at Darby, foraging, De-
cember" 41 7 G
" Jesse Bonsall 197 10 6
" John Sellers, by the Hessians 2U 0 o
" Jonathan Evans (Cornwallis), Dec^ 23 17 0
" Evan Evans " " 13 0 0
" Nicholas McCurdy " " 15 1 0
" Samuel Lewis " " 28 0 0
" Samuel Leedom 24 0 0
" Andrew Boon, Jr 40 12 0
" John Gruber 63 7 0
*' John Humphreys 29 17 6
'■ Isaac Kirk 34 14 6
" John Pollin (Cornwallis) Ik 17 10
" Henry Hayes 140 15 4
" William Garrett 47 0 0
" Alexander Morrow 13 12 6
" Samuel Smith 55 15 9
" Benjamin Elliot 107 12 6
" Daniel Rice 58 8 0
" William Morrow 67 15 0
" Andrew Boon, December 25 69 0 0
" William Lewis, December 12 to 13 43 10 0
" Andrew Urian 34 1 6
" Hans Boon, " a helpless man" 77 15 5
1475 18 2
Sixty-one years after this raid a body of troops vis-
ited Darby, but it was the Washington Grays, Capt.
Childs, of Philadelphia, who, early in July, 1838, were
encamped near the village, and on the 4th of July
gave a reception to the ladies and gentlemen of the
neighborhood. Five years thereafter, — and doubtless
the old veteran saw the Grays on the occasion just
mentioned,— on Feb. 16, 1843, Capt. Henry Stoop, a
Revolutionary officer, died at Darby, ninety-one years
of age. He had taken part in the battle of Trenton,
and in his later years delighted to recall the incidents
of the war of independence, —
"And show'd how fields were won."
Taxables. — In the assessment-list for 1715 the fol-
lowing names appear :
John Bethell, John Harvey, John Heycock, Edward Philpot, Benjamin
Cliff, John Test, Josa. Johnson, John Sholora, Samuel Bradshaw,
Hazard's Register,
. p. 399.
512
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
David Thomas, John Blunston, Sr., John BIunBtoii, Jr , John
Wood, Thomas Pillford, John Worth, Enoch BonsHll, Jacob Bonsall,
Roger fiailey, Anthony Morgan, George Wood, Michael Blunston,
Samuel Sellers, John Marshall, Samuel Wood, John Thomas, Joshna
Hearn, Thomas Bardshaw, Samuel Garret, William Garret, Adam
Roades, Thomas Lewis, Samuel Lewis, Abraham Lewis, Isaac Coller,
William Bainet, James Witaker, Joseph Neid, John Davis, Samuel
Levis, Thomas Broom, Josiah Hibbert, John Hood, John Hallowell,
William Smith, Thomas Hood, William Smith, Jr., Widow Bartram,
Richard Parker, Anthony Lee, Lewis Davis, Matthias Nateilus,
Morton Mortonson, Charles Tokecom, Andrew Tourau, Swan Boon,
Hance Boon, Matthias Mortonson, William Northam, John Broom,
Thomas Worth.
rrcCTjieii.— Thomas Worth, John Parker, William Prest, John Wallis,
Thomas Philips, Francis Touran, Thomas Edwards.
In the foregoing list the residents of Darby and
Upper Darby were assessed as of one township. In
the following, which is the assessment for the year
1799, Lower Darby township, including the present
borough, is alone given :
Samuel Ash (innkeeper), John Ash, Matthew Ash, John Atmore
(cooper), James Andrews, Abigail Ash, Joanna Bare, Margaret
Boon, Joseph Boon, Moses Bonsall, Margaret Bonsall, Jonathan
Bonsall, Levi Ronsall (blacksmith), Edward Bonsall, Isaac Brooks
(mason), John Brooks, Josiah Bunting, Samuel Bunting, Benjamin
Bartram, William Bright, Joseph Crawford, John & Joseph Ball
(Upper Darby), Robert Calvin (Ridley), Benjamin Elliot & John
Moore, Israel Elliot (justice of the peace), Enos Eldridge (grazier),
John Foreman, Jacob Gibbons (grazier), John Gruber, Thomas Hall
(Ridley), Jonathan Heacock, William Hansell (blacksmith), Ann
Humphrey, John Hunt (grazier), John Home, Edward Home (re-
tailer of spirits), William Home, Thomas Home, Isaac Home, John
Humphrey, Rebecca Humphrey, Joseph Heacock (mason), John
Hibberd (Upper Darby), Israel Helen, Matthias Holston (carpenter),
Job Helms, Matthew Jones, John Jones (pump-maker), James
Knowles (Ridley), John Knowles (Ridley), Hugh Lloyd, Esq. (judge
and grazier), Richard Lloyd (miller), Moses Lincorn, Thomas Lea-
cock, Samuel Levis, Joseph Merrion, James McClees, John Marshall,
Nathaniel Newlin, John Noblett (shoemaker), Mary Oliver (shop-
keeper), George Ormsbury (shoemaker), Aaron Oaklord, Isaac Oak-
ford (fuller), Benjamin Oakford (tanner and justice of the peace),
Nathan Pearson (joiner), Lydia Pearson, Jonathan Pearson (tailor),
Benjamin Paschall (Kingsessiug), Joseph Pearson (Ridley), Charles
Palmer (shoemaker), John Pearson (tanner), John Palmer, Aaron
Palmer, Sarah Periguer, John Pharis, Uriah Rowe (shoemaker), Dan-
iel Rice, George Rudolph, John Rudolph, Joseph Rudolph, John
Eively (shop-keeper), Frederick Rively (weaver), Thomas A. Rich-
ards, George Swayne, Samuel Shaw (weaver), Stephen Sicard
(Philadelphia), Nathaniel Smith, Doyle Swayne (Philadelphia),
Thomas Simmons (carpenter), Joseph Shallcross (physician), Wil-
liam Wright, Jesse Sharpless (Philadelphia), Elizabeth Smith (inii-
keeper), Jacob Sewell, Ann MifQin, Isaac Sullender (tailor), John
Tryter, David Treanor, Robert Thomas (Upper Darby), Samuel
Urian, Israel Urian, Hiram Walton (miller for Caleb Phipps), Wil-
liam Wood (estate of Joseph Wood), Henry Wood (joiner), Robert
Wilson, William Gardner (physician), Jonathan Tyson (wheel-
maker).
Inmates.— Samuel Coates (cooper), Samuel Canby (miller), James Dorey,
William Fretwell (weaver), George Fawkes, Adam Goul (shoe-
maker), John Haley, Kenneth McClean, Jonas Morton (shoemaker),
Archibald Gardner (fuller), John Orna (calico-stamper), James Ru-
dolph (mason), Jacob Rice, William Smith (carpenter), David Smith,
Henry Sidings (shoemaker), Benjamin Pearson (retailer of spirits),
Hiram Williamson, Samuel Wetherington (calico-printer), James
Cherry (shoemaker), Jacob Rudolph.
Single Freemen.— 3 esbna Ash, William Bonsall (shoemaker), John Brooke
(tanner), Andrew Boon, Abraham Boon, Peter Boon, Joseph Boon,
John Bartram, John Bunting (tailor), Joshua Bonsafl, James Cannon,
Abel Fowler (blacksmith), George Gruber (wheelwright), Isaac Hea-
cock (mason), Benjamiclleacock, Thomas Home, John Humphrey
(tailor), William Humphrey (tailor), Oliver Ingram, Wrathey In-
gram, Samuel Leacock, James McClees, William McCord, Isaiah
Mall, Aaron Marshall, James Marshall, Charles Marshall, Samuel
Oliver (carpenter), John O'Donuell, Charles Pearson (tanner), Wil-
liam Long, Nicholas Rice, Samuel Rowe, Thomas Sirrell, John Sid-
dings (shoemaker), Thomas Webster (fuller), Pliilip Vigorous (shoe-
Darby Presbyterian Church.— This church was
organized as a Congregational Church, 9th of March,
1840, with sixteen members. A council composed of
the Rev. John Todd, of the First Congregational
Church, Philadelphia, Rev. William Ramsey, of the
Cedar Street Presbyterian Church, of Philadelphia,
Rev. Truman Osborn, the Rev. Thomas Benneson, of
Newark, Del., Rev. W. H. Bidwell, of the Third
Presbytery of Philadelphia, convened at the house
of George G. Knowles, in Darby township, for the
purpose of taking the necessary steps to organize a
church. The Rev. John Todd was chosen moderator,
and the Rev. W. H. Bidwell scribe. At this meeting
a form of covenant and confession of faith were ap-
proved by Council, and it was decided ''the way was
clear for organization." The following persons were
associated into a Congregational Church : George G.,
James G., William G., Martha, Ann, Catharine W.,
Elizabeth and Margaret C. Knowles, Richard and
Elizabeth M. Holmes, John and Miriam F. Collier,
John Keigler, John Munyan, Elizabeth Swayne, and
Martha Dunbar.
The Rev. Charles Brown, of the Presbytery of Wil-
mington, was invited to preach as a stated supply.
He began his labors on the 1st of June, 1840, and
continued till Dec. 1, 1840. The Rev. Marcus E.
Cross was then invited to supply the pulpit and ac-
cepted. On the 22d of February, 1841, he was regu-
larly called, accepted, and was ordained as the first
regular pastor May 20, 1841. The Council of Ordi-
nation convened at the house of Deacon James G.
Knowles, and was composed of the Rev. John Todd,
of First Congregational Church, Philadelphia; Rev.
Auson Rood, pastor of the Central Presbyterian
Church, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia; Rev. Jo-
seph P. Thompson, pastor of the Chapel Street
Church, New Haven, Conn. ; Mr. Benjamin Naglee,
elder delegate ; Deacon Isaac Thompson, delegate.
On the 19th of September, 1842, it was decided to
change to the Presbyterian form of government, and
the organization was called the Darby Presbyterian
Church. James G. Knowles and Richard Holmes were
elected ruling elders. On application to the Third
Presbytery of Philadelphia, Oct. 11, 1842, the church
was admitted to -their charge. On May 23, 1843, a
charter was obtained from the Legislature. On June
11, 1845, Dr. William G. Knowles and John Van Lear
were elected elders, since which time the following
elders have served : 1854, Joseph Naglee ; 1859,
George G. Knowles; 1872, Robert Henderson; 1883,
James Logan.
The first religious services were held in school-
' houses and private houses until 1841, when George G.
I Knowles donated a plot of ground on which the church
I now stands, and gave the stone for the building. The
DARBY TOWNSHIP.
same year the edifice, thirty-five by forty-five, was
erected, costing about two thousand five hundred dol-
lars. In February, 1849, the church was broken into
and robbed of the pulpit Bible, hymn-book, and a
number of Sunday-school books. In the spring of
1873 the church was repaired, the outer walls plas-
tered, a new roof took the place of the old one, and
other improvements made, costing thirteen hundred
dollars, of which sum William G. Knowles contrib-
uted five hundred dollars. The present membership
of the church is about sixty-five. The Presbyterian
Church, in Darby borough, is an outgrowth of the
Knowles Church, twenty members having withdrawn
to organize the former ecclesiastical body.
The Rev. Marcus E. Cross continued pastor of the
church until 1851, when he resigned, devoting him-
self to literary work. He had shortly after leaving
college edited and published " Hunter's Sacred Biog-
raphy" and the "Museum of Religious Knowledge,"
and while pastor of the Knowles Church had begun,
in 1847, the publication of the Mirror of Temperance,
which he discontinued in 1856. He subsequently
published " The Social and Moral Aspect of China."
Rev. J. Addison Whitaker was ordained pastor Oct.
3, 1852, and continued until March 2, 1855, when he
resigned, since which time the church has been de-
pending on supplies, excepting during the year 1875,
when Rev. Andrew Lees was in charge.
African Methodist Episcopal Church. — This
church is located on the Horntown road, and in
1842 the society erected on the lot a frame church,
which was replaced in 1854 by the present brick edi-
fice, which is twenty-five by forty feet. Among the
ministers who have served are the Revs. J. W. Davis,
Richard Barney, William Allen, and the Rev. Hen-
derson Bryson, the present pastor. The church has
at present about forty members.
Schools. — Schools were taught in what is Darby
borough about the middle of the last century, but in
the township no record of a school has been found
until 1811. When the school law was enacted in
1834, Thomas Smith and Thomas Steel were ap-
pointed inspectors by the court until the directors
were elected, and $270.60 were received by the town-
ship as its proportion of the State and county appro-
priations.
On the 17th of September, 1811, John Lake, who
owned real estate on Church L.ane, in the northeast
section of Darby township, sold nine square perches
of land to Aaron Palmer, Caleb Davis, Benjamin
Bonsell, Moses Palmer, Charles Palmer, Gavin Ham-
ilton, Jacob Nitzit, Mary Palmer, Moses BonscU,
Enoch Bonsell, and others, for the purpose of erect-
ing a school-house thereon. Several of the persons
here mentioned, and others who subscribed for the
purpose of building the school-house, were residents
of Upper Darby township, and of the city and county
of Philadelphia. The following are the names of
those who subscribed and the amounts given :
Aaron Palmer
J20
Moses Bonsell 10
Enoch Bonsell 6
William Bonsell
David Sellers
Moses Palmei-
20
Charles I'almei-
on
Jacob Nitzet
Samuel Palmer .
John Lewis
Enoch Bonsell, Jr
5
Isaac Earl
.louathai, Bonsell
i?
Abram Simcox 1
Samuel Bonsell
The amount subscribed aggregated two hundred
and nineteen dollars. A one-story stone house was
erected on the site, and is still in use, having been
enlarged and improved about twelve years ago. This
is known as the Palmer or Northern School.
In May, 1835, Jonathan Bonsall taught a school at
Horntown, his rates being as follows: "Terms, per
quarter, $2.50; ink, quills, pencils, etc., twenty-five
cents. J}®" No day-scholars will be admitted, except
those sent by county commissioners."
Western School District— On the 25th of Sep-
tember, 1837, the school directors purchased a lot of
John Pierson, administrator of the estate of Samuel
Shaw, Jr., on which they erected a one-story school-
house, which was used until 1874, when the present
two-story brick house was erected.
The Southern School is located on Calcon Hook.
A school-house was built here about 1850, which was
used until 1871, when the present house was erected.
African School is located on the Horntown road.
The lot on which this house is erected originally
belonged to George G. Knowles, and the first house
was a frame building erected about 1850. It was
replaced by the present brick one in 1875.
The following is the list of school directors, as
found of record at Media :
1840, Thomas 'Smith, Griffith Holgate ; 1842, Samuel Urian, Philip
Sipler; 1843, John G. Palmer, Robert P, Ash ; 1844, Joshua A. Pear-
son, Davis Richards; 1846, Edmund Taylor, James Andrews; 1846,
John G, Palmer, Robert P. Ash; 1847, William Russell, Jr., Ansley
Newlin; 1848, Amos Morris, Charles A. Litzeuburg; 1849, John G.
Palmer, William Jones; 1860, William D. H. Serrill, William Rus-
sell; 1851, Amos Morris, Charles A. Litzeuburg; 1852, Thomas M.
Fisher, William Jones; 1853, William Russell, W. D. H. Sewell;
1854, Joseph C. Bonsall, William Gardner, Jacob Rice ; 1656, James
Bachus, John Otty; 1866, Edwin Urian, Jacob Rice; 1857, Joseph C.
Bonsall, George Home; 1868, David Taylor, John Otly; 1869,
Edwin Urian, George S. Patchel; 1860, Joseph C. Bonsell, George
Swayne ; 1861, John Otly, Jacob Rice; 1862, George Swayue, David
Taylor ; 1863. Frank P. Boyer, Moses Bonsall ; 1864, Edward Urian,
Richard R. Thatcher; 1865, M. F. Longstreth, John W. Marshall ;
1866, Moses Bonsell, Franklin J, Boyer; 1867, Edwin Urian, Moses
Lincoln ; 1868, Dr. Jacob Boon, Dr. M. F. Longstreth ; 1869, Frank-
lin P. Boyor, Moses Bonsell ; 1870, Edwin Urian, Richard Thatcher;
1871, M. F. Longstreth, Benjamin F. Home ; 18T2, Moses Bonsall,
William H. Harrison ; 1873, Jacob Lincoln, John Marshall; 1874,
F. J. Boyer, M. F. Longstreth ; 1875, Moses Bonsall, Charles W.
Keithler; 1S7C, William H. Harrison, M. M. Shaw; 1877, M. Fisher
Longstreth, G. A. Hazlett; 1878, Jacob Lincoln, Joshua Kirk ; 1879,
Joshua P. Kirk, John Marshall ; 1880, Davis Yarnall, M. Fisher
Longstreth ; 1881, Davis Yarnall, Charles T. Brooks ; 1882, Israel
Helms, Frank P. Lewis; 1883, Joshua P. Kirk, Albert B. Fjirle ;
1884, Charles T. Brooks, Charles H. Scott.
Glen Olden Mills.— The mill on Muckinipattus
Creek, now owned by Ephraim J. Ridgway, has an
unusually interesting history. The tract of land of
514
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
five hundred acres was granted, May 16, 1663, by
Richard Nicolls, Governor of New York, to Israel
Heline, Hendrick Joubson (Jacobson), Oele Koeck,
and Jan Minsterman. This land is on what is known
as Calcoon Hook. The tract seems to have been
divided, for on the 10th of April, 1683, one portion
of it, owned by Oele Koeck (and on which, later,
the mill was built), was sold to Morton Mortonson,
who in turii, Aug. 7, 1708, conveyed it to his son,
Lawrence, who, later, sold to his son, Tobias Morton- 1
son. On the 10th of April, 1755, Tobias Mortonson I
sold twenty-four acres to Thomas Shipley, of Wil-
mington, who died in January, 1759. The property
remained in the Shipley family many years, and in
1774, Thomas Shipley, of Darby, purchased at sher-
iff's sale a lot of laud, containing forty-three acres, in
Ridley township, across the Muckinipattus Creek from
the mill property, which he continued to own as late
as 1788. In 1790, Peter Ross is said to have had con-
trol of this mill. In 1797 the mill-seat land, as well
as the forty-three acres across the creek, were sold by
SheriflT Abraham Dicks, as the property of Charles
Davis, the purchaser being John Jones, who, the same
day, conveyed the premises to Caleb Phipps. At that
date the mill was in existence, and had been built
long prior to that date, tradition asserting that it was
erected by Thomas Shipley, about the year 1755, he
being a miller by trade. In 1799, Hiram Walton was
operating the mill, and in 1800, Elisha Phipps, a bro-
ther of Caleb, was the lessee, and so remained until
1808, when he purchased the property. Elisha Phipps
was a strange, erratic character, moved by the impulse
of the hour. It is related that the mill being located
at the head of tide-water, as was customary in those
days, he conveyed his flour to market by a shallop,
and returning would bring a cargo of grain. A small
sloop, called " The Dusty Miller," was used for this
purpose. On one occasion he loaded his little craft
with flour and sailed for New York. Time elapsed,
and as no word came from Elisha, his wife became
anxious, and finally went to New York in search of
her husband. There she could learn nothing respect-
ing him, save that he had not been to see the persons
with whom he had been accustomed to trade. Finally
she returned to her home disconsolate, fully convinced
that her husband had been lost on the trip to New
York. Time passed, and no intelligence came from
the absent Phipps. It was nearly dusk one evening
when the " gude wife" saw " The Dusty Miller" com-
ing up the Muckinipattus with the flood tide. Shortly
after the craft was moored at its accustomed wharf and
Phipps entered the house, and, in his accustomed man-
ner, tossed his old hat on the floor, as if his absence
had been no unusual event in his daily life. It seems
that after the "Miller" had passed out of the capes of
the Delaware, Phipps, on a sudden impulse, decided
to sail for the West Indies, where, selling his flour at
a large profit, he shipped a quantity of rum and mo-
lasses for New York. At the latter port he sold the
cargo, purchased grain, and sailed for the Muckinip-
pattus, where he arrived in safety, as already narrated.
On March 21, 1812, Phipps sold the property to Hal-
liday Jackson, who owned it until Feb. 27, 1828,
when he in turn conveyed it to Ephraim Inskeep.
At the latter's death, in 1876, the Glen Olden Mills
passed by inheritance to Ephraim J. Ridgway, the
present owner.
Warpington Mills.— In 1867, Richard Thatcher
erected a cotton-spinning mill on Church Run. The
building was ninety-two by fifty-five feet, two stories
in height, containing three thousand spindles, driven
by a forty horse-power Corliss engine. The mills and
machinery cost sixty-five thousand dollars. On Sun-
day morning, March 24, 1877, an incendiary fire to-
tally destroyed the building and contents, involving
a heavy loss to the owner. The mills have never
been rebuilt.
Carpet Mills.— About 1849, Gen. John Sidney
Jones established a carpet-factory on the north side
of the Southern post-road, about a mile west of the
borough of Darby, on land which had descended to him
from his ancestors, the family having owned the es-
tate during the Revolution. One of the peculiar rules
enforced by the proprietor was the prohibition of coal-
fires in any of the eight tenements on the property,
but he generously supplied the operatives in the mill
with wood for fuel. While operating these mills he
published a periodical called The Monthly Jubilee.
He and his wife, Fanny Lee Townsend Jones, edited
it, the type being set in a building on the estate by
Patrick McDermot. It was finally discontinued, as
was the carpet-mills. The buildings were subsequently
leased to John Shepherd & Co., who established a
brush-factory therein. On Friday, Dec. 2, 1876, the
mills, together with the mansion-house, were destroyed
by fire. In September, 1840, Norman B. Barrett, a lad,
residing on the Jones farm, while gunning, sat down
to rest himself, laying the gun on the ground. When
rising he drew the fowling-piece towards him ; the cock
caught on a twig and discharged the weapon. He was
so seriously wounded that death resulted in a few hours
thereafter.
Carpet-Factory. — In May, 1882, Wolfenden,
Brother & Chism began the erection of a two-story
brick carpet-factory, forty by fifty feet, which was
completed and put in operation in July of that year.
The mills manufacture from one hundred and fifty to
one hundred and seventy-five yards of body Brussels
carpet daily, employing four looms and fourteen oper-
atives.
The Horntown Tannery. — In 1790, John Horn, of
Horntown, owned and carried on a tan-yard at Horn-
town, which was discontinued prior to 1812.
Crime. — On Monday, Nov. 25, 1844, the body of a
female child was found in Darby Creek, near Calcoon
Hook, at " Deep Hole," inclosed in a grain-sack, a
napkin tied around the neck and head so as to cover
the whole face. The indications were that the body
^if^xJ O/^iO^xi^
DABBY BOEOUGH.
515
had been in the water nearly two weeks. A post-
mortem examination was made, which disclosed the
fact that the child was three months old, and alive
when thrown into the water. Alexander Harris, alias
Dobson, was tried for the murder of the infant on
May 27, 1845, and acquitted by the jury.'
At the May court, 1850, George W. Horner, a
young man, and Louisa Howard, a young woman
with whom he lived, were tried on several indict-
ments charging them w-ith a number of robberies in
Upper Darby, Haverford, and other localities in the
northern section of the county. The house of Ben-
jamin D. Garrigues was entered, and a hired man,
returning at a late hour, discovered that the dwelling
had been broken into. Pursuit was at once made, a
wagon was overtaken, from which the driver sprang
and ran away. The stolen property was found in
the vehicle. The horse the next day was placed in
the custody of a detective officer, who, finding that
the animal manifested a desire to go towards Darby,
gave him a free rein, and he continued until he stopped
at Horner's house, on the Haverford road just north
of the village. The dwelling was searched, and much
stolen property found therein. Horner was convicted
on three indictments, and sentenced to five years in
the Eastern Penitentiary on each indictment. Louisa
Howard was convicted of receiving stolen goods, and
was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary. In
May, 1851, Governor Shunk pardoned Horner, leaving
his woman accomplice to serve her term of punish-
ment.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE FOR DARBY TOWNSHIP.
Benjamin Briinnon Aug. 19,1791
Isiatl Elliot Oct. 2H, 1791
Benjamin \V. Oakford Feb. 14, 1794
Caleb S Savers Aug. U, 1799
Benjamin Ha.ves Smith Aiiril 3. 1S04
Cli.lrlv>.^..|li-,.< June -211, ls:il>
Pliilip Siplei Aug. 14, IWl)
Tbomas Smitb Aug. 14, 1S40
Pbllip Siplei- Apiil 15, 184.5
Antliunj- .1. Jordan June 1, lS."iO
William Russell, Jr April 15, 1865
William Russell April 14, 18.i7
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
JAMES ANDREWS.
James Andrews was born Dec. 1, 1795, in Darby
township within the present limits of Darby borough,
his father, James Andrews, having removed from
Wilmington, Del., to the township of Darby when a
young man, where he married Martha Bunting,
daughter of Josiah Bunting, thus connecting the
subject of this sketch through his mother with the
oldest residents of that early-settled township. When
a boy he attended the Friends' school in Darby,
where so many of his ancestors had received their
education, and filled the position of teacher in this
school while still in his minority. He early left to
accept a position in the lumber business with the firm
of Watson & Bunting, of Philadelphia, a brother of
his mother being a member of the firm. In connec-
tion with the late James R. Greaves, he later suc-
ceeded to the business under the firm-name of Greaves
& Andrews, and still later as J. and J. B. Andrews &
Co. Owing to failing health, about the year 1837,
James Andrews purchased a farm in Darby with the
intention of making it his summer home, but soon
became so much interested in the occupations of a
farmer as to give up his winter residence in the city
and make the country his permanent home. He was
a birthright member of the society of Friends, the
ancestors of both his father and mother having emi-
grated to this country on account of their religioud
belief He was always a consistent member, taking
an active part in the affairs of the society, and fre-
quently accompanying as companion public ministers
in their religious visits. A useful, public-spirited
citizen, benevolent, modest, and unassuming in his in-
tercourse with his fellow-citizens, he was in all re-
spects a model man, through life being honored with
many positions of trust and responsibility. In politics
he had decided views, and took an active part, first as
Whig and afterwards as a Eepublican, in the ques-
tions of the day. In 1851 his fellow-citizens elected
him to the office of associate judge of Delaware
County, which position he assumed on his fifty-sixth
birthday, and held for fifteen years, declining a re-
election on account of his age. In 1825 he married
Hannah, daugliter of Charles Lloyd, whose children
were two sons and five daughters, one son and four
daughters surviving him. In his domestic life Mr.
Andrews was extremely happy. After the decease of
his wife, on the 20th of June, 1868, life seeming to
have lost its chief attraction, his health failed rapidly.
On the 24th of September, 1869, his children laid him
to rest in the old graveyard at Darby, by the side of
her whom in life he had loved so well.
CHAPTER XLI.
DARBY BOROUGH.
Doubtless the early settlers in the neighborhood
of Darby, where the mills were located, soon began to
regard the locality, which subsequently became the
village, as an important centre, and there doubtless
soon settled the blacksmith after the custom of horse-
shoeing came in vogue,— which was not generally
recognized until the middle of the last century, — and
wagons were in use among the farmers — still later
than horseshoeing — -it became a place of consequence
516
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
to the surrounding districts. In all the early orders
of courts and reports of grand juries, in which Darby
is mentioned as a particular point where a road begins
or ends, the allusion is doubtless to the village, and
there were located the stocks, erected in 1731, for
which the then overseers of the poor, Samuel Horn
and Edward Williams, in the quaint " Record for the
Poor of Darby Township" claim credit,—
By Cash payed to Benjamin Peirson.JuD' for Building stocks
■for the Township of Darby -^ ■;■ 0 10 0
By CaA payed 10 David Thomas for Iron Work Done for the
Stocks 0 .i 8
Dr. Smith, who had access to the early township
books 1 df Darby, gave the following extracts from the
proceedings in 1694 :
"Agreed that this meeting begin at Eleven o'Clock in the forenoon,
and that the constable give notice the^rel dai/ before.
"And it is also agreed that the said town's meeting be held on the
third day of the last week in the twelfth month to appoint officers for
the Ensuing year, at which time the officers is to give up their accounts.
" Agreed that none of tlie inhabitants of this Town take any horaes
or mares either to keep in winter or summer, nor no cattle in summer
except they keep them within their own fenced lands, upon the penalty
of five shillings per head for every month."
The freemen of the township at these gatherings
also exercised legislative powers, as is evident from
the following extract from the township books:
" Agreed at a town meeting, 1697, that all plantations y lands not
Joyniug upon the road, that four of the Neighbours shall be chosen to
lay out a convenient way as they shall see meet to the next convenient
road and being so done shall stand firm and not he blocked up with
trees or plantations.
The first direct mention of Darby village, for the
allusion of Gabriel Thomas to " Derby town," in 1698,
does not prove that anything other than the mills were
located there at the dale given, is in the journal of
Miss Sarah Eve, when, under date of Oct. 17, 1773,
on returning from a visit to Chester, she says, "After
we left Chester it began to rain pretty hard, and con-
tinued until we were near Darby. I could not help
thinking of what Thomson said of Brentford was very
applicable to that place, that is, that it was a town of
mud. Foolish creatures to build a town in such a
hole and have such delightful hills on each side of
them, but who knows the reason." ' During the official
correspondence of the Revolutionary war. Darby is
constantly mentioned as designating a particular
locality, a village. At the beginning of this century
it is thus described :
" Darby is situated about seven miles and a half
from Philadelphia; on the east side of the creek of
the same name that empties into the Delaware a little
above Chester. It contains about fifty or sixty houses
and has a Friends' meeting-house."*
Thirty-four years later (in 1836) the Upland Union
published a description of Delaware County, and the
various boroughs and villages contained within its
territory. The account says, —
" Darby is next in importance to Chester. It is on
the Southern great road about seven miles from Phil-
adelphia by a good turnpike. It contains a Friends'
meeting-house. Mount Zion Methodist church, a
lyceum, a library company, a printing-office, four
public-houses, three stores, a cotton-factory, a post-
office, and about sixty dwelling-houses, and many
elegant dwellings on the Haverford road."
The ancient village of Darby under the same time-
honored name was incorporated into a borough. May
3, 1853, the act specifying the boundaries as follows:
" Beginning at a cedar tree on the Haverford Road on a line between
A. Worrell and George Lincoln's land ; thence along the line of said
Worrell and Lincoln to Darby Creek ; tlience down said creek to the line
of Isaac L. Bartram and the heirs of John Ashland ; thence along the
line of said Bartram and Ashland crossing the Springfield road and the
same line continued between Isaac Bartram and John B. Bartram to a
point on said line that is intersected by a line along a lane running from
the Chester road between tlie lands of John Jackson and Samuel Cro-
thers to a corner of said John Jackson's land ; thence along the line of
said Jackson's land and passing through lands of Jonathan Heacock and
Paxson Price to Darby Creek ; and thence up said creek to a point op-
posite the line of between Elizabeth Grover and Benjamin E. Moore ;
thence along said line of Moore and Grover and William Lincoln to the
west side of a private lane; thence along said private lane to the Pljila-
delphia and Darby plank road ; thence along said plank road on the
south side of Cobb's Creek; thence up said creek to the corner of Hall
Pennell's and Lewis Passmore's land ; thence along the line of said Pen-
nell and Passmore to said Pennell and Benjamin Serrill's land; thence
along the line of Pennell and Serrill to Thomas L, Bonsall's land ; thence
on the line of said Pennell and Bonsall to the land late of Jacob Lincoln,
deceased ; thence along the line of Pennell and Lincoln to Jabez Bunt-
ing's land; thence on the line of Jabez Bunting and said Pennell to
Bunting's lane; thence crossing said lane on the line of Jabez Bunting
and Anne Bunting to a corner continuing on the same course to John
H. Bunting's land ; thence along a southwest course along the land of
Jabez Bunting and John H. Bunting to Josiah Bunting's land; thence
by the same course between Jabez and Josiah Bunting to Joseph Bunt-
ing's laud ; and thence a straight eouree to the place of beginning."
The election for borough officers was held on the
third Friday in May following the date of the act of
incorporation. The names of the burgesses and mem-
bers of Council who have served from the organiza-
tion of the borough to the present time, are as follows :
1 History of Delaware County, p. 1S8. The township books at that
early period could not hs found by the writer, although every effort was
made to learn if they w'ere still accessible.
2 Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 384.
a Penna. Mag. of Bist.. vol. v. p. 201.
i Travellers' Directory, Philadelphia, 1802.
1853, William Jones; 1854, Anthony J. Jordan ; 1855-57, William Jones;
1858, Jacob S. Serrill ; 1859-63, William Jones ; 1864-65, Jacob S.
Serrill; 1866, Joseph M. Bunting; 1867-68, George L. Patchell;
1869-73, Isaac T. Jones; 1874-75, Charles Lloyd; 1876-77, Hugh
Lloyd; 1878, Jacob S. Serrill; 1878-80, John W. Griswold; 1881,
George L. Patchell ; 1882-84, W. L. Verlenden.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
1853.— Philip Sipler, William D. H. Serrill, William Russell, Jr., John
Verlenden, Samuel P. Serrill, William Lincoln, Joseph L. Sager.
1854.— John Verlenden, William Lincoln, Paxson Kice, James Andrews,
George Serrill, Maris W. Lewis, Joseph M. Bunting.
1855.— Philip Sipler, Maris W. Lewis, Anthony S. Jordan, John Verlen-
den, Thomas L. Bonsall, Hugh Lloyd, William H. Malin.
1856.— Joseph M. Bunting, Anthony S. Jordan, Thomas L. Bond, Wil-
liam H. Malin, Philip Sipler, Hugh Lloyd, John Verlenden.
1857.— Joseph M. Bunting, John Verlenden, Thomas L. Bartram, John
M. Andrews, Thomas L. Bonsall, Hugh Lloyd, Philip Sipler.
1858.— Joseph L. Bunting, John M. Andrews,. Philip Sipler, John Ver-
lenden, Hugh Lloyd, Joseph Bunting.
DARBY BOROUGH.
1859.— Joseph M. Biintinfc, Thomas L. Bartram, John Verlenden, Hugh
Lloyd, Jacob S. Serrill, Janies B. Couover, George McHenry.
I860.— Josei)h M. Bunting, Thomas L. Bartram, John Verlenden, Jacob
S. Serrill, Isaac L Bartram, Daniel S. White.
1861.— Joseph M. Bunting, Thomas L. Bartram, Daniel S. White, John
Verlenden, George Serrill, Thomas Palmer, Joseph L. Sager.
1862.— Joseph M. Bunting, Thomas L, Bartram, Daniel S. White, John
Verlenden, George Serrill, Thomas Palmer, George S. Truman.
1863.— Daniel S. White, John Verlenden, George Serrill, Thomas Palmer,
Isaac L. Bartram, Joseph Bunting.
1864.— Isaac L. Bartram, J. Charles Andrews, John Verlenden, Joseph
Bunting, George Serrill, Isaac T. Jones.
1866.— Daniel S. White, J. Charles Andrews, Isaac T. Jones, Thomas L.
Bartram, John Verlenden, Joseph M. Bunting.
1866.— J. Charles Andrews, Daniel S. White, T. Chalkley Bartram, D.
Taylor, John Lord, Washington B. Levis.
186Y.-Daniel S. White, J. Charles Andrews, Hugh Lloyd, George Ser-
rill, Charles Bousall, Jr., Charles Tribit.
1868.— Daniel S. White, J. Charles Andrews, Hugh Lloyd, Charles Bon-
sall, Jr., Hugh Lloyd, Charles W. Lloyd, W. Lane Verlenden.
1869.— Daniel S. White, Charles W. Lloyd, George Serrill, George S.
Patchell, Daniel S. White.
1870.— George Serrill, Charles Bonsall, Hugh Lloyd, Charles W. Lloyd,
W. L. Verlenden.
1871.— Charles W. Lloyd, Daniel S. White, George Serrill, Hugh P.
Lloyd, Charles Bonsall, W. L. Verlenden, George Ash, Jr.
1872.— Hugh P. Lloyd, Charles Lloyd, D. S. White, George Serrill,
Charles Bonsall, J. Charles Andrews, W. L. Verlenden.
1873.— J. Charles Andrews, Charles Lloyd, John W. Griswold, Mordecai
SheUlrake, Samuel W. Shaw, Oswald Patchell.
1874.— J. C. Andrews, John M. Miller, Charles Bonsell, George Serrill,
Harry Peale, John Knowiton.
1876.— J. C. Andrews, James A. Lloyd, Charles Bonsall, Harry Peale,
W. L. Verlenden, Enos Verlenden, John Guest.
1876.— T. Chalkley Bartram, Hugh Lloyd, John Guest, 0. C. Armstrong,
Peter Clark, W. B. Taylor, Henry W. Nagle.
1877.— Daniel S. White, T. C. Bartram, Joseph Bunting, Jr., William K-
Taylor, Peter Clark, A. J. Kussell, Charles Lloyd.
1878.— Charles Lloyd, Peter Clark, Samuel Mackey, W. S. Bunting,
Thomas Brooks, John Wolfcnden, Daniel S. White.
1879.- Charles Lloyd, Peter Clark, James M. Damon, Alonzo Heapes,
Hugh Lloyd, Charles Tribit, Bichard Lancaster, Jr.
1880.— Charles Lloyd, Peter Clark, George Grayson, John Wolfenden,
Alonzo Heapes, George W. Bunting, James E. Combs.
1881.— Joseph Bunting, Jr., Peter Claik, John M. Damon, George Gray-
son, Robert Green, Charles Lloyd, Edward D. Sipler.
1882.— George Grayson, George N. Griffith, Elwood H. James, Parkhurst
McLaughlin, William Maris, George B. Painter, Jacob K. Ulrich.
1883.— Joseph Bunting, Jr., Peter Clark, George Drewes, Alonzo Heapes,
Daniel W. Kelly, John Massey.
1884.— Joseph Bunting, Jr., Nathan D. Bartram, George Drewes, Thomas
Garvin, Alonzo Heapes, D. W. Kelly, John Massey.
Darby Mills.— The history of the Griswold Mills
is particularly interesting, for it connects the present
with the early industries of colonial days. In the
summer of 1671, Capt. Carr, the English Deputy
Governor on the Delaware, in a letter to Governor
Lovelace, in New York, made certain suggestions as
to aflairs on the South River. Under the eleventh
point he wrote, —
" That there being a mill or most (if not all) the appurtenances there-
unto belonging, up Delaware Kiver, at y Cartoon's Hooke, w't did here-
tofore appertain to y Publique & now is endeavoured t(
some particular persons for their private use. It may
to be taken into his Royall Highness, or his Deputyes hands, by w
some Benefitt will accrew, & being kept in good Kepaire will be of
publique and Gen" Good to ye Inhabitants." '
On June 14th the Governor and Council replied,-
' Proposal of Cupt. Carr," Penna. .Archives, 2d So
" As to ye ll"" concerning y^ mill, as also one paire of millstones not
used but lying in y» Mud or Water. It is ordered that care be taken for
y« Letting out y* said Mill for ye best advantage to some persons who
will undertake y^ same & that y« proflStt thereof be reserved for y" pub"
liqe, & for y millstones not used. They are to be taken up and p'scrved
till further 0rd'.'2
The mill mentioned in Capt. Carr's letter was the
old Swede mill at the Blue Bell, on Cobb's Creek,
which, after acquisition of the territory by William
Penn under his charter from the crown, gradually
fell into disfavor with tlie public. It was, how-
ever, in use in 1684, for in an account of the early
times, preserved among the descendants of Isaac Mar-
riot, of Bristol, Pa., it is stated that when Friends'
Yearly Meeting was held at Burlington, N. J., in that
year the family wanting some fine flour, Isaac Marriot
took wheat on horseback to this mill, which was
twenty-six miles from his residence, to be ground.
The first record of a mill in Darby township occurs
in the evidence given in a case tried at the court held
March 10, 1687, when Thomas Bowles was arraigned
for shooting hogs not his own running in the woods.
The animals belonged to Thomas Smith. John Hen-
drickson testified that in the preceding fall (1686)
"he was up at the mill on Darby Creek when he
heard two gunnes go off," and when he went to where
the firing was, he saw the defendant with his gun pre-
sented." John Hay, who was with him, said " Bowles
was an old fool for shooting twice and missing."
At that time the old Swedish mill had fallen into
disuse or was unable to do the work required of it, and
the demand for a mill was pressing, for at the Novem-
ber court, 1678, five years before William Wood set-
tled at Darby, the matter came before the justices,
who declared that " Itt being taken into Consideracon
that itt was verry necessary ihat a mill be built on the
Schuylkill, and there being no fitter place than the
faall Called Capt. bans moensen's faall ; The Cort are
of opinion that Either Capt" bans moens ought to
build a mill there (as bee sayes that bee will) or Else
suffer an other to Build for the Common Good of ye
parts." ^ The location of this proposed mill was on
"Hans Moensen's Great Mill Fall" or "Run," which
was the stream which empties into the Schuylkill
south of Woodland Cemetery and north of Gray's
Ferry.
William Wood emigrated from Nottingham, Eng-
land, with his wife and family, in 1683, and settled at
Darby, where he acquired three hundred and twenty
acres, which plot included all the land on which the
i original village of Darby stood, the tract reaching
northward to Friends' meeting-house lot and south-
ward to the junction of Cobb's and Darby Creeks. On
the latter stream William Wood built the mills, or if
he did not his son Joseph Wood did, to whom the
property descended in 1685, on the death of his father,
William. In 1693, John Bethel took charge of these
mills, which he subsequently purchased, for June 7,
•■ lb., p. '
■ Upl.
1 Court, p. 115.
518
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1695, Joseph Wood, in open court acknowledged a
deed for nine acres — the mill tract — to Bethel. The
next year, Dec. 8, 1696, John Bethel sold to Samuel
Carpenter, the noted merchant of Philadelphia in
those early days, a half-interest in several tracts of
land, one being nine acres on Darby Creek, " Upon
which last-mentioned piece of land there is three water
grist-mills and a fulling mill lately erected." In the
same deed it is stated that on the same day of the date
of the deed to Carpenter, Bethel had purchased from
John Blunston " all that millcat race or Trench digged
in and through the said Blunston's land and meadow,
from the said Darby Creek toward the said mills."
This mill-race to-day follows the course " digged"
nearly two centuries ago through Blunston's land.
There seems to liave been some defect in the deed
made to Samuel Carpenter in 1696, for on Jan. 14,
1698, John Bethel, by his friend David Lloyd, ac-
knowledged in open court a deed to Samuel Carpen-
ter, " for the moiety of Darby Mills with the Houses,
Improvements, and impliments thereunto belonging,"
the deed being dated Oct. 13, 1697. Previous to the
sale to John Bethel, on the 9th of Twelfth month,
1687, the road leading from Darby to Radnor was laid
out. In the assessment made in 1695, the Darby and
Chester mills were each rated at one hundred pounds,
and they were the most valuable properties in the
county.
In Gabriel Thomas' " History of Pennsylvania,"
printed in 1698, he mentions " the famous Darby
River, which comes down from the country by Darby
town, wherein are several mills, viz., — fulling-mills,
corn-mills," etc. On a draft of the Queen's road from
Darby to Chester, now in possession of Hon. Jacob
Serrill, of Darby, made in 1705, these mills are dis-
tinctly marked. John Bethel remained at these mills
until his death, which occurred before 1708, for on the
26th of August, in that year, John Bethel, of Darby,
miller, son and heir of John Bethel, late of Darby,
also a miller, confirmed the sale of a part interest in
the mills to his brother-in-law. Job Harvey, " StuiFor."
This deed recites that John Bethel, Sr., was seized in
his lifetime of all those water-, corn-, or gristmills,
and a fulling-mill, " commonly called or known by
the name of Darby Mills," and John Bethel, Sr., in
his lifetime had sold to his son-in-law. Job Harvey,
one-fourth part of the messuage " whereon the said
Job now dwells, and also of said fulling-mill." From
this it is evident that John Bethel, the younger, was
carrying on the grist-mill, and Job Harvey the fulling-
mill at the time John Bethel, the elder, died. About
1725, Job Harvey purchased the fulling-mill on Ridley
Creek, now the site of the Media Water-Works.
In 1747 the Darby Mills were owned by Joseph
Bonsall, of Darby, who, on November 3d of that
year, conveyed to 'Richard Lloyd three full parts of
five and a half acres of land, and of the " water-,
corn-, or grist-mills, commonly called Darby Mills,"
with the bolting-house, bolting-mills, and other ap-
purtenances. The fulling-mill was not mentioned in
the deed. In 1764, Richard Lloyd having died, and
his widow married to Lewis Davis, the property
was vested in Lewis Davis, Isaac Lloyd, and Hugh
Lloyd, the two last named being the sons of Richard
Lloyd. From 1764 to 1802 the mills were assessed to
Isaac Lloyd, who, in 1782, built a saw-mill, and from
1802 to 1814 to Richard Lloyd, at which date they
were the property of Thomas Steel. While the Darby
Mill was operated by Isaac Lloyd, Capt. James Ser-
rill was one of his apprentices, and learned the trade
of a miller.
The first mention of the name of Steel is in an
assessment of the county in 1766, in Upper Darby
township, when James Steel was assessed on a grist-
mill. He is later followed by Thomas Steel, who ap-
pears in Upper Darby until 1814. He removed to
Darby township the next year, where he had the old
Darby Mills. In 1826 the capacity of these was
thirty to forty thousand bushels of grain, and of
two to three hundred thousand feet of lumber per
annum. They were owned by Thomas Steel until
1861, but while he held title he had sold them
several times, but for some reason was compelled
to take them from the purchasers. On one occa-
sion they were sold to an Englishman, who tore
out the grist-mill machinery, with the intention of
enlarging the buildings, which he failed to do, and
Thomas Steel was compelled to refit them at a con-
siderable outlay of money. In 1861 the property,
including the fulling-mill, was purchased by Simeon
Lord, and occupied by Joseph L. Saeger. On July 2,
1862, they were destroyed by fire. The same year
Simeon Lord built Mill No. 1, which, on May 15,
1867, was partially burned. Again the owner repaired
the mill, which he operated as a worsted-factory for
several years, when they were sold by the sheriff to
John Cattell, who enlarged the building and sold the
property to William A. Griswold. It is now used by
theGriswold Worsted Company (Limited) as a worsted-
factory. Mill No. 1 is a three-storied stone building,
three hundred by forty-five feet. In 1880, William
A. Griswold erected along the creek, and a short dis-
tance farther down. Mill No. 2, a four-story brick
building, one hundred and fifty-seven by fifty feet, for
the manufacture of silk yarn. The machinery in
these mills is driven by two engines of one hundred
I and sixty-five horse-power each. The Griswold
! Worsted Company (Limited) was organized in 1882,
and the mills are at present operated by that com-
pany.
Oakford FuUing-Mill.— The early history of this
mill is given in the sketch of the mills of the Gris-
wold Worsted Company. It was a part of the Darby
Mills from 1695, the date of its erection, until its
destruction, in 1859. It is not mentioned in the deed
from Joseph Bonsall to Richard Lloyd in 1747, but
in 1764 it was owned and operated by Isaac and
Hugh Lloyd, sous of Richard. In 1766 it was oper-
DAKBY BOROUGH.
519
ated by Hugh Davis, the half-brother of Isaac and
Hugh Lloyd. In 1770 it was in possession of Aaron
Oakford, who continued tliere until 1785, when Isaac
Oakford was operating it. In 1790 Isaac Oakford
had in connection with his fulling- a print-mill. On
August 23d of that year, George Hufistetter and
Isaac Huffstetter, sons of Lydia Yoamer, were bound
before Esquire Pearson, to Conrad Psaphauser, to
learn calico-stamping, being indentured for six years
and eleven months, while the same day Jesse Huff-
stetter was bound to serve Psaphauser, at the trade of
calico-stamping and "to learn mixing," for a term of
ten years and three months. The assessment of 1798
returned Isaac Oakford as owning the fulling-mill
and stamping-works for printing calico, and John
Orna was employed there as a calico-stamper, and
Samuel Wetherington as a calico-printer. In 1826,
Isaac Oakford was still the owner of the mill, but at
that time it was operated by Aaron Oakford, who
continued there many years. It subsequently passed
to Thomas Steel, and in 1854 was leased to John
Verlenden, who changed it to a cotton-mill, and oper-
ated it until it was destroyed by fire, on March 5,
1859. The water for this mill was from its erection,
in 1695, taken from the race which supplied the grist-
mills above, and when they came into possession of
Thomas Steel, the fulling-mill was limited to a supply
of water that flowed through a four-inch pipe. This
mill also passed to Thomas Steel, and was sold in
1861 with the grist-mill to Simeon Lord.
In 1788, Benjamin Oakford was operating a tan-
yard, which he continued till 1810, when John Oak-
ford succeeded him, and continued it until after 1848.
Imperial Mills.— In the year 1846, John Verlenden
and Morton Farraday established a small business of
spinning carpet yarn on Whiskey Run, in Spring-
field township. In 1854, Verlenden removed to Darby
borough, and commenced business in the old fulling-
mill of Thomas Steel, formerly Isaac Oakford, which
he operated until it was burned, March 5, 1859. In
that year Verlenden erected on the site of the present
mill a factory building sixty by forty feet, which he
operated until his de.ath, in December, 1865. The
business was continued by the family, and in 1867,
Smith & Verlenden leased the mills, which they
operated for three years. In 1870, W. Lane Ver-
lenden and Enos Verlenden formed a partnership,
and as Verlenden Brothers, began manufacturing in
these mills. The main mill building was destroyed by
fire in 1880, and the present mill, eighty by forty feet,
erected on its site. The Imperial now contains sev-
enty-two looms, two self-acting mules, each of five
hundred and eight spindles, and two sets of sixty
cards, driven by a Corliss engine, sixteen by forty-two,
with two sets of boilers. Fourteen thousand yards
of cotton and woolen goods are manufactured weekly
from three thousand six hundred pounds of raw
material. Fifty-five operatives are employed.
W, Arrott & Co. Mills. — These mills were erected
by Judge James Andrews subsequent to 1848, and
were located nearly opposite the old Thomas Steel
grist-mill at the head of tide-water on Darby Creek.
They were operated by Judge Andrews till his death,
when they descended to his son, J. Charles Andrews,
who, with Isaac Hibberd, operated them as Cedar
Hill Mills until about 1873, when they were leased
for a few years. In April, 1878, the property was
sold by the assignees of J. Charles Andrews to Wil-
liam Arrott, of Philadelphia, who immediately began
spinning yarn in these mills. The main building is
two stories high, two hundred by fifty feet, contains
five hundred spindles and eight sets of woolen cards.
Ninety operatives are employed, and one thousand
one hundred pounds of yarn are spun weekly.
In 1875, John L. Knowlton purchased a lot of land
of the Sharon Land Association along the line of the
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad.
He erected a two-story brick building and commenced
the manufacture of specialties in machinery. This he
continued till his death, after which the building was
occupied for a year or two by William P. Jenks in the
manufacture of boiler coverings. In March, 1884,
the property was purchased by Scully & Smith, Phil-
adelphia, who are at present fitting the factory for the
manufacture of wood-turning machinery.
Tannery. — In 1766, John Pearson, who subse-
quently became an ofiicer in the Revolutionary army,
and, after the erection of Delaware County, one of
the associate judges, was operating a tan-yard at
Darby, which business he appears to have continued
until 1810, when he was succeeded by Charles Pear-
son. The tan-yard was subsequently abandoned, un-
less the bark-mill which James Bunting was operating
in 1842 was on the site of the yard, and connected
with the tannery.
Schools. — The first record of a school within the
limits of what is now Darby borough, is found in the
minutes of Darby Monthly Meeting of date 7th day
Seventh month (September), 1692, where it is stated
" that Benj. Clift is to teach school Beginge y' 12'" of
y" 7th'°°, and to continue one whole year except
2 weeks." Arrangements were also made with him
the next year '■ to teach schoole one yeare Beginge y'
20"" of y° 7th°''," for which he was to receive twelve
pounds. Doubtless this school was kept in Friends'
meeting-house. Prior to 1735, David Thomas, of
Darby, by an instrument in writing, granted to Joseph
Reed a lot of ground on which to build a school-house.
The building was erected on the site designated, and
subsequently Reed assigned the property to John
Davis and Richard Parker. On April 2, 1735, doubt-
less to cure a defect in title, David Thomas conveyed
the same land, which contained a quarter of an acre,
to John Davis and Richard Jackson. Miss Sarah L.
Miller, of Media, states that her grandfather, George
Miller, who resided in Springfield, attended school in
the year 1730, at a sniiill one-story brick house which
stood a short distance west of Darby Creek, and that he
520
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
boarded near by, so that he might be constant in his
attendance. This location of that early school desig-
nated that the pupil spoken of was taught in the old
one-story brick house which stood on part of the site
of the Mount Zion burial-ground, and which building
was taken down after 1843. In this old school-house on
June 6, 1818, a meeting of the inhabitants of Darby
and adjoining townships was held, whereat it was
*' Resolved, That we will discourage the use of ardent spirits, as an
article of drink ; we will not procure, use, or give it to others as such
in the time of gathering our hay and barve8t,at the raising of buildings,
or on other public or social occasions;
'Miirf resolved, That we unite to suppress the unlawful sale of spirit-
uous liquors, and to counteract the contamenatiog effect of those nur-
series of vice, commonly railed tippling houses, by giving information
to the proper officers, and by such other means as are reasonably within
It is stated in an account of the " Guardian So-
ciety for Preventing Drunkenness" of Chester County,'
that it " w^ certainly the first temperance organiza-
tion ever formed in Pennsylvania, and probably in
the United States," and that shortly after a kindred
and co-operative society was formed at Darby, in
which Halliday Jackson and Edward Garrigues were
conspicuous members. The Guardian Society was
organized in 1820. The action at this meeting in
1818, clearly shows that a temperance organization
had been held in Delaware County prior to that in
Chester County, and that a temperance pledge had
been adopted nearly two years before the formation
of the Guardian Society.
In this old stone school-house, prior to the adoption
of the school law of 1834, David Little taught, as did
also Benjamin Oakford. This school house, after the
act of 1834 was accepted by Darby township, was
transferred to the school directors, who, on Dec. 6,
1843, sold the lot to Michael Lincoln, and he, on the
14th of the same month, conveyed it to the trustees
of the Mount Zion Methodist Church. The latter
removed the school building, and the lot became a
part of the burial-place.
The society of Friends continued to support the
school at Darby throughout all the last century.
Michael Blunston, who died there in 1736, bequeathed
"fifty pounds in trust to school the children of Poor
Friends of Darby Monthly Meeting." Mention is also
made of Friends' Meeting schools in 1788, and in 1793
the society of Friends in Delaware County had seven
schools under their care, one being located in Darby.
A dwelling had also been erected in that village for
the " accommodation of the master." Schools were
kept by Friends regularly from that time, and since
1820 women have been members of the school com-
mittee. The adoption of the law providing for free
public education, and the improvements made in the
system by subsequent enactments, gradually super-
seded Friends' schools. However, as late as 1854,
John H. Bunting, of Darby, gave the sum of ten
1 Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County," p. 40;i.
thousand dollars, the interest of which was to be
applied to the support of schools maintained by the
society.
i In March, 1825, an election was held throughout
I the county for school trustees under the law of 1804,
and three were elected in each township. In the re-
! port of this election, Darby, Lower Chichester, Hav-
erford, and Tinicum are not returned.
After the passage of the school law, in 1834, the
court appointed Thomas Smith and Thomas Steel in-
spectors of public schools until directors were elected.
In 1835-36 the township, then including the borough,
received from the State and county appropriations
$270.60.
On the 13th of March, 1841, the directors of the
public schools of the township purchased eighty
square perches of land of Hugh Lloyd in the village
of Darby, and erected thereon a stone school-house,
which was used until 1855, when it was abandoned
upon the completion of what is known as the yellow
school-house. Pearson Serrill conveyed to Robert
K. Smith one acre of ground adjoining lands of
Darby Monthly Meeting, and on Aug. 30, 1854, Smith
transferred the lot to the school directors of Darby
borough, who in the same year erected the present
stone school-house, two stories in height, the corner-
stone being laid with much ceremony Oct. 28, 1854,
Hon. Joseph R. Chandler, of Philadelphia, delivering
the address on the occasion. A two-story brick
addition was subsequently erected, and the building
at present accommodates six schools which are kept
there. The borough of Darby was incorporated in
1853, since which it has been an independent school
district. The directors of Darby borough, on the
2d of April, 1S55, sold the old school-house and lot
on New Street to the borough for twelve hundred and
fifty dollars. The building is now used as a lock-up.
In the year 1878 the directors erected a one-story
brick school-house, thirty-six by forty feet, at Sharon
Hill, in which one school is kept.
The following names are those of the school direc-
tors of Darby borough, as obtained from the election
records of Media :
1854, Morris W. Lewis, Marmaduke Morebead, Robert K. Smith, Paxon
Price, John R. Robb, Paxon Paxon ; 1855, C. A. Litzenburg, John
Verlenden; 1856, Jacob S. SerriU, William Russell, Jr.; 1857, Wil-
liam Jones, D. S. White ; 1858, Daniel S. White, John Verlenden,
G. S. Lloyd ; 1859, William Russell, Jr., William 0. Witter ; 1860,
John Verlenden, William Jones; 1861, David S.White, George S.
Truenian ; 1862, Charles A. Litzenberg, Jacob S. Serrill ; 1863, John
Verlenden, Thomas Palmer ; 1864, Daniel S. White, Joseph Bunting ;
1865, Isaac T. Jones, Jacob S. Serrill ; 1866, John Verlenden, Thomas
Palmer; 1867, W. D. H. Serrill, D.S.White; 1868, Stacey Jones,
M.D., George S. Patchell; 1869, W. D. H. Serrill, David Maule;
1870, Daniel S. White, Thomas Palmer ; 1871, Stacey Jones, M.D.,
William D. H. Smith ; 1872, Oswald Paschall, Henry L. Paschall;
1873, Daniel S. White, Milton Meudenhall; 1874, Stacey Jones,
M.D., Mrs. Emily Cochran ; 1875, David Maule, W. W. James ; 1876,
Daniel S. While, Henry McAllister; 1877, Jacob Serrill, A. E.
Crozer; 1878, Washington W. James, W. D. H. Serrill ; 1879, Park-
hurst McLaughlin, Isaac T. Jones; 1880, Stacy Jones, M.D., Daniel
S. White; 1881, W. W. James, Theodore Knight; 1882, Dauiel S.
White, W. D. H. Serrill; 1883, Jacob Elpeth, Robert Green; 1884,
James E. Coombs, Gill Hazelett.
DARBY BOROUGH.
521
Sharon Hill Academy.— John Jackson, a noted i
public Friend of Darby, a son of Halliday Jackson,
after his marriage with Rachel T. Tyson, a highly }
educated and accomplished woman, in 1834, deter-
mined to establish a female boarding-school, and
about 1835, after the death of his father, located at
Sharon Hill, on the family estate. The school soon |
acquired an extensive reputation, and was at the [
time one of the most noted female educational insti-
tutions in the Middle States. John Jackson died in
1855, and his widow continued the school until 1858,
when it was conducted by Israel J. Graham and Jane
P. Graham. The property about 1870 was purchased
by Rev. C. J. H. Carter, a Catholic clergyman, and a
school for females was conducted there under the
auspices of the Sisters of the Society of the Holy
Child Jesus. In 1871 the building was enlarged by
the addition of a wing, which made the total length
of the main building one hundred and fourteen feet,
while the interior was remodeled, so that the sleep-
ing-rooms of the pupils were unusually large, well
ventilated, and a dressing-room was attached to
each apartment. The land and building having
passed into the ownership of this society, in 1877
the present Gothic chapel was erected. The build-
ing is eighty-nine feet in length, the wood-work of
black walnut, and the principal altars of Italian mar-
ble. The numerous windows which fiirnish light to
the sanctuary are stained glass, presenting represen-
tations of St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Charles Borromeo,
and sacred emblems appropriate to the Catholic faith.
In November, 1877, the chapel was dedicated by the
Right Rev. Archbishop Wood with appropriate and
imposing ceremonies.
Darby Friends' Meeting-House. — The early
Friends who, fleeing from persecution in England,
settled in and about Darby, seem to have turned
their attention speedily to arranging for religious
services, and in the very year of Penn's coming, 1682,
tradition states a meeting was held at the present vil-
lage, in the house of John Blunston, whose hastily-
constructed residence stood near the mill-race, which
was subsequently dug, and nearly opposite the present
meeting-house. The minutes of Darby Meeting do
not substantiate the tradition, for they begin on the
2d of Fifth month (July), 1684; but Dr. Smith states
that "there is some evidence that the business of a
monthly meeting had been transacted at Darby a
short time prior to the date of the first regular min-
ute." ' The inconvenience arising from the meeting
being held in private houses, and the constant growth
of the society in membership,— for emigration was re-
markable in those early days, — far exceeding that of
more modern times, induced an effort to be made to
1 History of Delaware County, p. 148, uote.
pointed in 1683 by Chester Monthly Meeting to invite the Friends of
Darby to unite »1th them in their monthly meeting. This they appear
to have done so far as to contribute to the funds of that meeting on one
build a meeting-house. In 1687, John Blunston, in
open court, acknowledged a deed " for one acre of
land, in the township of Darby, to build a meeting-
house thereon, to the use of the said township for
ever, to exercise the true worship of God therein." A
building, doubtless of logs, was erected on this tract,
and it is said to have been located on the hillside,
within the present graveyard. It was determined by
meeting, so the ancient minutes state, to have it
"lined within," to render it warmer in the severe
winter seasons of the olden times. The first marriage
which occurred therein was in February, 1689, be-
tween John Marshall and Sarah Smith. This state-
ment, of course, refers to the first marriage in the
meeting-house, for it is well known that the first mar-
riage recorded at Darby Meeting was in 1684, — that
of Samuel Sellers and Anna Gibbons. The fair bride
rode to her new home on a pillion behind her hus-
band.'- Dr. Smith relates that in 1699 Darby Meeting
dealt with a father who had unreasonably refused his
consent to the marriage of his daughter, and the young
couple, after legally publishing their intention, were
married by John Blunston, a justice of the peace, the
donor of the lot on which the meeting-house stood.
The husband and wife were also dealt with by meet-
ing, but the justice, who was in discharge of his ofli-
cial office, was not called on to explain his action.
After the stone meeting-house at Chester was built,
Friends of Darby, who were generally wealthy, per-
haps desired a more comfortable place in which to
assemble. Be that as it may, in 1699 it was " agreed
that a meeting-house sixty foot one way and twenty
foot added to the side, twenty-one foot wide in the
clear, be built," and " John Bethell, John Hood,
Michael Blunston, John Wood, and Thomas Worth
ordered to manage the concern about said house till
furder orders." The building was begun, but dragged
slowly along, and to complete it repeated collections
were authorized by the meeting. In 1701 it was still
unfinished, and it was " ordered that a collection be
every monthly meeting till further orders;" and we
are informed by Dr. Smith " that a loan was author-
ized to complete this meeting-house, " an expedient
rarely resorted to by the Society of Friends." This
meeting-house was also located in the graveyard, and
in 1862 a portion of the building was still standing.^ It
was certainly completed in the early summer of 1701,
for at the meeting held in Fifth month of that year it
was ordered " that Benjamin Cliff take care that the
doors and windows be opened and shut as occasion
may serve for one whole year, for which he is to have
two pounds out of the collection." This house of
worship stood for more than one hundred years, when
it began to show the decrepitude of age, which con-
stant repair could not prevent, hence its " decayed
and shattered condition" was such that reluctantly
s '* A Walk to Darby," by Townsend Ward, Penna. Mag. of HisL, vol.
iii. p. 26«.
3 Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 198.
522
HISTOEY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the members were compelled to take steps for the
erection of the third and present meeting-house at
Darby.
At the Blonthly Meeting in Twelfth month, 1803,
the subject was referred to a committee, which, at the
next meeting. First month, 1804, reported that having
" several times met, and were in good measure united
in building on what is called the lower lot, and were
of opinion that a house built forty-five feet by sixty
will cost three thousand three hundred dollars." The
new structure was ordered to be erected, most of the
stone used being obtained on the side of road opposite
the Imperial Mills of Verlenden Brothers, except-
ing a few dressed stone which were brought from
Leiper's quarries, in Eidley. Towards the latter part
of the year 1805, the building being nearly completed,
Josiah Bunting was directed to give notice to mem-
bers that the meeting would be held in the new
structure on the 8th of Twelfth month, 1805. The
first marriage in the new meeting-house was Hugh
Mcllvain, of Philadelphia, to Hannah, daughter of
John Hunt, of Darby. In 1870, the roof, which had
done good service for sixty-five years, was replaced
by a new one.
Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church.— In
1807, twenty persons residing in the neighborhood of
Darby, desirous of organizing a Methodist Church in
that vicinity, assembled together and formed a class.
Among those who were prominent in this movement
were William Palmer, David Dunbar, Charles Levis,
Samuel Levis, Charles Grant, Enos R. Williams,
Henry Rudolph, Hannah Shaw (Mrs. Oswold Patch-
ell), and Phebe Hoofstechler (Mrs. George Lincoln).
Some time subsequent to that date Dr. Phineas Price
purchased a quarter of an acre on the Springfield road
from Joseph Wood, and on the lot built a stone church
forty-five feet square. Dr. Price retained title during
his lifetime, and after his death his representatives,
Mary, Ann M., and Henry Price, on April 17, 1819,
conveyed the house and lot to Samuel Levis, Charles
Levis, Samuel Lungren, David Dunbar, and Jonas
Morton, trustees of the church. Dec. 14, 1843, the old
school-house, which stood on the lot adjoining the
church land, was bought by the congregation, the
building removed, and the lot inclosed in the grave-
yard. In 1854 a quarter of an acre of adjoining land
was purchased from Ann Eliza Moore, and the burial-
place again enlarged. In 1882, it having been decided
to remove the church to Darby, a lot in the borough
was purchased of George 8. Patchell, and a brick
church, thirty-six by sixty feet, at a cost of nine thou-
sand four hundred dollars, was erected. The old sanc-
tuary by the road-side, which had served the congre-
gation for threescore years and ten, ceased to be used
after Dec. 3, 1882, when the new edifice was dedicated.
The .dedicatory sermon was preached by the late
Bishop Matthew Simpson. William Palmer and
Enos R. Williams, members of the first class, were
local ministers and frequently preached in Mount Zion.
Among the clergymen who from time to time have
been in charge of the church were the Revs. Thomas
Miller, Ezekiel Connor, William Townsend Larney,
William McCormick, James Neale, Brooks Eyres,
William King, William Cooper, and Bishop Scott was
at one time the presiding elder. Subsequent to these
came the Revs. Abel Howard, William Dalrymple,
William McMichael, A. G. Mauger, Eoble Smith,
Vandersloot, William McMichael, and A. G.
Keymett, the present pastor. The church has at
present a membership of one hundred and ninety per-
sons.
The Presbyterian Church of Darby Borough.
— While Rev. J. Addison Whitaker was pastor of the
Darby, or Knowle's Presbyterian Church, in 1851
mission services were begun in Darby borough. The
public school-house was used for the meeting, and in-
terest gradually was awakened in the movement until,
in January, 1854, a fund was subscribed to build a
church edifice. In April, 1854, at a meeting of Pres-
bytery in Mantua (Philadelphia), a committee was
appointed to consider the propriety of building a
church at Darby, who reported in favor of establish-
ing a mission chapel there. The sum subscribed being
sufficient to warrant the erection of a house of wor-
ship, the minutes of the board of trustees set forth, —
" On the 24th of January, 1854, John H. Robb, Paschall J. Hoopes,
M.D., Charles A. Litzenburg, John Verlenden, Israel Helms, and the
Rev. J. Addison Whitaker met at the residence of the pastor in Darby,
and at his request united in forming a voluntary board of trustees for
the purpose of erecting a church edifice, and to hold the same in trust
for the Presbyterian Church hereafter to be organized and called the
Darby and Paschallville Presbyterian Church, or by any other name by
which they wish to designate it as a Prfsbyterian Church."
A design for a church building was made by John
Nahman, of Philadelphia, which was accepted by the
board, and on Feb. 11, 1854, a lot was purchased of
Dr. Paschall J. Hoopes, five hundred and fifty dollars
being paid for the ground, located at the intersection
of Maine and Moore Streets. Early in the spring
Charles Bonsall, who had contracted to erect the
church for seven thousand eight hundred and fifty
dollars, began building. The contract stipulated that
the lecture-room should be completed by August 1st,
and the entire building should be finished by Jan. 1,
1855. The lecture-room, however, was not ready at
the time stipulated. The church was organized on
Sunday, Oct. 1, 1854, with fourteen members (most of
whom were members of Darby Presbyterian Church),
with Dr. Stephen Parsons as ruling elder, and the Rev.
J. Addison Whitaker minister in charge. The work
on the auditorium was not completed until the spring
of 1858. The lot adjoining the church lot was pur-
chased in 1862, and a parsonage erected, at a cost of
five thousand five hundred and eight dollars. In 1870,
repairs were made upon the church at an expense of
I three thousand and ninety-seven dollars and fifty-two
cents. The church from its organization had been
I laboring under a heavy debt, which, in 1873, was en-
1 tirely removed, and on the 28Lh of November in that
DARBY BOROUGH.
523
year a jubilee meeting was held. The church was in-
corporated by act of Assembly, Jan. 13, 1855.
The pastors from the date of the formation have been
as follows: Rev. J. A. Whitaker served the church from
its organization until the spring of 18.55. In April
of that year the Rev. T. J. Johnson acted as supply;
in June the Rev. John Patton,and the Rev. David C.
Meeker commenced his labors as stated supply Sept.
23, 1855. On the 25th of January, 1856, he received
a call to become permanent pastor, which he held
under advisement and finally declined, preaching his
farewell sermon Sept. 14, 1856. The Rev. Michael
Burdett was acting pastor from Nov. 15, 1857, aud in
October, 1858, received a call to the pastorate, which
he accepted, and remained in charge until January,
1862, when he resigned. The pulpit was supplied
occasionally from that time to July, 1862, when the
Rev. Samuel W. Crittenden, of the Third Presbytery
of New York, supplied the cliurch, and was called on
the 19th of that month. He entered at once upon
his duties as pastor-elect. At a meeting of the Third
Presbytery of Philadelphia, held October 21st in that
year, he was received as a member, accepted the call,
aud was installed as pastor Jan. 18, 1863. He re-
signed in April, 1865, but remained till July of that
year. A unanimous call was extended to the Rev.
William H. Thorne, which was at once accepted,
but was not installed until June 10, 1866. He re-
signed this charge Dec. 29, 1868. On the 27th of
January, 1869, the Rev. Charles Brown was unani-
mously chosen to supply the pulpit until April of
that year, which he did greatly to the good of the
church. On the 6th of June, 1869, Mr. George L.
Raymond, a licentiate of the Third Presbytery of
New York, was invited to supply the pulpit until the
fall meeting of the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia,
which he accepted, and immediately entered upon his
duties. On the 22d of September, 1869, he was chosen
as pastor, accepted the call, and was ordained and in-
stalled April 28, 1870. In the spring of 1874 he was
elected professor of Rhetoric in Williams College,
Massachusetts, and wishing to accept it, he gave
notice of his intention to resign. The congregation
reluctantly granted his request, and the relationship
was dissolved by Presbytery April 14, 1874. The
Rev. W. T. Brown, of Colorado, supplied the pulpit
on June 21, 1874, and July 12th, and on the 4th of
August was unanimously elected pastor of the church.
At the meeting of Presbytery held at Reading, Octo-
ber 16th, he accepted the call, and was installed
pastor Nov. 22, 1874. He served as minister until
May 22, 1884, since which time the church, now num-
bering two hundred and sixteen members, has been
without a pastor. A Sunday-school is connected with
the church, and has four hundred pupils. George
Thompson is in charge. Charles O. Baird, son of
Matthew Baird, commenced the erection of a chapel
in the spring of 1881, as a memorial of his father and
mother. It is of stone, and coat about thirty-four thou-
sand dollars. It was dedicated Feb. 25, 1883, the
dedicatory sermon being preached by the Rev. Dr.
Cattell, of Princeton.
Darby Library Company. — On May l, 1743,
twenty-nine persons founded the Darby Library by
signing articles of agreement and effecting an organi-
zation. These articles required each person in co-
partnership to pay, on becoming a member, twenty
shillings to a person who should be appointed to re-
ceive the money and purchase books for a library,
and also annually thereafter to pay five shillings " for
and towards the Purchasing of such books and the
necessary expenses of the Library as two-thirds of
the Company shall direct." The agreement further
sets forth :
" That whereas it is found by long Experience
that no Considerable number of People will at all
times keep in a Regular Decent Decorum without
Some Nece.ssary forms & Rules to walk and act by
And suitable Persons authorised to Put these rules in
Execution, therefore we, the subscribers hereunto. Do
agree that there be an Ellection held Yearly on the
first Day of May (except that happens on the first
Day of the week, in Such Case on the Day next fol-
lowing) to Elect by ticket a Secretary, treasurer, Li-
brarine, and four other Persons for assistants, and
also to admit Such Persons into the Company as
two-thirds of the members then being Shall Approve
off. And to Consider, Regulate, & Determine all such
matters and things as may be laid before the Com-
pany by any of the members thereof."
It was also provided that at all the meetings of the
Library Company the members "then Present shall
seat themselves in Sober, Decent, Regular manner,
Such as becomes Christians and Students, then the
Secretary shall call the members by their names Re-
spectively, as they Stand on the Records, to Deliver
in their votes, which shall be writt on a small Piece
of Paper Abided up, with the names of the Person
writt therein whom they would have for Secretary,
treasurer, Librarine, & assistants for the Ensuing
Year, which ticket they shall Deliver to one of they
assistants, who shall Put them into a box Provided
for that Purpose, and when the Company, or as many
of them as Pleases, shall Delivered in their Votes, the
Secretary and assistants shall Proceed to Draw the
Tickets in the following manner, that is to say, the
Secretary Shall Draw the tickets out of the box and
Read the names in them, and what they are for. And
the Assistants Enter the names of all those Persons
Voted in Distinct collums. And they who have most
Votes for Secretary, treasurer, Librarine, and assist-
ants for the Ensuing Year, and shall have llieir
names Entered then accordingly by the old Secretary
in a book, as aforesaid, Provided for that Purpose."
New members were elected by ballot, and books to be
purchased were named by the members, of which titles
a list was furnished to each, and any book proposed
could be objected to; after debate, the question of
524
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
purchase should be decided by vote, and if two-thirds
were favorable, the book was entered on a list of vol-
umes to be purchased. The librarian was required j
to be at the library every other Seventh day in the ;
afternoon, " in spring and summer quarter, from five
to seven o'clock, and in the fall and winter quarter I
from three to five o'Clock," to deliver and receive
books. If a book had been damaged beyond ordi-
nary wear the member who had taken it out was re-
quired to pay its value, and if a set, the cost of all !
the volumes. According to size, the books could be
retained from two to four weeks ; only one volume i
could be had by any member, and no one could lend j
or hire a book from the library. The agreement
provided thus for the maintenance of good order:
" If any of the Library Company Should behave themselves in Such
an Indecent unbecoming Disorderly manner, as to become Disagreeable
Disreputable and troublesome, In all Such Cases two thirds of the Li-
brary Company niette as affores* may by there order from under the hand [
of the Sectry Dir« the Treasurer for the lime being to Eepay such j
offender or offenders his or their Prime Cost of the Library Book &c.
(out of the Library Stock) after Deducting a Reasonable abatement for |
the ware and Delay of the S<1 Books and Incident Charges of the Library ]
t&o; then shall the offender or offenders be disowned by the Company ,
met as afores* and thereby Declare to have no Share, Eight Property or
Priviledge to the Library Books or anything thereunto belonging and
their Procedings thereon shall be Enter'd on Record accordingly."
The members of the Library Company who signed
the articles on May 10, 1743, were Joseph Bonsall,
John Davis, James Hunt, John Sketchly, George
Wood, Joshua Thomson, Samuel Bunting, Nathan
Gibson, Benjamin Lobb, Enoch Elliot, Thomas Pear-
son, William Home, Joseph Lees, Peter Elliot, Jona-
than Paschall, Abraham Johnson, Isaac Pearson, John
Hunt, Joseph Hunt, Abraham Marshall, John Pear-
son, Kichard Lloyd, David Gibson, Joseph Levis,
Benjamin Hayes, Thomas Pennell, Henry Lewis, |
Charles Crosby, John Levis. Joseph Bonsall was first |
secretary, Nathan Gibson treasurer, John Pearson
librarian, and William Home, Isaac Pearson, Thomas
Pearson, and Benjamin Lobb assistants. It was also
" Ordered that the Secretary, treasurer and Librarian
transmit y' several sums of money subscribed by this
Company to Europe as soon as conveniently may, and
purchase therewith such books as is heretofore voted
for, if the money be sufficient for y° use of the Library
Company." A meeting was held on May 14, 1743, at
the house of John Pearson, librarian, and on October
8th " the Treasurer acquainted them that he, with y°
advice and consent of the Secretary and Librarian
had purchased a bill of exchange of Eebicca Edgel,
drawn on Larance Williams, of London, merchant,
payable in thirty days after sight to Peter Collinson,
of London, gentleman," and "the Secretary acquaint
the Company that, in pursuance of the aforesaid
bill of Exchange and y° directions of this Company,
he had wrote a letter to y" s"* Peter Collinson, a copy
whereof he produced and read in the following words :"
" Daebt, y" 14th of 4"! Month, 1743.
"Friend Peter Collinson:
'•There is a sninll number of us in Darby, near Phil^d^ who have
formed ourselves into a company, in order to purchase a small set of
Books for our use; with well-grounded expectations of our number in-
creasing in a little time, and being advised by our fr"* and neighbour,
John Bartram, to apply to thee to purchase the s^ books, and in con-
fidence of thy good disposition and from ye character he gives of thee
to Encourage such a decision, have thought fit thereupon to send to and
desire thee to do such an office of kindness for us ; but as our number is
but small, 80 is the sum of money, amounting only to fourteen pounds,
as p' bill of exchange, drawn by Eebicca Edgel, on Larance Williams,
merchant, payable to thee in thirty days after sight thereof. We also
send herewith a catalogue of such books as our Company approved of,
requesting thee to be so good as to buy so many of them (taking them
in order as they stand on the list) as the money will extend to pay, re-
serving sufBcient to satisfy thee for thy trouble with the cost of Insu-
rance here. And when the books are purchased, please to ship them of
p' the flrat opportunity for Phil"''., in such a manner and with such
directions as appears to thee most convenient, either for John Bartram
or the subscriljer hereof. Be so good also as to get the books lettered
on y« back, if that can be done without much trouble or coat, or as many
of them as conveniently can be. We also desire thee to send the price
of each book purchased, that being necessary for us to know in purau-
ance of our agreement. Thy answering our requests will much oblige
us, who, with due respect are thy unfeigned friends. Signed in behalf
of said Company.
" By Joseph Bonsall, Secretary.'*
On the 5th of Ninth month (November), 1743, the
books came from Peter Collinson, and in a letter he
asked that in future Manley, bookseller on
Ludgate Hill, London, should be made correspondent
of the company, and that he (Collinson) would over-
look the books sent and the prices paid. The books
thus forwarded were " The Gentleman Instructed,
Puff'endorf's Law of Nature and Nations, the Spec-
tator (8 vols.), the Turkish Spy (8 vols,), Tournefort's
Voyage to the Levant (2 vols.), Whitson's Theory,
Addison's Travels, Barclay's Apology, Locke on Edu-
cation, Religion of Nature Delineated, Gordon's Ge-
ography, Grammar, Sherlock on Death, Whitson's
Astr° Principles, Mondrall's Travels, Dyche's Dic-
tionary, Tull's Husbandry, Blackmore on y° Creation,
Independent Whig (3 vols.). Wood's Institute on y=
Laws of England, Milton's Paradise Lost and Regained
(2 vols.), Puffendorf's History of Sweden, Rawlegh's
History of y' World (2 vols.). The Life of the Duke
of Marlborough (2 vols.)."
At the meeting on May 5, 1745, Joseph Lewis gave
the company " Sewell's History of the Rise, Increase,
and Progress of the People called Quakers," valued
at 15s. ; Nathan Gibson gave Samuel Fisher's work
called " The Rustick's Alarm to y' Rabbles," valued at
20s. ; Benjamin Cliff gave Plutarch's " Lives," valued
at 5s. ; Benjamin Hays gave " History of y° First Set-
tlement of Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania by y° English," valued at 4s. 6rf.
In 1746 the committee who were appointed to pur-
chase books reported that they could not get the
books in Pennsylvania, and state " that insurance is
so high, & danger of the sea is so great at this time,
that they Judge it might be to the advantage of the
Company not to send it [the money] until further
orders." On May 1, 1747, the company remitted
£19 lis. to England for additional books. It appears
that Williams & Boeketiff, the booksellers in London,
had not acted to the satisfaction of the company, for
the meeting ordered the secretary to draw for the
DARBY BOROUGH.
525
balance in the hands of the firm, and appointed other '
parties as purchasing agents until 1760, when David
Hall, bookseller, of Philadelphia, received and filled
orders for the companj'. During the Revolutionary j
war the meetings were regularly held, and May 1, ;
1781, the share held by John Morton, which by will |
he bequeathed to his son, John, was vested in the
latter's eldest brother, Sketchley Morton, Dr. John 8.
Morton having died. During all the years which had
elapsed since the foundation of the library no effort
was ever made to obtain a lot and erect a library
building until Jan. 5, 1795, when Richard Welling,
Hugh Lloyd, Matthias Holsten, Thomas Levis, and
Benjamin Brannon were appointed to ascertain and
report the site of a lot and probable cost of a suitable
building. On Jan. 2, 1797, the committee reported
that they could not obtain a lot " at a price that
would possibly do," hence the project was abandoned.
In 180-1 the house (Pearson's) where the library had
been kept was sold and it became necessary to re-
move the books, and Jacob Sewell, John Hunt, Hugh
Lloyd, Samuel Ash, and Charles Pearson were ap-
pointed to secure a place for the books, which was
done, the library being removed to Pearson's house
(still standing at the corner of New and High Streets).
The easy manners which prevailed at the meetings
in the early part of this century is shown by the
following extract from the rules adopted on Jan. 12,
1818:
" No member shall smoke in our meeting during
the business thereof, under a penalty of twenty-five
cents for every offence."
On Jan. 3, 1871, the library was again removed, to a
room over Philip Siplee's saddler-shop, his daughter,
Mary, being engaged as librarian, her services and
the apartment being obtained for seventy-five dollars
per year.
In 1872 an effort was made to purchase a lot and
erect a library building, subscriptions being solicited
to that end, and so successful was the movement that
on March 25, 1872, a lot was bought from David
Henry Flickner, one thousand dollars being paid for
the ground. The present ornate and commodious
building, admirably adapted for the purpose, was
erected by Charles Bonsall, at a cost of eight thousand
eight hundred and ninety-five dollars and fifty-four
cents. The building committee consisted of Isaac T.
Jones, Charles Lloyd, William D. H. Serrill, Jacob
Serrill, Paschall Lloyd, J. Charles Andrews, and
George Serrill, and the architect D. B. Price. In front
of this building a flag-pole over fifty feet in height was
planted early in the centennial year, and on March
29, 1876, a large American flag, the gift of citizens of
the borough, was raised, the ceremonies on that occa-
sion being of a highly interesting character. William
Ward delivered a spirited address, as did also Dr.
Stacey Jones. The old library, now approaching its
sesqui-centennial anniversary, is well located, and the
sphere of it« usefulness should be largely extended.
At this time (1884) its ofiicers areas follows: Presi-
dent, Isaac T. Jones ; Vice-President, Jacob S. Sew-
ell; Treasurer, Daniel S. White; Secretary, W. Lane
Verlenden ; Librarian, Mrs. A. E. Crozer.
The Darby Fire Company.— On the 27th of Jan-
uary, 1775, the Darby Fire Company was organized
by the adult active male residents of the village. In
the articles of association it is set forth that each sub-
scriber, " for the better preservation of our own and
neighbor's houses, goods, and effect from fire, would
at his own proper charge provide two leathern buck-
ets, to be marked with his own name and respective
company, and shall be kept ready at hand and applied
to no other use than for preserving our own and
neighbor's houses, goods, and effects." Any neglect
of this agreement subjected the member so offending
to a fine of five shillings, excepting in those cases
where buckets were lost at a fire. A suSicient sum
was contributed to purchase ladders, which were
kept in a convenient place, and were forbidden to be
used for any purpose than at a fire, or by any one not
a member of the company. The ladders or buckets
lost while in service were to be replaced out of the
company's fund. A fine of five shillings was imposed
on all members who failed to attend at a fire occur-
ring on the premises of one of the company, unless a
reasonable excuse could be shown. The annual
meeting was on third 2d day of Tenth month, at
three o'clock, and if any member neglected to be
present, such neglect was punishable by a fine of two
shillings. Every member was required to serve as
clerk for a year, beginning with the first subscriber to
the articles, and " so in rotation" till all had served.
That oflttcer was required to inspect buckets, notify
members of meetings, keep the minutes, collect all fines
and dues. If the clerk failed to give notice of meet-
ing to any member, he was liable to a fine of one
shilling for every member not notified, while a clerk
not properly performing his duty was liable to a fine
of five shillings. A treasurer was also annually
elected. A member refusing to pay his fines his
name should be erased from the roll, and he should
be excluded from all rights and forfeit all interest
in the ladders and other property of the company.
The articles, which were " printed by Zachariah Poul-
son. Junior, No. 106 Chestnut St., Philad., 1796,"
thirty years after the organization of the company,
concluded :
"XI. Lastly, That upou the death of any of our coDipany the survi-
vore shall, in time of danger as aforesaid, be aiding and assisting to the
widow of such decedent during her widowhood as if her husband had
been living, she only keeping the buckets in repair, and causing them
to be sent to every fire as aforesaid."
The first meeting was held April 10, 1775, at which
time the business meetings of the company were called
semi-annually until April 10, 1780, when the provision
for an annual meeting in the Tenth month in every
year was adopted. On Nov. 25, 1793, the feet of the
company's ladders were sliod with iron, and a move-
526
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ment was made looking to the purchase ot a fire-
engine, but in 1798 the subscriptions which had been
paid for that object were returned to the contributors.
In 1800 a hook-ladder was ordered to be purchased,
and in 1802 a ladder was directed to be placed at
Nathaniel Newlin's barn, another at Jonathan Bon-
sall's, and still anothei" at Henry Paschall's. Mem-
bers were also authorized to use any of the company's
ladders in putting up conductors (lightning-rods),
provided the ladders were returned within three days
after being taken away from the designated places
where they were ordered to be kept.
The following is a list of the members who served
as clerk from 1775 to 1851, when the order of rotation
in office seems to have been abandoned :■
1776, Henry Hays; 1776, Jesse BoDsall, Isaac Pearson; 1777, Juhn
PaschaU ; 1778, David Humphreys ; 1779, Isaac Lloyd, John Horn ; 1780,
Aaron Oakford, John Hunt ; 1781, John Humphreys, William Parker;
1782, Henry Paschall, Joseph Pearson, Jacob Webber, John Richards ;
1783, Jacob Eudolph ; 1784, Jacob Serrill ; 1785, Joseph Bonsiill ; 1786,
Benjamin Paschall; 1787, Samuel Bunting, Joshua Bonsall, John Mit-
chel; 1788, Jonathan Bonsall ; 1789, Philip Price; 1790, no record; 1791,
Benjamin liartrani ; 1792, Nathan Pearson ; 1793, Hugh Lloyd ; 1794,
Nathaniel Newlin ; 1795, Benjamin Oakford ; 1799, Isaac Oakford ; 1798,
Matthias Holstien ; 1799, Richard Lloyd ; 1800, William Gardiner ; 1801,
Jacob Gibbons; 1802, John Hunt; 1803, Levi Bonsall; 1804, Thomas
Leacock; 1805, Samuel Bunting; 1806, John Hatin ; 1807, Benjamin
Pearson ; 1808, Joseph Heacock ; 1809, John Rively ; 1810, Isaac Bar-
tram; 1811, William Humphreys; 1812, George Serrill ; 1813. Stephen
Horn ; 1814, William Supplee ; 1815, Benjamin Bartram, Jr. ; 1816, Hugh
Lloyd ; 1817, Halliday Jackson; 1818, George Serrill ; 1819, John Bunt-
ing; 1820, John H. Bunting; 1821, George Serrill; 1822, Isaac Sullen-
der ; 1823, William Bunting ; 1824, Aaron Clement ; 1825, Johu Bai-
tram ; 1826, Thomas Serrill ; 1827, Thomas Smith ; 1828, Joseph Dogson ;
1829, John H. Andrews; 1830, James Bunting; 1831, John Brooks;
1832, William P. Pusey ; 1833, Jonas Morton ; 1834, Capt. James Serrill ;
1835, Abrani G. Hunt; 1836, Jonah D. Bousall; 1837, Hill Pennell; 1838,
Benjamin Serrill; 1839, John Smith, Jr.; 1840, Dr. Samuel Thomas;
1841, Samuel Roe; 1842, John Jackson; 1843, Hugh P. Lloyd (he also
acted for 1844 insteadof Joseph H. Bonsall, "whose term it was") ; 1845,
David T. Morion ; 1846, James Andrews ; 1847, William P. Serrill, who
remained clerk until 1851, after which date the secretaries were ap-
pointed for the meetings and committees to notify members and inspect
the buckets and property of company.
There were several of the early members who ap-
pear never to have acted as clerks. The dates of the
admission of such were as follows : 1783, Joshua
Humphreys, Samuel Smith, Jesse Sharpless; 1791,
Samuel Ash ; 1792, Thomas Lloyd ; 1794, Matthew
Jones; 1795, Isaac Serrill; 1796, Samuel Oliver;
1800, James Andrews, Jonathan Tyson, John Tha-
bourne; 1809, Solomon Humphreys; 1811, Edward
Garrigues; 1814, Thomas Steel, M. C. Shallcross;
1815, Thomas Thompson, Andrew Cox; 1816, Rich-
ard Gardner ; 1818, Joseph M. Morgan ; 1822, Joshua
Ward.
At subsequent dates the following residents of
Darby and neighborhood became members of the
company: Abraham G. Hunt, Josiah D. Bonsall,
Joel Bonsall, William Pennell, Samuel E. Lamplugh,
Jobn Smith, Jr., John H. Brown, Samuel Thomas,
Samuel Roe, John Jackson, Hugh P. Lloyd, Joseph
H. Bonsall, Daniel T. Morton, Maris W. Lewis,
James Andrews, William P. Serrill, Jonathan Ha-
dock, Thomas L. Bartram, Henry Garrigues, Caleb
Ash, Isaac L. Bartram, Turner Risdon, Hugh Lloyd,
Paschall Lloyd, John Tribit, William H. Bunting,
George Serrill, William Lincoln, Stephen H. Brooks,
William G. Davis, Harry Paschall, Charles Lloyd, Jr.,
Benjamin W. Oakford, Dell Pennell, John L. Pass-
more, Richard Blundin, John B. Bartram, Joseph M.
Bunting, Charles Tribit, Richard K. Smith, Edward
Taylor, Evans E. Russell.
At a meeting held at the house of Samuel Ash, Oct.
13, 1817, Hugh Lloyd was elected permanent presi-
dent, and Benjamin Pearson permanent secretary.
In 1821 the company had a " ladder-house near the
(Blue) Bell Inn," which house was that year removed
to another location. In 1822 the ladder-house at
Darby " wants a new roof," and the ladder " at Na-
thaniel Newlin's barn is geting twisted & crooked for
want of proper hangings" (it was reported in 1825 as
"so broken as to render it useless"), and Benjamin
Pearson " requested the company to remove the ladder
House now on his ground." At the annual meeting
in 1823, Thomas Smith, James Bunting, George Ser-
rill, John Hunt, and John H. Bunting were ap-
pointed a committee "to ascertain what kind of an
engine would best suit the company and what would
be the cost of it and also what amount can be sub-
scribed." At the next annual meeting the committee
reported that an engine " could not be procured for
less than $250," whereupon the company decided that
it was "inexpedient to adopt any further measures at
this time relative to it." At the meeting of Oct. 9,
1826, it was decided " that the company shall sup to-
gether this evening," which is the first appearance
of the modern banquet in the company's minutes,
although then a half-century had elapsed since its
organization.
On June 20, 1833, a special meeting of the company
was held at the public-house of S. R. Lamplough,
when the following preamble and resolutions were
adopted :
" The Company by the voluntary contributions of
by the liberal subscriptions of many of those who do not belong to it,
have procured an engine at a cost of two hundred and twenty-five dol-
lars, which is placed under the care and control of the said Fire Com-
pany, Therefore,
" Resolved^ That the grateful acknowledgments of the Company are
hereby tendered to those persons who have aided them in procuring it.
'* Resolved, that the offer of the use of a house for the engine made by
Samuel Ash, an honorary member of the Company, be accepted, and the
thanks of the company are hereby tendered to him for the same.*'
Capt. James Serrill, James Bunting, and Joseph
Dogson were appointed a committee "to procure one
hundred feet of hose to be attached to the engine."
At a meeting in the following October the ladder-
house in Darby was removed to the lot adjoining the
printing-house. Y. S. Walter had in the preceding
August begun the publication of the Delaicare County
Republican in the village of Darby, and we learn that
the clerk had " procured a number of printed blanks
for notifying the members of the time of meeting."
The committee appointed to purchase hose reported
DAKBY BOROUGH.
527
that sixty feet of leather hose had been procured, for
which $40.45 had been paid, and that twenty-five feet
of gum-elastic hose had been ordered, but was not
finished ready for delivery. A reel-carriage for the
hose had also been purchased. At the October meet-
ing in 1834, the committee on hose reported the gum-
elastic hose could not be had, and they had purchased
leather hose in its stead. At the same meeting Capt.
James Serrill, Isaac Bartram, and Abram G. Hunter
were appointed a committee to procure " a situation
and to erect thereon a suitable House for the safe
keeping of the Engine and Hose." At the following
annual meeting this committee reported that they had
not " performed the duty assigned them," and they
were continued a committee " for the purpose and are
directed to use more diligence than heretofore." But
the following years the report was not of a more sat-
isfactory character. On Jan. 23, 1837, the committee
reported that they had procured "a situation and
erected a house sufficient for the engine and hose
and that they were removed to it, the cost of which
amounted to one hundred and six dollars." At the
following annual meeting, Capt. James Serrill was
appointed to have the words " Darby Fire Engine"
painted on the front of the engine-house. In 1840
the roof of the ladder-house was so much out of repair
that a committee was appointed to have it repaired.
At the meeting on Nov. 27, 1851, a committee was
appointed to "ascertain whether the owners of the en-
gine in Paschallville will place it under the direction
of the company." With what success does not appear
in writing, the minutes of the meeting not being tran-
scribed in the record book after that date. The com-
panies were, however, consolidated and took the name
" Darby and Paschallville Fire Company."
The company preserved its organization until 1871,
when the borough authorities decided to institute a
paid department, and on Nov. 6, 1871, Council elected
Enos Verlenden chief engineer. On Jan. 1, 1872, a
room was rented at the mills of the Verlenden Broth-
ers for three years, in which to house the engine,
and the "old machine," after a half-century of ser-
vice, in good repair, is ready, at any moment, for use
when required.
Licensed Houses.— Darby, one of the earliest set-
tlements alter Penn acquired title to the province of
Pennsylvania, grew more rapidly in population than
any locality within the limits of the present county
of Delaware, and must necessarily have been largely
supplied with houses of public entertainment to ac-
commodate the constant stream of emigration flowing
thitherward. The first notice that had been found
regarding taverns there is the extract from the pro-
ceedings of Darby town-meeting, held in 1715, quoted
by Dr. Smith, which sets forth :
" That travellers having nothing to defray their
charges at the public Inn, shall be allowed ten pence
a night (if they are first allowed by the overseers of
the poor)."
Who it was that then held the license has not been
learned, but it is presumed it must have been John
Tests, for Aug. 28, 1717, he was granted " renewal of
license to keep a public house in Darby," and in
1719, Margaret Tests, in all likelihood his widow, was
also favored with like consideration by the court.
Although long previous to that date Wood kept a
tavern in Darby, as appears from the evidence in a
trial for an assault a few years after the first arrival
of Penn in the province.
On Sixth month 30, 1720, Edward Smout made ap-
plication to be permitted " to sell all sorts of Liquors,
and to keep a house of entertainment" in the dwell-
ing he then occupied. The petition being favorably
acted on, Smout remained there until 1724, when
he having removed to Chichester, Thomas Pattison
seems to have succeeded to the business, and con-
tinued it until 1734, when his petition is indorsed
"cannot be allowed." Among the old records at West
Chester, as of August court, 1734, is a letter from Catha-
rine Pattison, addressed to Joseph Parker, the clerk of
court, asking him to intercede for her in her application
for license for the house. " My husband," she says,
" has been gone from me near a week, nor have I any-
body to take Care of my business, nor do I expect he
will Come again." Her application, however, was re-
jected, and Nov. 26, 1784, Richard Parker petitioned
for license in Darby, alleging that "one publick
house being not sufficient," a view of the case which
seemed to impress the judicial mind so strongly that
they adopted Parker's conclusion as the correct one.
The " one publick house" mentioned in Parker's
application was that kept by Thomas Pulford, who
had presented his petition Aug. 30, -1721, in which
he requested the court to confer upon him the right to
" Sell all sorts of Liquors" in Darby, which leave was
granted, and annually extended to him up to and in-
cluding the year 1734. However, one year after li-
cense was first granted to Pulford, in 1722, Abel Pear-
son was also allowed the like privilege, and on the
bond given that year by Pulford, Abel Pearson ap-
pears as the surety, while on that given by Pearson,
Thomas Pulford is the bondsman. Pearson had
enough of tavern-keeping in one year, for in the
latter part of 1738, Pattison was licensed, and the
same pleasant agreement of two of a trade is noticed
again, inasmuch as Pulford and Pattison became
security one for the other.
The Ship.— In 1735, Benjamin Davis petitioned
for and was allowed to keep a public-house in Darby,
which place in all probabilities was then known as it
was in 1770, and for thirty odd years in the present
century, as the " Ship."
In the same year in which Davis found favor with
the court (1735) John Lee, or Lea, petitioned for li-
cense at the house where Thomas Pulford lived in the
village. Joseph Needand twenty other residents in the
neighborhood, in anticipation of this request, on the
last Tuesday in May presented a remonstrance, which
528
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
set forth that John Lee, late of Philadelphia Cit}', was
a tailor by trade, and as there were two public-houses
then in the town, — Davis' license had been granted
early in that year, — there was no necessity for a third
tavern. The judges looked favorably upon this " rep-
resentation," and when Lee's application came before
the August court it was refused.
Davis did not continue long as a publican, for Aug.
30, 1737, William Thomas petitioned for the court's
favor, and stated in his application that he had " pur-
chased the dwelling-house in Darby where Benjamin
Davis lately dwelt, which has been a publick house
several years," and license was continued to him until
Aug. 28, 1744, when William Donaldson, having
leased the premises, succeeded Thomas as landlord of
the inn, and remained as such until 1758, when Mar-
garet Donaldson succeeded him in the business, to be
herself followed in turn, in 1760, by John Wilkinson.
The latter continued there until 1770, when John
Mitchell received the license, and in his petition that
year, for the first time, occurs the noted name of the
old hostelry, as before mentioned. In 1774, Mitchell
was succeeded in business by John Richards, and
when the latter died in 1779 his widow, Ann, took
out the license. Agnes Bryce seems to have had con-
trol of the inn in 1782, and John Bryce the year fol-
lowing. In 1786, Samuel Smith was granted license
for that year, and annually thereafter until 1795, when
he died, and his widow, Elizabeth, continued there
until 1803, at which date her daughter, Tacy, suc-
ceeded to the business. The year following (1804)
Tacy Smith associated Sidney Smith, her sister, in the
enterprise, and to them the license was annually
granted until 1833. During the war of 1812 the old
weather-beaten sign of the Ship, still displaying the
British flag at the peak, creaked in the wind, and
as patriotic spirit ran high, a number of boys in the
village determined that the flag of the enemy must
come down, and arming themselves with stones, they
battered the ancient sign to pieces. The proprietors
of the inn very quietly substituted in its place a new
sign representing an American frigate in lull sail
bearing an American ensign. The residents of Darby
fifty years ago used to say of these maiden ladies of
uncertain age, " May the Lord help the man that
wanders in there if he cannot give his family pedi-
gree from Noah down, together with his own age,
whence he came, whither he was going, and whether
he was married or single." In 1838, Hannah Rice
succeeded the Misses Smith as landlady of the
Ship, and continued so until 1835, when the Smiths
again procured license until 1838, when John Smith
removed from the Market Wagon (which latter place
in that year ceased to be a public-house) and be-
came the landlord of the Ship. The ancient hostelry
was to bear that name no more, for it was licensed
as the " Darby Village Inn," and continued to be
known as such for many years subsequently. In
1840, Norris Hannum became the landlord, and the
line of stages which John Smith, when he re-
linquished tavern-keeping, sold to Edward Ingram,
continued to make the Village Inn their point of
arrival and departure. Here Hannum continued until
his death, his widow, Sarah B. Hannum, receiving
license for the first time in 1847, the year when grant-
ing license to vend spirituous liquors by a popular
vote under the provisions of the act of Assembly
(afterwards declared unconstitutional) had been inter-
dicted in all the townships of Delaware County ex-
cepting Concord, Thornbury, Edgmont, Middletown,
and Darby. In 1848, Mrs. Hannum received license,
and in her petition set forth the name of the house as
the " Farmers' and Mechanics' Hotel," a title that
seemed to please her fancy and which she could use
with all propriety, since the original dwelling bearing
that name had ceased to be a public-house. In 1852,
William Russell, Jr., had the old inn, and he dubbed
it anew as the " Plank-Road House." Here he con-
tinued until 1856, when he was succeeded by Franklin
Thornton, after which date the old inn had several
landlords, and was finally torn down, and a new build-
ing erected, which is now kept by John Standerling
as "The Philadelphia Hotel."
On Aug. 31, 1736, John Hallowell strove to obtain
license by showing that " he had rented a house of
Joseph Hibberd, in Darby, by the King's Road, and
he and his wife being stricken in years," were per-
sons well fitted to receive the court bounty, but the
justices refused their approval of his petition.
In 1756, Barbara McCullough was granted license
to keep a tavern in Darby township, and in 1758 was
followed by John Wayton, while he in turn gave
place to John Trapnall, in 1765, after which occurs a
break of seven years, until 1773, when Henry Schrieber
was a recipient of the court's favor, presumably at the
same place, after which it disappears of record.
Sixth month 28, 1744, John Pearson presented his
petition asking that he be allowed to keep a house of
entertainment in Darby, " where Thomas Bulford
kept tavern," and was allowed. The following year
John Rudolph, who had rented the premises, suc-
ceeded John Pearson as landlord, and continued there
until 1747, when John Pearson again presented his
petition, and stated therein that John Rudolph was
about to remove from the house he had formerly kept
and desired license for the same, which was granted
him.
The Blue Anchor Tavern.— The same year (1747)
John Rudolph was allowed license, but it is very
probable it was not in the same place where he had
formerly kept, for both he and Pearson were con-
tinued annually to be licensed by the court until
1754, when Pearson's name for the last time appears
of record. Where Rudolph's tavern was at that time
I have failed to learn so as to state its locality beyond
doubt, but in 1763, William Pinville seems to have
followed him in business, to be succeeded in the year
1765 by John Rudolph, and the latter in 1770 by
DARBY BOROUGH.
529
Daniel Bessonett, who states in his petition that the
license is desired for the house " where John Rudolph
kept on west side of Darby Creek, in town of Darby."
This statement would indicate that Rudolph had been
landlord of the once noted Blue Anchor Tavern, which
stood on the west side of the creek near the bridge.
At all events, in 1772, when Jacob Rudolph made ap-
plication for the court's indulgence at the old stand,
he states it is " where his father was." In 1775, Mary,
the widow of John Rudolph, became the landlady,
and the following year she was succeeded by William
Smith, and the latter, in 1783, by Isaac Thompson,
when the inn, then known as the " Bee Hive," passed
out of our annals as a public-house, although it is
again mentioned in 1806, when Archibald Gardener
asked the privilege to renew the license there, stating
that he " hath rented the House formerly occupied
for a long time by the Rudolphs as a public-house ; . . .
that being advanced in years and having a numerous
small family to support. Prays your Honors to grant
him a permit to sell Beer and sider." The court after
due consideration concluded to refuse the prayer of
the petitioner. On Friday afternoon, March 20, 1857,
the old large stone building, formerly the Blue
Anchor, which was then occupied as a dwelling by
ten or twelve colored families, was destroyed by fire.
The Market Wagon.— In 1822, Joseph Warner,
of Darby, stated to the court that he then occupied a
house and lot on the main street, where Capt. James
Serrill lately dwelt, which house he declared was
necessary for the accommodation of travelers and
" market people using the road in particular." His j
petition was indorsed by seventy-three signatures. A
remonstrance was filed, signed by thirty persons,
whose objections to the house were that immediately
in the neighborhood were two public-houses which
furnished all the accommodation desired; that they
also feared that if a greater number of public-houses
should be located in the village, "some of them will
have to resort to a neighboring custom for support,"
hence they resisted the licensing of new taverns,
" which are useless and may be injurious." The
court, however, granted Warner's petition, and con-
tinued so to do until 1825, when he having died his
widow, Hannah, who named the house the " Market
Wagon," continued the landlady until 1833. She was
popularly known as " Aunt Hannah." Like Madame
Defarge, she was constantly employed in knitting,
and was never seen in public without her needles, i
which furnished occupation to her fingers as she lis- j
tened to or related the trifling happenings of the cir-
cumscribed world in which she lived. In February, \
1833, she was succeeded in business by John Smith, '
who had formerly kept the Blockleyville inn in Phil-
adelphia. In March, 1837, John Smith, who had
learned by this time the value of a line of daily
stages to a tavern which was the point of arrival and
departure, purchased Tomlinson's business and made
the headquarters of the line at this inn. I
34
Farmers' and Mechanics' Inn.— In 1831, John
Brown, of Darby, presented his petition, in which he
set forth that for several years previous to his appli-
cation he had kept a house of public entertainment
in the village purposely for the accommodation of
people going to and coming from market ; that he was
" provided with stabling, hay, oats, etc., a large shed
for those who carry their own feed to feed their horses
in, supplying his guests with beer, cyder and vitwals
when they require it ; that he has two spare beds for
lodging, and keeping a warm bar-room (in cold
weather), where the greater part get all the lodging
they require." He concludes by asking that " he be
permitted to add the further accommodation to
travelers of selling them spiritous liquors, wines,
etc." The court granted the license desired, and
" Uncle John," who rarely ever spoke, but bowed or
smiled on almost every occasion, and whose nod, like
that of Lord Burleigh, had a monstrous deal of mean-
ing in it, when he first received license, his head is
said for several days to have moved with the regular
nodding motion of a plaster mandarin, and his face
was one continual rippling series of smiles. His house
he called the " Farmers' and Mechanics' Inn." He
died in 1835 ; certainly in that year his widow, Re-
becca Brown, was granted the license, which was
continued to her until 1839, when the house ceased
to be a licensed tavern. The old building still stands
just below the Imperial Mills, at the foot of the steep
hill which formerly was the east end of the village.
The Buttonwood.— Aug. 28, 1739, George Wood,
of Darby, applied for license, and in his petition stated
that he had " laboured for some years under almost
continued Indisposition of Body, and thereby ren-
dered incapable of taking the necessary care of his
plantation, and having a large family to maintain,"
asked leave of the court to keep tavern in the house
belonging to Benjamin Lobb, which application met
with the favorable opinion of the justices. In 1750,
Wood having died, his widow, Hannah, applied for
and received the license, and for twelve years carried
on the business, being succeeded in 1769 by Henry
Hayes. In 1773, Sarah Pearson kept the house, and
1776 Isaac Serrill, who appears to have been the owner
of the premises, received license for the ancient inn,
and for the first time the name " Mariner's Compass"
appears, indicating that the story of the old Button-
wood is now being narrated. There being no record
for 1777, I cannot state who was the landlord of the
inn during the fall of that year, when the retreating
American army, fresh from the defeat at Brandy wine,
fled through the village, but in 1778 Henry Hays be-
came " mine host" of the Mariner's Compass, and
continued as such until 1786, when Isaac Serrill once
more became its landlord. It was during his time
that Gen. Washington was entertained at dinner
there, and it is related that when he attempted to
enter the house " he found the doorway so low or
himself so tall that he was forced to stoop." It was
530
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
on this occasion, so tradition says, that Washington
was presented with a superb white charger as a testi-
monial of the high regard in which he was held by a
number of his admirers residing in Darby and its
vicinity. I can find no record of this presentation
to Washington and doubt it, although I have seen it
so stated in newspaper articles on several occasions.
In 1790, after the formation of Delaware County,
Samuel Ash had license at the old inn, and continued
there until 1820, when, having become a very aged
man, he was succeeded as landlord by Stephen Howe.
The latter changed the title of the tavern to that of
" The Drove," by which name it was known until
1833, when Samuel R. Lamplugh became the man-
ager of the inn, and again the old sign in a measure
was restored so far as the name " Compass" was con-
cerned, the word " Mariner's" being omitted. In the
year when Lamplugh obtained license L. Kittenger
ran a line of stages between Darby and Philadelphia,
which left the Cross-Keys on Fourth Street in the
latter city daily at 9 o'clock a.m. and 5 p.m., while
the schedule time of departure from Lamplugh's
tavern was 7* a.m. and 5 p.m. In December of the j
same year, J. Tonilinson having purchased the line
from Kittenger, placed on the route a large omnibus,
the " William Penn," which, when it first rumbled into
Darby drawn by four black horses, awakened the then
quiet village to an unusual degree of excitement. In
1836 William Russell had license for the house, and
the ancient and noted inn took again its time-honored
title in full. In 1837, after Tomlinson sold his stage
route to John Smith, Cameron & Keogh started an
opposition line of omnibuses between Philadelphia
and Darby, making their headquarters at Russell's
house. The rivalry between the two inns and stage
lines continued, and the enterprise apparently not
proving remunerative to Cameron & Keogh, the latter
disposed of their business to Evan S. Russell, a son
of the tavern-keeper, who continued the stages as the
" Express Line of Omnibuses," while to add to the
attraction at his bouse, William Russell ran in addi-
tion " a safe and easy carriage and two horses from
his house in Darby." In 1844 William Russell was
succeeded by William Russell, Jr., and be, in turn, in ;
1849 by Evan E. Russell, a brother of the preceding !
host. Although I do not find previous to this time
the inn styled the Buttonwood from the records, I
distinctly remember that about 1846 it was popularly
known by that name. The old tree from which the
inn was called, which stood before the door and had
become so decayed on one side that the cavity was
built in and supported by brick-work, is among my
earliest recollections of Darby. It is related that
Thomas Leiper, who used to stop his horses at the
inn, always had bis carriage to stand some distance
oft", declaring the old buttonwood would fall some
day and he did not propose to be under it when it fell.
In 1855 James H. Malin became landlord of the inn, ]
which he dubbed anew as the " Girard Hotel." The I
sign hung on a frame on Main Street, and it was
not until 1866, in Malin's petition for that year, that
the house was called " The Buttonwood Hotel." In
1871 Malin was succeeded by James H. Lloyd. In
1879 the old tavern was taken down and the present
hotel erected on its site. The Buttonwood is now kept
by Thomas H. Boyd.
In 1880 the stone house which had formerly stood
near the old Steel mill, and was moved bodily several
hundred feet to the main street, was licensed as the
Arlington House, but after a brief period the court
refused to continue the privilege there.
The noted Blue Bell Inn, which is located just
over the county-line, on the east bank of Crum
Creek, during the Revolution was kept by the Pas-
chall family. Townsend Ward relates that on one oc-
casion "Gen. Washington stopped there, and chanced
to hear the girls in the kitchen (there were three of
them)' chatting about him, one of them saying she
would like to kiss him. He opened the door and in-
quired which of them it was who was so willing, but
none would speak, for they greatly feared the majestic
man. 'Then I will kiss all of j'ou,' he said, and
descending, as Jove did, he kissed them all, but it was
in that proper manner so becoming in the days of our
grandfathers. Until 1855 the venerable dame, who
long survived her sisters, was wont to relate the inci-
dent with no little pride."'
A Few Old Houses and their Owners.— About
a half-mile below Darby, on the Southern post-road,
the residence of the late Judge Andrews, was the farm
of Nathaniel Newlin. He was a man of great prom-
inence in the county, and, notwithstanding his dec-
laration during the Revolution that " he found King
George's government good enough for him," he was
elected a member of the Constitutional Convention of
1790 ; in 1791-92 was a member of the Assembly ;
in 1794-99, State senator from Delaware County,
and was several times offered the nomination for Con-
gress by the dominant party, but declined it. His
residence subsequently became the property of Judge
Andrews. On March 2, 1849, James Andrews and
two Philadelphia police-officers made the arrest of a
gang of thieves. His barn had been robbed of a
number of articles, and suspicion rested on a colored
family named Brown, living near Calcoon Hook.
Armed with a search-warrant, Mr. Andrews and the
officers searched the dwelling of Brown, and three
hundred hams, three shoulders, and thirty-five chick-
ens were found, besides watches, fine table-linen,
clothing, harness, and many other articles. The col-
ored man attempted to stab Andrews, but was pre-
vented. Eight persons were arrested, committed to
jail, and subsequently tried. On Friday, June 14,
1850, in the orchard of this estate, an unknown man
was found suspended by the neck, where he had hung
himself several hours before being discovered. The
1 " A Walk to Darby," Pemia. Mag. of Hist., Tol. iii. p. 264.
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
531
residence has always been one of the most attractive
of the houses of colonial days still remaining, on the
old Queen's Highway to Chester.
Just on the margin of the Kakarikonk, or Cobb's
Creek, in Delaware County, and on the east of the
Darby road, " is the picturesque mansion-house of
the Smiths, of Tinicum, bought by them of the
Lloyds in 1816. An ancient house, a part of it dating
from 1725, embowered among aged trees, no destroy-
ing hand has as yet touched the antique double-door,
now so rarely seeu, and which in this place yet retains
what perhaps can nowhere else be seen, — veritable
" bull's-eyes." These are round pieces of glass, very
thick in the middle, and inserted, two of them, in the
upper part of the door to afford some little light to
the hall. The northern door, the eastern door, and
an inside one opening into the dining-room, each con-
tain two of these now almost unknown adornments.
A wooden lock, yet in good and serviceable condition,
is in use on one of the doors of the house.'
Societies. — Orphan's Rest Lodge, No. 132, I. O. of
O. F., was instituted Oct. 20, 1845, the following
persons being named in the charter as officers :
Charles Roe, N. G. ; James McNulty, V. G. ; John
E. Levis, Sec. ; David Roe, Treas. The lodge was
constituted at the Buttonwood Hotel, then kept by
William Russell, Jr., and meetings were held there
until 1852, when the lodge was moved to the frame
building on the east side of the street, now owned by
Joseph Powell. In 1867 it was again removed to a
room specially prearranged for its accommodation, in
the third story of the brick building now owned by
John Davis, where the lodge is now located. There
are ninety-four members at the present time, and
George Wiley is N. G. ; Joseph Hallis, V. G. ; G. W.
Guest, Sec. ; and Caleb B. Bonsall, Treas. The fol-
lowing persons are the Past Grands of Orphan's Rest
Lodge in good standing : Moses Bonsall, Caleb Bon-
sall, Henry Bonsall, Charles T. Brooks, Humphry
Brooks, John Biddle, Edward Bolduc, James E.
Coombs, John L. Davis, Emanuel Ewing, Thomas
Foulds, Charles Farrell, James A. Hill, Henry
Hews, Theodore Knight, Thomas S. Keithler, John
M. Lamplough, .John Lincoln, William P. Mancil,
James H. Malin, William McConnell, Charles Sladen,
Samuel Wiley, James F. Wilby, Nimrod Dibler,
James H. Bonsall, William Ewing, George G. Patchel.
General Taylor Encampment, No. 54, 1. O. of O. F.,
was named in honor of Gen. Zachary Taylor, sub-
sequently President of the United States, and was
chartered Jan. 29, 1847, with the following officers :
William Russell, Jr., C. P. ; David Cooper, S. W. ;
Joseph Grover, J. W. ; Charles T. Roe, H. P. ; B.
Clarkson Davis, Sec. ; Thornton Russell, G. ; Charles
A. Litzenberg, Treas.
The following incidents are worthy of preservation
in a history of Delaware County:
1 " A Walk to Darby," by Townsend Ward, Penna. Mag. of Bia., vol.
Capt. James Serrill, of Darby, in 1821, at that time
j captain of the sailing-ship " Tuscarora," made a voy-
age to Liverpool in seventeen days, which was then
the fastest trip ever made by a sailing vessel between
the United States and Europe, and for many years
; was not equaled. In 1839, James Bunting, of Darby,
had erected a frame cocoonery, which was ninety-two
by thirty-five feet, and was considered as an unusually
j large building to be devoted to the rearing of silk-
I worms. On Aug. 6, 1840, Joseph Ingraham, an aged
I man residing at Darby, fell backwards into a well
near the door of his residence, striking and dislocating
his neck, occasioning instant death. On April 30,
1873, a six-year-old girl, named Jones, an adopted
daughter of Mrs. Rively, of Darby, died of hydropho-
bia. Six weeks prior to her death she had been bitten
by a dog. The child exhibited no symptoms of rabies
until the day before her death, when she frothed at the
mouth, was attacked by spasms at the sight of water,
and showed other evidences of canine madness.
In April, 1875, Mrs. Eliza Ford died in Philadel-
phia. She had formerly been a resident of Darby,
and it is related on Thanksgiving day, in 1858, while
pouring tea for guests, her arms suddenly fell to her
side, her limbs became motionless, and never again
regained their power. She was carried to bed, where
she remained until her death. Even when removed
to Philadelphia, she was taken there on the bed. Al-
though perfectly helpless, she accumulated flesh rap-
idly. Her arms and legs grew to double the size of
those of persons in ordinary health. Her weight was
five hundred pounds, and after death four strong men
with difficulty lifted the body from the bed. Her coffin
measured thirty-six inches acro.ss, and so great was its
weight after the corpse was placed in it that it was
laid upon the floor and rolled on rollers to the front
door, after the funeral services in the house were
over.
CHAPTER XLIL
I DPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
j As Stated in the historical account of Darby town-
ship, the official division between Upper and Lower
Darby was not made until after the Revolutionary
I war, although, practically, such separate municipal
[ districts were recognized by the people of Darby, in-
cluding all the territory now embraced in both the
townships, many years prior to the war of Independ-
ence. Upper Darby having the Kakarikonk, Mill, or
j Cobb's Creek as its eastern boundary, and the Muck-
' ruton or Darby Creek traversing the southwestern
end of the township to Tuscarora Mills at the Gar-
rettford road, and thence that stream constitutes its
I western boundary, gave to the district in colonial
j times much prominence, because of the many mill-
seats and water-powers located within the territory.
532
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Settled as it was by members of the society of Friends,
its early history lacks much iu those sterling incidents
which other localities, even in Delaware County,
present; but the rural population in Upper Darby, by
thrifty and careful husbandry, soon made that section
of the county very productive and its inhabitants
comparatively wealthy. At the southwestern limit
of the township was a tract of one hundred and fifty
acres, to which the name "Primos" was given on July
12, 1683, and was surveyed to John Blunston, which
subsequently, June 6, 1688, became the property of
Thomas Hood, who emigrated from Breason, County
Derby, England. In 1692 fifty acres of this plan-
tation was conveyed to John Hood, doubtless the
son of John Hood, Sr., who settled in Darby in
1683, immediately .above the Blunston tract. On
July 12, 1683, one hundred and fifty acres of land was
surveyed to Joseph Potter, on which estate the present
railroad station, at Oak Lane, is located. The prop-
erty subsequently was conveyed to John H.allowell,
who emigrated from Nottinghamshire, England, in
1683, and who had settled, it is believed, on this land,
which, as his means permitted, he purchased in fifty-
acre lots at various dates. To Thomas Whitbie, on
July 12, 1683, the estate known as " Lebion" was sur-
veyed. He appears never to have resided thereon,
but on July 22, 1687, it was conveyed to John Eoads,
and on this tract Clifton Station is now located. To
the northward of "Lebion" was a tract of one hun-
dred and fifty acres, which, on July 12, 1683, was
surveyed to Edward Cartledge. This tract extended
from the western line of the township to Darby Creek
on the east. He emigrated from Derbyshire, England,
in 1683, and before he came he had purchased lands
from William Penn. He was a man far advanced in
life when he came to the province, for he was eighty-
four years old, in 1703, when he died. Immediately
above the Cartledge land, on a tract through which
at the present time runs the Delaware County turn-
pike from Darby Creek, at Kellyville, westward almost
to the township line, was a plantation of two hun-
dred acres, which Joseph Need purchased in equal
parts of one hundred acres from Thomas Brassey and
Samuel Levis. There Need, who was a quiet hus-
bandman, lived nearly half a century, dying in 1741.
Above the Need tract all the remaining land lying
between Darby Creek on the east and the Springfield
line on the west, and extending north to the point
where the township line unites with Darby Creek, on
March 22, 1681, and comprising two hundred acres,
was conveyed to Isaac Wheeldon, and he in turn sold
it to Samuel Levis, March 13, 1695. Levis seems not
to have personally settled on this tract, but part of
this land is now owned by Oborn Levis, a descendant
of the early settler.
At the southeiri part of Upper Darby, east of the
creek of that name, was a tract of one hundred and
fifty .acres, extending to Cobb's Creek, which was sur-
veyed to John Blunston Sept. 10, 1682. The village of
Fernwood is located on the one hundred acres which
was purchased by Joseph Fearn, May 28, 1712. Above
this tract, at a point a trifle west of Lansdowne Sta-
tion, a line drawn to the New Jerusalem Church, and
thence due west to the old Marker Paper-Mllls, on
Darby Creek, and then following the creek to the
bend above the Lower Darby line, and thence due east
to the post a short distance west of Lansdowne Sta-
tion, was a large tract containing six hundred and fifty-
five acres, surveyed to George Wood Nov. 6, 1682.
This tract subsequently was divided among his de-
scendants, and two hundred acres of the lower part
were conveyed to Richard Bonsall March 1, 1697/8.
On the land acquired by Bonsall, Kellyville is located.
Richard Bonsall is the progenitor of the familj' of
that name in Pennsylvania. To the east of the Wood
tract four hundred and fifty acres were surveyed to
William Smith Oct. 31, 1682. Ten years later this
estate was sold to Anthony Morgan, who emigrated
from Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales, in 1689, first
settling on the west side of Cobb's Creek, above the
present Blue Bell Inn, but in 1700 he removed to his
plantation in Upper Darby, where he died in 1732, a
very aged man. Morgan, shortly after he purchased
the property, sold one hundred and fifty acres to John
Marshall, lying along the creek at the upper end of
the tract, Naylor's Run separating the latter planta-
tion almost in halves, and as the highway, known as
Marshall's road, ran almost through the entire length
of his Land, from that fact it took the name it now
bears. This John Marshall and Sarah Smith were the
first persons married in the old log meeting-house of
Friends, at Darby, in 1688, mentioned in the account
of that building. Prior to the purchase of this land
Marshall had acquired title to sixty-four acres lying
north of the Smith tract, while just above Samuel
Sellers had patented one hundred acres, and the fol-
lowing year (1691) purchased seventy-five and one-
half acres of Charles Lee, who had, in 1685, received
a patent for one hundred and eighty acres extending
along Cobb's Creek. Sellers must have occupied this
tract several years prior to his purchase, for in 1684
he wedded Ann Gibbons, at Darby Meeting, before the
meeting-house was built, and the bride rode to her
home in Upper Darby on a pillion behind her hus-
band. During the first year of their residence on this
land they lived in a cave, the location of which is
preserved to this day as " Cave Field," near the site
of which he subsequently erected " Sellers Hall," the
family homestead. The remainder of the Lee tract,
one hundred acres, was conveyed to Thomas Marie,
in 1686. Due west of this land, and lying along the
south side of the Garrett road, extending to Darby
Creek, was a tract of three hundred and three acres,
surveyed to Michael Blunston, of Darby. After the
latter's death it was conveyed to John Davis, as three
hundred and twenty-two acres, March 25-26, 1736/7,
and in May of the same year was bought by Samuel
Levis. North of the Garrettford road were three
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
hundred and three acres, surveyed, Nov. 8, 1682, to
Luke Hanck, which, on March 5, 1688, was sold to
William Garrett, who, emigrating from Leicestershire,
England, settled on this property, and was the ances-
tor of the Garrett family, much of the original estate
remaining in the possession of his descendants.
Above the Garrett jilantation was a tract of two hun-
dred and fifty acres, surveyed to Joshua Fearne Aug.
28, 1682. He came from Ashoner, Derbyshire, Eng-
land, and settled on the estate immediately, his mother
and two sisters accompanying him to the province.
He married in 1687, and died in 1693, but during the
ten years he lived in Upper Darby he filled many of
the most important offices in the county, having been
sheriff, clerk, and a justice of the courts, and twice a
member of Assembly. Immediately north of Joshua
Fearne's estate were six hundred and fifty acres, sur-
veyed to William Wood and William Sharlow, while
above this, and extending to the Haverford line, was
a tract of five hundred acres, surveyed to John
Browne Nov. 15, 1683. The western half of this plan-
tation was purchased by John Roads, Nov. 9, 1683,
and thereon he resided, while the remainder was
bought by John Roads, Jr., and for several years
he lived there, prior to his removal to Montgomery
County.
T<:) the east of this tract was a hundred acres,
through which the Haverford and Darby road passed
almost north and south, also belonging to John
Roads, while directly south John Kirk, on Dec. 4,
1688, acquired title to one hundred acres, part of
which tract is still owned by one of his descendants,
and part of it owned by Levi Lukens. To the south
of this (Kirk's) land was a plot of four hundred acres
surveyed to the heirs of Matthew Grattan, June 14,
1692, but the same year it passed to the ownership of
John Hood, who had come from Castledownington,
Leicestershire, England, in 1686, and settled in Upper
Darby, on two hundred and fifty acres purchased
from John Bliinston, which, lying north of the Sel-
lers land, ran along Cobb's Creek to within a short
distance of the Haverford line. John Hood was a
member of the Provincial Assembly in 1704. The
remaining part of John Blunston's four hundred and
twenty acres, along Cobb's Creek and the Haverford
line, was divided into small holdings of sixty and
fifty acres, which were purchased by Adam and John
Roads, Joshua Fearne, and John Hood, Jr.
As already stated, the history of Upper Darby is
lacking in many incidents during the Revolutionary
war, although its territory was frequently visited by
foraging parties of the enemy, who swept the country
clear of cattle and provisions, and frequently robbed
the inhabitants of their household articles, never omit-
ting an opportunity to appropriate money and plate
to their coffers. Doubtless many anecdotes of that
period were once freely circulated, but in time they
have been entirely forgotten. The following incident
is the only one which seems to be preserved :
One day, while the American army was encamped
at White Marsh, Montgomery Co., Samuel Levis, of
Upper Darby, an aged Quaker and a sterling Whig,
met a party of American soldiers who were recon-
noitering the English lines. The old man, who
would not take an active part in the war for con-
science' sake, volunteered to aid them in learning the
movements of the enemy. With that object he fast-
ened his horse to a tall hickory-tree which grew on
the dividing line of Upper Darby and Springfield
townships, and began ascending the tree. His hat
was in the way as he clambered up. Tossing it to
the ground, he mounted to the topmost branches, and
with a telescope began to scan the country in the
direction of the city. While thus employed a scout-
ing party of British dragoons appeared, and noticed
Friend Levis perched in the tree, so intent on his
observations that he was unaware of the approach of
the enemy. He was compelled to descend, to be-
come a prisoner, and he was refused permission to
recover his hat. He and his horse were taken to
Philadelphia, where he was thrown in jail, detained
several days, and finally discharged, but he never
succeeded in recovering his horse or his hat. With
the evacuation of Philadelphia the war-cloud lifted
from Delaware County, and from that time the feet
of hostile armed troops have not trodden its soil.
List of taxables in the township in 1799 :
Matthew Ash, Benjamin Brannon, John Brooks, Mary Bonsall, John
Ball, Joseph Bull, Benjamin Bonsall, Joseph Bonsall (saw-mill), James
Bonsall (miller), William Davis, John Davis, Samuel Davis (cooperj.
Job Evans, Ahner Evans (innkeeper), Evan Evans (tailor), Jonathan
Evans, Philip Francis, Nathan Garrett, Sr., Nathan Garrett, Jr., Thomaa
Garrett (tilt-mill), Samuel Garrett (blacksmith), Samuel Garrett, Oborn
Garrett, William Garrett, Joseph Hibberd, Joseph Hibberd, Jr., Heze-
kiah Hibberd, John Hibberd, Robert Jones, Samuel Kirk, Thomas
Kirk, Joseph Kirk, William Kimble, Benjamin Lobb (cooper-shop),
Isaac Lobb, Levi Lukens (tanner), Catharine Lewis, Thomas Lems,
Abraham Lewis, William Levis (Philadelphia, paper- and saw-mill),
Thomas Levis, Joseph Levis, Samuel Levis (paper- and grist-mill, miller),
William Moore, John May, Jonathan Owen, James Pyott, Hannah Pol-
len, Anna Pencler, Amos Penegar, Bevan & Thomas Pearson (store-
keepers), Israel Roberts, Jacob Reaver, George Steward, John Sellers
(saw-mill), Nathan & David Sellers (cotton-factory and saw-mill), Jamea
Steel (miller, at Sellers' grist- and merchant-mill), Amos Sharpless,
James Tyson, John Matthews (paper-maker, paper- and grist-mill), John
Tyson (grist-mill), William Thompson, George Widdows (wheelwright),
William West (grazier), Jacob Warner, Lawrence Howard, Nathaniel
Button (Philadelphia), Thomas Leacock, Gibbons Jones (carpenter),
Mordecai Lewis, William Pollen, Nathan Pollen, Samuel Pollen, Leonard
Shuster (weaver).
Iiimalej,— Samuel Bonsall, Thomas Gumming, Owen Gumming, Joel
McClellan, John Dunbar, David Dunbar (^paper-maker). Isaac Earl (shoe-
maker), John Fitzgerald, Keil McFaggen, Edward Ferrell, John Gow,
John Garrett, Jnstice Hendrickson (paper-maker), Richard Hayes, Add
\ Hibhard, Peter Hartley, Hugh Hunt, Henry Hartley, Michael Johnson,
j Jonathan Jones, John Hechler, Laurence Lowry, Joshua Levis (paper-
maker I, Charles Levis, John Murphy, Phineas Palmer, Thomas Rudolph,
Deborah Rogers, John Rudolph (paper-maker), William Rudolph (pape>
maker), John Suplee (joiner), Benjamin Sbarpless (paper-maker), Isaac
Tyson (miller), Henry Upright, William Levis (payer-maker), Thomas
I Williams (paper-maker).
Single Plt<?iien.— Robert Armstrong, Reuben Bonsall, Joseph Bonsall,
f Jr., Benjamin Bonsall, Jr., William Brooks, Uliff Calls, John Dunlap,
■ Joel Davis (wheelwright), William Suplee (wheelwright), Robert Dun-
bar, William Evans, John Graham, John Guard, Isaac Justice, Israe 1
Lobb, Israel Lobb, Jr., Ephraim Lobb, Aeher Lobh (shoemaker), Jona-
1 than Evans (carpenter),William Pollen (carpenter), John Jones (joiner),
534
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Abraham Johnson (miller), Robert Steel (miller), Nathan Jones (tailor),
Jesse Lobb (cooper), Philip Super (weaver), Benjamin Lobb, Bernard
Mackey, Samuel Moore, John Moore, Samuel Powell, James Pyott, Jacob
Reaver, Jr., George Sellers, Jacob Tyson, Robert Thomas, Isaac Tyson,
Benjamin Wtst.
The following is a list of the justices of Upper
Darby :
Date of Commission.
Benjamin Brannon Aug. 19, 1791,
Israel Elliot ..Oct. 28,1791.
Benjamin W. Oakford Feb. U, 1794.
Caleb S. Savers Aug. 6, 1799.
Benjamin Hays Smith April .3,1804.
Samuel Davis Feb. 20, 1810.
Thomas Smith July 3,1821.
Joseph G. Malcolm July 30,1831.
Thomas Maddock Jan. 8, 1834.
Charles Sellers June 20, 1836.
William McCormick, May 25, 1859, April 26, 1864, April 16,
1869.
George Healh April 15, 1S72.
■William McCormick March 24, 1874.
Hart Sterr March 24, 1876.
George Heath March 27, 1879.
William McCormick April 13, 1880, Aug. 7, 1880.
Schools.— The first official record of land being set
apart for school purposes in the township is in a deed
in 1779 for twenty-four perches of ground granted to
John Sellers, Benjamin Brannon, and Oliver Garrett
as trustees, the consideration being ten pounds. On
this lot a building was erected on the Haverford and
Darby road, above the highway leading to Garrett-
ford, and near the residence of Isaac Garrett. This
school is distinctly marked as so located on John
Hill's " Map of Philadelphia and its Environs," pub-
lished in 1807. In that house Isaac Garrett was at
one time a teacher, and William and John Sellers
attended there as pupils. In the olden times it was
under the control of a board of trustees, but when the
law of 1836 became operative, it was transferred to the
school directors, and is still used for educational pur-
poses. The trustees named in the deed of 1779 and
their successors had the care of the school until it was
transferred to the board of school directors. Under
the act of 1804 school trustees were elected in Upper
Darby, in 1825; their powers, however, could in no-
wise include the control of the contribution school of
1779. On May 18, 1825, at the election then held,
Oborn Levis, Thomas and John Sellers, Jr., were
chosen trustees for the township, the duties of which
ofiice, so far as we have information, must have
rested with ease on the shoulders of those who bore
the official honors. Upon the enactment of the pub-
lic school law of 1834, Joseph Henderson and William
Booth were appointed by the court inspectors of pub-
lic schools until directors should be selected. The
township of Upper Darby having accepted the school
law, directors were chosen at the fall election of that
year. In 1835-36 the township received from the State
and county appropriations amounting to the sum of
$444.14, that being the proportion allotted to Upper
Darby of the public money set apart for the mainte-
nance of public schools.
On Feb. 18, 1833, Coleman Sellers granted to John
Sellers, Sr., Nathan Sellers, Abraham Powell, Charles
Sellers, Samuel Sellers, Jr., David Snyder, and Sam-
uel Sellers a lot in Upper Darby on which to erect a
school-house, and in their discretion to employ suit-
able teachers and open a school as soon as convenient
under the exclusive management of trustees. The
house was built and a school maintained there. It
was known as the Union School, and on its site the
present stone school-house near the grist-mill of Wil-
liam Walker is located. After the enactment of the
law of 1836 the trustees transferred it to the use of
the directors of the public schools of the township.
On the Springfield road west of Clifton, on the
lands of Oborn Levis, is a building which was for
many years a school-house, and was continued to be
used as such until 1871. On March 23d of that year
a lot was purchased of Dr. S. P. Bartleson, at Clifton,
and the directors contracted with John Frees to erect
the present two-story brick school-house, at a cost of
five thousand seven hundred and eighty-five dollars.
The new structure was completed in the fall of the
same year, and therein five schools of different grades
are maintained. Oborn Levis, on Sept. 9, 1871, pur-
chased the old school-house and lot for one thousand
dollars, and the quiet of an uninterrupted vacation
maintains in the ancient building where since time
out of mind the noisy laugh and boisterous play of
the rosy-cheeked urchins could be heard at recess,
or the dull " murmur of the pupils' voices conning
over their lessons" was audible to the passer-by.
The Central school-house, above Garrettford, is lo-
cated on a lot of land purchased fi-oni Thomas Garrett,
Oct. 14, 1837, containing seventy-two square perches,
and thereon a school-house was erected near by the
present building. School was maintained there until
Jan. 26, 1860, when twenty-one square perches of the
lot was sold to Nathan and David Piatt. In June, 1873,
a contract was entered into with Moses Gilmour for
the erection of a school-house, at a cost of three thou-
sand three hundred and seventy-five dollars, on the
remaining ground owned by the school board, which
was completed in November following, since which
time schools have been regularly conducted therein.
On May 3, 1851, the directors purchased one hundred
and thirty-seven square perches of land of Charles
Kelly, at Kellyville, on which a school-house was
built and used until 1871, when the school therein
was discontinued, and the house and lot, on Augu.st
28th of that year, was sold to Dennis B. and Edward
J. Kelly for thirteen hundred and thirty dollars.
On June 6, 1873, the residents of Pattonville, now
known as Fernwood, petitioned the school directors
to establish a school at that locality. A committee
of the board, to whom the petition was referred, on
August 9th reported that the Methodist Church could
be leased. That building was rented, and a school
opened and continued therein until it became neces-
sary that other accommodations should be had. On
May 15, 1875, Francis Kelly contracted with the di-
rectors to erect the present two-story brick school-
house, at a cost of three thousand seven hundred and
twenty dollars, on lands purchased for that purpose.
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
In 1869 the brick building used for the parochial
school of St. Charles Borromeo Church at Kellyville
was erected. The school-house is forty by sixty feet,
two stories in height, and is under the control of the
Catholic Church there, from which it receives its
name.
The following are the directors of the public schools
for Upper Darby, as found in the election returns on
file at Media :
1840, Dr. George Smith, John Kirk ; 1842, Nathan H. Baker, William
U. Black ; 1843, George Smith, John Kirk ; 1844, John Sellers, Wil-
liam Jones; 1845, John Sellers, Lewis Watkins; 1846, John Kirk,
George Smith ; 1847. William Jones, James ShillingforJ ; 1848, John
SelIei-8, Nathan H. Baker, Joseph Hibherd ; 1849, John Kirk, George
Smith; 1850, Nathan Garrett, Edward Garrett; 1851, John Sellers,
Samuel G. Levis: 1S52, George Smith, John Kirk; 1853, Nathan
Garrett, Edward Garrett ; 1864, John Sellers, Samuel G. Levis ; 1855,
George Smith, John Kirk; 1856, Nathan Garrett, Jacob Shoester;
1857, Samuel G. Levis, John Sellers ; 1858, Dr. George Smith, Thomas
Kirk ; 1859, Nathan Garrett, Jacob Shoester ; 1860, no report ; 1861,
Thomas Kirk, Amos Bonsall; 1862, Jacob Shoester, Nathan Garrett ;
1863, Samuel G. Levis, John S. Maris ; 1864, Amos Bonsall, Thomas
Kirk ; 1865, Nathan Garrett, Jonathan Evans ; 1866, John Sellers,
Samuel G. Levis ; 1867, J. Harrison Levis, Jonathan Wolfernden ;
1868, Nathan Garrett, Jonathan Evans; 1869, John Lewis, Dr. R. A.
Givin; 1870, John Sellers, William Watkins ; 1871, William H.
Ring, J. Harrison Levis; 1872, John Levis, Nathan Garrett; 187.'!,
J. D. Rhoads, John Sellers ; 1874, Jonathan Evans, Nathan Garrett ;
1875, John Levis, William Watkins ; 1876, James D. Rhoads, Joseph
Powell ; 1877, Oliver B. Moss, George Hearle; 1878, John E. Levis,
William Watkins; 1879, Joseph E. Bowers, James D. Rhoads;
1880, George E. Burnley, Albert Johnson ; 1881, William Watkins,
John Levis ; 1882, George Heath, George Lyster ; 1883, George Burn-
ley, William A. Johnson ; 1884, William Watkins, H. M. Hoffner.
First New Jerusalem Church of Delaware
County. — Prior to 1830, James Robinson, a manufac-
turer, then operating the factory now known as Clif-
ton Mills, who had been a lay preacher of the Swe-
denborgian Church in England before emigrating to
Pennsylvania, began the dissemination of the tenets of
that religious faith in Upper Darby, a Sunday-school
being organized in the picker-room of the old factory
building at the mills now operated by Thomas Kent.
Occasional services were also held in the Academy
building at Haddington. From this movement a
church organization was effected, with the following
persons as members : David Snyder, Charles Sellers,
Samuel Sellers, Jesse Hayes, Edward Levis and wife,
Morris W. Heston and wife, Benjamin Thomas and
wife, George Trites and wife. On June 7, 1830, the
corner-stone of the present church edifice, on the
Marshall road, near Naylor's Run, was laid, a large
number of persons being present from the neighbor-
hood and Philadelphia. Mr. Robinson conducted
the services, explaining the fundamental principles
of the New Jerusalem faith, during which a heavy
shower of rain interrupted the ceremonies for a short
time. After the stone was in place, Rev. Mr. Carll,
of Philadelphia, addressed the assembly, and in his
remarks stated that " they had laid the corner-stone
of that church in the name of Jehovah, one God,
and that Jesus Christ was that God," and he hoped
" that the church erected thereon might never be ap-
propriated to the worship of a Trinity, or more than
one God, as distinct and separate beings." Mr. Carll
was followed by the Rev. Mr. Roach, and the ser-
vices were concluded with a prayer by Mr. Robinson.
The church thus built was erected on the land of
Frederick and Edward Levis long prior to the lot
being donated, for it was not until July 31, 1833, that
the owners of the real estate conveyed the half-acre
of ground to Morris W. Heston and George G. Trites,
trustees of the church. Rev. Manning B. Roach and
Rev. Isaac C. Worrell were in charge of the church.
On Sept. 2, 1861, the court incorporated the New
Jerusalem Society of Edenfield, Delaware County.
At the present time the church is without a pastor,
and services are rarely held in the old building.
Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal Church.— In
1834 a society of Methodists effected an organization
in Upper Darby, meetings for public worship being
, held at the private houses of the members until early
j in 1837, when it was resolved to erect a meeting-
house. On Thursday, June 27th of that year, the
corner-stone was liiid at Pleasant Hill, about a quar-
ter of a mile from Palmer & Marker's paper-mills,
which were subsequently known as Tuscarora Mills.
Rev. M. Coomes conducted the services on that occa-
1 sion. The locality was selected because of its prox-
I imity to the paper-mills, for from the employfe there
its membership was largely drawn. The struggling
I church was under the care of the Philadelphia Con-
, ference, and, after the paper-mills had been converted
into factories by George Burnley, the society grew
, rapidly. After the organization of the Clifton Meth-
I odist Church, in 1871, the elder church was placed
under that charge. In May, 1884, Pleasant Hill
Church celebrated the semi-centennial anniversary
of its founding. The church membership is now
about fifteen persons.
Clifton Methodist Episcopal Church. — This re-
ligious society was organized in 1871, and immedi-
ately began the erection of the present brick church,
forty-five by sixty-five feet, the building fund being
largely the contribution of Richard Young, of Spring-
field. The church was at first under the charge of
the Rev. M. H. Sisty, who was untiring in his efforts
to establish the organization on a firm basis. The
corner-stone of the church building was laid Thurs-
day, Aug. 10, 1871, the pastor, Rev. M. H. Sisty,
Rev. F. A. Fernley, and other clergymen taking part
, in the ceremony. The edifice was erected at a cost of
eight thousand dollars. Rev. Mr. Sisty has been suc-
ceeded in the pastorate by the Revs. J. Y. Ashton,
J. P. Miller, William Magee, M. Barnhill, and N.
Turner, who at the present time is in charge of the
church, including that at Pleasant Hill. The mem-
bership now consists of seventy persons, and there is
also a Sunday-school with one hundred and thirty
pupils, of which Isaac Lord is superinteudent. The
foundation for a parsonage is now (July, 1884) laid
on a lot adjoining the ciiurcli.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
St. Charles Borromeo Church.— Soon after Charles
Kelly purchased the mills at Kellyville a Catholic
mission was established there. In 1849 it was de-
termined to build a church, ground being donated
for that purpose by Charles Kelly, as also for a
burial-place. On Sunday, Oct. 13, 18.50, the stone
church, forty by eighty feet, which had been erected,
was dedicated ; the Very Rev. F. X. Gartland, V. G.,
conducted the ceremonies, and the Rev. Dr. Moriarty
preached the dedicatory sermon. On Dec. 30, 1854,
the church was found to be on fire, caused by a de-
fective flue. The flames were extinguished before
much damage was done. The membership of this
church has fluctuated, at some times very large, at
others much less, owing to employment being brisk
or slack at the mills. The pastors of the parish of
St. Charles Borromeo have been the Revs. McGinuis,
John Shields, I. P. Dunn, Hugh Lane, John Brana-
gan, Dr. Balch, Richard O'Connor, John Kelly, John
McGovern, and M. C. McEnroe, who at present is in
charge of the parish.
St, Stephen's Episcopal Church, Clifton.— The
first services of the Protestant Episcopal Church in
Upper Darby were held in the public school-house in
the village. May 5, 1872, the Rev. James S. Brooke,
the rector of St. George's Church, 'West End, offici-
ating. On October 27th of the same year communion
was administered, fourteen persons uniting in the
sacred ceremony, and on Thursday evening, Novem-
ber 1st, the bishop of the diocese made his first offi-
cial visit to Clifton Heights, on which occasion eleven
persons were confirmed. In May of the following
year a Sunday-school was organized in connection
with the mission. From the establishment of the
mission to the beginning of the year 1877 the congre-
gation were under the pastoral care, successively, of
the Rev. Mr. Brooke, the Rev. Gideon J. Burton
(warden of the Burd Orphan Asylum), the Rev. W.
C. Cooley (of West End), and the Rev. Charles A.
Maison (of St. James', Kingsessing), the latter hav-
ing the oversight for about three years. During this
period the congregation was composed almost exclu-
sively of the people working iu the mills near the
village. They were poor and few in number, but
they struggled on in the face of many discourage-
ments, giving far more than they could well aflbrd
from their slender income to maintain the services
of the church, to which they were warmly attached.
Among the most zealous in the work of the little
mission was John Shaw, who subsequently was elected
one of the original vestry. In 1876 services began to
be held regularly every Sunday morning by Mr.
Thomas A. Bent, a lay-reader. At his death, in
October, 1876, he was succeeded by Mr. William W.
Taylor. In the fall of 1878, Frederick Chase and
wife became earnest advocates of the cause of the
mission, and their efforts being seconded by many
others in the neighborhood, its prospects began to
brighten. Oborn Levis donated several lots fronting
on the Baltimore turnpike, and enough subscriptions
were soon secured to warrant the erection of a
church, notwithstanding by the failure of the Frank-
lin Savings-Fund, iu Philadelphia, a sum of money
which had been accumulating towards a church erec-
tion-fund was lost. Accordingly, the corner-stone was
laid Oct. 12, 1878, and on Sunday morning, March
16, 1879, the sanctuary was dedicated by Bishop
Stevens, at which time the church was entirely out
of debt, subscriptions having been obtained sufficient
to discharge every obligation for its erection. The
building, which is in the Gothic style of architec-
ture, is laid in pressed brick, with stone trimmings,
and ornamented with colored brick, while internally
it is finished in oiled hard woods, with an open roof
and exposed rafters. In the recess chancel is a hand-
some stained-glass window, the contribution of the
Sunday-school scholars.
A parish was now organized under the name of St.
Stephen's Church, Clifton Heights, a charter was
obtained, and a vestry elected. The first vestrymen
were Frederick Chase, Dr. J. W. Phillips, Dr. R. A.
Given, Johu Shaw, Edward Walden, Richard Bar-
low, and William Kane. At this time, the Rev.
Charles A. Maison having resigned, the Rev. G. J.
Burton was elected rector in charge, and the lay-
reader was chosen assistant minister. He was or-
dained to the deaconate in the new church Nov. 1,
1879. On Oct. 9, 1880, the corner-stone of a Sunday-
school and parish building was laid with impressive
services.
This beautiful structure, one of the finest in the
county, was the gift of Thomas A. Scott, then presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who was much
interested in the little church. A memorial brass
tablet on its walls bears this inscription : " Erected
in memory of Thomas A. Scott, Jr., who died Ascen-
sion Day, 1879. Of such k the Kingdom of God."
On Easter Monday, 1881, Rev. Mr. Burton resigned,
and his assistant, Rev. W. W. Taylor, was elected
rector. In the fall of 1882 ground adjoining the
church property (which had already been enlarged
by gifts of lots from Dr. R. A. Given and Thomas A.
Scott) was received and a rectory begun. It was
finished and occupied the following spring. The
present value of the church property, real and per-
sonal, is twenty thousand dollars. The actual com-
municants number seventy. There are iu the Suu-
I day-school eight teachers and one hundred scholars.
I In the parish day-school, one teacher and twenty-
eight pupils, and in the night-school, three teachers
1 and forty scholars. Connected with the church there
I are also sewing and altar societies. Services are held
I twice on Sundays, on all the holy days, and com-
munion is celebrated twice in the month.
I It will be seen by the foregoing sketch that the
parish has grown rapidly, and that now, in its sixth
year of organization, it is fully equipped for aggres-
sive work in the midst of an increasing population.
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
537
The Burd Orphan Asylum.— This charitable es-
tablishment, although having its origin in Philadel-
phia, and being in a certain sense one of that city's
institutions, is located in Upper Darby. Its full title
is " The Burd Orphan Asylum of St. Stephen's
Church," and its location is described as " Market
Street, west of Sixty-third Street." The institution
was founded by the munificence of Mrs. Eliza Howard
Burd, deceased, formerly of Philadelphia, who was
the widow of Edward Shippen Burd, and daughter
of Woodrop Sims. She was a lady of culture and
refinement, and upon being left a widow, and losing
her two daughters, she determined to use her large
fortune in philanthropy. The inception of the enter-
prise which culminated in the orphan asylum was a
" home" established by Mrs. Burd in 185G, in the rear
of her dwelling, on the southwest corner of Ninth
and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, to which she ad-
mitted twelve fatherless girls. During her life she
superintended the management of it herself. Seek-
ing a method for her wealth to do good when she
should be no more, she was advised by her pastor,
the late Rev. Henry W. Ducachet, of St. Stephen's
Episcopal Church, to found a similar school upon a
larger .scale. At her death, in 1860, she bequeathed
to the rector, church wardens, and vestrymen of St.
Stephen's Church, in trust, the sum of five hundred
thousand dollars to build and endow the present
institution.
In 1861 a lot of ground, consisting of forty-five
acres, partly in the city limits and party in Delaware
County, was purchased, and the erection of the pres-
ent buildings begun. The property was formerly
known as " Sellers Hall." It had passed in the di-
vision of the estate of John Sellers to Margaret Sel-
lers Powell, wife of Joseph Powell, by whom it was
sold to the trustees of the asylum.
The orphans admitted by Mrs. Burd were removed
to the new building, and others were received in Sep-
tember, 1863. The chapel was completed and con-
secrated Nov. 3, 1866. A writer in Progress, of Sept.
13, 1879, presumably the late John W. Forney, says,
" The asylum ... is different from any other I
have ever seen. It resembles more in its appearance,
artistic surroundings and appointments, some old de-
serted English manor than a house for poor little or-
phans." The asylum consists of a group of detached
buildings connected with corridors, with an outbuild-
ing containing the kitchen, laundry, bake-room, and
bedrooms for the domestics, connected with the main
buildings by means of a covered railway. The style
is the early English Gothic. It is built of a light-
gray stone, quarried on the grounds, laid in rubble,
pointed with facings of dressed Leiperville stone.
The buildings are two stories high, with basements
twelve feet clear above the surface of the ground, and
a sub-cellar containing the steam furnaces for heat-
ing. In the basement is a large dining-room, which
will seat one hundred and fifty children, play-room.
bowling-alley, bath-rooms, reception-room, and nur-
sery. In the main building, on the first floor, are a
parlor and library, containing the antique furniture
and the books (about four thousand volumes) be-
queathed to the asylum by Mrs. Burd, a large school-
room, four class-rooms, and housekeeper's room. On
the second floor, approached by two broad iron stair-
ways, is the beautiful chapel, which will accom-
modate three hundred and fifty persons. It has two
memorial windows to the foundress, and one to her
rector, the first chaplain of the asylum, the Rev.
Henry W. Ducachet, D.D. In the rear is a large
dormitory, teachers' rooms, etc. All the stairs are
iron, the railings outside and in are also iron, and the
building is as far as practicable fire-proof. The north
wing contains the warden's residence, a large sewing-
room, and two dormitories. The south wing, which
is not yet erected, will add a hundred feet to the
length, and double the accommodations. In the hall
is a portrait of Edward Shippen Burd, painted when
the subject was a young man, by Rembrandt Peale,
and elsewhere are the portraits of Mrs. Burd's daugh-
ters.
The grounds are very attractively laid out. They
contain hills and dales, running water, smoothly-
sloping lawns, and shady groves, forming appropriate
surroundings for the beautiful buildings. The asy-
lum and grounds cost about one hundred and seventy-
five thousand dollars.
The objects of the asylum, as set forth in the will of
Mrs. Burd, are " to maintain, educate, and at a suita-
ble age and time (to be judged of and determined by
those to whose management I have intrusted the asy-
lum) to place out to be instructed in proper employ-
ments, ;?rs<, the white female orjihan children of le-
gitimate birth, of the age of not less than four years
and not more than eight, who shall have been bap-
tized in the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the city
of Philadelphia; secondly, the same class of children,
baptized in the said church, in Pennsylvania; and,
thmUij, all other white female orphan children of le-
gitimate birth, not less than four years of age and not
more than eight years, without respect to any other
description or qualification whatever, except that at all
times, and in every case, the orphan children of clergy-
men of the Protestant Episcopal Church shall have the
preference. If the establishment or the means pro-
vided shall not be sufficient to accommodate all the
several classes of children herein described, each
class shall be preferred in the order in which they are
herein mentioned, to the exclusion in whole or in part
of the other classes. By the term 'orphan,' for the
purpose of this codicil, I mean a child whose father is
deceased and whose mother remains a widow, or who
may have lost by death both father and mother."
It is also directed and enjoined by the will that " all
the children received into the asylum shall be faith-
fully instructed, as a part of their education, in the
principles of the precious Gospel of Christ as they are
538
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
held and taught by the Protestant Episcopal Church
in the United States ; and that no other system of re-
ligion shall be taught there ; and, moreover, that all
the worship held therein shall be according to the
ritual of the said church, and no other."
For several years the number of children was lim-
ited to forty, but now sixty are maintained and edu-
cated. They are instructed in all the elements of a
good English education according to the course of
study followed in the public schools of Philadelphia.
They are also taught sewing, housework, and cook-
ing. If a girl shows a special talent for music, draw-
ing, or any other useful art by which she may be able
to support herself in after-life, it is cultivated. All
are instructed in vocal music by a professor, and the
singing in the chapel on Sundays attracts large num-
bers of visitors. The girls are under the control of
the trustees until they are eighteen, although, when
deemed expedient, they are placed out in positions at
an earlier age. When dismissed, each girl receives
an outfit of clothing and fifty dollars in money.
As has been heretofore remarked, the Rev. Henry
W. Ducachet, D.D., was the first chaplain. He died
in 1865. The Revs. P. C. Moore and John A.
Childs were acting chaplains until 1869, when the
Rev. Francis J. Clerc, D.D., was elected warden and
chaplain. He remained in charge for three and one-
half years, when the Rev. Gideon J. Burton was
chosen by the trustees to succeed him, and entered
upon his duties in June, 1872. He has been in ofl5ce
over twelve years. Since he took charge the number
of pupils has been increased from forty to sixty, the
buildings and grounds have been improved, a regu-
lar course of study has been adopted, and the institu-
tion is now successfully carrying out the designs of
its generous founder.
Burn Brae.— In the summer of 1859, Dr. R. A.
Given erected buildings near the village of Clifton,
and established a private hospital for patients afflicted
with nervous and mental diseases. It was designed
to accommodate forty patients, twenty of each sex.
The main building was originally four stories high,
including the basement ; subsequently a mansard was
added, in which the amusement hall (a large and
handsome room) is located. Many improvements
have been made from time to time in the different
halls, rendering the accommodations more perfect and
attractive. On the ladies' side an entirely new build-
ing has been erected, rendered necessary by the en-
largement of the rooms in the main structure. The
grounds, twenty-five acres in extent, are handsomely
laid out and planted with a variety of ornamental
trees, evergreen and deciduous. A farm of thirty-two
acres, part heavily wooded, capable of being converted
into drives and walks of great attractiveness, has been
added; thus, besides securing to the inmates perfect
privacy, affording them in their walks the pleasing
variety of hill and valley, meadow, brook, and wood-
land. No efforts have been spared to render the build-
ing fire-proof. Fire-escapes are attached to both wings,
and in addition arrangements exist on each floor to
enable the occupants to pass readily from side to side
without resort to the stairs. The building throughout
is thoroughly heated by steam and well lighted by
gas. Hot and cold water is abundantly distributed
throughout the entire establishment.
Licensed Houses. — The record of the licensed
public-houses in Upper Darby is brief. In the early
times no application for the privilege of keeping a
tavern in the township has been found. The first
person who was authorized to keep a house of public
entertainment was Benjamin Brannon, whose inn was
located on the Cherry Grove Farm, a short distance
south of the New Jerusalem Church, but the house
facing on the Darby and Haverford road. Col. and
Judge Brannon, for he held both offices, was one of
the most influential Whigs during the Revolution,
was one of the sub-lieutenants of the county during
that war, and after the county of Delaware was
erected was appointed, in 1794, one of the associate
judges. He does not appear to have been a publican
after the close of that struggle. In 1796, Abner
Evans received license for a public-house on the
north side of the West Chester road, located about
four and a half miles west of Market Street bridge,
where for years the house continued to meet the
court's approval until 1815. Amos Ellis, in his pe-
tition in 1806, states that his application is for license
to the Red Lion. There had gathered in the
neighborhood of the tavern a few small frame houses,
and the people in the township, in derision, termed
the place Cat Town. In 1815 the house seems to
j have been licensed for the last time. James Pyott,
in 1779, received license for an inn located on the
I brow of a hill on the West Chester road, five miles
from Market Street bridge, which ascent, because of
j his house being there, was then and is still known as
I Pyott's Hill. The tavern, in 1806, was called the
Seven Stars, and Pyott had license for the house
under that name, and yearly received the court's
bounty until 1816, when Robert Dunny was the land-
lord of the Black Horse, the Stars having fallen to be
replaced by a new title. In 1820, Reece Calvert had
' license for the Black Horse, in 1823, Mifllin Moore
I succeeded him, and in 1833 William Lungren be-
came the landlord, continuing as such until 1840,
I when the Black Horse was a temperance house. In
1841, Evan S. Russell had a license for the Black
I Horse, but after that date the application was met with
sturdy opposition from the residents of the township,
I and the court refused to grant the prayer of the pe-
I titioner. There were two remonstrances, as follows :
I The first being that of male citizens of Upper Darby,
bearing eighty-four signatures, and the latter that of
females, and signed by ninety-four persons :
j "The undersigned, citizens of Upper Darby Township and the sur-
j rounding neighborhood, respectfully yet earnestly remonstrate against
I the granting of Tavern license to sell spirituous liquors to applicants
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
539
within the said Township ; becanse they 1
the public conTenience and demoralizing i
the spread of intemperance with its train
house heretofore called for by tin- \*-ints
tinned as one for public entertainmeut coi
the
lem uncalled for by
ifluence, tendiug to
The only licensed
wnship is to be con-
n temperance prin-
ciples, while we are surrounded on every side by licensed Taverns in
numbers clearly beyond the wants of the community, as is sufficiently
shown by the many demoralizing shifts to which they are driven for a
living business. The undersigned, therefore, pray the Court to aid them
in their efforts to stay this crying evil so far as in their power by refusing
all appplications as aforesaid."
When temperance principles became the dominant
sentiment in Upper Darby, Mr. Sellers, the owner of
the lands and building, consented that the old inn-
sign should be taken down. The day when this was
done a large number of people assembled, and when
the old, weather-beaten black horse was lowered to
the ground amid the cheers of those present, one cit-
izen, in the excitement of the moment, exclaimed,
" I'm going to give the old animal four quarts of oats ;
he must be mighty hungry standing up there so
long." John Hawkins became the landlord of the
Black Horse Inn, which he kept as a temperance
house until the Howard House was built, a short dis-
tance farther west on the same highway, when he
took charge of the new building.
No license was granted in Upper Darby thereafter
until 1875, when the local-option law Was repealed,
and in that year William McFadden received license
at Clifton, and James Gallagher, at Kellyville, which
houses have continued from that time to receive the
court's approval.
The Bonsall Murder. — Perhaps no judicial inves-
tigation was ever held in Delaware County which
concentrated public interest to its detail to the same
extent as did the trial of Michael Monroe, alia^ James
Wellington, and his accessories, for the murder of
William Bonsall, of Upper Darby. The killing was
so deliberate on the part of the murderer, and so un-
provoked by the victim, that popular indignation was
aroused beyond any previous incident of the like
character in our history, and the sixty years which
have elapsed since have failed to present its parallel.
On the highway leading from the village of Darby
to the West Chester road, and about two miles and a
half northward of the village, in 1824, resided Mrs.
Mary Warner (a widow), who kept a store in part of
the house, and William Bonsall, his wife, and infant
son, these four persons comprising the inmates of the
dwelling. About half-past nine o'clock on Saturday
evening. May 22d of that year, four suspicious-look-
ing men came to the house and informed Mrs. Warner
that they desired to talk with " the young man," —
Bonsall, — with whom they professed to be acquainted.
The latter, who was slightly ill at the time and had
retired, dressed himself, came down-stairs, and was
greeted most cordially by the visitors. Bonsall, not-
withstanding he stated there must be a mistake and
that he did not remember ever to have met any of the
men before, hospitably invited them to be seated and at-
tempted to draw them into conversation. After a few
ordinary remarks had been made one of the strangers,
abruptly turning to Bonsall, demanded his money.
The latter replied that he had only a dollar and a half
in the house, which he said they might have. No an-
swer was made to this remark, but one of the men,
cutting a clothes-line which was stretched across the
kitchen, threw the cord around Bonsall's neck, draw-
ing it so tight that he was almost choked, and to pre-
vent strangulation the latter raised his hand to his
throat to loosen the rope. Wellington, for it subse-
quently proved to be he, struck at Bonsall's raised
arms with a razor, laying the flesh open to the bone
from the shoulder to the elbow. The wounded man,
bleeding profusely, was held in the chair by his assail-
ant, while the other cut-throats compelled Mrs. War-
ner, whose arms they had also bound with a piece of
the clothes-line, to conduct them into the store, which
was closed, as she supposed, until the following
Monday.
While the store was being rifled Wellington sat in
a chair immediately in front of Bonsall, and just as
Mrs. Warner was coming out of the store with the
burglars, Wellington said something in an angry tone,
and then with a well-worn shoe-knife stabbed Bonsall
several times in the abdomen, both the murderer and
his victim being seated at the time. In attempting
to withdraw the knife the last time the handle came
off, leaving the blade in the wound. Mrs. Bonsall,
who was shortly to become a mother, hearing the
noise, came down-stairs, when the two men in the
house, for the other two had retreated to the front
door, threatened to inflict on her atrocious cruelties
unless she informed them where her husband had
secreted his money. She, not knowing that her hus-
band had been mortally wounded, bade them take
everything in the house but to spare the lives of the
family. The ruiBans took every article of clothing
belonging to Bonsall excepting his military suit, and
with the goods taken from the store they made two
large packages, which they carried away when they
left the house, but before leaving they brutally in-
sulted the dying man. Bonsall lived until the next
day, Sunday morning.
On Monday it was learned that at midnight on
Saturday, after the deed was committed, the mur-
derers crossed Gray's Ferry bridge, walking in the
direction of Philadelphia. The same day. May 24th,
Joseph Watson, mayor of that city, at the request of
many citizens of Delaware County, offered a reward
of three hundred dollars for the apprehension and
conviction of the criminals. Nothing was learned
until Friday, June 5th, when three men whose descrip-
tion seemed to answer that set forth in the mayor's
proclamation were noticed in the vicinity of Swedes-
borough, N. J., walking in the direction of Wood-
bury, and when it was known that they had attempted
to pass a Mexican or Peruvian dollar, a hue and cry
was instituted, the men were overtaken near Timber
Creek bridge and conducted to Woodbury, when they
540
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
were subjected to a separate examination, Judge Hop-
kins sitting in the court-room for tliat purpose. The
first man examined gave his name as William Jones,
stating that he was from Westmoreland County, and
that in search of work he had gone to New Castle,
Del., where, being unable to obtain employment, he
had crossed the river on the morning of his arrest,
and on the New Jersey shore had fallen in with the
other men, whom he had never seen before, and that
he was on his way to Philadelphia when apprehended.
He was, he declared, never nearer Darby than the
high bridge in Kingsessing ; but he was unable to
tell exactly where he was on the night of the murder.
On a second examination he stated that his name was
Washington Labee, but could offer no reason why he
had given a false name. He then said he remembered
he had been on an oyster-boat with Abraham Boyce
and others, and had sailed from Philadelphia on the
morning of the day the murder was committed.
Abraham Boyce stated that he was employed on an
oyster-boat, and came from Cape May in a boat with
Labee, but could not tell when he left the Cape ; he
also called Labee Thomas, and stated he did not
know his other name. He declared he was on board
the oyster-boat the night of the murder. The au-
thorities found secreted on his person a number of
keys, several other articles, and a small axe. On his
second examination he said the scisaors-chain he had
picked up on the road in Jersey, and did not know
where such a place as Darby was. He declared that
he knew Labee, and until that day had never before
seen Michael Monroe, or James Wellington, as he
was called.
The latter asserted on his examination that he had
never met the men until the day before his arrest ;
that he did not remember where he was the night of
the murder, but the following Sunday he was in West
Chester. He stated on his second examination that
he had been working at shoemaking in Philadelphia,
under the name of James Wellington; that he had
no reason for changing his name ; that before he
came to Philadelphia he had worked in New York,
but declined to have his employer there written to.
He declared he had never been to Darby, never heard
of such a place before. A pair of blue pantaloons, a
coat of the same color, and a shirt being shown him,
he said they belonged to him, and that he had pur-
chased them from a man he met on the West Chester
road. The scissors-chain found on Boyce was recog-
nized as the one stolen from Mrs. Warner, the panta-
loons and coat found in Wellington's bundle were
identified by the tailor who made them as belonging
to Bonsall, and a counterfeit ten-dollar note stolen at
the same time had been passed at ScuUtown by one
of the men.
Judge Hopkins committed the accused to jail at
Woodbury to await a requisition from the Governor
of Pennsylvania, and, to prevent an escape therefrom,
.T guard of citizens was stationed around the prison.
On Tuesday night, the 7th of June, the prisoners
were brought to Chester by Sheriff Weaver and
lodged in the county jail. On Thursday and Friday
they were separately examined in the court-house,
before Justices Luke Cassin and George W. Bartram.
The men in their examinations told substantially the
same story they had related to Judge Hopkins, ex-
cepting that Labee stated he had received the ten-
dollar note from Wellington, who told him if he
passed it he might buy a pair of shoes, giving him,
Wellington, the change, and that he, Boyce, and
Wellington had been in prison in Philadelphia, and
that all three had been discharged from the jail be-
tween the 7th and 20th of May of that year. Wel-
lington also acknowledged that he had been convicted
of a store robbery in New York, had been sentenced
for life to the penitentiary, had served five years,
when he was pardoned by the Governor on condition
that he would depart from and never return to that
State. Mrs. Warner and Mrs. Bonsall, who were
present at the examination, identified the men, and
testified that the scissors-chain belonged to Mrs. War-
ner, the Peruvian dollar was similar to that carried
by the murdered man, and the clothing taken from
Bonsall, which Sheriff Weaver found thrust into a
stove-pipe hole in Wellington's cell at Woodbury,
was identified by both the witnesses as property taken
from their house. The prisoners were held to await
the action of the grand jury.
In the mean while, the fourth man had been appre-
hended at Baltimore, the cause of his arrest being
the possession of a volume of poems written by Mrs.
Gardner, of Darby, the owner's name having been
carefully cut from the title-page. Among the articles
taken from Bonsall's trunk was a volume of these
poems, and he had written his name at the top of the
title-page. The man then arrested as John Thomp-
son was surrendered to the State of Pennsylvania on
requisition, and shortly after lodged in the Delaware
j County jail.
On Saturday, Oct. 20, 1824, the grand jury having
indicted the four men for the murder of Bonsall, Dep-
uty Attorney-General Edward Darlington called the
case of Michael Monroe, alias James Wellington, who
being without counsel. Judge Darlington assigned
John Edwards, Jr., Matthias Richards Sayres, and
Benjamin Tilghman to manage his defense. Edwards
and Sayres were residents of this county-seat, the first
named being afterwards member of Congress from
this district, and the latter, who was a promising
member of the bar, popularly known as " Dick
Sayres," died at Chester early in 1826, in the thirtieth
year of his age. The case having been opened, it
continued over into the following day, — Sunday, —
and the court-room was crowded with spectators dur-
ing all that October Sabbath, who had come from the
every section of the county to hear the trial. The
circumstances as heretofore related were established
by the evidence, and on Tuesday — for the trial con-
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
541
sumed nearly four days — tlie jury rendered a verdict
of guilty of murder in the first degree. The prose-
cution of Washington Labee had preceded that of
Wellington, the jury, on Saturday, October 20th, re-
turning a verdict of guilty of murder in the second
degree. John Thompson and Abraham Boyce, who
were tried on Thursday, the 25th, were both acquitted
on the indictments of murder, they being the two
men who had gone out at the front door when Bon-
sall was killed, and, as no other charge was made
against them, they were discharged. The court sen-
tenced Labee to eight years' hard labor in the Peni-
tentiary at Philadelphia, and on Wednesday, October
30th, pronounced the sentence of death as to Wel-
lington. Governor Shulze, November 10th, promptly
signed the warrant, designating the execution of the
sentence to be enforced on Dec. 17, 1824.
The Upland Union, published at Chester, on Decem-
ber 21st, contains the following account of the execu-
tion of Wellington : " On Friday morning, Dec. 17,
1824, Michael Monroe, alias James Wellington, was
executed. At an early hour the borough of Chester
was crowded with strangers. At eleven o'clock he
was conducted from the jail to the place of execution,
a distance of one and a half miles" (on the tract now
known as the Forty Acres), " accompanied by the
sheriff" and all the police-officers of the county. He
was attended by Rev. John Woolson, William Palmer,
E. W. Morgan, and John Smith. At half past eleven
o'clock, when the procession reached the gallows, the
Eev. William Palmer delivered a solemn and appro-
priate prayer, after which he was followed by Rev.
John Woolson. The prisoner ascended the scaffold
about half-past twelve o'clock, and there addressed
the spectators in the following words, which were
spoken with a firmness that astonished all who were
present :
" ' I have heard it said that no innocent man was
ever executed in this county, but it will lose that honor
to-day.'
" After he had concluded the above sentence, he
sang a hymn with the greatest ease and composure of
mind. He then told the sheriff that he had no more
to say. It wanted seventeen minutes of one when the
drop fell, and the prisoner was no more."
An autopsy of Wellington's body was made that
evening by Drs. William Gray, Ellis Harlan, and
other physicians in the house still standing on the
north side of Third Street, below Franklin, Chester,
which was at that time known as the poll-well house.
When the ancient borough began its long-delayed
improvement, the then owner of the house modern-
ized it.
Washington Labee, as before stated, was sentenced
to a term of imprisonment in the penitentiary. It is
said that five years after Wellington's execution a
convict, dying in Sing Sing prison, stated under oath
that he and three other men were the real murderers
of Bonsall. The sworn confession being presented to
the State authorities, Labee, who had undergone more
than half of his term of imprisonment, was pardoned,
but his long incarceration had so undermined his
health that he died shortly after his release.
The Clay Murder.— On May 21, 1870, near the
factory of Oborn Levis, George Clay, an Englishman,
was murdered by his daughter, Sarah Ann Seaburn.
The latter, a woman of thirty-five, was the widow of
a soldier who had died in the war, and after her hus-
band's death she had become addicted to drink. On
many occasions she had exhibited symptoms of in-
sanity, which caused her several times to be dis-
charged from employment. In 1869 the father and
daughter were both in the Delaware County House of
Employment, and in the spring of 1870, when the
father was discharged, he obtained the release of his
daughter, alleging that she was not insane or had re-
covered from whatever derangement of mind she had
labored under. Sarah Seaburn was a pensioner, and
with the money received from the government the
father and daughter purchased liquor in Philadel-
phia and became intoxicated. On Saturday, May 21,
1870, the woman, then in Upper Darby, borrowed a
hatchet from a resident near the factory of Oborn
Levis, stating that she wanted it to split some wood
for kindling. Two hours after midnight, on May 21st,
the woman came to the watchman at the mill and in-
quired the road to Media. At five o'clock the same
morning Sarah Seaburn reached the almshouse, stat-
ing that she had murdered her father, who had abused
her, and she wanted to be hanged for the crime. The
body of Clay was found about nine o'clock, in a field
near the house of Oborn Levis, and beside it was the
hatchet with which the deed had been done. The
head of the corpse had five large wounds, one of which,
cutting through the left ear and crushing the skull,
must have caused instant death. The woman was in-
dicted and tried for the murder on Aug. 22, 1870.
The prisoner seeming not to comprehend the serious
nature of the charge, Judge Butler ordered the plea
of not guilty to be entered, and a,ssigned William
Ward to conduct her defense. A clear case of mental
derangement was established, the jury acquitted the
prisoner because of insanity, and the court directed
her detention in the insane department of the House
of Employment.
Mills on Darby Creek.— In presenting the history
of the manufacturing industries in Upper Darby, it
is the purpose to follow the mode adopted in the ac-
count of Birmingham township : to trace the creeks, —
Darby and Cobb's, — and moving northward, to nar-
rate the story of those streams, the waters of which
have furnished and are furnishing power to many of
the busy factories and works which have been located
along their banks.
Upper Darby Paper-Mills. — Just above the town-
ship-line dividing Upper from Lower Darby, on the
west side of Darby Creek, these works are located.
In 1747, Joseph Bonsall sold the Darby Mills (the
542
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
site of the present Griswold Worsted Company's
mills in the borough of Darby) to Richard Lloyd.
Bonsall had erected a saw-mill at the site of the pres-
ent paper-mills, about the middle of the last century,
and in 1766, his son, Joseph Bonsall, was assessed on
the saw-mill at that location. Joseph Bonsall, the
elder, lived until 1803, at which date a grist- as well
as a saw-mill had been erected, the former operated
by his son James, and the latter by his son Joseph.
On April 17, 1809, under proceedings in partition,
fifteen and a half acres' of land, the dwelling, grist-
and saw-mills were allotted to James Bonsall, who, on
December 26th of the same year, conveyed a half-
interest in the property to his brother Joseph, and
the mills were operated by the Bonsall brothers until
1840, when James died. His interest in the mills
was devised to his wife, Elizabeth, during life, and
with the remainder, at her death, to Joseph Palmer, a
nephew of the decedent. Mrs. Bonsall died prior to
Nov. 24, 1852, for on that date Joseph Palmer pur-
chased the half-interest of .Joseph Bonsall in the
mills, thus perfecting his title to the whole real
estate. On March 31, 1866, Christopher Palmer
bought the mills, and by his will, dated May 25, 1868,
devised it to his son, Robert Palmer. The latter, in
1872, sold the property to Edwin T. Garrett, who
changed the grist-mill to a paper-mill, since which
date it has been used as such, daily making an aver-
age of one thousand pounds of paper manufactured.
Morris Truman's Paper-Mills.— In the bend of
Darby Creek, south of Kellyville, are located the
Mathews Paper-Mills, or in later times known as the
Beehive Mills. The history of these mills is in-
teresting. During the Revolution, on March 31, 1777,
Morris Trueman and Joseph Cruikshank purchased
six acres of land from Joseph Bonsall, which plot ad-
joined other lands owned by Bonsall. The deed con-
ferred on the purchasers the right to erect such mills
as they saw fit; to build on the creek a dam abutting
on Bonsall's land, as also to raise the water sufficient
to attain the power necessary to carry on the proposed
mills. In the next year a low two-story, stone paper-
mill and two stone dwellings were erected. An old
log house, which still stands on the premises, is said
to have been built prior to the sale to Trueman &
Cruikshank. The paper-mills were operated by this
firm until May 16, 1785, when Trueman purchased
Cruikshank's interest in the property, and continued
to operate the mills until 1788, when he associated
Evan Trueman in the business. On April 6, 1799, True-
man sold the estate to John Mathews, who conducted
the business until his death, and was succeeded by his
two sons, one of whom, Thomas, is still living, re-
siding on the estate. In 1859, Thomas Mathews sold
the property to J. Howard Lewis, who conveyed it
the next year to his brother Samuel. The latter
changed the mill into a cotton-factory. In 1868 a
new building, forty-five by ninety-five feet, two stories
in height, was erected on the site of the old paper-
mills. In April, 1876, the new building was destroyed
by fire. At that time the mill was not in use, the
stock had been removed, and the machinery would
also have been taken out during the following week.
The mills were rebuilt, and cotton-manufacturing re-
sumed therein. In March, 1884, the buildings were
again destroyed by fire, and have been again rebuilt.
The walls of the buildings were used, and asbestos is
manufactured there at the present time by George
D. Lewis. The two houses built in 1778 are still
standing.
KeUjrville Mills. — The land whereon Kellyville is
located, and extending up the creek, so as to in-
clude the Union Mills, was the tract of six hundred
and fifty-five acres surveyed to George Wood, Nov. 6,
1682, as heretofore stated. Two hundred acres of that
estate were conveyed to Richard Bonsall, March 6,
1697/8. A century later, in 1799, Isaac Lobb owned
three hundred and eighty acres of land at that local-
ity, and on May 6, 1812, he sold to Asher Lobb the
right to build a dam across Darby Creek, which the
latter did, and shortly after built a saw-mill. Between
the years 1822 and 1826 Lobb erected a stone cotton-
factory, seventy-two by forfy-two feet, four stories in
height, which in the last-mentioned year was oper-
ated by Bernard McCready. At that time the ma-
chinery consisted of thirty carding-engines, thirty-
two looms, three thousand and fifty-six spindles, and
three thousand three hundred pounds of cotton-yarn
was spun weekly. McCready continued at this mill
until Nov. 28, 1836, when Lobb leased the factory to
Dennis & Charles Kelly for a period of ten years.
The following year Lobb died, and by will directed
that at the expiration of the lease to Kelly the mill
property should be sold. Under this clause in Asher
Lobb's will, on March 5, 1845, Charles Kelly pur-
chased the mill property. In 1847 the main building
of the Kellyville Mills was one hundred and sixty by
fifty-two feet, and five stories in height. The ma-
chinery, consisting of eight thousand spindles, ten
self-acting mules, seven hand-mules, seventeen live
spindle-throstles, and one hundred power-looms, was
driven by two overshot wheels fifteen feet in diameter
and sixteen feet wide, assisted, when the water was
low, with a fifty horse-power engine, three boilers
forty feet long and thirty-six inches in diameter.
Two hundred operatives were then employed. The
weekly production of the mills was thirty-five thou-
sand yards of ticking, canton flannel, and plantation
goods, while forty thousand pounds of cotton were
required per month. The village at that time con-
tained fifty dwelling-houses, mostly of stone, and the
population consisted of over five hundred persons.
Dennis & Charles Kelly and their heirs operated the
mills until 1877. On September 21st of that year the
mills were purchased by George Campbell. The lat-
ter, on March 2, 1878, sold the estate to Sellers Hoff-
man, who now owns the property. The Hoffman
Mills contain three thousand five hundred spindles,
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
543
two hundred and thirty-four looms, thirty-nine cards,
and sixty inch sets of woolen cards. Three thou-
sand six hundred pounds of cotton yarn is produced
weekly, and sixty operatives are employed.
Modoc Mills. — On Darby Creek, a short distance
above the Kellyville Mills, in 1873, Daniel Sharkey
and William Weidbey erected a stone cotton-mill,
ninety by forty-two feet, two stories in height. The
machinery consists of four mules and five cards. Four-
teen operatives are employed, and about three thou-
sand six hundred pounds of cotton yarn are produced
weekly.
Garrett Mills. — William Garrett emigrated to the
province of Pennsylvania in 1683. On March 5, 1688,
there was surveyed to him two hundred and three
acres from a tract of three hundred and three acres,
which had been located by Luke Hanck, Nov. 8, 1682.
It was a long tract, which extended nearly across the
township, with the south end resting on Darby Creek,
opposite the present Heyville Mills, in Springfield
township. William Garrett was assessed in 1766 on
a leather-mill and a blade-mill, in 1774 on a fulling-
mill and blade-mill. In 1782, Oborn Garrett was as-
sessed on a fulling-mill, and in 1788 on "a skin-mill
out of repair," and also a plaster-mill. After that
date the name of Garrett does not appear on the as-
sessment-roll of Upper Darby in connection with mills
until 1798, when Thomas Garrett owned a tilt-mill at
the site of the present Union Mills, owned by Thomas
Kent, and there Thomas & Samuel Garrett con-
ducted the tilt-mill, oil-mill, and cotton-factory at that
locality for many years after that date. In 1848, just
below Garrettsford, on the Thornfield estate, belong-
ing to William Garrett, on Dr. Ash's map a tannery
is located. Possibly this may have been the leather
or bark-mill for which William Garrett, in 1766, was
assessed.
Union Mills. — Thomas Garrett, in 1805, built at
this mill-site a tilt-mill, and on July 27, 1808, he pur-
chased of Samuel Levis the right to place the abutment
of a dam across Darby Creek for any purpose, except-
ing for a grist- or paper-mill. After securing this
privilege a new dam was built, the works at that loca-
tion enlarged, and, as mentioned in the account of the
Garrelt Mills, was conducted by Thomas & Samuel
Garrett. The latter, as an individual enterprise, had
operated an oil-mill at the same locality, which was
continued until about 1830, and was washed away
in the flood in 1843. In 1822, Thomas Garrett erected
a stone cotton-factory, fifty-four by forty feet, three
stories in height, which, in 1826, was rented to John
Mitchell. It was known as the Union Mill, and at
that time contained seven carding-engines, one draw-
ing-frame, one stretcher of one hundred and twenty
spindles, four hundred and forty-four throstle-spindles,
six hundred and sixty mule-spindles, and made weekly
one thousand pounds of cotton-yarn. Twenty- four
operatives were employed, and stone tenement-houses
had been erected to accommodate five families. In
1830, James Robinson succeeded Mitchell, and carried
on manufacturing there for several years. Charles
Kelly leased it in 1839, and continued to operate it
until April 1, 1845, when the property was purchased
by James Wilde, the locality at that time known
as Wildeville. On Nov. 16, 1846, Wilde sold the mills
to his brother-in-law, Thomas Kent, who now owns
and has continued to operate the Union Mills since
that date. In 1860, Mr. Kent built an addition of
fifty by forty feet, three stories in height, to the orig-
inal mill on the south end, and in 1852 to the north
end he built an addition fifty by forty feet, three stories
and an attic. Fifteen years afterwards, in 1867,
Thomas Kent had the walls of the main building
removed to the floor of the second story, and on the
remaining walls rebuilt the mill four stories and an
attic, thus giving a total length of two hundred feet,
forty feet in width, and erected also a dye-house
eighty by forty feet, a fire-proof picker-house thirty by
thirty-four feet, two stories in height. The machinery
in the Union Mills comprises ten sets of forty-eight
inch cards, eleven self-acting mules of four hundred
spindles each, one hundred narrow and sixteen broad
looms, having capacity of manufacturing four thou-
sand yards of goods weekly. *
Rockbourne Mills. — This mill is located on the
west side of Darby Creek, and was the property
of Samuel Garrett, who failing in 1837, it was as-
signed to Oborn Levis and William Garrett, who
conveyed it, April 1, 1838, to Edwin Garrett. This
\ mill is located near the site of the oil-mill which was
washed away in 1843. After this cotton-mill was
erected Edwin Garrett rented it to Jonas Cowan, who
made cotton laps until the fall of 1842, when James
and John Wilde succeeded him, and remained there
! until the fall of 1843, when they removed to Oborn
I Levis' mill farther up the creek. Thomas and John
I Kent, on Jan. 1, 1844, rented the factory and manu-
' factured woolen goods. April 1, 1845, Thomas Kent
i purchased the mill, and in 1850 built an addition to
it of thirty by forty feet, four stories and an attic. In
1868 the old part of the building was almost entirely
taken down and a stone structure fifty-four by one
hundred and twenty-five feet, four stories and attic,
was erected. This mill contains six mules with four
hundred spindles each, five seta of cards, and thirty-
eight broad looms. Twenty-four hundred yards of
woolen goods are manufactured weekly. Two hun-
dred people are employed in both mills. The ma-
chinery is driven by a one hundred horse-power en-
gine and one hundred and twenty horse-power boiler.
Thomas Kent, the son of Josiah and Hannah Kent,
was born in Middleton, Lancashire, England, on the
27th of March, 1813. His youth was spent at the
home of his parents, where limited advantages of edu-
cation were aflbrded. He had, however, during this
early period acquired habits of thought and observa-
tion which were more serviceable in later life than
the knowledge derived from books. Entering a cot-
544
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ton-mill, he became proficient in the trade of a weaver,
and at sixteen was made foreman, which responsible
position he filled acceptably for a period of three
years, when he learned the art of silk weaving. He
continued thus engaged until 1839, when, having de-
termined to emigrate to America, he landed in Phila-
delphia, and repaired at once to Clifton, Delaware Co.,
where he became associated with his brother-in-law in
the spinning of carpet-yarns. Mr. Kent remained
thus employed until 1843, when a copartnership was
formed with his brother John, under the firm-name
of J. & T. Kent. They continued the manufacture
of carpet-yarns, renting for the purpose the mill which
had formerly been operated by James Wild. A disas-
trous fire and freshet the same year destroyed both
mill and machinery, but, nothing daunted, the same
fall another mill was rented, fully equipped with ma-
chinery, and in active operation during the beginning
of the following year. The copartnership which ex-
isted until 1852 ended in the purchase by Thomas
Kent of the entire interest. The same year he intro-
duced the weaving of Kentucky jeans, and continued
to supply the market with this article until 1861, when
the mill was devoted to the manufacture of products
for the government. In 1867 the old mill was demol-
ished, and the present spacious and convenient struc-
ture erected in its stead. The production of cloths
was continued until 1877, when flannels were made a
specialty, and are still the product of the looms.
Mr. Kent was married, in 1852, to Miss Fannie
Leonard, daughter of Simeon and Bodicea Leonard.
Their children are Hannah (Mrs. Frederick Schoif),
Henry L., Louisa, Francis L. (deceased), Samuel L.,
and Mary A. Mr. Kent was early a Whig in his
political predilections, and subsequently indorsed the
platform and principles of the Republican party. The
engrossing cares of a very prosperous business have,
however, precluded an active interest in public affairs,
and debarred him from political associations, which
are little to his taste. In his religious faith he is a
Swedenborgian, and a member of the New Jerusalem
Church in Upper Darby.
CUfton Mills, — A paper-mill was in operation on
the site of these mills in 1782, then owned by Samuel
Levis and conducted by William Levis, to whom it
was devised by his father's will Aug. 22, 1793. Wil-
liam Levis, in December, 1795, purchased of John
Lungren a paper-mill on Ridley Creek, which in 1822
was changed to a cotton-factory. The latter property
is now owned by Samuel Bancroft. The mill on
Darby Creek, after the death of William Levis, was
sold by Oborn and William Levis on Feb. 24, 1825,
to Samuel Eckstein, together with eighteen acres of
land and the use of water in the creek from the dam
and race of the upper mills, now Glenwood Mills. '
The new owner rented the mills to William Amies & j
Co. The estate came into the ownership of the Penn- I
sylvania Hospital in October, 1842, and shortly after
was sold to Oborn Levis. At that time it was a two- I
vate paper-mill ninety by thirty-two feet, three stories
in height, and was known as the Lamb Mill.
Oborn Levis operated this mill until his death, when
by his will it became the property of his son Oborn,
who in 1867 changed it to a cotton-factory. The latter
continued to operate the mills until his death, and in
1881 his administrators sold it to William Longstreth,
who died soon after, and the Clifton Mills are now
owned by his estate. The main mill is one hundred
and eighty by fifty- two feet, and is partly two and
partly three stories in height. The machinery con-
sists of seventeen hundred woolen-spindles, four sets
of cards, one hundred and eight looms, five thousand
cotton-spindles, and nine cards. One hundred and
thirty-five persons are employed in these mills, and
thirty bales of cotton are used weekly in manufactur-
ing goods.
Glenwood Mills. — Samuel Levis, a maltster of
Leicester, England, with William Garrett, before
leaving England, purchased one thousand acres of
land from William Penn. Levis, Garrett, and others
emigrated to the province in 1684, landing at Chester,
and shortly after settled on Darby Creek in Upper
Darby, and built the house where Samuel G. Levis now
lives. At the death of Samuel Levis, the real estate in
the bend of Darby Creek, just south of the Garrettford
road, descended to Samuel Levis, the younger. The
latter is said to have erected at this location the first
mill ever built by the Levis family, and as it was a
scythe or tilt-mill, it certainly was not erected prior to
the middle of the last century. In 1779, Levis had a
grist-mill and an oil-mill at this site. The tilt-mill
could not have proved successful, for several years
prior to the Revolution the building had been changed
to a paper-mill. Samuel Levis (2d) had several sons ;
among the number were Samuel, William, and Isaac
Levis. The latter removed in 1775 to Ridley Creek,
where now are the Media Water- Works ; William had
other mills near the Glenwood site which belonged to
his father Samuel (3), died in 1793, and this mill de-
scended to Samuel (4), who died in 1813, and the
estate passed to his sons, Samuel, William, and Oborn
Levis. To William the mills which later became the
Eckstein Mills descended, to Samuel the present mills
came, and to Oborn the Oborn Garrett Mills. Samuel
and Oborn subsequently exchanged properties, and
Oborn Levis came into possession of the Glenwood
Mills. They were operated by Thomas Amies & Son
from 1828 to 1838, later by Israel Ames and Benjamin
Gaskill to 1840. From that time Oborn and Samuel G.
Levis owned and conducted the mills to the death of
Oborn, since which time they have been managed by
Samuel G. Levis. In 1862 the paper-mill was torn
down and a cotton- and woolen-factory built, one hun-
dred and ten by fifty-four feet, three stories high, with
annex one hundred and five by twenty-seven feet, two
stories high. The factory at present contains four
thousand spindles, nine sets of cards, one hundred
and sixty-two looms ; one hundred and forty opera-
C^^ri^/
'^ JD^t^
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
545
tives are employed, twenty-five bales of cotton are |
used, and forty thousand yards of goods are manufac- j
tured weekly. |
Tuscarora Mills. — At the bend of Darby Creek, '
where the Springfield township line unites with that <
stream, these mills are located. Prior to the Revolu-
tion a grist-mill was at this place. Samuel G. Levis,
an aged man still living, states that on the day the I
battle of Brandywine was fought mechanics were at j
work on a fly-wheel for a paper-mill then being built
by Samuel Levis at this locality, and the distant can-
nonading could be distinctly heard. The paper-mill
was owned and carried on by Samuel Levis until his
death, in 1793, at which time it passed to his sou, Wil-
liam Levis. The latter died in 1818, and the mills
were sold to William Palmer and Jonathan Marker,
who continued the manufacture of p.aper there until
1830, when Frederick Server, a son-in-law of William
Palmer, succeeded to the business, — the making of
coarse card-board. A part of the mill building was |
washed away in the flood of 1843. The following year
the property was purchased by George Burnley, who j
removed therefrom Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, where
he had been operating, in partnership with James Ha-
worth, one of Dennis Kelly's mills. In 1844 he built i
the stone cotton-mill, two and a half stories high, and j
named the works the Tuscarora Mills, the noted packet-
ship of that name of Cope's line having been the vessel j
in which Burnley sailed from Liverpool. In 1860 his
son, Charles, and John Burnley succeeded to the busi- :
ness. George Burnley operated the mills from 1865
for a short time, when Samuel Levis leased them and
continued there until 1870, when he was followed for
a, year and a half by George D. Lewis. The mills
were then leased to Henry Taylor and John Haley.
Taylor subsequently had the mills and failed. The
machinery and leasehold were sold at sheriff''s sale,
and thus arose one of the noted lawsuits of the county.
After Taylor, S. A. Springer operated the mills until
1882, since which time the mills have been idle. The
mills, owned by a daughter of George Burnley, are
to be sold at public sale Sept. 6, 1884.
George Burnley, the son of John and Mary Burnley,
was born Dec. 28, 1804, in Littletown, near Leeds,
Yorkshire, England, where his youth was spent. His
educational advantages were limited to a brief interval
of study prior to entering a neighboring factory. After
acquiring a knowledge of the business of a manufac-
turer, he sailed about the year 1825 for America, and
at once located in Montgomerj- County, Pa. At a
later date he removed to Haverford, and having
rented a mill on Cobb's Creek, began the manufacture
of cotton goods, having before this had a brief but not
very successful career as a manufacturer of carpets
in Philadelphia. In 1844 he removed to Darby Creek,
in Upper Darby township, and erected the Tuscarora
Mills, which were devoted to the manufacture of
cotton goods and the spinning of yarn. This busi-
ness was continued until 1861, when he retired from
36
its active management, and was succeeded by his
brothers, John and Charles, and his son, George E.
Burnley. Mr. Burnley was married Dec. 31, 1838, to
Miss Hannah Lomas, daughter of James Lomas, of
England. Their children are George E., Charles
W., Adaline (deceased), Mary Elizabeth (deceased),
Washington, Hannah Jane (deceased), Alice (Mrs.
William A. Fries), Sarah Jane (deceased), Michael,
and Hester (deceased). Mr. Burnley voted first the
Whig, and subsequently the Republican ticket in
politics, but was not active in the political arena.
He was in religion a Swedenborgian, and a member
and trustee of that church. His death occurred Aug.
9, 1864, in his sixtieth year.
Ralph Lewis purchased one hundred and fifty acres
of land June 14, 1692, a part of five hundred acres of
land surveyed, Nov. 15, 1683, to John Bowne. This
land came to Samuel Lewis April 20, 1708, and to
Abraham Lewis Sept. 5, 1711. This was on the
Bloomsberry tract, on Darby Creek, at the upper end
of the township. In 1766, Abraham Lewis owned an
interest in a grist-mill on this tract, for which he was
assessed in that year. The mill long ago fell into
disuse, even lost to tradition, and prior to the Revo-
lution had been abandoned, for it is not mentioned in
any assessment-roll subsequent to 1766.
Mills on Cobb's Creek. — This stream, which forms
the eastern boundary of Upper Darby township, as
also that of Lower Darby, until it unites and is merged
into Darby Creek, in the early time of the Swedish
settlement was known as Mill Kill or Creek, because
the Swedish water-mill, built by Governor Printz in
1643, was located on its banks, near the present Blue
Bell Tavern. Subsequently, when the English ac-
quired ownership of the territory, the name Cobb was
given to it, because a large tract of land was located
along its banks by William Cobb, who in 1683 was
appointed by the court at Chester constable for Ames-
land and " Calcoone Hook." Following this stream,
beginning at the southern boundary of Upper Darby,
the history of the industrial establishments located on
Cobb's Creek and its tributaries will be narrated.
Bonsall's Saw-Mill.— The first mill-seat on Cobb's
Creek within the limits of Upper Darby township was
on the present grounds of the Fernwood Cemetery.
This site was occupied by Benjamin Bonsai 1, who
erected a saw-mill at the place soon after 1822, for in
that year his name does not appear on the assessment-
roll in connection with any mill in the township.
The saw-mill, however, is mentioned in 1825, and was
in operation subsequent to 1848, when it disappeared
from among the industries of Delaware County. From
the same dam whose water furnished power to Bon-
sall's saw-mill, water was had to run a snutT-mill,
which was located on the east side of the creek, in
Philadelphia. In 1807 this snufF-mill was owned by
Gavin Hamilton, and was continued in operation
long after 1826.
Sellers' Locomotive-Works.— About 1831 a
546
HISTOKY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
foundry and machine-shop was erected on Cobb's
Creek, above Naylor's Run, by Coleman Sellers, the
water being brought from Naylor's Run and from the
dam of the old Sellers' saw-mill. The latter was a
man of considerable inventive genius, and in 1822 re-
ceived from the corporation of Philadelphia, under
the clause of John Scott's will (of Edinburgh, Scot-
land), which provided a fund of four thousand dollars,
the interest of which was annually to be expended in
" premiums to be distributed among ingenious men
and women who make useful inventions," a medal
and twent}' dollars " for a simple and effectual cup-
ping instrument," which he had invented. In this
machine-shop locomotives were built, one of which
was used on the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad,
now part of the Pennsylvania Central. In February,
1842, the estate was purchased by John Wiltbanks,
who sold the machinery and materials to Nathan H.
Baker, and changed the building into a cotton -factory,
which was for a time operated by Benjamin Gartside.
In 1856 the property was sold by Wiltbanks to White-
ley Brothers & Co., who enlarged the buildings and
carried on therein the manufacture of cotton and
woolen goods until 1881, when the mills were pur-
chased by Wolfenden, Shore & Co., who operate them
in connection with their other factory, which adjoins
the old Sellers' Locomotive- Works.
Sellers' Saw-Mill. — On Naylor's Run, which emp-
ties into Cobb's Creek, iu the last century, was a
saw-mill owned by Nathan Sellers, whose name ap-
pears for the first time on the assessment-roll of 1799,
when he, with David Sellers, was taxed on grist-,
cotton-, and saw-mills. The latter mill was at the
location designated, and was operated for many years
by Jesse Hayes, when finally it was abandoned.
Millbank Mill. — Farther up Naylor's Run is the
Millbank Grist-Mill, which was erected in the latter
part of the last century, it appearing for the first
time on the assessment-roll of 1799. The mill was
owned by John Sellers, who devised it in 1804 to his
sons, Nathan and David Sellers. On Hill's map,
drawn from surveys made in 1801, although the map
was not published until 1807, this mill appears. Na-
than Sellers, Sr., conducted the business of this mill,
and in a division of the real estate left by his father
Nathan acquired absolute title to it, and at his death
it passed to his son, Nathan Sellers, Jr. The old
mill was rebuilt in 1833, and the business was con-
ducted by Lewis Watkins, who, Dec. 31, 1853, pur- j
chased the mill, which is now owned by his son,
William Watkins.
Levis' Blade-Mills, — Above the Millbank Mill, on
the same stream, Samuel Levis was operating a blade-
mill in 1807, which later was conducted by William
Rowland until after 1812, and by Samuel Levis until
subsequent to 184S'. The property afterwards passed
to David Sellers, and is now owned by Edward Mc-
Grath.
Powell's Saw-Mills.— Above the Samuel Levis
Blade-Mill, on Naylor's Run, and above the Garrett-
ford road, Joseph Hibberd owned a tract of land, on
which, in 1800, was a school-house, which still re-
mains. In 1840 a saw-mill was on the stream at this
location, owned by Abraham Powell, and subsequent
to 1848 a grist-mill was also erected. After Powell's
death the property was purchased by Lewis Watkins,
who operated the mills until 1854, when he sold to
Edward Thowley ; the latter rented the mill to Wil-
liam Pyle, under whom it was discontinued in 1858.
It is now part of the estate of Charles Yarnell.
Cardington Mills.— On Cobb's Creek, above the
mouth of Naylor's Run and in close proximity to the
Whitely Mills, is a mill-seat which was occupied in
1798 by a cotton-mill operated by Nathan and David
Sellers. It was the first cotton-mill of which we
have record in the county. Prior to 1810 it was
changed to a paper-mill, which, in 1815, was destroyed
by fire. On the ruins was built a tilt-mill, which
was owned by David Sellers and operated by
Sontag. In 1826, David Snyder was the lessee, and
in that year, made twelve hundred dozen spades and
shovels. At a subsequent date it was operated by
William Howell, James Wormsley, and others, and in
1845 by Charles Cadwalader, by whom the mill was
rebuilt and run until 1857, when it was rented to
Wolfenden, Shore & Co. The old tilt-mill was
standing when the latter firm leased the premises,
and they immediately placed therein machinery for
manufacturing woolen yarn. Although Wolfenden,
Shore & Co. did not acquire title to the property
until 1863, yet three years prior to that date they
erected a stone mill, one hundred and sixty by fifty-
four feet, one story in height, which is known as
No. 1 Mill. In 1863 the firm built a second story
upon Mill No. 1, and also erected Mill No. 2, inclos-
ing within its limits the old tilt-mill, which, in 1865,
was raised four stories in height. In 1870 a stone
picker-house, sixty by forty-five feet, four stories in
height, and a doubling- aud twisting-house, also of
stone, sixty by forty-five feet, four stories in height,
were erected. In September, 1871, a fire originating
in the picker-room caused a loss of eight thousand
dollars. The mills of Whitely Brothers & Co. adjoin-
ing were also damaged to the amount of thirteen
thousand dollars. In December, 1880, a fire again
occurred, starting in the picker-room, occasioning a
loss of thirty thousand dollars. In 1881, Wolfenden,
Shore & Co. purchased the cotton- and woolen-facto-
ries of Whitely Brothers & Co. The mills at present
contain eight thousand three hundred spindles, two
hundred and fifty looms, thirteen set of cards, which
are run by two Corliss engines (one of three hundred
horse-power, the other of one hundred horse-power).
Thirteen thousand pounds of raw material are used,
from which five thousand four hundred pounds of
yarn and thirty thousand yards of cloth are made
weekly, which requires the labor of two hundred and
fifty employes.
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
547
Marshall's Mill.— John Marshall owned two tracts
of land above Naylor's Run, on Cobb's Creek, — one
of sixty-four acres, surveyed May 3, 1689, the other
(adjoining to the south) of one hundred and fifty
acres, surveyed Jan. 7, 1692. Marshall died in 1749,
and by his will, dated October 1st in that year, devised
his land messuage, " with the saw-mill," to his execu-
tors, with directions to sell the estate and distribute
the proceeds among his children. This mill was pur-
chased by Thomas Marshall, who changed it to a full-
ing-mill, which he was running in 1762, and was there
until 1779, when James Marshall operated it until
about 1800. A John Marshall, probably a son of
John, was running a grist-mill in 1766. The mill
was located on the Marshall road. The race which
supplied the water to this mill extended higher up on
Cobb's Creek, and now forms part of the race-way
of the Cardington Mills.
Millbourne Mills.— Samuel Sellers, the original set-
tler of this family, located at the site of these mills in
1682, but the two tracts of land — of seventy-five acres
and one hundred acres — which he at first purchased
were not surveyed to him until 1690-91. He later
made other purchases of lands in the neighborhood,
as did his sons and grandsons. He was a weaver, and
is said to have erected the first twisting-mill in Amer-
ica. His son, Samuel, and grandson, John, were also
weavers. The latter was born in 1728, and died iu
1804. He invented the process of weaving wire cloth,
and also manufactured Dutch fans. The first record
of a dam at Millbourne is found in a deed from John
Sellers to other parties, dated Aug. 27, 1752, in which
the dam is mentioned as being on Cobb's Creek, in
the township of Darby. He was much interested
iu utilizing the water-power of Cobb's Creek, and j
caused to be developed six of the sites along that
stream and Naylor's Run, which were afterwards used
by his descendants.
John Sellers died in 1804, and devised his estate to
his sons, Nathan, David, John, and George, to the
latter of whom he gave the greater part of the farm
lands. The grist- and saw-mills he devised to his I
son, John, who was born in 1762 and died in 1847. '
These mills were evidently built before 1749, the date
when the dam is mentioned. In 1766 they were owned j
by John Sellers, the elder, and were operated by I
James Steel, who continued there until 1805, when he
was succeeded by his son, Thomas Steel. In 1814,
Thomas Steel purchased the Darby Mills, in the vil- I
lage of that name, and removed thither. In that
year John Sellers erected the old part of the present
mill, and his son, John, who had learned the trade
of a miller with Thomas Steel, took charge of the
new mill. In 1782, John Sellers also owned a tan-
yard, which was on the Wayside farm, now owned by
the estate of his son, John. On a little stream which
empties into the dam supplying the water to Mill-
bourne Mills, in 1800, was an oil-mill, which was con-
tinued until subsequent to the year 1848. The old
grist-mill stood above the present mill, and in 1820
was used for grinding gypsum, and had been so em-
ployed for many years. As late as 1830, Augustus C.
Jones was operating the old mill in grinding logwood,
spices, etc. Soon after that date it was discontinued.
The new mill, built in 1814, was placed under the
charge of John Sellers, Jr., and was fitted with all the
improved machinery of that time. In 1820 there was
manufactured 8572 bushels of merchant wheat, 3366
of grist wheat, 4367 of rye, 3784 of Indian corn, 1168
of buckwheat, 843 of oats, making a total of 22,100
bushels of grain. In 1825, 12,000 bushels of mer-
chant wheat was manufactured at these mills. Addi-
tions were made to the mill from time to time, and
the latest improved machinery constantly added. In
1868 the large addition was built to the original stone
structure, four stories in height from the bed of the
creek. A turbine-wheel was used at that time to run
the mills, and in 1876 auxiliary steam-power was
added. John Sellers (3d) died July 20, 1878, his sons
having had charge of the mills prior to his death. In
1879 the " new roller process" was adopted, and at
present two hundred and fifty barrels of flour are daily
produced. In June, 1884, 22,552 bushels of wheat
was ground and 4764] barrels of flour was made. In
the year 1883, 256,663 bushels of wheat were pur-
chased and 53,125J barrels of flour were produced.
The Millbourne Mills are now owned by William,
John, and Nathan Sellers, grandsons of John Sellers,
who erected the mill in 1814.
The Sellers family is one of the oldest in Delaware
County, and we append the following sketch.
I. Samuel Sellers, emigrated from Belper, Derby-
shire, England, in 1682, and settled in Darby town-
ship, Chester Co., Pa. (now Upper Darby town-
ship, Delaware Co.). He took up a tract of one
hundred acres, and carried on his trade (weaving) in
connection with farming. In June, 1684, he married
Anna, daughter of Henry and Helen Gibbons, who
came from Parividge, Derbyshire. They were the
first couple married in " Darby Meeting," which was
then held in the dwellings of its members, as no
meeting-house had been erected. They " passed
meeting" May 2, 1684 (O. S.). Samuel died Sept.
22, 1732, and his wife, who survived him, died Nov.
19, 1742. They had six children, the third being :
II. Samuel Sellers, who was born Dec. 3, 1690, and
married, Aug. 12, 1712, to Sarah Smith, daughter of
John and Eleanor Smith, from Harby, Leicestershire,
England, died June 3, 1773. They had seven chil-
dren, the youngest being :
III. John Sellers, who was born Sept. 19, 1728,
died Feb. 2, 1804. He married, at Darby, Feb. 26,
1749 (0. S.), Ann Gibson, the daughter of Nathan
Gibson. and his wife, nl-c Ann Hunt, daughter of
James Hunt. They had, among other children, Na-
than, David, John,* and George.
IV. John* Sellers, who was born Dec. 1, 1762, died
May 12, 1847. He married, April 27, 1786, Mary
548
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Coleman, daughter of Joseph and Mary Coleman, of
Philadelphia, and had, among other children :
V. John Sellers, who was born Sept. 29, 1789, and
died July 20, 1878.
John Sellers, son of Samuel and Sarah Smith Sel-
lers, was born in Upper Darby, Sept. 19, 1728, and
was taught the trade of a weaver, his father having
erected in that township the first twisting-mill in
Pennsylvania, which became noted for the coerlet
and camlet cloths there made. Early in life he dis-
played much ingenuity, and invented the first wire
rolling screens and sieves for cleansing grain ever
made on this continent. So successful was this in-
vention that he abandoned the manufacture of textile
fabrics and devoted his attention to wire weaving,
and subsequently added thereto the making of fans
for farm purposes. He had also given considerable
attention to the study of civil engineering, and soon
became noted in the country, no one questioning the
accuracy of every line run by him. In 1767 he was
elected a member of Assembly, and consecutively for
five terms thereafter was one of the representatives of
Chester County in that body. Previous to the Revo-
lutionary war he was appointed by the Governor one
of the surveyors to run a line irom the Middle Ferry
at Philadelphia, to Lancaster for the Strasburg road,
and in 1763 was one of the commissioners to lay out
that highway.
In 1769 the Assembly of Pennsylvania granted to
the Philosophical Society one hundred pounds
towards the cost of building an observatory in the
State-House yard in Philadelphia, from which to ob-
serve the transit of Venus, which took place June 3,
1769. This phenomenon was here successfully ob-
served by Dr. John Ewing, David Rittenhouse, John
Sellers, and others.
In 1776 he was chosen a member of Assembly from
Chester County, but declined to accept, he, with many
other thoughtful men of that day, holding that the
Constitution of 1776 had many features subversive of
the liberty of the people, one of its most objectionable
provisions being that reposing the legislative authority
in one House. Yet by that Constitutional Conven- |
. tion he was made one of the justices of Chester County.
In 1789, Governor Mifllin appointed him to make |
surveys of the Schuylkill River, the object being to [
ascertain whether it was practicable to unite by a
canal the Susquehanna and Schuylkill Rivers. In ]
the mean while Delaware County had been erected, j
and John Sellers was, in the bill, appointed one of the j
commissioners to adjust the dividing line, and in the ;
election of October of that year he was chosen one of
the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1790,
wherein he took an active part. The duties of the.se
offices demanded his attention to such an extent that,
Oct. 17, 1789, he r-ssigned his " Commission for Ex- i
amining the Waters of the Schuylkill," and Benjamin I
Rittenhouse was appointed in his stead. In 1790 he
was elected senator from his district, then included 1
with the city of Philadelphia, and served a term of
four years. Governor MifiJin, on Sept. 17, 1791, ap-
pointed him one of the judges of Delaware County.
He seems to have qualified for the office, but resigned
shortly afterwards, and the following year Hugh Lloyd
was appointed in his stead. John Sellers was recog-
nized in his day as a man of considerable scientific
attainments, although wholly self-taught, and was
elected a member of the American Philosophical So-
ciety of 1768. He died Feb. 3, 1804, in the seventy-
sixth year of his age.
John Sellers, the son of John and Mary Coleman
Sellers, was born in Philadelphia, Sept. 29, 1789, and
died July 20, 1878. His mother died when he was
about five years old. In consequence of this great
loss he spent most of his early life in the country, at
the home of his grandfather (also John Sellers).
This place, now known as " Sellers' Hall," was part of
the original tract of ground taken up by Samuel Sel-
lers, the emigrant, and the present brief of title con-
tains the form of original grant from William Penn.
Here the family lived from generation to generation,
and that part of it now known as Millbourne was the
home of this John Sellers after his marriage, and is
still in possession of his sons. Country life was the
ideal of all delights to his boyhood, and it was here,
no doubt, that his love of nature was developed which
to his latest day was so strong a characteristic. Here
he was sent to the common country schools, and ob-
tained such education as they then afforded. His
habits of observation opened up to him great fields
of knowledge which were always extending, and the
silent influences of nature were real teachers to him.
He knew all kinds of wood lore, and every bird by
its note, and all the habits of insect life.
With the greatest simplicity of character he had an
amount of latent strength which was not always sus-
pected even by himself, but which made him always
a reliance to his friends and neighbors. Even in early
life he was often called upon to arbitrate in disputes,
where his winning, persuasive manner and clear judg-
ment had great influence.
He learned the trade of a miller under Thomas
Steel, who then had an old mill on Millbourne Place.
In 1814 his father built for him a new mill up to the
highest-known standard. Part of it is still standing,
surrounded and overtopped by handsome additions
and improvements, and is now known as Millbourne
Mills. Much of the wood-work on the original mill
was made by John Sellers and his mechanical father.
He felt it a great responsibility to run this mill, and
his modesty perhaps exaggerated his deficiencies in
business knowledge. He took into it untiring energy
and determination, and gradually made it a success.
His business principles were very simple, as his whole
life was fitted to the groove of strictest justice. He
had been brought up in accordance with the teachings
of Friends, and to "observe moderation in all things"
was a vital principle of religion to him.
n^^af&.
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
543
In 1817, at the age of twenty-seven, he married
Elizabeth Poole, the eldest daughter of William Poole,
of Wilmington, Del. In this choice he was most
wisely directed, and the result might well confirm the
supposition that " all true marriages are made in
heaven."
It would be impossible to give any correct account
of his life without including her in it. She was his
counselor in everything, and he honored the whole
sex for her sake. She had been the congenial com-
panion of a very intellectual father, and she brought
into her husband's home a wisdom beyond her years.
She made his house a centre of attraction in the
neighborhood, hiding all defects with her lavish and
bountiful nature. He often recounted their early ex-
perience together, when economy was a necessity and
all conveniences lacking, and how her cheerful spirit
was a tower of strength to him. He never entered
into any business of importance without consulting
her, and in recounting some losses it was often with
the preface, " If I had minded what my wife said,
this would not have happened."
They had eleven children, three of whom died in
infancy. The rest survive them.
He made a strong protest against the use of alcohol
in any form, and was the first in his neighborhood to do
away with its use in the harvest fields. This was a
most unpopular movement when it was thought to be
the strength of the laborer and the promoter of cheer-
ful endeavor. He had the courage of his principles,
however, and by the promise of higher wages he car-
ried his point, and set an example to his neighbors
that was quickly followed. When anti-slavery doc-
trines were most abhorrent to the general public, he
went into that cause with all his heart. His house
was always open to its disciples, and the fugitive found
there both welcome and help on his way. He took
liberal papers, and always cast his vote for the liberal
party. He was an old-time Whig, and boasted that
he never missed his vote at any election from the time
of his majority. He considered it a sacred duty to
attend the polls, and thought an American citizen
unworthy the name who neglected this. He was
chosen a delegate to the Free-Soil Convention which
met in Buffalo in 1848. He deprecated the spirit of
disunion found in some of the ultra abolitionists, and
often said " the best way to abolish slavery would be
to introduce the public-school system in the South."
He was deeply interested in the cause of education,
and at one time, with others of his neighbors, built a
school-house which they maintained for many years
at their own expense. Here the best teachers were
employed, and some of his own children received
their entire education. When the free-school system
was inaugurated this school-house became the prop-
erty of Upper Darby, but continued its original name
of the Union School, which it bears to this day. He
was immediately chosen treasurer and director of the
Upper Darby school district, which positions he held
until the last years of his life. Many other positions
] of trust were given him ; he was treasurer of three
I different road companies at one time, and was several
I times an administrator to large estates. In these du-
I ties he was deeply interested and faithfully performed
them.
j In 1859 he had the misfortune to lose his wife, and
the close companionship of forty years was broken.
Together they had borne " the burden and heat of
i the day," and now that the resting time had come
hers was "in larger, other worlds than ours." He
I was a man of few words, and all his principles for-
bade repining, but his life was shorn of its brightness.
i Loved by everybody, he especially delighted in
young people, and naturally attracted many to his
house, .so that it was never other than a cheerful
home. He firmly believed in making it so. He was
a member of Darby Monthly Meeting, and, according
to the usage among Friends, all his children had
birthright membership in this society. Twice a week,
i all his life, did he faithfully attend meeting. His
creed was " to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk
humbly before God," and all who knew him confess
that he made it practical. He would sometimes
listen to long discussions on theological points, but
with great humility regret that he did not understand
much about them. He said, "If we all tried to live
so that we could look back on each act with satisfac-
tion, that would be a good enough religion." To
those who knew him best it would seem impossible
that regret or remorse could ever have been his por-
tion.
His health was perfect, from which fact he derived
great pleasure. At one time, when nearly eighty
years of age, he walked to and from meeting, a dis-
tance of about eight miles, without apparent effort.
His love of reading was maintained to his latest day,
and his delight in nature never waned. He became
the patriarch of his meeting, and died full of honors
in the community on the 20th day of July, 1878, aged
eighty-nine. His life was a very simple one, without
incident or pretension, but from beginning to end was
full of sweetness and instruction.
The following extract from a county paper is em-
bodied, as concisely estimating his character:
" He was a member of the society of Friends, wor-
shiping at Darby Meeting, and was one of the very
few remaining of the old members of that meeting.
Never ambitious for political preferment, he did not
ask public applause, living in the practice of the
belief that the ' post of honor is the private station.'
In the anti-slavery cause he was an active worker,
and his efforts on behalf of the down-trodden knew
no cessation until the work of emancipation was com-
pleted and the legitimate fruits of the triumph as-
sured. His goodness of heart and Christian character
endeared him to those of all creeds and professions.
He was liberal in all things, ever looking beyond the
present for his reward. With him, through life, what-
550
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ever was worth doing was worth doing well. If he was
not great in the eyes of the world, he was something
better, for he found in his congenial calling an ample
field for thegenerous disposition of his heart. Through-
out his long career, in every relation of life, he set for
us an example worthy of study and imitation. As a
husband, father, and friend he not only practiced with
rigorous exactness the duties of those relations, but
invested them with such gentleness of temper and
grace of manner as added uncommon charm and
beauty to his daily life, and strongly endeared him to
all who were privileged to be related to or connected
with him. It was our pleasure to know the deceased
for the past forty years, and the invaluable advice and
many kind suggestions received from him will ever
be remembered. None among the many who were
acquainted with John Sellers, and the unstinted
kindness of his never- failing considerateness, will feel
that we have at all exaggerated the solid worth of an
honorable citizen, a firm friend, and a good man."
Keystone Paper-Mill.— The tract on which this
mill is located was taken up by John Blunston, Nov.
18, 1683, who sold two hundred and fifty acres,
June 1, 1686, to John Hood. No record shows that a
mill existed on the property until 1807, when George
Sellers was in possession of a saw-mill, which was
built subsequent to 1803, and was continued by him
as a saw-mill until some time after 1830. It is located
in the " Report of Manufactures of Delaware County
in 1826" as being "on Cobb's Creek in Upper Darby,
above Indian Creek, a large branch which extends
into Philadelphia County, a saw-mill head and fall
.about 28 feet, Mill Race about one and a half mile
long; owned and occupied by Geo. Sellers." This
property later came to Abram Pennock, whose wife
was a daughter of George Sellers, who used the power
to run a paper-mill, which he built on or near the site
of the saw-mill. It was occupied a part of the time
by C. S. Garrett, and was destroyed by fire about 1865.
In the next year (1866) C. S. Garrett & Sons erected
the present Keystone Mills, for the manufacture of
paper, a short distance from the old mill. The build-
ings were of stone, one, fifty by sixty feet, four stories
high ; one, thirty-five by thirty- five feet, three stories ;
and one, thirty by one hundred feet, one story high.
These mills were supplied with a twenty-five-hundred-
pound engine, three rag-engines, a thousand-pound
washing-engine, a seven-hundred-pound engine, a
Jordan .engine, and a fifly-eight-inch Fourdrinier
machine. The power is supplied from a two-hun-
dred-aud-fifty horse-power engine and four one-hun-
dred horse-power boilers. The product is mostly ot
card-papers, of which about four tons are made daily.
Fifteen men and sixteen girls are employed.
In addition to the mills already given, the following
industries appear of record, but their exact locations
are not known to the writer. lu 1766, Abraham John-
son was assessed on a grist- and saw-mill, which reg-
ularly appeared until 1774, when Martha Johnson
owned a saw-mill, after which date the name does not
appear on the assessment-roll connected with mills.
From 1782 to 1790, Job Evans owned and operated a
grist-mill. The name of John Tyson occurs in 1782
as the owner of a grist-mill, and was continued to be
so assessed until 1804. Jacob Lobb owned or operated
a grist-mill in 1788, and from 1774 to 1779, Thomas
Pilkinton operated a grist-mill. During the year last
mentioned William Davis and Benjamin Brannou had
distilleries. The former lived near the northern line
of the township, on lands lately owned by Dr. George
Smith, the latter on the Darby and Haverford roads,
south of the Marshall road, where he kept a tavern.
Fernwood. — The village of this name is located
near Cobb's Creek, in Upper Darby township, and on
the line of the central division of the Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, formerly the
West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad. The land
was in the ownership of the Bonsell family for several
generations until 1870, when it was purchased by a
stock compa'ny which had organized in that j^ear by
the name of the Fernwood Cemetery Company. The
corporators were Amos Bonsell, John Bower, Alfred
R. Potter, Charles P. Bower, Frederick Hassold, ,
Price I. Patton, Charles M. Towne, William J. Kelly, j
Christian Gross, and Godfrey Keebler. The one hun- 1
dred and twenty acres of land purchased of Amos '
Bonsell was located on Cobb's Creek, bounded on the
other sides by Church Lane, the Baltimore pike, and
the line of the proposed Chester County Railroad.
The plot was named Fernwood Cemetery, from the
fact that at the time of purchase fourteen varieties of
ferns were growing in large quantities within its
limits, — a fortunate name, for the land in 1682 was
surveyed to Joshua Fearne, the early settler. The
grounds were laid out into lots, paths, and avenues, ,
over thirty-five thousand perches of stone being used
in the avenues ; three thousand five hundred ever- ;
green and deciduous trees were planted, besides many
ornamental shrubs. The first burial within the grounds
was made on the 5th of May, 1872, and at the present
time this city of the dead has a population of over
nine thousand quiet sleepers resting there. The
cemetery is largely used for the interment of persons
who have resided in Philadelphia, and is about three
miles from Market Street bridge. Upon the comple-
tion of the cemetery it was determined to establish a
village near by, and to that end Price I. Patton and
William J. Kelly purchased of Amos Bonsell fifty-
seven acres of land adjoining the cemetery, which was
laid out into streets and lots. The proprietors erected
two houses on Fourth Street (facing the first) in 1872.
In that year Adam Tracey purchased a lot and built
thereon a dwelling-house, in which he established the
first store in the village. In 1876 a stock company
was formed for the purpose of building a large hotel,
and in that year the Fernwood Mansion, a stone
structure, was erected, at a cost of forty-two thousand
dollars. It is forty by one hundred and thirty-
UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.
551
three feet, five stories high, containing for hotel pur-
poses seventy-seven rooms. In this building are
also a Masonic lodge-room and three stores.
Fernwood Lodge, No. 553, F. and A. M., which
now holds its communications in the Mansion House,
was instituted in December, 1875, in the city of Phil-
adelphia, with ten charter members, and with Oliver
B. Moss, W. M. ; H. M. Hoflner, Treas. ; George W.
Shirley, Sec. The lodge held its communications for
two years in the school-house at Fernwood, and upon
the completion of the hall in the Mansion House the
lodge removed thither, the new hall being dedicated
in December, 1877. The lodge at present has about
one hundred members. George W. Shirley is the
present Master.
Fernwood Methodist Episcopal Church.— This
society was organized July 14, 1872, with about twelve
members, under the charge of the Rev. M. H. Sisty,
who remained pastor till the spring of 1873. He has
been succeeded in the pastorate by the Revs. John
Shepherd, George Mack, A. S. Hood, R. A. Sadlier,
Pennell Coombe, and the Rev. N. W. Clark, the
present incumbent. The church has also a mission
at " West End," Philadelphia. The first meeting of
the society was held in the summer of 1872, in a
grove near the village, and in the fall of that year
they assembled in a frame building erected on the
rear of the present church lot. In 1873 the present
church edifice, built of brick, forty by sixty feet, was
erected, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. There
are eighty members of the church at the present time,
and a Sunday-school of one hundred and twenty
pupils is connected with it, of which George W.
Pentridge is superintendent.
TTnion Mills at Fernwood. — William Hall & Co.,
in 1867, establi-shed at Darby borough a shoddy and
waste-wool mill. In 1870 they erected a building sixty
by eighty feet at Fernwood, and removed the business
thereto. The building contains twenty-four thousand
square feet of floor-room, and embraces the carding-
room, picker-room, dye-house, scouring-room, and dry-
ing-room. There are twenty-one cards and two en-
gines of one hundred and sixty horse-power and boiler
of two hundred and four horse-power. The mill pro-
duces sixty thousand pounds of shoddy per week.
Near the Union Mills are located the Pipe- Works
of Austin, Obdyke & Co. In 1882 this firm erected
a building one hundred by eighty feet, especially de-
signed for the business of manu Picturing tin water- or
rain-spouts. Twelve persons are employed and twelve
boxes of tin are daily used in this establishment.
The public school-house at Fernwood is of brick,
two stories in height, and was completed in 1875.
The railroad company have erected a handsome
stone depot at the station, and the travel over the
road to this place by reason of the cemetery is large ;
two hundred and twenty-five thousand people visit-
ing the cemetery last year by rail alone, and many
thousands by carriages.
Abolition Society. — The first society formed in
Upper Darby was an abolition society, which was
organized prior to May 4, 1830, on which occasion
George Sellers, Abram Powell, Dr. Caleb Ash, James
Rhoads, Joseph Fussel, Joseph Rhodes, Saul Sellers,
Jr., Lewis Watkin, Nathan Sellers, John Sellers, Jr.,
J. Morgan Bunting, David S. Bunting, and William
H. Bunting were appointed a committee to attend the
annual meeting of the Pennsylvania State Anti-Sla-
very Society, Philadelphia, May 17, 1830. The few
members of this ridiculed association continued to as-
semble occasionally until the emancipation proclama-
tion of President Lincoln did utterly away with legal-
ized human slavery in the United States. In this
township Thomas Garrett, the noted anti-slavery advo-
cate, was born Aug. 21, 1789, his father, Oborn Garrett,
owning and operating the scythe- and edge-tool works
mentioned in the account of the mills on Darby Creek,
and with him Thomas Garrett learned that trade.
His pronounced anti-slavery views resulted from the
fact that in 1815, he, having moved to Wilmington,
returned one day to his father's home in Upper
Darby, where he found the family indignant and dis-
tressed because a colored woman in their employment
had been kidnapped and spirited away. He immedi-
ately made chase, and tracked the kidnapper to Ken-
sington, where he rescued the woman from them.
From that moment until his death, in January, 1871,
he was a fearless, active advocate of abolition, and
during the ante-bellum days he aided between three
and four thousand slaves to escape to the Northern
States. In May, 1870, a great parade of the colored
people of Wilmington, Del., took place, on which
occasion Thomas Garrett, then eighty years of age,
was taken in an open barouche through the streets of
that city, and on each side a guard of honor was
formed, bearing banners inscribed " Our Moses." He
died the following year, and his ftineral was attended
by a vast assemblage of people, a number of whom
had come many miles that they might pay respect to
the dead man, who throughout his life had been just,
fearless, and upright, and who loved his neighbor as
himself
Friends' Graveyard.— On Fob. 4, 1860, the Friends'
Monthly Meeting of the Western District of Phila-
delphia purchased of Charles Wiltbank twenty-seven
and nine-tenths of an acre near Cobb's Creek and the
termination of Market Street, Philadelphia, for a
burial-place for members of that meeting.
First Use of Gas.— In 1851, Christopher Fallon
purchased a tract of one hundred and forty acres of
William Black, on the south side of Garrettford road,
and west of the Darby and Haverford roads. He
erected in that year a spacious mansion-house. On
Dec. 28, 1853, the dwelling was illuminated with gas,
made at private works on the estate. The fact is
noticeable, because it wiis the first time gas was used
for illuminating purposes in Delaware County.
Crimes. — On Sept. 20, 1849, wliile the services were
552
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
being held at the funeral of Abram Powell, the miller,
on Naylor's Run, a man was noticed to deliberately
mount a valuable mare and ride away. Those who
saw the act, believing that he had been sent on an
errand by the family, paid no attention, and it was
not mentioned until after the funeral, when inquiries
were made respecting the animal. The boldness of
the thief secured his escape. A few days before the
funeral two horses had been stolen from Joseph Pow-
ell, a son of Abram, and he had oflered fifty dollars
reward for their return. On the day of his father's
funeral the horses were brought back, and the son
paid the reward, the latter being so overwhelmed
with grief and the cares of the day that he asked
no questions of the men who returned the horses.
In July, 1877, a black man entered the house of
Mrs. Kirk, and going into her room, appropriated
several dresses. Mrs. Kirk, who was blind, sitting in
the room, heard him, and, as the sound of his foot-step
was unfamiliar, gave the alarm. The thief sprang
out of the window, but pursuit being made by the
men in the harvest-field, he was arrested, lodged in
jail, and subsequently tried and convicted. On Feb.
16, 1876, the United States detectives seized an illicit
distillery in a house near Darby Road Station, on the
West Chester Railroad. A pit was excavated outside
of the stable, which was floored with boards, covered
with earth and straw. In this pit was a still, worm,
and other necessary appliances, while from the still-
house fire a flue was laid in a trench, and ran through
the foundation of the dwelling, so that the smoke
might mingle with that in the chimney and disarm
suspicion. A trap-door in the stable gave access to
an underground passage-way, which led to the pit
where the still was located. The whiskey produced
there was made from molasses. The government offi-
cers arrested James Cullen in Philadelphia, but the
other two persons connected with him escaped.
In the evening of Aug. 3, 1837, Jacob Brass acci-
dentally discovered in the woods on the farm of George
Sellers the body of a man hanging to a limb about
six feet from the ground. A pair of new cotton sus-
penders were round his neck and fastened to the limb.
The corpse, when found, was in an advanced state of
decomposition, and must have been hanging there
several days before it was discovered.
Remarkable Instances of Longevity.— Mrs. Mary
Ash, of Upper Darby, died March 24, 1862, aged
ninety-seven years. She was the mother of sixteen
children, and survived them all, except two, the oldest
and the youngest, the latter being at date of the
mother's death over sixty years of age. Mary Ash
was twelve years old when the battle of Brandywine
was fought, and could remember that some of the
American soldiers, when the army was retreating to
Philadelphia, stopp'sd at her father's house and were
fed. She had lived in the house in which she died
seventy-five years, and until within three days before
her death retained her faculties unimpaired.
On Monday, Jan. 12, 1880, " Aunt Betsey" Moore, on
the one hundred and first anniversary of her birth, re-
ceived a number of friends gathered to congratulate
her on that occasion. She was born in Upper Darby,
at Sellers' Hall, in 1779. On April 5, 1880, she died
at the residence of her nephew, Samuel Moore, at
Millbank, retaining her faculties remarkably until a
few days prior to her death.'
Societies.— Clifton Heights Lodge, No. 960, 1. 0. of
O. F., was chartered on the 9th of August, 1878, with
the following persons as officers: Charles H. Edwards,
N. G. ; William Logan, V. G. ; Samuel E. Haynes,
Sec; Henry M. Brennin, Asst. Sec. ; John S. Donnel,
Treas. The society has at the present time eighty-
seven members, and is located at Clifton.
Arasapha Tribe, No. 161, 1. O. R. M., was chartered
on the 28th Sun of the Beaver Moon, G.S. D. No. 380,
with twenty-two charter members. The wigwam of
the tribe is at Clifton.
Clifton Wreath Division, No. 68, Sons and Daugh-
ters of Temperance, was chartered on the 26th of Feb-
ruary, 1876, with forty-one charter members, and at
present has a membership of sixty. The meetings of
this society are held at Clifton.
Improvement Lodge, No. 197, Knights of Pythias,
was organized Oct. 4, 1869, with nine charter members.
It was instituted at Garrettford, but in 1876 removed
to Clifton, and has now a membership of sixty-seven.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
ROBERT PLUMSTEAD.
Robert Plumstead was born April 19, 1803, and has
spent his long and useful life in Upper Darby, Dela-
ware Co. On attaining a proper age he was ap-
prenticed to Isaac Earle to learn the trade of shoe-
making, with whom he served his time, and followed
the business for about two years. He, however, de-
sired a more active life, and engaged with Coleman
Sellers, of Cardington, as foreman on his farm, which
position he held for ten years, removing from thence
in the year 1841 to his present home, known as " Maple
Grove Farm," where he continued the active pursuits
of a farmer until 1878, when the farm was rented and
he retired from its management. Mr. Plumstead was,
on the 26th of February, 1829, married to Rebecca,
daughter of Joshua Parsons, of Marple township.
Their children are Thomas K. (married to Rebecca
L. Dickenson, of Darby), who died in 1856, at the age
of twenty-seven years ; Amanda R., who died at Price's
Boarding-School, in West Chester, in 1850, aged sev-
enteen years; Sarah A., whose death occurred in 1839,
■ In the village of Darby, on April 21, 1824, Mrs. Mary Calderwood
died, aged one hundred and one years. This interesting fact having been
unintentionally omitted in the account of Darby borough, it is recorded
in this note as an incident worthy of preservation in a history of Dela-
ware County.
ROBERT PLUMSTEAD.
EDGMONT TOWNSHIP.
653
aged two years; and Mary E., wife of Dr. Ellwood
Baker, who resides with her father at the old home-
stead. Mr. Plumstead was in politics a Whig, and
later indorsed the platform of the Republican party.
He was for many years active in the public affairs of
the township, having filled the position of county
commissioner, together with other minor offices. He
was educated in the faith of the society of Friends,
and with his family worships at the Friends' meeting-
house in Darby. Mr. and Mrs. Plumstead celebrated
their golden wedding in 1879, on which interesting
occasion a numerous concourse of relatives and friends
assembled to do them honor. The death of Mrs.
Plumstead occurred on the 15th of August, 1883, in
her seventy-ninth year. She was interred at the
Friends' burial-ground in Darby.
CHAPTER XLIII.
EDGMONT TOWNSHIP.
Edgmont was named from the ancient royal manor
of Edgmond, in Shropshire, in England, from whence
came Joseph Baker, one of the earliest settlers in the
township.
The English spelling was used in ancient deeds, but
since its origin was lost sight of, the orthography has
been attended with some uncertainty, sometimes being
spelled Edgment, but generally Edgemont, under the
erroneous supposition that its name was derived from
the Edge family.
The residents of Edgmont have almost entirely de-
voted themselves to agricultural pursuits. Although
Ridley Creek passes through it, and Crum Creek
forms the eastern boundary, the water-power has not
been developed for manufacturing or mills to any
great extent. The only hotel is at Howellville, where
the Rising Sun existed in former days. The Pres-
ident, kept for many years by Hiram Green, on the
West Chester road, when that was the great highway
from the West, passed out of existence with many
others on the road to Philadelphia when the iron rail
supplanted the old-time Conestoga wagon.
On the southern line of the township of Edgmont,
in the early history of the county, was a wedge-shaped
tract of one hundred and fifty acres of land, known
as " Cumberland," which had been set apart to
George Wi^lard, July 24-25, 1682, and was then in-
cluded in Middletown. On March 1, 1687, Roger
Jackson became the owner of the estate, and on 3d
day of 1st week. Tenth month, 1688, the court "Or-
dered that Roger Jackson's one hundred and fifty
acres of land, formerly Included in Middletown, be
from Henceforth taken into y° Township of Edgmond,
and be therein' Included." This was not the only
reference to the township line, for in 1739 a dispute
was had between Thornbury and Edgmont respecting
the boundaries betwen the two municipal divisions.
i The petition on behalf of the Thornbury claimants
is not of record, but that of Edgmont set forth :
" To the Honorable Justices of the Court of Quarter Sessions to be held at
Chester the last tuesday in May, 1739 ;
" The Humble Petilion of the Inliabitants of Edgmout Shewetli that
there bath of late been, and still remains, some uneasyness About
I the DivisBions between the Townships of Edgmont & Thornbury, Al-
though the part now in Dispute hath been Deemed to be in Edgmont
for more than Sixteen Years past, and taxed as Such, Therefore we
Humbly Crave of this Honorable Court to appoint a Number of Judicious
j and Indifferent Men of the Neighboring townships to Divide the said
j Townships to the Least Damage of yo Inhabitants on boath Sides ; and
your petit
, as in Duty bound, shall (
" John Wornil.
"Joseph Pennell.
" Samuel Lewis.
" David Kedgestcr.
" Thomas Williamson.
"James Sill.
" Joseph Pratt.
" Thomas Goodwin.
" W" Griffith, Juo'.
■ pray.
liich"' Pritchet.
Henry Howard.
Thomas Yarnall.
Edward Grizel.
John Yarnall.
Joseph Bishop.
Philip Yarnall.
Cadwalader Evane.
Samuel Yarnall."
The court decided in favor of Edgmont, for the fore-
going document is indorsed " the petition for division
is set aside."
The " Edgmont Great Road," as was formerly
termed the highway from Chester, entered the
southern boundary of the township at its western
part, and following a northwesterly course, almost
across Edgmont, entering Thornbury a short distance
south of the Chester County line. At the court held
"Dec. y' 11'", 1087," the grand jury in its report
stated :
" Laid out a Highway from Edgmond to y^' Kings Highway in Chester
being a Sixty foote road by virtue of an Order of Court bearing date y«
4th of October 1687, laid out by us whoso hands are under written as
foUoweth (viz.)
" Beginning att Joseph Bakers fence of his cleared land thence through
y land ofy« aaid Joseph Baker thence crosse William Lewis land thence
Crosse Howell James Land thence crosse Jacob Simcock's land thence
crosse James Kenorly, thence crosse a parcell of vacant Land then crosse
Roger Jackson thence crosse vacant land thence crosse John Boweter
land thence Crosse David Ogdens land thence Crosse John Hodgkins ■
land thence crosse George Smedleys land thence crosse Wra. Edwards
land thence Widdow Musgrove's land thence Crosse Robert Burrowea
land thence crosse John Maylens land thence Crosse John Bowettors
land thence Crosse Joseph Cooksons land thence Crosse Jeremy Carters
land thence Crosse Richard Barnards land thence Crosse John Worrells
land thence Crosse Thomas Taylors land tlien Crosse Richard Orosbyes
land then Crosse John Marten's land then Crosse John Hastens land.
"Waller Marten I G„„,ge willard
"JohnBeales I Wm. Coborne.-
"Edward PritchardJ
At the same court " John Worrell Petitioned against
y° road laid out by y' Grand Inquest from Edgmont to
y° King's Highway in Chester." The justices seem to
have met this objection promptly and decidedly, for it
was " Ordered that y" road be made by the Petition-
er's fence."
With respect to this road Dr. Smith says, "There
is a tradition that in laying out the road from Chester
to Edgmont, or more likely in a review of that road,
Henry Hollingsworth, the surveyor, caused an apple-
tree to be planted at the end of every mile. The sur-
veyor happened to be at variance with Richard Crosby,
554
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
who then resided in Middletown township. It so Acres, Edward Thompson, Jacob Taylor, John Clues
happened that one of the miles ended on Richard's '" " j , ,
land, but instead of planting an apple-tree, the sur-
veyor took an axe and bent two saplings so as to cross
each other at the spot, saying at the same time,
'Richard Crosbie, thee crosses me and I will cross
thee.' Henry Hollingsworth wrote to his friends in
England that he had planted an orchard nine miles
in length. It is said that some of the apple-trees were
standing until within a very recent period." '
Early in the history of the province an important
meeting between the Indians and the Governor is be-
lieved to have been held in Edgmont township. The
particulars are thus related by the historians of Ches-
ter County :
"The IndiaDS
9 uneasiness about this time, which was
communicated to the Governor hy William Dalbo, of Gloucester, N. J.,
•who acquainted Uim that there is a Belt of Wampum come to Connes-
tego, from Mahquahotonoi ; yt there was a Tomahock in Ked in the
belt, & y the French with five nations of Indians were designed for war
and to fall on some of these plantations.' This information was duly
laid before the Council by the Governor on the 14th of April, 1710, and
also a letter lie had received from Mr. Yeates, Caleb Pusey, and Thomas
Powell, dated the same day, 'purporting that to-morrow there was to
be a great concourse of Indians, those of Conestoga & those of the
Jersey ; that they were of opinion that it might be a reasonable oppor-
tunity for the Gov'rto visit them altogether; the meeting being the
greatest that has been known these twenty years, and is to be about two
miles from Jno Warrams [John Worralls] at Edgmond.'
" It was the opinion of the board ' That the Governor with some of the
Council, and as many others as can be got should go to-morrow to meet
the Bi Indians, to inquire further of them about the said Belt of Wam-
pum, and what else may be thought necessary.'
"The Governor and others doubtless met the Indians, as here indi-
cated, but as no report of the interview was made to the Council, it is
probable that the principal chiefs were not present. On the 2Eith of
April, some more alarming news was communicated to the Council,
which induced the Governor to visit Conestoga and have an interview
with the red men. He found them ■ very well inclined to the English,'
but they complained
by the white man.
"The Governor, immediately on his return from Conestoga, sent Col.
French and Henry Worley to ascertain more fully the wishes of the In-
dians. These gentlemen returned with eight belts of wampum, and
made their report to the Council on the 16th of June. Each of these
belts had a particular significance. The import of three of them will be
aggressions that had been committed on them
'The first was from their old i
, and signified 'That those
plored their friendship of the Christians and Indians of
without danger or trouble, they might fetch wood
. "'The second belt was from their children born, and those yet in the
womb, requesting that room to sport and play without danger of slavery
might be allowed them.'
"'The Third Belt was sent from their young men fltt to hunt, that
privilege to leave their Towns, and seek provisions for their aged, might
be granted to them without fear of Death or slavery.'
"The last of these belts have a significance that cannot be misunder-
stood. They plainly suggest the reason for the passage, in 1705, of the
' Act to prevent the importation of Indian slaves.' " 2
In the assessment for the year 1715 the taxables
then in Edgmont were as follows :
John Worrall, Joseph Baker, Philip Yarnall, John
Worrilow, Ephir. Jackson, Joseph Pennell, John
Broomall, David Register, William Biddings, John
Golding, Rebecca Powell, John Gregory, Thomas
Vernon, Thomas Bawson, Joseph Baker, Simon
1 History of Delaware County, p. 40O.
2 Futhey and Cope's " History of Chester County,"
Nathan Evans, John Holdston, Caleb Thompson,
William Willis, Robert Williamson, Evan Howell^
William Adams, Richard Pritchard, Evan Lewis.
Freemen, William Clues, John Hiddings, William
Floud.
That the above list represented the male residents
of Edgmont at that time is apparent, because at the
conclusion it is stated, " Non-resident Land, Bostock's
Land, John Kingsman."
In 1799 the following is the list of taxables in the
township:
George Bishop, Nehemiah Baker, Joseph Baker, Sr,, Joseph Baker, Jr.,
Edward Baker, Richard Baker, William Baker, Joseph Bishop, Abraham
Farr, John Fox, Joshua Fox, George Green, Joseph Griffith, George
Hunter, Isaac Hoops, Abraham Hoops, Benjamin Holston, John Hols-
ton, Joseph Holston, James Howard, Daniel Hoops, Thomas Hammer
(shop-keeper), Thomas Johnson, Samuel Lewis, Abraham Lewis, Moses
Meredith, John Menoenhall, John Morgan, Daniel McGowan, Richard
Passmore, .lohn Parker (weaver), Joseph Pennell, David Pratt, Lowrie
Bonsall, William Knssell, James Sill, Aaron Sill, Isaac Taylor, Daniel
Williamson, John Worrell, Isaac Worrell, Nicholas Woolas, William
Tarnall, Eli Yarnall, Caleb Yarnall, James Yarnall, Joseph Daniel,
Robert Register, William Sill, Margaret Bishop, Joseph Williams, George
Antricum, William Monangby (joiner), Samuel Plankington (carpenter),
Nathan Pyle (blacksmith), Aaron Matson (weaver), Joseph McAfee
(weaver), Samuel Fox (carpenter), Benjamin Houghton (carpenter),
Nehemiah Barker (cooper), Isaac Pennell (shoemaker), Enoch Yarnall
(shoemaker), Evan Pennell (weaver), John Register (turner), Thomas
Register (mason), Thomas Dent (tailor), Abraham Hoops (chairmaker),
John Gilmore (mason).
The residents of the township, as already remarked,
devoting their attention, as a rule, to agriculture, the
incidents and happenings in that locality were not
generally of that moment to make a deep impression
on the annals of the county, and yet Edgmont, in the
old war of independence, was repeatedly visited by
the scouting parties of both sides, and the American
camp-followers and "jayhawkers" just as frequently
appropriated private property to their personal use
as did the enemy. After the battle of Brandywine
ts the withdrawal of the British forces from Phila-
delphia, the residents of Edgmont suffered from the
inroads of foraging parties of the Tory adherents of
the crown. The account of lo.sses sustained in this
township, filed as a claim against the government but
never paid, were as follows :
£ B. d.
From John Worrall, Sept. 16, 1777 36 0 0
" Thomas Frame 7 0 0
" Thomas Evans 7 10 0
" Jonathan Hunter 119 10 0
" William Dunwoody, Sept. 17th 88 6 0
" William McFee, by J. Fitzpatrick (alias
Fitz or Fitch), and adherents of the
King of Great Britain 200 0 0
" Mordecai Maasey 47 0 0
£504 16 0
On Sept. 17, 1777, a party of English soldiers
visited the residence of Edward Russell, on the farm
known as Hunting Hill, and while in the house they
broke into a secretary, where, in a secret drawer, one
of the daughters had secreted a sum of money. The
soldiers had not discovered the hiding-place, had
turned, and were about leaving the room, when the
owner of the money, in her anxiety for the treasure.
EDGMONT TOWNSHIP.
555
went to the desk and opened the drawer. Her action
was observed by one of the men, who compelled her
to deliver to him the savings of many months. The
desk, still showing the marks of the force used to
open its apartments, is now in possession of Burgess
Green, of Media.
The house now belonging to David H. Stitter,
on the road from Bishop's mills to Howellsville,
during the Revolution, was owned by Abel Green,
and in one of the putlog-holes in the east end of ]
the house, which had never been filled in after the
scaffolding was removed. Green secreted a large
amount of Continental currency, and filled the open-
ing in with a stone. For several months the money
remained there undisturbed. A barrel of whiskey in
the cellar, however, was not so secure, for a British
soldier shot a musket-ball into the head, and through
the opening thus made poured out round after round
to his thirsty companions, without failing, however,
to minister to his own appetite.
On Crum Creek, where the West Chester road
crosses that stream, was the tract of two hundred and i
forty acres laid out to Samuel Bradshaw, April 10-11, |
1682. Part of this estate is known as " Castle Rock," '.
because located on the farm is a cluster of peculiar !
rocks rising in picturesque confusion, bowlder upon
bowlder, to the height of two hundred feet above
the level of the land at its basis. This rock, pierced
through and through with fissures and caverns, is a
remarkable natural curiosity. It was on this farm, ;
now the property of William Taylor, that James '
Fitzpatrick, the outlaw, was captured in 1778, as ,
narrated in the chapter on crimes and punishments. !
The dwelling of the present owner occupies almost
the very site where William McAfee's house then
stood.
The land on which the village of Howellville is
located, about 1759 was purchased by Christian
Workizer, a German, who, a colonel in the English
army, came to America as an aide-de-camp to Gen.
Wolfe. After the capture of Quebec, Col. Workizer |
resigned, and having married, purchased a farm
where Howellville is now, the hotel building being i
the homestead of the family. During the Revolu-
tionary war the colonel, having held military rank
in the English service, declined to take part in that
struggle. It is related that during the British occu-
pation of Philadelphia Mrs. Workizer walked from
Howellville to the former place, eluding the sentinels,
and returned without being molested, her enormous
pockets, strapped to a girdle worn beneath her dress,
filled with medicines, salt, and articles of that de-
scription which were difficult to be procured. John I
Sheridan Workizer, to whom the Howellville farm
descended, sold it about the beginning of this cen-
tury.
Edgmont Temperance Hall was erected near the
centre of the township, on the Chester road, in the
year 1843, and sold to the Methodists for a church
in 1859. Among the pastors who have served there
are W. C. Johnson, George Alcorn, Jennings,
William F. Shepherd, G. J. Burns, J. E. Grawley,
A. N. Millison, and Turrentine, the present
pastor.
Edgmont post-office, near the old " President," is
kept at the store which was started by Lewis Ver-
dreis more than fifty years ago. A post-office was
established some years ago, and Pusey Pennock and
William Worrell were postmasters. Edgar Prene is
the present officer. John and James Aitkin at that
time kept the store where the Howellville post-office
was established in 1832, which was noted in its day,
and drew a large patronage from distant parts of the
county for many years. It subsequently passed into
the hands of William W. and Ellis Sraedley, who
gave new life to the place by running stages to
Chester, which became a popular line of travel to
Philadelphia. Another line ran through the place
between the city and Westtown boarding-school, and
a third along the West Chester road, from West
Chester to Philadelphia. The opening of the rail-
road between those points, via Media, made these
enterprises unprofitable, and they have long since
been abandoned.
John Atkins, Ellis Smedley, William T. Kirk, El-
wood Baldwin, Thomas Worrall, Joseph Pratt, Wil-
liam F. Matthews, William McCall, I. B. Taylor, and
Jesse R. Baker have in succession been the post-
masters at Howellville. James Atkin studied medi-
cine and became the principal physician of that sec-
tion for nearly half a century, and now survives at
West Chester at the advanced age of ninety years.
Fifty years ago, in September, 1834, Dr. Atkin found
a young snake with two heads in Edgmont, which
he presented to the museum of the Delaware County
Institute of Science.
An accident occurred in Edgmont in May, 1851,
which, from the peculiar circumstances connected
with it, is still recalled in that section of the county.
A large water-snake had taken up its quarters near
the spring-house on John H. Taylor's farto, which so
alarmed the females of the family that he determined
to kill the reptile. The old fowling-gun he used for
that purpose exploded, the breech blew out, striking
Taylor in face, breaking his nose, putting out one of
his eyes, and otherwise injuring him. Two months
subsquent, when the frightful wound in the face had
healed sufficiently to permit him to walk about the
farm, he complained of great soreness and shooting
pains in his head. An examination disclosed the-
breech-pan of the gun still in the wound, where it
had remained since the accident. Dr. Huddleson
removed the iron, which was two and a half inches
in length, over half an inch in thickness, and weigh-
ing three ounces.
The following-named persons have served as jus-
tices of the peace for Edgmont township since the year
1791:
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Caleb Peirce Aug. 311, 1791,
John Edwards Jan. 24, 1797.
Jospph Brinton May 2(1, 1800
Luke Casein March 27, 1809
Jolin Siter Sept. 1, 1813
Robert Greeu Feb. 23, 1816
Nathan Gibson Nov. 2u, 1817
George Brooke July -^ 1821,
Maskill Ewing June 10, "
Park Shee..
David Abrahams Dec.
Barnard Flynn Nov.
Abner Lewis May
Thomas Sheldon Dec.
14,1
Homer Eachus May 11, 18.19
Anthony Baker, April U, 1840, April 15, 184S, April 10
10, 1860, April 28, 1865.
James M. Smith April 10, 1869, March 24, 1874
Philip B. Green March 24, 1874, March 27, 1879
George L. Green March 27, 1879.
Mills and Tanneries. — In the first assessment of
the county, made in 1790, there are no manufacturing
interests mentioned in Edgmont. In the assessment
of 1799, Thomas Johnson appears in possession of a
saw-mill, and in the triennial assessment of 1802 the
name of George Antricum is given as in possession of
a saw-mill. It was located on Crum Creek, near the
northeast part of the township, and was probahly the
Johnson mill, as his name is not in the assessment for
1802. In 1807 there was also at this place a saw-mill,
and in 1812 two distilleries were in operation at the
same locality. These mills and .stills were owned and
operated by Antricum until 1825, when the property
was bought by Jonathan N. Hatch, who enlarged the
grist-mill to forty feet by fifty feet, three stories high,
and placed in it ten carding-machines, three hun-
dred and sixty throstle-spindles, seven hundred and
eighty mule-spindles, and commenced the manufac-
ture of cotton yarn. In the next year eleven hundred
and fifty pounds of cotton yarn was made per week.
Eight tenant-houses and a mansion-house were on the
place. This factory was operated by Mr. Hatch suc-
cessfully till 1838, when the mill was destroyed by
fire.
For several years the building remained as the
flames left them, until about 1855, Joseph Shimer
fitted up part of the ruins, and commenced the manu-
facture of cotton laps. He remained here several
years, when he built a mill lower down on the other
side of the creek in Newtown, which is still owned
by him.
In 1870 the old Hatch mill property was used by
Alfred Hatch as a cotton-lap factory, and is still
owned by him.
In 1799, Joseph Pennell, grandson of Robert Pen-
nell, who settled in the township in 1691, was in pos-
session of a tannery a short distance northwest of
Howellville, which later passed to Thomas Evans,
and about 1830 became the property of Israel Howell,
a leather merchant of Philadelphia, for whom How-
ellville was named. The tannery went out of use
many years ago. The property is now owned by
Henry Mendenhall.
A few years prior to 1807, George Green built a saw-
mill on Green's Run, which was operated by him till
about 1820, later by Isaac Green ; the ruins of this mill
are yet there. In 1817, Robert Green had a fulling-
mill on Rocky Run, located on the present estate of
Mrs. James Walker. In 1826 it was operated by
William Owens & Co., and in 1829-31 was still in
use, and continued to be operated until about 1864,
when the mill was burned. The last few years it was
occupied by James Campbell for carding and carpet-
weaving. In 1870 a cotton-lap factory was at the
place, owned by James Gamble.
In 1807, Richard Passmore had a tan-yard below
where Green's fulling-mill was afterwards built,
which was in disuse in 1811. The property is now
owned by Frank Bishop.
About 1815 James Yarnall built a grist- and saw-
mill on a branch of Ridley Creek, in the northern
part of the township. In 1817-19 it was assessed to
his estate. The grist-mill was a stone building, the
power furnished by an overshot wheel, which ran two
pairs of millstones. In 1829 it was owned by Reuben
Yarnall, but subsequently Anthony Baker acquired
title to the mill, and his son, Enos Baker, is the
present owner of the property.
Schools. — One of the first school-houses in Edgmont
of which there is any information was built about 1760
in the eastern part of the township, and near the line
of Upper Providence. The house was of stone, the
mortar used being a composition of clay and straw.
Thomas Hammer was teacher there, and William
Howard, the father of Baldwin Howard, was a pupil
under him. Hammer also taught in Upper Provi-
dence, and in 1799 was a shopkeeper in Edgmont.
This old school-house was not in use in 1800. About
this time a change was made in the township lines,
and the school-house lot in the change was placed in
Upper Providence. The house was torn down about
1860.
What is now known as the Central District was
also known as Big Edgmont. At this place a stone
school-house was erected in the early part of 1749,
and in 1809 a new stone house was built upon its site,
which remained in use until the present house was
erected, in 1870. Isaac Wood was the first teacher in the
second school-house, and Baldwin Howard attended
school there. Among later teachers were John Mc-
Mullen, John Kinsie, Hezekiah Burns, Caleb Hoopes,
Jehu Broomhall, Joseph Plankinton, William Vogdes,
James Sill, Jr., and Samuel L. Smedley. During the
term of Mr. Sill the school-house erected in 1809 was
transferred to the directors of the public schools.
Joseph Plankinton, in 1824, went to Philadelphia,
where he has filled the position of county commis-
sioner, school director, treasurer, and alderman in
that city, where he is now residing, aged eighty-five
years. William Vogdes is also in Philadelphia, and
prominent in the political movements of that city.
After the house passed to the school directors in
1835 or 1836, Samuel Lewis was the first teacher, and
was succeeded by Pierson Pike, Levi Baker, James
M. Smith, and others.
EDGMONT TOWNSHIP.
557
On the 21st of September, 1841, the school directors
purchased a lot of land of Isaac Yarnall in the south-
west part of the township. A stone house was erected
upon it, which was used for eight or ten years and
then abandoned. The house is still standing, the prop-
erty being sold several years ago to Jacob Smedley.
The stone house in the Western District known
as No. 1 was built in 1867, the land on which it
stands having formerly belonged to George Eppright.
It is still standing, and used for school purposes.
The Southern District, No. 3. On the 28th of Au-
gust, 1843, the directors bought a plot of ground of
George Bishop and erected a stone school-house,
which was used until 1875, when a lot was purchased
of Jesse Green and Isaac Sharpless, about three hun-
dred yards from the old house, on which was erected
the present stone house.
On the 18th of March, 1825, Homer Eachus, Wil-
liam Baker, and James Sill were elected by the people
of the township as trustees of schools. In 1834, after
the school law was passed. Dr. James Aitkin and
Homer Eachus were appointed inspectors of the pub-
lic schools by the court of Delaware County, until
directors were elected. In 1885 $293.55 was received
by the township from the treasurer, it being the amount
of county and State appropriations.
The list of school directors here given, from 1840,
are from the records of Media, and are as accurate as
can be obtained from that source :
1840, Thomaa B. Ruseell, Maurice Jjinies ; 1842, HoDier Eachus, John
Tarnnll; 1843, .lolin H. Taylor, Hiram Green, Jesse Green ; 1844,
James Sill, Abraliam Baker; 1845, Baldwin Howard, Reulien Yar-
nall; 1846, Maurice Jones, Josliua Smitli : 1847, Renben Yarnall,
Emlin Stackhonse; 1848, James Aitkin, Baldwin Howard; 1849,
Joslina Smith, Hiram Green ; 1860, Isaac Yarnall, William Sill ;
1851, Maurice James, James Aitkin ; 1852, Thoniae Baker, John H.
Tajlor; 1853, George Ebright, Isaac Yarnall ; 1854, Maurice James,
Thomas J. Baker ; 1855, George G. Baker, Thomas Baker, Isaac
Green; 1850, Abram H. Regester, Joseph Mendenhall, Joshua Smith;
1857, Isaac Thatcher, Maurice James ; 1858, Edward Baker, Thomas
.T. Sharpless; 1859, Reuben Johnson, David Regester: 1860, Maurice
James, Henry Mendenhall ; 1861, Thomas J. Sill, James M. Smith ;
1862, Reuben Johnson. David Regester; 1863, Robert J. Sill, Robert
F.Davis; 1804, Jesse Yarnall, Lewis J. Baker; 1865, James M.
Smith, William Manley ; 1866, Robert F. Davis, Edward D. Baker;
1867, Jesse Yarnall ; 1868, William S. Baker, James Sill ; 1869, R. F.
Davis, E. D, Baker; 1870, Jesse Yarnall, James M.Smith; 1871,
Hatton B:ildwin, Amos H. Baldwin ; 1872, William H. Miller, Thomas
Mendenhall ; 1873, Enos L. Baker, F. F. Green ; 1874, no report ;
1875, Jesse Yarnall, Robert F. Davis; 1870, Joseph B. Taylor, Ed-
ward D. Baker ; 1877, Piissniore Howard, C. M. Taylor ; 1878, Jesse
Yarnall, Robert F. Davis ; 1879. Frank Yarnall, Mrs. Emma Taylor ;
1880, Passmore Howard, Elizabeth G. Green; 1881, Edmund D.
Baker, J. F. Bishop ; 1882, G. Frank Yarnall, Maurice James ; 1883,
Pennock E. Sharpless, Abram Hunter; 1884, Frank Bishop, Abram
Hunter.
Public-Houses. — The story of the public houses of
entertainment in Edgmont is brief In 1762, Isaac
Yarnall presented his peti-
tion desiring the approval
of the court for his keeping
a public house of entertain-
ment in that township, which
was extended to him, and
continued annually thereafter
until 1765, at which period
Mary Yarnall made applica-
tion for the privilege for that
as well as the following year,
1766. In 1767, John Hoopes
obtained license, and contin-
ued in the employment of
innkeeping until 1771, when
John Neal petitioned the
court for the favor, stating
that the house had been li-
censed for many years, and
had formerly been kept by
Isaac Yarnall. Yearly there-
after Neal applied for re-
newal of the license until
1776. In 1777, as before
stated, the proceedings respecting licenses, as the rec-
ords of most of the busine.ss of that year before the
courts, cannot be found, but in 1778 William Dun-
woodey was allowed the privilege, after which all
further trace in Chester County, as to license in Edg-
mont, ceases.
It was not until 1806 that application for privilege
to keep public-house appeared in the record of Dela-
ware County, and in that year James Jeffries states
to the court that he " hath rented the house which
Joseph Griffith hath erected at the intersection of the
West Chester and Providence Road, in said township,"
and desired the judges to recommend him to the Gov-
ernor as a proper person to keep a tavern there. The
court at the July session approved of his petition.
This is the first mention of the noted President
Tavern of Edgmont. In 1808, Joseph Robins suc-
ceeded Jeffries, and in his petition for the year 1809
558
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
he asks license for the house under that title. The
next year Robins gave place to Joseph GriflBth, the
owner of the house, but in 1811 Jesse Cheyney was
granted license for the President. In 1813 Isaac
Weaver was landlord of the tavern, which he called'
the George Washington, but in 1815 he restored
the old name, and in 1816 he was followed by Joseph
B. Ramsey, who had formerly kept the Rising Sun
Inn, at Howellville. The next year, however, he was
superseded by Abel Green, who remained there until
1829, when he gave place to William Sill, and the
latter in turn, in 1834, was followed by Hiram Green,
who continued annually to receive the court favor
until 1858, when Juliann Green, his widow, was
granted license. In 1862, Joseph P. Tucker succeeded
to the business, to be followed the next year, 1863, by
George Pierce, after which time the President ceased
to be kept as a public-house.
In 1813, Nathan Baker petitioned for license to keep
public-house on " road from Chester towards Down-
ingtown and West Chester, where Edgmont road in-
tersects with road leading from Marple through New-
town, by John Williamson's, toward Dilworthtown,
and there is no tavern on Edgmont road from Chester,
but the Black's Horse, and nearest above the General
Green, near Goshen meeting-house, Chester County,
and besides there is no tavern on said Cross-road.
The house is nine and a half miles from Chester, and
from West Chester eight and a half miles. There is
much travelling at present and particularly by those
going and returning by the stage, which runs steadily
between Westtown and Philadelphia." His license
was approved and there was established the tavern at
Howellville, which was the following year, wlien Jo-
seph B. Ramsey made application at the same loca-
tion, known as the Rising Sun Tavern. In 1816,
William Sill, who appeared to have been the owner
of the property, received license. William Bowen,
in 1817; John McMinn, in 1818; and Homer Eachus,
who in his petition states, in 1820, that the house is
known as the " Old Rising Sun." The latter remained
only one year, for in 1821 David Green was land-
lord. Jane Hamilton, who was licensed in 1823, was
followed, in 1826, by George Thatcher, and in 1828
David Green returned there again. Enos Smedley,
of West Chester, several years ago stated that he re-
membered Howellville when the land was bought by
Israel Howell, from whom the name is derived. " As
the Irishman said, it was ' A honey of a place, the
king of all places.' First day, or Sunday, as it is
commonly called, was a fair day. Young men and
boys from the whole neighborhood would collect to
drink whiskey, play corner-ball, pitch quoits, jump for
distances or for height, and compete in holding a
fifty-six weight at arm's-length. You could hear their
noise for half a mile. ,-This place was known at that
day as the Rising Sun, Delaware County. It had a
blacksmith- and wheelwright-shop, store and tavern,
the latter two selling whiskey. I heard the person
who kept the store say that he sold one and a half
hogsheads of whiskey on an average per month, the
I price of which was eleven cents per quart, and per
gallon, in the jug, forty cents. The poor class, when
they sent to the store, would give whiskey the first
place on the order, and if any money was left other
commodities were to be purchased, but the whiskey
must be first. Howellville is now one of the most
respectable villages in Delaware County.'" In 1833,
John C. Irwin was mine host, and in 1834, George P.
Alexander, who remained there in 1836, after which
date no license was had for the house until 1856,
I although in 1839, in an advertisement, " William
' Robins, at Sign of the Lamb, Howellville," is men-
tioned, when William Sill received the right to keep
tavern there, and yearly the privilege was continued
to him until 1860, when Robert Sill, his son, followed
as the host of the Howellville Inn, until 1867, when
Edward B. Green assumed control of the house, which
is now kept by his widow.
Settlers of Edgmont. — Among the earliest pur-
chasers of land from the proprietary were Joseph
Baker, John Worrall, Philip Yarnall, Robert Pennell,
Joseph Pennell, Ephraim Jackson, David Register,
I John Houlston, Samuel Bishop, and in 1722 appear
' the names of Jonathan Hunter, Samuel Lewis, Jo-
seph Pratt, Henry Howard, James Sill, Jacob Taylor,
and others, whose names still survive in their descend-
ants in the limits of the township.
The descendants of Joseph Baker and Mary, his
wife, are very numerous throughout Delaware and
Chester Counties. He represented Delaware County
in the Provincial Assembly, and died in 1716. His
son, John, born in Edgmont the 11th of Tenth month,
1686, inherited all his land in the township. When
Dr. Ash's map was published, in 1848, Abel, Thomas,
and William Baker were land-owners, as well as Ed-
ward, George, Abel, and Anthony, sons of Edward
Baker.
John Baker, a brother of Joseph, died in Philadel-
phia in 1685, and left four daughters, — Rebecca, Mary,
Dorothy, and Sarah. In 1684, Roger Jackson, Mary,
Hannah, and Sarah Baker appear as purchasers from
William Penn in Edgmont. Mary married William
Coebourn, Hannah to Francis Yarnall, and Sarah to
Charles Whitacre.
I Phillip Yarnall, with his brother, Francis, came
from Cloynes, in Worcestershire, England. They
I first settled in Springfield township, adjoining George
Maris' land, about a mile from Springfield Friends'
meeting-house, on the road to Clifton. This land was
j conveyed to Francis, Oct. 17, 1683, and for several
; years they were members of Darby Monthly Meeting
of Friends. Francis married Hannah Baker, of Edg-
mont, and purchased five hundred and ten acres of
land adjoining Edgmont line, in Willistown township,
extending from Crum Creek westward nearly two
' Fifty Years I
)," Delaicare County i
EDGMONT TOWNSHIP.
559
miles, a large portion of which is still held by his de-
scendants. He was a member of tlie Provincial As-
sembly, and died in Willistown in 1731. His son,
Mordecai, was a noted preacher among Friends, and
removed to Philadelphia. Peter, a grandson, born
Second month 17, 1754, studied medicine, entered the
army, and afterwards sailed as surgeon's mate on the
privateer " Delaware" during the Revolution. He
subsequently renounced warfare, and became a noted
Quaker preacher.
Lieut. John JoUiff Yarnall, who served with Com-
modore Perry in the battle of Lake Erie, was a de-
scendant of Francis. The Legislatures of Pennsyl-
vania and Virginia each voted him a sword for bravery.
He was commander of the privateer " Epervier," lost
at sea with all on board in 1815.
Professor Mordecai Yarnall was also a descendant.
He was an astronomer connected with the National
Observatory at Washington, and died there Feb. 27,
1869, in his sixty-second year. ■
Philip Yarnall married Dorothy Baker, Second
month 20, 1694, and purchased four hundred and
eighty acres in Edgmont, extending from the Middle-
town line to the road running westward from the
present village of Howellville, and erected his house
at the place now owned by William H. Miller, an
eighth of a mile west of the Temperance Hall. He
died in 1734, and his wife in 1743. <
They had ten children, — John, born First month 5,
1695, died Seventh month 4, 1749, at Wilmington,
married Abigail, daughter of John Williamson, of
Newtown; Philip, born Ninth month 29, 1696, mar- |
ried Mary Hoopes ; Job, born First month 28, 1698,
married Rebecca , and died in Ridley in 1740 ;
Sarah, born Eighth month 25, 1700, married Evan ,
Ellis; Benjamin, born Eighth month 20, 1702;
Thomas, born Sixth month 10, 1705, married Martha
Hammans; Nathan, born Twelfth month 27, 1707,
died First month 10, 1780, married three times, to ,
Rachel Jackson, Hannah Mendenhall, and Jane
Beazer; Samuel, born Second month 10, 1710, married
Sarah Vernon ; Rebecca, born Sixth month 6, 1712,
married William Jones, of Plymouth ; and Mary,
born Eighth month 23, 1718, married Samuel Milner, ]
of North Wales. j
Samuel Ligbtfoot's notes of the survey " due west"
from Philadelphia for fixing the Maryland boundary
in 1738 states that they passed twenty feet from j
Thomas Yarnall's house (now the home of Caleb
Yarnall), twelve perches south from Philip Yarnall's
house, and fifty perches south of John Yarnall's (now
James Thorp's). This gives the residences of three
of the sons at that date.
John and Abigail Yarnall had six children, — Mary,
born 1722, died 1792, married three times,— to Thomas |
Pennell, John Lea, and James Preston,— and was the
mother of Dr. Jonas Preston, founder of Preston Re-
treat, Philadelphia. Thomas, born 1724, died 1759,
married Margaret, and lived in Thornbury. Ann, born
1729, died 1797, married John Thomson, and was
the grandmother of John Edgar Thomson, the engi-
neer and president of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company. Isaac, born 1732, died 1765, married Mary
Bennett; his grandson, Isaac Yarnall, was commis-
sioner of Delaware County ; another grandson, Reu-
ben Yarnall, born Fifth month 18, 1800, is now living
in Philadelphia; on the 8th of April, 1884, he, with
his wife, Rachel, daughter of Davis Garrett, cele-
brated the sixtieth anniversary of their wedding.
Abigail Yarnall, born 1733, died 1803, married Jesse
Garrett. Hannah Yarnall, born 1741, died 1818,
married Thomas Garrett, of Willistown.
The children of Philip and Mary were Grace,
Philip, David, Abraham, Jane, Elizabeth, Esther,
Dorothy, and Mary.
The children of Thomas and Martha were Marga-
ret, William (the ancestor of Thomas Yarnall, a min-
ister among Friends), Job, Caleb (ancestor of Owen
Yarnall, the present county commissioner), Joseph,
Hannah, and Sarah.
The children of Nathan and Rachel Yarnall were
Ephraim, born 1733; Nathan, born 1736; Benjamin,
born 1738, who moved to Cecil County, Md. ; John,
born 1739 ; Edith, born 1743, married Joshua Sharp-
less ; Joel, born 1745 ; Samuel, born 1748 ; Eli, born
1753, died 1812, a noted Quaker preacher; Joshua,
born 1755 ; Ellis, born 1757, who removed to Phila-
delphia in 1774, became a prominent merchant, leav-
ing many descendants, among them Rev. Thomas C.
Yarnall, of the Episcopal Church in West Philadel-
phia; and Robert, born 1761.
In 1696, Ephraim Jackson purchased one hundred
and twenty acres of the southern portion of Philip
Yarnall's land. He was born in 1658, and came from
England in 1687, and in 1695 married Rachel, daugh-
ter of Nicholas Newlin, of Concord, and died in 1732.
He was a good penman, kept the Friends' records,
and wrote many deeds and marriage certificates and
other records, which are still in existence. Their
children were John, born 1697 ; Joseph, born 1699,
married, first, Hannah Pennell, second, Susana Mil-
ler, and settled in Loodongrove ; Nathaniel, born
1701 ; Josiah, born 1702 ; Samuel, born 1704, married
Ann, daughter of Robert Johnson, and moved to
Lancaster County; Ephraim, born 1706, married
Mary Register; Mary, born 1708, married Benjamin
Johnson; and Rachel, born 1710, married Nathan
Yarnall.
Robert Pennell purchased two hundred and fifty
acres in 1691, and two hundred and sixty-four acres in
1705, on the north of Philip Yarnall, extending from
Howellville to the Willistown line. He came from
Boulderton, in Nottinghamshire, England, having
obtained a certificate from Friends at Ffulbeck the
third day of the Fifth month, 1684, together with
Thomas Garrett, Hugh Roduell, Henry Pennell, and
Richard Parker, with their wives and children, in-
tending to transfer themselves beyond the seas into
560
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
East Jersey in America. Eobert and his wife, Han-
nah, settled in Middletown as early as 1686. Their
children were Hannah, born Seventh month 23,1673,
died Tenth month 31, 1731, married John Sharpless;
Joseph, born Tenth month 12, 1674, died Ninth
month 30, 1756, married, Twelfth month 25, 1701,
Alice, daughter of William Garrett, of Darby ; James,
born Ninth month 11, 1676; Jane, born Fifth month
13, 1678, married Samuel Garrett; William, born
Eighth month 11, 1681, died 1757, married. Eighth
month 26, 1710, Mary, daughter of Thomas Mercer,
of Westtown ; and Ann, married. Second mouth 17,
1689, to Benjamin Mendenhall. Robert Pennell died
in 1728, and Hannah, his wife, Twelfth month 4, 1711,
aged seventy-one years. William Pennell settled in
Middletown, and Joseph in Edgmont. The children
of Joseph and Alice were Hannah, born Eleventh
month 4, 1702, married. Eighth month 18, 1722, to
Joseph, son of Ephraim Jackson ; Robert, born
Sixth month 2, 1704, died First month 9, 1726 ; Jo-
seph, born Sixth month 3, 1706, died 1728; Alice,
born Eighth month 2, 1709, died Seventh month 13,
1748; Anne, born Eighth month 2, 1711, died First
month 25, 1802, married Cadwallader Evans; Jane;
and Mary, born 1717, died Tenth month 31, 1807,
married Moses Meredith, of Plymouth, born Ninth
month 30, 1714. He was the son of Meredith Mere-
dith, born Third month 6, 1675.
The Pennell homestead stood a short distance north-
west of Howellville, at the place now owned by Henry
Mendenhall. Robert Pennell willed the northern part
of his farm to his grandson , Joseph, and thereon erected
a house, portions of which are now standing and oc-
cupied by Emlen Stackhouse. One of the windows
has the small leaden lights of Queen Anne's time.
Joseph died, aged twenty-one, before the house was
completed.
The children of Mary and Moses Meredith were Sa-
rah, married Joseph Pennell,* of Concord ; John, born
Eleventh month 17, 1748, married Hannah Harrison ;
Joseph, who died at an advanced age unmarried ; and
Alice, who married David Harry. Joseph Meredith,
born Tenth month 11, 1785, a son of John, inherited
the north part of the tract, from whom it descended
to Catharine, the wife of Emlen Stackhouse, and
Alice, wife of Charles Stackhouse, who, with their
children, are the present possessors. Joseph's wife
was Sarah, daughter of Joseph Pennell, of Concord.
The children of Ann and Cadwalader Evans were
Pennell, born 1731 ; Hannah, born 1733, married
Rowland Parry; Alice, born 1735, married D. Jona-
than Morris ; Robert, born 1738, married Jane Cox ;
Joseph, born 1747; Sarah; Mary, born 1750; Jane,
born 1752 ; Catharine, born 1754.
Thomas Evans owned the tannery at the old home-
stead. It afterwards .passed into the hands of Israel
Howell, a leather merchant of Philadelphia, who gave
the name of Howellville to the old Rising Sun, and
built the elegant residence, owned afterwards by Dr.
Casper Wistar Pennock, who resided there until his
death.
Samuel Lewis, a grandson of Ralph Lewis, of Rad-
nor, purchased two hundred acres of David Register
in 1720, adjoining Joseph Pennell's land. His son,
Josiah Lewis, inherited it, and William Lewis, his
son, was born there in 1751, who in after-life became
the leader of the Philadelphia bar. In his seven-
teenth year he went to Chester with a load of hay,
and while gratifying his curiosity by a visit to the
court-room, was so much fascinated by the oratory
there displayed that he at once resolved to study law,
although his previous education was of the most lim-
ited character. He repaired to Philadelphia and en-
gaged as an office-boy, and began the study of his
profession with Nicholas Wain, then a young man of
excellent attainments and of fine forensic talents, but,
unhappily, affected by habits of dissipation and senti-
ments of unbelief It was when he was in Mr. Wain's
office that a remarkable incident occurred which
formed the turning-point in his life. Mr. Wain, who
was a Quaker, but who had himself for many years
thrown off Friend's dress, was passing one day by the
Pine Street meeting-house ; the door was open, and,
sauntering in, he was attracted by the voice of a
preacher on the women's side. Suddenly his sight
became obscure; a series of spectres, as he afterwards
firmly believed, each bearing to him a portentous
message, flitted before him ; and, yielding to the awful
vision, he sank upon his knees, interrupting the
speaker by a prayer of terrific earnestness. This was
succeeded by a trance, in which consciousness was
destroyed, and from which he awoke only to renounce
all worldly connections whatever. This was in 1773,
just about the period of Mr. Lewis' admission to the
bar, and, aided by the business which, on his master's
retirement, slipped into his hands, the young lawyer
soon found himself with a respectable run of clients;
Mr. Joseph Reed, afterwards president of the Coun-
cil, and Mr. Wilcock, afterwards, for a long time, re-
! corder of Philadelphia, together with Mr. Galloway,
then the provincial leader, being his chief competi-
tors. When the Declaration of Independence upset
the courts, Mr. Lewis took the new test, not yielding,
however, any overt patriotism. To vindicate the
Quaker loyalists was no small nervous effort on the
part of the man whose own patriotism had been
equivocal. The effort, however, he made, and made
with calmness, courage, and power ; and, in the trials
of Chapman, Roberts, and Carlisle, he displayed, in
full vigor, his eminent powers of reasoning and cour-
age of temper. Perhaps to this may be attributed his
unparalleled influence with the Quaker community.
For several years Mr. Lewis, as a member of the
Pennsylvania Legislature, took the lead on the Fed-
eral side, and in 1789, in the State Convention, was
foremost in upsetting the absurd Constitution which
Dr. Franklin had a few years previous persuaded the
State to accept.
IJLcttcy/^
EDGMONT TOWNSHIP.
561
To Washington's administration, by which, when
it began, he had been offered the post of district attor-
ney, he considered himself bound by the closest ties,
and he even departed from his general policy and
went so far as not only to contribute to the news-
papers of the day, but, in 1792, even to stump the
State. On these occasions the vigor and clearness of
his voice was remarkable, and without apparent effort,
in the open air, every word was audible at an extraor-
dinary distance. In 1792, on the death of the elder
Judge Hopkinson, he had a new proof of the Presi-
dent's confidence in the commission then sent him as
district judge. On the bench, however, he continued
but a short time, the restraint being uncongenial to
his taste, and the income insufficient for his extrava-
gant habits.
Upon his return to the bar he enjoyed a lucrative
practice, and became concerned as leading counsel in
the trials of the Western insurgents. He purchased
property adjoining Laurel Hill Cemetery, and built
the Strawberry Mansion, now within the limits of
Fairmount Park, and made it his residume.
After the coming in of
Mr. Jefferson's administra-
tion Mr. Lewis took no part
in politics, continuing, how-
ever, in the unabated practice
of his profession until 1819,
when, on the 15th of August,
after several weeks' illness,
he died, retaining to the last
the professional ability and
professional devotion which
had marked his long ca-
reer.
The house in Edgmont
where William Lewis was
born, now owned by Wil-
liam Pennell Smedley, is still
standing, the farm having
been inherited by his brother,
Samuel Lewis, who sold it to
William Smedley, of Middle- i
town, in the year 1822.
William Smedley, born Eighth month 9, 1765, died
Fourth month 10, 1839, married, Twelfth month 5,
1793, Deborah Lightfoot. He provided a farm for
each of his four sons. George and William remained
in Middletown, the latter on part of the farm pur-
chased by their ancestor, George Smedley, of William
Penn in 1684, while Samuel Lightfoot and Jacob set-
tled in Edgmont.
Jacob Smedley, born Twelfth month 31, 1801, mar-
ried. Eleventh month 13, 1826, Jane Yarnall, daughter
of Isaac and Mary Yarnall, of Edgmont. Their chil-
dren were Isaac Y., born 1827, died 1853 ; Abram P.,
born 1829, now a dentist in Media; Nathan, born
1831, died 1884; Hannah P., born 1836; William
Alfred, born 1838, died 1852 ; and Bennett L., born
1839, a druggist in Philadelphia. Jacob was a sur-
veyor and conveyancer, and, with Enoch Lewis, made
surveys of a railroad from Chester to West Chester,
along Chester Creek, in 1835. He was surveyor of
Media, where he now resides, and held the position
of clerk of the county commissioners for twenty-one
years.
Samuel L. Smedley, born Fourth month 9, 1798, was
prominent as a teacher and mathematician, and, be-
sides his inherited occupation of farming, carried on
surveying and conveyancing. He taught several
years at Thornbury, and subsequently at High Bank,
on a portion of his farm. He married. Fifth month
4, 1826, Hannah, daughter of Joseph and Mary Pen-
nell, of Middletown, and died Tenth month 19, 1834.
He left three sons, — Joseph P., born Fifth month 24,
1827, farmer and miller, who died Tenth month 3,
1872, in Uwchlan, Chester Co., leaving one daughter,
Hannah, born 1870. He married Emma Winner,
Third month 11, 1867. William P., born Ninth month
4, 1829, married, Fonrth month 5, 1860, Jane Garrett.
His children arc Samuel L., born 1861 ; Alfred, born
IITHI'LACE OF WILLIAM LEWIS, 1751.
1866, died 1884; Elizabeth, born 1869; Jane H., born
1872, died 1872; and Mary Ella, born 1875.
Samuel L. Smedley, youngest son of Samuel L. and
Hannah, was born Twelfth month 29, 1832, and was
less than two years of age at the time of his father's
death. From that time his mother managed the farm,
and carried it on successfully until her sons reached
maturity. He early evinced an aptitude for study,
and was carefully educated at a select school until his
thirteenth year, when he entered the Friends' Board-
ing-school at Westtown. Here he made rapid pro-
gress and at the end of eighteen months stood at the
head of the senior class. He was then sent to school
in Germantown to perfect himself in the classics, but
close application so injured his health that he was
562
HISTOKY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
forced to return home, where he remained for several
years upon the old homestead. During this time he
was solicited to take charge of the district school at
Edgmont Central Seminary, and taught there two
winters.
Convinced that his health required an active out-
door occupation, Mr. Smedley determined to adopt
the profession of surveying, which was congenial to
his tastes, a love for which he inherited. Accordingly,
in the spring of 1853 he removed to Philadelphia
and engaged with Joseph Fox, who had laid out
most of the northern portion of the city of Philadel-
phia, and had then recently been engaged to extend
the city plan on the west side of the Schuylkill. Pos-
sessed of mathematical talent, and being an apt
draughtsman, Mr. Smedley soon mastered the minutiae
of his profession, and his promotion was rapid. In 1856
he was engaged by the commissioners of Blockley to
lay out the streets in that township. He also carried on
conveyancing, and entered largely into the purchase
and sale of real estate. About this time he published a
complete atlas of the city of Philadelphia, a laborious
and expensive undertaking, but one which was very
sucpessful, and the book remains to this day a standard
work for conveyancers, and is highly prized by them.
In 1858, Mr. Smedley was elected a member of the 1
Board of Surveyors, and was subsequently chosen by i
the people of the district for three terms of five years
each.
In 1871 his name was presented to the Republican
State Convention as a candidate for the position of
Surveyor-General of the State. The novelty of naming
a professional surveyor for that position met with
much favor, but the policy of placing soldiers upon
the ticket prevailed, and Gen. Robert B. Beath was
nominated and elected, he being the last to hold the
office, as, by the provisions of the new Constitution,
it was merged into that of Secretary of Internal Affairs.
In 1872, Mr. Smedley was elected by the City Coun-
cils to the responsible office of chief engineer and
surveyor, the position he now holds, having been
chosen for the third time in March, 1882, his present |
term expiring in 1887. In this position he has had [
charge of many extensive public works, among which
have been the building of Penrose Ferry bridge, and
the Fairmount and Girard Avenue bridges, and
numerous smaller ones over railroads, canals, and
other streams within the limits of the city. j
Mr. Smedley, in 1865, visited Europe on a tour of i
recreation and study, and returned impressed with i
the thought that Philadelphia, to keep pace with :
other great cities, should avail herself of her great
natural advantages for establishing a grand park for ,
the enjoyment of the people, and he entered with i
enthusiasm into the project of securing Lansdowne, [
an estate of one hundred and fifty acres, from its j
English owners, as a .nucleus for the park, and was ;
largely instrumental in bringing about the purchase
of that beautiful section of land as a j^leasure-ground '
for the public. He was appointed by the park com-
missioners to make the original surveys of the terri-
tory embraced in the park, and many of the walks
and drives therein were designed and laid out by him.
Since 1872, as a park commissioner, by virtue of hig
office, he has been active in securing improvements
to the territory under the control of the board.
Mr. Smedley has been a member of the Historical
Society of Pennsylvania since 1857, and for fourteen
years was recording secretary of the association. He
has taken much interest in local history and genealogy,
and has collected a large number of the records of
his own family, which became of special interest
during the bi-centennial year. He is also a member
of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Phil-
adelphia ; honorary member of the Delaware County
Institute of Science; member of the Academy of
Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and of the
West Philadelphia Institute; of the latter he was for
many years a director and secretary. In addition he
is a member of the American Public Health Associa-
tion, of the executive committee of the Philadelphia
Social Science Association, the Engineers' Club of
Philadelphia, the American Society of Civil Engi-
neers, and of the Union League and other political
clubs. In religion he is a member of the society of
Friends, as his ancestors have been from the first set-
tlement of the State. Mr. Smedley is unmarried, and
lives in West Philadelphia, with which section of the
city he has long been identified.
Joseph Fox, a native of Edgmont, was born Third
month 9, 1786. He taught school in Westtown, and
married Hannah, daughter of Aaron James, of the
latter place. In 1815 he kept store at Seven Stars, in
Aston, in partnership with Isaac Massey, and in 1818
married Priscilla Griffith. In 1820 he married Edith,
daughter of Abraham Hibberd. In 1822 he removed
to Philadelphia, and taught school there for several
years. The northwestern limit of the city at that time
was in the vicinity of Tenth and Spring Garden
Streets. Mr. Fox was an excellent mathematician,
and in 1826 turned his attention to surveying, in
partnership with Philip M. Price. He laid out the
streets in a large portion of the city between Spring
Garden and Germantown, and in 1848 retired to a farm
in New Jersey. He was a surveyor of such large
experience and high reputation for accuracy that he
was solicited to take charge of the intricate work of
making a good city plan out of the numerous small
villages which had grown up independently in West
Philadelphia, and accepted the appointment in 1852,
and returned again to the city, remaining there until
his death. Second month 14, 1873. He left several
children. Samuel L. Fox, proprietor of J. W. Queen's
optical and mathematical instrument establishment,
in Philadelphia, is one of them.
Everatt Griscom Passmore, farmer, of Edgmont,
had a great reputation as a " gilt-edge" butter-maker
forty years ago. While on his way to Goshen Meet-
EBEK EAOUUS.
HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.
563
ing his horses became unmanageable. He was thrown
violently against a rock, and a portion of his skull as
large as a walnut was broken in. It was carefully
removed by trepanning, and he lived seventeen years
afterwards with the indentation conspicuous in his
forehead. He died in 1868, aged eighty-one years,
and was buried at Moorestown, N. J.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
EBER EACHUS.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Eachus were
Enoch and Esther Eachus, of Goshen township,
Chester Co., Pa., while on the maternal side he was
the grandson of William and Susanna Rusell, of Del- I
aware Co., Pa. His parents were Evans and Hannah
Eachus, whose children were William E., Emmor
David, Mary, Sarah, Susanna, Esther, Hannah, Ma- !
tilda, and Eber, all of whom with the exceptions of
Eber and Esther are deceased. Eber Eachus was
born Feb. 22, 1807, in Upper Providence township, i
Delaware County, where he continued to reside until 1
April 1, 1832. He received when a lad such educa-
tional advantages as were obtainable at the public \
schools of the vicinity, and subsequently made farm- I
ing the business of his life, — first in Upper Providence j
and later in Edgmont township, where he removed !
in 1832, and became the occupant of his present farm.
He was on the 29th of November, 1836, married to
Priscilla P. Bishop, daughter of Thomas and Martha
Bishop, of Hartsville, Bucks Co., Pa. By this mar-
riage are two children, — Evans, born Jan. 8, 1838, and
Hannah, whose birth occurred April 18, 1840. Mr.
Eachus was in politics an Old-Line Whig during the
existence of that party. At the beginning of the war
he joined the ranks of the Republican party, but in
later life ceased to take an active interest in affairs of
a political character. He was reared in the faith of
the society of Friends, and affiliates with the Hicks-
ite branch of that religious body.
JOHN MENDENHALL.
Three brothers — John, Benjamin, and George Men-
denhall — came from England with William Penn in
1682. George returned after a brief sojourn in Amer-
ica, John settled in Chester County, and Benjamin
found a home in Concord township, Delaware Co.
He was united in marriage to Ann Pennell, and had
sons, — Robert and Benjamin. The former, who was
born in 1719, married Phcebe Taylor, and became the
parent of thirteen children, among whom was John,
the father of the subject of this biographical sketch.
He married Tabitha Newlin, whose children were
Cyrus, Martha, Esther, John, and Anne. John
Mendenhall was born May 27, 1793, in Edgmont
township, Delaware Co., upon the farm which was
for sixty years his home. After the rudiments of an
English education were obtained, he assisted his
father in his daily routine of labor, then became
superintendent of the varied farm interests, and
finally lessee of the property. He later purchased an
estate in close proximity to his former home, and
made it his residence. He was married in 1821 to
Hannah Sharpless, daughter of Daniel and Sarah
Sharpless, of Chester township, Delaware Co., Pa.
Their children are Rebecca (deceased), Henry, and
Joseph. Henry is a resident of Media, and married
Deborah Passmore, of Chester County, whose children
are Ella, J. Howard, Walter P., and Anna R. Joseph
resides in Lawrence, Kan., where he is actively en-
gaged in business. In 1849, Mr. Mendenhall re-
moved to a farm in Edgmont township. Here he re-
sided during the remainder of his life, though his son,
Henry, cultivated the farm for many years. Mr. Men-
denhall was a Whig in his political convictions, and
si>bsequently supported the platform of the Republi-
can party, having held numerous minor ofiices in the
township of his residence. He was in religion a
Friend, and member of the Orthodox Friends' Meet-
ing of Middletown.
CHAPTER XLIV.
HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.'
This division of the county lies in the northeastern
quarter, on the border of Montgomery County, and
wholly within what was known at an early period as
the Welsh tract. With the exception of Merion, in
Montgomery County, it was the earliest settled of the
Welsh townships. Its name was brought over with
the first settlers, who came from the vicinity of Hav-
erford-West,^ in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. In
early days, says Dr. Smith, the name was very fre-
quently written with an ii instead of v, and doubtless
had the pronunciation that this change of letters
would give it. The pronunciation was, at length,
corrupted to Harford, a name by which the township
was generally known within the recollection of many
now living.
Respecting the settlement of Haverford, as well as
Radnor township, it appears that soon after William
Penn had acquired title to the province of Pennsyl-
vania, he encouraged emigration to America, espe-
cially people of his religious belief, and sold to numer-
ous Welsh Friends, lands which were to be located in
1 By John S. Schenck.
2 The term Haverford is of very ancient date. Haverford in Wales
had its cai;tle as early «B 1112 a.d., and Giraldua Cambreusis gives an
account of " a preaching tour" made there by Archbishop Baldwin and
himself in the year of our ei-a 1118. He reports that they were most
kindly received by the Haverfordians and their religious services grate-
fully acknowledged.
564
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
a body as a barony on the west bank of the Schuyl-
kill River. Hence Dr. Edward Jones, chirurgeon,
as he is styled, with other Welsh purchasers, sailed j
from Liverpool, England, in the ship "Lyon," John
Compton, master, and arrived in the Schuylkill River ,
on the 13th of the Sixth month (August), 1682. On
the 26th of the same month Dr. Jones wrote to his
friend, John ap Thomas, the following letter, which
describes the voyage and arrival of the Welsh
settlers :
" These for his much esteemed friend John ap Tliamm of Llailhgicn neer
Bala in Merionelhshire. North Wales, to be left tcUh Job Boullen aU the
Boutt and (tin in Lmnber Street, London, and from thaice to William Sky
Butcher, in Oswestrie, to be sent as above directed and via iondon— wiW
" My endeared fr'd & hrotber my heart dearly salutes tliee in a meas-
ure of yp everlasting truth dear fr'd hoping that these few lines may
find thee in health or no worsteryn I left thee. This shall lett thee know
that we have been aboard eleven weeks before we made the land (it was
not for want of art but contrary winds) and one we were in coming to
Upland, ye town is to be buylded 15 or 16 miles up ye Kiver. And in
all this time we wanted neither nieate, drink or water though several
hogsheads of water run out. Our ordinary allowance of beer was 3
pints a day for each whole head and a quart of water; 3 biskedd a flay
4 some times more. We laid in about half hundred biskedd, one bar-
ren of beere, one hogshead of water— the quantity for each whole head,
&. 3 barrens of beefe for the whole number-^0— and we had one to come
aehoare. A great many could eat little or no beefe though it was good.
Butter and cheese eats well upon ye sea. Ye remainder of our cheese
& butter is little or no worster ; butter and cheese is at 6<i per lb. here
if not more. We have oatmeale to spare, but it is well, yet we have it,
for here is little or no corn till they begin to sow their corn, they have
plenty of it. The passengers are all living, save one child, yt died of a
surfeit. Let no frds tell that they are either too old or too young, for
the lord is sufBcient to preserve bolh to the uttermost. Here is an old
man about 80 years of age; he is rather better yn when he sett out,
likewise here are young babes doing very well considering sea diet. We
had one tun of water, and one of drinke to pay for at Upland, but ye
master would faine be pd for 13 or 14 hogsheds yt run out by ye way,
but we did not, and about 3 quarters of Tunn of Coales we p'd for ; we
laid in 8 Tun of Coales and yields no profit here. We are short of our
expectation by reason that ye town is not to be builded at Upland,
neither would ye Master bring us any farther, though it is navigable
for ships of greater burthen than ours. Ye name of town lots is called
now Wilcoco; here is a Crowd of people striving for ye country land,
for ye town lot is not divided, & therefore we are forced to take up ye
Country lots. We had much adoe to get a grant of it, but it cost us 4
or 5 days attendance, besides some score of miles we traveled before we
brought it to pass. I hope it will plea.se thee and the rest yt are con-
cerned, for it hath most rare timber, I have not seen the like in all these
parts, there is water enough beside. The end of each lot will be on a
river as large or larger than the Dye at Babi, it is called Skool Kill
Kiver. I hope the Country land will within this four days [bel surveyed
out. The rate for surveying 100 Acres [was] twenty shilling, but I hope
better orders will be taken shortly about it.
"The people generally are Swede, which are not very well acquainted.
We are amongst the English, which sent ns both vension and new milk,
4 the Indians brought vension to our door for six pence ye quarter. And
as for ye land we look upon it [as] a good & fat soyl generally producing
twenty, thirty, & fourty fold. There are stones to be had enough at the
falls of the Skool Kill, that is where we are to settle, & water enough
for mills, but thou must bring Millstones and ye Irons that belong to it,
for Sniillis are dear. Iron is about two aud thirty or fourty shillings
per hundr.d ; Steel about Is. 6ii, p. 1. Ye best way is to make yr pi. ken
axes when you come over, for they cannot be made in England, for one
man will work with ym as much as two men with ours.
"Grindle stones yield good profit here; ordinary workmen have Is. 6e.
a day. Carpenters 3 or four shillipgs a day ; here are sheep, but dear,
about twenty shillingf a piece. I cannot undei-stand how they can be
carried from England. . . . Taylors hath 5s. & 6s. a day. ... I wonld
have you bring salt for ye present use; here is coarse salt, some times
two measures of salt for one of wheat, aud sometimes very dear. Six
penny & eight penny nails are most in use, horse shoes are in no use
. . . good large shoes are dear; lead In small bars is vendible, but guns
are cheap enough. . . . They plow, but very bungerly, and yet they have
some good stone They use both hookes and sickles to reap with. . . .
"Time will not permit me to write much more for we are not settled.
I [send] my dear love and my wife's unto thy selfe and thy dear wife
and the rest of my dear friends, H. Ro. Rich. P. Evan Resse; J. ap E.
Elizabeth Williams E. & J. Edd; GainorR.; Ro. On.; Jo. Humphrey ;
Hugh J. Tho. ; and the rest of fr'ds as if named.
"I remain thy Lo' friend and Bro. while I am,
"Edd Jones.
" My wife desires thee to buy her one Iron Kettle 3s. or 3«. 6d. ; 2 paire
of shoes for Martha, and one paire for Jonathan, let them be strong and
large; be sure and put all yr goods in cases, if they be dry they keep
well, otherwise they will get damp and mouldy. . . .
"This is the 2d letter, Skool KiU River,
" Ye 26th of ye Cth mo., 1682."
Subsequently Jones and his countrymen settled
upon " The Welsh Tract," the outlines of which had
been run by virtue of the following warrant:
" Whereas, divers considerable persons among y Welsh Friends have
requested me y' all y« Lands Purchased of me by those of North Wales
and South Wales, together with ye adjacent counties to y», as Haver-
fordshire, Shropshire, and Cheshire, about fourty thousand acres, may
be lay! out contiguously as one Ba™n!(,alledging y' y number all ready
come, and suddenly to come, are such as will be capable of planting y«
same much Win y proportion allowed by y« custom of y country, i
so not lye in large and useless vacancies, and because I am inclined and
determined to agree and favour y" wtt any reasonable Conveiiiency
and priviledge : I do hereby charge thee and strictly require thee to lay
upon y» West side of Skool kill river, running three miles upon y« same,
aud two miles backward, and then extend y parallel wtt ye river six
miles, and to run westwardly so far as tiU y s" quantity of land be
Compleately surveyed unto y». Given at Pennsbury, y 1 3"" 1" mo., 1684.
"Will: Pexs .
"To Tho: Holmes, Surveyor-General."
In pursuance of this warrant the surveyor-general,
on the 4th of the Second month (April), 1684, issued
an order to his deputy, David Powell, directing the
latter " to survey and sett out unto the said purchasers
the said quantity of land, in manner as before ex-
pressed, and in method of townshipps, lately ap-
pointed by the Governor, att five thousand acres for
a townshipp and to be directed (for placing the vil-
lages of each Townshipp and division of the pur-
chasers) by Thomas Lloyd, Master of the Rolls, who
is principally concerned therein, unto whose care and
prudence is recommended the ordering and managing
of this affair to the content and satisfaction of the
said purchasors, and make me a true return of the
original field-work and protracted figures, as well as
the distinct quantity of each purchasor, &c".
The survey was probably made before the close of
! 1684. Soon after encroachments were made by others
within its limits, and particularly by Charles Ashcom,
a very troublesome deputy surveyor. In consequence
thereof the Welsh inhabitants petitioned to the pro-
prietary's deputies against these intrusions, who, after
they had "well weighed the mater, truly considered
the case, and rightly understanding the Governor's
intention in granting the warrant," issued their man-
date on the 25th day of the Fifth month (July), 1687,
forbidding such intrusions, and making void what had
been done within the prescribed limits, which are
given as follows :
HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.
" Beginning att the school kill, thence running W. S. W. by the City
liberties 2256 perches to Darby Creek, Thence following up the several
courses thereof to New Towne Line, Thence up the said line N. N. W.
448 perches, Theuce S. S. Vf. and by W. by New Towne, 998 perches, to
a corner post by Crumb Creek, Thence down the several courses thereof
460 perches. Thence W.and by S. by aline of trees 1920 perches. Thence
N. N. W. by a line of trees perches. Thence E. and by N. by a line
of trees 3040 perches. Thence E. and by S. 1120 perches, Thence S. S. E.
256 perches. Thence E. N. E. 640 perches. Thence S. S. E. 1204 perches,
Thence E. N. E, 668 perches to the School kill. Thence down the several
courses (hereof to the place of beginning."
The only draft of the " Welsh Tract" that has been
found in the surveyor-general's ofBcedoes not entirely
agree with the above description. However, the orig-
inal survey included the townships of Haverford and
Radnor, in the present county of Delaware, besides
Merion, Tredyflrin, Whileland, Willistown, Easttown,
Goshen, and part of Westtown, in the counties of
Chester and Montgomery,
Meanwhile complaints concerning the actions of
Charles Ashcom and others continued to be forwarded
to the proprietary, and finally were noticed in the fol-
lowing instructions to the commissioners of property,
William Markham, Thomas Ellis, and John Goodson,
dated at Worminghurst, Twelfth month 1st, 1686, and
read at a meeting held 3, 13, 1687 :
"4thly. And whereas I formerly granted a Warr* for forty Thousand
acres for the "Welch people, to Lye Contiguous on the west side of
Schoolkill, and that I am informed Incnrsions have been made upon
those Lines Contrary to Equity, as also that Charles Ashcome Refuses to
make Regular Returns to Thomas Holme, Surveyor Generall, or pay
him his old dues, which was one-third, from the first of his serveing
under him. These are to will and Require you to Look into the same,
and to do Justice both to the Welch and to the Surveys Generall. Charles
Ashcome Promising me to pay y« said one-third part of the money
for survey to the said Thomas Holme, and in Case the said Charles Ash-
come shall be disorderly or Refractory, you are hereby Impowered to
X>i8place him, otherwise to Continue him in his Iraploy."
It also appears that the Welsh settlers not only
contemplated having their settlements together, but
expected to constitute one municipal district or
" barony," in order that they might manage their
affairs in their own way. They certainly had grounds
for this expectation, and consequently when the
division-line was run between Philadelphia and
Chester Counties, through the Welsh Tract, thus sep-
arating the settlements of Haverford and Radnor
from those of Merion, it gave rise to much dissatisfac-
tion, and resulted in sending forward, through Col.
William Markham, the following petition to the
proprietary :
" Philadelphia, the 23'', 2* mo., 1688.
" To the propriety & Governo" Commissioners of State & Property.
The Humble peticon of the Inhabitants of the Welch Tract Sheweth.
"That, Whereas William Penn, Proprietary & Governo' afores'i out of
bis tend' Love & good will towards your pet" & for their Incouragem^
& Conveniency here (considering many of them understood not the
English Tongue & soe were incapable of giveing dne sen'ices to English
Judicatures) was favc^? pleased to give his most Solemne word (before
they removed from the Land of their nativity) That they, yor Pet"
should have ab> forty thousand acres of Land contiguously lay" out as a
Barony, and that they should not he obliged to answer nor serve in any
Co" whatsoever, but should have Co™ & magistrates of their owne,
wherein Justice should be ministred according to the Law of this Gov-
ernm* or to that effect; In Consideration whereof,
of yo' pet". Love, Gratitude, & Choice to the s" Go
• Sc his Gove:
. this Provin
" And whereas the s-^ Propriet'f-» in pursuance of his former promise
Did grant a warrant for surveying the s^ Tract accordingly, and there-
upon further declared that yof pet" should Injoy the sJ priviledges in
maner afores'i & be Exempt from attending all other Judicatures save
only that they should maintaine memb" to such in Council & Assem-
bly. And also whereas the s'l Tract extends to the sev'all Countys
of Philadelphia & Chester as is aleadged & by pretence thereof your
pet" have been sumoned to the County Co"3 of both the s'' Countys to
yield their service upon Jurys A so are like to be taxed in both places to
their great impoverishm'. Now for as much as the priviledges & Exem-
peons afores'i soe tenderly proposed by o' Governo' is most thankfull ac-
knowledged as a peculiar kindness to yo' pet" nev'theless they desire
to Improve the same to no other end then to have their Co"^ & Magis-
trates of &. amongst themselves as they had in Wales and to be governed
by the Law of Pennsilvania here, as they were by the Law of England
there, and that good Rule & Order may be the better kept amongst them
& amiable unity with their English & other neighbo" he preserved and
Especially that their monthly and other meetings may not he separated.
" Therefore yo' pet" humbly request that what has been so as afores'i
granted by parol maybe Confirmed unto them & other purchso" & In-
habitants of the s'l Tract & their heires by Grant Charter or Ordinances
containing such Jurisdictions, powers. Liberties, & under such services,
Restricons and Denominacon as in Wisdom you shall Judge Expedient,
&c.
"Thomas Ellis. Samuel Rees.
Griffith Owen. Moris Lewelin.
John Bevan. John Roberts.
Hugh Roberts. David Meredith.
Henry Lewis. Richard Orme.
William Howell. Rees Peter.
John Evans. Hugh Jones.
Robert Davies. David Evan.
Francis Howell. John Jarmau.
William Jenkins. Phylip Evan."
John Humphrey.
[Indorsed.] "Pray S' send an answer to this flbr they are very
Earnest about it but Johir Symcock mrrch ag' it as
also Laying an other County beyond theirs.
" W. M. '
It seems that no notice was taken of this petition
by the proprietary, at least an answer has never been
found. The Welsh, however, remained steadfast in
the position they had assumed. They declined to
recognize the division that had been made previously,
and this led to proceedings in Council, 1, 25, 1689, as
follows :
" The Secretary produced a Petition tfiom severall Justices and In-
habitants of y« County of Chester, directed to y= Gover' and Counrill.
The Cover' asked by Whom Subscribed : 'twas answered by none. He
replyed He should not receive it without a Subscription : it was deliv-
ered to y persons who attended about it. They Subscribed it. The
Gover' then directed it to be read : it was read: y Coppy Thereoff ffol-
loweth(viz.):
"To John Blackwell, Esq'., Gover', and the Provinc" Councill of
Pennsylvania. &c.
" The Humble Petition of y» Justices of Chester County in the bohalfe
of themselves and Inhabitants of y said County Sheweth : That whereas
y" said Corrnty is but a Small tract of Land, not above 9 miles square, &
but thinly seated, whereby y said County is not able to support the
Charge thereotf; Vppou our humble Request to the Proprietor&Gover'
and his Serious Consideration of our weak Condition, was pleased out of
Compassion to us, to grant an Enlargement of y^ same, in manner ffol-
lowing, viz.: to runn up from Delaware River, along darby mill Creek,
I y« several Courses thereoff, unlill they took in Radnor and Herford
j townshipps; Then downe to y" Skoolkill ; Then vpwards along the sev-
erall Courses thereoff" withorrt limmitt.
" Theref«»i-e, wee humbly pray you will be pleased to Corrfirme y^ said
bounds, whereby the County of Chester may be in some measure able to
defray their necessary Charge, and wee shall, as in duty hound, 4c.
"Signed by Jo» Blunslon, Tho: Brassie, Band" Vernon, Caleb Pusey,
Tho:Vsher.
"The Gover' Demanded of y Petitioners how they would make out
their alligations. They began to relate some passages w^b had passed
tfrom y Proprietor about settling the boirnds of y Courrty of Chester.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
" The Goverr Directed them to withdraw, and putt what they had to
Bay and Could depoae into writing ; they went forth and brought in their
several] attestations following, wch were read, viz. :
" ' I, John Blunstone, as in relation to y Devision of Chester County
ffrom Philadelphia, doe thus testifle, that a ffew days before Cover' Penn
left this Province, that vpon ye bank by John Simcock's house, I moved
him to Deside this matter that had been so long Discoursed, who then,
before me and Others, Did Declare that y bounds Should thus runn
fTrom the mouth of Bow Creek to Mill Creek, w«ii should be y< bounds
until it come to y Land of Herford, and then to take in the Townds of
Herford and Kadnor: from thence to the Skoolkill, and take in his
manuour of Springtowne, by w«h our Patients Holds; then I asked him
if he would be pleased to give it under his hand, to avoyde ffurther
Trouble, who answered he would if any of vs would Come the next day
to Philadelphia in order thereunto : one was sent, but what then ob-
structed I am not certaine, but ye Cover' Departed about two days
after :
'"Was signed John Blunston.'
" Randall Vernon sayeth that some time since W» Howell of Har-
ford Signified vnto me, and gave it vnder his owne bande, y' some time
after they there settled that he asked y« Cover' to what County they
should be joyned or belong vnto, & The Cover' was pleased to answer
him that they must belong to Chester County :
"Was signed 'R., the mark of Randu Vernon.'
"Our Proprietor and Cover', being pleased to grant to me a Com-
mission to be Sheriff of the County of Chester, was pleased some time
after to express himselfe to me to this purpose: Thomas, I perceive that
the Skoolkill Creek Comes or runs so vpon the back of Philadelphia,
that it makes ye City almost an Island, so that a Robbery or the like
may be there Committed and y offender gitt over y^ Creek, and so
Escape for want of due persute, Ac, therefore I intend that ye bounds
of Philadelphia County Shall Come about 3 or ffour miles on this side of
the Skoolkill, and I would not have thee to take notice or to oppose
that Sheriff in y« Execution of his office, about Kiugses, or the like, but
I intend to enlarge this County downwards to Brandywine :
" Assertained by me, Thomas VsHEE.
" Some of the members of the Prov" Councill asserted the Substanc e
thereof, and that y* same was agreeable with the mappof the Province.
" The Survey Gene'lls Deputj- was sent for, who showed the bounds
of the County from the mapp. and being asked by ye Cover' by what
order it was sett out, answered it was so ordered by ye Cover' and Pro-
vinciall Councill, as would appear by ye Coppy of ye minutes of their
proceedings, wet he produced.
"The Cover' Directed that the minutes themselves might be serched,
A Comparing the same Coppy with the Entry, ffound them agree in
Substance.
" 'Twas observed by ye Cover' and Councill that ye mapp of The Prov-
ince was the work of Thomas Holme, Survy Gene"; that it was dedi-
cated to ye Proprietor by ye Publisher; that many Coppys had been
published in England and here in this Province, by wet ye same was
made notorious to all men's observations and Knowledge, without Con-
trol! or Question, and that 'twas likely many Conveyances of Lands
might have been passed. Expressing the situations to lye in the Respec-
tive Couutys ; as they were therein Expressed, and that to Disallow
thereof, for ye Boundary's, might be of ill Consequence on that acco'.
'Twas asserted that ye Welsh Inhabitants had Denyed themselves to be
any part of The County of Philadelphia, by refusing to bear any share of
Charges, or serve in office on Jurys, and the like, as to ye County of
" That the pretence thereof was they were a distinct Barony, weh tho'
they might be, yet that severall Baronys might be in one and ye same
County.
" The Cover' and most of The present members of Councill Declareing
themselves satisfied Concerning their being a part of Chester County
upon ye ground alliged and proved as aforesaid, yet ffor as much as
Thomas Lloyd had desired they might be heard before it were deter-
mined, Sam" Carpenter was desired to acquaint him that if he, the said
Thomas Lloyd, should think fltt so ffarr to Concerne himselfe therein
as to appear in their behalfe, or any other, to shew cause why they
should not be Declared to be of the County of Chester, (as tho Proprietor j
had promised) they might have liberty to do. before the Cover' and Coun-
cill to-morrow, between 9 & 10 in the forenoon, otherwise the Evidence t
seemed so ffull as that the;*Bhould proceed to Declare their judgment
therein."
The following day Thomas Lloyd and John Eckley
appeared on behalf of the Welsh, and claimed that
the proprietor had given them grounds to expect
they should be made a county palatine; but having
no written evidence thereof, the Governor and Coun-
cil by a vote decided that the former division line
should be confirmed. Samuel Carpenter and William
Yardley dissented on the ground that the Welsh peo-
ple should have had more time to make their defense.
The Welsh troubles were then transferred from the
Provincial Council chamber to the Chester County
court. The court made an order appointing John
Jerman constable for Radnor and John Lewis for
" Hartfort" (Haverford),but these gentlemen did not
come forward to be qualified into office. At the fol-
lowing court it was " ordered that warrants of Con-
tempt be directed to the Sheriff" to apprehend the
bodyes of John Lewis and John Jerman for their
contempt in not entering into their respective offices
of Constable (viz.), John Lewis for Hartfort and
John Jerman for Radnor, when thereunto required
by this Court."
At the same session, which began on the " 3d day
of 1st week, 3d mo., 1689,'' David Lawrence, who
had been returned as a grand juror from Haverford,
failed to attend. He was presented by that body and
fined ten shillings. The grand jury also presented
" the want of the inhabitants of the townships ot
Radnor and Hartfort, and the inhabitants adjacent,
they not being brought in to Joyn with us in the
Levies and other public services of this county."
At the June court of 1689 the commission of Wil-
liam Howell, of Haverford, as a justice was read and
published, and " he did afterwards subscribe to the
solemn declaration, prepared by the 57th Chapter of
the great law of this province." At the same court
William Jenkins, of Haverford, served as a juror,
and at the December court John Jerman was attested
constable for Radnor. This was the first official rec-
ognition by any of the inhabitants of these townships
that they were subject to the jurisdiction of Chester
County. They then seem to have given up the idea
of a barony, and with as good a grace as possible sub-
mitted to the authority they were unable any longer
to resist. By the close of the year these townships
were supplied with a full set of township officials,
who were the first appointed and to serve within their
limits.
During the year 1693 a provincial tax was levied ot
one penny per pound on estates, and sis shillings per
head upon freemen. The list of taxables in Haver-
ford township at that time is interesting as showing
who were then its citizens. The original list, for
Chester County, is in possession of the Pennsylvania
Historical Society.
£ ». d.
John Bevan 00 Oi 02
William Howell 00 03 04
Morris Lewellin 00 03 04
Thomas Rees 00 02 06
William Lewis 00 04 00
John Richard 00 02 06
Humphrey Ellis 00 02 06
Ellis Ellis 00 02 09
Ralph Lewis 00 02 06
HAVERFOIID TOWNSHIP.
William Jenkins 00
Daniell Humphrey 00
Dayid Lawrence 00
Lewis David 00
John Lewis 00
Henry Lewis 00
John Lewis, Junior 00
Eichard Hayes 00
Benjamin Humphrey 00
William Howell, for Tho: Owen 00
Richard Hayes, for David Lewis 08
John Bevau, for Evan Williams 00
Although it has frequently been asserted and gen-
erally believed that Penn's colonists and the Indians
lived together with the utmost harmony and cordiality
prevailing at all times, yet that such was not the case
is shown by the following : In 1685 the Friends of
Haverford and other adjacent townships complained
to Council against " Y° Indians for y' Rapine and
Destruction of their Hoggs."
Haverford Street or road was laid out in 1683,
probably by David Powell, who executed most of the
surveys and resurveys in Haverford and Radnor
townships. The Haverford and Darby road was laid
out " by the Grand Jury and other neighbours,"
Twelfth month 7th, 1687. On May 8, 1696, a road
was laid out from David Meredith's plantation in
Radnor township to Haverford meeting-house. This
road passes White Hall and west of Haverford Col-
lege. At the same time, May, 1696, Ellis Ellis, su-
pervisor, was ordered to out and clear the roadway
" which leads to the Limestone Hill from Darby thro
Harford." A road from Henry Hames' (in Marple)
to Haverford meeting-house was laid out in 1697.
In describing the last part of the line, the foreman of
the jury, Andrew Job, says, " running up the said line
betwixt William Howell and David Lawrence, making
the fence the middle of the road till it comes to the
fence where we pulled downe, and so to the meeting-
house where we end." Until the year 1700 the pub-
lic highways were laid out by order of the grand
jurors ; after that date by viewers.
The men who controlled the township in early days
were among the most prominent in the Welsh tract,
and we may add of the county. In speaking of them
Dr. George Smith has said, " It is even still more
wonderful to see the large amounts that were appro-
priated to charitable purposes. This was particularly
the case among the Welsh Friends. Every reason-
able want was attended to. If a newly-arrived immi-
grant or a ' poor friend' stood in need of a house, it
was built for him ; of a plow or a cow, he was pro-
vided with one. The fields of the sick and the weak
were not allowed to remain uncultivated, and their
pecuniary wants and other necessities were liberally
supplied. Nor was their care in these respects con-
fined to their own little communities. Wherever
suffering humanity was found our Quaker ancestors
were ever ready to contribute liberally to its relief."
The following proves the last assertion of Dr. Smith
to be correct, it being a receipt given by Edward Ship-
pen, the first mayor of Philadelphia:
" ThiB may certify that Friends of y« Monthly Meeting at Hartford
y« David Lewellin paid into my hands for y distressed in New England,
fourteen pounds four shillings, ass'i about ye 7th Mo. last paaaed, for
which sum I gave him a Receipt as witness my hand in Philadelphia,
y 234 of 12th Mo., 1697/8.
The taxables residing in the township in 1722 were
Richard Hayes, Samuel Lewis, Henry Lewis, John
Havard, Daniel Humphrey, David Llewellyn, David
Lewis, Humphrey Ellis, John Parry, Henry Law-
rence, Thomas Lawrence, Edward Jones, John
Thomas, Samuel Rees, Rees Price, Thomas David,
Walter Lloyd, Joseph Lewis, Grifiith Evan, and
Daniel Rees.
In 1754, in accordance with an order issued by the
justices of the peace, then sitting as a Court of Quar-
ter Sessions, etc., a list of township officials from 1682
to 1753, inclusive, was made out, which also showed
the date of settlement in the township of such ofiicers.
From this list, which is still in part preserved in the
township records, we learn that the following-named
early residents of Haverford, to 1700, began their
residence here during the years indicated :
Lewis David, Henry Lewis, William Howell, 1682 ;
John Lewis, David Lawrence, Morris Llewellyn,
Ralph Lewis, John Richard, Wifliam Sharpus, 1683;
William Lewis, 1686 ; Richard Hayes, Thomas Rees,
1687; Humphrey Ellis, Ellis Rees, 1690; Robert
Wharton, 1696; John Rees, 1698; Evan Williams,
Abraham Lewis, and David Lewis, 1700.
In August, 1758, the tax-payers of Haverford were
as follows :
Henry Lawrence, Samuel Humphrey, John Wilcox, Edward Hum-
phrey, Lewis Davis, Charles Humphrey, Rowland Parry, William
Lawrence, Jeremiah Ellis, Daniel Lawrence, Thomas Vaughan, Jane
Lawrence, Anne Miller, David Llewellyn, Cloise Johnson, Obediah Wil-
der, Thomas Cornock, William Young, John Johnson, Samuel Johnson,
William Brown, Philip Foreman, Daniel Thompson, John Lewis, John
Ebelon, Tesley Guyger, Samuel Tuston, Isaac Tuston, Ludwick Knull,
Griffith Owen, Frederick Bittle, William Ellis, Alexander Soley, Wil-
liam Thomas, David Cornock, Michael Kimball, James Dockerty,
John Cook, Philip Tupper, James Sampson,. William Townsend, John
McCormick, George Schofield, Alexander McDowell, James Harper,
Benjamin Hayes, Abraham Musgrove, John Vaughan, Robert Taylor,
Isaac Vaughan, Thomas Ellis, Thomas Vaughan, Thomas Simons, and
John Erie.
The early inhabitants of Haverford, being chiefly
Friends, vi-ere opposed to wars and the fitting out of
warlike expeditions among them. Yet that some of
its residents participated in the expeditions under
Braddock, Forbes, and Stanwix, as wagoners, etc., is
proven by Roger Hunt's account-book, wherein are
found the following entries :
" Haverford. Robert Armor entered one wagon Sept. 2o. Credited
by 5 bags of Speltz, weighing C,8, 2, 22, and 6 bbls flour, weighing 0,
13, 2, 22 ; mileage from Harford to Carlile and back, 222 miles. Whole
amount £27 18». S-^d. Settled Oct. 27, 1759.
"Thomas Ilubbart entered one wagon; credited by 112 days, July
11 to Oct. 31, 1760, @ 16». Od. Cash advanced, £30.
" Copy of Mr. Ourrey's Certilicate and Discbarge of William Jones,
Wagon Driver for Mr. Thomas Huhbart's wagon for Haverford Town-
ship:
'* ' This certifies that I have this Day discharged Wm Jones, wagoner
of George Aston's Brigade, with his wagon and Geers and two horses;
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
one ofthe others died in
of 3Ir. Lindsay one pouE
Given under my Hand i.
:he service, the oilier strayed. He has received
; sixteen and nine pence, and of me two pounds.
Bedford this 3oth day of Ocf, 17.'i9.
"'Lt. OUBRET.'"
Lieut. Ourrey was then in command of Fort Bed-
ford, Bedford Co., Pa.
In 1760, Charles Humphrey, then township clerk,
afterwards member of the Colonial Assembly and of
the Continental Congress, made the following record
in the township book :
"On arst day of March, and at night, we had a violent Northeast
Snow Storm, when, Considering the season of the Year and the time it
Lasted (for about IS hours), there was the greatest fall of snow that has
been known since the Settlenien t of tlie Province, being upwards of Two
feet deep, and lasted upwards of 8 days on the ground.
"March 16, 1760."
For many years all public meetings and ekciions
were held "in the meeting-house," meaning Friends'
Haverford meeting-house. In March, 1762, how-
ever, the township election was held "at the school-
house.'" This probably was about the date of build-
ing the first school-house, though it has not beeu
ascertained where it was situated.
Charles Humphrey, township clerk in 1764, again
says, "The following is an account of a surprising
phenomenon which Happened on the 25th of July,
1764, at 40 minutes past 7 o'clock in the evening.'
There was a Ball of fire near the north east, about 50
degrees above the Horizon. It took its Course near
northwest, its diameter at times Considerably bigger
than that of the Sun. Especially at one time it
opened, so as seemingly it would have separated
itself; it appeared like huge, flaming, sheets of fire,
inclining together like that of a new-blown Rose ; its
sound, as it went (which was very swift) was Like
that of a great fire urged by a strong wind. It kept
near of one Heighth all the way, till it had crossed
the Meridian to the north, aboute 20 degrees, where
was a small Cloud, which seemed as if it attracted it.
It mounted Higher, and just as it seemingly touched
the Outward Edge of the Cloud it Broke into Thou-
sands of pieces like that of springing a mine, when
the pieces and particles would all be in a flame.
When, as near as Could be guessed, in aboute 30
seconds of Time came the Report which was like
the firing of Large Cannon. The sound of it Lasted
one full minute, it had something Exceedingly Re-
markable in its Centre like a bar of iron which ap-
peared to be very Hot out of which there Came
Sparks of fire as it went."
At the beginning of the Revolutionary war, 1775,
the township taxables numbered seventy-one, repre-
senting a total population of about three hundred and
fifty. After the American defeat at Brandywine and
the consequent occupation of this region by the British
army, the people of Haverford suffered terribly by dep-
redations committed by British troop,s. A few days
subsequent to the battle of Brandywine, Gen. Wash-
, the township election was j
ington with the American army marched from Ger-
mantown, on the Lancaster road, to and several miles
beyond the Buck Tavern, in Haverford, for the purpose
of again engaging Howe's army, but a violent and
protracted rain-storm forced him to suspend further
operations and retire. On the 10th, 11th, and 12th days
of December, 1777, Cornwallis, with a detachment of
the British army, made a sally from Philadelphia into
Haverford and adjoining townships, and at that in-
clement season of the year stripped many families of
all their provisions, their stock and provender, and
many articles of household furniture. The losses then
sustained by the inhabitants of Haverford amounted
to more than three thousand four hundred pounds
sterling.
" The month of February, 1779," says township
clerk Charles Humphrey, " was a Remarkable fine,
warm, and spring-like wether all thro, the frogs cry-
ing and spawning. Maple and alder blossoms in full
Bloom, peach blossoms in many places, English
Cherry trees very forward, some blossomed out, apple
tree buds beginning to leaf, insomuch that vegetation
was moved in allmost every vegetable. Corn in the
ground looked well and promising, but March turned
the face of everything. Rain, frost, and snow, high
winds and storms, every other Day all thro."
In 1780, when steps were taken for the gradual ab-
olition of slavery in Pennsylvania, twenty-six slaves
were held in Haverford, but none in Radnor.
In 1786 the taxable inhabitants of Haverford were
as follows :
William Brooke, William Bni-ns, Jonathan Buckman, Thomas Cor-
nogg, Abraham Cornogg, John Coruogg, Lewis Davis, Jesse Davis,
John Davis, Caleb Davis, William Davis, George Dunn, Peter Dehaveni
Sarah Ellis, Jesse Ellis, David Ellis, Jonathan Ellis, William Free!
GriBtli Davis, Andrew Frederick, Samuel Gracy, Samuel GrilBth, Han.
Humphrey, Edward Hughes, Mary Hayworth, George Hayworth, Rob-
ert Holland, Aaron Johnson, Hugh Jones, Samuel Leedoni, John Lind-
say, David Lowden, David Lyon, Simon Litzenberg, Catharine Lu-
kens, Anthony Lewis, Abraham Lloyd, Francis Lee, Mary Miller,
William McClure, John Moore, Nicholas Pechine, Henry Lawrence, Jo-
seph Powell, George Powell, Hugh Quinn, John Ross, Philip Sheaff,
Richard Willing, Obadiah Wiley, Felix Wershing, Joseph Worrall, Mar-
tin Wise, Nathan Jones, Thomas Terry, Richard Humphrey, and John-
son Vaughan.
7nma(cs.— Duncan Johnson, William Downey, John Hayworth, Sam-
uel McClure, Richard Tippons, Samuel Burrows, Joseph Webster, Jona-
than Haycock, Michael Timple, Zachariah Long, Daniel McElroy, Ed-
ward Hughes, and William Sheaff.
JVeemen.— William Lincoln, John Graville, John Free, John Point,
John Stevens, John Holland, Jacob Vaughan, Edward Leedoni, George
Stump, William Lloyd, and Jonathan Worrall.
The Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike road
crosses the northeast corner of the township. The
company was incorporated in 1792, and the road was
completed in 1794, at a cost of four hundred and sixty-
five thousand dollars. It was the first turnpike road
constructed in America.
At the beginning of this— the nineteenth— century
Haverford's taxables were mentioned as follows :
William Brooke (brigade inspector), Jane Burns, Thomas Brooke
(miller). Benjamin Bevan, George Bonsall (blacksmith), Joseph Bond,
William Bittle (innkeeper), Amos Bradsliaw (grist- and saw-mill), Isaac
HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.
Bittle, Abrabain Cornog, Abrabam Chapman, John Cornog, John Coch-
ran (shoemaker), Lewis Davis, Joseph Davis (tanner), Jesse Davis, Grif-
fith Davis, William Davis, John Davis, Samue] Davis, William Dickin-
son, John Dickinson, Jesse Ellis, Jonathan Ellis, Isaac Ellis (black-
smith), Rudolph Epwright (weaver), Jacob Spright, John Free, Andrew
Frederick (shoemaker), John Timple, John Grucy (wheelwright), Ed-
ward Gill, George Hayworth (carpenter), John Hughes (fulling-mill
"goiug to decay," and saw-mill), Bichard Humphrey, John Jones, Aaron
Johnson, Jacob Johnson, William Johnson, Mary Jones, Johu Jones,
Ludwig Knull, John Lindsay (justice of the peace), William Llewellyn,
Anthony Lewis, David Lyons, Edward Lobb (millwright), Amos Lukens
(joiner), Adam Litzenberg, Jacob Litzenberg (cooper), Simon Litzen-
berg (cooper), Mordecai Lewis, Samuel Leedom, Samuel -Lewis (tailor),
Mary Miller, Patience Morgan, Jonathan Miller (innkeeper), Joseph
Powell, George Powell, Nicholas Pechin, Hugh Queen, John Ross
(owner of the " Grange"), John Dickinson, Benjamin H. Smith, Philip
Sheaff, Jacob Stanley, Valentine Smith, Matthias Snyder, Alexander
Symington (storekeeper), Richard Tippins (ahoemnker), Christian
Vaughan, Joshua Vaughan, Johnson Vaughan, Garrett Van Buskirk,
Keziah Wilday, George Willing, Maris Worrall (storekeeper, grist-, and
saw-mill owner), and Casper Weist.
Inmates. — Edward Fowler (wheelwnght), John Hay, Reuben Lewis,
Philip Litzenberg (cooper), Daniel Leedom (weaver), John Powell, Jesse
Moore, Joseph Rogers (miller), Jonathan Vaughan, Daniel McElroy,
John Van Buskirk, Samuel Wright (carpenter), and Martin Wise.
Single Freeirien.— David Bittle (mason), Hugh Carm (carpenter),
Thomas Ellis (carpenter), William Garrett (storekeeper), William Has-
kins and Andrew Lindsay (blacksmiths), Jesse Maddock (tailor), Thomas
Downs, Abraham Free, Joseph Griffith, Amos Griffith, John Lindsay,
Jr., William Lindsay, William Litzenberg, Edmund Leedom, William
Lyons, John Little, Joseph Powell, John Stephens, Yorb Van Buskirk,
Joseph Van Buskirk, Jacob Vaughan, George Weist, Garrett Van Horn,
Jonathan Ellis, Isaac Ellis, Amos Lukens, and Jonathan Miller.
Since that day the improvements made in Haver-
ford have been vast and varied. Its inhabitants liave
ever kept in the advance line in the onward march
of the nation, and its lands, lying as they do just
without the limits of a great city, are very fertile and
highly prized.
We now turn to other topics which are treated
under separate headings, but before doing so will add
the following, which was made a matter of record by
the township clerk :
"Be it remembered that the winter of 1828 was the most mild winter
in the recollection of the oldest people then living, there being scarcely
any snow and but very little ice, and followed by the winter of 1829,
which was the coldest that had been for many years, there being two
months of study Friezing."
Early Mills, etc.— Haverford MiU.— As early as
the year 1688 a small grist-mill, known as the "Haver-
ford Mill," was built on Cobb's Creek,' near where
that stream is crossed by the road leading past Haver-
ford meeting-house. Its original owner is unknown.
By searching the records, however, a little light is
thrown on the history of this, one of the first mills
built in Pennsylvania. Thus, Fourth month (June) j
12, 1700, Richard Hayes, attorney for William Howell, |
acknowledged a deed to David Lloyd, attorney for
Rowland Powell, " for ninety -seven acres of land with
a mill called Haverford Mill, and all other appur-
tenances and improvements thereunto belonging,"
the deed bearing date Third month 30th, 1700. This
seems to indicate that William Howell, one of the
first settlers of the township, was the original owner
1 The Indian name of t7obb's Creek was Rarakung.
of " Haverford Mill." Friends' meeting-house, in
Haverford, was also built upon the same tract, a tract
which came into the possession of Howell in May, 1682.
In October, 1703, Daniel Humphrey became the
owner of two hundred and forty-one acres of land,
of which the east line was Cobb's Creek, and
the south line the road on which Friends' meeting-
house stands. Humphrey's land included the mill-
property above mentioned. Subsequently, Charles
Humphrey^ (son of Daniel, and a member of the
Continental Congress at the time of signing the
Declaration of Independence), together with his
brothers, became the owners of the mill property,
which also included fulling- and saw-mills. Thus, in
1766, Edward Humphrey was mentioned as the owner
of the fulling-mill, and Charles Humphrey of the
grist- and saw-mills. The latter owned the grist- and
fulling-mills in 1782. He died in 1786, but this mill
property continued in the hands of the Humphrey
family until about 1826, when Dennis Kelly purchased
it and changed the buildings into a woolen and cotton
manufactory, under the name of the "Castle Hill
Mills."
Haverford New Mill.— On Fourth month (June)
14, 1698, Richard Hayes, Jr., before mentioned as
Howell's attorney in the transfer of Haverford Mill to
Powell, became the owner of one hundred and sixty
acres of land, of which Darby Creek formed the
western boundary. On this property, about the year
1707, Hayes, with David Morris and Samuel Lewis,
erected a grist-mill, for a longtime known as " Haver-
ford New MiU" (now as Leedom's mill), which he
managed himself till his death, in 1738. This prop-
erty, with a saw-mill attached, belonged to Maris
Worrell in 1802. Eighteen years later it was still in
his possession. In 1826 it was owned by Elisha Wor-
rell and occupied by Thomas Steel. In 1830 it was
managed by Joseph Leedom, Elisha Worrell still being
the owner. In 1875 it was owned by Maris W. Lee-
dom. It is now owned by the latter's widow.
Abram C. Lukens, now living at Upland, speaks ol
this mill property as follows : " The old mill stood a
little farther up the stream. When the new mill was
built, the gudgeon was lost in the creek. One of the
workmen dived for it. The instrument was heavy,
and as the man stayed under water a long time, seem-
ingly, it was feared for a moment that he, too, was
gone ; but finally he came up, struggling and safe,
with the recovered article in his hands." The mill
now in operation, and of which Lukens speaks, was
built in 1832.
Ellis' Fulling-Mm.— In 1694, Tenth month, 2d day,
Humphrey Ellis purchased two hundred and twenty
acres of land, of which Darby Creek formed the west-
ern boundary. On this property a very early fulling-
mill was erected, and successfully operated. In 1790
s It will be remembered that Charles Humphrey, with three other
Pennsylvania members, voted against the Declaration of Independence.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
it was owned by Humphrej' Ellis, a son of Humphrey
Ellis first mentioned by a second marriage.
Brown's (Garrigues') Mills. — About the year 1800,
Peter Brown became the owner and operator of grist-
and saw-mills, which stood on the head-waters of
Cobb's Creek. On Feb. 11, 1802, he sold this prop-
erty to William Hill, William White,' and Miers
Fisher. It then consisted of one hundred and thirty
acres of land, with grist- and saw-mill. On the 1st
of July, 1807, the parties above mentioned transferred
the mills and property belonging to Samuel Garri-
gues, " House Carpenter." The mills were run by
the latter for a few years, but by reason of a scarcity
of water were finally abandoned. In 1826 this mill
property was mentioned, by a Delaware County com-
mittee, on the subject of manufactories, etc., as "an
old stone grist-mill, which has been out of use for
several years past." On the 26th of July, 1834,
Samuel Garrigues sold two acres of this tract to the
Haverford School Association, and the same are now
included with the lands owned by Haverford College.
There are some, doubtless, who will question the
existence of the Brown Mills. Indeed, Abram C.
Lukens, for a time, stoutly maintained that such
mills never existed, but finally remembered having
seen the ruins of an old mill there. The volume of
water in these small streams was much greater eighty
years ago than it is now,
Lawrence's Mills, — A saw-mill, owned at various
times by Henry Lawrence, and his sons Thomas,
Mordecai, and William, was erected about the be-
ginning of this century on Darby Creek, near where
that stream is crossed by the West Chester turnpike.
Prior to that time, however, an old fulling-mill had
occupied the same mill-seat (standing on the north
side of the present turnpike), which, probably, was
the one owned by Humphrey Ellis in 1790. In 1832
a stone grist-mill (the present one) was built by Wil-
liam Lawrence, just below the saw-mill. These mills
have since been in the possession of members of the
Lawrence family, and are now owned by Thomas D.
Lawrence. They have been leased and operated by
John E. Stanley and his father for the twenty-two
years last passed.
Miller's Mills.— About the j'ear 1810, Jonathan
Miller built grist- and saw-mills on Cobb's Creek, |
just above the mill privilege, soon after utilized for I
the manufacture of gunpowder. A few years later !
David Quinn became associated with him in the
business and served as manager. In 1827, Samuel
Leedom took charge. For a number of years prior
to that time the latter had operated Joshua Humph-
rey's mill, which was situated a short distance above
Miller's, on the same creek. In 1844, Mr. Leedom
purchased the Miller Mills, and lived there till his
3 doctor of divinity of the ProtBstant Epis-
far famed as a dietingulBhed bishop of the
death, which occurred some twelve years ago. Augus-
tus B. Leedom then became the owner, to be suc-
ceeded in a few years by one Lombert. The latter
was in turn succeeded by the present owner, George
Dickinson, who purchased the property in February,
1879, and came here to reside in April of the follow-
ing year.
Nitre Hall Mills,— These mills, used for the man-
ufacture of gunpowder, began operations prior to the
beginning of the war of 1812-15. They were owned
and managed by Israel Wheelen and William Rogers,
Jr., until about 1825. Rogers alone then conducted
the business until his death, which occurred about
1840, when Dennis Kelly purchased the property and
converted the principal building into a woolen- and
cotton-factory. It remained in the possession of
Kelly and his heirs until March, 1880, when George
Callahan became its owner by purchase. John and
Thomas Burns, the present managers, have been
identified with these mills for seventeen years. Fif-
teen hands are now employed, and about seven thou-
sand pounds of cotton and woolen yarns are manu-
factured per month.
Kelly's Woolen- and Cotton Mills.— About 1814,
Dennis Kelly, with borrowed capital, purchased a
mill-seat on Cobb's Creek from Isaac Ellis, and erected
thereon a small stone woolen-factory, now known as
the " Clinton Mills." His venture proved to be
highly successful, and soon after, with George Wiest
as a partner, the remainder of Ellis' lands were bought,
and the capacity of Clinton Mills considerably en-
larged. Not a long time elapsed, however, before
Mr. Kelly was again conducting his business alone.
He furnished the United States government, per con-
tract, large quantities of goods for the use of the
army and navy. His mills were worked to their
greatest capacity, and he accumulated wealth rapidly.
About 1826 he purchased Joshua Humphrey's grist-
mill, and changing it to a cotton- and woolen-factory,
gave it the name of " Castle Hill Mills." Samuel
Rhoads, as lessee, occupied this mill for a number of
years. On the 20th of February, 1834, it caught fire
from the picker, and was entirely consumed, the in-
surance of ten thousand dollars covering but a small
part of the loss. After this mill was rebuilt it was
leased for some ten years to John Hazlitt. George
Bumley, James Howorth, Boyle, and Calleghan were
also prominent lessees and operators at different times
of Kelly's mills. Up to the time of his death Mr.
Kelly was widely known as one of the most successful
manufacturers of cloths in the State of Pennsylvania.
He died in July, 1864, worth nearly one-half million
dollars.
Boyle's Mills.— About fifteen years ago John Boyle
erected the large four-story building located just
above Castle Hill Mills, which yet stands as a monu-
ment to his name. Intended for the manufacture of
cotton and woolen goods, they are inactive, and have
been so for some five or six years.
HAVERFOKD TOWNSHIP.
571
Other Mill Interests. — Besides the mills already
mentioned, a few others, as well as tanneries, etc.,
were established and opemted here during years long
passed, of which traces are only to be found in early
assessment-rolls. Hence, in the endeavor to give an
impartial list of the manuliicturing interests of the
township from 1766 to 1830, we turn to these rolls
and find that the mills and the owners of them during
the years indicated were as follows :
1766. Edward Humphrey, fulling-mill ; Charles
Humphrey, grist- and saw-mills.
1770. Isaac Davis, grist- and saw-mills.
1779. Elisha Worrall, grist- and saw-mills.
1782. Charles Humphrey, grist- and fulling-mills.
1788. Humphrey Ellis, part of fulling-mill; Francis
Lee, saw-mill ; John Moore, grist- and saw-mills ;
Philip Sheaff, tannery.
1790. Thomas Brooke, grist-mill ; Joseph Davis,
tannery ; Humphrey Ellis, fulling-mill ; Francis Lee,
saw-mill ; John Moore, grist- and saw-mill ; Philip
SheafF, saw-mill.
1802. Peter Brown, stone grist- and saw-mill on
head-waters of Cobb's Creek ; Joseph Davis, tannery ;
James Tyson, saw-mill and old fulling-mill ; Enoch
Watkins, stone grist-mill ; Maris Worrell, grist- and
saw-mill.
1807. .Joseph Davis, tannery ; Mordecai Lawrence,
saw-mill ; James Tyson and John Dolen, saw- and
fulling-mill ; Enoch Watkins, stone grist-mill ; Sam-
uel Garrigues, stone grist- and saw-mill, the property
formerly owned by Peter Brown.
1809. Samuel Garrigues, grist-mill; E. Leedom,
saw-mill ; Mordecai Lawrence, saw-mill ; Joseph
Mathews, grist-mill.
1811. Joseph Davis, tannery; Jonathan Miller,
grist- and saw-mill ; Thomas Steel, grist-mill ; Maris
Worrell, grist- and saw-mill.
1817. Joseph Davis, tannery ; Francis Gaucher,
paper-mill; Mordecai Lawrence, saw-mill ; Jonathan
Miller, saw-mill ; Robert Steel and Charles Leedom,
grist-mill ; Dennis Kelly and George Wiest, fulling-
and carding-mills ; Israel Wheelen, powder-mills ;
Maris Worrell, saw- and gristmill.
1820-22. Edward Humphrey, paper-mill ; Joshua
Humphrey and Leedom, grist-mill ; Dennis
Kelly, woolen-factory ; Jonathan Miller and
Quinn, grist- and saw-mill ; William Rogers, eight
powder-mills and refinery ; Maris Worrell, grist- and
saw-mill.
From a report of a committee of Delaware County
citizens made in 1826, on the subject of manufactories
and unimproved mill-seats, we obtain the following
pertinent items regarding Haverford townsliip :
" On Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, a mill-seat, on
lands of Manuel Eyre, about where the creek ceases
to be the dividing line of Philadelphia and Delaware
Counties.
"On Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, a cotton-factory;
head and fall about 14 feet; owned and occupied by
Dennis Kelly ; drives 628 spindles ; manufactured last
year 26,194 pounds of cotton-yarn ; employs about 12
hands.
" On Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, ' Nitre Hall Pow-
der-Mills ;' head and fall from 22 to 34 feet, on the
various mills owned and occupied by William Rogers,
Jr. ; manufactured last year about 10,000 qr. casks
of gunpowder; employs about 20 men ; a large man-
sion-house and tenements for 10 families.
" On Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, a mill-seat ; head
and fall about 12 feet, on lands of Jonathan Miller.
" On Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, a grist-mill and
saw-mill ; head and fall about 20 feet ; owned by Jon-
athan Miller, and occupied by David Quinn.
"On Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, a grist-mill,
head and fall about 20 feet, owned by Joshua Hum-
phrey and others, and occupied by Samuel Leedom.
" On Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, a large woolen-
factory ; head and fall 16 feet; owned and occupied by
Dennis Kelly ; has 1 pair of stocks, 4 carding-engines
of 24 inches, 2 bellies of 50 spindles each, 3 jennies of
75 spindles each, 10 power-looms ; manufactures about
2500 yards of cotton and woolen goods per week ; em-
ploys about 60 hands ; dwelling-houses for 10 families.
"Near the head of Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, an
old stone grist-mill ; head and fall 18 feet; owned by
Samuel Garrigues ; has been out of use for several
years past.
" On Darby Creek, in Haverford township, an an-
cient grist-mill and saw-mill ; head and fall about 10
[ feet, to which two feet more may be added ; owned by
Elisha Worrell, and occupied by Thomas Steele;
j grinds from 12 to 15,000 bushels of grain, grist, and
[ merchant work per annum. Also cuts about 85,000
feet of lumber per annum.
" On Darby Creek, in Haverford and Marple, a
! mill-seat; head and fall about 12 feet; on lands ot
1 Mordecai Lawrence and others.
" On Darby Creek, in Haverford, a saw-mill ; head
and fall 10 feet and 6 inches ; owned by Mordecai
} Lawrence and others, occupied by John Richards ;
cuts about 30,000 feet of lumber per annum.
" On Darby Creek, in Haverford and Marple, a
mill-seat ; head and fall about 10 or 11 feet, on land
of the heirs of William Moore, deceased, and others.
[Probably the site of John Moore's grist- and saw-
mill, 1790.]
" On Ithon Creek, or east branch of Darby Creek,
in Haverford, a mill-seat ; head and fall 7 or 8 feet; on
lands of Gen. William Brooke." This probably was
the site of the grist-mill assessed to Thomas Brooke
in 1790.
The mills, etc., of the township in 1829-30, accord-
ing to the assessment-rolls for those years, were as
follows: Lewis Davis, tannery ; Dennis Kelly, lower
factory (stone), dry-house, two frame dwellings, five
stone dwellings, upper factory (stone), fulling-mill,
stone grist-mill, seven stone dwellings, four frame
dwellings ; Clermont Lawrence, stone grist-mill and
572
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
saw-mill; Jonathan Miller and Samuel Leedom,
grist- and saw-mill ; Elisha Worrell and Joseph Lee-
dom, grist- and saw-mill.
The grist- and saw-mills and woolen- and cotton-
factories in operation in the township at the present
time (1884) are as follows: Leedom's saw- and grist-
mills, on Darby Creek ; Lawrence's grist- and saw-
mills, on Darbj' Creelc; Dickinson's (formerly Miller's)
grist- and saw-mills, on Cobb's Creek ; Callahan's
(Nitre Hall Mills) cotton- and woolen-factory, on
Cobb's Creek; and Taylor Wolfenden & Co.'s (Castle
Hill Mills) woolen-factory, on Cobb's Creek. The
" Castle Hill Mills," under the management of Messrs.
Taylor Wolfenden & Co., lessees, are running nearly
to their utmost capacity. More than one hundred
operatives are fiirnished with steady employment,
and about ten thousand dollars' worth of fine cassi-
meres are manufactured per month.
Schools. — Doubtless schools of some kind were
established and maintained in an irregular manner
from the date of the first settlement of the township,
but for many years thereafter all records now avail-
able are silent respecting them. On the 28th of
October, 1799, however, Joseph Davis, Abraham
Lewis, George Hayworth, and John Gracey, as trus-
tees, purchased of Jesse Davis a lot in the southwest
part of the township, near the present school build-
ing, " for the purpose of erecting a school-house
thereon, and for no other purpose or use." In the
stone structure which was soon after erected upon
this lot John Hayes and David Bond were early
teachers. It continued to be used for educational
purposes until 1883, when the present substantial
stone school-house was erected, on a lot purchased of
John Leedom, and the old school property was
abandoned.
On the Townsend Cooper property, formerly owned
by Levi Lukens, a stone school-house was built by
John Lukens, Robert Clark, John Hayes, and others,
about 1814. The children of William Johnson, Levi
Lukens, Dennis Kelly, and George Smith attended at
this school-house. It was torn down about the year
1835, having been discontinued as a school-house for
several years prior to that date.
About 1830 another school-house was built, ou the
lands of Jonathan Miller. It is still in use, and is
located near the grist-mill of George Dickinson, on
Cobb's Creek. John Moore was known as a teacher
there for several years. On a corner of the Darby
road and a road leading from West Chester road to
Clinton Mills a stone school-house was built about
1874, on a lot purchased from William Davis.
Another school-house was erected, date unknown, on
Mrs. Sarah O'Connor's property, east of Cobb's Creek,
and near the Montgomery County line.
After the passage of the school law, in 1834, the
court appointed inspectors of schools in each town-
ship, who served till directors were elected. The in-
spectors appointed for Haverford were Bertine Smith
and John Williams. The amount of school moneys
received by the township from State and county in
1835 was $573.44.
Following is a list of the school directors elected in
Haverford township since and including the year
1840, as found of record in Media:
1840, John Leedom, Samuel Leedom; 1842, John Gracey, Thomas D.
Lawrence; 1843, Samuel Leedom, James A. Moore ; 1844, Adam C.
Eckfeldt, Archibald Gray; 1846, George Pyatt, David SeU; 1846,
Philip Sheaff, ■William V. Black; 1847, Bartine Smith, Thomas H,
West; 1848, James A. Moore, George Pyatt; 1849, Thomas D. Law-
rence, Philip Sheaff; 1850, Bartine Smith, Thomas H. West ; 1851,
Jackson Lyons, Mordecai Lawrence; 1852, James A. Moore, Davis
Sill ; 1853, William Bittle, Bartine Smith ; 1854, Mordecai Lawrence,
James A. Moore; 1865, Davis Sill, Thomas D. Lawrence; 1856, Bar-
tine Smith, William Bittle; 1857, Edwin Johnson, David Bond;
1858, B. Lindsay, Charles Johnson; 1859, Henry McAllister, John
Leedom ; 1860, W. H. Eagle, W. W. Leedom ; 1861, no report found ;
1862, John Leedom, Haydock ; 1SG3, C. P. Bittle, D. R. Ealston ;
1864, Charles Johnson, A. B, Leedom; 1865, James Smith, William
C. Hawkins ; 1866, C. P. Bittle, John H. Clemens; 1867, William 0.
Hawkins, Charles Johnson ; 1868, Joseph Leedom ; 1869, C. P. Bittle,
Edwin Johnson ; 1870, William C. Hawkins, William C. Jones ; 1871,
Joseph Leedom, Joseph T. McCIellan; 1872, C. P. Bittle, W. M. Cal-
lahan ; 1873, Charles Johnson, William C. Hawkins ; 1874, Joseph
Leedom, John Johnson ; 1875, C. P. Bittle, Morgan B. Davis ; 1876,
Charles Johnson, Lewis K. Esrey ; 1877, James Leedom, R. N. Lee;
1878, C. Pennell Bittle, Florence Lockwood ; 1879, Charles Johnson,
Lewis K.. Esrey; 1880, Taylor Wolfenden, Joseph Leedom; 1881,
Florence Lockwood, Charles Gotz; 1882, Robert N. Lee, Charles
Johnson ; 1883, Frank Ebright, Joseph T. McCIellan ; 1884, William
Carter, Joseph Leedom.
Haverford College. — This celebrated and prosper-
ous institution holds an estate of about two hundred
and twenty acres in the northern part of the township
of Haverford. It was founded in the year 1832 by
j prominent members of the society of Friends in the
Middle States, the larger number being residents of
Philadelphia and its vicinity. The purpose of its
founders was to provide a place for the instruction of
their sons in the higher learning, and for moral train-
ing, which should be free from the temptations preva-
lent at many of the larger colleges. A tract consisting
at first of forty acres, but gradually enlarged until it
1 now contains upwards of seventy, was set off by an
experienced English landscape-gardener and planted
I with a large variety of trees, to constitute the aca-
demic grove in which the college buildings should
stand. This park is now the most beautiful which
any American college can boast, and the exquisite
undulations of its surface, its stately trees, its winding
walks, and its green and well-kept turf attract many
admiring visitors.
1 The " Founders' Hall," as it is now called, a large
[ and well-constructed building, was finished in 1833,
I and in the autumn of that year " Haverford School"
was opened. This modest title, corresponding with
the unostentatious spirit of its founders, was borne
for upwards of twenty years, although a full collegiate
course of study was pursued from the beginning.
Early in 1856, however, the institution was incorpor-
ated as a college, with the right of conferring aca-
demic degrees.
Barclay Hall, built in 1876, a strikingly beautiful
HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.
building of Port Deposit granite, furnishes studies
and bedrooms for eighty students. Others are ac-
commodated in Founders' Hall. There are two
astronomical observatories, — one built in 1852, the
other in 1884. These contain a refracting equatorial
telescope of ten inches aperture, by Clark ; a refract-
ing equatorial telescope of eight and one-fourth inches
aperture, by Fitz; an alt-azimuth reflecting telescope 1
of eight and one-fourth inches aperture ; a fixed j
transit instrument of four inches aperture, with circles [
twenty-six inches in diameter ; a zenith instrument of ,
one and three-fourths inches aperture, with microm- 1
eter and circles ; a chronograph, connected by elec- '
tricity with all the instruments, which records the
exact time of observations to the tenth of a second;
two sidereal clocks ; a filar micrometer ; a spectro-
scope made by Grubb, with a train of ten prisms ; a
polarizing eye-piece for solar work; a sextant; and a
valuable library of astronomical literature.
The students have free access to the observatory, i
and enjoy such advantages for observatory practice as
are seldom offered. The director of the observatory,
Professor Sharpless, is a man of great knowledge and
wide fame. i
A tasteful and well-proportioned building, erected {
in 1863-64, contains the library and Alumni Hall, the
latter being used for lectures, society meetings, and
the public exercises of the college. Here some fifteen
thousand volumes are always ready for the use of the
students, selected with great care in all departments
of knowledge. A large number of the best European
and American periodicals are taken in. The library
is regarded as inferior in importance and usefulness to
no other department of the college.
A carpenters' shop was built soon after the opening
of the school, as a place where the boys might find
profitable exercise and amusement in the use of tools.
This was fitted up in 1884 for the use of the depart-
ment of mechanical engineering, and contains a
forge, steam-engines, and a variety of machines and
tools for the use of students in that department.
The chemical laboratory was built in 1853 (a room
in Founders' Hall having previously been used for the
purpose), and has several times been enlarged and
improved. It is now very commodious, amply fur-
nished, and under very skillful management. Under
it is a beautiful gymnasium, which is supplied with
the apparatus of Dr. Sargent, the director of the
Harvard gymnasium. Exercise here is required of
the students, under the direction of an experienced j
physician.
In Founders' Hall there is a museum of natural
history, and a physical laboratory. This hall con-
tains also the recitation-rooms and the dining-hall.
Among the most distinguished officers and instruc-
tors of the school and college have been Daniel B.
Smith, John Gummere, Joseph Thomas, Samuel J.
Gummere, Henry D. Gregory, Paul Swift, Hugh D.
Vail, Joseph Harlan, George Stuart, Moses U. Stevens, i
Clement L. Smith, Albert Leeds, Henrj' Hartshorne,
Edward D. Cope, and John H. Dillingham. The
officers in 1884 are as follows: President, Thomas
Chase, a graduate of Harvard University, who re-
ceived in 1878 the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws
from Harvard, and in 1880 that of Doctor of Literature
from Haverford. He was a member of the American
company of revisers of the English translation of the
New Testament, and is the editor of a series of classi-
cal text-books which are very widely used. Dean,
Isaac Sharpless, a graduate of Harvard in the scien-
tific school, and honored with the degree of Doctor of
Science by the University of Pennsylvania in 1883.
Professor Sharpless is a man of wide scientific dis-
tinction, and is the author of excellent text-books in
geometry, astronomy, and physics. Pliny Earle
Chase, LL.D., also a graduate of Harvard, is the
professor of Philosophy and Logic. He holds very
high rank among living thinkers and men of science,
and his philosophical and scientific papers have been
widely published, both in this country and in Europe.
Allen C. Thomas, a graduate and master of arts of
Haverford, is the accomplished and learned professor
of History, Political Economy, and Rhetoric. Lyman
B. Hall, a graduate of Amherst, and Ph.D. of the
University of Gottingen, is professor of Chemistry and
Physics, and a thorough master of these sciences.
Edwin Davenport, A.B. and A.M. of Harvard, a
brilliant and distinguished scholar, is professor ot
Latin and Greek. Henry Carvill Lewis, graduate
and Master of Arts of the University of Pennsylvania,
one of the foremost men of science in America, is the
professor of Geology. The other instructors are men
of distinction and promise. Thomas Newlin, of the
University of Michigan, professor of Zoology and
Botany, and Curator of the museum. James Beatty,
Jr., a graduate of the Stevens Institute, professor of
Engineering Branches. Walter M. Ford, M.D., in-
structor in Physical Training. William Earl Morgan,
a graduate and Master of Arts of Penn College,
assistant astronomical observer; and William F.
Wickersham, asssistant librarian.
The following regular courses of study are pursued
at the college : I. A course in classics, mathematics,
general literature, modern languages, and science,
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. II. A course in
general science and literature, and modern languages,
for the degree of Bachelor of Science. III. A more
specialized course in practical science and engineer-
ing, together with modern languages, for the degree
of Bachelor of Science or for special degrees. The
requisites for admission are substantially the same as
at other fir.st-class colleges.
The college claims, in its published circulars,
special advantages for its students. These are, " First,
good moral and religious influences. Endeavors are
made to imbue the minds and hearts of the students
with the fundamental truths of the Christian religion,
and to train them by the inculcation of pure morals
574
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and the restraints of a judicious discipline. No stu-
dent is admitted without a certificate of character
from his last instructor, and none believed to be of
low moral character are retained. Second, thorough
scholarship. The teaching is of high quality ; the
classes are small enough to allow regular performance
of work and the opportunity for individual instruc-
tion. The absence of the constant distractions which
attend life at many colleges, and the example and
influence of the professors, enables a large amount of
honest work to be done, so that the standard of
graduation is high. Third, the healthfulness of the
student life. In the large and beautiful lawns every
facility is given, right at the doors, for cricket, base-
ball, foot-ball, tennis, archery, and other field games.
The gymnasium furnishes judicious physical training,
under the care of a skillful physician. The rooms
are pleasant, the table and service good, and all the
conditions wholesome."
Haverford College, from its modest-beginnings, has
slowly but surely won a position among the foremost
literary institutions of the country, and may justly be
counted an honor to the county and the common-
wealth in which it stands. In October, 1883, it cele-
brated the fiftieth anniversary of its opening. Six
hundred of the old students assembled on its beautiful
grounds, and their high character and eminence gave
a striking testimonial to the merits of their Alma
Mater.
Churches— HaverfordMeeting-House.— Friends'
meeting-house in Haverford township, the oldest place
of worship in Delaware County, was erected iu 1688
or 1689. The first marriage solemnized in it was that
of Lewis David to Florence Jones, at a meeting held
First month (March) 20th, 1690. The south, or what
is now known as "the old end" of the structure, was
built in 1700, at a cost of about one hundred and fifty-
eight pounds. It was erected as an addition to the
meeting-house of 1688 or 1689, which original build-
ing was replaced by the present " new end" in the
year 1800. At the date last mentioned the part built
one hundred years before was modernized somewhat
in its outside appearance, by changing the pitch of
the roof and in substituting wooden sash in the win-
dows for those of lead. The gallery was originally
at the south end of the building. It is also claimed
that a number of chestnut boards with which the
house was at first lined are still in place. For many
years the original building and its annex of 1700 was
without a chimney, being warmed with a kind of
stove or furnace, placed on each side of the audience-
room, and supplied with fuel from the outside. Only
the tops of these stoves were of iron, and the smoke
escaped by flues opening on the outside of the wall, a
few feet above the opening through which the fuel
was introduced. Part of this arrangement is yet con-
spicuous in the walls of the old end of the meeting-
house.
Soon after the completion of the building erected
in 1700, Governor William Penn visited Haverford
and preached in the new meetinghouse. Yet from
the fact that the Welsh language was the prevailing
dialect then spoken in Haverford, and that the ma-
jority of its inhabitants at that time could speak no
other, many of his hearers could not understand him.
Sutclifl^, an English Quaker, who visited the prov-
ince about the time of Penn's second visit to America,
mentions another incident concerning the Governor
which is pertinent to the history of Haverford meet-
ing-house. A little girl named Rebecca Wood was
walking from Darby, where she resided, to Haverford
meeting-house, when Penn, who was proceeding to
the same place on horseback, overtook her and in-
quired where she was going. Upon being informed,
" he with his usual good nature, desired her to get up
behind him ; and bringing his horse to a convenient
place, she mounted, and so rode away upon the bare
back, and being without shoes or stockings, her bare
legs and feet hung dangling by the side of the Gov-
ernor's horse."
The burial-ground attached to Haverford meeting-
house was laid out in 1684. During the same year
the first interment was made in these grounds, it
being the body of William Sharpus, who was buried
Ninth month 19th. More than one hundred years
later another burial was made in the same place,
which attracted many people. The circumstances are
related by Dr. Smith, as follows :
" In the winter of 1788 a very tragic affair happened on Darby Creek,
where it forma the line between Marple aud Haverford, in the death
by drowDing of Lydia Hollingsworth, a young lady of great worth and
beauty, who was under an engagenient of marriage to David Lewis.
The party, consisting of Lewis, Lydia, another young lady, and the
driver, left the city in the morniug in a sleigh, and drove out to Joshua
Humphreys, near Haverford meeting-house, and from thence they
drove to Newtown ; but before they returned the weather moderated
and some rain fell, which caused Darby Creek to rise. In approaching
the ford (which was on the road leading from the Presbyterian Church
to Cooperstown), they were advised not to attempt to cross, but were
made acquainted with the existence of a temporary bridge in the
meadows above. They drove to the bridge, but the water was rushing
over it, and the driver refused to proceed; whereupon Lewis took the
lines, and, missing the bridge, plunged the whole party into the ilood.
All were rescued but Lydia, whose body was not found till the nest
morning. The feelings of Lewis can be more readily imagined than
described. The young lady was buried at Friends' graveyard, Haver-
ford. In some pathetic rhymes written on the occasion it is stated that
1700 persons attended her funeral."
Haverford meeting-house occupies one of the most
beautiful and commanding sites in the township.
Regular meetings are held there each week, the
Friends usually attending being from twenty to thirty
in number. A Friends' meeting-house is also located
near the Haverford College grounds.
St. Dennis' Church. — This, the first Catholic
Church edifice erected in Delaware County, stands near
Haverford meeting-house, and was built during the
year 1825. Dennis Kelly, the well-known woolen and
cotton manufacturer, donated its site and the land for
the burial-grounds, and also was the greatest con-
tributor to the fund for its erection. It was built for
the accommodation of those of the Catholic faith who
HAVERFOKD TOWNSHIP.
575
were employed in Kelly's mills, on Cobb's Creek.
The original structure was small, plain, and unpre-
tentious in its appearance. A few years ago, how-
ever, it was remodeled and enlarged, and now presents
a very pleasing aspect both within and without.
Dennis Kelly, who might be termed its founder, lies
buried within its shadows, he having departed this [
life July 21, 1864, aged nearly eighty-five years.
Bethesda Methodist Episcopal Church.— The
society existing under this name was organized in Oc-
tober, 1831, under the pastoral charge of Rev. William
Crider. The church edifice, which is located in the
southwest quarter of the township, about one-half
mile southwest from the Eagle Tavern, was erected in
1832. It was considerably enlarged in 1871. Among
the original members of the organization were John
Gracy and wife, I. P. Jonas, Charles Cunningham,
Michael Lincoln and wife, John Foy, Bushrod W.
Horton and wife, Lewis AVright, John Wright, Rich-
ard Timple, William Palmer, Isaac Anderson, Samuel
Pippin, Charles Peirce, and Benjamin Yard. Other
early members who joined during the succeeding five
years were G. M. Kunkle, James Lewis, Jonathan
Evans, Sarah Evans, Sarah Peterman, Alexander
Kimble, Sarah Gracy, and Ann Barr.
The preachers who have had charge of this church
are mentioned as follows : William Crider, to 1833 ;
David Best, 1833-34 ; R. W. Thomas, 1835 ; William
Cooper, 1836-87 ; J. B. Ayres, 1838-39 ; H. King, 1840
-41 ; G. Lacy, 1842 ; Crouch, 1843 ; Mc-
Namee, 1844; T. Sumption, 1845-46; R. M. Green-
bank, 1847-48; M. D. Kurtz, 1849-50; J. Edwards,
1851-52 ; H. Sutton, 1853-54 ; J. A. Watson, 1855-56 ;
H. B. Mauger, 1857-58 ; William Dalrymple, 1859-
60; George Rakestraw, 1861-62; S. Patterson, 1863-
65; L. B. Hughes, 1866; D. McKee, 1867-68; A. L.
Wilson, 1869-71 ; M. A. Day, 1872-73 ; D. L. Patter-
son, 1874-75; J. Y. Ashton, 1876-77; T. C. Pearson,
1878-79 ; A. L. Wilson, 1880-82 ; Edward Devine,
1883 ; and D. T. Smyth, present pastor, 1884.
Among the junior preachers who were assigned to
or assisted at this church prior to 1858 were Messrs.
Perry, Hand, Ford, Jackson, Graham, Niel, Roach,
McCaskey, Lybrand, Sanderson, Cummings, Cald-
well, Hobbs, Lane, Bailey, Clark, Wheeler, Barr,
and Martin. The present members of Bethesda
Church are about forty in number.
Licensed Houses. — The first application for license
in Haverford that appears of record is that of Griffith
Evans, who, at February court, 1731, desired to be
permitted to keep a house of entertainment because,
as he alleged, he was " an ancient man, his wife
well stricken in years & subject to lameness." This
license must have been successful, for Dr. Smith in-
forms us that " he [EvansJ kept the well-established
stand known as the ' Old Trog' in that day." It was
located, the same authority states, a short distance
above Cooperstown. We, however, have not found
his name in the clerk's list of approved licenses.
On Feb. 29, 1732, Samuel Rees presented his ap-
plication, signed by Daniel Humphrey and twelve
other persons, representing that Samuel had been " ail-
ing for some years, and at times unable to help him-
self, and since March last altogether ailing in the
limbs ; sometimes forced to keep his bed for weeks ;
his crops of corn failing for several years, having a
large family," etc His house they represent " being
on the great road from Conestoga, &c., to Philadelphia,
& convenient for a public house." Despite his many
ills and misfortunes the court reftised to accede to his
wishes and denied him license. In no wise contented
with the decision of the justice, he appeared again,
May 30, 1732, when he received a favorable response
for the remainder of the license year. On Aug. 29th
of the same year he presented his petition again, and
it also was met with the favorable consideration of the
bench. On the clerk's list of the successful petition-
ers at the August court, 1734, his name appears, and
annually thereafter until Aug. 26, 1740, when Littice
Rees, the widow of " Samuel, of Haverford," prays
the court that the license may be continued to her, in-
asmuch as she had " a parcell of small children to
support." The court yielded assent to her prayer, and
again in 1741 extended the like favor to the widow and
her fatherless children. On Aug. 30, 1734, William
Bell made application to the court, and in his peti-
tion sets forth that " Lettis Rees's Lysance being now
expired," he desires to renew it, but he does not state
whether it was at the old location or not. In 1748,
Patrick Miller purchased the house formerly occupied
by William Bell, and procured the license until 1752,
when, he having died, his widow, Anne, carried on the
business until 1757. In 1759, John Gregory had the
license, and so on annually until 1761, when Llewel-
lyn Barry obtained it, and in 1766, William Lewis
became the landlord, to be followed in the next year,
1767, by Joseph Miller, who continued the business
until 1772, when he died. In 1773 his widow, Mary,
obtained license, and so on from year to year until
1789, from the Chester County court. After the crea-
tion of Delaware County she continued to receive the
favorable consideration until 1796, when Jonathan
Miller, probably her son, succeeded to the business.
From his petition, in 1802, we learn that his tavern
was known as the Buck.' In 1836 he gave place to
Edward Siter, and the latter remained there two
years, after which date the old inn ceased to be a
public-house.
1 The tavern termed the " sign of the Buck" stood on the old Lan-
caster road (not the turnpike), in the northeast comer of Haverford ;
and it was there that the interview between Sower, the German printer,
and Gen. Forbes and the Governor of the province took place in 1758.
Respecting this meeting, it seems that in the course of the discussions
which ensued during the progress of the war above alluded to, several
articles appeared iu a German newspaper, published at Germantown by
Christopher Sower, which were supposed to be aimed against the king
and the government. In consequence, fourteen Highlanders, from a
regiment lately arrived at Philadelphia, were dispatched to the printer
with a written order to meet Gen. Forbes *' at the tavern sign of the
576
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
To show that the justices took the condition of the
applicant into account in dispensing the judicial
crumbs, on the clerk's list of successful petitions in
the year 1734 appears, instead of the party's name,
this entry : " A widdow in Haverford — Beer & Syder,"
and a like statement in the following year, 1735, when
it disappears from the list.
Thomas Ashbridge, of Goshen, Feb. 28, 1737/8, in
his petition stated that that he had " taken a place in
Haverford, which has been a place of publick enter-
tainment for a considerable time." Possibly that of
the widow mentioned above. He was refused, but at
May court, 1738, he again tried to obtain a favorable
hearing, and succeeded so far as being allowed to sell
" Beer & Cyder." Ashbridge, however, seemed not
to be content with the bench's bounty, for at the Au-
gust court following he appeared again, asking full
license, which the judges accorded him. In March
(25), 1743, Matthew Beard, of Haverford, presented
his petition, that he " hath lately Rented or Leased a
Plantation or Tenement adjoining to the Great Road
from Goshen to Philadelphia, in which Tenement
there hath been for several years past a House of En-
tertainment." He was granted leave to sell " bear
and Syder," but at the August court he received full
license, and it was continued until 1746, after which
his name does not appear of record.
In 1748, William Rusk, a renter, asked license for
a public-house, stating that a tavern had been kept
there; doubtless Beard's old place. In 1761, Philip
Foreman was successful in his application, and in
1762, Adam Boyle received the court's favor. In 1764,
Evan Watkins had license granted him, and in 1767,
Peter Pechin was permitted to keep an inn. In his
petition for 1770 the name Fox Chase appears for
the first time. Pechin was succeeded, in 1771, by
John Richards, and the latter, in 1774, by Aaron
Coates, and he in turn, in 1778, gave place to David
Quinn. David Lyons, in 1782, obtained license, and
continued to secure him from the court until the new
county of Delaware was created, and after that period
until 1791, when Zacharias Loud had license for that
and a part of the following year (1792). He was fol-
lowed, in 1793, by Frederick Bittle, and in 1795, Wil-
liam Bittle became the landlord of the inn, which he
called the Eagle and Compass. In 1809 his petition
speaks of the house as the Compass. In 1813, Bittle
having removed to a new house he had built, Martin
Wise took it, and kept it until the old building was
destroyed. However, in 1813, David Lyons states in his
petition that he has " lately built a commodious house
Buck, on the old Lancaster road." Sower repaired to tbe place indicated,
and being subjected to an examination by Gen. Forbes and the Governor,
who was there in person, he was dismissed. Sower had resided in the
province thirty-four years, and urged in his defense that he had been
instrumental in inducing many persons to settle in the province, and
therefore was in duty bounty lo support its welfare. The general gave
him " a serious warning for the future, not to print anything against
the King or Government.*' Forbes was then moving forward on the
expedition which resulted in his capture of Fort Du Quesne.
in the aforesaid township, situated at the intersection
of the road leading from the borough of Chester to Ger-
mantown, and from Darby to Newtown Square and
through the township of Radnor, formerly known as a
place of entertainment by the name of the Fox Chase."
He desired license for the same. The court granted it,
and continued annually to allow it until 1832, when
it also ceased to be a tavern.
William Bittle, whose removal from the old Fox
Chase Tavern we have just related, in 1813 made ap-
plication for license. His petition sets forth that
" Having built and removed to the commodious
building on the road leading from Norristown to
Chester, where the West Chester road crosses said
road," he wishes the court's permission to keep a
hotel there. His application was rejected, but at the
January court, 1814, it was approved, and the Spread
Eagle Tavern on the West Chester road was estab-
lished. In 1827, William Bittle was succeeded by
Robert Dunn, and he being dead, in 1829, the license
was issued to his widow, Susannah Dunn. The fol-
I lowing year Lewis Bennett was landlord, and in 1831
William Bittle once more was " mine host" of the
Eagle. In 1832 the latter gave place to J. S. Atkin-
son, and he in turn, in 1834, was followed by John
Williams. In 1836, David Quinn had license, and in
1838, Andrew Steel, to be followed, in 1841, by William
Bittle. In 1850, James P. Afflick, having purchased
the property, made application to continue an inn at
that jilace, the Eagle not having been licensed in 1848
or 1849. It was met with a remonstrance signed by
William B. Lindsay, Adam C. Eckfeldt, James Smith,
Vincent D. Litzenberg, Thomas L.Cochrane, Charles
H. LaMar, and forty-five other persons, setting forth
that " the subscribers, citizens, and legal voters of the
township of Haverford . . . report that your me-
morialists have learned with deep regret that applica-
tions will be made to your Honorable Court ... by
James D. Afliick and William Y. Stackhouse for
' Tavern licenses,' or, in other words, for the privi-
lege of vending intoxicating drinks under the sanc-
tion of law in our township, and inasmuch as we be-
lieve it to be our bounden duty to do what we may to
prevent a consummation so much to be dreaded, we
1 would therefore ask leave most earnestly but respect-
fully to remonstrate against the granting of the priv-
iledge asked for, because we believe the sale and use
of strong drink to be fraught with the most fatal con-
sequences to the best interests of mankind, present
and future, and because a very large majority of our
citizens are and have been for years opposed to the
granting of any license in the township of Haver-
ford. Inasmuch, therefore, as no one is expected to
be benefitted in the granting of the applications re-
ferred to but the persons above named (and even their
ultimate advantage in such a calling is extremely
doubtful), whilst many might be exposed to the
deepest suff'ering in consequence of this multiplication
of the places and sources of temptation. We appeal
HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.
5-77
to you, therefore, in the name of suffering humanity,
not to give the sanction of your official character to
the extension of an evil so deeply to be deplored."
Affliclc, learning of this remonstrance, in order to
offset its influence, had a supplemental petition from j
" Drivers, Marketmen, Travellers, and others, alleging
that ' no stand on the great road leading from Phila- 1
delphia to AVest Chester is better situated or more re-
quired for the entertainment of the public than the 1
above-described house,' " which was signed by forty-
eight persons. The court gave Afflick license, but in
order that the scales of justice should be properly ad-
justed, refused approval to the Black Bear Tavern this
year, which made the balance even, as Stackhouse's
inn had received license in 1849. In 1859, William
Johnson was the landlord, to give place, in 1861, to
Benjamin Kirk, who, in 1865, was followed by John
M. Afflick. William Thompson, in 1867, kept the
Spread Eagle ; Washington Bishop from 1869 until
local option did away with license, and after the re-
peal of that law Eoland J. Pugh, in 1875, received
approval of the court, a privilege which was trans-
ferred to Nelson Pugh the same year. In 1876, Lee-
dom Kirk was the landlord, and continued there un-
til 1879, when James A. Serveson followed him, to
give place to Joseph De Negre in 1881. The latter
has since died, but the house is still kept open by his
widow and children. At the present time it is the
only licensed house in the township.
In 1827, Henry Konkle received license for a house
he owned eight miles from Philadelphia and fifteen
from West Chester, about half a mile nearer the latter
place than the Spread Eagle, which inn he called the
Black Bear. The next year Joseph Hassan was the
landlord, and continued as such until 1830, when
Susannah Dunn, who had the year previous kept the
Eagle, took the tavern, and remained there until 1832,
when Riley Brown became "mine host" of the. Black
Bear Hotel. William Y. Stackhouse had license for
1837, continuing to receive the court's approval until
1848, when no license was granted in Haverford, and
the next year was successful, while the Spread Eagle
was refused. In 1850, however, the Black Bear was
rejected, while the Eagle that year was in high feather j
because of the approving judicial nod. In 1851, |
Stackhouse again appears among the successful appli- [
cants, and continued annually to secure the judge's
consent until 1870, when he being dead, for that year
Mary Ann Stackhouse, his widow, was licensed in
his stead ; but, after the date last given, the Black
Bear Hotel ceased to be a public house of entertain-
ment.
In 1769, John Waytin, and in 1778, Abraham
Hughes, petitioned for license in Haverford, but we
have not learned the location of the places which they
requested might be made more valuable by the ap-
proving shake of the judicial heads.
The Humphrey Family.— Concerning this, one of
the most illustrious families Pennsylvania has yet
produced, we condense from what has been written
by others as follows: Daniel Humphrey came from
Llanegrin, County of Merioneth, Wales, in 1682, and
soon after settled in Haverford township. He had
joined the Friends in his native country. In 1695 he
married Hannah, the daughter of Dr. Thomas Wynn,
of Merion. Their children were Samuel, Thomas,
Hannah, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Mary, Joshua, Edward,
Martha, and Charles. He visited his native country
on business in 1725.
Edward Humphrey, son of Daniel, was born in
Haverford township in the year 1710. He learned
the fulling and dyeing business in early life, and car-
ried on that business as long as he lived, at the place
that is now known as " Castle Hill Mills." In later
years, however, he did not attend to his mills person-
ally, for, having acquired a knowledge of medicine
and surgery, probably from his grandfather, Dr.
Wynn, he practiced that profession with much suc-
cess. His services were much sought after, but he
never charged the poor for attendance. He died un-
married, Jan. 1, 1776, and was buried at Haverford
Friends' burying-ground.
Charles Humphrey, son of Daniel, and brother of
Edward, was born in Haverford about the year 1713,
and died in 1786. He was brought up to the milling
business, and, with his brothers, carried on that occu-
pation extensively for many years. A man of fine
talents, he was at one time very influential in the
county. He served in the Provincial Assembly from
1764 to 1775, when he was chosen a member of the
Continental Congress. In that body, though he had
contended with all his energies against the oppressive
measures of England, he thought the time had not
come to sever our connection with the mother-country,
and voted against the Declaration of Independence.
He has been censured for this vote, but in giving it
he represented the views of a large majority of his
constituents at the time it was given. He retired to
private life, and, though he took no part in the great
struggle for liberty, his sympathies were on the side
of his country.
Joshua Humphrey, the son of Joshua, and grand-
son of the immigrant Daniel Humphrey, was born in
Haverford township in 1751. After availing himself
of such limited educational advantages as the town-
ship then afforded, he was apprenticed at a tender age
to a ship-carpenter of Philadelphia. Here he made
a good use of his opportunities, and, being possessed
of a comprehensive and philosophical mind, he soon
gained the reputation of being the best ship-builder
in the country. After the adoption of the Constitu-
! tion, and it became apparent that our government
I must be possessed of a navy, Mr. Humphrey was ap-
j pointed as the first naval constructor of the United
States, and several of our first ships-of-war were
built under his immediate direction. Among them
the famous ship " Constitution," of which he was the
i designer, draughtsman, and architect. It is claimed
578
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
that the marked superiority of our vessels in combats
with those of England of the same class, during the
war of 1812-15, was mainly owing to the adoption of
Mr. Humphrey's suggestions. He may justly be called
the father of the American navy. The last thirty
years of his life were passed on a part of his patri-
monial estate in Haverford, where he died in 1838.
Samuel Humphrey, a son of Joshua and great-
grandson of Daniel first mentioned, learned all the
details of ship-building and naval architecture under
the instruction of his father. When his reputation
had become world-wide the Russian emperor endeav-
ored to secure his services, and offered him a salary
of sixty thousand dollars per year, besides the use of
a furnished mansion, with coach, horses, servants,
etc., in attendance, but Mr. Humphrey declined the
position with the remark that his services were only
at the disposal of his country. Subsequently, under
John Quincy Adams' administration, he served as
chief of the naval Bureau of Construction and
Repairs.
The Grange.— Of this, the most ancient and ru-
rally beautiful country-seat in Delaware County, Dr.
Smith, in 1862, wrote as follows:
" There is do place in the township of Haverford, perhaps none in the
county, with which so much historical interest is associated as with this
ancient seat of grandeur and elegance. Henry Lewis, a Welsh Quaker,
one of tlie most staid of his sect, selected this spot as his wilderness abode
in 16S2. He was succeeded by his son, Henry, who resided here many
years About the middle of the last century we find the estate, then
consistiiio; of nearly four hundred acres, owned and occupied (at least in
the summer season) by a Capt. John Wilcox (sometimes spelled Wil-
cock^), who erected upon it a mansion, . . . and gave it the name
of ' Cliltoii Hiill.' Capt. Wilcox surrounded his estate with a ditch of
some depth, most of which, within the recollection ot many now living,
could be readily traced, and some parts of it are still visible. It is said,
on the authority of tradition, that Capt. Wilcox caused this ditch to be
dug in Older to give employment to his negroes, of whom he owned a
"Aliout the year 1760, Charles Crnickshank, a Scotch gentleman of
wealth, who held a captain's commission under the British government,
and who had seen service in the Netherlands, came to America, and in
1761 purchased the Clifton Hall estate, but changed its name to the
' Grange,' or ' Grange Tarm.' Soon after the year 1770 . . . the
mansion-house was enlarged and variously modified. It is also probable
that about this period the terraced walks were cut, the green-house
establi>lied, and that the almost uneqnaled natural beautiesof the place
were fully developed by the appliances of art, under the direction of a
well-cultivated taste. Tlie laud attached to the Grange was partly in
three counties, — Chester (now Delaware), Philadelphia, and Montgom-
ery,—which Capt. Crnickshank increased by purchase.
"In 17(i8, Mr. John Ross, also a Scutcli geutleman, and an extensive
merchant of Philadelphia, married Clemantina, the daughter of Capt.
Crnickshank, who at the close of the Revolutionary war sold the Grange
to his son-iu-Iaw, Ross, and returned with his family to his native coun-
try. Mr. Ross added to the buildings, and also increased the quantity of
land to an aggregate of six hundred acres. After the death of Mr. Rosa,
in 1806, the estate was sold to his son-in-law, John F. MifHiu, who in
1810 sold the mansion to John H. Brinton, the maternal grandfather of
Gen. Geo. B. McClellan. In 1816, Mr. Brinton sold the mansion, with
another part of the estate which he had purchased in 1811, to Manuel
Eyre, Esq., who made it his country residence till his death, in 1845.
About that time the Grange was purchased by John Ashhurst, Esq., the
son-in-law of Mr. Eyre, who still occupies it as his country-seat.
"At an early period, particularly during its occupancy by Mr. Rosa,
the Grange was fitted up in the most exquisite style of the times, and
during the summer months it was not infrequently the scene of elegant
and luxurious entertainments."
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JAMES A. MOORE.
James A. Moore was born on the 31st of October,
1802, in New Garden township, Chester Co., where
his father was owner of a productive farm. In 1812
he removed to Upper Merion township, Montgomery
Co., and became a member of the household of his
grandfather, James Abrams. He received, under
many disadvantages, a common-school education, a
walk of two miles being necessary to reach the near-
est school-house. His father having died, the family
continued to reside with Mr. Abrams, and young
James became a valuable assistant in the labor of the
farm. In 1825 the family removed to the present
residence of Mr. Moore, in Haverford, which had
been previously purchased by his grandfather. Here
he took upon himself the maintenance of his mother
and the remaining children, and successfully managed
the various interests pertaining to the farm. On the
death of the mother James purchased the property of
the estate, and has since that time resided upon it and
continued the occupation of a farmer. Mr. Moore
was married, July 14, 1834, to Eliza Ann, daughter of
John and Sarah Lindsay, of Haverford township,
whose children are Sarah Jane (Mrs. Jesse Brooke),
Catherine (deceased), Catherine, 2d (Mrs. Jesse B.
Matlack), Arabella (Mrs. John Justis), John Lind-
say, James (deceased, who served during the call for
nine mouths' men for the late war, and was at the
battles of Antietam andChancellorsville), William B.,
and Ellen C. (Mrs. H. C. Childs). The death of Mrs.
Moore occurred in 1880. Mr. Moore, after a life of
industry, on his retirement from active labor, surren-
dered the farm to his son, John, who now cultivates
it. James A. Moore was formerly a Democrat in his
political belief, but later changed his views, and in-
dorsed the platform of the Republican party. He has
served as school director, assessor, and collector of his
township. He has frequently acted as executor in
the settlement of estates, his advice and judgment
being often sought in the management of important
interests. He was in youth actively interested in the
military organizations of Montgomery County, and
was a member of the First Troop of Montgomery
County. His uncle, James Moore, was also a mem-
ber of the same organization, and summoned for duty
during the war of 1812. Mr. Moore is a Presbyterian
in his religious faith, and both an elder and trustee of
the Marple Presbyterian Church.
JOSEPH B. LBEDOM.
John Leedom was a prosperous farmer in Mont-
gomery County, Pa. His children were Charles, Jo-
seph B., Samuel, John, Elijah, Esther (Mrs. Jesse
Thomas), Hannah (Mrs. Charles Jones), Ruth Anna
(Mrs. Jacob Carncross). Joseph B. Leedom, of this
-^^-^:^fc^:2)
JOSEPH B. LEEDOM.
MARPLE TOWNSHIP.
579
number, whose life is here briefly reviewed, was born
in 1796 in Merion township, Montgomery Co., and
spent his youth upon the farm of his father. During
this time he received such advantages of education
as were obtainable in the neighborhood, and subse-
quently made farming the business of his early life.
He married, at the age of twenty-five, Mary M.,
daughter of Elisha Worrell, of Springfield township,
Delaware Co., and had children, — Myra W. (Mrs.
Charles Worrell, whose death occurred iu 1879),
John, Maris W. (who died in 1873), and Joseph.
Mr. Leedom, after his marriage, engaged in the busi-
ness of milling, and became the proprietor of a mill
located on Darby Creek, in Haverford township, be-
longing to his wife. This pursuit was continued until
1851, when he retired, and since that date has not
been actively engaged in business. Mr. Leedom, first
as a Whig and later as a Republican, has evinced a
keen interest in the political issues of the day. He
has ever been a strong partisan, and filled at one time
the oflBce of director of the poor for Delaware County.
His religious creed is that of the society of Friends,
his membership being in connection with the Haver-
ford Meeting. Mr. Leedom is a man of modest de-
meanor, who, by his consistent character and sound
common sense, has won the respect of the community.
His surviving children are Joseph, who married Emily
Pyle, of Haverford, to whom were born six children,
and John, who married Hannah T. Worrell, and has
had five children.
CHAPTEE XLV.
MARPLE TOWNSHIP.
At the court on the 5th day of the Sixth month,
1684, occurs the first mention of Marple in the records
of Chester County, at which time Jonathan Hayes
and James Stamfield were appointed tax-collectors
" for the Publicke Aid for Marple," and at the same
court Thomas Pearson was appointed " Constable and
Supervisor for the highway for Marple." In many
of the early records the name is spelled Marpool ; but
Holmes, on his Map of the Improved part of Penn-
sylvania, gives this township according to the mod-
ern spelling, and as the first court record adheres to
the same orthography, the word Marpool is doubtless
an error. Why the 'locality was so called is now
unknown.
The great road of Marple, which enters the town-
ship at its southern boundary just above the Spring-
field meeting-house, was laid out in 1683, and ran
almost due north through the centre of this district,
when it diverged in a westwardly direction, uniting
with the West Chester road a short distance south of
Newtown line. At the southwestern end of Marple
was a tract of three hundred acres, which was
patented to George Willard, 22d of Eleventh month,
1684. Richard Maris, a son of George Maris, of
Springfield, subsequently became the owner of one
hundred and thirty acres of this land, on which he
resided, and was assessed for in 1715. The remaining
part of the tract was conveyed to Jonathan Coppock,
Nov. 4, 1708, but beyond that fact nothing further
respecting him is known to the writer. Immediately
above the Willard land were three hundred acres,
one hundred of which was taken up by Ralph Dray-
cott, Dec. 2, 1689, and two hundred acres by Eliza-
beth Draycott, Nov. 5, 1690, neither of whom seem
ever to have resided on the estate, which passed to
Thomas Pearson, Dec. 29, 1697. Tradition states
that this Pearson came with Penn in the " Welcome,"
in 1682, and it was on his suggestion that the name
of Upland was changed to Chester. The records of
the arrivals of the early immigrants to Pennsylvania,
in the possession of the Pennsylvania Historical So-
ciety, show that Thomas Pierson,— for so the name
is spelled in the list, — was by trade a mason. Mar-
garet, his wife, John, his brother, and Mary Smith,
his sister, came from Ponnall-fee, in Cheshire, Eng-
land, in the ship " Endeavour," of London, arriving
in the colony on the 29lh of Seventh month (Sep-
tember), 1683, nearly a year after Penn's arrival.
Sarah Pearson, the daughter of Thomas, intermarried
with John West, and became the mother of Benjamin
West, the noted American artist. Mary Smith, the
sister of Thomas Pearson, just above his tract, tojk
on rent, Oct. 6, 1683, filty acres of ground. Through
this land and that of her brother the road leading
from Upper Providence to Springfield meeting-house
was laid out May 2, 1721. Above Mary Smith's land
were two hundred and fifty acres surveyed to John
Pearson, who came with his brother Thomas, in the
"Endeavour," in October, 1683, which subsequently
became the property of Robert Pearson. On Oct. 13,
1685, Francis Stanfield, who had purchased prior to
I leaving England, received a patent for six hundred
i acres. He settled on this tract prior to the summer
of 1684, for, as already mentioned, at the August
court of that year he was appointed one of the tax-
collectors for Marple. This large estate subsequently
was divided into smaller holdings, of which Peter,
John, and Joseph Worrall had various-sized plots, as
also Joseph and John Rhoads. In 1713 three hun-
dred acres of the Stanfield land became the property
of Robert Pearson, who was assessed for it in 1715.
Dr. Bernhardus Vanlear, iu 1720, acquired two hun-
dred and forty-eight acres of this estate, and here he
resided until his death, Jan. 26, 1790, at the extra-
ordinary age of one hundred and four years. His
death being largely due to the fact that in 1788, when
he was one hundred and two years old, his house was
entered by burglars, and because of his refusal to
inform them where he had secreted his treasure,
cruelly maltreated him. Above the Stanfield tract,
on Oct. 27, 1683, three hundred acres were surveyed
to Peter and Joshua Worrall. The family of Wor-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
rells (for the latter is the modern spelling of the name)
are believed to be descendants of Sir Hubert de
Warel, who lost three sons at the battle of Hastings,
which victory gave to William the Conqueror abso-
lute possession of England. Peter Worrell (or Wor-
rall) was a tanner, from whom the Worrals of Mar-
pie are descended; of Joshua, nothing seems now to
be known. John Worrall, who settled in Chester
township in 1648, came from Oare, Berkshire, Eng-
land, and as he named one of his children Peter,
and Peter called one of his sons John, it would
appear that if not brothers, they were at least very
nearly related to each other. John Worrall, Peter's
son, with Bernhardus Vanlear, early in the last cen-
tury, went to Germany, and graduated as a physician.
Above the Worrall tract were seven hundred and fifty
acres surveyed to John and Charles Bevan, June 28,
1684, which was part of the two thousand acres pur-
chased by John Bevan from Penn, in England. It
subsequently became the property of Jonathan Hayes,
who, on July 30, 1684, received a patent for six hun-
dred acres immediately to the north of the Bevan
patent. He was the largest landholder in the town-
ship. He was a member of Assembly in 1689, and
again in 1697, and one of the justices of the court
from 1703 to 1711. In 1715 he was murdered by
Hugh Pugh, a millwright, and Lazarus Thomas, a
laborer. The trial of the assassins is the first case
o^ homicide known in the records of Chester County.'
Lying directly south of Radnor was a tract of
three hundred and thirty acres, surveyed to Thomas
Ellis July 10, 1683, which was conveyed to David
Morris June 10, 1695, and on a resurvey, in 1703,
proved to contain four hundred acres. Through this
property and the one below it the Radnor and Ches-
ter road was laid out, April 20, 1691. Morris was be-
lieved to have been a Welshman, and was one of the
projectors and owners of " Haverford New Mill."
He resided on his plantation in Marple until his
death, in 1720. South of the Morris lands were two
hundred acres, which were surveyed to William How-
ell June 13, 1684. He appears never to have resided
on this tract, which, on March 9, 1705, was conveyed
to John Pugh, who certainly did not live in Marple
in 1715. Immediately south of the Howell lands
was a tract of five hundred and fifty acres, surveyed
Oct. 30, 1683, to Robert Taylor, who was a native of
Little Leigh, in the county of Chester, England, who
came to Pennsylvania in 1682, and settled in Spring-
field, never residing on his Marple estate. Bayard Tay-
lor was a descendant of Robert Taylor. The property
passed to his sons, Jonathan and Josiah Taylor. In
1715, Robert Taylor, perchance a grandson of Robert,
the immigrant, was a resident of Marple, and assessed
as a real estate owner in that year. South of the
Taylor lands was a tract of four huiidred acres, sur-
veyed to John Howell Oct. 22, 1683, of whom little
appears to be known. Immediately south of How-
ell's tract were five hundred acres, surveyed to Eben-
ezer Langford Oct. 21, 1683, who may have lived
there for a short time, inasmuch as he gave his name
to the stream flowing into Darby Creek, known as
Langford's Run. Bartholomew Coppock subsequently
became an owner of part of this estate. The next
plantation to the south, which comprised three hun-
dred acres, and extended to the Springfield line, was
surveyed to John Nixson Oct. 20, 1683. On April
12, 1687, he sold the estate to Bartholomew Coppock.
Dr. Smith says it was bought by Bartholomew Cop-
pock, Sr., while Smith's Atlas of Early Grants makes
Bartholomew Coppock, Jr., the purchaser. Barthol-
omew Coppock resided there in 1715, and the land is
assessed to him. Bartholomew Coppock, the elder,
is positively asserted to have resided on this tract,
and to have died there in 1717.^ Certain it is that in
1715, only one Bartholomew Coppock was assessed in
Marple, and he was a resident of the township.
Although Marple, during the Revolution, was re-
moved in a great measure from the clash and din of
war, nevertheless, the British foraging parties and
their Tory allies caused considerable injury to sev-
eral residents of Marple. The accounts filed of the
losses thus sustained, which is doubtless but a small
part of the gro.ss sum, are the following :
£ ». d.
From Willinm Burns, Sr., September 19 56 0 0
From Dnnicl Cameron 61 16 6
FroTH Joseph Bnriis, taken by the adheients of
the King of Great Britain, September and
December 129 6 5
217 1 11
"In the winter of 1788," says Dr. Smith, "a very
tragic affair happened on Darby Creek, where it forms
a line between Marple and Haverford, in the death
by drowning of Lydia Hollingsworth, a young lady
of great worth and beauty, who was under an en-
gagement of marriage to David Lewis. The party,
consisting of Lewis, Lydia, another young lady, with
the driver, left the city in the morning in a sleigh,
and drove out to Joshua Humphrey's, near Haverford
meeting-house. From thence they drove to New-
town ; but before they returned the weather moder-
ated, and some rain fell, which caused Darby Creek
to rise. In approaching the ford (which was on the
road leading from the Presbyterian Church to Cooper-
town), they were advised not to attempt to cross, but
were made acquainted with the existence of a tempo-
rary bridge in the meadows above. They drove to the
bridge, but the water was rushing over it, and the
driver refused to proceed ; whereupon Lewis took
the lines, and missing the bridge, plunged the whole
party into the flood. All were rescued but Lydia,
whose body was not found till the next morning.
The feelings of Lewis can be more readily imagined
than described. This young lady was buried at
1 Anlt, p. 162.
2 Smithes " History of Delaware County," p. 455.
MARPLE TOWNSHIP.
581
Friends' graveyard, Haverford. In some pathetic
rhymes written on the occasion, it is stated that seven-
teen hundred persons attended her funeral."'
In September, 1868, Hector Brown, a colored man,
who it was asserted had reached the age of one hun-
dred and seven years, died in Marple. He had been
a hired man in the Fawkes family, and his recol-
lections were said to be very vivid of the war of the
Revolution, so far as the incidents of that struggle
came under his notice.
Taxables of Marple.— In the list of taxables re-
turned in 1693, under the act providing for a tax-lev)'
of one penny per pound on real estate and six shil-
lings per head upon freemen, the township of '" Mar-
poole" was thus returned :
still own a portion of the tract. Prior to 1831 a store
was kept at that location by William Edwards, who
was succeeded in business there by Hampden and
Burdsell. In 1831 E. R. Curtis established a store
there, and in 1849 he was appointed po.stmaster, the
office being established by the United States in that
year and located in his store. He has continued the
store to the present time, and has acted as postmaster
for thirty-five years, the duties of which he is still
discharging.
At the present post-village of Broomall, in 1798, a
stone dwelling was built by Hugh and Rebecca
Lownes, the date-stone,
Jonathan Hnyes US (>1 Thomas Marcy 02 06
Peter Woir-li "2 Of. John Howell 02 06
James Si:H,.iMV.-iM.., nj 07 Josii.h Taylor 02 06
William II :' "- 06 David Morris 02 06
John P-"!-": "- or. Heiierv Cadman 16 00
Thomas P-is 11 n 00 John Shaw 06 00
Ralph Drnkull o:i 110 John Hoopes 06 00
George Williurd 02 06
The taxables in Marple township in 1715 were as
follows :
David Morris, Thomas Pearson, Joseph Worrall, Bartholomew Coppock,
Joseph Koades, Peter Worrall, Joseph Powell, Kobert Pearson, Henry
Lewis, Mordecai Massey, Robert Taylor, John Evans, Evan Lewis.
Richard Harris.
Freemen. — Daniel Broom, Joshua Thompson, Enoch Pearson.
The taxables in the township in 1799 were:
William Aflflich, Isaac Burn, John Bartram, Samuel Black, William
Bolton, Mordecai Bevau, Thomas Courtney, John Cunningham, Isaac
Cochran, Alexander Dorvell, Dennis Derrah, Edward Evans, John
Farr, John Frame, John Grim, Jr. (weaver), John Grim, David Hall,
Jr., James Heacock, Thomas Holland, David Hall, Mary Jones, Henry
Lawrence, Thomas Leech, Joshua Lawrence, Jonathan Morris (physi-
cian), Mordecai Markward, Joseph Maris (weaver), Richard Maris, Jr.,
Elizabeth Morris, Jr., Frederick Marks (saw-mill), John Morris, Philip
Moore, Elizabeth Maris, Elizabeth Morris, Thomas Manley, David Maris,
Samuel McClnre, Robert Neal, Christian Peterman, Samuel Pancoast,
Seth Pancoast, David Pratt, Thomas Pratt, Samuel Pharaoh, I'avis Reed
(store-keeper), Joseph Rhoads (tanner), Algern Roberts, Hannah Rhoads,
James Rigbey, Isaac Rees, Jacob Siters, Robert Scott (shop-keeper),
■William Sheldon, Benjamin Taylor, Levi Tyson, Mordecai Taylor, Ber-
nard Van Leer (physician), Robert Wright, James Williamsou, Abel
Worrell, Joseph Worrell, Seth Worrell, Owen Worrell, Isaiah Worrell,
Daniel Worrell, Joseph Worrell, James Worrell, Aaron Worrell, Nathan
Worrell, John Worrell. Eneas Worrell, Benjamin Yard, James Anderson
InmafM.— William Evans, Eli Rees, Agnes Efflnger, Collins McClester,
Richard Price, Christina Van Leer, Joseph Sheldon, David Dunn,
James Anderson (mason), John Shilliogford (blacksmith), William
Black (weaver), Nathan Field, John Broomall (blacksmith), Rachel
Rhoads, Michael Temple, Jane Burn, Nathaniel Fawkes (mason), David
Catharine.
Swgfe Freemen. — William Grim (blacksmith), Mordecai Lawrence
(carpenter), Isaac Maris (mason), Lewis Morris (tanner), James Manley,
Joshua Thompson, David Peterman, Joseph Laurence, Jam&s Maris,
Thomas Holland, James Heacock, John Worrell, Aaron Worrell.
At Springfield meeting-house is a small settlement
known as Marple Post-office, on the line of Marple
and Springfield townships. The land at this locality
was sold, Dec, 31, 1742, to Robert Taylor, and in 1747
some to John Morris, a weaver, whose descendants
[istory of Delaware County, p. 392.
being built into the walls of the house. It was
licensed in October, 1800, as the Drove Tavern, David
Reed being the first landlord. About 1832 a store was
1 established at the cross-roads by Isaac Haldeman, In
1868 a post-office was established, and named Broom-
: all, in honor of John M, Broomall, the then member
from the Seventh Congressional District. George
I Esrey was the first postmaster, and has been suc-
j ceeded by Bernard Hawley, Garrett Williamson,
' Samuel Moore, and Philip Moore, Jr., the present
incumbent.
Presbyterian Church.— In 1834, before the organ-
ization of the Presbyterian Church in Marple, John
i Lindsey, David Lyons, Daniel Conroy, and William
Black, as trustees, bought of the heirs of John Craig
one acre of ground at the cross-roads, a short distance
I from the Broomalls, The corner-stone of a church
j building was laid Aug, 4, 1834, by the Rev. John
L. Grant, The present stone edifice was erected
1 at a cost of $18.34.73. It was completed May 17,
1835, dedicated June 1, 1835, and the Rev. Seth
' Bunnell preached there as a supply during the sum-
mer. On the 27th of September, 1835, a church or-
ganization was effected, with ten members, by the
Rev. John L. Grant. On the 6th of December, 1835,
the Rev. J. M. Bear was called to the pastorate. He
was ordained and installed May 19, 1836. In Sep-
1 tember, 1838, he resigned, and on Oct. 18, 1838, Rev.
John McKnight, of the Presbytery of Lewes, Del.,
was called. He continued in the duties of the pas-
, torate until 1844, when he resigned, to take effect
April 9th of that year.
The Rev. Blarcus E. Cross, then pastor of the
Knowles Presbyterian Church, acted as a supply until
' 1852, when the Rev. A. Rood was chosen pastor and
served until 1857. In the summer of that year the
j Rev. James C. Laverty became pastor, and remained
in charge of the church until the spring of 1859.
j The Rev. Beriah B. Holchkin was then called, and
I was installed in October of that year by the Third
Presbytery of Philadelphia. He continued in charge
582
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of the church for nineteen years, and died in the
Presbyterian Hospital, Philadelphia, on Sunday the
13th of October, 1878, his death resulting from in-
juries received the preceding August, when he had
been knocked down by a runaway horse. He was
extensively known among the people of his denom-
ination, being connected with the Presbyterian Board
of Education and Ministerial Association, a trustee
of the Lincoln University, the Philadelphia corre-
spondent of the New York Eoaiigelisf, and highly
esteemed by his congregation, his ministerial breth-
ren, and all who knew him. His remains lie in the
graveyard beside his wife, and cut upon his tomb-
stone are these words, " A morning without clouds."
The Rev. William Patterson was called to the
vacant pastorate, and was installed on Nov. 13, 1879.
By order of the Presbytery of Chester the Rev. R. M.
Patterson, D.D., of Philadelphia, preached the ser-
mon. President Rendall, of Lincoln University,
charged the pastor; Rev. Mr. Miller, of Bryn Mawr,
charged the people ; and Rev. Mr. Robbing, of Media,
presided and put the constitutional questions. Mr.
Patterson is the present pastor of the church, which
has a membership of one hundred and thirty-two.
Union American Episcopal Church,— On the
road from Springfield to Providence, and near the
southern line of the township, in the year 1838, a
frame church building was erected by this religious
body. On February 26th of the following year, the
plot of ground on which the church had been erected
was purchased of Charles Brown by William Fadler,
Absalom Lockwood, Robert Warwick, and Selby
Howard. A church organization had been perlected
prior to the erection of the sanctuary, and services
were held in private houses. The frame building
was used until 1865, when the church purchased a
plot of ground adjoining that building and erected
the present stone edifice, which is forty by sixty feet.
The church now numbers twenty-eight members, and
is in charge of the Rev. Edward Brown.
Mills and other Industries. — In 1779, Isaac Maris
owned a saw-mill on Darby Creek, at the mouth of
Whetstone Run. In 1810 a plaster-mill was located
there, and was operated in connection with the saw-
mill. In 1826 it was in charge of George Maris, in
1829 it was operated by Edward Parker, and at the
present time carried on by H. Maris.
In 1766, Joseph Heacock owned a half-interest in
a saw-mill in Marple, after which date the name does
not appear on the assessment-rolls until 1811, when
Enoch Heacock was operating a saw-mill. After
that year all trace of this mill disappears from the
records.
In 1820, John Hunter erected a saw-mill on Darby
Creek, above Ithan Creek, which was operated by
John Wright, who purchased it prior to 1848. This
mill has for many years ceased to be used in the
manufacture of lumber.
In 1779, Joseph Burns owned and operated a saw-
mill in the township, but the locality of this mill has
not been ascertained.
On the lands of Dr. Bernhardus Van Lear, on Trout
Run, in 1820, was a mill-seat and a whetstone quarry.
The water-power was at a more recent date used by
Willett Paxson, who erected thereon a grist-mill, and
lower down the same stream a cotton-factory, which
was operated by a Mr. Blimder. On Aug. 22, 1848,
the cotton-factory was partially destroyed by fire.
Both mills are no longer in use. Abraham Jones, in
1800, erected a saw-mill in Marple, on Crum Creek,
and in 1826 was operating at that locality a grist-mill
and saw-mill. In 1848 the mills were owned by his
widow, Ruth Jones. The saw-mill was located in
Marple, while the grist-mill was in Upper Providence.
They are now owned by Lewis Palmer. In 1810 a
tan-yard was operated by Lewis and Abraham Morris
on the farm now owned by James Williamson. In
1829 it was owned by Rebecca Fawkes and James
Lewis and operated until about 1865, after which date
the business was abandoned.
Thomas Pratt, in 1809 or '10, established a tan-yard
in Marple, which he continued for a few years, when he
relinquished the enterprise. In 1805, Joseph Rhoads
located a tan-yard on the Rhoads farm, and in 1810 he
associated George Rhoads in the business, which was
continued until about 1850 and was abandoned.
In 1841, Benjamin Jones erected a pottery at the
ninth mile-stone on the West Chester road, near the
Buck Tavern. A few years ago, the pottery, proving
unremunerative, was permitted to fall into disuse.
Schools. — About 1785 a school was established in
j Marple, but beyond that fact nothing has been learned
: of its location or how long it was maintained. Enoch
Taylor and wife, on May 31, 1791, conveyed to Joseph
Rhoads and David Hall one-quarter of an acre of land,
on the west side of the Marple road, in trust for use
of a school to be kept under the direction of the Ches-
ter Meeting of the society of Friends. On December
20tb, the same year, David Hall and wife conveyed to
Edward Fell, Joseph Rhoads, and Samuel Pancoast
another lot, adjoining the above, for the same purpose.
On these lots a school-house was erected and used many
years, but was finally abandoned about 1836. On De-
cember 24th in that year, the school directors of the
township purchased of John Grim forty square perches
of land on which they erected a school-house, which
was used in place of that on the Taylor lot.
In 1857 the directors sold the second school-hou.se
to Nathan W. Latcher, and a new building was erected
on the old site and used until 1877, in which year the
present brick house (known as No. 2) was erected.
On Aug. 28, 1877, the court authorized Chester
Friends' Meeting to sell the old lot, which was pur-
chased by Malachi Stone for one thousand dollars.
I On March 21, 1818, John Craig, in consideration
; of one dollar and that a school-house should be
I erected on the lot, conveyed to Lewis Morris, John
i N. Moore, and George Thomas, trustees to carry into
MAKPLE TOWNSHIP.
eflfect that object, a piece of ground near Broomall.
On that lot a stone house was erected and placed
under the care of the trustees, who held it until the
acceptance of the school law by the township, when
it was transferred to the school directors. The house
built in 1818 was used until 1855, when it was re-
moved and the present two-story house erected.
On Feb. 22, 1837, a lot was purchased of Benjamin
Garrett, and a stone house erected. The lot was con-
veyed in " consideration of promoting the education
and literary instruction of the youth resident in or
belonging to the township of Marple." That building
was used until the present stone house was erected in
1877 on the same lot, but nearer the road. The old
house, however, is still standing, and the new building
and the old one are known as the Cedar Grove School-
House.
It will be observed in the account of the school-
house at Broomall that trustees were appointed by the
deed of John Craig to receive the title and exercise
control over the house and lot. On March 18, 1825,
most of the townships in the county elected trustees
of schools, and George Rhoads, Henry Lawrence, and
Clement Lawrence were elected for Marple. At that
time there were two schools at least maintained in the
township, one on the Craig lot, the other near the
Rhoads farm. When the school law of 1834 became
operative, the court appointed Dr. Walter Williamson
and James Lewis inspectors of public schools until
the directors were elected. In 1835-36 Marple re-
ceived as her share of the public money assigned to
the county, from State and county appropriations,
seven hundred and seventy-nine dollars and forty-one
cents.
The following is a list of the school directors of
Marple township, so far as appear of record at Media :
1840, Samuel Bartram, William Nuzum ; 1842, Samuel Hale, Thomas
Sheldon ; 1843, no report; 1844, John S. Moore, Samuel Pancoast;
1845, Joseph Esrey, Thomas Steel, Jr.; 1846, Isaac Latch, Eber
Lewis ; 1847, John B. Webb, Samuel Johnson ; 1848, James Lewis,
James S. Bell, John Black ; 1849, Abraham Pyott, Allen Lodge : 18.=)0,
HenryHipple, William McClellan; 1851, Cook Curtis, Philip Moore;
1852, Henry Hippie, William McClellan; 1863, Joseph Rhoads,
George Esrey; 1854, John T. Taylor, Thomas Williamson; 1855,
Eber Lewi:i, Amos Bond; 1856, George Ezrey, Joseph Rhoads;
1857, John F. Taylor, Thomas Williamson, Henry Hippie; 1858,
Waller Green. Eber Lewis ; 1859, George Esrey, Joseph Rhodes, Jr. ;
1860, Henry Hippie, Benjamin Jones; 1861, Henry Hippie, Samuel
Black; 1862, Milton Lewis, Joseph Rhoads; 1863, Benjamin Jones,
John F. Taylor ; 1864, Samuel Black, William Bartram ; 1865, Joseph
Rhoads, Milton Lewie ; 1866, John F. Taylor, J. Morris Moore ; 1867,
Henry Hippie, William McClellan; 1868, Milton Lewis, Joseph
Rhoads ; 1869, Beece Pyott, William Dickinson ; 1870, no report ;
1871, Milton Lewis, Joseph Rhoads; 1872, William Dickinson,
Reese Pyott; 1873, Samuel Sharpless, Henry Hippie; 1874, Joseph
Rhoads, Charles Curtis; 1876, E. P. Esrey, R. E. Barr; 1876, Samuel
Sharpless, Sarah Worrall ; 1877, William Dickinson, A. W. Sloan;
1878, Richard E.Barr,Henry Hippie; 1879, William Bartram, James
L. Williamson ; 1880, William Dickinson, Sr., Joseph Rhoads; 1861,
H. Jones Moore, R. E. Ban- ; 1882, Richard Barr, William P. Hip-
pie ; 1883, Joseph Rhoads, William Dickinson ; 1884, William Jones,
n. Jones Moore.
The following is a list of the justices of the peace
for Marple township :
Edward Hunter \iii;. ,1, 1791.
John Lindsay in . 1T'.I4,
Isaac Abrahams m, _, 1^(X».
Luke Cassiu M : _.,l^i'9.
John Siler >■ ; [ 1, lsi;i.
Robert Green Fel.. 2.i, 1816.
Nathan Gibson Nov. 26, 1817.
George Brooke Julv 3, 1821.
1 Maskill Ewing June 10, 1822.
I Benjamin Lobb Dec. 4, 1823.
I Park Shce Dec. 9, 1823.
David Abrahams Dec. 14,1826.
'■ Barnard Flynn Nov. 18, 1835.
j Abner Lewis ". May 27, 1836.
I Thomas Sheldon Dec. 20, 1836.
Thomas Catsin Nov. 1, 1838.
Homer Eachus May 11. 1839.
Thomas Sheldon April 14, 1840.
Thomas Sheldon April 15, 1845.
Crimes and Accidents. — During the night of June
20, 1850, the barn on the farm of David Paxson was
j broken into and the throat of a valuable horse cut, so
that he was found dead in his stall the next morning.
The person who committed the act was never dis-
covered.
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1868, Thomas Bryson, a
shoemaker, and William Stinson, in an altercation
respecting some chickens, began throwing stones at
each other, when one hurled by Bryson struck Stin-
son on the temporal bone, fracturing his skull, causing
death in a few hours. At the November court follow-
ing Bryson was tried, convicted of manslaughter, and
sentenced to a period of two years' imprisonment.
On Thursday, Nov. 18, 1880, Mordecai W. Steel,
while gunning for rabbits near his house, was acci-
dentally shot by a companion. About to get over a
fence, the latter endeavored to uncock his gun, when
the hammer slipped from his thumb, the fowling-piece
discharged, and the load entered the head of Steel,
who was standing a few feet in advance. The wounded
[ man died two days thereafter.
Licensed Houses.— In Marple township, before the
old county of Chester was divided, no license to keep
a public-house appears on record so far as I have dis-
covered, and even after Delaware County was erected,
no application to that end was presented until ten
years had elapsed, when, July 29, 1799, Davis Reed,
of Marple, represented to this court that he was " in
I the possession of a commodious, suitable, and neces-
sary stand for a public-house, at the intersection of
the road leading from Philadelphia to Lancaster by
the way of West Chester, and that leading from the
upper or northern part of the county to the borough
of Chester." The signers who appear on his petition
urged the court's approval warmly, for they " conceive
that the stand or situation described in the above pe-
tition to be very eligible and necessary for the pur-
poses therein mentioned, and that on several accounts,
some of the principal of which are the following, viz..
First, on account of its being so nearly central in the
township, that it will on that account be convenient
to transact the township's business at. And, secondly,
we who reside in the upper part of the county are of
the opinion that it would be a very necessary and
requisite stage for the accommodation of such of us
who have frequently to attend at the borough of Ches-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ter on public business, as there is no public-house for
a considerable number of miles." They also certify
that the petitioner " is a suitable person to conduct
the business, and as such we take the freedom (with
due submission) to recommend him to the favorable
notice of your honorable court." The judges refused
the application, but at the October term, 1800, the
license was granted.
In 1804, Reuben Lewis succeeded Davis Reed as
landlord of the inn, and in 1807 Thomas Mason
petitioned for license at that house, and, for the first
time, in that year, the name "Sign of the Drove"
appears on the record.
It was in this year that Joseph Vogdes petitioned
the court to be granted license for a house " on the
State road leading from Philadelphia to West Chester
and Strawsburgh to Lancaster ;" and at the October
session, 1807, he was allowed to keep a tavern at the
place designated, where he continued until 1815, when
John Worthington had license for that year. Joseph
Vogdes, in 1816, resumed his position as "mine host"
of the Buck, yielding the place, in 1819, to Thomas
Temple, who continued the name Buck, but added
to it the words "and Still." In 1822, John Jacob
superseded Temple, to yield, in 1824, to John Jones,
who dubbed the house the " Three Tuns Tavern."
When John Jacob resumed control of the inn, in
1826, he restored the old title, "The Buck," cutting
off all the additional words and ponderous names
which had been bestowed so freely on the house in
the preceding few years. In 1827, Charles Vogdes
followed Jacob, and David A'^andersmith took Vog-
des' place in 1829. In 1830, Hugh Jones Brooks
was landlord of the Buck, and the next j'ear John
Williams was the host of the inn. In 1833, Samuel
Hale was granted license, and continued until 1854,
when, during the next three years, the application
was rejected, to be approved in 1858 to George Ball,
and in 1859 to be again refused. In 1860, Charles H.
Hale presented his petition, which was met by three
remonstrances, and the last application to the court
for the privilege legally to vend liquor in Marple was
refused.
To return to the Drove Inn. In 1808, George
Pearson followed Thomas Mason, to be substituted,
in 1810, by George Levis. Martin Wise kept the
house in 1812, and Mordecai Worrell the year fol-
lowing. Christian Himes was landlord from 1815 to
1820, and his petition at the last date states that the
tavern was a stone building, and had been licensed
for twenty years. Himes remained at the Drove
for the two succeeding years, when, in 1823, John
Prick's " laugh was ready chorus" to the oft-repeated
jokes of the frequenters of the tavern. John Jacobs,
who seemed to be constantly attracted to the house,
in 1824 took Prick's place; and when Prick, in turn,
in 1825 followed Jacobs, the latter, in 1827, was re-
in.stated, to give place, in 1828, to Thomas B. Boyle.
Mordecai Moore, in 1830, received the court's ap-
proval, as did also Mordecai Moore, Jr., in 1831, and
annually thereafter until 1835, when John Smith put
in an appearance. In 1836, Powell McAffee became
the landlord of the Drove until 1842, when license
was bestowed on the old inn for the last time.
The year previous to the breaking out of the second
war with England the following petition was pre-
sented to the Court of Quarter Sessions for the April
term, 1811 :
"The petition of Isaac Burns, of the township of Marple, hurably
present that the petitioner has discovered on his farm, in said township,
about one mile nortli of the West Chester road, a mineral or chalybeate
spring; that he has erected a bath-house and other improvements for
the accommodation of those who wish to use the waters for the restor-
ation of their health and others; that for want of the necessary accom-
modations for entertainment mauy persons may be deprived of the
benefits of using the said waters. Your petitioner therefore requests
the favor of your recommendation to the Governor to grant him a
license to keep a house of public entertainment on his farm, in said
township, near the said springs, which he will endeavor to merit by
keeping a good and orderly bouse.
"We, the subscribers (twenty -two in number), do hereby recommend
the above petitioner as a sober and orderly person, and request that the
prayer of his petition may be granted."
This petition was accompanied by the following
certificate :
"We, the subscribers, do certify that having heard of the great vir-
tues attributed to the mioeral springs on the farm of Isaac Burns, in
Marple township, have been induced during the last summer, and at
various times previous thereto, to drink at and bathed in the waters,
and by means thereof have been greatly relieved, and in many instances
entirely cured of our respective disorders.
"April 8,1811.
" Samuel Lewis, relieved of a rheumatic pain in the arm and inflam-
mation in one of his eyes.
"John Hortor, relieved of the inflammation in his eyes.
" George Lewis relieved of a sick stomach."
The court, however, refused to aid in the restora-
tion of those unfortunates afliicted with all the ills of
humanity, who on the granting of license to the
springs, it was believed, would hasten thither for
treatment, and rejected the petition, only to have it
presented the next year, and to again turn the appli-
cant unsatisfied away.
Six years afterwards, when Judge Wilson had re-
signed, and Judge Ross was the president of our
court, William Burns represented that " he has on his
farm in Marple, about three-fourths of a mile oft" the
West Chester road, and on a public road from the
same, and leading upwards towards the Leopard
Tavern, a mineral or Chalybeate spring, and that he
has erected a bath-house and other improvements for
the accommodation of those who wish to use the
waters for the restoration of their health and others,"
but as the court six years before had coldly refused
his father, Isaac, so the judges on this occasion turned
their faces from the petition of the son, and thus for
the last time on the records of the Quarter Sessions
of Delaware County, is mention made of the Marple
Spring of Health.
The Brooke House, — On the West Chester turn-
pike-road, a short distance below Broomall, is the res-
idence of George Brooke, an aged gentleman, a de-
^l2^i^'-7^'i-C.<>i-^^ 'Z^/^^^
MARPLE TOWNSHIP.
scendant of Capt. William Brooke, of the Revolution.
The house, which was erected in 1833, has never had
a coat of paint since the \ear it was built, and yet
the woodwork is in as good preservation as any build-
ing of the like age in the county, notwithstanding
the repeated assertions of painters that linseed-oil is
absolutely necessary to prevent the decay of wood
exposed to the air. Within this dwelling are many
interesting relics. An old, tall eight-day clock still
marks the passing hour, connected with which there
is an interesting scrap of Revolutionary history.
During one of the numerous raids of the British sol-
diers in the winter of 1777-78 this old clock, which
had then been in the family more than a half-
century, was taken to Philadelphia by the English
troops. A chest of drawers, which was made in
1736 and was fastened by peculiar and secret springs,
baffling every effort of the red-coats to get access to its
hidden recesses, is among the relics in the old man-
sion. The eight-day clock, which was taken to Phila-
delphia, after the British army evacuated that city
was recovered by Capt. Brooke. During the time it
was in other hands the cord supporting one of the
weights was broken and tied, the knot thus made
causing the old time-piece to run irregularly, but a
small stone added to the weight overcame that diffi-
culty, and for more than a hundred years it has so
remained in constant use. A number of cannon-balls
found at Valley Forge, and other relics of the Revo-
lutionary war, are preserved among the historical
treasures of the Brooke house.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
SAMUEL PANCOAST.
Bartholomew Ooppock, Sr., from Cheshire, Eng-
land, with his wife Margaret and family were among
the early emigrants to Delaware County. He settled
in Springfield in 1685, and two years later purchased
four hundred and forty-eight acres of land in Marple
township of John Nixon, where he resided until his
death, in 1719, aged seventy-three years. For the
tract he received a deed from William Penn, with the
great seal of the province affixed, and bearing the sig-
nature of his commissioners, — Edward Shippen, Grif-
fith Owen, Thomas Story, and James Logan, — the
conditions of this grant being that the borough of
Chester, on the first day of the first month in every
year, pay to the heirs of William Penn, for each and
every year, the sum of four English shillings and
threepence, or value thereof in coin current, to such
person or persons as shall be appointed to receive the
same. This deed is still in possession of the Pancoast
family in excellent preservation. On the 22d of the
Sixth month he deeded the same tract to Bartholomew
Coppock, Jr., his son and heir apparent. He built a
brick house on this tract in 1732, which is a part of
the present edifice, and the Springfield Friends' Meet-
I ing was regularly held at this house until a meeting-
house was erected, in 1738, on two acres deeded by
him for the purpose in 1703. Bartholomew Coppock
was for many years member of the Provincial Coun-
cil, and frequently represented Chester County in the
Assembly. He married, in 1710, Phoebe, daughter of
RobertTaylor, of Springfield, and had twosons and four
daughters, — Jonathan, Moses, Rebecca, Sarah, Mar-
garet, and Esther. Esther married Seth Pancoast, son
of William and Hannah Pancoast, of Mansfield, county
of Burlington, West Jersey, on the 21st day of the
Third month, 1741. By will was bequeathed "to my
son-in-law, Seth Pancoast, all that my plantation
lying and being in Marple township, containing 188
acres, which includes the homestead." To Seth and
Esther Pancoast were born Sarah, who married Thomas
Levis, of Springfield, afterwards a colonel during the
i Revolutionary war. Phebe married Isaac Levis, of
Providence. Samuel, who inherited the homestead,
married Mary, daughter of John and Rebecca Davis
Levis, on the 18th day of the Fourth month, 1782.
He was an elder of Springfield Particular and Ches-
- ter Monthly Meetings of Friends, and held in high
, esteem by the society. Seth married Abigail Ogden,
i of Springfield. Esther Paacoast, wife of Seth Pan-
coast, Sr., died on the 26th day of the Tenth month,
1764, aged fifty years. He subsequently married
Ann Wooley, and had three daughters, — Esther,
I Eliza, and Hannah. Esther married William Levis,
of Springfield. Eliza married Henry Harrison, of
Middletown, and, after his decease, John Worrall, of
Providence. Hannah died unmarried. Samuel and
Mary Pancoast had four sons and one daughter, as
follows: John, married to Hannah Thomas, of Phila-
j delphia, who had two sons, — Robert and Samuel;
by a second marriage to Sarah Ogden, of West Ches-
i ter, were born two daughters and one son, — Hannah,
Elizabeth, and John, — of whom Rev. Samuel Pan-
I coast, of Philadelphia, is the only survivor. William
married Margaret Bishop, of Upper Providence, and
1 had three daughters,— Mary, Priscilla, and Rebecca.
j Rebecca Pancoast, Sr., an exemplary member of the
society of Friends, was born the 24th day of the
Eighth month, 1789, and died unmarried the 20th day
of the Tenth month, 1877. Seth Pancoast, born the
24th day of the Sixth month, 1793, married Mar-
garetta Levis in 1821, and died on the 24th day of
the Sixth month, 1880. Their children were J. Levis,
Mary, Sarah T., Margaret B., Seth, William, Samuel
F., and Henry, — of whom six survive. Seth, Sr.,
I above mentioned, was an elder and an active mem-
ber of Providence Particular Meeting and Chester
Monthly Meeting, and led an exemplary Christian
life.
Samuel Pancoast, who is the subject of this bio-
graphical sketch, was the grandson of Seth and
Esther Pancoast, and the son of Samuel and Mary
586
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Pancoast. He was born on the 12th day of the I
Seventh month, 1787, on the homestead in Marple
township, where his whole life was spent. He was
educated at the schools of the neighborhood, after
which he began life as a farmer. On the death of his
father, in 1834, he inherited the homestead, and con-
tinued to follow the congenial pursuits to which his
early life was devoted. He married, in 1817, Tamar
Bishop, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Bishop, of
Upper Providence township, whose surviving chil-
dren are ten in number. Samuel Pancoast was in his
political convictions formerly a Whig, and later be-
came a Eepublican, though never active in the field
of politics. He was a member of the society of
Friends, and a regular attendant of meeting at the
Springfield meeting-house. He possessed a well-in-
formed mind, was an intelligent reader of current
literature, and in private life an affable and courteous
gentleman, enjoying the respect and esteem of all
who knew him. The death of Samuel Pancoast oc-
curred on the 23d day of the Fifth month, 1873, and
that of his wife on the 28th day of the Ninth month,
1877. The homestead is still in possession of the
family.
JOHN M. MOORE.
Charles Moore, the grandfather of John M., settled
upon the homestead farm in 1718. He married Mrs.
Elizabeth Baker, and had children, — William, Han-
nah, Margaret, fiachel, and Philip. Philip Moore
and his wife, Mary, were the parents of children,—
John M., William, Elizabeth, Phoebe, Hannah, and
Jane. John M. was born Feb. 26, 1781, on the home-
stead, which was the birthplace and residence of his
father, in Marple township. After receiving a rudi-
mentary English education he devoted a brief period
to teaching, and then assisted in the cultivation of
the farm. Wlien twenty-six years of age he married
Elizabeth, daughter of Hugh Jones, of Marple town-
ship, and had children,— Philip, Charles (deceased),
Mary, William, Phoebe M., John M. (deceased), Han-
nah (deceased), H. Jones, J. Hunter, Elizabeth J.
(Mrs. Campbell McPherson), and Margaret B. Mr.
Moore, on his marriage, inherited the homestead farm,
which he cultivated until 1821, when the property
now owned by his son, J. Hunter Moore, became his
home, on which the substantial stone residence, still
standing, was erected. Here he continued the active
and healthful employments of a farmer until his death,
March 18, 1865, in his eighty-fifth year. The home-
stead farm is still retained in the family, and now the
residence of his son, Philip Moore. Mr. Moore was
early a Whig and subsequently a prominent Repub-
lican in his political views. He was strong in his
convictions, an active partisan and worker in the po-
litical field, and the incumbent of various local ofiBces
in the township. He was during the late war thor-
oughly loyal in his sentiments, and on many occasions
expressed his abhorrence of all measures tending to a
dissolution of the Union. The Moore family are of
Protestant Episcopal antecedents. Charles Moore,
early spoken of in this sketch, was an active member
of St. David's Protestant Episcopal Church, of Radnor
township (as was also his son, Philip), and a vestry-
man. John M. succeeded to the same office in this
historic church.
JOHN DUNWOODT.
David Dunwoody, the grandfather of the subject of
this biographical sketch, was a resident of Chester
County, Pa. His son, James, married Rachel Burn,
whose children were David, Jane, William, James,
John, and Joseph. John was born in 1787 in Ches-
ter County (near Westchester), and until the age of
seventeen resided with his parents. He later accom-
panied them on their removal to Marple township,
and became actively engaged in the pursuits of a
farmer. On the death of his father he came, by in-
heritance and purchase, into possession of the home-
stead, which continued to be his residence until his
removal to Springfield, in 1856. He married, in 1816,
Gulielma Fell, daughter of Edward and Mary Fell,
of Springfield township. Their children are Jane
(Mrs. E. E. Curtis, who has one son, Penrose D.),
Penrose (who died in 1849), William (who died in
1827), Mary (who died during the same year), John
(whose death occurred in 1828), Anna Maria (who
died in 1879), and Gulielma (Mrs. William Parker).
Mrs. Dunwoody's death occurred Nov. 21, 1857. The
annexed tribute is one of many expressions of esteem
on the occasion of her decease :
" The many virtues of this good woman require
more than the brief announcement of her death.
Her illness came suddenly and was very short, but
the cold hands of death found her ready to answer
the final summons of her God. Having been born
and reared and having lived in this county up to the
time of her death, she had a large circle of acquaint-
ances and many warm friends. To enumerate her
virtues and acts of benevolence would be the best
tribute to her memory, for they were many. She was
remarkable for her even disposition, her ready smile
and willing hand. If any of those around her were
sick, her care and attention never ceased until health
was restored. Up to the moment of the sickness which
has terminated her existence on earth, she was gen-
erally hearty, and on the morning of her death ex-
pressed herself even better than usual. As a mother
she was ever patient and watchful ; as a wife, kind,
loving and dutiful ; and as a steadfast friend, unfal-
tering. Her loss to those bereaved ones will be sorely
felt and long remembered."
Mr. Dunwoody having been formerly a supporter
of Whig principles found the platform of the Repub-
lican party in harmony with his convictions, though
he invariably refused all proffers of office tendered
him. His religious belief was in harmony with that
J^^^
t>-<rt,e^
^^;y^^<^ AZ^:<.*^^.i^^^^^_
"(T^M
J^'^er^TruXrfx
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
587
of the society of Friends with whom he worshiped.
His death occurred Jan. 21, 1S65, in his seventy-
eighth year. The following brief summary of a life
fraught with usefulness and eminent for purity is
given by a friend :
" There was probably no one in the neighborhood in
which he lived and where he closed his long and use-
ful career more justly valued and respected than the
subject of this brief notice. A youth of unstained
purity to be followed by an active manhood, void of
reproach, was crowned by a vigorous old age, sur-
rounded by all the fruits of an industrious, virtuous,
and eminently useful life, the final scene of which,
as if in attestation of the love and respect in which
he was held, being witnessed by a large concourse
who assembled to pay the last tribute of respect to
his memory. All that should accompany ' the sere
and yellow leaf of old age, as ' honor, duty, love,
obedience, and troops of friends,' were his, and de-
servedly so. For a long period he had been suffer-
ing from the infirmities of age and the gradual decay
of nature. The flame long flickered in the socket, but
under all he was sustained by a strength not of earth,
and the darkness which was to succeed through the
' valley of the shadow' brought no terrors to a soul
thus armed and fortified. To him has been revealed
the great mystery which must be learned by all that
breathe, — bounded human vision has become infinite,
and the dull, glimmering light of human intellect has
become merged and lost in the full-tide radiance of om-
nipotence. At full maturity, like a thoroughly ripened
sheaf, he has been gathered into God's garner, and to
mourn him is as futile as it is ungrateful to him ' who
giveth his beloved rest.' "
DAVID PETERMAN.
The Peterman family are of German extraction.
Christian Peterman, the father of David, was a resi-
dent of Delaware County. He married Ann Redyner,
and had children, — David, Jacob, George, Mary (Mrs.
Scrimbger), Sarah (Mrs. Reyner), and Ann (Mrs. Es-
rey). David was born in Marple township, Delaware
Co., in 1773, and spent his life in the immediate
vicinity of his birth. He received such an education
as the schools of that early day afforded, and on
reaching man's estate, engaged with his father in
farming. At a later date he purchased the farm now
occupied by his grandson, Christian Peterman. Mr.
Peterman married Ann McClure, of Marple township,
to whom were born children, — George, Thomas, Sarah,
Samuel, Elizabeth (Mrs. Charles Wesley Page), and
Christian, of whom Mrs. Page is the only survivor.
Mr. Peterman's pursuits during his lifetime were
those of a farmer. He enjoyed — as a man of high
moral character, the strictest integrity, and much intel-
ligence— a commanding influence in the community,
while his kindly nature endeared him alike to rich
and poor. His religious preferences were in harmony
with the creed of the Presbyterian Church. The
death of Mr. Peterman occurred in April of the year
1842, in his sixty-ninth year.
CHAPTER XLVI.
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.'
Foe nearly a century and three-quarters after the
first settlers came to the region in which Media was
destined to be developed, the charming site of the
now beautiful town was settled sparsely like other
agricultural districts of the county, and no prophetic
vision of the seat of justice that was to be, obtruded
itself among the pastoral musings of the quiet, plod-
ding farmers, whose broad acres are now so thickly
populated and the scene of so much of life's activity.
Concerning the folks who came here two centuries
ago (1682), and who owned the land on which Media
is built, while it was a virgin wilderness we have
gained some interesting facts, and some also con-
cerning their successors and the deed history of the
land.
The Title to the Soil. — The first dwellers here were
the Taylors. Peter Taylor and William, his brother,
of the parish of Sutton, county of Chester, England,
bought of William Fenn, March 3, 1681, land to the
amount of twelve hundred and fifty acres in the
province of Pennsylvania, for which they paid the
sum of tweuty-five pounds for all, and one shilling
quit-rent for each one hundred acres, or about one
hundred and twenty-eight dollars altogether, which
was no greater a price than ten and a quarter cents
per acre. Seven hundred acres of this land was taken
up on the exact location of Media, the town which
was to come into existence one hundred and sixty-
eight years later. Peter took four hundred and Wil-
I liam three hundred acres, leaving a remainder of five
\ hundred and fifty acres to be taken up in East Cain
township, where they had decided to locate the other
I tract. The brothers came over from England early
in 1682, some time before the arrival of Penn, and
probably in the ship " Amity." They proceeded to
I locate their claims shortly after arriving. Peter Tay-
lor's land was nearly in the form of a parallelogram,
I and extended from Ridley Creek to the Providence
I road, while its southern boundary was nearly co-
j incident with the present Washington Street in
I Media borough. The northern boundary was prob-
] ably not far from the site of the county jail. William
! Taylor's share of the land was nearly in the form of
a square along the line on which the Providence road
j was laid out, and lay north of and adjoining his
1 > By Alfred Mathews.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
brother's larger possessions. William lived upon his
new estate but little more than a year, death claiming
him upon Jan. 6, 1683. His wife, Margaret, died
three days before. They left a son named Joseph and
two daughters.
Peter Taylor was unmarried when he came to
America, and shortly afterwards, Jan. 2, 1685, took as
his wife, Sarah, a daughter of Johu Houlston, a neigh-
boring settler. Peter's children were Peter, William,
and Samuel. Peter moved to East Cain not later
than 1717, and died in 1720, probably at the house of
his son, William, in that township.
It is on record that Peter Taylor and wife, Sarah,
on Aug. 20, 1717, deeded to Peter Dicks one hundred
and seventy acres of ground, being that portion of
the estate nearest Eidley Creek. He retained one
hundred and fifty-one acres, the western boundary-
line of which must have run due north and south a
little west of the residence of A. Lewis Smith, on
State Street. When he removed to Cain, his son,
Peter, appears to have taken charge of that portion
of the estate which was retained. He married Eliza-
beth Jarman, of Kadnor, died in 1740, and was suc-
ceeded by his son Peter, the grandson of the original
immigrant of the same name. Meantime a portion of
the adjoining property had come into the possession
of William, another son of Peter (2d), who sold a
part of it, consisting of nearly one hundred and fifty
acres, to John Butler in the year 1785, and retained
for himself one hundred and fifty-one acres.
The one hundred and fifty-one acres of Peter Taylor
(3d) having been sold to Peter Dicks, was deeded to
him June 8, 1748, and hence, after an interval of
sixty-six years, the land of Peter Taylor, the original
owner, had all passed out of the possession of his de-
scendants. Nothing remained in the hands of any of
the Taylors except the adjoining Sandy Bank prop-
erty originally owned by William.
Dicks built a log cabin on his property, which is
still standing, although one hundred and thirty-five
years old. He had absorbed the whole property, be-
sides owning the large tract of land west of the line
of the Providence road, south of and contiguous to
the eastern end of the Taylor property. He was a
son of Peter Dicks, of Cheshire, England, who settled
in Birmingham in 1686, and had seven children. He
moved to Nether Providence in 1717, where the
family had either located a claim in 1686 or subse-
quently bought from the Vernons. He was in easy
circumstances, and made large additions to his real
estate. On the south of Taylor's land he owned about
half-way from the site of Providence road to Ridley
Creek, while one Broughton owned from his bound-
ary to the creek. As the property of Thomas Min-
shall faced that of Peter Taylor to the eastward, we
have the six original owners of land on or near the
site of Media as follows : Peter Taylor, William Tay-
lor, John Houlston, Thomas Minshall, Peter Dicks,
and Broughton.
Concerning the William Taylor lands we will now
give a fuller history. On Dec. 16, 1781, a century
after the first conveyance of the land, Nathan Tay-
lor, then holding what was originally supposed to be
the three-hundred-acre tract (but subsequently found
to contain three hundred and twenty acres), or what
remained of it, sold to Enoch Taylor one hundred
and twenty acres, including that part on which in late
years has stood the residence of Dr. Rowland. Na-
than died here about the year 1800, having been born
in 1715, and on July 26, 1823, the paternal estate was
sold at public sale to John Smith for thirty-nine dol-
lars and fifty cents per acre, and thus the last rem-
nant of property passed out of the ownership of the
Taylor family, after having remained in it one hundred
and forty-two years. Enoch also died about 1800. Ezra
Taylor was one of his executors. He was born June
26, 1781, and died in 1825. He was buried at Sandy
Bank graveyard, the following being the inscription
on his tombstone :
[ "Ezra Taylor, a descendant of Peter Taylor, one of the first settlers
of where now is the Seat of Justice of Del. Countee, born June 26, 1781,
died May 25, 1S2S."1
The dwelling occupied by the Taylor families
passed, as had been said, into the possession of John
Smith. It then became the property of A. Pascal,
and by him was sold to Dr. Rowland.
It is an interesting fact that Gen. Zachary Taylor,
a President of the United States, and the hero of the
Mexican war, was a lineal descendant of Peter Taylor,
the immigrant of 1682. His ancestors of the second
or third generation removed from East Cain, Ches-
ter Co., to Winchester, Va., where the boyhood of
Gen. Taylor was spent, although he subsequently re-
moved to the West.
Having now given some account of the pioneers
and provincial owners of the soil, we shall consider
j the causes that led to the building of the town.
Location of the County-Seat— The Infant Vil-
lage.— The agitation leading to the removal of the
seat of justice of Delaware County from Chester to a
more central locality, which had its formal and organ-
ized beginning at a meeting held at the Black Horse
Hotel, in Middletown township, Nov. 22, 1845, hav-
ing been elaborately treated in a chapter^ of this
work, it is unnecessary in this connection to say more
upon the subject than what will suffice to remind the
reader of the essentials in the controversy and serve
as an introduction to topics of more narrowly local
interest of which it is our province to treat in this
division of the work. It will be remembered by
many, and can be learned by others from the chapter
to which we have referred, that after the meeting on
Nov. 22, 1845, the matter of removal was submitted
to the people at the election immediately ensuing ;
1 Sarah, wife of Ezra Taylor, died in South Media, April 22, 1864, aged
eighty-two years.
- See chapter xvi. of the General History, entitled "The Kemoval of
the County. Seat to Media."
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
589
that the vote was in favor of the removal, and that
the delegates elected assembled at the Black Horse
Hotel, on the 6th of December, and a majority being
in favor of a new county-seat the county poor-house
property was selected as the most desirable site for
the county buildings, and the town which must of
course come into existence by reason of their location.
As the attendance had been comparatively small,
owing to the almost impassable condition of the roads,
the anti-removalists claimed that the decision had not
reflected the real will of the people. There then en-
sued an energetic and even violent political contest
upon this local issue, which was carried on in the
county and in the Legislature almost unceasingly for
two years, with success now for one side and again for
the other. The election of Oct. 12, 1847, however,
sustained the verdict of two years before by a major-
ity of seven hundred and fifty-two votes. Here, when
the question seemed decided, however, it became com-
plicated, and the opposition, adopting new tactics,
fought, if not more fiercely, at least more determin-
ately than ever before. Because of some similarity
between the removal act and an act previously passed
giving the citizens of each township a right to decide
by ballot whether liquor should be sold therein, and
because this act had been declared unconstitutional
by the Supreme Court, the opponents of the removal
resolved to place the obnoxious measure before the
same tribunal. Without attempting to follow the
prolonged secondary struggle we simply note the fact
that the will of the people, twice expressed by the
ballot, was finally confirmed in the House of Repre-
sentatives by an act passed by unanimous vote, Jan.
19, 1848, authorizing removal. It received the ap-
proval of the Senate, March 30th, and the signature
of Governor Shunk, April 7th, and thus became a
law.
In the following fall, Sept. 10, 1848, the county
commissioners, Edmund Pennell, Mark Bartleson,
and Caleb J. Hoopes, purchased from Mrs. Sarah
Briggs a tract of forty-eight acres adjoining the poor-
house farm, in Upper Providence. For this property,
now worth fifty times as much, the sum of seven
thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars was paid,
or a little more than one hundred and sixty dollars
per acre. Time proved the wisdom of the commis-
sioners' decision, for the locality was a very suitable
one for the beautiful town which has been developed
upon and around it.
Just here we will digress from the current of our
narrative to give an idea of the aspect of this spot at
the time it was chosen for the site of the countj- town.
There were then on the ground now included
within the limits of Media no less than twelve build-
ings. These were the old Almshouse, the Briggs, the
Way, and the Hill mansions, all built of stone, and
located immediately upon the State road ; the old log
house west of the Almshouse, the house of Peter Wor-
rall, which was a tavern, and six others, conspicuous
among them being the Pierce and Haldeman resi-
dences. The mansion occupied by Mrs. Briggs was
subsequently sold by the commissioners, at their sec-
ond sale of lots, to John Esrev, who afterwards trans-
' ferred it to Dr. Joseph Rowland, one of Media's most
successful medical practitioners. About five hundred
yards distant from the house just mentioned was an-
other of the old residences of the place (occupied in
late years by John Wilkinson). This building was
[ erected by the grandfather of the Richard Briggs
who occupied what was latterly the Rowland home
for his son, Richard Briggs. About the time of the
removal of the county-seat this property was sold at
sheriff''s sale to Elizabeth Way, and subsequently
passed into the possession of a relative. The proper-
I ties of the Briggs, father and son, were bounded on
the south by the State road, on the east and north by
the poor-house farm, and on the west by land of Isaac
Cochran, which included the ground on which Hon.
John M. Broomall built a handsome residence a
number of years since. The property of William
Briggs adjoined the Richard Briggs farm, on the
west. This, with the house upon it, was purchased
several years prior to the county-seat location by T.
Chalkley Palmer, who sold, in the summer of 1847,
to Andrew T. Walker. The large tract of land south
of the State' road was owned by John Hill, Sr. This,
with the exception of a few lots on State Street, was
subsequently sold to H. Jones Brooke.
I We now resume the narrative of events in the early
I history of Media. The first of note, subsequent to
those which have already been related, was the fixing
of the exact site for the public buildings, bf which
announcement was made by the commissioners on
; May 15, 1849. The site chosen was that upon which
the court-house and jail (presently to be dwelt on at
I length) now stand. The work of building them was
1 soon commenced.
The first sale of building lots in Providence, — i.e.,
Media, — of which Joseph Fox had completed the sur-
vey and platting July 26th, was held by the county
' commissioners on Monday, Sept. 17, 1849, and was as
successful and remunerative as the most sanguine of
those officials could have hoped it to be. Seventy lots
were sold at prices varying from SI. 80 to six dol-
lars per square foot. The sum of seven thousand five
hundred and eighty dollars was realized by the sale.
This was only one hundred and eighty dollars less than
had been paid for the entire Briggs tract of forty-eight
acres. Among the purchasers of the seventy lots sold
on that day were Dr.George Smith, who bought the first
lots off'ered, Nos. 1 and 2, at three dollars per foot, and
also one near the close of the sale. Then follow, in
rotation, Gideon Miles 1, Jacob Smedley 3, William
Jones 2, J. Morgan Hunter 2, Minshall Painter 8, Jo-
seph Hood 1, Capt. William Apple 2, Isaac Taylor 1,
Isaac Haldeman 3, George Smedley 2, John Miller 3,
James Edwards 2, J. T. Hawkins 1, and John C.
Beatty 1. The remaining names of lot-buyers, so far
590
HISTOEY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
as they have been recorded, are John Hardcastle,
William Smedley, Phelin Campbell, Abram Pennell,
James Smith, Thomas Pratt, Isaac C. Malin, Charles
Palmer, Henry Bowen, Thomas Inman, Isaac S.
Williams, Jabez Lawson, James Pennell, and John
Hill.
One hundred and thirty-four lots were still in the
possession of the commissioners at the time of this
sale, the total number having been two hundred.
Large reservations had been made for the court-house
and jail and a market-house. The lots were twenty
feet front by one hundred and seventy in depth. At
a second sale, on Monday, October 15th, forty of them
were sold, and on the same occasion the Briggs farm-
house and barn were purchased by Mr. Esrey for
fifteen hundred dollars and four hundred and five
dollars respectively.
It was indicative of the enterprise and large-
mindedness of the people of Media, and prophetic
of the beauty of the town that was to be, that the first
buildings erected were substantial and tasteful struc-
tures. The first building reared after the act of
removal was a fine brick store located on the north-
east corner of State Street and South Avenue. It was
built by John C. Beatty, who commenced it in the fall
of 1849 and completed it early in the spring. The lower
story was occupied as a dry-goods and grocery store |
by Ellis Smedley, who afterwards removed to Chester, |
and the upper story, finished as a hall, was dedicated
to the cause of temperance on Feb. 16, 1850. Mr.
Smedley's successor in business at this stand was
Thomas D. Nelling, who subsequently gave place to
Black & Sons, in turn followed by Hawley & Brother.
Other buildings were in process of erection before
the Beatty block was finished, and soon the locality
began to look like a town.
" After the first and second sales of lots," says a
newspaper writer,' " the increase in the value of the
surrounding property was so marked and immediate
that it became highly expedient that the ground upon
which the old almshouse was located should be sold,
as it could be done with great advantage, and par-
ticularly was this course of action deemed advisable,
as the old buildings were not well adapted to the pur-
pose for which they were erected. The amount real-
ized, it was argued, would more than pay for a better
farm, and more commodious buildings, on a more
eligible site. The action taken in the matter resulted
in the sale of the old structure, which was purchased
by Mr. Primrose, a citizen of Philadelphia, and sub-
sequently from him by David Milne, another Phila-
delphian, who converted it into lodgings for a large
number of colored families. The place soon became
known as the 'Continental.' "
In 1851 occurred the first untoward event in the
infant village, — the first fire. On Friday, June 20th,
Peter Hill's shingle-factory and a considerable quan-
tity of lumber were destroyed by the flames. The
factory stood not far from the bridge over Eidley
Creek on the Black Horse road. There was no
similar disaster until after the lapse of eight years."
As the village increased in population, and busi-
ness lines of transportation and communication con-
necting with the outer world were established, Mr.
Wesley C. Brodhead early in the history of the new
county-seat placed a line of stages on the road, and
in August, 1851, as we learn from the following ad-
vertisement, which appeared in the Delaware County
Republican, he increased the facilities for travel be-
tween the old and new county-seats:
" FOB MEDIA.— Mr. Brodhead, the accommodating proprietor of the
line of stages between tliis borough and Media, will place extra coaches
on the route during the session of court. A capacious four-hi>rs6 omni>
bus will leave the depot at half-past eight o'clock in the morning."
Mr. Brodhead made his line of coaches highly
acceptable to the public, and continued running them
for two or three years, but they were discontinued
when the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad
was put in running order. In more recent years the
stage service was revived.
A line of telegraph was run through Media along
State Street, connecting Philadelphia with Baltimore,
in August, 1852, and although no ofiice was imme-
diately opened in the borough, the people had not
very long to wait for electrical communication with
the great cities north and south.
During this year there was great interest mani-
fested in the building of plank-roads, not only in this
neighborhood but elsewhere in the county.
Various improvements were carried on, all tending
to increase the beauty and solidity of the town, and
enterprising men began to make investments in real
estate, in anticipation of further growth. Early in
the year 1853, John C. Beatty purchased from the
Thomas estate eleven acres of ground, a portion of
which was in the borough limits, and about August
1st he bought of the Directors of the Poor and House
of Employment forty acres of land attached to the
poor-house property, and lying south of the State
road. For this he paid two hundred and fifty dollars
per acre,'a fact which clearly exhibits the increase in
the value of real estate by reason of the town's
growth. He at once divided a large portion of the
tract into building lots for the convenience of those
who wished to purchase and establish homes. The
movement for chvirch organization and building had
been commenced before this time, and the house of
worship of the Presbyterian denomination was after-
wards erected on a lot in this tract.
1 From one of a series of historical sketches written by Wilmer W.
James for the Delaware County Democrat, published at Chester, and ap-
pearing in that paper in 1876.
2 The second fire occurred on Saturday night, Dec. 17, 1858, during a
terrible slorm of wind and rain, and destroyed the gas-house at Brooke
Hall. The building was also used for storage purposes, and the trunks
belonging to the young ladies and packed ready fur shipment to their
houses, being in the building, were all consumed. The loss by this fire
was about fifteen hundred dollars.
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
591
Building was carried on extensively during 1853.
Early in the year Isaac Haldeman began the erection
of a large store and dwelling, the former of which
was occupied by himself and sons. The third story
of this building, on the northwest corner of State and
Lemon Streets, has been occupied at various times as a
private school-room. Later, in 1853, a fine residence
and bakery were erected on the opposite corner by i
David Middleton, and Nathan G. Shaw also erected
a handsome dwelling near Sandy Bank, afterwards
occupied by F. Fairlamb. j
Having thus far chronicled many instances of the
enterprise which operated to build up this thriving [
town, we may now give the reader a general idea of j
its condition in 1853. By midsummer of this year
there were seventy dwellings in the borough, fifty- !
seven of which were new ones, that is, built after the ^
site of the town had been surveyed, within a period
of but little more than three years. At the time of
which we speak four more houses were in process of j
construction, and eight were under contract to be
built in the summer and fall, making a total of eighty- i
two dwellings, in addition to a school-house, a black-
smith-shop, and a coachmaker-shop. The court-
house, jail, and charter-house (which for pui-poses of
convenience we have reserved for separate considera-
tion) were also finished, and, with a row of offices on
South Street, made the total number of buildings of 1
all kinds ninety-four; not a bad showing, by any
means, for less than four years' work.
Entering more into detail, we will say that the
town contained two dry-goods and grocery stores, a
boot and shoe store, a trimming store, a drug store, a
temperance inn, a printing-office, a post-office, and a
school-house. The tradesmen then within the bor-
ough limits were two tailors, three blacksmiths, one
wheelwright, one coachmaker, one tinsmith, one sad-
dler, one stone-cutter, one bricklayer, one stonemason,
two painters, two cabinet-makers, three carpenters,
one plasterer, and one butcher. The professional
gentlemen were five lawyers, three physicians, and
one dentist. It may be mentioned in this connection
that the first attorney who located here was Ezra
Lewis, Jr., who took up his residence during the
building of the courthouse, in 1850. He was soon
followed by Charles D. Manley, Edward Darlington,
Joseph R. Morris, and Samuel B. Thomas.
In 1854 the energy of the people in no degree
abated, but, on the contrary, increased, found activity
and expression in new directions. The Media Loan
and Building Association (an institution of which we
shall give an extended account in this chapter) was or-
ganized during the early part of the year. The Metho-
dists, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians made strong
efforts to build houses of worship, and either par-
tially or fully succeeded, as will be presently shown.
Preparations were made also for the erection of Brooke
Hall and Gayley's Academy (subsequently the Sani-
tarium), and the construction of private edifices went
I on apace with improvements of a more public char-
acter. Thomas Pratt erected five brick bouses north-
east of Olive Street, and in partnership with Jesse
j Bishop, Esq., put up the five original offices on the
j Western side of South Avenue. Abram P. Smedley
I during the fall put up the handsome three-story brick
building in which he afterwards lived, and various
i other embellishments were added to the town. In the
mean time an ordinance had been passed prohibiting
the erection of frame buildings within the borough
j limits, which had a most salutary influence both in
the way of enhancing the appearance of Media and
I in precluding in a large degree the possibility of de-
j structive fires, from which the place has ever been
peculiarly exempt.
! Of the early merchants we have already had occa-
sion to speak, and we again advert to them. Charles
K. Williamson had gone into business prior to this
period. His store was in the building on the south-
east corner of Front and Orange Streets, latterly oc-
cupied as a residence by Levis Miller. Thither Mr.
Williamson removed the post-office when he was ap-
pointed postmaster, in May, 1853. In April of this
year Mr. Smedley formed a partnership with Thomas
D. Nelling, under the firm-name of Smedley & Nell-
ing, and the firm carried on business at the original
stand, on the corner of State Street and South Avenue,
until the 1st of January, 1854, when Mr. Smedley
withdrew, and Philip Nelling and Thomas D. Nelling
took the store, under the firm-name of Nelling & Son.
The first book-store in Media was started by Mark
Packard, at his residence on Orange Street, as early
as 1853, but in a year or two afterwards was disposed
of to H. L. Bockey, who sold it in 1856 to Joseph G.
Cummins. This gentleman made the business a sue-
1 cessful one, and the store became one of the perma-
I nent institutions of the borough.
A connected account has now been given of the
origin and early growth of Media, and it remains to
describe the public buildings, which formed the centre
around which all of the improvements we have related
: clustered.
1 The Court-House and Jail.— The county commis-
sioners, after the act of removal, which, as we have
before said, became a law April 7, 1848, proceeded
with all of the celerity that was compatible with
sound business discretion to provide the necessary
public buildings for the new seat of justice. They
fixed upon the exact site (the present one) on May 15,
1849, and offered an award of fifty dollars for an
acceptable plan for the proposed structures. In re-
sponse to their offer a number of competitors appeared,
and on June 18th they adopted the plan offered by
Mr. Sloan, of Philadelphia, at an estimated cost for
the court-house of fifteen thousand dollars. On Au-
gust 28th they awarded the contract for the erection
of the court-house and the jail to Joseph Esrey, John
Williamson, and Joseph Law.son, for the sum of thirty-
two thousand dollars. Ground was immediatelv
592
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
broken, and the work was carried on with commend-
able diligence and speed.
The specifications stated that the court-house should
be of brick, that above the base-course it should be
roughcast and painted, that the roof should be cov-
ered with the best leaded tin and surmounted by a
cupola and spire, the extreme height from the ground
to be eighty feet. The structure was to be two stories
high, with the exception of that part occupied by the
jury-room, which should be three. The offices were
to be one story high and fire-proof, and there were
also to be two fire-proof safes on each side of the
vestibule. The second floor was designed to contain
the court-room and apartments for the jury, witnesses,
a law library, and a sitting-room for the judge and
associates.
The jail building was to have a house for the sheriff
in front of the prison proper, and it was to be twenty-
six by thirty-eight feet, and to consist of two stories,
an attic, and basement. It was directed that it should
contain, besides the usual accommodations for the
sheriff's family, a parlor, reception-room, and office.
The kitchen was to be in the basement, and the second
story and attic were to be divided into sleeping cham-
bers. Upon the roof was to be a tank to hold water,
which should be conducted to all parts of the house
by leaden pipes. On the top was to be an observatory.
It was specified that the prison was to be in the
rear of the sheriff's house, and attached to it by a
corridor fifteen feet in width, extending also through
the entire length of the prison. On each side of this
corridor were to be four cells, each eight by twelve
feet. There were to be also a bath-room, keeper's
room, and infirmary in this part of the building. The
second story was to be reached by steps to a gallery
extending around the whole of the corridor, opening
from which there were to be on each side four cells,
each eight by twelve feet as below.
It was provided that a space one hundred by one
hundred and twenty-five feet around the prison should
be inclosed by a wall, and that there should be a cov-
ered way from the corridor to the exercising yards, of
which there were to be six, each nineteen feet wide by
twenty-nine feet deep, the whole forming a semicircle,
after the plan of the celebrated Pentonville prison, near
London, England. The prison was to be built of stone, j
the roof covered with tin, and the whole structure
made as strong and as nearly fire-proof as possible. \
The corner-stone of the court-house was laid Sept. |
24, 1849, in the presence of a considerable number of |
people. In the stone was placed a leaden box con- \
taining a parchment on which was a plan of the town,
a description of the public buildings, stating when
they were begun and when to be completed, and giving j
the names of the contractors, together with the names
of State and county oflScers then in service, a full line
of the coins of the United States for the year 1849, I
from a half-eagle down to a cent, copies of the Bela-
ware County Hepublican, the Upland Union, and other
newspapers and public documents. The receptacle
was sealed and placed in the stone by Edmund Pen-
nell.
The walls of the court-house were up, and prepara-
tions for raising the cupola were made, by Aug. 13,
1850. The stone-work of the prison was about com-
pleted by that time, and the sheriff's residence was
well advanced. By the 1st of November the court-
house was ready for plastering, both inside and out,
and the jail almost entirely completed. By the 1st of
May, 1851, the court-house was pronounced finished,
though it was not ready for occupancy on account of
the dampness of the walls. At the last term of court
held in Chester, which convened May 26th, the offi-
cial notice of the completion of the court-house and
jail was given in these words, " The Commissioners re-
ported to the Court that the County Buildings, at
Media, were completed and ready for occupancy, and
the Court directed the following minute to be entered
upon the record :
"May 29, 1851— The Court of Common Pleas, of Delaware County,
are satisflsd that the Buildings, to wit:— new Jail, Court House and
Public Offices, in the Borough of Meiiia, are fully completed according
to the true intent and meaning of the act of the Legislature, entitled
an Act concerning the removal of the Seat of Justice of Delaware
County. ApproTed the 3d day of March, 1847."
After the close of this term of court, the last to be
held in the old court-house at Chester, the Delaware
County Republican alluding to the change, said, " The
next term will be held at Media, an order having been
issued by the Court to remove the records and other
property to the new County Seat, prior to August.
Our ancient Borough, which had been the Seat of
Justice from the time of the Swedes, will never again,
we suppose, be visited by the hurry, bustle and com-
motion of Court week."
The removal of the county records from Chester to
Media was begun on Monday, June 16th, and by the
evening of Wednesday, the 18th, both the records from
the court-house and the prisoners from the jail had
been placed in their new quarters.
In the mean time the work of paving the square
went on, and various details of external adornment
and internal finishing and furnishing were added.
The bell for the court-house, of Philadelphia manu-
facture and weighing seven hundred pounds, was re-
ceived on August 12th, but was not hung in place in
proper time to announce by its sonorous strokes the
convening of the first court held in Media, which
opened on Monday, Aug. 25, 1851.
It is recorded that on that day the crowd was so great
as to fill all parts of the room, including the passage-
ways, and, in fact, every spot on which space enough
to stand could be had. A writer of reminiscences in
the Delaware County Democrat says of this first court,
" The business of the term was opened by President
Judge Henry Chapman, aided by his Associates, Jo-
seph Engle and George G. Leiper. After the charge
to the Grand Jurv and a neat address to the citizens
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
593
of the county by Judge Chapman, relative to their
public spirit and liberality in the erection of the public
buildings, the first case tried was the Commonwealth
vs. John R.Bergen. The defendant was indicted for
keeping a tippling-house, and fined thirty dollars and
costs of prosecution. Eight additional criminal cases
were tried, and other business disposed of, the court
adjourning at noon on the following Wednesday ,^a
two and a half days' session. At this term of court,
and on Monday, August 25th, on motion of Edward
Darlington, Esq., Robert E. Hannum, Robert McCay,
Jr., and Charles D. Manley, Esqs., were appointed
examiners on the application of Thos. J. Clayton for
admission to the bar of Delaware County. The result
of this examination proving in all respects satisfac-
tory, he was duly admitted to practice at the next
term of court, Nov. 25, 1851."
The court-house served its purpose very well for a
number of years, but by 1870 it was found that addi-
tional room was absolutely necessary, and preparations
were made for meeting this need. It was not, how-
ever, until the summer of 1871 that definite action
was taken in the matter. The commissioners then
advertised for proposals for enlarging the court-house
by the addition of two wings, each to be thirty-eight
feet square and two stories high. About the middle
of August the bids were opened, and the contract was
awarded to John Hinksou, of Chester, his proposal for
the work being twenty-nine thousand dollars, or nine
hundred and fifty-nine dollars below that of the next
lowest bidder. As a matter of curiosity, it may be
stated that the bids were as follows : Taylor &
Worth, of West Chester, $49,677; Staunton & Mc-
Garry, of Philadelphia, $40,000; S. P. Rush, of Phil-
adelphia, §35,471.90; Churchman & Morrow, of Media,
$35,500 ; Kirk & Henderson, of Media, $33,021 ; Isaac
Worrall, of Media, $32,670.70 ; Simon Litzenberg, of
Chester, $32,430; David S. Kendell, of Philadelphia,
$32,500; Isaac N. Flounders, of Media, $31,903.64;
Joseph Wells, of Thornbury, $29,959 ; John Hink-
son, of Chester, $29,000. Chalkley Chalfant, of
Media, contracted to do the painting for $1350. The
work was duly performed according to the contract,
and some slight improvements have been made upon
the building since, rendering it a court-house of which
Delaware County may well be proud.
An awe-inspiring incident occurred in the court-
house at the March term, 1878. Thomas Townsend,
of Lima, while passing along the aisle in the court-
room, apparently in the best of health, fell to the floor
and expired instantly. The cause of his sudden de-
mise was apoplexy.
A singular escape of prisoners occurred from the
court-room on Dec. 3, 1883. .John Williams and
James Clark, who were on trial for burglary, as court
was about to adjourn concealed themselves under a
bench inside of the dock, and the sherifl' absent-mind-
edly leaving the room and not thinking of them until
he got to the jail, returned to find that they had fled
the building. They were soon recaptured, explained
their shrewd but simple means of making their es-
cape, and subsequently were sent to the Eastern Pen-
itentiary.
Concerning the history of the jail subsequent to its
completion, there are a number of interesting items.
It is recorded that on Tuesday, April 18, 1854, the
last of several prisoners, who had for some time been
confined within its walls, was discharged, and that
for nearly a week the prison was without a solitary
inmate,— a condition of things which seldom if ever
occurs nowadays.
During the first few years after its completion es-
capes of prisoners from the jail were frequent occur-
rences. John Cope, a colored man, regained liberty
by scaling the wall, on Aug. 22, 1851. Seven days
later, Robert Lees hung himself upon the door of his
cell by means of blankets torn into strips and twisted
into the form of a rope. He was discovered by fel-
low-prisoners, who gave the alarm. He was taken
down and handcuffed to prevent his trying further
suicidal experiments. He complained of being de-
prived of his usual exercise, a privilege which the
1 sherifl" had deprived all of the prisoners of after Cope's
! escape over the wall. Thus the liberty gained by one
man brought about more rigorous confinement of the
many.
On Dec. 29, 1851, two prisoners escaped from the
jail during the absence of the sheriff". One of them
was recaptured, but the other, although closely
pursued, could not be caught.
! John Doughty not only escaped confinement, but
passed from it into the great unknown, dying in his
cell on Feb. 13, 1852. This was the first death in the
prison.
On Nov. 30, 1860, David Mulley, who was impris-
i oned on the charge of attempting to shoot a man, es-
caped, but was recaptured. He was a desperate case,
and made a second escape on March 6, 1861.
Christian Heff" escaped over the wall on Feb. 18,
1861, by means of a rope made of blankets. Just be-
fore the prisoners were locked up he had concealed
himself in the yard, and when all was quiet he man-
aged to fasten his rope on the wall, and, climbing it,
'. had only to drop down on the outside.
Three persons broke jail on Oct. 1, 1861.
i James War made his escape March 24, 1865, and
I William Wain, a horse-thief, regained his liberty
July 19th of the same year.
The frequency of escapes by prisoners and other
j causes led the commissioners to make improvements
in 1868. One of the county papers thus speaks of the
I work in a July issue : " The prison at Media has re-
j cently undergone considerable improvement, an addi-
tion having been built of forty-three by forty-eight
feet, the height to the square being thirty-eight feet.
There are now forty cells, all of which are properly
ventilated and secure. The iron-work of the prison
I was done by Messrs. Jaggers, Coverdill & Co., of
594
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Chester, and their name for good work is a sufficient
guarantee that the job is well done."
Notwithstanding these improvements, the grand
jury in November, 1872, found the jail defective in
many particulars, and recommended several improve-
ments. Following is their report :
" To the Honorable Judges of the Courts of Delaware Cov.nty :
"The grand jury, in the perfoi-mance of the duty enjuined to them,
have examined the prison, and inquired into the escape of prisoners
therefrom, and respectfully submit the followiug suggestions to the
court: A number of the cells in the prison are unsafe, the arches on the
tups being of insufficient strength, from the lightness of the material of
which they are huilt. There should be at least two dark cells, detached
from the other parts of the prison, and out of hearing of the inmates
thereof. The need of an infirmary is apparent, where prisoners who are
sick can be kept separate from their fellows. The windows in the cells
should be so altered as to deprive the occupants of a view of the prison-
yard and streets. The pipes used for heating the building are badly out
of repair, and the brick pavement in the interior is objectionable on ac-
count of the dampness. After a careful examination of the manner in
which prisoners have escaped from the jail, the keeper of the prison is
not, in our opinion, censurable in any way whatever, except so far as
relates to one case, in which his deputy went into a cell without observ-
ing the neceflsary and usual precaution. The management of the insti-
tution is such as to reflect credit on those who have it in charge ; the
condition of the prison being neat and cleanly, and the prisoners appar-
ently satisfied with the care and attention they receive."
Some of the measures advised by the grand inquest
were adopted, and in 1877 extensive work was per-
formed. The stone wall around the prison was ex-
tended and raised by William Armstrong, who took
the job by contract. About six thousand dollars was
expended on the prison during that and the following
year.
In October, 1877, a laborious and determined effort
was made to escape by a number of prisoners, who
did not appreciate the large outlay of public money
upon their quarters. This wellnigh successful at-
tempt is thus described by a newspaper of the day :
"On Sunday evening last, as Mr. Campbell, jailor of the county prison,
was making his last round, he reached the cell of William Waters, Jacob
Kelley, Neil McLaughlin, and Tliomas Overholtzer, the prisoners who
were convicted of the robbing of the stores of I. E. Boston and J. E.
Brown, at Rockdale, some time since. Looking into the limits assigned
them, he fancied that their bed was somewhat higher than usual, and
he requested them to lift it up. On this being done a quantity of stone
was found underneath, the result of an excavation made in the wall hy
them preparatory to their escape, one stone only being left between
them and their liberty. The work had been accomplished from time to
time with an iron hook, which he found in their possession. They
were removed to other quarters."
In 1878 a new building was erected adjoining the
original structure. This was seventy feet in length,
forty-seven feet in height, and three stories high,
affording six work-rooms and thirty-six cells. It cost
sixteen thousand one hundred and forty dollars, in-
cluding the healing apparatus, which alone amounted
to over four thousand five hundred dollars.
In spite even of the additional safeguards secured
during 1877-78, a few prisoners succeeded in gaining
the outer world. On March 20, 1878, Daniel Pine,
who had been sentenced to six years' confinement for
the robbery of the'residence of Mrs. Fallon, in Upper
Darby, and that of William Ehodes, in Newtown,
scaled the wall with the aid of a piece of rope, which
he had been ingenious enough to secure.
On Dec. 27, 1879, two colored men made their es-
cape by breaking a hole in the ceiling of one of the
upper tier of cells, and then making their way from
the roof to the ground.
On Feb. 7, 1879, Joseph Williams died suddenly in
the prison on the very day that he was to be released,
after eleven months' confinement. He was seized
with cramp in the stomach, which terminated in con-
vulsions that quickly proved fatal.
Still later, on March 17, 1880, grim death came to
the jail, this time under peculiar circumstances. The
victim was Richard Neeld, and, strangely enough, he
lost his life through the attempt of another inmate to
escape. From the evidence at the inquest it ap-
peared that Martin O'Harra, who occupied a cell
directly over that in which Neeld was confined, had
been working for some days diligently in endeavoring
to escape. He cut a hole into the chimney-stack, by
which he expected to reach the roof; and in order
to get rid of the debris, and possibly with a view to
stopping the inflow of coal-gas from below, he threw
the refuse into the stack, thus stopping the means of
ventilation for which the prisoners on the tier below
depended. Two days before Neeld's death one of the
prisoners in the cell below was affected to fainting,
but subsequently recovered. At about five o'clock on
the evening of March 17th, when meals were being
served, the cell occupied by John Mulligan and an-
other inmate was visited. Both these men were in
a stupefied condition, but subsequently recovered.
Neeld, in an adjacent cell, was found dead. The ver-
dict rendered by the jury was, " Death caused by
asphyxia, produced by carbonic acid gas."
The House of Employment, or the county poor-
house, as most readers are aware, was located here
long before the town had its beginning, in fact, early
in the century. The act " to provide for the erection
of a house for the employment and support of the
poor in the county of Delaware" was passed Feb. 13,
1804. The site was selected by a committee of seven,
named in the act. The farm purchased consisted of
one hundred and thirty-seven acres, and cost less than
thirty-three dollars per acre. Later additions were
made at one hundred dollars per acre. These prices
were quite insignificant in comparison with those ob-
tained for the same land after Media had been built
up, when forty-six acres were sold at two hundred and
fifty dollars, and one hundred and twelve at $341.50.
Tlie poor-house was completed within two or three
years from the time the purchase was made, but we
have no knowledge of the details of the work, nor of
the early history of the institution, and, indeed, it is
of no importance. The house was of stone, in the
old English style, and was one hundred feet long by
forty in width. A fine barn and other outbuildings
stood near it. The followiug description of the insti-
tution, as it appeared in 1845, is from the pen of Miss
Dix, who visited it:
" Several miles from Chester is a large stone build-
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
595
ing, clean, well kept, and well directed. The pro-
visions are good and sufficient, and the food well
prepared. Here were eighty-five inmates the third
week in October ; of these but few were children.
From twelve to fifteen are insane and idiotic; were
clean and comfortable, with the exception, perhaps, of
wearing chains and hobbles. None were in close con-
finement, though such cases often occur. A small
wooden building, constructed near the main dwelling,
contains six cells, cleanly whitewashed and scrubbed,
furnished with a small but comfortable bed, but not
COUNTY HOUSE, MEDIA.
capable of being warmed at all ; accordingly, they are
disused during the cold season. Each is lighted by a
grated window. There are in the basement of the
main building four cells, lined with sheet-iron, which
are used for violent patients when necessary. There
are no recoveries reported in the poor-house through
remedial treatment. ' The most we expect,' said one
of the family, ' is to do what we can for their comfort;
we have no means for curing them.' The entire estab-
lishment seemed excellently conducted, and, but for
the difiiculty of managing the insane and idiotic,
would afford a quiet home for the aged and infirm.
Tt is estimated that there are in Delaware County
about seventy cases of insane and idiotic persons.
The poor-house farm is large and productive."
The directors of the poor, after a long discussion, in
April, 1854, decided to sell the house of employment
and property attached, and to purchase the farm of
Abram Pennell, in Middletown, as the site for a new
building. It was subsequently sold, and after a time
torn down, and upon its site was erected the Halde-
man House, which became Shortlidge's Boarding-
School.
Of the new poor-house in Middletown, which was
completed by April 1, 1857, having been begun a year
before, it is scarcely our province to speak in this
chapter. The principal contractor was Dutton Otley,
assisted by Stephen Sager, master-carpenter. The
tin-work and plumbing was done by Ralph Buckley,
of Media.
Incorporation of Media as a Borough— The
Temperance Struggle.— The growth, real and pros-
pective, of the new town led its people to a general
recognition of the desirability of establishing a local
or borough government in less than eighteen months
from the time that it was laid out. The project,
which had been informally talked of during the
latter part of 1849, first assumed definite shape at a
meeting of the lot-owners, held Jan. 10,
1850, at the public-house of Peter Wor-
rall, — the Providence Inn. On this occa-
sion a resolution was adopted asking the
Assembly to grant a charter incorporating
^ the town as a borough, "with a section
therein prohibiting the sale of ardent
spirits within the new borough, and mak-
ing it a penal offense to sell any kind of
intoxicating liquors within said limits."
The fight between the friends and the
opponents of temperance, or, more prop-
erly, prohibition, which had raged fiercely
liefore, was now renewed with increased
liiry, and every individual was forced
into the ranks of one or the other con-
tending parties. On the 16th the Dela-
ware County Temperance Society held a
well-attended meeting at Hinkson's Cor-
ner, and as a result of its deliberations
there appeared on the 25th a very spirited,
yet well-balanced, address to the people of the county,
advocating the prohibition of the sale of liquor in its
seat of justice. This was signed by the twenty-four
members of the central committee, among whom were
J. P. Crozer, William T. Crook, Enos Sharpless,
Rev. B. S. Huntington, John C. Beatty, Jonathan
P. Abrams, Samuel Riddle, Jonathan Esrey, Samuel
L. Leiper, Dr. George Smith, Minshall Painter, George
G. Knowles, John F. Taylor, James J. Lewis, John F.
Vanleer, William T. Pierce, and Rev. James W. Dale.
Several more extremely able addresses were issued
during the few months succeeding, and a vigorous
agitation was kept up by the press and public speak-
ers.
On Jan. 30, 1850, Mr. James J. Lewis, the repre-
sentative from Delaware County, read before the
House a bill to incorporate the borough of Media.
Only two days before this, on the 28th of January,
at a meeting held at Providence Inn, it had been re-
solved, on account of the temperance clause, to aban-
don for the time being the attempt to secure a char-
ter, and a communication was forwarded calling for a
postponement of the bill. It was destined, however,
to pass, and that, too, with the prohibitory clause.
When the decisive time came, on February 13th, the
House of Representatives declared in its favor by a
vote of 52 to 21. It passed the Senate March 7th, re-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ceived the signature of the Governor on the 10th, and
thus became a law.
The boundaries were described in the act as follows :
" Beginning at the corner of lands of Edward Lewis, Isaac Cochran,
Andrew T. Walker, and John Hill, on the south side of the Philadel-
phia and Baltimore State road, in the township of Upper Providence ;
thence due south twenty-five perches through land of John Hill ;
thence eastwardly to a point two hundred and fifty feet on the eastern
side of the road leading through Providence to Chester, and fifty
perches south of the State road aforesaid, in the town of Nether Provi-
dence; thence northwestwardly parallel with and at the distance of
two hundred and fifty feet eastward of said Providence road to a
point opposite the intersection of the said Providence road and a road
leading from the Rock House ; thence southwestwardly across said
Providence road, and through laud of Joseph Rowland to the most
northern point of land held by the directors of the poor of said
county; thence southwestwardly along the northwestern boundaries of
said land and lands held by the county commissioners of said county,
and by Andrew T, Walker, to the place of beginning."
The prohibitory clause (iii. (
. as follows :
" It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to vend or sell
vinous, spirituous, or other intoxicating liquors within the limits of
said borough, except for medical purposes, or for use in the arts ; and it
shall not be lawful for the Court of Quarter Sessions to grant any
license or licenses therefor to any inn or tavern in said borough. If
any person or persons shall within said borough vend or sell, or cause
to be vended or sold, any vinous, spirituous, or other intoxicating
liquors to any persons (except as provided for in this section), such per-
son or persons so vending or selling, shall be liable to indictment, and
on conviction thereof shall forfeit and pay for every snch offense a sum
not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars, at the dis-
cretion of the court : Provided, That it may be lawful for the Court of
Quarter Sessions of said county to license inns or taverns in said
borough without permission to vend or sell intoxicating drinks: And
provided. Such license may be granted without the publication of any
previous notice, as is required for other taverns." i
Isaac Haldeman, Joseph Rowland, and John Hill,
who were authorized by the act to call an election for
the purpose of choosing borough officers, on March
15th issued a notice to the citizens to meet on Tues-
day, the 19th of the same month, at the public-house
of Peter Worrall, to exercise the right of franchise as
the law directed. At this election Isaac E. Price and
David Hardcastle acted as inspectors. The officers
chosen were as follows: Town Council, Dr. George
Smith, Dr. Joseph Rowland, Isaac Haldeman, Nathan
Shaw, Thomas T. Williams, and John C. Beatty ;
Town Clerk, Thomas Richard.son ; Treasurer, Charles
Palmer ; Assessor, Robert Rowland.- At the meeting
of the Council March 27, 1850, the members drew
lots to determine the length of time they should remain
in office, with the result that Messrs. Williams and
Smith should continue members for one year, Shaw
and Rowland for two years, and Haldeman and Beatty
for three years. Isaac Haldeman was chosen presi-
dent of the board. Dr. Smith tendered his resigna-
tion on May 1st, and Joseph Edwards was appointed
to fill the vacancy thus caused. At the succeeding
meeting Mr. Edwards declined to serve, and Charles
R. Williamson was elected to the position thus vacated.
1 Delaware County Digest.
2 On the Friday preceding the election above referred to, March 15th,
there was a township election for Upper Providence township for officers
to serve for it aud for the new borough.
At the meeting of the Council on May 8th the first I
borough tax was ordered to be laid. This was for the I
repair of roads within the borough limits. On June I
5th a committee was appointed to attend to the grad-
ing of the streets and their improvement otherwise,
and Jacob Smedley was appointed at the same time
borough surveyor. At a subsequent meeting Joel
Evans was paid fourteen dollars for running the
southern boundary line, and it is probable that he
acted as substitute for Smedley. At the meeting of
July 3d, Charles D. Manley was appointed borough
solicitor. Thus the organization of the local govern-
ment was gradually perfected and put in working
order.
At a meeting held Jan. 1, 1851, the assessor's re-
turns were examined and corrected, and on motion a
tax of three mills on the dollar was laid on the valu-
ation of the assessment. A court of appeal was or-
dered to be held at the public-house of Peter Worrall
on the 25th of the month, and John C. Price was ap-
pointed collector of taxes.
The meetings of the Council, which from the begin-
ning had been held from house to house of those who
were its members, were, in August, 1851, transferred
to the Charter House, of which we shall presently give
the history. It was resolved to make that the perma-
nent assembly-place of the municipal body, and a
committee was appointed at the meeting of Novem-
ber 5th to make arrangements with Mr. Hawkins for
the use of a room, which was subsequently secured
for ten dollars per year.
In 1852 the tax levy was reduced to two and one-
half mills on the dollar. John C. Price, at the meet-
ing of June 2d, rendered his account as tax collector,
from which it appeared that the whole amount of
borough tax turned over was $156.66, and the dog tax
$20.00, making a total of $176.66.
On Jan. 5, 1853, an ordinance was brought up for
the removal of the place of the borough election from
the public-house of Peter Worrall to the Charter
House. It was passed on February 2d, and the next
election, that of March 18th, was held at the newly-
designated place.
Passing for the present, and reserving for separate
consideration, the various measures for street improve-
ments, we present a roster of the leading civil oflScials
of Media borough from 1850 to the present time (with
the exception of the school directors, whose names will
be found appended to the section of this chapter de-
voted to educational matters) :
1850-51. William T. Peirce.
1862. Charles D. Manley.
1853-54. Jesse Bishop.
1865-66. John C. Price.
1857-69. D. R. Hawkins.
1860-61. John M. Hall.
1862-63. D. R. Hawkins.
1864. Peter Worrall.
1865-70. John J. Rowland.
1871-72. George W. Ormsby.
1873, N. F. Walter.
1874-77, H. C. Snowden.
1878-79. William Eves, Jr.
1880. Samuel Dutton.
1881. William Campbell.
1882. Albin P. Ottey.
1883-84. Henry Green.
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
COUNCIL.
1850
George Smith, M.D.i
1867. Samuel B. Thomas.
Joseph Rowland, M.D.
William Eves.
Isaac Haldemao.
C. D. Manley.
Nathan Shaw.
1868. George E. Darlington.
Thomas T. Williams.
Charles D. Manley.
John C. Beatty.
1869. Charles R. Williamson.
1851
Ellis Smedley.
H. Jones Brooke.
1852
John C.Price.
1870. William Eves, Jr.
Thomas T. Williams.
John C. Beatty.
1853
Isaac Haldeman.
1871. Isaac Worrell.
John C. Beatty.
Samuel B. Thomas.
1854
C. R. Williamson.
1872. Charles R. Williamson.
1865
Clayton Smith.
Lewis Palmer.
D. A. Mid.ileton.
1873. H. Jones Brooke.
1856
Isaac Haldeman.
John J. Rowland.
Nathan Shaw.
D. A. Vernon.
1867
Joseph Iliff.
1874. Jacob Weaver.
H. J. Brooke.
D. A. Vernon.
C. R. Williamson.
1875. Charles R. Williamson.
1858
I. R. Morris.
Lewis Palmer.
B. F. Baker.
1876. J. J. Rowland.
1830
Isaac Haldeman.
Thomas J. Haldeman.
Joseph Iliff.
H. B. Fussell.
1860
C. R. Williamson.
1877. Jacob Weaver.
A. K. Scholl.
T. J. Haldeman.
William T. Innes.
1878. Charles B. Williamson.
1861
Samuel P. Rush.
Lewis Palmer.
H. Jones Brooke.
1879. Henry C. Howard.
1862
Isaac Haldeman.
Terrence Riley.
Isaac Worrell.
1880. Samuel W. Hawley.
1863
C. R. Williamson.
Winfield S. Worrall.
Joseph P. Campbell.
1864
John G. Haddock.
Lewis Palmer.
John M Hall.
1882. Henry C. Howard.
1865
Isaac Haldeman.
Terrence Riley.
Samuel P. Rush.
1883. Winfield S. Worrall.
Isaac Worrell, Jr.
Horace P. Green.
1866
C. R. Williamson.
1884. C. R. Williamson.
H. Jones Brooke.
Lewie Palmer.
TBEASUREES.
850-51. Charles Palmer. I 1865-78. George G. Fell.
852-67. J. Hardcastle. 1878-82. Levis Miller.
857-64. George G. Fell. 1882-86. Charles D. M. Broomall.
864. Joseph Ilifl'. |
TOWN CLERKS.
850-54. Thomas Richardson. i 1863. Thomas J. Kitts.
854-58. Charles W. Shaw. 1864. James C. Henderson.
858-59. J. Lawrence H.ildeman. I 1865-67. Samuel P. Derrick.
860-61. Joseph Addison Thomson. I 1868-79. A. P. Otley.
862. James G. Cummins. 1879-84. Townsend E. Levis.
F. Baker. ■ 1884. William H. Tricker.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Oliver E. Strickland
Nathan Shaw . .. .
April
Thoma-i 11 Litzeiiberg
April
George H. Rifjliv
Benjamin K. Baker
;:::::::::::;
::;:;aS;;^1
tr^l
WilliHm H Howard
William Ruisell
F. Gardner Preston
Willi;,m H. Howard
Nicholas F. W,,lt»r
Mar.h
March
March
F. Gardner Preston (to fill v
F. Gardner Preston
cancy)....
Aug.
April
Name. — Both before and after the incorporation
of the borough, when the name Media was bestowed
upon it in lieu of Providence, there was a lively dis-
l Smith declined: Cha
i B. Williamson elected to fill \
cussion carried on as to the most suitable name for
the county-seat. One writer argued strongly in favor
of" Pennrith," explaining in his newspaper commu-
nication that Penn in the Welsh language meant a
hill, and " rith" John, so that the two together
would signify John Penn, which was the name of
William Penn'a father, and, at the same time,
"Penn," signifying a hill, would be descriptive of
the locality. Some of the citizens were in favor of
" Numedia," — that is, New Media, — in contradistinc-
tion to ancient Oriental Media, but the majority fa-
vored Media, after it had been suggested by Minshall
Painter. This name was vigorously combated by the
friend of "Pennrith," who signed himself "John o'
the Hill." He wrote as follows : " To say that it was
called after the ancient country of Media would place
us in a purely ridiculous position. To derive it from
the Latin adjective, converting it into a noun, as the
name of a place, would give it, if it were etymologi-
cally defensible, an origin so feeble as to ally it very
closely to contempt." The name had, however, been
adopted at a meeting held at the Providence Inn,
Jan. 10, 1850, and "John o' the Hill's" communica-
tions failed to induce a change. For a number of
years several newspapers and many of the people,
among them the borough clerk, spelled the name
Medea, as if they supposed the town named after the
Asiatic queen, but gradually the present spelling was
substituted for the old, and thus the word became
what it was no doubt at first intended to be, a term
significant of the central location of the place to
which it was applied.
The Charter House. — This house, one of the nota-
ble institutions of Media, is at once a place of happy
entertainment for "the wayfarer and the stranger,"
and a monument to those zealous friends of temper-
ance who triumphed after a hard fight and made the
prohibition of the liquor traffic one of the provisions
of the town charter. It is, therefore, properly treated
in this connection, for it followed as a result of the
borough charter, and is deserving of more than a
passing notice. The story of the building of this tem-
perance hotel is briefly as follows : Only a few months
after the incorporation of the borough, on Tuesday,
Aug. 13, 1850, at a temperance harvest-home held at
Media, it was resolved, at the suggestion of Rev. James
W. Dale, to raise subscriptions to build a temperance
hotel. This was an immense assemblage, the largest of
the kind (according to the newspapers of the day) ever
held in Delaware County. The people were flushed
with the victory they had obtained in securing a
charter which contained a prohibitory clause, and
hence it was not strange that the sum of four thousand
dollars should have been subscribed on the spot for the
purpose of raising a tangible memorial of the battle
which had been won. It was decided that the pros-
pective building should be called the Charter House,
and that it should not cost over five thousand dollars.
At a meeting held in Temperance Hall, Sept. 9,
598
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1850, of which John P. Crozer was chairman and
John C. Beatty and Ellis Smedley secretaries, the
Charter House Association was organized and arti-
cles of government drawn up and subscribed to. The
oflBcers elected were. President, William Eves; Vice-
Presidents, John P. Crozer, John M. Sharpless, John
Hill, Edward Garrett, Daniel M. Leiper, Abram L.
Penrock, John Dunwoody, and William T. Cook;
Secretary, William B. Lindsay; Associate Secretary,
Benjamin Brooke; Treasurer, Abraham Pennell.
Eighteen managers were also elected, as follows:
Levis Miller, John C. Beatty, George G. Knowles,
Joseph Rowland, M.D., George Bishop, Isaac Thomas,
Thomas Pratt, James W. Vale, J. D. White, I. P.
Abrahams, James Lewis, Nathan Shaw, John Sellers,
James Barton, Robert M. Thomas, John F. Taylor, D.
T. Hawkins, Enos Williamson ; the members of the
building committee were John C. Beatty, George G.
Fell, and William Eves.
The views of the originators of the project having
by this time become considerably enlarged and their
enthusiasm growing rather waning, it was decided to
increase the limit of cost to ten thousand dollars.
Before the meeting adjourned the present site had
been definitely fixed upon by D. T. Hawkins and
William Apple, who were appointed a committee for
that purpose.
John Eves was, on November 9th, awarded the con-
tract for constructing the house and outbuildings for
the sum of nine thousand five hundred dollars, and
pledged himself to have the work completed by Aug.
1, 1851. The corner-stone was laid November 18th,
by Hon. Sketchley Morton. In it were placed the
articles of association, with the names of members and
subscribers to the fund ; names of members of the
Town Council and other officials, copies of the county
newspaper and the Philadelphia Sun and Ledger, and
several other printed and written documents. Work
went rapidly forward from this time.
On Jan. 9, 1851, the "Charter House Association"
and the Delaware County Convention met at Provi-
dence Inn to commemorate by an anniversary dinner
the adoption of the thirty-fourth section of the bor-
ough charter. On this occasion John F. Vanleer was
chosen president ; James Lewis, James T. Dannacker,
John C. Beatty, and George G. Knowles, vice-presi-
dents ; D. T. Hawkins and J. F. Taylor, secretaries.
A number of excellent toasts were oflTered, among
them the following:
"Media— Our Neio CoaiUi/Seat— redeemed from the traffic of intoxi-
cating liquors by the common wisli of the citizens of the county, its
imraertiKte residents, its storekeepers, its innlteepers, its borough officers,
as well as by legislative enactmeut,— it shines forth ' a gem of the first
" Tlie Charier House— h. noble monument, erected by a generons peo-
ple, to commemorate theiinly constitutional legislation relative to the
sale of intoxicating liquors — eniire prohibition.^'
"Providence Inn. — The God of Providence can now smile upon it."
" Tlte Temperance Be/orm,— Glorious In its origin and history, it rolls on
to triumph through the legitimate channels of the pledged man, socially ;
the citizen, politically; and the Christian, ecclesiastically."
The fourth installment of subscriptions due to the
Charter House Association was paid to Abram Pen-
nell on March 24th. Up to that time but one indi-
vidual had repudiated his subscription.
The house was pronounced finished by the 1st of
May, and on June 18th it was rented to D. Reese
Hawkins at six hundred dollars per year, he to fur-
nish the building. He moved in on Thursday, July
10th, and opened the hotel for the accommodation of
the public on the following Monday. He retained
possession of the premises, with the exception of
two short intervals, until 1871, when Cheney Bittle,
of Thornbury, became landlord. After Mr. Bittle's
short term of occupation several other landlords came
and went in rapid succession, and in 1876, Mr. Watrus
assumed the management of the house. He was fol-
lowed by Charles Martel, in 1877 ; he by T. L. Hawk-
ins, iu 1879; and he by the present proprietor, I.
Ivison, in April, 1882. The Charter House has borne
and now bears an excellent reputation, and it affords
ample testimony that a hotel can be successfully
maintained without the aid of liquor sales.
Municipal Improvements— The Streets.— We
have shown, in the account of the early proceedings of
the Town Council, that action was taken by that body
looking towards the improvement of the streets within
the borough, but the minutes contain no evidence that
any work was actually performed prior to 1851. At
the meeting of July 1st in that year, the clerk was
requested to notify, within ten days, the lot-holders
" within the limits of the streets" to pave and curb
before their respective properties, and at the same
time the president was authorized to draw on the
treasurer for the purpose of paying for the grading uf
South Avenue and State Street. At the next meeting
an additional appropriation of fifty dollars was made
for the grading of the streets mentioned. It was de-
cided that the sidewalk flagging should be fifteen feet
wide on South Avenue, ten feet on State Street, and
the same width in front of unimproved lots. The
street commissioners at this time were Isaac Halde-
man and William T. Pierce. In the Republican Caleb
J. Hoopes, John D. Gilpin, and Annesley Newlin,
the county commissioners, advertised for sealed pro-
posals for the paving of Court-House Square. A num-
ber of bids were received, one of which (from a Phila-
delphia firm) being accepted, the work was pushed
ahead with vigor. Thus the county authorities were
fully abreast of the borough officials in the matter of
beautifying the town. In April, 1852, Mr. Hardcastle
was elected as one of the street commissioners, in
place of Mr. Haldeman, and served in that office with
Mr. Pierce.
Important action concerning the improvement of
the village was taken at the meeting of the Council
on July 6, 1852, when it was resolved " that State,
Front, Second, and Third Streets should be surveyed
and laid out to Providence road on the east side, and
on the west side to where the streets intersect with
THE BOKOUGH OF MEDIA.
the road leading in front of A. T. Walker's house."
Jacob Smedley was appointed as surveyor to carry
out this project.
These improvements were not immediately carried
out, owing to the objection of a property-owner to
having his lands entered upon, but in a few years
even more than had originally been contemplated was
realized in the way of opening, grading, paving, and
curbing streets.
.\notber era of public improvement was entered
upon in the sixties, when quite extensive work was
performed. On Dec. 24, 1868, a committee reported
to the Council that Old State Street had been paved,
at a cost of $5403.63, New State Street, at a cost
of S6935.21 ; and Washington Street, at a cost of
$1663.98; making a total outlay for the public good of
$8599.20. William H. Tabler was the contractor.
Water-Works. — Almost simultaneously with the
beginning of street improvements the Council exhib-
ited its progressive character by taking steps to secure
that great desideratum, an adequate supply of pure
water. On Sept. 21, 1853, a special meeting was held
to take into consideration immediate action in con-
junction with the county commissioners for intro-
ducing water into the borough. A committee of
three members was appointed to confer with the com-
missioners concerning the construction of water-works
and a suitable basin. Nothing more was done during
the year, except that the committee reported prog-
ress from time to time ; but on the 7th of April, 1854,
they stated that, " having viewed the ground, they
had effected arrangements with the directors of the
poor for one acre of ground suitable for a basin,
and a grant of the right to build water-works to con-
vey water to said basin." Isaac Haldeman^. Jones
Brooke, and Charles R. Williamson were then ap-
pointed a committee to negotiate a loan of five thou-
sand dollars for the purpose of carrying out the work.
At a meeting on July 25th the proposal of R. D.
Wood & Co., of Philadelphia, to furnish iron pipes
was accepted. It was discovered by this time that
the amount of the loan would not be sufficient, and it
was determined, at asi^ecial meeting, August 29th, that
the chief burgess should call a town-meeting to dis-
cuss the propriety of extending it. This plan was
duly carried out, and on October 4th the president laid
before the Council the written consent of fifty-four
citizens, being a majority of the tax-payers, author-
izing an additional loan of five thousand dollars for
the enterprise. On October 9th an improved ram,
devised by Joseph Stroud, for forcing water into the
basin was adopted, and on November 2d the president
was authorized to make arrangements with Mr. Stroud
for the erection of the works. At the special meeting
previous to this one the president was authorized to
enter into contract with Wood & Co. for iron pipe, on
condition that they should take not less than two
thousand dollars in borough bonds, and it was subse-
quently reported that the contract had been effected,
Wood & Co. taking two thousand five hundred dollars
in bonds.
By June 15th the pipes were nearly all laid, and on
July 9, 1855, the basin was completed. On Jan. 2,
1856, Samuel P. Rush was elected superintendent of
the water-works. In February the Council made an ar-
rangement with the commissioner whereby the public
buildings were to be supplied with water for ten years,
on condition that the county should pay three thou-
sand dollars in aid of the construction of the water-
works, which sum was to be paid back to the county
at the end of the term specified without interest. On
May 10th of this year the citizens authorized the
Council to make an additional loan of five thousand
dollars, which was not long afterwards negotiated.
I Although the water-works were practically com-
pleted this season, many improvements were subse-
quently found to be necessary, and extensions of the
service-pipes were made from time to time. In No-
vember, 1868, the pipes laid in Lemon Street from
State to Eastman, at his own expense, by H. Jones
i Brooke, were purchased from him by a committee
appointed for the purpose. In May of the following
year Ralph Buckley was appointed superintendent of
the works.
In May, 1S71, a town-meeting was called for the
I purpose of obtaining the sentiment of the people as
to the purchase of the water-power of Ridley Creek,
and the water of that stream was analyzed by an
expert chemist of Philadelphia, who found it to con-
I tain the exceedingly small proportion of impurity of
j 5.043 grains to the gallon. In August the president
of the Council was authorized to purchase of Edward
A. Price the Palmer mill property, with water-power
for nineteen thousand five hundred dollars. At a
later meeting in the same month a committee reported
in favor of the construction of a new basin west of
the old one, to be sixty feet in diameter and fourteen
feet in depth, and they also recommended that the old
one should be increased in depth.
The purchase of the mill property and water-power
heretofore alluded to being confirmed by deed bearing
date Dec. 30, 1871, money was raised for necessary
improvements, and in May, 1872, we find that the
president of the Council was authorized to contract
with the Philadelphia Hydraulic Works Company for
the erection of pumps for the water-works, at a cost
of two thousand nine hundred and twenty-five dol-
lars.
The new basin was commenced in the fall of 1872,
on a lot purchased from Frederick Fairlamb for nine
hundred dollars, the contract for excavating being
awarded to Rebill & McLogue, and for those for the
brick-laying to S. Morton & Son, Thomas M. Garrett,
and William Worrall, for fifteen dollars per thousand.
The works were now operated by William P. Mancil,
who had leased the grist-mill, and the water-power
being found insufficient as the demand upon the works
increased, a steam-pump was added in 1875.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Gas-Works. — The Media Gas Company was incor-
porated April 11, 1866, with twenty-seven corporators
and a capital of ten thousand dollars, which it was
their privilege to increase. The president was H.
Jones Brooke. In 1868 the company purchased
eighty-five perches of land from this gentleman, upon
which, in the spring of 1871, they erected gas-works,
at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. The works
were completed and gas introduced into the houses of
some of the citizens on September 10th.' The company
has been reasonably well sustained and is moderately
prosperous. Its stock is now valued at twenty thou-
sand dollars, and is divided into eight hundred shares.
Isaac Worrall was elected president of the company
in 1877, and holds that office at present; V. Gilpin
Robinson is treasurer, and Jesse M. Baker, secretary.
The Post-OiBce and Postmasters.— During the
first years of Media's existence her people as a rule
obtained their mail-matter from the Rose Tree, but in
the early part of 1852 this facility was afforded them
by the Nether Providence post-office at the public-
house of Peter Worrall. The list of advertised letters
for the quarter ending March 31st, which numbered
sixty-four names, was the first that appeared in print
either with or without Mr. Worrall's name, and it is
therefore probable that the office was not officially
recognized until the beginning of the year. A local
item in one of the newspapers of the day stated that
" the post-office at Nether Providence has been re-
moved to Media, its name has been changed, and Ellis
Smedley appointed deputy until the present postmas-
ter removed to a more convenient location." Mr.
Worrall, however, did not remove to Media. Early
in May, 1853, Charles R. Williamson was appointed
postmaster in place of Mr. Smedley, who resigned,
and the office was removed from Smedley's store, on
the northeast corner of State Street and South Avenue,
to the residence and store of Mr. Williamson, on the
southeast corner of Front and Orange Streets, where
more recently Mr. Levis Miller made his home. Since
Mr. Williamson's time the succession of the custo-
dians of the office has been as follows : Thomas Wil-
liamson, William T. Inness, Joseph G. Cummins,
Samuel Dutton, and Mrs. Miranda Williamson. This
lady, the present postmistress, was appointed April 4,
1877, and reappointed in December, 1881.
Educational Matters— The Public Schools.—
The earliest mention of the Media schools of which
we have any knowledge occurs in one of the county
newspapers under date of May 20, 1853, and is as fol-
lows:
"Commendable. — The School Directors of Upper Providence have
contracied to erect a suitable building to be occupied as a public school
in the borough of Media. It is to be hoped that a house worthy of the
place will be built."
1 We may remark here that the first bouse in Delaware County illu-
minated by gas waa that of Christopher Fallon, of Upper Darby, in
1853. The gas was generated on his own premises and ignited on De-
I A small brick school-house was erected during the
j year, which was the first in the new town. Media be-
I came aseparate school district early in 1856. Thedirec-
i tors elected were H. Jones Brooke, William F. Pierce,
! D. R. Hawkins, Samuel P. Rush, Thomas F. Williams,
and R. H. Smith, and they held their first meeting
March 29th, at the brick school-house. Committees
were appointed to effect a settlement with the direc-
' tors of Upper and Nether Providence, and also to
confer with those of the latter township in regard to
the school-house at Peter Worrall's. At a meeting
held on April 11th, it was decided to use this house
jointly, but subsequently, owing to a difficulty with
the Nether Providence directors, the agreement was
declared null and void.
On May 1, 1856, the directors resolved to erect a
frame school-house on the lot which is now owned by
Samuel Fields, and John G. Haddock was awarded
the contract for two hundred and sixty-seven dollars.
The building was finished in June.
Joseph Addison Thompson was appointed to take
charge of the grammar school on May 23, 1857.
On Jan. 16, 1858, the eastern school-house and lot
(Nether Providence) were sold to William L. Green
for three hundred and eighty-five dollars, and on April
18, 1859, the committee appointed for the purpose re-
ported that they had purchased a lot from James
Barton for four hundred and twenty-five dollars.
This was the property on which the present new
building stands. The contract for building a school-
house on this lot was awarded, Aug. 25, 1859, to Ste-
phen D. Sager, for four thousand eight hundred and
forty-five dollars. He gave up the contract, however,
four days later, and the work was then awarded to Had-
dock & Worrall, at five thousand three hundred and
forty-seven dollars. They, in turn, abandoned it upon
September 7th, and upon the 26th it was reawarded
to them at three thousand one hundred and forty dol-
lars, the board having determined in the mean time
to build upon a less extensive scale than had been
contemplated. The house was to be seventy-five by
thirty-five feet, and one story high.
The corner stone was laid with significant ceremo-
nies on October 31st. On that occasion Rev. J. W.
Dale opened the exercises with prayer, after which a
song, composed for the day, was sung by the children
of the grammar school. The Hon. H. Jones Brooke
deposited in the stone a tin box containing a roll of
the pupils of the grammar .school, — Joseph Addison
Thompson, teacher, dated Oct. 1, 1859 (at that time
there were sixty-nine in attendance) ; the roll of the
primary school. Miss Sue Pearce, teacher, seventy-
one scholars ; a list of county and borough officers ;
four newspapers, — -the American, Chester Republican,
Upland Union, and the Christian Advocate and Jour-
nal, New York ; the Sixth Annual Report of the
Pennsylvania Training School and Pennsylvania
I Common Schools Report for 1858. The school
' directors at this time were D. R. Hawkins, Charles
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
601
D. Manley, R. H. Smith, Ralph Buckley, H. Jones
Brooke, and William T. Inness. Addresses appro-
priate to the occasion were made by Joseph Addison
Thompson, Rev. J. Pastorfield, and Rev. Henry S.
Getz concluded the ceremonies by pronouncing the
benediction.
The building was completed and accepted by the
directors on April 25, 1860. In the mean time the
old lot and the brick building upon it had been sold
to Charles R. Williamson for five hundred and fifty
dollars.
Mr. Smett succeeded Joseph Addison Thompson as
principal of the grammar school, and was in turn
succeeded by David W. Harlan in April, 1862.
The building completed in 1860 was in use until
1883, when the contract for erecting a new and more
commodious structure was let to Isaac N. Flounders,
and the old school-house was torn down to give place
for the new. This building, which is seventy by
eighty feet and two stories high, will, when com-
pleted, cost about eighteen thousand dollars.
Following is a list of the school directors from 1856
to the present :
1856, H. Jones Brooke, D. R. Hawkins, William T. Peirce, R. H. Smith,
T. T. Williams, Samuel P. Rush ; 1857, H. Jones Brooke, R. H.
Smith; 1858, Charles D. Manley, K. Buckley; 1859, W. T. Inness,
B. R. Hawkins ; 1860, R. H. Smith, H. Jones Brooke, N. F. Walter;
1861, N. F. Walter, James R. Cummins ; 1862, William T. Quins,
D. R. Hawkins, Edward A. Price ; 1863, H. J. Brooke, Edward A.
Price; 1864, Samuel P. Rush, R. H. Smith; 1865, Frederick Fair-
lamb, 0. F. Bullard; 1866, D. R. Hawkins, N. T. Walter; 1867,
Samuel P. Rush, Dr. A. W. Matthues, Benjamin Crowthera; 1868,
Lewis Kirk, Jamee W. Baker; 1869, D. R. Hawkins, 0. Flagg Bul-
lard; 1870, S. P. Rush, Thomas J. Kills; 1871, Samuel W. Hallo-
well, Samuel Dutton ; 1872, 0. F. Bullard, C. D. M. Broomall ; 1873,
S. P. Bush, Thomas J. Kitts, George Broomall ; 1874, Samuel Dut-
ton, Melvina Fairlamb, Sallie J. Cummins; 1875, Charles D. M.
Broomall, Mrs. Letitia Eves; 1876, Isaac Johnson, Thomas J. Kitts,
Mrs. Clara B. Miller; 1877, Mrs. M. M. Fairlamb, Charles S. Welles;
1878, Charles P. Walter, John T. Reynolds ; 1879, Lewis Levis, Sam-
uel P. Bush ; 1880, Jesse M. Baker, Mrs. Melvina Fairlamb; 1881,
Mrs. F. N. Baker, John T. Reynolds; 1882, Lewis Levis, George E.
Adams ; 1883, Jesse M. Baker, Milton Lewis ; 1884, John T. Reyn-
olds, Francis N. Baker, Samuel Dinsmore.
Brooke Hall Female Seminary.— Brooke Hall
was built by Hon. H. Jones Brooke, in whose honor
it was named. On its completion, in the fall of 1856,
it was opened as a seminary for young ladies by Miss
M. L. Eastman, its present principal and owner. It
has enjoyed continued prosperity, and its future is
promising. A writer, upon its last commencement,
June 15, 1884, says, "Few commencements of this
flourishing seminary have exceeded this in the mani-
fold attractions of its exercises." Another person
says, "The history of this institution is written in the
lives of its many pupils who have completed a course
of study within its classic walls." An account of the
only disaster which has ever occurred at this institu-
tion, a fire, which destroyed the gas-house, on Dec.
17, 1859, has already been given in this chapter.
Media Academy.— In the fall of 1872, Miss Anna
M. Walter, who had for several years been a teacher
in the grammar school, established a private school in
a room over Haldeman's store. It was kept there for
four or five years, and then removed to a brick build-
ing, erected by Charles Walter, on Front Street, near
Jeiferson. Three rooms in two stories of this building
were used, and two assistants were employed. Miss
Fanny Walter and others. The school had from fifty
to seventy-five pupils. In April, 1884, the school
closed under Miss Fanny Walter, as Miss Anna M.
Walter had accepted a position as teacher at the
Friends' school at Fifteenth and Race Streets, Phila-
delphia.
Shortlidge's Academy. — In 1874, Swithin C.
Shortlidge's school for boys, which had been for some
time in existence at West Chester, was removed to
Media, and opened in the building which had been
formerly known as the Haldeman House. This was
enlarged and improved for its new use, and made an
admirable home for the school. The school has since
been carried on without interruption, except the reg-
ular vacations, when (in the longer ones occurring in
summer] the house is occupied as a summer hotel.
The building is four stories high, with a basement,
and contains fifty-five lodging-rooms, a large dining-
hall, ample study-rooms, and five class-rooms. A
large and well-equipped gymnasium building has
been built near the main structure.
The corps of instructors is composed as follows:
Swithin C. Shortlidge, principal instructor (having
constant charge of the school, classification, etc., and
sole government at all times of the young men and
boys) ; B. N. Lehman, teacher of Physics, Geography,
and Engineering; Nelson H. Strong, A.B., teacher in
school-room ; James J. Greenough, teacher of Algeb
Geometry, Trigonometry, etc. ; Arthur B. Linsley,
teacher of English Grammar, Rhetoric, and Compo
sition ; Linton Satterthwaite, A.B., teacher of Com-
mercial Arithmetic and Book-keeping; A. E. Osborne,
teacher of Physiology and Botany and Natural His
tory; Professor S. K. Murdock, teacher of Elocution
and Declamation; Charles M. Hobbs, teacher of Arith
metic ; Otto Mueller, teacher of Drawing, Gymnastics,
and Military Drill (optional) ; W. F. Hughes, teacher
of English Grammar, Reading, Spelling, and Litera-
ture; Walter E. Damon, teacher of Greek, Grecian
History, and Literature; Messrs. Lingle and Mc
Knight, teachers of Short-hand and Telegraphy ; A
B. Babbitt, teacher of Latin, Roman History, and
Literature; Thomas J. Wynn, teacher of Piano and
Vocal Music; H. M. Carpenter, teacher of Violin,
Flute, etc. ; William S. Porter, Secretary and Libra-
rian ; Lewis S. Hough, teacher of English; M. E.
Diefenderfer, teacher of Plain and Ornamental Pen-
manship.
Delaware County Institute of Science.— This in-
stitution was intended to be organized under the name
of the Delaware County Cabinet of Science, but upon
meeting and consideration it was decided to organize
under the above name, — Delaware County Institute
of Science. The first meeting was held in Upper
602
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Providence on the 21st of September, 1833, by five
persons, — George Miller, Minshall Painter, John Mil-
ler, George Smith, and John Cassin. An acre of land
was purchased near Rose Tree, and in 1837 a two-story
brick building was erected, which was formally
opened in September of that year, upon which occa-
sion an address was delivered by Dr. Robert M. Patter-
son, then director of the United States Mint. The
society increased in numbers and was incorporated
Feb. 8, 1836. Lectures were given in the hall and a
museum was established, which received many speci-
mens in every department of natural science. A
library also was opened. In 1867 the present build-
ing in Media was erected and the institute was re-
moved to the new hall prepared for it. The library
contains nearly three thousand volumes, besides many
valuable and scarce pamphlets ; and the museum is
now extensive, and embraces many specimens of
interest in science, history, Indian relics, zoological
specimens, minerals, coins, birds, insects, etc. The
society has a membership of about two hundred.
Dr. George Smith was president from the first till his
death, February, 1882. He was succeeded by John
M. Broomall, who is the present incumbent.
The Methodist Episcopal Church.— The Meth-
odists were the pioneers in religious movements in
Media. In 1851 the Rev. John B. Maddux, who had
charge of Village Green Church, preached in Tem-
perance Hall in Media, and a class of five members
was organized, of which John Hardcastle was leader.
During the winter prayer-meetings and class-meetings
were held in the house of Joseph Iliff. In August,
1851, a lot, eighty by one hundred and fifty feet, was
purchased, with a view of erecting a house of worship
upon it at some propitious time. A charter was ob-
tained the same year. The Rev. Ignatius T. Cooper
succeeded to the charge of the circuit, and services
were held on the church lot under an apple-tree, and
during the winter in the court-house. Mark Packard
subsequently fitted up a room in the upper part of his
barn, which was used as a meeting-place by the church
and also for a Sunday-school, which was organized
about that time under Mr. Packard's superintendence.
A public appeal in behalf of the project of erecting a
church appeared in the columns of the Delaware County
Republican, April 8, 1853, and was from the able pen
of Rev. Cooper. In his communication it was stated
that there were at that time but about a dozen Meth-
odists in Media, but he intimated that a large number
of them resided in its immediate vicinity. He gave
a number of forcible reasons why such a church edifice
should be erected without delay, and urged hisbrethren
to commence at once the final efforts that were needed
to consummate the work. It was stated that about
twelve hundred dollars had been subscribed of the
amount required, three thousand five hundred dollars,
and that ground would not be broken until two thou-
sand dollars had been secured. The ministers named
to receive the contributions were Rev. Mr. .Hobbs,
Rev. Henry G. King, and Rev. I. T. Cooper. The others
appointed were Mark Packard, of Media; D. R. Haw-
kins, Hinkson's Corner; Abram Vanzant, Avondale;
and John Godfrey, Crook's Upper Bank. The appeal
was an earnest, and subsequently proved to be an
effective, one, in behalf of what Mr. Cooper termed
" the Metropolitan Church of Delaware County."
It may seem a little strange that one of the para-
graphs in the reverend gentleman's communication
should have contained the declaration that "the
men and women will sit separately in the congrega-
tion," but such was the fact.
The corner-stone of the church was laid Aug. 7,
1854, Rev. Dr. H. G. King and Rev. J. S. Lane offi-
ciating. The basement was dedicated Aug. 26, 1858,
the services being conducted by Revs. John A. Roche
and Samuel Pancoast. Rev. H. G. King was at that
time on the circuit, and preached to the congregation.
In the spring of 1858 the main edifice was completed,
and the dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev.
Franklin Moore, D.D. In 1859 the church became
an independent station.
Following is a list of pastors of this church: 1859-
61, Rev. Jeremiah Pastorfield ; 1861-62, Rev. Samuel
Gracey (Mr. Gracey having accepted a chaplaincy
in the Union army in 1862, Rev. David McKee was
pastor during the remainder of the term) ; 1863-66,
Rev. Daniel George ; 1866-68, Rev. Henry F. Hurn ;
1868-70, Rev. John F. Timmanus ; 1870-71, Rev.
Samuel Lucas; 1871-72, Rev. John I. Gracey ; 1872-
75, Rev. Jerome Lindermuth ; 1875-78, Rev. George
T. Hurlock ; 1878-80, Rev. Joseph R. Gray ; 1881-83,
Rev. S. A. Heibner; 1884, Rev. F. M. GrifBth.
During the pastorate of the Rev. G. T. Hurlock the
church edifice was improved and a brick parsonage
erected. The church has at present a membership of
about two hundred, and the Sunday-school has about
the same number of members.
The South Media Methodist Episcopal Church was
j erected by Mark Packard in 1876. The pulpit is
j supplied by the Local Preachers' Association of Phil-
I adelphia. The society numbers about twenty, the
I Sunday-school one hundred.
Presbyterian Church.— Before Media borough was
I laid out, the Rev. James W. Dale preached near what
] was to be its boundary, in the school-house on the
Providence road, on the corner of the road to Beatty's
I mill. When the removal of the county-seat was de-
termined upon and Media had been founded, regular
services were commenced in the village in a room over
John C. Beatty's store. The first was held March 10,
1850. The Rev. Mr. Dale, who was then pastor of the
Middletown Presbyterian Church, officiated. A Sun-
day-school was organized soon after in Mr. Beatty's
house.
The site of the church, about one acre of ground,
was donated by John C. Beatty. The corner-stone
was laid July 4, 1854. The architect, John McAr-
thur, Jr., of Philadelphia, designed the building in
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
the Doric order of architecture, whicli proved very
effective when the edifice was completed. James W.
Haddock, of Media, was Hie chief contractor. The
church was dedicated on Thursday, Oct. 11, 1855, al-
though not entirely finished. A number of prominent
ministers were present. On the following Sunday the
first regular religious services were held, and were of
a very impressive character. Up to this time there
had been no individual church organization, but the
congregation had existed as a mission of the Middle-
town Church. On Oct. 1, 1866, the Presbytery of
Philadelphia met at Media, according to previous
appointment, and organized a church with forty-six
members, four elders, and three deacons. Eev. James
W. Dale was installed as pastor, and remained until
1868, after which time he served the Middletown
Church until 1871, when he was called to the Wayne
Church. From 1868 to 1872 the pulpit was supplied
by young men from Princeton Seminary, and upon
April 17th of the latter year. Rev. E. H. Robbins, who
had been called in November, 1871, was ordained and
installed as pastor. He still has charge of the church,
which is in a flourishing condition and has a mem-
bership of nearly two hundred. A parsonage was
erected adjoining the church in 1880.
Christ (Episcopal) Church.— During the summer
of 1853 the first Episcopalian religious services in
Media were held in the court-house, then recently
built. The Rev. L. P. W. Balch, D.D., of the Church
of the Holy Trinity, West Chester, officiated. From
that time until the present church edifice was con-
structed services were held in the court-house and in
the Methodist Church. Among the officiating clergy-
men were Rev. G. E. Hare and Rev. B. S. Hunting-
ton. On Aug. 28, 1854, a charter of incorporation
was granted the society by the court of Delaware
County, and about the same time the Rev. S. Hazel-
hurst accepted the rectorship of the church, but re-
mained, however, only about eight months. On
Nov. 22, 1857, the Rev. H. S. Getz (deacon) became
minister of the parish, but was not ordained as a
priest until Dec. 19, 1858.
The corner-stone of the present church edifice was
laid July 5, 1858, by the Right Rev. Alfred Lee, D.D.,
Bishop of Delaware. Several members of the clergy,
among them the pastor, made impressive addresses.
On the 21st of June, 1860, the church was conse-
crated by the Right Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D.,
Bishop of Pennsylvania, the Right Rev. Alfred Lee,
D.D., assisting.
The rectorship of Rev. Mr. Getz having terminated
on April 1, 1862, an invitation was extended to Rev.
S. Edwards to become pastor in January of the fol-
lowing year. He accepted the call, and assumed the
duties of the oflice on Feb. 1, 1863. Mr. Edwards
resigned on June 30, 1866, and on the 9th of Decem-
ber an invitation was extended to Rev. Samuel W.
Hallowell to supply the church for three months,
which was accepted. When his time as supply ex-
pired he was unanimously elected to the rectorship,
and served the church until his death, in May, 1872.
He was succeeded in the following October by the
Rev. W. T. Chesley Morrell, who resigned in March,
1874, to become rector of St. Philip's Church, in
Philadelphia. During his term of service Mrs.
Mary A. Hoeckley built and presented to the parish
the beautiful stone rectory adjoining the church, as
I a memorial to her late husband.
In October, 1875, the Rev. Edward Lounsberry, of
the diocese of Iowa, was elected to the rectorship,
and continued in office until his death, Oct. 12, 1878.
During his term of service the tower was added to
the church, at a cost of two thousand five hundred
dollars, and a pipe-organ was procured. The chancel-
rail and marble font were contributed by the young
ladies of Brooke Hall. After the death of Mr. -Louns-
berry the church was supplied until April 6, 1879,
when the Rev. De Witt C. Byllesby, previously rector
of St. Luke's Church, Roselle, N. J., who had been
elected in March preceding, entered upon his duties.
He is still discharging the duties of the position.
There is a Sunday-school in connection with the
church, which occupies a building erected at a cost of
five thousand five hundred dollars in 1868.
Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
(Roman Catholic). — A mission was established by
the Roman Catholics at the house of Edward Dugan,
at Upper Bank, in 1858. The Rev. Nicholas Walsh,
at that time pastor of St. Thomas' Church, Aston,
was in charge of this mission. A little later services
were held at the house of Lawrence Forman, in
Media. About 1860 the Rev. Thomas Kyle, pastor
of the church at Aston, purchased a lot on Franklin
Street, Media, and erected the brick building now
used as a Sunday-school room. This was dedicated
in September, 1862, and was used as a chapel until
the completion of the present church edifice. The
society remained a mission of St. Thomas' Church
until October, 1868, when Rev. Henry L. Wright,
who had been pastor of the latter, was appointed to
take charge of the Media Church, which then became
independent. The brick parsonage on the lot ad-
joining the church was completed in July, 1869. The
lot on which the church stands was bought by Bishop
Wood of Menader Wood. The handsome church
built upon this lot, at a cost of seventeen thousand
five hundred dollars, was dedicated in June, 1SS2, the
ceremonies being conducted by Bishop O'Hara, of
Scranton, and the sermon preached by Rev. Father
McDermott. The parish numbers the members of
about one hundred families among its communicants.
The Baptist Church.— On the 26th of June, 1871,
the first regular services of the Baptist denomination
were held in the borough. After the close of the ex-
ercises of worship, the assembly, consisting of twelve
persons, was organized, with C. H. Russell as moder-
ator and William Russell as clerk. The question as
to the expediency of establishing a Baptist Church
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
was raised, and decided afiBrmatively. The present
church lot was donated by Edward A. Price, and a
sufficient sum of money being subscribed to warrant
the undertaking, a contract was entered into with I.
N. Flounders for the erection of a church. The
amount of the contract was six thousand dollars. The
house was duly finished, and in May, 1872, was dedi-
cated by Rev. E. Levy, D.D., who preached an im-
pressive sermon. Eev. J. W. Dale took part in the
services.
Up to this time meetings had been held in private
dwellings, in the court-house, and elsewhere.
On Sept. 12, 1872, the society, consisting of twenty-
two members, was reorganized as " the First Baptist
Church of Media" by a council composed of ten
neighboring churches. The Eev. H. C. Applegarth,
who had filled the pulpit since 1875, became the reg-
ular pastor in 1877. He was succeeded, in October,
1878, by Rev. T. G. Wright, who served the congre-
gation until April, 1881, when the present pastor, the
Rev. W. R. Patton, assumed charge.
This church has about seventy-five members, and
its Sunday-school about one hundred and thirty.
Hicksite Church — Providence Meeting-House.
— The Minshall Meeting was first held in the house of
John Minshall far back in the last century. The
foundation of the house and the old well are still to
be seen. Their location is such that State Street when
extended will pass over them. The first meeting-
house here was built on an acre of ground given by
John Minshall for the purpose, and he subsequently
gave another acre for a graveyard. The house, which
was of stone, with a hip-roof, was used for many years,
but was torn down about 1812 to make place for the
present one. Phoebe Foulkes is a member of this
meeting, and preaches here occasionally. The meet-
ing has about one hundred members.
Friends' Meeting-House.— In 1875 the Friends of
Media and its vicinity, withdrawing from the various
meetings round about, bought a lot from John M.
Broomall, — one-eighth of an acre on the north side
of Third Street, opposite North Avenue, — and erected
upon it a one and a half story stone meeting-house.
Here their regular meetings are held. In an iron
safe in this house are kept the records of Chester
Monthly Meeting, dating from 1682 to the present.
Media Bible Society.— An undenominational Bible
society was organized at a meeting held in the Epis-
copal Church early in June, 1870, of which Rev.
James W. Dale was president, and William Russell,
secretary. Addresses were delivered by Rev. Mr.
Terrence and others, after which a society was formed
under the name of " The Media and Vicinity Bible
Society." A constitution was then adopted, and the
following officers elected: President, Dr. Joseph Par-
rish ; Vice-Presidents, Rev. J. W. Dale, Rev. S. Hal-
lowell. Rev. S. Lucas, William Russell; Secretary,
S. B. Thomas ; Treasurer, D. R. Hawkins ; Managers,
Mif^s H. Brooke, E. E. Boardman, T. J. Byles, Mrs.
Mary Bishop, Miss Lizzie Haldeman, N. F. Walter,
William Copperthwaite, Mrs. C. W. Rudolph, J. 0.
Realty, and Mrs. Craine. The purpose of this society
is to promote the circulation of the Scriptures without
note or comment.
Newspapers. — The first newspaper in Media was
The Union and Delaware County Democrat, a small
sheet started prior to June, 1852, by Charles B. Stows.
The town was then quite small, and it is not strange
that the obituary of the little sheet should have ap-
peared in the Republican as early as Dec. 29, 1854.
It read as follows: " T)BAV.— Thi' Union and Delaware
County Democrat, published at Media in this county,
has adjourned sine die, its editor having removed to
West Chester. A good opportunity is now presented
to an enterprising man with a few thousand dollars,
who desires to embark in the printing and publishing
business." The story of its life is sufficiently sug-
gested by the announcement of its death.
The next newspaper venture in the new county-
seat was destined to be a more successful one, and to
result in the permanent establishment of what is now
known as Tlie Delaware County American. The paper
was started as the Media Advertiser by Thomas V.
Cooper and D. A. Vernon, and the first impression, a
seven-column sheet twenty-four by thirty-six inches,
came from the press on March 1, 1855. Its politics
were Republican. The publication office was on
State Street.
The Delaware County Eepuhliean in its notice of the
appearance of the new paper said, " It takes the place
of the Media Union, a paper the publication of which
was suspended for want of sufiicient support to keep
it alive." But it did not take the place of the Union
in the Delaware County newspaper mortuary list.
The proprietors had a large capital of tact, persever-
ance, industry, and economy, and they soon gave the
paper a respectable standing among the local journals
of the State. One enlargement after another added
to its size until it assumed its present generous pro-
portions, and journalistic ability kept the standard of
quality fully up to the measure of quantity in its con-
tents. The name of the paper was changed Feb. 27,
1856, from the Media Advertiser to the Media Adver-
tiser and Delaware County American, and on March 2,
1859, the first part of the title was dropped, leaving
that which at present stands at its head, T/ie Delatvare
County American, although several changes have en-
sued at different periods. Mr. Cooper retired from
the partnership July 4, 1860, and re-entered on July
12, 1865, the firm-name then becoming Vernon &
Cooper, as it now exists.
The American is now a ten-column sheet, thirty-
three by fifty inches in dimensions, and is a bright,
newsy chronicle of Media and Delaware County
affairs, and of the world's happenings as well. It is
generously patronized by the people of the town and
surrounding country.
Benjamin F. Niles, who for several years was the
u/'^ ^ ^Y^"^^^^^^^^^^-^^
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
605
editor of the American, and well known in newspaper
circles, died at Media in January, 1871.
The Upland Union, a paper which had long existed
at Chester, and which was noted for its numerous 1
suspensions and revivals, was brought to life here on
Oct. 17, 1858, and placed temporarily in charge of
Charles D. Manley, Esq., who, however, was very
soon superseded by W. Cooper Talley, of Aston, later
of the Delaware County Democrat, and Mr. Brimner,
who had edited the Pennsylvanian at Philadelphia.
The publication of the Union was suspended Feb. 19,
1861.
The Delaware County Record was established by
J. W. Batting & Co., the company being C. D. Wil-
liamson and Joseph Chadwick, on March 23, 1878,
as an independent local newspaper. Originally an
eight-column paper, twenty by twenty-seven inches,
page measure, it was so successful that the proprietors
enlarged it to nine columns in less than a year from
the time it was started. Mr. Batting died April 2,
1880, and from that time until May 6, 1882, the paper
was carried on under the firm-name of Chadwick &
Williamson. The former, who was manager and
editor from July 1, 1880, became sole proprietor in
May, 1882, and continues to conduct the Record as a
live local journal.
Banking. — The First National Bank of Media was
organized Feb. 22, 1864, chartered March 12th, and
opened for business on March 21st, in the second
story of Haldeman's store building. Its capital was
sixty-five thousand dollars, which, in 1865, was in-
creased to one hundred thousand dollars. Isaac
Haldeman was the first president, and Joseph W.
Hawley cashier. On the death of the president, in
August, 1878, his son, Thomas J. Haldeman, suc-
ceeded to the office, which he still holds. The bank
was removed to its present location in September,
1870, at which time the building was purchased and
suitably fitted for the purpose it was to serve.
The parents of Mr. Haldeman were Abram and
Mary Showwalter Haldeman. Their son was born in
Charlestown township, Chester Co., Pa., in September,
1797, and at an early age sent to the common schools
of his township, where he remained until his four-
teenth year. He made rapid progress in his studies,
and soon secured an education far in advance of his
associates. Knowing that his means for its attain-
ment were narrowly circumscribed, he improved every
opportunity for increasing his store of knowledge,
which naturally or by accident was afforded him.
From his fourteenth until his twenty-first year he
remained with his parents, securing from the fruits of
his labor a great degree of comfort for them. After
experiencing in his efforts to obtain an honest live-
lihood many vicissitudes, he determined to try his
fortunes in another direction, and removed to Marple
township, Delaware Co. Here in various capacities
he labored for some time until, by his increasing in-
dustry and tlie careful administration of his finances,
he had saved a capital of one hundred and fifty dol-
lars. This hard-earned sum, limited as it was, formed
the nucleus of what since became more than a respect-
able competency. With it he opened a country store,
and shortly after the commencement of this doubtful
enterprise was enabled to enlarge it by the voluntary
aid of friends, who admired his integrity and indom-
itable perseverance. Thisaid, with the growing popu-
i larity of his store, he was enabled to repay in a few
I months with interest. By careful attention to the
j details of a business which, in the country, of neces-
I sity covered a wide range of articles, each of which
would have made a specialty for a city store, he soon
obtained the patronage of a large section. About 1840
he removed to the present borough of Media, and,
continuing his business at this point, soon won
and easily held an extended trade. He grew up
to a position of prominence as a citizen, entering
actively into all schemes for municipal improve-
i ment, and contributing largely with his means to the
advancement of the community's interests. He con-
I tinned proprietor of the store, which had been founded
; by his most active exertions, until 1856, when his sons
succeeded him. Mr. Haldeman was one of the original
movers in the establishment of the First National
Bank of Media, was a member of its board of direc-
tors, and its president from the day of organization
until his death. While, as a Republican, taking no
active part in politics, nor making any effort to secure
ofiice, he was nevertheless chosen as the first president
of the borough of Media, and for eighteen years a
member of the Borough Council. In the capacity of
I municipal legislator he acted intelligently and with
a conscientious regard for the interests of his fellow-
citizens. He invested largely in building improve-
I ments, and thus contributed much to the growth of
Media. In his dealings he was prompt, filling all
contracts in the spirit and to the letter of the agree-
ment, thus winning a reputation for integrity, the
lustre of which time has not served to diminish. He
maintained in religion the faith of the society of
Friends, and was a member of the Friends' Meeting
of Providence. Mr. Haldeman was, on the 31st of
January, 1828, united in marriage to Eliza West,
daughter of Thomas West, of Delaware County, whose
children are Thomas J., Elizabeth W., Isaac Law-
rence, and Mary H. (Mrs. Edgar T. Miller). The
death of Mr. Haldeman occurred Aug. 13, 1878, in
his eighty-first year.
John M. Broomall and Frederick Fairlamb estab-
lished a banking business in 1868, having their office
where Samuel Dutton's store now is. In 1870 they
i purchased a building on the corner of State Street
j and South Avenue, which they fitted up as a banking-
1 house. On the 1st of January, 1871, the original firm
. took as a third partner W. Y. Hoopes, and in April
I Mr. Broomall withdrew, leaving the firm Fairlamb &
I Hoopes. It so remained until the death of Mr. Fair-
' lamb, on Dec. 25, 1878, after which Mr. Hoopes car-
606
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ried on the business alone until May 1, 1883, when
William R. Newbold became associated with him,
under the firm-name at present existing of Hoopes &
Newbold.
The Delaware County Mutual Insurance Com-
pany is one of Media's prominent institutions, and a
brief sketch of its history will prove interesting to
many readers. This organization had its origin, under
the name of " The Delaware County Mutual Protec-
tion Company," as early as 1839, being incorporated
by act of the Legislature dated June 12th of that
year. The incorporators were James M. Wilcox,
William Trimble, William Mendenhall, Richard S.
Smith, Joseph Wilson, Eli D. Pierce, John Kerlin,
Henry Myers, and William Beatty. They were in-
corporated for the purpose of " insuring their respec-
tive dwellings, houses, stores, shops, and other build-
ings, household furniture, merchandise, and other
property against loss or damage by fire." No policy
was to be issued until application had been made for
insurance amounting to two hundred thousand dol-
lars. The act was to take efl'ect immediately after its
passage, and remain in force twenty years. No suc-
cessful effort at organization was made until the char-
ter was extended by act of May 1, 1852, for a period
of twenty years. The following persons were made
incorporators by this act, and by virtue of their oflice
were the first directors of the reorganized Delaware
County Mutual Insurance Company, viz. : Dr. George
Smith, William Eves, William Ogden, John M.
Broomall, William Booth, Sketchley Morton, Levis
Miller, Joseph Edwards, A. C. Eckfeldt, James
Moore, Homer Eachus, John C. Beatty, Isaac
Thomas, James J. Lewis, Joel Evans, Isaac M.
Trimble, James Barton, John H. Andrews, Annesley
Newlin, Walker Y. Hoopes, Minshall Painter, Eli
D. Pierce, Nathan H. Baker, John Hill, and John
Jackson.
The first meeting was held at Media, Thursday,
Aug. 26, 1852, when the incorporators met and organ-
ized, adopting by-laws and dividing the county into
districts. Another was held September 20th, but at
the more important one of Monday, October 18th,
sixteen members being present, the following ofiicers
were elected : President, John M. Broomall ; Secre-
tary, Jesse Bishop ; Treasurer, John C. Beatty. It
was resolved that their term of office should continue
for four years, or until 1856. The rates were fixed,
additional by-laws and regulations adopted to those
of their meeting of October 20th, when the whole
machinery of the organization was fully set in motion.
By Jan. 1, 1853, insurances to the amount of three
hundred thousand dollars had been eflected. On
June 15th of the same year, it was announced that
the company had issued three hundred policies, cover-
ing property to the amount of six hundred thousand
dollars.
An election for directors for the company was held
on Thursday, Aug. 11, 1853, when John M. Broomall,
Eli D. Pierce, Sketchley Morton, William Ogden,
James Barton, Thomas Pratt, Charles Palmer, Levis
Miller, and William Eves were elected for the ensuing
year. Immediately after, and on the same day, John
M. Broomall was elected president ; Jesse Bishop,
secretary ; and John C. Beatty, treasurer.
Sketchley Morton was elected president March 10,
1856, and held the office until his death, in 1877. His
successor was Thomas Pratt, elected Oct. 15, 1877.
Mr. Pratt died March 3, 1883, and on March 12th the
present incumbent, Levis Miller, was elected.
Edward A. Price assumed the duties of secretary
on March 12, 1856, Jesse Bishop having first been
elected, but resigning. On May 2, 1862, Mr. Price
was chosen treasurer, and since that date to the pres-
ent has administered both offices.
The first office of the company was where Squire
Preston now does business, but on Oct. 18, 1873, the
company took possession of the fine building it now
occupies, on the corner of Front Street and South
Avenue. This was built at a cost of more than
twenty-three thousand dollars, and the lot on which
it stands was bought of John M. Broomall for three
thousand six hundred dollars. The only persons living
who were members of the organization of 1852 are
Levis Miller, John M. Broomall, John C. Beatty, and
James Barton. The first policy issued by the com-
pany, bearing date Aug. 21, 1853, is still in existence.
It covered the Penn Buildings, on the corner of
Third and Market Streets, and was granted to George
Broomall.
The whole number of policies issued since the
organization up to May 5, 1884, has been eleven
thousand six hundred and eighty-six, and the total
amount insured to same date was $24,777,227.41.
The whole cancellation since organization has been
$14,400,431.12, leaving the present insurance §10,376,-
796.29. The amount of cash premiums and assess-
ments received since the organization to Aug. 11,
1884, has been $312,471.92, and the total amount of
losses paid during the same time $246,875.16. The
assets of the company are $408,767.09, and the
liabilities $10,142.
Media Cemetery.— About the middle of June,
1855, James R. Cummins and others took into con-
sideration the project of establishing what is now
known as the Media Cemetery, on a tract of eight
acres of land, which Mr. Cummins had purchased
By the middle of the following December the ceme
tery had been surveyed, and extensive improvements
made. A fine vault had been constructed, two thou
sand eight hundred burial lots marked out, walks and
drives made, etc. Interments were made soon after.
In 1858, Daniel McClintock was appointed super
intendent, and held that position for eight years. He
did much to beautify the cemetery, not only in land
scape gardening, but, being a marble-cutter, the pos
sessor of good taste, and the proprietor of extensive
works, he erected a very large proportion of the hand-
^^-H
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
607
some monuments for which the grounds are notable,
among others that dedicated to the memory of Wil-
liam Wright.
Cotton-Factories.— The cotton-factory now owned
by Mrs. M. Melvina Fairlamb was originally the prop-
erty of H. Jones Brooke, and was sold by him Feb. 4,
1863, to Isaac Worrall, Jr. He sold to Ralph Buck-
ley on Dec. 23, 1865. The mill, while occupied by
William Alcutt, was destroyed by fire April 27, 1867.
Mr. Buckley then rebuilt, erecting a two-story brick
mill, which he sold Sept. 27, 1867, to Lewis Kirk.
Samuel Dutton and Benjamin Crowther, in 1866,
established a cotton-factory on Washington Street,
which they operated for a few years. It was sold in
April, 1869, at assignee's sale, and came into the pos-
session of J. Howard Lewis, who removed the ma-
chinery and tore down the building. He still owns
the property.
Societies— Masonic— George W. Bartram Lodge,
No. 298, F. and A.M., was chartered June 2, 1866, with
Charles D. Manley as W. M., John C. Beatty , S. W., and
William P. Beatty as J. W. Meetings were originally
held over Cummins' store, on State-Street, afterwards
over Buckley's, at State and Olive, and since April,
1882, the lodge-room has been in the third story of
Schur's building, Second and Orange Streets. The
lodge has ninety-six members. The present officers
are William F. Matthues, W. M. ; Charles Moore,
S. W. ; Enos L. Baker, J. W. ; and William Camp- j
bell. Sec.
Media Chapter, No. 234, R. A. M., was chartered
Feb. 13, 1871, with forty members. Its present officers
are William E. Williamson, H. P. ; Charles B. Spro-
gell, K. ; Horace P. Green, S. ; William Campbell,
Sec.
I. 0. 0. F.— Kossuth Lodge, No. 393, I. O. O. F.,
was organized Jan. 22, 1850, with the following as the
first officers: N. W^alter Fairlamb, N. G. ; Peter Wor-
rall, V. G. ; John M. Hunter, Treas. ; Samuel Hunter,
Sec. The first meetings were held over A. P. Fair-
lamb's store, and later a room over Schur's store was
used. The present lodge-room is in Williamson's
Hall, on State Street. The lodge now has fifty-two
members, and is officered as follows : Bion Herkins,
N. G. ; W. H. Hardcastle, V. G. ; Samuel Bryson,
Treas. ; Ott Pennell, Sec.
Towanda Tribe, I. 0. of R. M.— This tribe of
the Independent Order of Red Men was instituted in
" cold moon, G. S. D., 377," with eight charter mem-
bers from Tuscarora Tribe, Chester.
Media as a Summer Resort.— The beauty and
healthfuiness of Media, the picturesqueness of its
surrounding hills and valleys, the fact that the sale
of liquor is prohibited in the borough, and its easy ac-
cessibility from Philadelphia have caused many people j
who prefer quiet, rest, and true recreation rather than [
the fashionable dissipation of the great resorts, to
seek summer homes in the town or its neighborhood. J
There are others and many who, while they have not 1
established homes here, have sought the benefits of a
temporary sojourn, and thus it has come about that
four large houses, in addition to the Charter House,
are comfortably filled every season with those who
prize the wholesome air and the nerve-bracing life
which is here afforded. The first of these places of
resort was Idlewild, established by Mr. Hawkins
when he left the Charter House. It is a charming
retreat in a cool grove of forest-trees directly south of
Media. Then there are the Chestnut Grove House,
contiguous to the little railroad station, and the Hal-
deman and Gayley establishments, under one man-
agement, which are educational institutions save in
summer, when those who would rest take the place of
those who have been at the toil of study in the
pleasant and spacious houses.
Some years ago an ambitious attempt was made in
the direction of founding a suburban villa, which
failed because premature, though it will doubtless in
the near future be carried out.
In 1872, James R. Cummins and Samuel Bancroft
bought of Robert Playford a tract of fifty acres of
land between Media and Idlewild, with the intention
of laying it out for building sites, with streets con-
necting South Media and Idlewild. A map was made
and the project was advertised, but the plan was aban-
doned, partly on account of Mr. Cummins' death.
His interest in the property was purchased by Mr.
Bancroft, who sold the entire tract to George W.
Wharton in June, 1883.
As time progresses an increased number of city
people will see the advantage of making summer or
permanent homes in this neighborhood, and it is
probable that among other improvements one similar
to that contemplated by Messrs. Cummins & Bancroft
may be not only undertaken, but successfully com-
pleted.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
THOMAS REECE.
The ancestors of Judge Reece are of Welsh ex-
traction, and were among the colony who came
over with William Penn, in 1682. They settled in
Haverford township, Delaware Co., Pa., in which
county Jesse Reece, the father of Thomas, was born,
Dec. 12, 1774, his life having been principally spent
in Upper Providence township as a builder. He
married Elizabeth, daughter of Asa Davis, of Ches-
ter County, who was also of Welsh parentage, and
whose ancestors were members of the Penn colony.
Their children are Davis, born in 1801; Lydia (Mrs.
Samuel Hibberd), in 1804; Elizabeth (Mrs. Jesse T.
Heacock), in 1805; Sidney (deceased in youth), in
1807 ; Jesse, in 1809 ; Thomas, in 1811 ; and Eli Y.,
in 1813. The death of Mr. Reece occurred in 1849,
and that of his wife in 1858. Their son, Thomas
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
was born May 4, 1811, in Middletown township,
Delaware Co., where his youth, until his eleventh
year, was spent. He then, with his parents, removed
to Upper Providence township, where, after limited
educational opportunities, he learned the trade of a
mason and builder. This was pursued with vigor for
several years, when, having inherited the paternal
acres, he became a farmer and continued this voca-
tion until his removal to Media, in 1880, on retiring
from active business. Judge Reece was married, in
1858, to Mrs. Beulah Palmer Cassin, of Concord, Del-
aware Co., to which marriage was born a daughter,
Lydia D. He has been for years interested in the
field of politics, and as a Republican was, in 1860,
elected county commissioner, which office he filled
for one term. In 1866 he was the successful candi-
date for associate judge of Delaware County, and
re-elected in 1871, serving a continuous term of ten
years. This official position obliged him to resign
the directorship of the First National Bank of
Media, with which he had for several years been
connected. Judge Reece has long been a prominent
citizen of the county, and invariably administered
the offices to which he has been chosen with fidelity
to the interests of his constituents. He was educated
in the religious faith of the society of Friends, and
is still a member of that society, as are also his wife
and daughter.
HUGH JONES BROOKE.
Hugh Jones Brooke was born Dec. 27, 1805, and
was the eldest of five children born to Nathan Brooke
and Mary (Jones), his wife. His father was a well-
to-do farmer, whose farm comprised the valley of
the Gulf Creek, in Radnor, adjoining Montgomery
County. His ancestors were the sturdy yeomanry of
the early emigration from England and Wales. Those
of his father were Quakers, and settled in and near
Limerick (now Montgomery County), and of his
mother Episcopalians, who settled in Newtown and
Radnor, and were among the founders of St. David's
Church, Radnor. His father dying when he was but
nine years old, he was brought up under the joint
care of his mother and his paternal grandfather, who
were well fitted to prepare him for the active duties
of life. His education was of the character obtainable
at that day in the local schools. At the early age of
fifteen he took charge of the farm, and thenceforward
led a life of active usefulness.
The prominence of his grandfather, who had been
a Revolutionary officer, and was a large land-owner,
as well as largely engaged in industrial pursuits,
brought him into early participation in the adminis-
tration of public affairs, and he almost continuously
served his fellow-citizens in local affairs, besides terms
in both branches of the State Legislature, always
being on important committees, and often in leading
positions, and his advice was frequently sought in
national and State, as well as local, corporate, and
personal aSairs.
In corporations he was largely interested, and the
Delaware Mutual Safety Insurance Company, the
First National Bank of Media, the Twelfth Street
Market Company, and the Media Gas Company were
among those of which he was either the originator
or a corporator, and assisted in the administration
I as president or director until his death. There were
many others he was or had been connected with, and
to him Philadelphia is largely indebted for its present
I system of market-houses, he being the originator, and
I until he refused to serve further, president of the
Farmers' Market Company.
In 1853 he purchased the farm in and adjoining
Media, lying between the State (Street) road and
Ridley Creek, and removing from Radnor thither,
I thenceforward gave liberal attention to the develop-
ment of that town, building with his own means the
Chestnut Grove House and Brooke Hall Female
Seminary, besides many private residences and other
buildings, and, with the public, the railroad through
it, and the Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble-
Minded Children adjacent, the latter having been lo-
cated through him, and largely developed by his
legislative influence in securing meritorious appro-
priations from the State for its building and main-
tenance. Both as an officer and citizen it had his
earnest and sympathetic advice and assistance until
his death.
In the suppression of the Rebellion he took an
active part, and when asked by the Secretary of War
to assist in developing the commissary department he
went earnestly to work, and served both in field and
at post with benefit alike to the government and the
soldier until impaired healtb from overwork enforced
his resignation.
In politics he was a Whig, who early became a
Republican because of his anti-slavery convictions,
which caused him to refuse a marshalship which
might involve his official enforcement of the fugitive
slave law. In business he spoke of himself as a
farmer, but, as before mentioned, he was that and
much more. In religion he made no public profes-
sions. He was a regular and constant attendant at
the services of the Protestant Episcopal Church ; and
St. David's, Radnor, and Christ Church, Media, es-
pecially shared of his labors and his means. Of the
latter he was the originator. He was especially
interested in the amusement and labors of the young,
and was always ready at proper times to participate
in the one or aid the other, and many were indebted
to him for his good advice and material assistance for
their start in life.
He married, April 16, 1829, Jemima Elizabeth,
daughter of Nathaniel Longmire (a lace manufacturer)
and Elizabeth (Green), his wife, who, with his fam-
ily, had emigrated from Nottingham, England. They
had children as follows : Anna Elizabeth, born Feb.
(^?:^=fc^,^-'
^^^^^i
THE BOROUGH OF MEDIA.
609
12, 1830, died Dec. 19, 1832 ; Nathan, born Jan. 21,
1832 ; Mary, born Feb. 12, 1834, died Sept. 30, 1834;
Francis Mark, born July 4, 1836; Hannala Maria,
born June 8, 1838, married John L. Evans ; Benja-
min, born Dec. 13, 1840 ; Hunter, born Dec. 7, 1842;
Jemima Elizabeth, born Aug. 13, 1845, died Feb. 11,
1850 ; Sarah Ann, born Aug. 16, 1850, married George
M. Lewis.
Mr. Brooke, after a life of uninterrupted usefulness,
died Dec. 19, 1876, and was buried at St. David's,
Radnor.
CHARLES D. MANLEY.
Charles D. Manley, lawyer, was born in the town-
ship of Radnor, Delaware Co., Pa., on Dec. 20, 1807.
His father, Benjamin Manley, was a farmer and me-
chanic, who was born, lived, and died in Delaware
County. His mother was a DeHaven, the De-
Havens of the Schuylkill, of German descent. His
grandfather, Thomas Manley, was a farmer, who
rented and occupied at various times several large
farms in Chester, Middletown, and Newtown. His
grandfather belonged to the Maddock family, an
English family of Ridley. His paternal great-grand-
father, tradition says, was of a noble family of Ire-
land. His preliminary education was received at the
schools of the neighborhood. He was at two private
schools, boarding in the teacher's family about a year
and a half, having first began to teach before he was
eighteen years of age. After having acquired a fair
English education, he commenced teaching school in
Chester. He continued at this occupation for four
years, applying himself during his leisure hours to
the study of law, and by economy contriving to save
a few hundred dollars of his earnings. But his health
beginning to show evident signs of failure, in conse-
quence of too intense application to his studies and
business, he abandoned teaching and assumed a cler-
ical position in the Bank of Delaware County, located
at Chester. In this capacity he remained about six-
teen months, when he entered into the mercantile
business as one of the firm of Eyre & Manley. In
this business he continued about four years, when,
abandoning commercial pursuits, he again turned his
attention to law. He first entered as student under
Peter Hill Engle, and finally finished his legal read-
ing under the tuition of E. Darlington, and was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1848. Establishing himself at
first in Chester, he there practiced until 1851, when
he removed to Media, then first commencing to be
settled as a town. His professional business furnished
him a fair and reasonable compensation until the out-
break of the war, when, by reason of his being a mem-
ber of the Democratic party, his income became much
reduced. In 1855 he was elected to the State Legis-
lature, in 1856 he was made a delegate to the Na-
tional Convention at Cincinnati, and in 1858 he ran
as the Democratic candidate for Congress in the dis-
trict in which he resided, and was defeated by John
Hickman, an independent.
He has always been a Democrat in politics, and
while he is uot aggressive or offensive in his opinions,
he has always been firm in his adhesion to the princi-
ples of his party. Having since his admission to the
bar confined himself almost exclusively to the busi-
ness of his profession, he is looked upon more as a
conscientious lawyer than as an aspiring politician.
He has always taken an active interest and given
substantial aid to any investment tending to the ad-
vancement of the town of Media, and has been twice
elected a member of Town Council. In 1838 he was
married to Margaret Worrell, a member of an old and
well-known family in Delaware County. In religion
he is an Episcopalian, was a member of the vestry of
St. Paul's Church of Chester while he resided there
for several years, and has always manifested a deep
interest in the religious denomination with which he
is connected as well as in all questions of private and
public morality at home and abroad. His Masonic
teachings formed a part of his religion, and he was
one of the brightest members of the mystic order in
the county. He believed in and practiced the doc-
trines of the fraternity, and was an honor to the craft.
His social qualities added to his kind heart made him
a host of warm friends. He was a great reader, a
good thinker, and an earnest debater. He died on
the 19th day of December, a.d. 1880.
MILTON LEWIS.
William Lewis, the progenitor of the family in
America, came from England with William Penn in
1682. In the direct line of descent was Nathan, who
[ had among his children a son, Didymus, the grand-
father of Milton Lewis, who married Phoebe Matlack.
Their children were Deborah, Tamar, Phoebe, Mary,
Nathan, Eli, Thomas, Margaret, and Tacy. Eli was
born July 18, 1784, and married Hannah Sharpless,
whose children are Sharpless (deceased), Mary (Mrs.
I W. Garrett), Elizabeth (Mrs. Dutton Otley), Eli,
Milton, Isaiah M. (deceased, a physician, who resided
I in Emporia, Kan.), Edith (Mrs. E. Hickman), Phoebe
I Ann (Mrs. L. G. Garrett), and Hannah (deceased,
1 Mrs. A. N. Hatch). Milton was born July 21, 1823,
in Newtown township. He received an elementaiy
education in the schools near his birthplace, and at
I once entered upon a career of active labor on the farm
of his father. He married, in 1851, Martha, daugh-
ter of Robert M. and Eliza Thomas, of Newtown
township. Their only son, Dillwyn, was born March
j 14, 1852, and now cultivates the farm of his father in
Marple township. He married, in 1875, Annie, daugh-
ter of Samuel Hunter, of Upper Providence, and has
two sons. The year of his marriage Milton Lewis
removed to a farm he had purchased in Marple town-
ship, and continued the pursuits of an agriculturist
until 1876, when Media became his residence. He
610
HISTOKY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
has during much of his time acted as deputy pro-
thonotary of'the county, and been otherwise occupied
in the settlement of estates and in the various offices
of guardian and executor, for which his ability no less
than his unquestioned integrity eminently qualify
him. He is a Republican in politics, and in his re-
ligious faith a Friend, having been educated in that
belief.
CHAPTER XLVII.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
The name of this municipal district is believed to
have been bestowed because of the position the terri-
tory was at that time thought to occupy, — the middle
or central point of Chester County. Although the
early settlers were mistaken in that respect when the
name was adopted, the present township approaches
very nearly the centre of Delaware County, and is
one of the largest townships in the county. Ridley
Creek is its eastern and Chester Creek its western
boundary. Edgmont and part of Thornbury town-
ship lie on the north and Chester township to the
south. It was probably established as a township in
1686, but it is first mentioned in 1687, when John
Martin was appointed constable for Middletown.
On Oct. 11-12, 1681, three hundred acres of land
were surveyed to John March, part of one thousand
acres which he had purchased in England. It is not
known whether he ever settled on this tract, but
seventy-three acres along Chester Creek, just above
Chester township line, on March 1, 1685, was con-
veyed to Thomas Martin, and doubtless Martin, who
emigrated from Bedwiu Magna, in Wiltshire, Eng-
land, accompanied by his wife, Margery, and four
daughters, in that year settled on that small plot of
ground now belonging to Jonathan Button. The
seventy-three acres, as also one hundred and four
acres adjoining, subsequently became the property of
Joseph Cobourn, while that part of the March tract
lying east of the Edgmont road, on Jan. 7, 1713, was
purchased by Caleb Harrison. Above the March
tract, and extending east and west across the town-
ship, was a plot of three hundred and fifty acres, sur-
veyed to John Martin Dec. 10, 1682. The northern
boundary of John Martin's estate was the road to
Knowlton, where that highway enters the great Edg-
mont road, thence due east and west across the town-
ship to the creeks forming the eastern and western
boundary. Knowlton is located on this tract. John
Martin, who came from Edgcott, in Berkshire, Eng-
land, settled on the land, and at his death, in 1719, it
passed to Thomas Martin, probably his son. Above
this tract, going northward along Chester Creek,
three hundred and eighty acres of ground were sur-
veyed to Richard Crosby, Nov. 20, 1685. Crosby was
from Cheshire (Chestershire), England, and came to
the province subsequently to 1683. The following year
he was in Chester, and was appointed by the court
(1684) one of the collectors to gather the levy for that
township. After this tract was taken up by him he
settled thereon, and in 1686 wa,s presented by the
grand jury "for keeping an unlawful fence to the
great damage of John Martin, in his swine,'' for
which ill-doing on his part Crosby was fined thirty
shillings at the next court. Crosby figured consider-
ably in the early court records. In his cups he seemed
ever to run into quarrels, and if threatened the strong
arm of the law he was not chary in his remarks or
the expression of his opinion of the sage big- wigs
who dispensed justice in the old court-house on Edg-
mont Street, Chester. On Nov. 29, 1703, Richard
Crosby, who had then removed to Ridley, conveyed
this property to Nicholas and Katherine Fairlamb.
His daughter had married Fairlamb, who was a mer-
chant in Chester.
Until within comparatively recent years some of the
Fairlamb family resided on a portion of this tract, that
part lying south of the road leading from Edgmont
road to Hillsborough Mills, No. 7. Above this tract
four hundred acres were laid off to Thomas Taylor,
March 7-8, 1682. Taylor, who had purchased the
land in England, may never have settled on the estate,
for, on Aug. 23, 1702, two hundred acres were sold to
Nicholas Fairlamb (May 30, 1704), and the other half
passed to Edward Woodward in May of the same year.
On Chester Creek, above the Taylor tract, William
Johnson, on Twelfth month 4, 1681, was assigned one
hundred and fifty acres of land, but it is not known
that he ever settled on the land. Adjoining here to
the left, and extending to Ridley Creek, John Worrall
in 1683 acquired title to two hundred and fifty acres
of land, which, Feb. 15, 1695, passed to Richard
Woodward, who settled on this tract, and there died
in 1706. On Chester Creek, on Second month 11,
1684, Lancelot Lloyd took up on rent one hundred
and five acres, while to the east of his land, and ex-
tending to Ridley Creek, Richard Barnard had re-
ceived title to two hundred acres, which, on June 11,
1695, he sold to Joseph Jarvis, an account of which
is given in the history of the Media Water- Works.
The land at Glen Riddle was part of the three hun-
dred and seventy acres surveyed to Richard Crosby
in 1685, and a tract of sixty-three acres taken up by
John Taylor, which matters are related in the narra-
tive of the Glen Riddle Mills. On Chester Creek,
a short distance above Wawa Station, nine hundred
and eighty acres were patented to Caleb Pusey, he
having purchased the several tracts constituting that
large estate from different persons and at different
dates. His patent for the land, however, was issued
on Third month 25, 1702. To the east of the Pusey lot,
John (Hodgkinson) Hoskins had surveyed to him
two hundred and fifty acres, which extended from
the south on Crosby's land to David Odgen's on the
north, the Hoskins tract lying immediately south of
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
611
Lima. On Dec. 12, 1698, Hoskins sold the land to |
James Serrill, and the latter, on June 10, 1700, con-
veyed it to David Odgen. Hoskins, who built the i
Hoskins house in Chester, owned also a lot of ground ]
in Philadelphia on the north side of Walnut, between
Front and Fifth Streets, which he subsequent!}' sold 1
to David Lloyd. To the east of Hoskins' tract,
which separated the township in the centre, lying 1
just below Lima, and extending south to a line drawn |
due east from Lenni across the township, and follow- ,
ing Ridley Creek in a northerly direction, John Bo-
water had surveyed to him one hundred acres, and !
thereon he settled. He w;is an earnest Friend, and 1
at his house the first meeting of Friends in Middle- \
town was held. Above this tract, to Joseph Allibone,
was surveyed two hundred and fifty acres on March
14, 1684 ; it, however, soon passed to John Malin.
Above the Allibone land Nathan Edwards took up i
one hundred and ten acres. The Edgmont and Provi- i
dence roads cross each other on this plantation. For
some reason Malin Bishop, on April 3, 1856, received '
a patent from the State for this laud. One hundred
acres to the north of Nathan Edwards' tract was sur-
veyed on rent to Owen Musgrave, Feb. 4, 1683. On
Dec. 8, 1741, this land was patented to John Edwards. {
Above the Musgrave tract on March 13, 1684, Wil- j
liam Edwards took up one hundred acres. He was,
it is stated, from Glamorganshire, Wales, and settled
on this land, his son, John', living on the premises j
after his father's death, in 1716, in the original cabin
his father erected when he first made a lodgment in
the wilderness. Above the Edwards tract George |
Smedley took up two hundred and ninety-five acres [
in 1684. He was from Derbyshire, England, and j
settled on this estate, building his dwelling-house on
the west bank of Ridley Creek, about one mile '
northwest of the present town of Media. The home-
stead farm is still owned by his descendants. Along
Ridley Creek to the township line, Jacob Minshall on ;
Sixth month 16, 1701, took up five hundred acres. '
Much of this property is still owned by his descend- j
ants, Minshall Painter having retained possession
of his ancestral acres during all his long and useful
life, as did also his brother, Jacob Painter.
The ancient dwelling built by Jacob Minshall in |
1711 still stands in good repair. The largest room on j
the first floor is laid with flagstones. The barn on |
the adjoining farm now the property of Stephen Byre, ;
known as the " Round Top farm," was the first erected j
on that section that had a floor and bays above the
stables, as also a gangway. It is stated that men came
forty miles to see the wonder of that day. It is said
to have been erected in 1712. On a portion of that
tract is an Indian burial-ground. A remnant of the
Lenni Lenape continued to reside on the tract until
the beginning of this century. Andrew, Isaac, and
Nanny lived in a cave in the valley of Dismal Run.
Andrew died in the cave, and was buried in Middle-
town Friends' graveyard.
To the southwest of the Minshall tract, and along
Dismal Run, Peter Trego, on Tenth month 11, 1694,
purchased for Joseph Edge fifty acres, for which he
paid " £14, or good merchantable wheat for market
price." Roger Jackson, at the Edgmont line and
west of the Minshall tract, purchased from George
Willard two hundred and fifty acres, which were
known as " Cumberland," but he sold the plantation
to several parties, hence it did not pass under the de-
vise in his will that his estate should be equally divided
among such of his relations in England who should
come to the colony and apply for their share in his ( Jack-
son's) property. Continuing along the Edgmont line,
an irregular plot bounded partly on the south by David
Odgen, two hundred acres, which extends up to where
the Hicksite Friends' meeting-house now stands, and
partly by Caleb Pusey's land, Joshua Hastings took
up four hundred and seventy-two acres of land, on
which, however, he never settled; but in 1692 it was
purchased by John Turner, and in 1718 Joseph Tal-
bot became owner of the land. Joseph Talbot died in
1721, and his son, Joseph, took the real estate when
he came of age, and built the mill, now Humphrey
Yearsley's. As mentioned, David Odgen's plot of two
hundred acres lay to the south of this plantation, ex-
tending from Friends' meeting-house to a short dis-
tance below Lima. David Odgen came with Penn in
the " Welcome" in 1682, and settled on this tract,
where he died in 1705. The land west from the Hast-
ings tract, along the Edgmont line and extending to
Chester Creek, was surveyed as two hundred and fifty
acres to Henry Sleighton, April 10, 1684, which in
1803 was patented to Ephraim Jackson, a noted Friend
of Edgmont. South of this estate, along the creek,
and following the southern line of the road from
Thornbury to Middletown, on April 10, 1684, two hun-
dred and fifty acres were surveyed to Edward Blake.
The estate subsequently passed to John Bowater, the
noted Middletown Friend. South of this tract, and con-
tinuing along the creek to Martin's Run, was a plan-
tation of three hundred acres, which was surveyed to
John Sharpless April 4-5, 1682, and was patented to
Joseph Sharpless Third month 4, 1703, who settled
on the estate after his marriage to Lydia Lewis, in
1704, and died there in 1757. South of the Sharpless
tract, having Martin's Run for part of its northern
boundary, a lot of two hundred acres was surveyed to
Thomas Cross, Jr., Twelfth month 21, 1683, but this
and other tracts were purchased by Thomas Martin,
before the latter left England. He emigrated from
Edgcott, county of Berks, about 1689, and died on
this land in 1719.
The taxables in the township in 1715 were as fol-
lows:
John Martin, George Grist, Caleb Harrison, Edward Woodward, Daniel
Coolvson, Joseph Jervis, William Pennell, Jacob Tregoe, John Edwards,
George Smedley, Jacob Minshall, Peter Tregoe, Sr., Thomas Barns, John
Chauley, John Turner, Joseph Sharpless, Alexander Hunter, Moses
Martin, Robert Baker, Thomas Barnsley, Thomas Martin, Ji ., Edward
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Freemen.— Huna Hamilton, Peter Tregoe, James Tregae, George Mar-
tin, Francis Ferrel, Thomas Smith, William Chamherlain.Simou Barton.
In 1799 the taxables were returned as follows:
John Baker, Joseph Baker (storekeeper), Henry Baker, Samuel Wor-
rell, Aaron Baker (cooper), Thomas Beatty, John Moncil, Amos Bond,
Jacob Happerset, Joshua Clayton, James Bay, Jesse Darlington, Jon-
athan Button, John Evans, Dell Penncll, IsBacharEdwanls, Isaac Ed-
wards, James Emlen estate (grist-mill), Frederick Fairlamli, Robert
Fairlamb (cordwuiner), Isaac Frame, William Johnson, Henry Gorman,
Thomas Pennell, David Garrett (blacksmith), Robert Glenn, Henry Mc-
Gill, Prudence Sloughter, Jacob Hibberd, John Hill (saw-mill), Nathan
Heacock (joiner), John Heacock, Ann Hemphill, Joshua Harrison, John
Happersett, Thomas Hutchinson (little wheelmaker), James Hemphill,
William Salyards, James Hunter, John Heacock, Samuel James, John
Ingram, Jr. (blacksmith), Joseph Jobson, John Knight (physician), John
Lungren, Edward Lewis (miller), Seth Levis (paper-maker, paper-mill,
grist-mill, saw-mill), William MaCarty (tailor), John Moncil, Philip Mil-
ler, Jacob Menshall, Thomas Menshall, Jacob Malin (weaver), James
McGuire, John Ottey, Robert Pennell, Abraham Pennell (saw-mill), Lydia
Pennell(innkeeper),01iverPharaoh (shoemaker). Aacon Ratten, Thomas
Ryan, Deborah Sutton (store-keeper), William Sharpless, Nathan Sharp-
less (grist-mill, saw-mill), John Sharpless, Daniel Sharpless, Benjamin
Stokes, Ambrose Smedley, William Smedley, Thomas Trimble, Joseph
Taylor (carpenter), John Thompson, Joseph Roman (black8mitli),Thoma8
Worrell, John Wilcox (hatter), John Worrell (saw-mill), Edward Wood-
ward (saw-mill), Caleb Yarnall, Joseph Tarnell (wheelwright), Negro
Tom, Negro Cyrus, Frederick Janer, Lewis Pennell.
Iiunaies.— William Broomall, James Broomall, John Broomall, David
Broomall, James Cumiugs, James Oiossley, William Doyle, Virgil
Eachus (joiner), John Hughes, Jacob Happerset, William King, Patrick
McQuckin, Daniel Mahoney, Michael McCloskey, George Malin (hatter),
William Pitt (shoemaker), William Pennell, Joshua Sharpless (shoe-
maker), Albert Stervant, James Starr, Daniel Thompson, Patrick
Welch, Joseph Webster, Thomas Worrell, John Ottey.
Single Freemen.— John Button, John Lewis, and Nathan Yearsley,
millers; Seth Evans, weaver ; William Fairlamb and William Griffith,
shoemakers; Johu Heacock, Enoch Heacock, and Benjamin James,
carpenters; Joseph Starr, wheelwright; Job Vernon, tanner; Thomas
Walker, blacksmith ; Cyrus Baker, John Connell, Hugh Connor, George
Dougherty, Richard Dutton, John Harris, Seth Levis, Gardner Leonard,
John McMickel, William McCune, Alexander McCone, Patrick Mullin,
James McMullin, Patrick Mulvany, Andrew Nelson, Robert Pennell,
John Rickey, Robert Sims, John Sharpless, Thomas Sharpless, Alexan-
der Thompson, Hugh Trimble, William Webster, Peter Worrell, ObadiaU
Russell.
The following is a list of the justices for Middletown
township :
John Crosby Aug. 30, 1791.
Joel Willis Aug. 30, 1791.
Davis Bevan Aug. 19, 179t.
Miles McCarty April 13, 1796.
Elisha Price April 15, 1796.
William Martin - Aug. 9, 1797.
Isaac Eyre Oct. 12,1798.
Nicholas Fairlamb Dec. 6, 1798.
Aaron Morton May 3, 1799.
Philip Painter May 20, 1800.
Thomas Hinkson May 20, 1800.
John Pearson June 21, 1802.
James Withey July 4, 1806.
Jacob Edwards Jan. 1, 1807.
John Caldwell '. Nov. 16, 18U.
Joseph Walker Feb. 3, 1820.
Samuel Smith March 12,1822.
David Marshall March 3, 1824.
George W. Bartram June 3, 1824.
Benjamin F. Johnson Oct. 25, 1825.
Abraham Kerlin June 7, 1830.
Samuel T. Walker Nov. 11, 1831.
John Atnick June 6, 1834.
Jonathan P. Worrall March 6,1835.
Samuel Sliaw Nov. 18, 1835.
William Martin June 10, 1836.
William Eyre Dec. 21, 1838.
George W. Bartram Sept. 23, 1839.
Samuel Hibberd April 14, 1840, April 13, 1847, April 11,
Robert L. Martin...' Aug. 24, 1876.
Robert F Ash March 27, 1879.
James W. Howarth March 30, 1880.
The Murder at Bancroft Bank.— On Saturday
night, Oct. 17, 1863, Ellen Jones and John Blair, a
stonemason, were brutally murdered. The scene of
the tragedy was a small dilapidated log house which
stood on the left of the road, on the west side of Rid-
ley Creek, almost directly opposite the factories.
Ellen Jones vended liquors surreptitiously, and it was
supposed she had accumulated one hundred dollars
by the illegal traffic, which sum she was known to
carry on her person. On Sunday morning following
a neighbor learning from the children of the dead
woman— the eldest a girl of six and the youngest an
infant of two years— that something unusual had hap-
pened at the secluded cabin, repaired thither. Upon
the floor near the door of the lower room — the house
contained but two apartments, a room below and an
attic above — lay the body of John Blair, his throat
cut in several places, and the flesh from the forehead
to the chin on the right side of his face almost en-
tirely cut from the bones, his forehead broken in, and
the right eye torn from the socket. About two feet
away from the corpse of Blair lay the body of Ellen
Jones, the upper portion of her head cloven, leav-
ing a huge cavity, from which the brains had oozed.
Near the dead woman was an axe clotted with blood
from edge to butt, indicated the weapon with which
the deed was done. The only witness of the murder
was the six-year-old daughter of Ellen Jones, who,
hearing the noise in the lower room, was aroused from
her slumbers, and through the cracks in the floor of
the attic saw the murderer strike the fatal blows.
The testimony seemed to implicate George Wilkinson,
a young man of about twenty-two, who was arrested
at Hestonville on Monday night following, and was
detained at Philadelphia until the Friday after the
murder, when he was brought to Media jail. The
trial of the accused began Feb. 23, 1864, the common-
wealth being represented by Francis M. Brooke, dis-
trict attorney, and the prisoner by James Barton, Jr.,
Charles D. Mauley, and John M. Broomall. On
Friday, February 26th, the jury rendered a verdict of
" not guilty."'
A Centenarian.— On April 25, 1851, Charity White,
better known as "Aunty Charity," a colored woman,
died at Middletown, said to be over one hundred years
of age. She had been a slave in the Eastern Shore of
Maryland, but on the death of her master, prior to the
beginning of this century, was permitted to remove to
Pennsylvania, and located in Middletown.
Remarkable Mortality. — In November, 1837,
Norris Hanuum, of Middletown, lost by death iu
twenty days all his children, — five in number. The
disease, which proved so fatal, baffled the physicians,
who could not at that time designate the malady by
name.
A Heavy Man. — In the summer of 1866, Henry
Breckinridge, of Middletown, was announced by the
Delaware County JRepublican as the heaviest man in
t An account of the trial of Joseph Worrall, indicted for the murder
of David Weidig, near Lima, will be found ante, page 177.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
613
Delaware County, as well as in the Seventh Congres-
sional District, and probably in Eastern Pennsylva-
nia. He was twenty-three years of age, and weighed
four hundred and one pounds. He measured six
feet round the waist, was five feet seven inches in
height. His legs were thicker than the body of an
ordinary man, and his arms of proportionate girth.
The Middletown Friends' Meeting.— The first al-
lusion to an organized meeting of Friends in Middle-
town occurs at a Chester Quarterly Meeting, Third
month 3, 1686, whereat it was " agreed y' a meeting be
kept at John Bolter's upon y' same first day it used to
be at Bartholomew Coppock's, for y° case of such y'
live westerly in y° woods, and y' rest of friends liv-
ing y" other way upon y' same day to meet at fifrancis
Stanfield's until further consideration." Ten years
after this action by the Quarterly Meeting, at a sim-
ilar meeting held on Third month 4, 1696, it was
agreed that " a meeting be settled at John Bowater's
every first and fifth day," and on Ninth month
FKIBNDS' MEETING-HOUSE, MIDDLETOWN.
6, 1699, " The ifriends of John Bowater's meeting
Lay their Intentions of Building a meeting-house"
before the Quarterly Meeting, and Philip Roman,
Robert Pipe, Nathaniel Newlin, George Robinson,
John Hood, and John Wood were appointed " to de-
termine the place for that service, and make report to
y= next Quarterly Meeting, under all their Hands,
that it may be entered in the Meeting Books." Early
in this year (1700) the committee reported that they
had fixed upon the burial-lot of Friends in Middle-
town for the site of the meeting-house, but it is very
probable that the meeting-house was not erected until
the following year (1701). At all events, the building
was completed in 1702, for it was then called Middle-
town Meeting-House. The present building is not the
first meeting-house erected, but it was certainly built
many years before the beginning of this century.
Orthodox Friends' Meeting-House.— After the
division of the society of Friends, in 1828, the Ortho-
dox branch of Middletown held their meetings in a
school-house belonging to James Emlen, near the
Emlen Grist-Mill, now owned and operated by Hum-
phrey Yearsley, until they could complete their pres-
ent meeting-house, which was not ready for occupancy
until 1835. The house was erected on a lot of ground
which Joseph Pennell, in 1834, donated to the society
for a meeting-house. The plot contained half an acre,
and subsequently he gave an additional half-acre ad-
joining for school and burial purposes. The meeting-
house was erected on this lot.
Cumberland Cemetery. — About 1860 Thomas Pratt
laid out a tract of laud adjoining Hicksite Friends'
Meeting-House ground as a cemetery, and sold a num-
ber of burial-lots thereon. The land which was not
sold is now owned by his heirs, and is still being used
as a burial-place.
Middletown Presbyterian Church.— The organ-
ization of religious societies under the form of the
Presbyterian Church in the Middle States distinc-
tively marks the beginning of the immigration to the
American provinces of that sturdy class of
people who have in this country been
termed the Scotch-Irish. There is some
reason to believe that, as early as 1689
or 1690, Rev. Francis Makemie came to
America, sent hither by the United Breth-
ren of the Presbyterians and Congrega-
tionalists of London, and that he organized
a church in Accomack County, Va. If
that be the fact, the Virginia Church ante-
dates the First Presbyterian Church in
Philadelphia eight years, for Rev. Jede-
uiah Andrews began his ministry in that
city in 1698. The Scotch-Irish about
1718 began to make settlements in Chester
County, and doubtless as soon as they
waxed sufficiently strong to form a congre-
gation of worshipers according to the Pres-
byterian faith, such an organization was ef-
fected. The exact date of the formation of this church
will probably never be known, for the early records
are said to have been lost in the fire which burned the
dwelling of Rev. Thomas Grier, in 1802. The church
was doubtless established in the latter part of the
year 1728, or early in 1729, for on April 1, 1729, the
Presbytery of New Castle, in response to the desire of
the people of Middletown to be permitted to build a
church, acceded to the request, on condition that the
congregation would continue "a united congregation
with Brandywine." Tradition asserts that in 1720 a
log church was built in Birmingham, but this asser-
tion may justly be questioned, although in the histor-
ical account of that township in this work this date
is followed. In the summer or fall of the year 1729
a log church was erected in Middletown on grounds
the title to which was not conveyed to the trustees
until 1751, when the building thereon is mentioned
in the deed. That the church was fully organized
and a meeting-house erected in 1735 cannot admit of
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
doubt, but the evidence tends to establish a prior date
for the building, inasmuch as early in that year it is
mentioned in a gift to the " Protestant Dissenters" by
Dr. Isaac Watts, who, learning of the house of wor-
ship in the " backwood," manifested his interest in the
welfare of the struggling congregation by sending to
them a folio copy of one of Baxter's works. The in-
scription in this volume reads :
" This Book, caUed M' Baxter's Dirertory, was given by y" Reverend
D' Isaac Watt8, of London, to the Protestant Dissenters, usually Assem-
bling for Worship at Middletown Meeting-house in Pennsylvania, that
people who came from far & spend their whole day there may have
something proper to entertain themselves with, or to read to one
. another between the seasons of Worship, morning and afternoon ; & 'tis
for this end intrusted to y care of (the) Protestant Dissenting Minister
who preaches there, and to his Successors, to be used by him or them in
their weekly Study, when they please, and to be secured & devoted to
the Use of the Congregation ou y" Lord's days."
"Jan? ao", 173S/6."
"The Book is committed to the care of M' Benj. Hawley to be carried
OLD MIDDLETOWN PKESBYTERIAN CHUECH BURNED FEB
over to Pennsylvania, and after he has kept it in his own hands and
made the best use of it for six months, that is till the 30"> of July next,
he shall deliver it to the hands of the present Protestant Dissenting
Minister for the purposes before mentioned."
The congregation attending this church was scat-
tered, and some of the persons most constant in at-
tendance on the religious exercises — whenever they
were held therein, generally once a month, for there
was no regular pastor until 1770 — would walk, women
and men, often ten or twelve miles to church, and the
like distance returning ; or if, as was frequent, the
distance was twenty miles, would ride thither on
horseback. On a winter Sunday these pious people
would sit for hours in the cold church listening to the
clergyman, whose sermon made up in length what-
ever it might lack in originality of argument. The
pastor in those early days preached twice to the same
congregation on the Sabbath, there being an hour's
intermission, when those present would partake of a
slight repast, which had been prepared the day be-
fore and carried in baskets to the church.
On May 10, 1762, Robert McClellan conveyed to
William Lindsay, Hugh Linn, James Lindsay, John
McMinn, James Black, Charles Linn, Joseph Black,-
James Hemphill, and Thomas Trimble, three-quarters
of an acre for the use of a Presbyterian Church
thereafter to be erected.
The second church edifice, which was of stone, was
erected shortly after this date, and Dr. Smith records
that the venerable Thomas Duttou, in 1860, told him
" that the present meeting-house was built in the time
of his grandfather (Richard Dutton), and that he, al-
though a Quaker, subscribed money towards its build-
ing, as he was willing that the Presbyterians should
have a suitable place to hold their meetings in." '
The church building thus erected had no fireplace
in it or means provided for warming the building in
cold weather, hence the female members
of the congregation who could afford
such luxury would have a foot-stove,
which would be filled with charcoal, and
thus they could warm their almost frozen
feet and listen to the minister at one and
the same time. It has been said that the
old log house was used as a place for the
session of the church to assemble in, and
after it was no longer required for relig-
ious exercises, a chimney-place was built,
and on the hearth, on Sunday mornings,
a bright fire would be made, so that those
who were delicate could warm themselves
by its cheerful blaze.
In 1770, Rev. James Anderson, the
first regular pastor, was called, prior to
which date the church was dependent on
supplies. He was at that time about
twenty-one years of age, and here he re-
mained during the stormy days of the
Revolution, doubtless advocating a sepa-
ration from the mother-country, for the Presbyter-
ians were, as a rule, earnest advocates for that meas-
ure, and we have every reason to believe that to
the Pennsylvania line, or Irish line, as it was often
called, from the young men attending the relig-
ious services there, Middletown Church furnished
its full quota of soldiers. Dr. Samuel Anderson
was a son of the first pastor of Middletown Church,
but he was not born in Delaware County, although
I would be glad if it should prove that I am in
error in this assertion, for Dr. Anderson was a man
of whose nativity Delaware County can be justly
proud. Rev. James Anderson died in 1793, his min-
istry at Middletown covering almost his entire man-
hood life. From 1793 to 1801 the pulpit was de-
pendent on supplies, but in the latter year Rev.
Thomas Grier, a graduate of Princeton, was installed
History of Delaware County,
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
615
pastor, and continued in the discharge of that office
until 1809, when he accepted a call to a church at
Little Britain. In 1802 the house in which he lived,
on the west side of Edgmont road, south of the
church, near where Mr. Bonnall's dwelling now is,
was destroyed by fire, and the records of the church,
being in his study, were lost. Rev. Nathaniel Ran-
dolph Snowden, in 1809, became the pastor of the
church, and continued as such until 1817, when he
was called to the presidency of Dickinson College.
He resided during his term as pastor of Middletown
Church at Chester, for his son, James Ross Snowden,
the distinguished director of the United States mint
and author, was born in that borough. The Presby-
tery of New Castle censured Rev. Mr. Snowden, al-
leging that he came to Middletown without the con-
sent of that Presbytery, took upon himself the
pastorate, and also took the church from the care of
New Castle and transferred it to that of Philadelphia
Presbytery, where it continued until 1870, when
Chester Presbytery was formed. During all the time
he was in charge of the church he was never installed,
but exercised pastorate functions as if he had been.
After Rev. Mr. Snowden resigned, the church had no
regular minister until 1827, although in 1819 Rev.
Nathaniel Todd was appointed stated supply at Mid-
dletown for six months. He was continued until
1822, when he was dismissed to go to Carlisle. In
1823 Larry Bishop was appointed as supply at Mid-
dletown for first and third Sabbaths in every month,
and he continued thus in charge of the church until
1826, when he was dismissed to take control of a
church in the Huntingdon Presbytery.
In 1818 the Presbytery of Philadelphia was asked
to form two church organizations, one in Springfield
and Providence, the other in Aston. Middletown
Church met this movement by protest, alleging that
the district was so sparse that there was no room
for another Presbyterian Church ; that the means em-
ployed to obtain signatures were not fair or honorable,
and that the erection of a new church would arrest
the growth and progress of Middletown Church. The
protest was signed by Samuel Black, Hugh Caldwell,
John Craig, and the heads of most of the Presbyterian
families, but, nevertheless, in 1819, the Presbytery
appointed a committee to organize two additional
churches.
In 1827 Rev. Robert McCochran was installed as
pastor, and remained as such until 1830. In Octo-
ber, 1832, Rev. Alviu H. Parker became the pastor of
the church, and continued in such relationship until
October, 1839. The church at this period had been
almost abandoned to decay, and in that year an eflbrt
was made to revive interest in the organization. In
1841, Rev. Samuel P. Helme was called to the pas-
torate, but resigned in April following. Under date
of Oct. 4, 1842, John P. Crozer records that a stranger
had been sent by the Presbytery of Philadelphia to
Middletown and the Blue meeting-house, "to make
some attempt to impress life into these decaying
churches." In speaking of Middletown Church, he
records, "This ancient edifice, truly venerable in ap-
pearance, was erected by godly men, who have for
three-quarters of a century siept in death. This is
one of the oldest places of worship in the whole
country, and its substantial and venerable walls tes-
tify that the yeomanry, by whom they were erected,
were willing to honor God with their substance, and
in that day, when farm-houses were of the plainest
and simplest kind, they were willing to pay for a large
and commodious edifice and dedicate it to the worship
of Almighty God.'" The church, at the time Mr.
Crozer described it, was much out of repair, and many
persons who could recall the building burned in
1879, remember it only after it had been materially
altered in 1846. The pulpit was then in the east
end of the building, and at the west, opposite, was the
door. The pulpit stood about ten feet above the
heads of the congregation, and the ceiling followed the
roof to a peak, which was well known to many of the
youngsters of that day, who, when seated on the high-
backed pews, were shut out from a sight of the clergy-
man, and could only follow the sloping ceiling with
their eyes, or perhaps they could catch a glimpse of
the sounding-board suspended over the pulpit and
wonder, if it fell, what would become of the preacher.
From 1842 to 1846 the church was dependent on
supplies, but early in the latter year Rev. James W.
Dale was called, and the dawn of better days came
with him to Middletown. His eloquence soon gathered
a congregation there, which had separated, and it was
determined to repair and enlarge the church, William
T. Cook, then a prosperous manufacturer, under-
taking personally to discharge the greater part of the
expense. On Saturday afternoon, July 11, 1846, the
corner-stone of the addition to the church was laid,
Rev. Dr. Cuyler and Rev. Dr. Jones, of Philadelphia,
making addresses on the occasion. It had been in-
tended that the ceremony should have taken place on
the 4th of July, but " the damp, drizzly, dull, disa-
greeable day, the like of which could not be recalled
by the oldest inhabitants as happening on a 4th in
our history," compelled a delay in the services. Fif-
teen feet was added to the length of the building and
the alterations already mentioned in describing the
old church were made, and three acres added to the
graveyard.
Mr. Dale's ministry continued for over twenty-five
years pastor of the mother Presbyterian Church of
Delaware County, remaining there until 1871, when
he resigned to take charge of Wayne Presbyterian
Church. The Rev. Dr. Dale was a man of action as
well as words, and for nearly thirty years he kept
alive and nurtured into strength all the Presbyterian
Churches in the county, and after they were able to
care for themselves he never lost his interest in their
Life of John P. Crozer,
616
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
welfare, and was ever earnest in their assistance when
needed. He was the author of several standard theo-
logical works, and had also published a number of
sermons which had wide circulation. Dr. Dale died
in April, 1881, at which time he was pastor .of the
Presbyterian Church at Glen Riddle.
In 1871, Rev. Thomas Donaldson Jester became
the pastor of Middletown Church. During the Cen-
tennial year, 1876, at the request of the Presbyterian
Church throughout the United States, every church of
that denomination in the United States made an effort
to collect the historical incidents connected with the
church for preservation. In that year Rev. Mr.
Jester preached an interesting and instructive ser-
mon, presenting in an attractive form much of the
historical matters connected with Middletown Church.
On Saturday afternoon, Feb. 1, 1879, the janitor built
fires in the stoves, and some of the pipes became hot,
burst, and set fire to the roof. No chimney had ever
been built in the church, but the pipes passed through
the roof into a terra-cotta chimney-piece. A heavy
gale was blowing at the time, which soon fanned the
flames into a furious blaze, which in a short time en-
veloped the building in a mass of fire. Nothing
could be done to arrest the conflagration, and in
less than two hours only the wall remained. Im-
mediate steps were taken to rebuild the church, the
old walls being utilized, and so rapidly was the work
pushed that on Sunday, July 13, 1879, the church, a
building sixty by forty feet, was dedicated, Rev. T.
D. Jester, the pastor, conducting the ceremonies, as-
sisted by Revs. J. W. Dale, D.D., P. H. Mowry, and
Thomas McCauley. P. Frazer Smith, of West Ches-
ter, also delivered an address. The rebuilding cost
two thousand dollars, and as a little over that amount
was subscribed, the church was dedicated free of debt.
The church has at the present a membership of sixty
persons, and is in prosperous condition.
The old God's acre, connected with the church,
contains the mouldering remains of many generations
of the Presbyterian families who made and supported
the struggling congregation when it was located " out
in the wilderness." The oldest gravestone whose in-
scription can be deciphered is that of " James Cooper,
deceased the 4th day of November in the Fear [or
Year] of God, 1731." In point of time the next mor-
tuary notice we desire to direct attention to is that of
one of the Buchanan family, which, a century and a
quarter later, gave a President to the United States.
The old stone bears this inscription :
"David Buchanan, died Nov. 3, 1738.
True to his friends, to his promise just,
Benevolent, and of religious trust."
On another stone the inscription reads,- —
" Samuel Crozer, died 1747.
My glass is run,
My work is done ;
My body's under ground ;
Intombed in Clay
Until the day
I hear tlie trumpet sound."
On an ancient tombstone in that quiet burial-place
can still easily be read the announcement, —
" Here lyeth the body of John, the son of Martha Moore, who de-
parted this life the 17th day of December, 1754, aged 13 years and 8
months.
Death, thou hast conquered me,
I by thy darts am slain,
But Christ shall conquer thee
And I shall rise again ;
Time hastens, and the hour
The just shall rise and sing,
0 grave where is thy power
0 Death where is thy sting?"
that which marks the burial
A noticeable tablet
spot of a centenarian, —
"Here lieth the body of Bernhard Vanleer, M.D.i Physsissian in
Physick, who departed this life, January 26, 179U, aged 104 years.
Friends, weep not for me
For all your tears are vain ,
Prepare to meet the Lord
That we may meet again."
And beneath are the words, —
" His wife Christiana— died March 29th, 1815, aged 88 years and 7
months."
At the southwest corner of the church is the grave
of Rev. James Anderson, the first pastor, who died
Sept. 22, 1793, aged fifty-four years. When the alter-
ation was made to the church, in 1846, this stone was
temporarily removed, and in doing so was broken in
the middle. Rev. Mr. Anderson was beloved by his
congregation, and the stone informs us, —
"Modest thro* life, an humble path he trod,
And passed bis days in service of his God ;
To guilty men he preached redeeming grace,
Till death's unsparing scythe cut short his race ;
Called by his glorious Master to the skies.
He now enjoys, we hope, the immortal prize."
The stone which marks the resting-place of one
who by his name should be a Presbyterian informs
us that it was placed there
" In memory of
Robert Calvin,
died March 8, 1812, aged 69 years.
Come, look on, my friend,
And you'll drop a tear,
For honest Robert
Doth lie buried here."
Of Jane Calvert, who had died the preceding year,
aged sixty-six years, we are told, —
" The Kind, good Jane,
Its here she doth rest;
But her spirit's gone
Among the blest."
Presbyterian Church at Glen Riddle. — On
Oct. 19, 1880, a Presbyterian Church, with twenty
members, was organized at Glen Riddle, delegates
being appointed for that purpose by the Presbytery
of Chester. Rev. James W. Dale, D.D., of Media,
preached on that occasion. In the year preceding,
1879, Samuel Riddle had begun the erection of a
handsome brick church, laid in black cement, with
yellow trimmings, the windows being of stained glass
- See ante, p. 256.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
617
and memorials of various members of tlie Riddle
family. The edifice was completed the following
spring, at a cost of ten thousand dollars, and dedi-
cated July 4, 1880. Dr. Dale, at the urgent request
of Samuel Riddle, became the first pastor, until his
death, in 1881, when Rev. John B. Rendall for a
time was in charge of the church. At the present
time the dean of Lincoln University supplies the
pulpit. Forty members are now connected with the
church, and a large and well-attended Sunday-school
is maintained.
Lima Methodist Episcopal Church.— William L.
Fox, Eleanor Fox, James Permar, John Pyle, and
four other persons, in 1833, organized a Methodist
society at Lima, which was placed under charge of
James Riddle, a local preacher. For about six
months meetings for worship were held at the dwell-
ing of William L. Fox, now owned by John Porson,
after which period the school-house then belonging
to William Smedley, now owned by Mrs. Thomas
Smedley, located at the forks of the road a quarter of
a mile west of the Black Horse Tavern, was rented,
and services conducted therein by the circuit preacher.
On Aug. 19, 1835, in consideration of seventy-five
dollars, John Rattew conveyed to Henry Permer,
Charles McCally, John Pyle, Lewis M. Pike, John
Daniels, Seth Rigby, William L. Fox, of Middletown,
Caleb G. Archer, of Aston, and Joshua Smith, of
Edgmont, trustees, one acre of land " forever, in trust,
that they shall erect and build or cause to be built
thereon a house of worship for Methodist Episcopal
Church of United States of America." The trustees
built on this lot, the present church site, a stone
meeting-house, which, in 1873, was rebuilt and en-
larged. The dedication of the new sanctuary took
place on Sunday, April 6, 1873, and on March 23,
1874, the court of Delaware County incorporated
Lima Methodist Episcopal Church. Among the
pastors who have been in charge of the station are
the following: Revs. James Ayers, John Edwards,
John Morrison, A. Dotterer, John Jennings, Mr.
Shepherd, George Burns, Mr. Grawley, A. N. Milli-
son, and Mr. Turrentine, the present incumbent. The
present membership of the church is sixty, and a
Sunday-school of one hundred pupils, under the di-
rection of William Turner, superintendent, is in a
flourishing condition.
Honeycomb Methodist Episcopal Church.—
About 1872 a Jlethodist society was formed by a
number of colored people in Middletown, and a frame
church erected near the Bishop Hollow road. The
building is still used for a place of worship by the
society.
Schools.— In Painter's manuscript" Reminiscences
of Delaware County," in the Historical Society of
Pennsylvania, it is stated that " about 1740 there
was a lot of land given by Thomas Yarnall and
Thomas Minshall, equally, on each side of the line
between them, for the use of a school-house. From
the trustees named, this school must have been in-
tended to accommodate a large extent of country.
It was at one time in the care of George Deeble, an
Englishman, who had but one hand, yet, from what
we have learned of him, he was quite competent for
the situation."
On May 16, 1749, a plot of ground near the Presby-
terian Church, on the Edgmont road, was conveyed to
trustees for school purposes, and on this lot a stone
school-house was erected, which stood until subse-
quent to 1835, for at that time it was mentioned by
the school directors as near " Middletown meeting-
house," and designated as School No. 8. It was used
only for a few years after the adoption of the school
law by the directors, but N. Walter Fairlamb remem-
bers being a pupil at the school kept there. As early
as 1783, Friends of Middletown established a school
at their meeting-house, and the old stone structure,
now unused, still stands on the lot. It was main-
tained for many years by the society until 1827, when
the separation of Friends occurred, and it then, under
the control of the Hicksite branch, was still con-
tinued as a place of education. Jacob Smedley, now
of Media, attended school in this old building from
1815 to 1820; John Hutton, Jacob Haines, and Jehu
Broomhall were teachers during that time. James
Emlin, at the time of the separation of the society of
Friends, was teaching a private school in a house not
far from the old Emlin mill, now Humphrey Years-
ley's. At that house the Orthodox Friends held their
meetings and kept their school. About 1836, soon
after their meeting-house was completed, they erected
a stone school-house upon the meeting-house lot,
in which school has been maintained with more or
less regularity to the present time.
In the olden time, when a boy or girl was inden-
tured, the agreement stipulated that a certain number
of days' schooling should be given the apprentice in
each year of his or her term of service. Hence, on
the indenture of apprenticeship of Isabella Griffith,
who was bound to John Rattew, appear the following
indorsements : " P. Wade certifies that he taught Isa-
bella two quarters and nine days at school in 1798-99 ;
Daniel Bayle's, twenty-seven days in 1800 ; John
Spencer, eleven days in 1802; John McClowghlin,
one month in 1803 ; Caleb W. Matson, one and a half
months in 1806-7."
A school-house is mentioned in the road docket in
1813 as " William Smedley's school-house." This
was an old house in 1808. Jacob Smedley, now of
Media, attended school there in that year, and for
several years thereafter. Abram Johnson, John Turn-
bull, John Hutton, and Joseph Taylor were teachers.
It was located at the forks of the Rose Tree and Mid-
dletown roads. The school-house was accepted by
the school board in 1835, and designated as District
No. 2, and was so known until discontinued in 1889.
The lot is now owned by Mrs. Thomas Smedley.
On March 18, 1825, at an election held in the town-
618
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ship for the purpose of choosing school trustees, Jacob
Hibbard, Robert Fairlamb, and Samuel Sharpless
were elected. The school law passed in 1834, and
William Fairlamb and Minshall Painter were ap-
pointed by the court as inspectors until the school
directors were elected under the law. The township
did not accept the law until 1836, and on May 7th in
that year the board of school directors appointed a
committee from their number to make inquiry where
a lot suitable for a school-house could be obtained.
At the next meeting the directors made the following
statement:
Appropriation from county and State for 1835 S215.87
Our share of $75,000 for 1836 70.
Our share of $100,000 for 183C 93.00
Amount receivable in the year 1836 $378,87
Our share of State and bank appropriation for 1837 163.(]0
Our share of county appropriation of $7500 authorized by the
delegate meeting 462.60
Amount available in July, 1837, for school purposes $1004.47
For building three new school-houses $800
For repairing old school-house 50
Amount necessary to be expended on school-houses $850
The directors decided to borrow a sum of money
sufficient to complete the school-house. On Dec. 6,
1836, the committee on site for school building re-
ported " that such extravagant prices were asked for
sites equitably distant that they did not feel warranted
in purchasing." This report decided the school board
to petition the Legislature, asking " that they in some
way be relieved from vexatious negotiations and
delay."
On April 29, 1835, the school directors purchased
from Peter Hill, for fifty dollars, a lot containing half
an acre, situate on the Pennsgrove road, near Riddle's
factory, on Chester Creek (then Parkmount). The
deed was delivered by George W. Hill to the board
June 10, 1837, and at that meeting Nicholas Fairlamb
agreed, for one hundred dollars, to sell half an acre
of land on the lower j^art of his farm on the Edgmont
road. At a meeting of the board, August 12th in the
same year, it was decided to erect a school-house on
the Fairlamb lot, which was completed during the sum-
mer, and November 15th following it was determined
that the Fairlamb school-house, " lately erected, shall
be called No. 1 ;" the school-house near William
Smedley, No. 2 ; the school-house at the Middletown
meeting-house. No. 8, and the school-house " lately
erected near Riddle factory" be No. 4.
On Dec. 1, 1837, the directors determined that the
public schools be opened on the 19th of December
of the same year. Public notice was given that four
teachers would be employed. Five were examined,
and engaged for three months, at twenty-five dol-
lars per month. They were James M. Mullen, No.
4; George Waller,. No. 1; William W. Smedley,
No. 5 ; George Smedley, No. 2 ; and Joel Sharpless,
No. 3. School No. 5 here mentioned was kept in a
house near the Pitts farm, where later a house was
built. On July 15, 1838, the following teachers were
employed for three months: Mary Dunlevy, at $45
per quarter. No. 5 ; William Webster, at $60, No. 1 ;
Thomas Dawd, 160, No. 4; Samuel Darlington, $60,
No. 3 ; and George Smedley, $60, No. 2.
At a meeting of the directors Aug. 12, 1837, a com-
mittee was appointed to select lots for school pur-
poses in the middle, western, and southeastern sec-
tions of the township. On the 17th of May preceding
a committee had been appointed to apply to the trus-
tees of the school-house near Friends' meeting-house
for the use of that house for public school purposes,
but Friends declined to allow their house to be used
by the directors, stating that they were occupying it
for their own schools.
On the 28th of March, 1889, the directors purchased
a lot, containing a half-acre of land, of Joshua Sharp-
less in the western part of the township. Jared Dar-
lington ottered to erect a house on the site for four
hundred dollars, which was accepted. The house was
built and delivered to the directors October 26th in
that year. On the 27th of April, 1839, the committee
on sites reported that a lot could be obtained of George
Smedley, at the Barrens. On May 28th in that year,
a half-acre of land was puchased from Smedley, at
that place, for fifty dollars. It was not until 1841 that
a house was erected. At that date Thomas Reece built
a house for three hundred and fifty-five dollars, which
was used until 1868, and on April 15th in that year a
contract was made with Isaac N. Flounders to build a
school-house at that location for two thousand one hun-
dred and ninety-three dollars, which is known as the
" Barrens," or District No. 8. On Oct. 16, 1839, a lot was
purchased from the Christian Pitts estate, on which
to erect a school-house, to be known as No. 5. Thomas
Shoemaker offered to build it for three hundred and
ninety-eight dollars, which was accepted. He subse-
quently declined to fulfill the contract, and on March
11, 1840, John Eves offered to build it for three hun-
dred and seventy dollars, which offer was accepted,
and the house was erected and completed in June,
1840. The numbers of the district were changed after
1842, and No. 3 was known as " near Riddle's," and
No. 4 as " near Isaac Yarnall's."
On Oct. 11, 1848, No. 8 school-house was reported
as too full for comfort, and a room was soon after
rented for forty dollars per annum.
On July 16, 1849, School No. 6 appears in the rec-
ords. In 1850 the following report was made of the
schools of the township. Number of schools, 6;
number of months taught, 7 ; number of male teach-
ers, 4; female, 2; 192 male scholars, 228 female;
average in each school, 70 ; amount of tax collected,
$1015.43; cost of instruction, $1008.
On the 5th of June, 1850, a lot was purchased near
Knowlton, and a house was erected during the sum-
mer at a cost of five hundred dollars. This was des-
ignated as No. 7 ; and the same time a hall was
rented at Spring Hill for school purposes. In 1858
Samuel Riddle offered the use of a room in which to
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
hold a school, which was accepted, and the school
was called Glen Riddle School. This was later aban-
doned, and the Knowlton lot was sold March 8, 1869,
to Thomas McDermott for three hundred and thirty-
dollars.
In February, 1861, a lot of land was purchased for
one hundred and twenty dollars, at Lima, of the di-
rectors of the poor. A contract was made with Rob-
ert P. Dunn for the erection of a house thirty by
thirty-six feet for fifteen hundred and sixty dollars.
Thi.s was completed and is now in use. It is known
as No. 7. On Jan. 28, 1864, three-quarters of an acre
of land was purchased of Samuel Riddle for one hun-
dred and seventy-five dollars. Borell Williams con-
tracted to erect a house there for two thousand three
hundred aud eighty-four dollars. It was completed
and school was opened there Nov. 28, 1864. On April
16, 1866, the directors decided to remodel No. 1
school-house, and Simon Litzenberg was awarded the
contract for the work for six hundred and seventy
dollars.
On June 28, 1866, a contract was made with Joseph
Yarnall to remodel school-house No. 4. On April 25,
1867, it was decided to move School No. 2 to corner of
Thomas Pratt's land, between roads leading from
Village Green to Glen Riddle (near the fair-ground).
Three-quarters of an acre of land was purchased for
three hundred aud seventy-five dollars. Joseph P.
Yarnall contracted to build a house for nineteen hun-
dred and ninety dollars. The old lot at Park Mount
was then sold to Elwood Malin for four hundred and
seventy dollars.
On the 1st of June, 1868, the districts were renum-
bered : No. 1, near Habbersett's ; No. 2, near John-
son's; Nos. 3 and 4 (two stories), at Parkmount; No.
5, Darlington; Nos. 6 and 7 (two stories), at Lima;
No. 8, the Barrens.
On June 6, 1872, it was decided to erect a new
school-house in place of No. 1, on the same plan as
school-house No. 8. William Armstrong contracted
to build a stone house for seventeen hundred dollars,
which was done.
School Directors for Middletown. — The following
list contains the names of the school directors of the
township from 1834 to the present time:
On Oct. 1, 1834, the first election for school directors
was held at the house of George Malin. The follow-
ing persons were elected : Jonathan Thomas, Min-
shall Painter, George Smedley, Abraham Pennell,
Jr., David Thomson, and Edward Lewis. Subse-
quent elections have resulted as follows:
March 30, 1S35, William L. Lewis, .tames Pennell ; March 18, 1836,
Humphrey Johnson, Samnel Sharpless; March 17, 1837, Minshall
Painter, James Barton; March 16,1838, William Smedley, Jared
Darlington, Jonathan Paist; March 15, 1839, Samuel Hibbard,
Jonatlian Paist ; 1840, Nicholas Fairlanib, Israel Yarnall ; 1842,
Minshall Painter, Samuel Sharpless; 1843, Thomas Pratt, Nicholas
Fairlamb, James Enos; 1844, Samuel Eiddle, John H. Fairlamb ;
1845, William S. Lewis, Jacob Painter ; 1846, James Eves, Samuel
Riddle; 1847, John H. Tairlamb, Jared Darlington; 1848, William
L. Lewis, John Williams ; 1849, Pennock Edwards, Ezekiel Nor-
man ; 1850, Joel Sharpless, Joseph Dutton ; 1861, George Callaghan,
John Williams; 1852, Abram Blakely, John Williams: 1853, N.
Walter Fiiirlamb, James Pennell ; 1854, George Rodebach, William
Webster; 1855, George Rodebach, Castor Gray; 1856; James Pen-
nell, N. S. Yarnall ; 1857, John Williams, William Webster; 1858,
Nathan S. Yarnall, Charles Fairlamb ; 1859, Charles Johnson, Castor
W. Gi-ay ; 1860, John Williams, Thomas Williams; 1861, Thomas T.
Williams, Milton Edwards; 1862, George Callaghan, Jr., Charles
Johnson ; 1863, Hiram Schofleld, William Webster ; 1864, Nathan
S. Yarnall, George W. Ormsby ; 1865, Charles Johnson, Jesse Hib-
berd ; 1866, Owen W. Yarnall, John Pearson ; 1867, John McDowell,
Archibald McDowell; 1868, John Hoopes, Samuel Dunn ; 1869, John
J. Hoopes, Owen W. Yarnall ; 1870, S. P. Dunn, John R.Taylor;
1871, Jesse Hibberd, Jared Darlington ; 1872, Isaac W. Kerlin, M.D.,
John J. Hoopes; 1873, Samuel P. Dunn, James Miller; 1784, Thomas
T. Williams, James M. Schofleld ; 1875, John Hibberd, Thomas D.
Jester ; 1870, T. Darlington Jester, William H. Pratt ; 1877, Thomas
T. Williamson, Samuel Dunn; 1878, John Hibberd, Robert Fair-
lamb ; 1879, S. P. Dunn, William Burnley ; 1880, Robert T. Ash,
Charles K. Yarnall ; 1881, John Hibberd, Robert Fairlamb ; 1882,
S. P. Dunn, Samuel Riddle, Jr.; 1883, Jesse F. Smedley, C. R.
Yarnall ; 1884, Robert Fairlamb, John Hibberd.
Mills on Chester Creek.— The industries located
on Chester Creek, in Middletown, have an exceed-
ingly interesting history, and the narrative will be
told as the several mill-seats are reached, beginning
at the southern end of the township and moving up
the stream to its source. The like course will be
followed on Ridley, the eastern boundary of Mid-
dletown.
Forest Dale Mills.— At the court held at Chester
5th day of 1st week. Tenth month, 1686, Caleb Pusey,
the partner with Penn and others, and then the man-
ager of the Chester Mills, " Petitioned against Co-
bourn for setting a water-mill above him on Upland
Creek." The court, however, " considering the prem-
ises, and finding it to be for the common good, dis-
penseth therewith." Pusey was powerful and active
in protecting his own and partners' interest, hence,
after he obtained the intervention of the commis-
sioners of property forbidding Cobourn to build his
mill, the people determined to carry the matter before
the Provincial Council, and at a meeting of that body
on 17th of Sixth month, 1687, " The Petition of about
threescore people, Inhabitants of Chester County,
was Read, setting forth the great want of a Mill in
their parts, and Requesting a Permission for Thomas
Coebourne to goe forward %vith y° building and set-
ting up of his mill on Chester Creek. The Council
is willing to give Incourag"" to y' Procedure of
Thom. Coebourne, in the finishing of his mill that
he is now about, for y° urgent necessity of y" Con-
terey. Reserving to y° Gov' his Proprietary Ship."'
This petition was presented on behalf of the people
of the county, because on the 30th day of the pre-
ceding month, Caleb Pusey had induced William
Markham and John Goodson, members of the Board
of Commissioners of Property, to issue an injunction
forbidding Cobourn proceeding with the erection of
the mill. The order was as follows. The closing
paragraph particularly was ordered to be read to
1 Colonial Records, vol. 1. p. 208.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Thomas Cobourn, after which it was " to be nailed
up at the mill he is building":
" To Thos. Cobrmnte, of CImler County :
"Whereas we, the Proprietary Deputies, upon complaint made to us
by Caleb Pusey, that thou wast about to set up a mill in Chester Co., to
the great damage of the mill then under the charge of the s^ Caleb
pusey, which hath been of vast charge to the owners thereof, & hut of
little profit towards defrays any parts thereof, did on the 2'2d Inst,
obligingly send to thee to give Ihee notice thereof, and to desire thou
wouldst ye 29th following answer the s^ complaint before us in the
Council-Room at Pliil., hut instead thereof thou sent a letter of the 2Gth
inst. by v/W^^ we perceive thou dost not only contemn the proprietary's
authority & endeavor to subvert his dominion over all the water and
Boile within this, his province of Penns*, as he is chief propy thereof,
but likewise intended to persist in the builds the mill afores^i, to the
damage of the other mill and contempt of the proprietaryship.
"We therefore, in the propyl name, will and require thee to desist
from building the s** mill (with* positive orders from the prop? for the
same) or any way hinder the true course of the water of the s^ Cr. or
any part thereof by draws it out of its own proper channel, or stop or
any other way molest the same upon thy peril. Giv"> &c., 30th, 5th mo.,
The mill thus built by Thomas Cobourn was at
the site of the present Forest Dale or Dutton's
mills, and from the date of its erection was within
the limits of Chester township until after 1829,
when by a change of the township line the mill
property was embraced within Middletown, where it
is now located. On Nov. 28, 1682, three hundred acres
of land abutting on Chester Creek was surveyed to
Thomas Cobourn. The latter was erecting his grist-
mill there in the summer of 1687, and after Council
had set aside the injunction granted by the commis-
sioners of property, he doubtless speedily completed
the building. In 1695, when the assessment for a
county levy was made by the grand jury and justices,
the grist-mill of Joseph Cobourn was appraised at
fifty pounds. The mill was doubtless a log structure,
and old Thomas Cobourn, who was a carpenter,
assisted by his sons, Joseph and William, did the
greater part of the work in its erection. About 1760
a new stone grist-mill was built, taking the place of
the log structure. At a subsequent date the title to
the mill and land passed to Lewis, whose heirs,
Mary Cox and John Lewis, on Feb. 14, 1775, con-
veyed the premises to Nicholas Fairlamb. The deed
designated that there was then on the tract " a water
corn-mill or grist-mill, boulting-mill, and saw-mill."
Fairlamb retained ownership of the mills until Nov.
12, 1792, when he sold them to Jonathan Dutton.
The mills were placed in the control of his son, John,
when the latter became of age, who retained posses-
sion of the estate, it having become his property
at the decease of his father, in 1820. Jonathan
Dutton succeeded his father, John Dutton, in the
ownership of these mills. During the great flood
of 1843, and while endeavoring to place some of his
property out of the reach of the flood, so rapid was
the rise of the water ihat Jonathan Dutton was com-
pelled to retreat from one story of the building to
another until he reached the upper one, shortly after
' Smith's " History of Delaware County," note, p. 162.
which the building began to yield to the force of the
torrent. Knowing that the situation had become
perilous, he leaped from a window and succeeded in
reaching the shore, about one hundred yards below.
A few moments after he left the mill it was swept
away. The mills were rebuilt in 1844. Jonathan
Dutton died Sept. 18, 1880, aged seventy years. The
property is now owned by George G. Dutton, repre-
senting the four generations of Duttons in whose
ownership these mills have been for nearly a century.
At the present time there is a stone grist-mill, a saw-
mill, and a turning-mill on the estate.
Knowlton Mills.— On the 16th of January, 1789,
Nicholas Fairlamb (who at that time also owned the
Cobourn or Dutton Mill) conveyed to John Sharp-
less the tract of land on which the Knowlton- Mills
are situated. No mention is made in this deed of a
mill or mill-seat. Indeed, in 1800, " the site of Knowl-
ton was a perfect wilderness." ^
On Sept. 30, 1802, John Sharpless conveyed the
same tract to Jonathan Tyson, with the right of a
certain dam thereon. On November 15th of the
same year, Tyson purchased of Elizabeth Grissell
(Griswold) fourteen acres in Aston township, located
on Chester Creek, opposite to the tract he had bought
of Sharpless ; the deed specifically mentions the dam
rights, etc.
On May 25, 1807, Elijah Tyson, a son of Jonathan,
bought of his father two hundred and fifty acres of
land in Middletown, embracing the mill-site, dams,
and water rights, and, July 25th of the same year,
the fourteen acres in Aston, with right to abut dam
against the shore of the creek. In this year (1807),
for the first time, the name of Tyson appeared on the
assessment-roll in connection with mills, and at that
time Elijah Tyson was assessed on a saw-mill. He
continued to control the business until July 27,
1813, when he sold eight acres in Middletown, in-
cluding the mill, mill-dam rights, etc., and fourteen
and a half acres in Aston township, opposite, with
water rights, to Judah Dobson, of Philadelphia, who
changed the saw-mill to a rolling-mill. Little infor-
mation has been gained concerning this mill, but
tradition asserts that it was a copper-mill, and the
road leading from the place to Village Green is still
known as the Copper-Mill road. The venerable Hon.
Edward Darlington, of Media, now in his eighty-
ninth year, states the mill was known as Dobson's
copper-mill, and was used for rolling copper into
sheets. The mill does not appear on the assessment-
rolls for 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, nor in that of 1821.
On Nov. 6, 1822, John Vaughan and John Hart,
assignees of Thomas and Judah Dobson, conveyed to
Samuel Love "all that rolling-mill and four tracts of
land," one of which is described as in Middletown,
on Chester Creek, containing eight acres, adjoining
lands of Elijah Tyson, Abram Trimble, and others.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
621
Another tract was in Aston, and was partly covered
by the mill-pond, and was adjoining and below the
land of Jesse Grissell (Griswold). Samuel Love re-
tained title to the estate until Feb. 9, 1825, when he
conveyed it to John D. Carter, who had been oper-
ating the Trimble cotton-mill in Concord since 1813.
In the deed to Carter it is stated that the rolling-mill
had been changed into a cotton-factory, and that the
"cotton-factory, mill-dams, ponds, races, etc., and
four pieces of land" were the properties embraced in
the conveyance. In the "Report of the Manufac-
tories of Delaware County," made in 1826, the place
is described as being above the Button Mill, " on
Chester Creek, in Middletown township, a cotton-
factory, forty by ninety feet, head and fall thirteen
feet, owned and occupied by John D. Carter ; has
seven carding-engines of twenty-eight and two of
thirty-one inches, workers and strippers, two drawing-
frames of four double heads each, two double speed-
ers of ten bobbins each, one stretcher of forty-two
spindles, eight hundred and eight throstle spin-
dles, six hundred and sixteen mule spindles ; spins
twelve hundred and seventy-eight pounds of cotton
yarn per week. No. 20, with power to drive four
thousand spindles, with all the necessary preparation.
Employs about forty-six hands; tenements for thir-
teen families." This property was owned by Carter
until April, 1829, when it was sold to Edward Dar-
lington and Thomas Clyde, and Carter removed to
the South. The mills were rented by Darlington and
Clyde to Kershaw, Dean & Hill, who operated them
until they were sold, March 4, 1832, to Robert Beatty
and John O'Neill. At the time of the purchase there
was a cotton-factory and tilt-mill on the estate.
Beatty & O'Neill began at this place the manufacture
of edge tools ; but O'Neill soon withdrew from the
firm, and rented from Beatty, who had bought the
cotton-mill at Knowlton. On Jan. 7, 1834, the fac-
tory was, with contents, entirely consumed by fire.
On Oct. 26, 1835, John P. Crozer bought the prop-
erty, containing the four tracts of land conveyed in
1822 to Samuel Love, a tilt-mill, saw-mill, new build-
ing for factory, twenty-five by thirty-five feet, one
brick and seven stone houses. After the sale Mr.
Beatty continued the business at the place for a year
or two, when Mr. Crozer erected a stone cotton-mill,
thirty-two by seventy-six feet, three stories in height.
This mill building was washed away in 1843,^ and the
next year a stone building, thirty-three by eighty-five
feet, three stories in height, was erected.
In 1846, Phineas Lownes and Abraham Blakeley
commenced manufacturing at that place and con-
tinued until 1853, when it was operated by Mr, Crozer
until about 1869. At the latter date the mill was
leased by John B. Rhodes, who now operates it.
" Near the head-gates of the mill there was formerly
the marks of a grave, the occupant of which tradition
1 See ante, p. 104.
named Moggey, and from that circumstance the cross-
ing of the creek was named Moggey's Ford. As Mog-
gey had the reputation of making her appearance oc-
sionally, it required no little courage in the traveler
in early times to cross the ford at night.'" The in-
cident on which the tradition was based was that
about sixty years ago an English girl disappeared from
that locality, and although suspicion pointed its finger
at a wealthy resident in the neighborhood as being
interested in her disappearance, no action was taken.
The marks of a grave at the head-gates when in sub-
sequent years human bones were discovered near the
spot, and long after the suspected man had removed
to a distant country, were spoken of in confirmation of
the truth of the tradition of Moggey's ghostly appear-
ances.
The Bottomley Woolen-Mill.— On a little run
known in early days as Clark's Run, later as Chrome
Run, a feeder of Chester Creek, which empties into
the latter a short distance above Presbyterian Ford,
about 1810, a small stone woolen-factory, fifteen by
thirty feet, was erected by Jesse Grissell for James
and John Bottomley. The latter were Englishmen,
and accompanied to America by their mother, a
brother, Samuel, and a sister, Elizabeth, who subse-
quently was married to Groves. The males of
the family worked in the factory, and John died at
that place. Samuel, after the war of 1812, went to
Baltimore, where he died. The Bottomleys continued
the woolen-mill until 1832, the land being owned by
Jesse Grissel (Griswold), who had purchased it in
1806 of Morris Trueman, when James Miller and
Robert Boyd rented the property. Miller made edge
tools ; the latter turned axe-handles, bobbins, and
manufactured paper there in a small way. The mill
was burned in 1848.
The Morris Trueman Saw-Mill.— Above the Bot-
tomley Mill on Chrome Run an old race is still to be
seen on the land of John Scofield. The breast of
the dam has been plowed down with recent years, and
is on land of Bernard McArron. This was the site
of Morris Trueman's saw-mill, erected there prior to
1777. In that year he removed to Darby Creek and
built a paper-mill, which was afterwards generally
known as the Matthews paper-mill, and is now owned
by Samel Lewis. The mill was used until about 1812.
The Old Sable Nail- Works.— The story of the old
iron-works which, prior to 1785, were established on
the opposite side of Chester Creek from the nail-
works, has been related in the history of Aston town-
ship. In 1809, Capt. Henry Moore, who was then
in charge of the forge and rolling-mills on the other
side of the creek, owned by his brother-in-law, Thomas
Odiorne, erected on the island in the creek at Rock-
dale a nail-factory, and placed therein nine nail-ma-
chines. In 1810 one hundred tons of iron were man-
ufactured into nails at this factory, which were sold
s Smith's " History of Delaware County."
622
HISTOEY OF DELAWAEE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
on an average for ten cents per pound, the capacity
being increased gradually until in 1826 one hundred
and fifty tons of nails were manufactured, and in 1832
the annual production had reached four hundred
tons. In the latter year Richard Smith, a wholesale
hardware dealer in Philadelphia, was compelled to
take the works to cover advances made to Capt.
Moore, and he leased the establishment to Howard &
Massey for several years, they using the building for a
machine-shop. It later passed to Bernard McCready,
was used as a cotton-factory by James Roe, and still
later by Robert Boyd, under whose occupancy it was
partly destroyed by fire. The property was purchased
by Alex. Balfour, who erected the present building
and rented it to Joseph Richardson, Nicholas Walter,
and H. P. Griffiths, who manufactured cotton and
woolen goods for about two years. It later passed to
Samuel Riddle, who operated it a few years and re-
moved the machinery to his other mills.
Glen Riddle Mills.— On Nov. 9, 1683, three hun-
dred and seventy acres of land were surveyed to
Richard Crosby, it being part of the five thousand
acres bought by John Ap (Bevan), John and Thomas
Wynne, in England, of William Penn, to be located
as the purchasers might desire on any unseated lands.
Crosby sold one hundred acres of that land to Robert
Pennell on April 6, 1685, and the latter conveyed it,
Dec. 12, 1717, to his son, William Pennell. The latter
had prior to the last date purchased sixty acres from
John Taylor, and some years after erected at the place
now Glen Riddle a saw-mill. In 1766, William Pen-
nell is assessed on a saw-mill and a grist-mill, which
he retained ownership of until his death, in 1783,
although be did not have the charge of the mills, for
during the Revolution they were operated by Abra-
ham Pennell. At the time of William Pennell's
death he was the owner of seven hundred and thirty-
five acres of land in Middletown, two hundred and
fifty-eight acres being located in the upper part of the
township known as Grubb's, a tract of four hundred
and seventeen acres, and sixty acres on which was
the grist-mill and saw-mill. A tract of one hundred
acres was across the creek in Aston township, on which
the " Old Sable Forge" was located, and two hundred
acres belonging to the estate was in Fallowfield town-
ship, Chester County. The residence of the Pennell
family is still standing, now the property of William
Webster. The children of William Pennell were
Abraham, Robert, Dell, Rachel (Mrs. Nathan Sharp-
less), Esther (who afterwards became Mrs. David
Garrett), William, Aaron, Jesse, Mary, and Samuel.
The last had been absent for several years when his
father died, and was believed to have died " beyond
the sea." On June 29, 1785, the real estate was ap-
praised at £6754 25s. 9d., and the Orphans' Court
made a decree that Abraham, the eldest son, should
be awarded the real estate, on condition that he paid
to each of the other heirs their share in the property.
Under this adjudication, on Nov. 15, 1785, the heirs
united in a deed to Abraham Pennell for the estate,
and the following day (November 16th) he conveyed
to Dell Pennell two hundred and six acres of the
Middletown tract, and the one hundred acres in Aston,
on which the forge was located. The same day he
also conveyed to Nathan Sharpless and Rachel (Pen-
nell), his wife, and Esther Pennell the sixty acres of
land on which the grist-mill and saw-mill had been
built many years before. Nathan Sharpless operated
the mills, and in 1790 the owners of the mill-tract
erected a stone house, which still stands, the date-
stone being marked "S. G. 1790." These letters in-
dicate that the dwelling was built by the husbands of
the two daughters of William Pennell. The letter
"S" standing for the initial of Sharpless, Nathan
having married Rachel, and " G" for Garrett, Esther
Pennell having married David Garrett. In this house
both families lived for a time, but in 1794, Nathan
Sharpless erected a small stone bouse, which still
stands, and in its walls is inserted a date-stone marked
" N S R 1794." To this dwelling Sharpless removed,
the Garrett family remaining in the 1790 house. On
Nov. 7, 1798, David Garrett and Esther, his wife, con-
veyed to Nathan Sharpless the " water corn or Grist
mill" and part of the sixty acres of land. On May
21, 1802, Dell Pennell sold to Nathan Sharpless the
right of the water of Chester Creek, for use of the
" Sharpless Grist Mill Dam where it now stands and
has long stood across the creek above our Forge Dam,
. . . and water sufficient to turn two overshot water
wheels of fifteen feet diameter driving each one pair
of mill stones of four feet six inches diameter."
In 1815, Nathan Sharpless erected a woolen-factory
and fulling-mill, which he operated until February,
1817, when he assigued the property to Abraham
Sharpless, Francis Wisely, and John Peirce. The
real estate on which the mills were erected, com-
prising fifteen acres, was offered at public sale May 3,
1818, and was purchased by Isaac Sharpless and Gid-
eon Hatton, who changed the woolen-mill to a cotton-
factory. After the building was completed it was
leased to John Hastings, who fitted it with the most
approved machinery of that period, and continued to
operate it until Oct. 23, 1823, when, becoming finan-
cially embarrassed, he was compelled to sell the ma-
chinery and the leasehold. The capacity of the fac-
tory is shown by the following enumeration of "all
the machinery requisite for carrying on a large and
extensive cotton manufactory, consisting of four
Throstles of 492 spindles, two mules of 408 spindles,
ten Carding Engines, 12 Roving Heads, 12 Drawing
Heads, one Stretcher of 96 spindles, four Reels, one
Grinding Machine, one willowing Machine, one
Picker and Blower, three winding Blocks, one Band-
ing Machine, and one Yarn Press, together with all
the rest of the Machinery."
During the time that Hastings had the cotton-fac-
tory, Joseph Mancill was lessee of the grist-mill. In
1825 the woolen-factory and fulling-mill were leased
')%fj^?? ^/)/yhiJi^,
MIDDLBTOWN TOWNSHIP.
by Dennis Kelly, who placed Charles Kelly, his son-
in-law, in charge of the business there. The unex-
pired lease Hastings sold to John Turner & Co., who
operated the cotton-mill until Oct. 27, 1827, when the
land and all the mills thereon was purchased by Peter
and George W. Hill. The new owners rented the
cotton- and woolen-factory to James Houghton. In
1831, John Garsed located at Pennsgrove, and, in
partnership with Wooley, rented the old fulling-
mill as a machine-shop, where they built looms and
other machinery for cotton- and woolen-factories. In
1834, Garsed rented the grist-mill, which he changed
to a cotton -factory, and, in partnership with William
France and James Roe, carried on the business there
for a short time, when Garsed withdrew from the firm
and France & Roe continued the business, but finally
failed. After James Houghton removed from Penns-
grove, John Garsed leased the mill, and in 1840 John
D. Peirce, a son of the then owner, entered into part-
nership with John Garsed. The firm continued there
until April, 1843, when Samuel Riddle came into pos-
session. On Aug. 26, 1840, Peter and George W. Hill
conveyed the estate to Eli D. Peirce, and on April 1,
1843, the latter sold it to Samuel Riddle, the present
owner. At the time Riddle purchased, the improve-
ments on the land consisted of one cotton-factory,
ninety-six by forty-two feet and three stories in
height ; machine-shop, which had formerly been the
woolen-factory, sixty by thirty feet ; a stone drying-
house, twenty-eight by eighteen feet ; and a stone
cotton-factory, fifty by forty-five feet, two stories in
height; a block of six stone tenement houses, and a
large mansion-house, which had been built by George
W. Hill in 1829. Samuel Riddle took possession of
the premises in 1843, and, fortunately, the flood of that
year inflicted but little damage to his property. In
1845 he made extensive additions to the mill, and in
1872 erected a stone woolen-mill one hundred and
twelve by sixty-five feet, three stories and a basement
in height. In 1881 he built the brick mill, one hun-
dred and thirty-five by sixty-two feet. The Glen
Riddle mills at the present time contain fourteen
thousand cotton spindles, twenty-four hundred woolen
spindles, and three hundred and sixty looms. Three
hundred and eighty operatives are employed. The
goods made at these mills are tickings, cheviots, and
doeskins.
Parkmount Mills.— Samuel Riddle, a cotton man-
ufacturer, in 1829, moved from Riddle to Chester
Creek, Peter Hill having agreed to erect for him a
cotton-mill above the forks of Chester Creek. This
factory, known as the Parkmount Mills, was oper-
ated by Samuel Riddle until 1841, after which it
was leased by John Dixon and others, finally by
the Callaghan Brothers, during whose occupancy it
was burned in 1863. In the year 1866, Burnley,
Gledhill & Co. erected on the site the present mill,
fifty by one hundred and fifty feet. They manu-
factured both cotton and woolen goods. In 1870 the
Parkmount Mills Cotton and Woolen Company was
organized, with George MoUison, president, John
Burnley, secretary and treasurer, and Francis Butter-
worth, superintendent. The mill contains at present
time ninety-six looms, five sets of cards, and eighteen
hundred spindles.
John Burnley, the son of John and Mary Burnley,
was born in Littletown, Yorkshire, England, May 14,
1820. After receiving a fair English education he
learned the trade of a spinner, and soon after deter-
mined to seek a wider field of labor in America. On
the 12th of September, 1838, he sailed from Liver-
pool, and on his arrival removed at once to Cobb's
Creek, Montgomery Co., Pa., where George, his eldest
brother, was already established as a manufacturer of
cotton fabrics. With him he sought employment,
and remained as one of his most valued assistants
until May 2, 1844, when he removed to Darby Creek,
in Delaware County, and became a partner with his
brother in the manufacture of jeans. On removing
to Lenni, in connection with George Mallison and
George Gladhill, under the firm-name of Burnley &
Co., he rented the Parkmount Mills at this point,
and began the manufacture of cotton and woolen
goods. He retired in 1870 from active business, but
two years later, together with George Mallison and
Francis Butterworth, resumed his business relations,
the firm being known as Burnley & Co., which was
changed in July, 1878, to " The Parkmount Cotton
and Woolen Company, Limited." Mr. Burnley con-
tinued thus actively engaged until his death, on the
26th of November, 1883, being secretary and treasurer
of the company. He married Mary Lomas, daughter
of James and Mary Lomas, whose children are Wil-
liam, Adeline (Mrs. Edward Marland), Frances Ann
(deceased), John Edward. Mrs. Burnley died Aug.
1, 1881, and he was again married, March 1, 1883, to
Alice Lomas, sister of his first wife. Mr. Burnley
was in politics a Republican, but devoted to the in-
terests of his business, and gave little attention to
matters associated with the political world. He pos-
sessed great business capacity, strict integrity, and a
genial nature, which endeared him to all who were
favored with an intimate knowledge of the man. His
religious preferences were for the Protestant Episcopal
Church, in which faith he was educated. Mr. Burn-
ley was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of
Protection Lodge of Independent Order of Odd-Fel-
lows of Philadelphia. The business which he aided
in establishing is conducted as formerly, his interest
being represented by the estate. The grandchildren
of Mr. and Mrs. Burnley are John H. Burnley, Flor-
ence B. Marland, and Mary Lizzie Burnley.
John and Mary Burnley were residents of LevLsage,
in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, where
their son, Charles, was born on the 21st of June,
1808. Here and in the immediate vicinity his youth
was spent. After limited educational opportunities
he entered a blanket manufactory, where his father
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
was employed, and there learned the trade of a
spinner. This industry was followed in his native
land until 1842, when he embarked for America.
He was, in 1838, married to Miss Susanna, daughter
of James and Mary Woodcock, of Hightown, in the
West Eiding of Yorkshire. Their children are Mary
(Mrs. Henry Grant), deceased ; Mabeth (Mrs. Albert
Smith), Joseph, and Charles, deceased.
Mr. Burnley, on landing upon American shores, at
once repaired to Montgomery County, Pa., and en-
gaged in spinning with his brother, with whom he
remained until 1844. He then removed to Upper
Darby and pursued his vocation in connection with
his brother George. At a later date the three broth-
ers— George, John, and the subject of this sketch —
formed a copartnership for the manufacture of cotton
goods, which was continued until 1865, when the last
named came to Middletown township and purchased
a farm, having meanwhile relinquished the business
of a manufacturer. He remained thus engaged until
1878, when on his retirement from active pursuits he
removed to Lenni. Mr. Burnley was in politics a
Republican, but not active as a politician. He was a
zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and interested in all projects for the advancement of
morality and religion in the community. His death
occurred Oct. 13, 1881, in his seventy-fifth year. The
grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Burnley are Charles
E., Ulysses C, Henry T., Georgianna, and Anna,
children of Henry and Mary Grant ; Ella B., Wilmer
C, Susanna, George, and Mary, children of Albert
and Mabeth Smith; Susan E., Lizzie, and Mary,
children of Joseph Burnley.
Pennell Saw-Mill. — Subsequent to 1830, Joseph
Pennell built a saw-mill on Rocky Run, about three-
quarters of a mill from where that stream empties into
Chester Creek. It was owned by James Pennell sub-
sequent to 1848, and on Aug. 11, 1870, was swept
away by a freshet. It was never rebuilt.
Yearsley's Mill. — On Rocky Run, a branch of
Chester Creek, stands an old stone mill, and on a
tablet built into the wall, near the top of the gable, is
engraved the date 1792. The land on which this mill
is located was granted Dec. 7, 1741, to Joseph Talbot
by his brother, Benjamin Talbot, and comprised one
hundred and thirty-four acres, being part of the estate
of their father. Joseph Talbot, on the site of the
present mill, built a frame grist-mill, in which for
many years he conducted the milling business. On
April 21, 1773, Joseph Talbot, Sr., conveyed one hun-
dred and five acres of land and the grist-mill to his
son, Joseph Talbot, Jr. The latter owned the prop-
erty, and conducted the business until March 12,
1784, when he sold one hundred and fifteen acres
and the mill to James Emlin, who, in 1792, removed
the old and built the present mill on the site. Emlin
died in 1797, and the mill, devised to his heirs, was
retained by them until 1823. It is not probable that
any of the Emlin family carried on the business of
milling, for in 1799 we know the mill was operated
by John Peirce. On May 1, 1823, the mill was pur-
chased by Nathan Yearsley, but he dying before
1826, the mill was rented to Ralph E. Marsh until
Humphrey Yearsley, the only son of Nathan Yearsley,
became of age. When the latter attained his major-
ity, in 1836, he took possession of it, and has conducted
the mill to the present time.
Adjoining this mill-seat on the north, and on the
same run, was an old saw-mill, which was built prior
to 1782 by John Worrell, and was still owned by him
in 1826. The property was owned by J. C. Evans in
1875. Half a century ago the mill was abandoned,
and at this time the race and dam are almost leveled,
hardly a trace remaining.
Mills on Ridley Creek— Hillsborougli Mills. —
The first mill erected on this site is said to have been
built as a saw-mill about 1800 by John Evans, who
obtained the right to boat logs up the Stimmel dam
to the Evans itiill. The property in 1819 was in the
possession of the Bank of Delaware County, and was
sold by that corporation to James Ronaldson on No-
vember 4th of that year. A cotton-factory wassoon after
erected under the charge of Patrick Mulvany, thirty-
three by fifty-six feet, three stories high, and in 1826
had three carding-engines, six hundred and sixty-two
throstle spindles, and four hundred and eighty mule
spindles. The mill spun about seven hundred pounds
of cotton yarn per week. There were then nine
houses and the mansion-house on the estate. It sub-
sequently was in charge of George Cummins, Jona-
than and Jabez Jenkins respectively. On the 26th of
June, 1835, James Ronaldson sold the mills to Hugh
Groves, an Irishman. In 1841 the factory was eighty
by forty-six feet, and contained four double cotton-
cards, two large speeders, two ellipse speeders, one
drawing-frame with three heads, one with two heads,
two mules of three hundred spindles each, one of two
hundred and forty spindles, thirty-six power-looms,
seven throstles of six hundred and sixty spindles, etc.
The mills were purchased by Samuel Bancroft in
1842, and run by him till about 1866, when they were
sold to John Fox, under whom they were burned
down subsequent to 1870. The jjroperty is now
owned by Samuel Bancroft, and is lying idle.
Media Water-Works. — A long and narrow tract
extending from Ridley Creek southwestward, and
nearly half-way across the township, and to the lands
of Richard Crosby, was taken up by Joseph Jarvis,
but not surveyed to him till March 13, 1701. At this
location, on Ridley Creek, Jarvis erected a grist-mill,
which was operated by him in 1704, for at Providence
Friends' Meeting, on Second month 24, 1704, ccjm-
plaint was made to meeting that " Thomas Jones had
unlawfully taken some corn from Jarvis's mill." Jas-
per Yeates was interested in this tract and mill in 1705,
for on February 27th of that year, Jasper Yeates and
Joseph Jarvis convey to Richard and John Crosby
" a mill and sixty-three acres of land." On March
CHAKLES BURNLEY.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
025
25, 1705, Richard and John Crosby in open court ac-
knowledged a lease to James Cooper for twenty-one
years. This may have been the James Cooper of
Darby, for in 1715 a fulling-mill was on the property.
Some difficulty must have occurred, for the lease was
rescinded.
On Aug. 26, 1715, Eichard and John Crosby sold
" all those water mill or grist and fulling mills," to Job
Harvey, cloth-worker, of Darby, or " Stoffer." He
was a son-in-law of John Bethel, who owned the
Darby Mill, one of which was a fulling-mill, which
Job Harvey had operated for some years prior to
1705, as in that year he purchased a part interest, and
remained at Darby until the purchase of this prop-
erty. Job Harvey retained ownership of the Middle-
town Mills until April 10, 1729, when he sold to his
son, Josiah Harvey, also a cloth-worker. This deed
describes the land as being in three tracts, one of
fifty-two acres, one of eight and a half acres, and one
of three acres, making sixty-three and a half acres.
Josiah Harvey sold the grist-mill, fulling-mill, and
three tracts of land, Nov. 10, 1731, to William Pen-
nell and Frederick Engle. On Dec. 30, 1734, Engle
released his rights in the property to William Pen-
nell, who owned it until April 2, 1740, when he sold
the same property to his son, Thomas Pennell. In
1766, and up to 1774, Caleb James was assessed on a
grist-mill, and on April 25, 1775, he sold the same-
described property that Josiah Harvey sold to Pen-
nell and Engle in 1731, and two more tracts to Isaac
Levis, of Upper Darby ; part of the land was in
Upper Providence. Soon after his purchase, Isaac
Levis erected upon the estate a saw-mill, on which
he was assessed until 1790, between which time and
his death, which occurred in 1794, he erected a paper-
mill. In 1798 the mill property passed to Seth Levis,
the eldest son of Isaac. On May 23, 1807, Seth sold
one-half interest to his brother-in-law, Edward Lewis,
■who married his sister. This deed, in mentioning
the mill land, recites that " Isaac Levis erected there-
on a paper-mill." These mills were conducted by
Levis & Lewis until the death of Seth Levis, and his
interest passed to Edward Lewis about 1825. In 1826
it is mentioned as being a two-vat paper-mill, and
manufactured twenty-four reams of imperial and
thirty reams of royal printing-paper per week. The
grist and saw-mills were also in operation. The paper-
mill was washed away in 1843, and was not again
rebuilt. In 1845, Edward Lewis erected at this site a
tilt-mill, which was rented to William & Thomas
Beatty, who manufactured edge-tools at this place
until 1850, when they moved their works to Spring-
field, on Crum Creek, above the paper-mill of J. How-
ard Lewis. The mill-property, on April 1, 1861, was
conveyed by William Levis Lewis and Edward Lewis,
heirs of Edward Lewis, to Lewis Palmer, who on
May 11, 1871, sold to Edward A. Price and others, by
whom the property was conveyed December 26th, in
that year, to the borough of Media. The corporate
40
authorities fitted the property for use as water-works
for the borough, retaining the grist-mill, which is still
used for milling purposes. It is stated by Miss Sarah
Miller, of Media, that while the mills were in the pos-
session of Isaac Levis, the lumber used in the con-
struction of St. Mary's Catholic Church, in Philadel-
phia, was sawed there.
Painter's Clover- and Saw-Mills. — On Dismal
Run, prior to this century, Enos Painter built a clover-
mill and saw-mill, which, in 1826, were reported as old
mills. Thomas Chalfant had charge of these mills from
1825 to 1831, and after that date, Benjamin Robinson
ran the clover-mill. It has years ago disappeared.
The saw-mill was run by John Heacock, who manu-
factured pails or buckets there, and Hugh Jones made
chair-backs. It was burned about 1860.
The Pennsylvania Training-School for Feeble-
Minded Children. — This institution, the third of its
kind in order of establishment in America, is de-
serving, by reason of its noble aim, splendid growth,
and colossal accomplishment in lessening the sum of
human sorrow and misfortune, of an extended sketch
in this volume, and we venture to say that there are
many, even in the township in which the training-
school is located, to whom its history is by no means
familiar.
A few words about the institutions in this country
which chronologically stand ahead of this one, may
not prove amiss in this connection. In the United
States the first school for the training of the feeble-
minded was opened in Barre, Mass., by Dr. H. B.
Wilbur, in July, 1848. Now there are no less than
thirteen similar institutions in the country.
The movement here in this direction began almost
contemporaneously with that in Europe.' Those
most prominent in the earliest measures resorted to
in this country were Dr. Frederick Backus, of Roch-
ester, N. Y., and George Sumner, of Boston, "who
were soon seconded by the enterprise, courage, and
philanthropy of Drs. Henry B. Wilbur and Samuel
George Howe, whose names must be yoked together
with equal honor, the first as the founder of the
Barre School."
The State of New York established an experimental
school at Albany, in 1851, which was soon followed
by a permanent State institution at Syracuse under
the superintendence of Dr. Wilbur, who had as co-
adjutors such men as John C. Spencer and Governor
Marcy.
1 " It is within the recollection of living men that Guggenbubl, of
Switzerland, Seguire, of Paris, and Sageve, of Berlin, opened at the same
time their schools for iniheciles and idiota, and the e.ves of the nations
to their duty in behalf of this neglected class. In 1S4G, Dr. Kern es-
bihlished a school at Leipsic; in England, in 1848, under the inspira-
tion of such men as Drs. Reid, Twining, and Conolly, Sir S. Morton
Peto devoted his own mansion (Essex Hall) for the purpose. Scotland
opened her first institution in 1852, and in June, 185;i, was laid, by
Prince Alherl, the corner-stone of the school of Earlswood, Surrey.
Nearly all the nations of Europe followed these examples."— Dr. KerUn
ill an ixddrex b^orc Ihe Philadeljihia SocKly /or Organiting Charitl/, Nov.
I 6, 1882.
626
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The next to move in this work was Pennsylvania.
Dr. A. L. Elwyn, afterwards the honored president of
the institution, attending at Cambridge a meeting of
the Association for the Advancement of Science, in
1849, turned aside to bear a letter from Rachel Laird,
a blind girl of Philadelphia, to Laura Bridgman, the
famous blind deaf mute of the South Boston Institu-
tion for the Blind, and while there he casually, at the
invitation of a teacher, visited a room to see the ex-
periment Massachusetts was making in behalf of the
children of feeble minds. He was so impressed with
what he saw, and with the feasibility of instituting
a similar school, that immediately after returning to
Philadelphia he held a conference with a number of
his friends upon the subject. During the same year
James B. Richards, of Boston, who had been associ-
ated with Dr. Howe, came to Philadelphia bearing a
letter of introduction to Dr. Elwyn. A meeting,
presided over by Bishop Potter and held in the office
of James J. Barclay, was addressed so earnestly by
Dr. Elwyn that the gentlemen present immediately
promised aid to Mr. Richards for the establishment
of an experimental school at Germantown.
On Feb. 10, 1853, the preliminary steps were taken
to found the school which has since developed into a
great State institution, and on the 7th of April of the
same year the Legislature incorporated " The Penn-
sylvania Training-School for Feeble-Minded Chil-
dren," and took it under fostering care, by which,
with the liberality of citizens, it was built up to a
condition by 1869 unequaled by any in the country.
The organization was effected by the usual methods
of all charitable corporations in the State. In the
enactment appeared the honored names of Alonzo
Potter, John K. Kane, J. B. Richards, Matthias W.
Baldwin, Jacob G. Morris, Isaac Collins, Alfred L.
Elwyn, James Martin, Alexander Fullerton, and
Franklin Taylor, who were, with their associates and
successors, constituted a body politic and corporate in
law. Membership in this corporation was secured by
the payment to the treasurer of thirty dollars, or by
the annual payment of five dollars. These moneys
were invested in the " Free Fund" of the institution.
The school was soon opened at Germantown under
the direction of James B. Richards, and by the year
1858 had acquired a property valued at nineteen
thousand dollars. The period of its active develop-
ment began in 1856, when Dr. Joseph Parrish was
called to its superintendence, and " the school became
an institution with considerable of an advancement
towards departmental purposes and classification."
In looking about for a location in which the train-
ing-school could better be conducted (then in Ger-
mantown) the site of the present buildings, a farm of
sixty acres in the vicinity of Media, was selected as
presenting all of the most desirable features. This
was bought from William L. Lewis for ten thousand
dollars, which sum was contributed by the many
friends who came to the aid of the institution, and
' who further donated eighty-three thousand nine hun-
dred and eighteen dollars towards the erection of the
first buildings. The citizens of Media contributed
one thousand dollars towards the purchase. The
formal opening of the school occurred on Wednesday,
Nov. 2, 1859. The dedication ceremonies were wit-
nessed by an immense throng of people, mainly the
citizens of the county. John P. Crozer gave the
opening address. He was followed by Dr. Joseph
Parrish, the superintendent at that time, and by sev-
eral others. The Legislature, prior to 1869, had ap-
propriated a total sum of ninety-seven thousand five
hundred dollars, which completed the central, north,
and south wings of the main building, and the Legis-
lature of 1875-76 listening to an appeal for increased
building accommodations, the sum of twenty thousand
dollars was placed in the substantial structure known
as the North House.
In 1877 began the effort to meet what was believed
to be an imperative need, — " the creation of a strictly
asylum branch, so situated at separate buildings that
the educational department would be unembarrassed
by it, while the inmates would get some share in the
benefits and supervision of a general institution."
It was not until the session of 1880-81 that the Legis-
lature was so impressed as to vote assistance, but that
body then made an appropriation of sixty thousand
dollars, which was used to construct two excellent
buildings on an adjoining farm, which in the mean
time had been bought. A commodious school-house,
forty by one hundred and eight feet, was also erected
at a cost of ten thousand dollars, and a laundry-
building, in which employment is given to about
twenty inmates, at a cost of five thousand dollars.
The original sixty acres has been added to until at
present the asylum grounds include one hundred and
forty acres. The total value of the real estate is prob-
ably not far from three hundred thousand dollars.
The State of Pennsylvania has increased her quota,
and now provides for two hundred and fifty children
of the commonwealth. The State of New Jersey
liberally supports sixty of her feeble ones, and the
city of Philadelphia sends eighteen. The " free
fund" amounts to over seventy-five thousand dollars,
and it is hoped that it may be raised to two hundred
thousand dollars in the not far distaut future.
There are at present six lists on which children are
admitted, viz., under the State fund of Pennsylvania,
appropriated for the support of two hundred chil-
dren of the commonwealth, for a period of not more
than seven years, apportioned as nearly as possible
among the Senatorial districts, according to repre-
sentation. It is wished to take on this fund improvable
cases only, or those who may return to the community,
at least self-helpful if not self-supporting ; under the
State fund of New Jersey, appropriated for the sup-
port of poor children of that State, or for partial aid
of such persons of only moderate circumstances, as
are unable to pay full cost of maintenance ; under
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
627
the State fund of Delaware, appropriated for the sup-
port of two children from each county of that State;
under the city of Philadelphia fund, applied to cases
received from the "Children's Home," of the Phila-
delphia almshouse, or by special permit through the
committee appointed by the Board of Guardians of i
the city of Philadelphia; under the free fund, de-
voted exclusively to the entire or partial maintenance
in the institution of such feeble-minded persons as I
may be selected by the superintendent and committee
on admission, and whose support is not otherwise i
provided for; and under the private list. Children
may be received on this list from any place in or out
of our State, on payment, quarterly in advance, of |
such sums as may be agreed upon, the rates being de-
termined by the amount of care the case requires, the
extra accommodations given, and the ability of parents
or guardians to pay.
As the foregoing suggests, the Pennsylvania Train-
ing-School is a private institution under State patron- i
age. The Legislature annually makes an appropria- |
tion of sixty thousand dollars for its support. i
Since 1864 Dr. Isaac N. Kerlin has been superin-
tendent of the institution. Under his management
the school has made its largest growth, and become
most widely useful. The aim of the management has
been threefold : first, as the name of the institution
indicates, to train the feeble-minded so that they may
return to their homes or be placed in proper places,
and be self-sustaining; second, to afford a permanent
asylum for those whose condition is helpless and hope-
less ; and third, to afford in the institution a home to
those who by its aids may be wholly or partially self-
sustaining. It is the desire of those who have given
the matter careful attention that the latter feature
may be more fully developed, by making at Elwyn
(as the place is called after one of the founders, and
the president of the institution) an Asylwii ViUaye.
Concerning this praiseworthy project, which must in-
evitably be carried out some time, we find the following
in the course of a newspaper article which had as its
subject a recent meeting of the directors of the insti-
tution :
"The correspondence of the institution establishes
least one thousand five hundred feeble-minded children
of persons too poor to pay for their support in
too much attached to their unfortunate offspring to place tl
Almshouses. The injury to the community from the pr
element is such that those who examine this problem b(
be wise economy to isolate the feeble-minded and idiotic,
in Delaware County, in connection with the present i
asylum village, to consist of farm-houses for those who are
a hospital home for the helpless, and a central educational
The institution already embraces these features, and by
farm-lands the cost of maintenance has so diminished that
lieved a plan embracing all this dependent population ol
feasible. This plan would bring under a working syBleni
tions of those families who are able to support in whole oi
of their afflicted members, and the aid of the counties and
In regard to the present condition of the institution,
it may be said that in beauty of surroundings and in
1 department.
' the Stiite is
the contribu-
the cheerfulness of its inner furnishing, in the neat-
ness and order of all that pertains to the school and
asylum, in the effectiveness of training, and in the
gentleness of care, the establishment at Elwyn is not
surpassed by any similar institution of which the
writer has knowledge.
The cluster of granite buildings is situated on a
beautiftil wooded eminence, between Media and El-
wyn Station, on the Philadelphia and West Chester
Railroad, within easy walking distance of either, but
nearest the latter, which, in fact, was established
principally for the convenience of those whose duties
take them to the school. The immediate hill on
which the main buildings are erected is terraced,
graded, with dry walks, and planted with shrubbery.
A grove of five acres on the west and north is laid
out for paths and drives, where in summer the chil-
dren exercise. A farm of nearly one hundred and
thirty acres extends into the valley below, furnishing
work for such boys as can be taught agricultural
labor. A small tramway connects the parent institu-
tion and the hill-side home, and it is designed to ex-
tend it to the Elwyn Station. The ears upon this
road run one way by gravity, and are drawn back by
donkeys. A pretty excursion car that runs upon it
accommodates twenty or thirty children, who are
thus afforded pleasurable out-door life for some hours
in the day.
The asylum buildings, with which this road con-
nects, are, like the main buildings, constructed most
substantially of stone, are of fine appearauce, and
excellently adapted to the purpose which they serve.
In short, everything about the institution is indica-
tive, by its perfection and practical usefulness, of the
broad charity of the people, the wise beneficence of
the State, and the intelligent and kindly manage-
ment that has found exercise here. The work that is
carried on by the Pennsylvania Train ing-School for
Feeble-Minded Children is indicated by the fact that
during the year (ending Sept. 30, 1883) four hundred
and twenty-eight children were under the care of the
school and industrial departments. Of these, three
hundred and ninety-six remained at the close of the
year, classified as regards support as follows :
state of Pennsylvania, wholly 193
" " partially 10
" New Jersey 61
'• Delaware 2
City of Philadelphia IS
By parents aud guardians 81
Soldiers' Orphan Fund 1
Free 30
Following is a list of the presidents, superinten-
dents, and assistant superintendents connected with
the institution from its incorporation to the present:
Presidents. — Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, 1853-66 ; John
P. Crozer, 1866-67 ; S. Morris Wain, 1867-70 ; A. L.
Elwyn, M.D., from 1870.
Superintendents. — Rev. James B. Richards, 1853-
57; Joseph Parrish, M.D., 1857-64; I. N. Kerlin,
M.D., from 1864.
628
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Assistant Superintendents. — I. N. Kerlin, M.D., 1857
-64; Mrs. Louisa P. Ross, 1864-66 ; Rockwood Brig-
ham, 1865-67; Henry W. Blake, 1867-69; Henry M.
Lyon, M.D., 1871-72; Edgar P. Jefferis, 1872-75;
Daniel W. Jefferis, M.D., 1878-80; William B. Fish,
1881-84; D. W. Wilmott, 1884.
Alfred L. Elwyn, M.D., was born July 9, 1804, in
Portsmouth, N. H., where he attended school under
the noted Deacon Tappan. In 1816 he became a
pupil of Phillips Exeter Academy, and there re-
mained three years. In 1819 he entered Harvard
University, from which he graduated in 1823, after
which he read medicine in Boston, under the cele-
brated Dr. Gorham. He went to England and Edin-
burgh in October, 1826, and returned to London in
April, 1827. He then passed one year in Paris, and
in the summer of 1829 returned to America, having,
during his sojourn abroad, visited his father's rela-
tives in England, and kept up a continuous course
of study. In 1831 he graduated at the University of
Pennsylvania, and received his diploma as M.D. He
was married Jan. 31, 1832, to Mary Middleton, daugh-
ter of Dr. James Mease, and granddaughter of Hon.
Pierce Butler, of South Carolina, by whom he had
one living child. Rev. Alfred Elwyn. His daughter,
Mary Middleton Elwyn, married Dr. S. Weir Mitchell,
of Philadelphia, and died in 1862, leaving two sons,
both of whom are living. In 1845, Dr. Elwyn, who
made Philadelphia his residence, but did not practice
his profession, purchased property in East Bradford
township, Chester Co., Pa., where he resided during
the summer months. He was one of the founders of
the State Agricultural Society, in 1850, and largely
identified with its progress, as also with that of the
Farmers' High School. He was connected with the
establishment of the Institution for the Blind of
Philadelphia, and was one of the originators of the
Training-School for Feeble-Minded Children, located
at Elwyn, Delaware Co., and fostered and built by
the State of Pennsylvania. He ever manifested the
warmest interest in philanthropic institutions, and
aided in the creation of many of them. He was be-
fore his death the oldest living member of the Ameri-
can Association for the Advancement of Science.
He also belonged to the Academy of Natural Sci-
ences, and was for some years a director of Girard
College. He was also vice-president of the Historical
Society, and a member of the Philosophical Society.
Dr. Elwyn served as president of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and was president
of the Old Agricultural Society of Philadelphia.
He was one of the Philadelphia board of three for
licensing taverns under a special act of the Legisla-
ture, in which he acquitted himself with honor, and
to the credit of the city. His farm in East Bradford
originally belonged to Philip Price, and on this land
was used, in 1846, the first guano introduced into
Chester County. Dr. Elwyn gave much attention to
the natural sciences, philosophical inquiry, and politi-
cal economy, and contributed largely to the press, re-
views, and magazines with his able pen. His varied
learning and versatile genius made him one of the
most pointed and incisive of our educated men. The
death of Dr. Elwyn occurred March 15, 1884.
Licensed Houses. — The first record respecting
licenses in Middletown which I have seen is the peti-
tion of Charles Crosley, Feb. 27, 1727, which states
that living by the great road from Concord to Phila-
delphia, he desires the privilege of keeping a public-
house. His application was indorsed by William
Pennell and eleven other signers. He was allowed
license until August following, but it was continued
annually to him until 1749, and in 1752 John Cros-
ley, probably his son, received license for a public
house of entertainment in Middletown.
Jonathan Hunter, May 25, 1731, made application
for the privilege to keep a house of entertainment in
Middletown, on the " Great road from Chester and the
Valley, and no publick house on said road." His pe-
tition met with the approval of the court, and the
license was continued until his death, for Aug. 23,
1733, William Hill, in his application, sets forth that
he " hath taken to ffarm the house with the appur-
tenances, late of Jonathan Hunter, dec'd, in the town-
ship of Middletown, where a house of Entertainment
hath been for some Considerable time and now is
kept." There Hill continued until his death, for in
1748 license was granted to his widow, Mary, who
having been married to James Bennett, in 1749, the
license was taken out in his name. In 1750, Joseph
Talboth (Talbot) states in his petition that Mary, the
widow of William Hill, "entended to decline at the
expiration of the license," and asked that it be con-
tinued to him, which was done. He kept the house
until 1761, when license was granted to James Mas-
sey for the years 1761 and 1762, and during 1763 the
license was taken out by either Thomas Caldwell or
Joshua Bean, who received approval that year. In
1764, John Hill, in all probabilities a son of the
former owner, obtained license and continued in the
business until 1778, when Bartholomew Sutton be-
came the landlord. John Pitt had the right to sell
liquor at this house in 1783, where he continued until
1786, when it ceased to be a public inn.
In 1731, the same year that Jonathan Hunter first
obtained license in the township, William Surman
made application for leave to sell " Beer & Cyder."
He had lived, he stated, " for several years in Mid-
dletown, and for the most of the time followed
making Malt or brewing of Beer." Although he was
strongly recommended by the signers, his petition
bears the indorsement " not granted."
William Trego, of Middletown, presented his pe-
tition, dated Aug. 28, 1733, in which he declared that
" having but a small piece of land, he wants to sell
beer and cider by small measure." His application
seems to have been granted, or held under considera-
tion, for on November 27th of the same year "a pe-
«C..^^>H-/- /^^^^.-o-s^ (>'2^^Z-t-T^7
MTDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
629
tition" (remonstrance), signed by Robert McClellan,
James Ewing, William Lindsay, and sixteen others,
was presented, whicb stated that "Peter Trego,"
(doubtless an error in the first name) "had set up
keeping a publick house or Ale House in Middletown,
in which were already two Taverns, — one on Philada.
road and the other on Chester road. Besides this is
situated so very near that place which many of us
have set appart in a peculiar manner for our meeting
together to worship the Great Creator of Heaven and
Earth, having our younger people to accompany us,
&c." The court refused the license, for the petition
is indorsed " not allowed."
William Noblit, in 1738, petitioned for license to
keep tavern in Middletown, but on Aug. 29, 1738, a
remonstrance was presented, signed by Elizabeth
Jack, Mary Pennell, Mary Pilkinton, Rebecca
Chance, Mary Grible, Ann Wills, Martha Blace, and
Elizabeth Campbell, denying the necessity of the
license, " since there are two taverns already in the
township," and designate them as kept by William
Hill, eight miles from Chester, on road to Valley, and
Charles Crosley, on Concord and Philadelphia road,
about one mile from Noblit's, and his application
failed.
Black Horse Hotel. — William Noblit again, Nov.
27, 1739, presented his petition, in which he informed
the justices that he " having newly built a Commodi-
ous stone house upon the great road Leading from
Chester to the Valley, about three-quarters of a mile
from the Presbyterian meeting-house where Com-
monly is a great resort of people, and as some having
ten or fifteen miles to travel to the sd place of wor-
ship," is necessary for the public generally. His
petition is indorsed by one hundred and forty sig-
natures. A remonstrance bearing date November 16lh,
signed by sixteen persons, set forth that his " house is
not above one and a half miles from William Hill's
tavern, and a mile from Charles Crosley's." The
court, however, yielded to the majority and allowed
the license desired, and thus was established the now
ancient public-house, whose history is interwoven
with so many noted incidents in our county annals,
the " Black Horse Hotel."
William Noblit had license continuously from the
date last given until the year 1763, although his name
does not appear on the list of licenses from 1754 to
1758, both years inclusive ; but inasmuch as his name
occurs again in 1759 to 1762, in all probabilities dur-
ing the five years before mentioned he had license
granted to him. In 1763, as stated in the account of
Hill's tavern, one or other of the names there given —
Thomas Caldwell or Joshua Bean — had charge of the
old house, while in 1764, Thomas Carrell, or Carvell,
was "mine host." In 1765, Nathan Edwards (who
on Aug. 31, 1742, asked for license on the "Great
Road from the Valley to Chester," and whose signers
on that occasion represented that " the Publick houses
near him on the sd road for a Considerable time have
been disorderly kept, as we are informed, to the Gen-
eral disatisfaction of the neighbourhood," without,
however, obtaining Edwards the license sought),
became the landlord of the tavern and continued so
until 1783, in which year Ezekiel Leonard assumed
the business, and remained there until he became
sheriff of Chester County, in the fall of 1786, when he
was succeeded by Richard Cheyney, whose petition,
in 1787, for the first time presents the now familiar
name " Black Horse" as the title of the inn. Chey-
ney was licensed the following year, and in 1789 Ben-
jamin Johnson prayed for and was granted the right
to keep there a public-house. Johnson continued
there until 1792, when he gave place to Joseph Gib-
bons. In 1793 James Pennell had license from the
court of Delaware County for the " Black Horse," and
again in the following year, 1794, when he died.
This James Pennell had previous to his removal to
Middletown kept tavern in Chester, and respecting
his death Mrs. Rebecca Brobson, of Chester, who
died in 1863, at a very advanced age, used to relate
the following particulars : While a resident of the
latter place, as an attraction for the public, he kept a
tiger, whom he had taught to perform a number of
tricks, and as the creature was apparently very docile,
he had no fears of the animal. This unusual spec-
tacle, at a time when there were no monstrous travel-
ing shows to entertain the masses, drew many persons
to Pennell's tavern, and frequently the owner of the
beast could be seen exhibiting to a crowd of gaping
rustics how tractable it was and how promptly it
obeyed his commands. Pennell, when he became the
landlord of the Black Horse, took the animal with
him and continued the exhibitions. One day, while
showing the people his entire control of the tiger, he
forced it to do many tricks over and over until it
became enraged, and, springing upon Pennell, it tore
him with its claws so badly before it could be driven
back that the unfortunate man died in a few hours
thereafter.
In 1795 his widow, Lydia Pennell, received the
license, and annually thereafter until 1802, when she
intermarried with David Esbin, who in that year be-
came the landlord. The following year the house was
kept by Elizabeth Vernon, who remained there until
1806, when George Pearson was " mine host" of the
Black Horse, to be succeeded in 1808 by James Fair-
lamb, and he in the following years had the license
transferred to Frederick James. In 1811, James
Hansley was the landlord, and in 1813 John Clayton
had the court's approval, while in the following year
Jacob Pyle did the honors of the house, and in 1816
Reuben Taylor was his successor.
The Black Horse Tavern in 1817 was presided over
by Sarah and George Hawkins, and they in 1820 gave
place to George Irwin. The latter in 1822 was followed
by George Malin. The central position the venerable
inn occupied made it a point where frequent public
assemblages were had to discuss important political
630
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and county topics, and it may be asserted that no
tavern within the limits of Delaware County was
better known than that in Middletown. In 1835,
Hickman Myers became the landlord, and he, in
1839, gave place to George Russell, Jr. During the
time that Russell was mine host of the Black Horse
it was brought, if possible, into greater prominence,
for here in November, 1845, a meeting was held " to
take into consideration the propriety of removing the
seat of justice to a more central position," and on the
mooted point of selecting a proper location "the
Black Horse, in Middletown," the highest elevation
in the county, was strongly urged as the proper site
of the local capital. Russell died in 1847, and the
following year Martha Ann Russell, his widow, re-
ceived license. In 1849, Maliu Bishop kept the house
and continued there until 1856, when Allen Chandler
became the landlord, to be followed in 1858 by Samuel
S. McCall. George W. Hill superseded McCall in
1864, and in 1866, when Mr. Lyons purchased the
property. Hill transferred the license to Edgar C.
Lyons. In 1867 the hotel was controlled by Lyons
& Ford, Edgar C. Lyons having associated with him
in the business James E. Ford, but in the latter part
of the year 1870 Ford retired, since which time Edgar
C. Lyons has been the landlord of the noted Black
Horse Hotel.
The Pine-Apple.— In 1806, Philip Yarnall, who,
the preceding year, had kept a tavern at Chester, was
granted privilege to keep a public-house at Middle-
town Cross-Roads, at the locality known to the pres-
ent generation as Lima. The frequenters of the Pine-
Apple, for so the inn was called, were either of the
belligerent element of society, or the whiskey vended
there was unusually exhilarating, for the character of
the debates and the arguments employed soon earned
for the locality the name of Wrangletown, and so
generally was it recognized by this appellation that
the maps and charts of the day and for many years
subsequently designated it under that title. The
court the following year refused to continue the li-
cense, and, although application was frequently made
to that end, the judges seemed fixed in their deter-
mination to discontinue a public-house in that neigh-
borhood. With remarkable pertinacity, Joseph Yar-
nall urged his suit until 1816, when he was gratified
by a favorable response, and annually thereafter he
appears as a successful aspirant for the judicial favor
until 1819, when William Spear, who seems to be met
with a remonstrance whenever he presented a petition
for license, became the landlord, and the following
year the court withdrew absolutely its approval of
the house. In 1836, Abel Lodge, who had purchased
the real estate of the late Jacob Yarnall, states in his
petition that there -were about eight acres of land,
adjoining properties of Samuel Jobson, David Cum-
mings, and others, " in the neighborhood of Lima
Post-Office (formerly Wrangletown), upon which
property is erected a good house, with six rooms on
the first floor, good stabling, and other conveniences
well adapted for the accommodation of strangers and
travelers," but the court rejected the application.
Three years thereafter, in 1839, Lodge made another
effort, but a lengthy remonstrance being presented
protesting against the license it was refused. All
endeavors to locate an inn at Lima thereafter ceased.
Lima,— In 1806, Philip Yarnall obtained license to
keep a tavern at the Middletown Cross-Roads, which
house was known as " The Pine- Apple." The sale of
whiskey at this place was extensive, an elderly gen-
tleman stating that at this place, at night and on rainy
days, a number of men from the neighborhood would
gather, and, as whiskey was cheap, there would soon
be a noisy crowd, usually ending in a broil. The men,
seated round a table with a dirty pack of cards, would
sing a song composed by a local jingler of rude verses,
one of which, for it had a dozen or more stanzas,
" Wrangletown we will pull down,
The sign-board we will alter;
And if we bad Joe Yarnall here.
We would bang him with a halter."
Joseph Yarnall was then the landlord of the hotel,
and the name Wrangletown was popularly applied to
the locality because of the quarrels, disputations, and
disputes which took place there at that time. In
1829, Dr. Richard Gregg built a store at the cross-
roads, and Nicholas Mendenhall established a lumber-
yard there. The lumber was bought in Columbia,
Lancaster Co., rafted to Chester, and drawn thence
by wagons. The store was first occupied by Nicholas
Mendenhall & Caleb D. West. In 1832 a post-office
had been there, known as Hamor's Store, and Caleb
D. West was postmaster. Prior to 1836 the locality
was known as Lima Post-Office. In 1833, Walter J.
Hooker as a boy was employed as a clerk by Nicholas
Mendenhall, and in the spring of that year Menden-
hall sold the store to John Van Leer & Isaac Chamel.
This firm failed in 1836, and on August 24th of that
year Walker F. Hooper rented the store and began
business there, continuing it until 1868, when he was
succeeded by his son. Homer Hooper, who associated
Azariah Barnes with him in the business, and in 1872,
William M. Thomas succeeded them there, and iu
1882, Ogden, the present. In 1842, Miss Ann
Jobson had a millinery-store at Lima, and iu 1845
she was succeeded by Miss E. Butler.
Lima Temperance HaU Association.— In 1847 an
association of persons favorable to the temperance or
Washingtonian movement of that period was char-
tered, and in 1848 the organization purchased a lot at
Lima and erected the two-story brick building known
as Lima Temperance Hall. It was dedicated Dec.
25, 1848, by theSons of Temperance. John F. Tay-
lor, of Humane Division, made an address, as did also
Mr. Paxson, of Philadelphia. The visitors on the
day of the dedication of the hall were supplied with
a sumptuous dinner, presented gratuitously by the
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
friends of temperance living in the neighborhood.
This association continued for a few years, when the
organization was disbanded, and the hall was pur-
chased by William M. Thomas, who changed it into
dwellings, but subsequently he changed the building
into one house, wherein he now resides.
The Village of Glen Riddle.— After the Sharpless
Mills became the property of Isaac Sharpless and
Gideon Hatton, the locality was known as "Penns-
grove Mills," which title was retained until February,
1854, when, complaint being made to the Postal De-
partment that frequent mistakes were occasioned, in
that letters intended for that office would be sent to
Pennsgrove, N. J., it was decided to change the name
of the station to Glen Riddle. Soon after the pur-
chase of the estate by Peter and George W. Hill, the
latter erected a store in the village, and a post-office
was establi-shed, George W. Hill being appointed the
first postmaster. At a subsequent date the office was
removed to Parkmount, and Samuel Riddle was ap-
pointed postmaster. In 1843, when Mr. Riddle pur-
chased the property, the post-office was re-established
at Pennsgrove, and from that date to the present
Samuel Riddle has been the postmaster, excepting in
1846, when he resigned, and in August of that year
David B. Stacey, who at the time was keeping store
at the village, was appointed, and continued to dis-
charge the office for a period of two years, when
Samuel Riddle was again appointed. On May 6,
1879, while a well was being sunk in the rear of the
bleaching-house at the Glen Riddle Mills, and at a
distance of eighteen feet from the surface of the earth,
gold-dust was discovered in the dirt drawn from the
well. Much excitement prevailed among the resi-
dents of the locality at the discovery. Specimens of
the precious dust were sent to Professor Foot, of the
State Geological Survey, and James E. Brown, the
druggist at Rockdale, tested the metal and found it
gold. Six quarts of sand yield fifteen cents in pure
gold, which it was stated at the time was five times
purer than ordinary dust.
Lenni Tribe, No. 86, 1. 0. of R. M.— In the Plant
Moon, 23d Sleep, G. S. D. 377, a delegation from the
Great Council of Pennsylvania visited Lenni, and the
lodge was instituted in Lima Hall. The following
officers were chosen : Charles W. Mathues, Sachem ;
Charles R. Yarnell, Senior Sagamore ; William Car-
son, Junior Sagamore ; William Fogg, Chief of Rec-
ords; William F. Mathues, Keeper of Wampum;
Joseph Bully, Prophet. Twenty pale-faces were ad-
mitted as members of the tribe at the first meeting.
The tribe was later removed to Lenni, Aston town-
ship, where it is now located.
The House of Employment. — In 1855 the direc-
tors of the poor, William Trainer, Joseph B. Leedom,
Jr., and Jacob Byre, were authorized to erect a house
of employment near Lima, on the farm purchased
from Abraham Pennell. The site for the building
was on rising ground, from which the land sloped in all
directions. Plans of the building were prepared by
David Taylor, of Chester County, and the contract for
their erection was made with Dutton Ottley. The
' building was begun about the 1st of May, 1856, and
completed in May of the following year. The paupers
were removed from the old building at Media to the
new house of employment in the first week in April
in that year. The main building is ninety by forty-
eight feet, with two wings, each forty-two by twenty-
eight feet ; and the main building is three stories in
height, with an observatory. A hospital was also
erected, twenty-seven by eighteen feet, two stories in
height. During 1883 an addition was made to the
insane department, and a stone cook-house erected.
The cost of the original buildings was twenty thousand
dollars.
Agricultural and Industrial Society of Dela-
ware County. — ^A meeting of the citizens of Dela-
ware County was held at the court-house in Media
on Aug. 8, 1878, for the purpose of establishing an
agricultural society. After addresses the society was
organized by the election of Dr. Ellwood Harvey,
president; Richard Young and William P.Thomas,
vice-presidents ; Henry C. Snowden, secretary ; J.
Howard Lewis, treasurer. Other meetings were held,
and stock subscribed to the amount of ten thou-
sand dollars. The first exhibition was held at
Chester Driving Park on Oct. 10, 11, 12, 1878. At
this exhibition three hundred and seventy-five ex-
hibits were displayed. In May, 1879, the directors
purchased about fifty acres of land of the estate of
John H. Fairlamb, about one mile from Media, and
on the line of the West Chester and Philadelphia
Railroad. These grounds were graded, fenced, fitted
up, and buildings erected during the summer of 1879,
and a fair was held there for the first time Oct. 8, 9,
10, 11, in that year. The gross receipts were three
thousand three hundred and eighteen dollars.
Fairs are held in October in each year. J. Newlin
Trainer was elected president in 1881, and is the
present incumbent. Henry C. Snowden has been
secretary since the formation of the society.
Chester and Delaware Counties Agricultural
Society. — On Saturday, May 12, 1835, a society under
the above title was organized, with John D. Steele as
president; William Painter, Richard Pemm, Henry
Myers, Gen. Joshua Evans, vice-presidents ; William
Jackson, corresponding secretary ; Dr. George Thomas,
recording secretary ; Caspar W. Sharpless, assistant
secretary ; George Brinton, Jr., treasurer. Directors,
Abraham W. Sharpless, William N. Barber, John
James, Thomas S. Woodward, Paschall Morris, Jo-
seph T. Jackson, Isaac Newton, Dr. John T. Huddle-
son, James S. Peters, and Hill Brinton.
The society held exhibitions lor several years in Ches-
ter and Delaware Counties, until 1845, when interest in
it ceased. In 1855 a second agricultural society was
organized. In 1857 its officers were : President, James
Andrews ; Vice-Presidents, Chalkley Harvey, Nathan
632
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Garrett, William Eyre, Jr., George Sharpless ; Treas-
urer, Adam C. Eckfeldt ; Corresponding Secretary,
Y. S. Walter; Eecording Secretary, Ellis P. Mar-
shall ; Assistant Secretary, D. R. Hawkins.
On September 17, 18, and 19, 18.55, a fair was held
at Chester. The public excitement preceding the
civil war so absorbed the public mind that the or-
ganization was compelled to disband.
The Darlington Dairies.— The farm of the Dar-
lington Brothers is located at Darlington Station, on
the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad. The
business was established by Jesse Darlington about
ninety years ago. The original dairy consisted of
fifteen or twenty cows, which had been increased to
thirty or forty cows at the time of Jesse Darlington's
death in 1842. He was the first person to introduce ice
to the market of Philadelphia to keep butter fresh and
hard. At first the prejudice was strong against its
adoption, and it was slow to win its way to popular
favor, and then only after a trial of the two systems
side by side had demonstrated the superiority of the
new over the old one. On the death of .Jesse Dar-
lington the business passed to his son, Jared, who
continued to supply the same class of families in
Philadelphia as did his father, no butter being sold
in open market. He died in 1862, at which time the
dairy consisted of sixty or seventy cows, the weekly
production of butter being two hundred and fifty
pounds. The Darlington butter was held in high
repute, and commanded a much higher price than
ordinary first-class butter. At Jared Darlington's
death the business was continued by his sons, — Ed-
ward, Albert, Jesse, and Jared. The dairy on the
homestead farm was conducted by J. and J. Dar-
lington, who are making about twelve hundred
pounds of butter weekly from the milk of two hun-
dred and seventy-five cows ; Albert Darlington, from
the adjoining farm, about five hundred pounds from
one hundred and fifty cows ; and Edward Darling-
ton's family, on another adjoining farm, about four
hundred pounds per week from one hundred cows.
The butter is now largely shipped to Washington,
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other localities,
where it is delivered to wealthy private families.
These dairies are furnished with every modern im-
provement known in the business. The cream is
separated from the milk immediately after milking
by centrifugal force, the machines used for that pur-
pose being run by steam-power at a velocity of seven
thousand revolutions per minute.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
EDWARD DARLINGTON, Jr.
Jesse Darlington, the grandfather of the subject of
this biographical sketch, married Amy Sharpless.
Among their children was Jared, born Aug. 15, 1799,
in Middletown township, Delaware Co., who married
Mary, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Jones Dutton.
Their children, are Edward, Sarah J., Albert, Amy
(Mrs. Henry Pratt), Frances (deceased), Jesse, Jared,
Mary, and Ruth Anna. The death of Mr. Darling-
ton occurred Dec. 7, 1862. His son, Edward, was
born Jan. 22, 1832, near Darlington Station, Dela-
ware Co., and spent his early years upon the farm of
his father. He enjoyed moderate advantages of edu-
cation, having first pursued his studies in Chester
County, and subsequently at Andover, Mass. After
a period spent in teaching he returned to the home-
stead farm, which he cultivated until his marriage,
when the farm upon which his family now reside
was rented. He subsequently became the owner of
this property, and during his lifetime followed the
pursuits of an agriculturist. He married, in 1856,
Miss Mary F., daughter of Charles and Deborah
Pittman Palmer, of Concord. Their children are
Frances (deceased), Charles P., Mary, Jared, Anna
S., Beulah W., Edward, and three who died in in-
fancy. Mr. Darlington was, in his political views, a
Republican, and, though interested in the public
measures of the day, was not active as a politician,
nor ambitious for oflJcial distinction. As a business
man he possessed remarkable energy and was thor-
oughly in earnest and diligent in what he undertook,
ever manifesting a keen sense of justice in all his
business transactions. Integrity and honesty were
prominent traits in his character. He was in his
religious belief a Friend, and reared his family in that
faith. Mr. Darlington's brief but useful life termi-
nated on the 7th of October, 1876, in his forty-fifth
year.
THOMAS PRATT.
Thomas Pratt, the father of the subject of this bio-
graphical sketch, who was of English descent, mar-
ried Hannah Haycock, of the same county and
township, and had one son, Thomas, born on the
homestead in Middletown township, now occupied by
his son, William H. Pratt, on the 11th of February,
1818. After receiving a substantial English educa-
tion at the popular Friends' boarding-school at West-
town, Chester Co., Pa., he returned to the parental
roof and engaged in labor on the farm. He married,
in 1839, Mary Worrall, of Middletown township, a
descendant of John Sharpless, and had children,—
Elizabeth (Mrs. Jesse Darlington), William H. (mar-
ried to Clementina M., daughter of Charles Johnson,
who has four children), T. Mitchell (married to Eva
Woodward, of Chester, who has three children), Peter
W. (who married Barbara Herr, of Lancaster County,
and has five children), Phineas (deceased), and Anna
Mary (Mrs. Thomas Byers). All the sons reside upon
the family estate. Mr. Pratt was a second time mar-
ried June 15, 1874, to Miss Sarah, daughter of Oliver
and Emma Johnson, of Middletown, Conn., to whom
was born Sept. 8, 1875, a daughter, Emma. By the
\^w;
,;^7Arkwo-<3-^^^^'*^^
g/%lL' U/A^rn^-^lrx^
^
06 0%a^^zA.^id^
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
purchase of adjacent lands considerable additions were
made to the homestead farm, which Mr. Pratt culti-
vated and greatly improved. He was the pioneer in
a branch of industry which has since grown to large
proportions in the county, — that of the manufacture
of ice cream. This was made on the farm and shipped
before the completion of the railroad by boat from
Chester to Philadelphia, where a ready market was
found. The enterprise proved so profitable as to
have induced many others to embark in the business.
Mr. Pratt retired from active labor some years before
his death, and ultimately removed to Media, where
he died on the 5th of March, 1882. He was a Re-
publican in politics, active in the defense of the prin-
ciples of his party, and a strong and outspoken Abo-
litionist. He served a term as commissioner of the
county, and also held various minor offices. He was
for several years identified with the Delaware County
Mutual Insurance Company as its president. He was
a member of the Delaware County Institute of Sci-
ence, and a life member of the Pennsylvania Train-
ing-School for Feeble-Minded Children, both of which
institutions commanded his warmest interest. His in-
fluence was ever given in the cause of temperance,
both by precept and example. He was one of the
board of trustees of the Charter House, in Media, a
body with whom he met but a few days prior to his
death. He was also one of the early projectors of
the Farmers' Market of Philadelphia, now so success-
fully established. Mr. Pratt was from childhood a
member of the society of Friends, and devoted to the
faith he espoused.
the same county, and has had children, — Clementina
M. (Mrs. William H. Pratt), Anna Mary (Mrs. Evans
Eachus), H. Winfield, L. Emma, Charles, William
A. (who is deceased), and Laura F. (Mrs. Albert P.
Ogden). In politics Mr. Johnson usually fraternizes
with the Republican party, though he may with pro-
priety be regarded as independent in his political
views. He has held the important office of treasurer
of Delaware County, and served as county commis-
sioner and in minor township positions. He was in-
structed in youth in the belief of the society of
Friends, and still inclines to that faith.
CHARLES JOHNSON.
Humphrey Johnson, the great-grandfather of the
subject of this biography, resided in Chester town-
ship, Delaware Co. Among his sons was Joseph, who
married Amy Rogers, and had the following ten chil-
dren : Ann, Humphrey, Robert R., Phineas, Abram,
Amy, Mary, Jethro, Sarah, and Hannah. Humphrey,
of this number, was born in Delaware County, and
when sufficiently advanced in years learned the trade
of carpenter. He later abandoned this occupation
for the healthful employment of the farmer, and re-
moved to Cecil County, Md. He married Mary,
daughter of John Slaughter, to whom were born
children, — Jemima (Mrs. Thomas Donegha), Joseph,
Charles, Anna M. (Mrs. I. P. Dutton), and Amy.
Charles, of this number, was born Nov. 9, 1817, in
Cecil County, Md., and in early youth removed to
Delaware County. Here he enjoyed but limited ad-
vantages of education, and having chosen the trade
of blacksmith, on completing his apprenticeship, fol-
lowed it successfully for seventeen years. In 1855 he
purchased a farm in Middletown township, and has
since been devoted to its cultivation and improve-
ment. Mr. Johnson, on the 16th of March, 1842,
married Mary S., daughter of Joseph Mancill, of
JOEL SHARPLESS.
John Sharpless, of Ratherton, in the county of
Chester, England, married Jane More, of the same
place, in the year 1662. With their seven children
they embarked for America two months previous to
the arrival of William Penn, in 1682, landing at Ches-
ter on the 14th of June of the same year. Joseph
Sharpless, the youngest son, married Lydia Lewis,
and settled in Lower Providence, on part of the orig-
inal purchase of one thousand acres, and later re-
moved to four hundred acres in Middletown town-
ship. His nine children were Susannah, Benjamin,
Samuel, Lydia, Nathan, Jane, Abraham, Jacob, and
William. Samuel married Jane Newlin, daughter of
John and Mary Newlin, of Concord, and settled on
part of the original purchase. They had twelve chil-
dren,— Mary, John, Thomas, Lydia, Abigail, Samuel,
Hannah, Susanna, Phoebe, Rachel, Samuel, and Joel.
Samuel Sharpless died in 1790, and his wife, Jane, in
1798. Their son, Joel, married in 1784, Hannah,
daughter of Joshua and Lydia Mendenhall. They
finally settled upon two hundred acres, the larger
portion of which is now embraced in the farm of the
subject of this sketch, on which his residence, " The
Hermitage," stands. His three surviving children
were Samuel, Joshua, and Lydia, who were early left
orphans. Samuel married Ruth Iddings in 1808, and
had children, — Beulah, Joel, Hannah, Lydia, Wil-
liam, Amy, Sarah, Thomas J., Ruth Anna, Tamzen,
Matilda, and Samuel. All these children were born
at "The Hermitage," in Middletown, and all but one
survive. The birth of Joel, the second child, occurred
March 9, 1810. He was from childhood accustomed
to labor, and received only such an education as could
be obtained during the winter months after attaining
his tenth year. At the age of nineteen he taught
school, continuing this vocation at intervals for a
period of several years. On the 25th of December,
1841, he was married to Miss Hannah, youngest daugh-
ter of Abel and Lydia Minshall, of Middletown. Mrs.
Sharpless died on the 10th of October, 1845, leaving
one son, Minshall, whose death occurred in 1864.
Mr. Sharpless was a second time married on the 6th
of May, 1847, to Sarah Ann, daughter of Abel and
Sarah Green, whose children are Josephine, Robert,
634
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Gertrude, Margaretta, Willard, Joel, Sarah A., Henry,
and Marian. Mr. Sharpless soon after his first mar-
riage engaged in farming on shares, at a later date
rented, and in 1848 purchased, the farm of his father,
and in 1856 an adjacent farm of his brother. He re-
sided for a time on the latter, but in 1867 removed to
" The Hermitage." He received but little substantial
aid in his business oj>eratious, and is indebted to his
own industry and intelligence for the measure of suc-
cess he has enjoyed. Mr. Sharpless has since 1854
been either a Whig or a Republican in politics, and
filled various local ofiices such as school director,
director of the poor, supervisor, etc. He has been
since 1836 a member of the Delaware County Insti-
tute of Science. His religious belief is that of the
society of Friends, of which he is a member.
WILLIAM SEAL.
William Seal, the grandfather of the subject of this
biographical sketch, who was of English lineage, re-
sided in Birmingham township, Chester Co., in which
county he married Mary Hunt, and had children, —
Susan, William, Jesse, Thomas, Sidney, Eli, Joseph,
and Benjamin. Jesse, of this number, was born on the
homestead in Birmingham, and learned the trade of
a carpenter, to which he later added the pursuit of an
agriculturist. He married Miss Sarah, daughter of
John Sharpless, of Concord, Delaware Co., and had
children,— John, Alban, Eliza (Mrs. Enoch T. Wil-
liams), Mary (Mrs. Caleb Windle), William, Joseph,
Sally Ann, Lewis, and Susan (Mrs. Edward B. Ash-
bridge). William Seal was born May 6, 1818, in East
Goshen, Chester Co., and in early youth removed to
Birmingham township. After receiving the rudi-
ments of education he acquired the trade of a wheel-
wright and carriage-builder, which was steadily pur-
sued for a period of sixteen years, when he, in 1855,
became a farmer, and removed to his present home.
He was married the same year to Miss Jane P.,
daughter of Jonathan and Ruth Thomas, of Middle-
town township. Mrs. Seal, who was born in 1812,
was one of a family of nine children, and inherited
from her father a portion of the farm, to which her
husband added by the purchase of other land. She
was a lady of remarkable industry and of many ad-
mirable qualities of mind and heart. Her death oc-
curred Nov. 28, 1881, in her sixty-ninth year. Mr.
Seal was formerly a Whig, and is now a firm Repub-
lican in politics, but is not a seeker after office, pre-
ferring the quiet of his home to the less tranquil
scenes of public life. He adheres to the worship of
the society of Friends, though not included among
its members.
a saddler. He was a citizen of high moral character,
and of much influence. In politics he was an ardent
Whig. He married Susanna Yarnall, of Delaware
County, whose ancestors were of English descent.
Their nine children were James, George, Job, Bevin,
Owen, Jonathan, Benjamin, Seth, and Rebecca. Later
in life Mr. Thomas removed to Springfield township,
where his death occurred. His son, Jonathan, was
born Jan. 1, 1776, in the latter township, and re-
mained under the parental roof until suSiciently old
to learn a trade, when he chose that of a carpenter,
and became an apprentice to his brother, Owen. For
the purpose of becoming more proficient, he repaired
to Philadelphia, and worked as a journeyman until
his removal to Chester County, Pa., where he con-
ducted the business of a carpenter and builder on
an extensive scale. Returning to Delaware County,
he settled in Springfield township, and later removed
to Ridley township. He purchased property in vari-
ous portions of the county, including that particular
farm known as the "Clayton" property, in Middle-
town township, now owned by his daughters, Mrs.
Sarah W. Webb and Mrs. Eli Yarnall.
Mr. Thomas was married in 1800 to Miss Ruth,
daughter of John Young, of Chester County, Pa., to
whoQi were born nine children, — Rebecca S. (de-
ceased in youth), John Y., Benjamin 0., Susanna,
Lydia Y. (Mrs. Eli Yarnall), Jane P. (Mrs. William
Seal), Jonathan, Sarah W. (Mrs. Webb), and Ruth
Hannah (Mrs. Crosby Fairlamb). Of this number the
only survivors are Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Yarnall.
Mr. Thomas was in his political preferences a Whig
and later a Republican, and, though often tendered
office, invariably declined such honors. He was
identified with the Delaware County National Bank
as director, and filled the same office in connection
with the Delaware County Mutual Insurance Com-
pany. He was an active leader in the society of
Friends, in which faith he was reared. Mr. Thomas
was a public-spirited citizen, and by his intelligence,
exemplary character, and rare discernment in mat-
ters of business enjoyed a commanding influence in
the county. His death occurred on the 3d of Janu-
ary, 1856, in his eightieth year.
JONATHAN THOMAS.
The Thomas family are of Welsh extraction. Ben-
jamin Thomas, the father of Jonathan, resided in
Montgomery County, where he pursued the trade of
CHAPTER XLVIIL
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
The first mention of this municipal district was at
the court held Eleventh month 6, 1684 (January,
1685), when Thomas Norbury and John Humphrey
were appointed collectors of the "'Levie for the cort
house and Prison for ye Township of Newtowne,"
and at the December court, 1686, Thomas Norbury
was appointed constable for the township.
Newtown was largely .settled by Welshmen, and
^^a/yijl^
S^l^'u^yyu:i^
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
635
the township was laid out with a " townstead" in
the centre. The lots in the village were distributed
to the purchasers of land in the township according
to the number of acres bought bj' each settler. The
name of the district is derived from the fact of the
central town plot, and for a like cause Newtown town-
ship, Bucks Co., received its name.
At the southwest end of the township, extending j
eastward to the original Newtown Street, was a tract [
of five hundred acres surveyed to Robert Button Jan. [
18-19, 1681. Button appears never to have lived on
this estate, which subsequently passed, April 6-7, 1723,
to Robert Tippriug. Prior to the Revolution much
of the property was owned by the Hunter family, and
the stream which ran through the land took its name
Hunter's Run from that fact. Immediately north of
this estate was a plot of five hundred acres, surveyed
April 10-11, 1682, to Joshua Fearne, who also never
settled on the land. Bavid Sowter purchased two
hundred and forty-five acres in the following July,
and John Fincher a like number of acres on March
14, 1699. One hundred and seventy-two and a half
acres were patented to Ellis Hughes on March 8, 1702,
directly north of the Fearne tract, which was pur-
chased by Baniel Williamson on Tenth month 19,
1707. Immediately above this was a tract of four
hundred and fifty acres, surveyed to Thomas Rud-
yard Fourth month 18, 1684, and on Ninth month
24, 1692, the estate was conveyed to Baniel William-
son, who had probably settled on the land prior to
that date. He was repeatedly a member of the As-
sembly, and in 1727 he died while representing Ches-
ter County in that body. His dwelling was on the
Ashland farm, now the residence of William P.
Thomas. Still continuing along Crum Creek, imme-
diately above the Williamson estate were two hun-
dred and seventy acres taken up March 21-22, 1681,
by Henry Maddock and James Kennerly, neither of
whom ever resided on the land. On Tenth month
10, 1698, it was conveyed to William Lewis. He was
a Welshman, emigrating with his wife from the parish
of Ulan, Glamorganshire, about 1693, settling first in
Haverford. He subsequently removed to this estate in
Newtown, and there, in 1708, his wife and he within
a few days of each other died. His three sons, Lewis,
Evan, and William, all settled in the township, and
were assessed there in 1715. On the Lewis lands the
present West Chester road enters the tract at the
northwest corner and diagonally crosses the estate to
its southeastern corner, while Preston's Run traverses
its entire length in a due easterly direction. Above
this tract, on Tenth month 7, 1683, Luke Hanck had
surveyed to him one hundred and eighty acres, which
property subsequently passed into the Reese family, j
from which fact the stream of water flowing in an
easterly course through it was named Reese's Run. ]
Above this land were one hundred and eighty acres, j
surveyed to Michael Blunston, of Barby, Tenth month
7, 1683, which land subsequently passed into the I
ownership of William Lewis. Thomas Rudyard lo-
cated six hundred and fifty acres, extending along
Crum Creek to the Chester County line, on July 13-
14, 1681. John Reese purchased the property in
1698/9, and later one hundred acres at the south-
w'estern end of the Reese land were purchased by Wil-
liam Lewis, Jr., and Evan Lewis, another son of Wil-
liam Lewis, the settler, bought the remainder of the
land. Lewis Run waters this tract. At the northeast-
ern end of the township two hundred and seventy acres
were taken up by William Wood, of Barby. Imme-
diately south of this plot, extending from Newtown
Street road to Radnor line, were ninety acres patented
to Joseph Humphrey Eleventh month 17, 1684, who
never settled on the land. South of this tract was a
plot of one hundred and eighty acres, surveyed to
William Hudson Tenth month 29, 1683, which sub-
sequently passed to John Farmer; and finally, on
April 10, 1700. James Price purchased one hundred
and forty acres of this land and settled thereon, calling
his estate " Penifmon." He was probably a Welshman,
and possibly one of thesonsof Bavid Price, of Radnor.
Below the Price estate was a tract of four hundred and
fifty acres, patented Sixth month 2, 1684, to Philip
England. The most, if not all of this property, ulti-
mately came to William and Edward Thomas prior to
1715, and Thomas' Run traverses the estate in an al-
most due westerly direction. Two hundred and seventy
acres immediately south of the England land was sur-
veyed to John Banbridge, Ninth month 28, 1683; Saw-
Mill Run traverses this estate through its entire length
from east to west. Below Banbridge's ground Edmund
Cartledge took up one hundred acres, which was sur-
veyed to him Fifth month 26, 1683. He was a resi-
dent of Barby, and never settled on the Newtown
land. Joseph Potter, March 16, 1682, had ninety
acres surveyed to him just below the Cartledge prop-
erty, which on First month 20, 1693, was conveyecj to
George Thomas, and he also purchased the one hun-
dred acres surveyed to John Blunston, Second month
10-11, 1682. This property subsequently belonged to
Morgan James, who was complained on for stopping
a public highway through this land. Below the
Blunston estate was one hundred and twelve acres,
which George Willard received on Ninth month 6,
1692, it having been granted to John Hough in 1688.
Two hundred and forty-five acres to the south of this
plantation was taken up by Thomas Holme, the pro-
vincial surveyor, which subsequently was conveyed,
Feb. 1, 1694, to Richard Bonsall, who never located
thereon. The main stream of Fawkes' Run, and almost
the entire south branch of that water-course, is on this
estate. Seventy acres to the south of the Bonsall tract
was; taken up by Rees Saint, Fourth month 7, 1687, and
two hundred and seventy acres, the remaining land at
the southeast end of the township, was surveyed to
George Wood, Ninth month 30, 1683. Seventh month
5, 1796, the estate was sold to John Peirson.
The town lots or the townsteads being divided into
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
parts which were assigned to the purchasers of out-
lying lands in the township to correspond with the
number of acres bought by these, it is unnecessary to
specify the names of the several owners of the "new
town," or village, as it was called.
The taxables in 1716 in Newtown township were as
follows :
Daniel WilliainBon, Eeece Howell, William Sevan, David Thomas,
William Phillips, Thomas Reece, John Eeece, Jr., Lewis Keece, Lewis
Lewis, Evan Lewis, William Lewis, John Eeece, John Ffawkes, Morgan
James, Lawrence Peirce, Daniel Williamson, John Williamson, James
Price, John Meredith, Edward Thomas, William Thomas.
Fi-eemm.—JohD Goodwin, Adam Treheall.
In 1799 the following was the return made of the
taxables in the township at that date :
William Beaumont, George Bishop, Joseph Bishop, John Brooke,
George Blake, Jonathan Bonsall, Thomas Bones, Amos Thomas, Thomas
Courtney, Samuel Caley, Abram Calvert, Elizabeth Dunn, Nathan
Davis, Joseph Davis (carpenter), Edward Evaus, Joseph Esrey (carpen-
ter), John Esrey, Evan Evans (weaver), John Fawkes, Joseph Fawkes,
John Free, Abraham Free (shop-keeper), Richard Fawkes, John Gar-
rett (joiner), James Gorman, John Fairlamb, Edward Hunter (justice
of the peace), John Hunter, George Hunter, Joseph Hood (cutler),
James Jones, John Jorman, Lewis Lewis, Henry Lewis, Azariah Lewis,
Didymus Lewis, Evan Lewis, John Lewis, Joseph Lewis (wheelwright),
David Lewis (tanner and shop-keeper), Jesse Lewis (mason), Thomas
Moore, Abner Moore, Thomas Moore (joiner), Robert Mendenhall, Jonas
Preston (physician). Gill Pennington, George Sites, Jesse Beece, Owen
Shelton (shop-keeper), Hezekiah Thomas, Thomas Thomas, Jonathan
Thomas, Ahiah Thomas, Gideon Thomas (cordwainer), Thomas Thomas
(tailor and shop-keeper), Ezra Thomas (wheelwright), John Thompson
(weaver), Isaac Thomas, Jr., Margaret Vernon, William Vandebee, John
Williamson, Enos Williamson, Walter Williamson.
Inmates.— Joseph Thomas (carpenter), Hannah Hunter, Mary Eeece,
Eachel Matson, Jenkin Lewis, Elizabeth Lewis, John Steel (weaver).
Single Preemeu.— Aaron Eussell (weaver), Cadwallader Evans, Edward
Evans, Samuel Fawkes (chairmaker), John Williamson, Samuel Lisle,
Elias Baker (carpenter). Thomas Thomas, David Lewis, Anthony Mat-
»on, Elijah Matson, Nathan Robins, Lewis Eeece, Jesse Lewis, Phineaa
Lewis, George Lewis (millwright), Jorman Hunter, James Crawford,
John Logan, William Matson, Ale.xander Morrison, William Fulton,
Jonas Alexander, Levis Maris (cordwainer), Michael Thomas (cord-
wainer), George Mace (cordwainer), Eeece Thomas, Samuel Thomas
(millwright), Richard Thomas (millwright), Richard Hood, Andrew
McClellan, James Ramage (mason), Robert Berry, William Harlow,
Jacob Dunn, Thomas Blake, Ezra Thomas (wheelwright).
Incidents of the Revolution.— During the Rev-
olution, Newtown was several times visited by the
foraging parties of the English army. After the
interrupted battle near Goshen Friends' meeting-
house, and the day previous to the massacre of Paoli,
the enemy dashed into Newtown and carried off from
the defenseless citizens considerable property. Capt.
John Montressor records, under date of Sept. 19, 1777,
"Lt. Col. Harcourt with a party of dragoon's and
Light Infantry m.ade an Excursion on the Philadel-
phia road and brought in 150 horses, which were much
wanted, got from New Town square 6 miles from hence. \
They took, likewise, one captain and 8 rebel prison-
ers." ' In December, 1777, when Cornwallis made his
three days' raid into Chester County, extending along
the Schuylkill as far as Matson's Ferry, some of the
British soldiers entered Newtown, and well main- ,
tained the account given of the action of the British I
troops on that occasion, "Robing and plundering
every person they came across." To such an extent
was this carried that Gen. James Potter indignantly
records, " My penn cant describe there Barbarity and
Crualty, nor can you conseve the waste and Destruc-
tion that attended there futsteps every where they
go." ' The damage inflicted on the residents of New-
town during these raids is poorly represented in the
list of claims recorded of spoliation done by the
British, for much being taken from Friends, no de-
mand was ever made for compensation under the act
of Assembly. The following are the claims which
were presented, but never paid :
From Samuel Caley, by the Queen's Light Dragoons, Col.
Harriot, Sept. 19 ;. ."... .£31 0 0
From David Thomas, by the Light Horse, on theirVelur'n froiii '
an attack upon Capt. Lee, at East-town 27 3 3
From William Faris, by the British Army, under Cornwallis
on his route through Haverford 28 0 0
Penna. Mag. of nisi..
At the dwelling of Mr. Lewis, on the Goshen road,
to the west of old Newtown Square, were the American
outposts and headquarters of Gen. James Potter, or as
he terms it in a letter to President Wharton, on Nov.
13, 1777, " from the camp at Mr. Lewes." At this house
Maj. John Clarke, Jr., of Gen. Greene's staff, who was
ordered to keep Washington supplied with information
of the movements of the enemy, also made his head-
quarters, for many of his letters to Washington are
written therefrom. Although Lewis does not appear
among the list of persons who had suffered by the war,
we have actual information that he had lost largely by
the presence of the enemy, for on the afternoon of Dec.
3, 1777, before Cornwallis' raid, Maj. Clarke writes,
" On the 16th of September last, Baron Arendt took
a mare from my landlord, valued at £100, and prom-
ised to return her next day, but has never done it.
Mr. Lewis begs he may be ordered to do it, as the
enemy has taken the remainder of his creatures and
he has done me many services for the United States.
I have given his complaint a place in this letter and
beg leave to recommend him as a person worthy of
compassion."^ At noon, on Dec. 12, 1777, Maj. Clarke
wrote from Gen. Potter's headquarters at Lewes,
" That a large body of the enemy was on the march
to Darby, the numbers uncertain but formidable.
At eight o'clock this morning about twenty dragoons
of the enemy came up to the Fox Chase to give the
alarm, and they then took the route to Darby."
Fitzpatrick, the noted outlaw, frequently visited
Newtown, it being on the direct road to Philadelphia.
One day, in the spring of 1778, it is related that Fitz-
patrick, carrying a pistol in each hand, entered the
bar-room of the old Newtown Square Tavern, then
kept by Andrew Wilson, when several persons were
present. He laid one pistol on the bar while he drank
the liquor he had called for, then picking up the pis-
s Penna. Archives, 1st Series, vol. vi. p. 97.
= Bulletin Historical Society of Pennsylvania, No. 10, March, 1847 pp
22, 23.
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
637
tol, said, "Good-day, gentlemen !" and moved out of
the door facing the people in the room as he retired.
No one attempted to molest him in anywise.
An aged resident of Springfield, who died many
years ago, would frequently relate the following inci-
dent, which happened to him when a lad serving his
apprenticeship in Newtown. One morning in the
early spring of 1778, Mr. Shilliugford stated, he (then
a blacksmith's apprentice) had just arrived at the shop,
which was located near the Fox Chase Tavern, on the
West Chester road, and was employed in starting the
fires preparatory to the appearance of the master
smith and the journeymen. While thus engaged a
fine-looking, athletic young man, with sandy hair and
ruddy complexion, mounted on a horse that to a prac-
ticed eye gave indications of strength, speed, and en-
durance, drew rein at the door of the forge, and said, —
" Young man, my horse has cast a shoe, do you
think you can put one on?"
" I think I can."
"Well, I'll let you try," said the stranger, dismount-
ing and hitching his horse.
The apprentice was much pleased at this opportu-
nity to exhibit his skill, and taking hold of the horse's
foot, began to trim and prepare the hoof.
" Young man," said the stranger, "just give me one
of those aprons, and if you'll blow the bellows, I'll
try my hand at the job just to see what sort of a
blacksmith I'd make."
" It's a dangerous thing to drive a nail into a
horse's foot," replied the lad. " You may lame him
so that he will be ruined."
" I'll take the chances," was the reply of the
stranger, as he tied the apron on. " If I lame him
I'll be responsible for all damages."
He at once began his work, and the apprentice soon
saw that the man was thoroughly master of his art.
After the horse had been shod, the lad said, —
" You are well armed, sir, I see ; are you in the
army ?"
" It's dangerous traveling these roads alone, is it
not?" answered the stranger. " They tell me there is
a Capt. Fritz or Fitch, who frequents this neighbor-
hood, and the people are much afraid of him, I've
heard."
"Many people are afraid of FitEpatrick," was the
youth's reply.
" Have you ever seen him ?"
" No, sir, but I've often heard him described."
" Do I answer the description you have heard of
Fitzpatrick ?" asked the stranger.
" I don't know that you do," was the cautious an-
swer.
The man mounted his horse, and throwing a coin
to the apprentice, said, " Pay your master for the
shoe and keep the rest for yourself So, my young
man, you have never seen Fitzpatrick, and don't know
whether I answer the description you've heard of
him. I'm going now, and I might just as well say to
you that Fitzpatrick happens to be my name." And
the stranger rode rapidly away.
After Fitzpatrick was captured and was in irons at
Chester, the apprentice, who chanced to be at the
county-seat, pressed into the crowd to see the noted
prisoner, when the latter recognized him, and, man-
acled as he was, stretched out his hand and gave that
of the lad a hearty shake, saying, " How are you,
brother chip?"
On Hunter's Run, in Newtown township, and ex-
tending to the line dividing Newtown from Marple,
was a tract of one hundred and seventy two acres
" strict measure," owned by Matthias Aspden, who
was declared an attainted traitor to the colony by act
of March 6, 1778, unless he surrendered himself and
submitted to a legal trial " for such his treason" be-
fore the 1st day of April, 1781. This Aspden failed
to do, and the property was seized by the common-
wealth authorities and sold to Edward Bartholomew,
to whom the State issued letters patent Aug. 26,
1786. Aspden, who was one of the wealthiest mer-
chants in Philadelphia, had fled to England, returned
to America in 1785, but fearing that his life was in
danger he again went to England. In April, 1786,
Matthias Aspden was pardoned by the State, and
much of his estate returned to him. His will subse-
quently gave rise to the most extensive litigation
ever had under the confiscation acts. In 1824 suit
was brought to determine the rightful heir under
his will, he having devised his estate, real and per-
sonal, "to his heir-at-law." The claimants num-
bered upwards of two hundred, and were divided into
three classes. The first were the heirs of Mary Har-
rison, a sister of the half-blood on the father's side,
and the heirs of Roger Hartley, a half-brother on the
mother's side ; the second were the Parker family,
cousins of the whole blood, which was a very large and
constantly-increasing class of claimants, who had insti-
tuted the suit ; and the third were the English Aspdens,
relations of the whole blood of the father, and who
would have been heirs at common law. Judge Grier
decided that the issue of the brother and sister of the
half-blood were lawful heirs, and the persons entitled
to receive the estate, valued at over half a million
of dollars. The Supreme Court of the United States
subsequently affirmed this decree. The conclosion of
the case was as notable as the entire contest, for
March, 1853, a Philadelphia paper published this
following local item :
" Romance in Heai, Life.— John Aspden, whose sudden death on Mon-
d»y was noticed in our columns, is to be buried this afternoon. Mr. Asp-
den was one of tlie English claimants of the immense estate left by Mat-
thias Aspden. Before the case was decided by the Supreme Court in favor
of the American heirs, tiie latter proposed to the deceased to compromise
the matter, and offered to pay him the sum of two hundred thousand
dollars to relinquish his claim; this he refused to do, and the decision
of the court cut him off without a farthing. On Monday morning the
estate was divided between the heirs-at-law, and almost at the same
, John Aspdeu fell dead •
I Carte
1 Alley, c
of the heart, supposed to have been induced by disuppoin
mortification. At the time of his death his pockets contained a solitary
HISTOKY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
his entire fortune. To-day the man who might have been the
3r of a quarter of a million of dollars will be borne to his grave
from an obscure part of the district of Southwark."
In 1835, Charles Cooper, a Eevolutionary soldier,
who entered the army in January, 1777, and was dis-
charged in 1783, was a resident of Newtown, and was
then in the seventy-fourth year of his age. In the
great Whig procession at Chester, July 23, 1840, the
delegation from Newtown bore in the ranks a tattered
flag, bearing the motto " United We Stand," and the
date 1776. The flag belonged to the old Pennsylvania
line, and was carried in the fight at Brandywine.
Boads. — When the townstead of Newtown was
laid out, in 1783, a straight road extending from the
south to the north boundaries of the township was
projected, and, with the exception of that part south
of the present square which tends to the southwest
into Marple and the variation from the direct course
at the old square, the present road is the same as that
then known as Newtown Street. At court held at
Chester Tenth month, 1689, a highway was ordered
to be laid out from Newtown, Marple, and Spring-
field " to ye landing at Amosland." The grand jury on
the 9th day of Twelfth month, 1687, made report of
the present Springfield road.
" By virtue of an order from y last County Court given to us, whose
names are hereunto subscribed, being of ye Grand Jury for to lay out a
roadway that should serve for Newtown, Marple, & Springfield, and y
Inliabitance that way to y Landing Place att Amosland did opon ye
day above written. Begin att a Koad way on ye land of George Maris,
which road goeth from Chester through Marple to Newtowne soe from
that road through Bartholomew Coppocks laud near to his house, his
House being on ye left hand, soe on through Robert Taylor's land
straight on through more of George Maris', his land leaving his Plan-
tation on ye right hand, soe bearing on a little on ye right hand through
George Simcock's land, soe on through Jacob Simcocke's land, leaving
his Plantation on ye left hand, soe on straight forward through lands
joyning to Amosland, soe into ye King's road that comes from Darby
marking the trees as wee came, soe on to ye landing Place by the maine
creeks Side beyond Morten Mortenson's House.
"William Gaekett, Thomas Beadsbaw,
" Richard Paeker, Thomas ffox."
" Edmond Cartleidge.
At the court held on the 24th of Twelfth month,
1701/2, we learn that the people of the township had
some difficulty respectingone of the highways therein.
For on the date given " the Inhabitants of Newtown
petitioned this Court again.st Morgan James for stop-
ping a road laid out through his land. This Court
orders that if the said Morgan James do not lay open
the said Road as soon as his corn is oft' the Road
ground the Sherifi" shall levy the fine, according to
law, on the state of the said Morgan James."
The following persons have been justices of the
peace for Newtown township :
Edward Hunter Aug. 30, 1791.
John Lindsay June 5, 1794.
Isaac Abrahams May 20, 1800.
Luke Casaiii March 27, 1809.
John SitiT Sept. 1,1813.
Robert Green Keb. 23, 1816.
Nathan Gila.Mi Nov. 26, 1817.
George Broukf July 3. 1821.
Maskill Ewiiig June 10,1822.
Benjamin Lol.b Dec. 4, 1823.
Parke Shee Dec. 9, 1823.
David Abrahams Dec. 14, 1825.
Barnard Flynn Nov. 18, 1835.
Aimer Lewis May 27,1836.
Thomas Sheldon Dec. 20, 1836.
Thomas Catsin Nov. 1, 1838.
Homer Eacbus May 11, 18:i9.
Azariah L. Williamson April 13, 1853,
Nathan Shaw April 24, ISGl.
Isaiah Massey April 22, 1868.
Charles S. Heysham March 24, 1S74.
Charles S. Heysham March 27, 1879.
The Murder of Squire Hunter.— In March, 1817,
Edward Hunter, a justice of the peace, residing in
Newtown, was sent for by one Isaiah Worrall, of
Upper Providence, a well-to-do farmer, who was then
very ill, to put in form the latter's will. This Squire
Hunter did, and when it was finished to the satisfac-
tion of tlje testator, the former and Isaac Cochran, at
that time landlord of the Rose Tree Tavern, witnessed
Worrall's signature to the document. After the death
of Worrall, the disposition he had made of his prop-
erty was highly distasteful to several of his children,
and a caveat was lodged against the probate of the
alleged will by two of his daughters, one of the ob-
jectors being Martha, the wife of John H. Craig.
The legal proceedings to test the validity of the
alleged will had gone so far that the case was on the
calendar for the August term, and both parties to the
controversy were making preparations for the trial.
On Thursday afternoon, July 19, 1817, Edward Hun-
ter, while mounting his horse near his dwelling, was
shot and fatally wounded. The person who fired the
gun was concealed among some low-growing bushes
near by, and the house and barn being on rolling
ground, brought the figure of the squire into promi-
nence by reason of the setting sun, which shone bril-
liantly back of where he then was. The report of
the fire-arm was unusually loud, as though made by a
heavy charge, and Hunter's daughters hearing it,
hastened out of doors to ascertain why a shot had
been fired so close to the dwelling. They then no-
ticed that their father had fallen to the ground, and
immediately ran to his assistance. The wounded man
believed that he had been struck by lightning, as his
back was towards the clump of bushes, because of the
heavy report, the flash, and the sharpness of the
stroke. He was then bleeding profusely from the
wound in his body on the left side, a little above the
left hip. They bore the unfortunate man to the
house, medical aid was promptly summoned, and
search made to discover the person who fired the fatal
shot. Their investigation was rewarded by finding
an old musket, which the murderer in his alarm,
after committing the act, had thrown away in his
flight. Squire Hunter lingered until Sunday follow-
ing, July 21, 1817, when he died of his injuries.
The gun directed suspicion to Craig, for it was iden-
tified as his, and the motive for the deed was the fact
that if the will of Isaiah Worrall was refused pro-
bate, his wife would receive a very much larger share
of her father's estate than came to her under its pro-
visions. John H. Craig had also disappeared, and
every effort to discover his whereabouts having failed,
on Aug. 6, 1817, William and Edward Hunter, sons
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
of the murdered man, by handbills and advertise-
ments in the newspapers of Philadelphia, Chester,
Lancaster, and other counties, published the following
notice :
"Stop the murderer I 'Whereas, John Craig, of Charlestown town-
ship, Chester County, Pa., did on the 19th of July, 1817, wilfully and
maliciously shoot Edward Hunter, Esquire, of Newtown, Delaware
County. This is to give notice that the sum of S300 will he paid by the
Bubscribers for apprehending and bringing to justice the said John
Craig. He ia a blacksmith by trade, about five feet ten inches high,
stoop-shouldered, stout build, a little Itnock-lineed, very much sun
burnt, freckled, thick lips, sandy complexion, large whiskers; had on 1
when he left home light nankeen pantaloons, snuff-colored cloth coat, 1
green oil cloth on his hat and shoes, but it is most likely he has changed
his dress, as he took a bundle with him."
The authorities through the country were on the
alert to arrest the suspected man, and at one time it
was reported that he had been apprehended at Jenk-
intown, while a person answering his description ac-
curately was detained at Danbury, Conn., under sus-
picion, and Daniel Thompson and Mr. Maxwell, of
this county, in the latter part of August, went there
in consequence of the information received, only to
learn that, while the general description was correct,
it was not the man they sought. However, in the
early part of September, Craig was arrested in Easton,
he having been identified by a person engaged with
him chopping wood, from the description given in
the advertisement, and on Monday, Sept. 13, 1817, he
was lodged in the prison at Philadelphia, when, after
being identified, he was delivered to the custody of
the sheriff of Delaware County, who removed him to
the jail at Chester.
I have heard it frequently said that Judge Bird
Wilson resigned from the bench because of his un-
willingness to preside at the trial of Craig for murder,
a statement that will not bear examination, inasmuch
as on March 14, 1817, four months before the murder
of Hunter, Bishop White had admitted Bird Wilson
to holy orders.
On Monday, Oct. 20, 1817, the grand jury indicted
John H. Craig for the murder of Edward Hunter.
On Tuesday following he was arraigned and pleaded
" not guilty." Judge Ross asked him if he had
counsel, when the prisoner replied " that he was not
able to pay lawyers," and the court thereupon assigned
Samuel Edwards and Benjamin Tilghman, Esquires,
to conduct his defense, while the commonwealth was
represented by Deputy Attorney-General Henry G.
Freeman, Robert Frazer, and Isaac Darlington, Es-
quires. On Friday morning the counsel for the
prosecution called the case for trial, when the prisoner
made an affidavit setting forth that at least six wit-
nesses material in his defense were absent. A discus-
sion between the lawyers followed, and it is tradi-
tionally stated that the appeal of Mr. Tilghman for a
continuance of the case was the most animated and
eloquent address that that lawyer and gifted advocate
ever delivered in the old court-house in Chester.
The trial was finally postponed to the next term.
The demeanor of the prisoner as he sat at the bar
' made an unfavorable impression on the audience, for
it was noticed that he appeared quite unconcerned,
sometimes smiling, while at other times he drummed
audibly with his fingers on the railing in front of
him.
The case was not finally tried until the April term,
1818. The hearing began Tuesday, April 14th ; the
commonwealth examined forty-seven witnesses, and
so admirably had the testimony been sifted that the
prosecution succeeded in tracing Craig from the
moment he took the gun in his hands until his final
apprehension at Easton. The defense, notwithstand-
ing the evidence was overwhelmingly conclusive as to
the prisoner's guilt, was admirably conducted, and it
was surprising to the audience that so much could be
urged as was advanced by his counsel in his defense.
The jury retired about sunset on Saturday afternoon,
April 18, 1818, and at 10 o'clock returned a verdict of
"guilty." The apartment was densely crowded, and
for fifteen minutes, while Judge Ross wrote his address
to and sentence of the prisoner, the silence was so
profound that the scratching of the quill-pen his honor
was using could be heard in every part of the room.
Governor Findlay signed the death warrant
promptly on May 4th, and on May 9, 1818, Sheriff
Robert Fairlamb read the document to the prisoner
in his cell in the old jail at Chester. A gentleman
present on that occasion has left it on record that
Craig listened attentively, his countenance under-
going no change, made no remark ; " nor did a tear
drop from his eyes" when the oiEcer announced to
him that he would be executed in exactly four weeks
from that day.
Saturday, the 6th day of June, 1818, precisely at
eleven o'clock in the morning, John H. Craig was
taken from his cell, and when he reached the corner
of the present Fourth and Market Streets, he was
halted until a guard was formed. The cart contain-
ing the ootfin was in front, driven by the hangman.
The prisoner followed immediately thereafter, dressed
as usual, excepting it was noticed that he wore a white
cap under his hat, but so placed as not to conceal his
face, while his arms were pinioned to his body, but
not so tightly as to prevent him raising his hands to
his head. Four clergymen attended him, two on
either side supporting him as he walked, for he pro-
ceeded on foot to the place of execution. Next behind
him followed four or five females, relations of the
prisoner. Then came a number of constables who
surrounded the accused, and the line of march was
taken up finally, the sheriff on horseback, supported
by a mounted guard composed of many of the lead-
ing citizens of the county. Before the procession
moved Craig stood for several minutes gazing at the
unusual spectacle with an unaltered countenance and
unflinching eye. It was about mid-day when the
column halted under the gallows on Caldwell's
meadow, near Munday's Run, close to the post-road,
near a clump of trees which then stood there — near
640
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the present Sunnyside Mills — and Craig ascended the
cart accompanied by the Revs. Messrs. Goforth,
Palmer, Aston, and Plumer. After prayers by the
three last-named clergymen, Rev. Mr. Goforth made
a lengthy address. At its conclusion Craig, kneeling
on his coflBn, offered a prayer aloud, his voice showing
no indications of fear, then arising he spoke to the
assemblage, and in an earnest manner warned his
hearers to avoid the sins of lying, swearing, and steal-
ing, but more especially to refrain from raising their
hands against the life of a fellow-man. In conclusion,
he acknowledged that he was guilty of the crime for
which he was about to suffer. The clergymen then
took leave of him, and the prisoner took off his hat,
which he handed to a person near him. His face had
now assumed a livid pallor, but he stood firmly and
seemed to have nerved himself for the final scene.
Craig himself drew the death-cap over his face, which
the hangman firmly tied and the fatal noose was
adjusted. At half-past one o'clock the cart was
drawn from beneath his feet, and the condemned man
fell with a bound that dislocated his neck, killing him
almost instantly.
In his sworn confession, afterwards published, Craig
declared that he had killed Hunter because he be-
lieved that if the witnesses were dead, Worrall's will
could not be proved, and the estate would be divided
among his children under the intestate laws. He also
stated that he had several times attempted to shoot
Isaac Cochran, but that every time he raised his gun
the person who was walking with Cochran always
moved in such a way that his body was interposed
between the murderer and his intended victim. At
the February court, 1819, the Worrall will case was
tried and the will set aside, the jury finding the testa-
tor incompetent to make testamentary disposition of
his estate, he being in extremis at the time the will
was executed.
Nine Generations. — Susannah Smedley died at
the residence of her son-in-law, Jonathan Hood, on
Dec. 29, 1834, in the eighty-ninth year of her age.
She had seen her great-great-grandfather and her
great-great-grandchildren. She was the child alluded
to when her great-grandfather, in the ninety-fifth year
of his age, said to his daughter, " Arise, daughter, go
see thy daughter, for thy daughter's daughter has a
daughter."
A Noticeable Incident.— During a severe thunder
storm in July, 1835, a tree on the Ashland farm,
owned by Isaac Thomas, was struck by lightning,
and five horses standing under it were killed, while
another horse in the same field which had sought
shelter under another tree escaped unhurt.
Bishop Hunter, — One of the most prominent mem-
bers of the church of the Latter-Day Saints who died
at Salt Lake City, Tuesday Oct, 16, 1883, was Edward
Hunter, a native of Newtown ; his father, Edward
Hunter, long prior to the Revolution owned a tract of
land near Hunter's Run at the southwestern corner of
the township. On this plantation Edward Hunter
was born June 22, 1793, and was ninety years and
nearly four months old at the time of his death. He
was baptized into the church of Latter-Day Saints in
Chester County, Pa. At an early day he went to
Nauvoo, 111., and became an intimate friend and as-
sociate of Prophet Joseph Smith, acting as one of his
life-guards, and being one of the few who conveyed
the martyred brothers, Joseph and Hiram, to their
final resting-place. On Nov. 23, 1854, he was ordained
under the hands of President Brigham Young. He
crossed the plains in 1848, arriving soon after the
pioneers, and returned to winter quarters in 1849,
and brought over the first season's emigration to Utah
in the fall of 1850. He assisted in laying the corner-
stone of the temple in Salt Lake City April 6, 1853,
and also delivered the oration. He visited his native
State during the summer of 1876, and spent some
time in Philadelphia attending the Centennial cele-
bration.
Crimes.— On Wednesday, Aug. 30, 1876, the dwell-
ing-house of Isaac A. Calvert, on the Locust Grove
(formerly the Locust Hill) farm, on the Street road
above old Newtown Square, was robbed by four men
wearing veils, who, forcing their way into the bed-
room of Mrs. Calvert, — the husband having gone to
market, — one of the men put a pistol to her head,
demanding her money, accompanying the demand
with a threat to kill her if she made the least noise.
Failing to get any information from her, they searched
the house for nearly an hour, and finally decamped
with jewelry, silverware, and other articles amounting
in value to about one hundred and fifty dollars. Mrs.
Calvert, while lying all this time with a pistol pointed
at her, did not lose her presence of mind, but employed
the time in marking the personal peculiarities of the
burglars, so that she might recognize them. The next
day Joseph Ditman was arrested in Philadelphia on
suspicion, he having been at Calvert's farm a few days
before the burglary. He was identified by Mrs. Cal-
vert as one of the robbers, and his arrest led to that
of Joshua Mulley and John Martin. At the Septem-
ber court the prisoners were tried and convicted. The
court sentenced them each to ten years' imprisonment
in the Eastern Penitentiary. On Tuesday night,
March 4, 1884, the post-oflice at Newtown Square was
broken into, and some goods and sixty dollars' worth
of postage stamps stolen. The same night the tavern
was entered, the burglars boring holes through the
door of the bar-room. After gaining access to the
room the thieves pried open a private closet, in which
the landlord, William H. Davis, had placed a gold
watch and chain, one hundred and twenty-five dollars
in money, and other articles of value, which were
taken. In a drawer immediately beneath that in
which the one hundred and twenty-five dollars were
found was over one thousand dollars, the amount
received for the sale of cattle, which the owner pro-
posed to deposit in bank, and fortunately this sum
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
641
was not disturbed. The burglars were not discov-
ered.
Societies. — Okehocking Tribe, No. 159, Improved
Order of Red Men, was instituted in November, 1871.
The meetings of the tribe were first held in the base-
ment of Newtown Hall, and later a wigwam was fur-
nished in the second storyof the hall which is now used
for that purpose. The charter officers of the tribe were
Dr. Charles S. Heysham, S. ; William T. Davis, S.
S. ; John L. Hosmer, J. S. ; J. J. Sproul, Sec. John
J. Sproul is the present Sachem, and John L. Hosmer
Secretary. The tribe has thirty-eight members at the
present tinie.
Newtown Square Lodge, No. 95, Independent Order
of Odd-Fellows, was instituted in 1879, and holds its
meetings in the wigwam of the Red Men. The first
officers of the lodge were Jonathan F. Fairlamb, N.
G. ; J. Jones Leedom, V. G. The present officers are
James J. Sproul, N. G. ; Henry D. Crosley, V. G. ;
Isaiah Massey, Sec. The lodge has now thirty-eight
members in good standing.
Old Newtown Square.— At the cross-roads, where
John Pratt now resides, northwest from the present
Newtown Square, is located Old Newtown Square.
The land was in the possession of the Lewis family
many years. John Lewis, who died in 1851, aged
eighty-one years, was born there, and was the last of
the name owning the estate, which passed to his
daughter, Mrs. Pratt. Newtown Street road, laid out
in 1683, and the Goshen road crosses the former
highway at this point. Here for many years a licensed
house was maintained, and was so kept during and
long subsequent to the Revolutionary war. Above
the old square, in July, 1883, St. David's post-office
was established. Joseph Lewis, Jr., is the postmas-
ter. At this place is a store kept by Joseph Lewis,
Jr., a blacksmith-shop, and a school-house.
Newtown Square. — The present hamlet derived its
name at the time the postal department established
an office there, about 1820. Davis Beaumont, the
first postmaster, was the landlord of the Farmers'
Wagon, the title being then changed to Newtown
Square Inn. The land in the neighborhood was
then owned by the Beaumont family, and the hotel
there has been yearly licensed to the present time,
excepting during the years of local option. The
postmasters since Beaumont have been David Pratt,
Walter Green, Elwood Baldwin, Leedom Kirk, Isaac
Halderman, Jr., Leopold Samter, the present official.
The latter now has the store at the Square, which was
located there many years ago. The town hall, a two-
story building, was erected in 1868. The lower floor is
used as a carriage-shop, and the upper story is ar-
ranged for a public hall, and as a lodge-room for the
societies of Red Men and Odd-Fellows.
Schools.— One of the earliest schools in Delaware
County was maintained at Old Newtown Square early
in the last century. It was used for educational pur-
poses in 1750, for Benjamin West, a lad of twelve, at-
tended school there in that year. It was a log build-
ing, the rude desks being fastened to the sides of the
house, and many generations of pupils had carved
their names, and cut deep gashes in the unpainted
wood in idle moments. Until within a half-century
a copy-book was in existence in which young West,
" while at school at Newtown Square, had drawn nu-
merous pictures of various animals, etc., and there is
a tradition that these were made in the way of com-
pensation for assistance given him in arithmetic by
another school-boy named Williamson, the owner of
the book, the youthful artist not having much taste
for figures."^ This log house in time became so di-
lapidated that in 1815 it was removed, and a similar
building erected, which remained in use until after
1820. Stephen D. Hunter was a student in this log
house, which stood below Newtown Square, on lands
of Jonathan Hood. No trace of the building now
remains.
In the extreme northeastern section of the town-
ship, near St. David's Church, on a knoll in front of
the sanctuary, a stone school-house was erected in
1749, and remained until within recent years, when
it was removed. It was warmed by a wood fire built
on a hearth, and a high chimney-stack being con-
structed to affiard a large wide-mouthed fireplace.
Perhaps school was taught therein by Rev. Dr. Wil-
liam Currie, who was pastor of Radnor Church before,
for a part of, and after the Revolutionary war, al-
though it is said " Dr. Currie did not teach a regular
school, but employed his leisure in instructing his own
children, and admitted the son of his friend to his pa-
ternal care."' School was kept therein until 1820.
In 1817, Caleb Y. Lewis was a pupil there, at which
time Elijah Brooke was the teacher.
About 1815 Friends of Newtown Meeting erected a
one-story octagon school-house on the meeting-house
lot. The school was maintained by subscription, as
was usual in early days, and on the death of Dr.
Jonas Preston, in 1836, by will he charged his real
estate in the township with the annual payment of
two hundred dollars towards the support of this school.
The building is still used for school purposes by the
society, the Preston fund paying the salary of the
teacher. After the school law of 1834 became opera-
tive, there being no school-houses in the township
other than the one owned by the society, application
was made by the directors for its use, but the request
was denied.
On Aug. 11, 1836, the directors purchased of Joseph
Lindsay a lot of ground on the West Chester road,
above Newtown Square, on which they erected a
stone octagon school-house, which was continued in
use for many years, until the present stone building,
known as " Chestnut Grove Seminary," was built to
take its place.
1 Smith's "History of Delaware County," p. 613.
2 " Biograpbical Memoir of Dr. John Davia," by Dr. Morgan. Hazard's
Register, vol. ii. p. 278.
642
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The demand for public schools in the township was
such that on July 23, 1839, the directors bought from
Isaac Thomas a piece of land located on the road
leading from St. David's post-oflSce to Berwyn, and
erected a stone school-house, which continued in use
until 1870, when a lot on the Leopard road, at St.
David's post-oflfice, was purchased, the present stone
house erected in the same year, and the old building
abandoned for school purposes.
Israel Foulk, on Jan. 11, 1841, donated a lot of
land on the west side of the West Chester road, east
of Newtown Square, on which to erect a school-house,
the deed providing that in case the ground ceased to
be used for school purposes it should revert to his
heirs. On this lot a stone octagon school-house was
erected, and was used for a quarter of a century, but
for a number of years has been abandoned by the
directors.
The following is a list of the directors of the public
schools for Newtown, as the same appears of record at
Media :
1840, Peter Jacquett, WiUiam Rhoads; 1842, William Hunter, George
McClellaa ; 1843, Joshua Litzenburgh, Thomas Daniels; 1844, Jo-
seph Lewis, Azariah L, Williamson ; 1845, William Hunter, John C.
Grim; 1846, Jonathan Tucker, Samuel Moore ; 1847, Adam B. Wil-
liamson, William Rhoads; 1848, Enos Williamson, Nathan Pratt;
special election Sept. 18, 1S48, six persons elected : Jackson Bevan,
Thomas H. Speakman, John Horton, Azariah L. Williamson, Thomas
Pearson, Isaac Thomas ; 1849, Isaac Thomas, Jonathan P. Abraham ;
1860, A. L. Williamson, Jonathan P. Abraham ; 1851, Samuel Caley,
Jr., Samuel Moore; 1852, Daniel Baker, Joseph Lewis ; 1853, James
Dunwoody, Charters Redman ; 1864, Charles C. Heysham, David C.
Caley ; 1855, Nathan Pyott, Jonathan P. Abraham ; 1866, James
Dunwoody, Charters Redman ; 1857, Euos Williamson, Dr. Charles
C. Heysham ; 1858, Samuel Caley, Jr., Reece Pyott ; 1859, James
Dunwoody, Charles Redman; 1860, Davis Beaumont, Joseph Lewis ;
1861, Reece Pyott, David P. Caley ; 1862, James Dunwoody, Davis
F. Smith ; 1863, A. L. Williamson, Isaac A. Calvert ; 1864, David P.
Caley, Charles T. Neal; 1865, Joseph Lewis, Jr., James R. Shock;
1866, A. L. Williamson, George Paschall; 1867, Daniel P. Caley,
John L. Yarnall ; 1868, James R. Shock, Joseph Lewis, Jr. ; 1869,
A. L. Williamson, Joseph Lewis, Jr. ; 1870, David P. Caley, James
Pyott; 1871, James Dunwoody, James P. Calvert; 1872, George Pas-
chall, Thomas Kirk ; 1873, John Jones, John H. Rhoads ; 1874, D. P.
Caley, George Paschall; 1875, Thomas Kirk, James Dunwoody;
1876,Joseph Lewis, Jr., Jesse Brooke; 1877,Janies Dunwoody, David
P. Caley; 1878, no report; 1879, Joseph Lewis, Jr., Charles Barr;
1880, James Dunwoody, Jesse Brooke; 1881, Thomas Kirk, Amos
Haines; 1882, Joseph Lewis, Jr., Charles Barr; 1883, James Dun-
woody, Andrew J. Horton ; 1884, Thomas Kirk, J. P. Dunwoody.
Newtown Friends' Meeting-House.— The first
reference to a Friends' Meeting in Newtown occurs
in the minutes of Haverford Monthly Meeting, dated
Eleventh month 14, 1696, wherein it is recorded
that " William Lewis and some friends having pro-
posed to this meeting to settle a meeting at Newtown,
they were left to their freedom therein." Before the
close of the year, or, as we now compute the year,
early in 1697, Thomas Jones was ordered " to acquaint
friends of Chester Meeting that the meeting lately
settled at Newton is done w'" 3'' consent of this meet-
ing in order to have their approbation therein."
What action, if any, was taken by Chester Meeting
at that time does not appear, but three years after-
wards Chester Quarterly Meeting, on Third month
12, 1701, expressed strong disapproval, stating, "This
meeting being dissatisfied that a meeting is sett
up at Newtowne without the approbation of this
Quarterly meeting, the meeting, therefore, orders
John Blunston & Walter ffaucet to go to Haverford
months meeting and request them that the said
meeting be not Continued without the Approbation
of this Q'"' Meeting." The protest of Chester Meet-
ing appears not to have been effective in discontinu-
ing the meeting in Newtown, and the subject was
brought before the Yearly Meeting of Friends, which
decided that the meeting should continue as it then
was, but " for the future y" said Welsh friends may •
set up no meeting further w^in the said county of
Chester without the approbation" of Chester Quar-
terly Meeting having been first obtained. Thus the
matter rested for five years, until First month 25,
1706, when William Lewis, of Newtown, and Daniel
Williamson appeared at Chester Monthly Meeting,
asking that Newtown Meeting should be joined with
Chester Monthly and Quarterly Meeting, and Caleb
Pusey and Joseph Baker were ordered to attend at
the next Newtown Monthly Meeting "to signify our
willingness if they consent to it." The following
month Pusey and Baker reported that they had been
to Haverford Meeting in relation to the joining of
Newtown Meeting with Chester, and that Haverford
Meeting had referred the matter to further considera-
tion. At the Providence Quarterly Meeting on Sixth
month 5, 1706, it was " agreed between Philadel-
phia Q'"'' Meeting & this that Newtowne friends shall,
for the future, belong to Chester Monthly Meeting
and to this Q'"^ Meeting." The persons then compris-
ing Newtown Meeting, we learn from a general certifi-
cate present at Providence Sixth month 26, 1706, were
William Lewis, Sr., Lewis Lewis, Evan Lewis, Wil-
liam Lewis, Reese Howell, William Bevan, William
Thomas, " with Recommendation for Peter Thomas."
At this time Newtown Monthly Meeting was held at
the house of Lewis Lewis. On Fifth month 28, 1707,
a request was presented to Providence Quarterly
Meeting asking that the place of meeting might be
removed to Evan Lewis', which desire was acceded
to. The date at which Friends in Newtown acquired
title to the burial-lot does not appear ; but it was cer-
tainly prior to 1710, for, on Eighth month 30, 1710,
" Newton meeting Laid before the meeting their In-
tentions of building a meeting house by friends burial
yard in Newtown," which met the approval of Friends
of Providence. The building was not completed, we
learn, until near the close of the following year, for
on Eighth month (October) 29, 1711, the minutes of
Providence Meeting show that the Friends in New-
town " signifie that their meeting house is neare
finished, and Desire that their meeting may be Re-
moved from Evan Lewis' to the meeting house, which
this meeting approves of," thus Newtown meeting-
house, built in .1711, became the tenth Friends' meet-
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
643
ing-house erected in the present county of Delaware.
How the building was warmed for the first few years is
unknown, but in 1715 a stove, bearing the inscription,
" Mordecai Persol, Rebecca Furnace," and the date
mentioned dispelled the chilly air in Newtown meet-
ing-house, and did so for over a century and a half
until 1876, when it was removed and taken to the
Centennial Exhibition. The present Friends' meet-
ing-house was erected in 1791.
Seventh-Day Baptist Church and Burial-Place.
— This society was composed of Friends who first
adhered to the tenets taught by George Keith, sub-
sequently became converts to the doctrines of the
Baptist Church. The first Seventh-Day Baptist in
Pennsylvania is said to have been Abel Noble, who
came to the province in 1684, at which time he was
a Friend. When George Keith first began to an-
nounce his opinions, among the earliest persons to
accept his teachings was Noble, and he it was who
gave shape to the Keithian Baptist form of religious
observances, for which they were distinguished from
other societies, — such as distinguishing the days and
months by numerical names, adhering to plainness
of language and dress, and abstaining from swearing
or fighting. On June 28, 1697, Abel Noble baptized
Thomas Martin, a public Friend, in Ridley Creek,
and afterwards Thomas Martin baptized other Qua-
kers,— Thomas Powell, Evan Harry, Hugh Harry,
John Palmer, Judith Calvert, David Thomas, and
others, to the number of nineteen in all, — who, on
Oct. 12, 1697, were incorporated, and on that day pro-
ceeded to choose a minister by lot. Three persons were
nominated,— William Buckingham, Thomas Budd,
andThomas Martin, — and the latter was chosen. From
1697 to 1700 other Quakers were baptized,— William
Thomas, Richard Buflington, Elizabeth Thomas, Jane
Phillips, David Phillips, Elizabeth Hall, Rees Price,
and others, — some of whom lived in other parts of the
country. In 1700 a difference arose among the so-
ciety touching the observance of the Sabbath-day,
a separation took place, and such of those who ad-
hered to the observance of the Sabbath-day pre-
served the organization of a society at Newtown, and
held their meetings at the house of David Thomas,
now the dwelling of William R. Calvert. On Jan.
30, 1717, Thomas Thomas, of Newtown, conveyed
half an acre of land, on Newtown Street, in consider-
ation of fifteen shillings, to Philip Rhytheraoh, Henry
Lewis, and David Thomas, all of Newtown, as a
burial-place for the members of the society of Seventh-
Day Baptists. The land had originally been owned
by William Thomas, father of Thomas Thomas, who
settled there in 1698. The Yearly or May Meetings
were held on the lawn in front of David Thomas'
house. In 1770 the society still held its meetings at
the house of David Thomas. Three families, belong-
ing to Newtown, were then in membership, and
in that year the following persons were baptized :
David Thomas, John German, Hazrael Thomas, Ruth
Thomas, Priscilla Wayne, Elizabeth Wayne, and
Mary Gilkey. Within tjie limits of the present Bap-
tist churchyard at Newtown, separated from the par-
sonage and church-lot by a picket-fence, is the old
burial-ground. In time the families of Lewis and Rhy-
therach, by death and removal, were unrepresented
in this section, and the title remained in the Thomas
family, by whom it was sold within comparatively
recent years to the congregation of the present Baptist
Church. From among the inscriptions on the grave-
stones in this ancient God's acre we have copied the
following :
Jane Thomas, Yth mo. 23d day, 1730 (Nov.) aged 55.
David Thomas, 9th mo. 17th day, 1734, aged 64.
Margaret Iddings, Nov., 1735, aged 84 years.
Richard Iddings, May 3, 1753, aged 78 years.
" Elizabeth Wayne, daughter of Humphrey, and Priscilla Wayne,
Aug. 28, 1738, aged 13 years 7 mo.
" I am not saved
By works of mine,
But by the grace
That is Devine."
" Priscilla Wayne, i
" William Wayne, E
aged 3 yrs. 7 mo.
umphrey Wayne, June 11, 1781,
umphrey & Priscilla Wayne, Apl. 23, 1752,
"My Infants Race
Was Ran Apace,
By God's free Grace
I En Joy Peace."
David Thomas, Apl. 14, 1789, aged 79 years.
Ruth, wife of David, Feby. 20, 1792, aged 60 years.
Col. David Thomas, 1839, aged 84 years.
Margaret Thomas, Nov. 9, 1811, aged 24 years.
Elizabeth Wayne, the mother of Gen. Anthony
Wayne, who is believed to have been a Thomas, in
her will directed tombstones to be placed at the graves
of four of her children who were buried in this yard.
A large, flat, gray slab, resting upon four columns of
gray stones, covers the remains of Elizabeth Wayne,
and bears the following inscription :
" Dedicated to the memory of Elizabeth Wayne, relict of Isaac Wayne,
Esquire, who departed this life in the month of May, 1793, aged 84
"She was a woman of distinguished piety and benevolence."
Newtown Baptist Church.— This church is over
fifty years old, having celebrated its semi-centennial
or "jubilee anniversary" on Thursday, Nov. 9, 1882.
It is known that H. G. Jones, Joseph H. Kennard,
William S. Hall, and others, held religious meetings
in this vicinity before the Newtown Baptist Church
came into existence. In October, 1832, a number of
the members of different Baptist Churches residing
in Newtown township and the regions about, at a
considerable distance from their own places of wor-
ship, decided upon organizing a new church. For
this purpose they met at the residence of Deacon
Samuel Davis in Haverford. There were present H.
G. Jones, of Lower Merion ; D. A. Nichols, of Rox-
borough ; R. Gardiner, of Goshen, ministers ; and
Samuel Davis and John Kinzey, of Lower Merion ;
and Spicer Jones, of Great Valley, laymen. It was
agreed that Saturday, the 10th of November, 1832,
644
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
should be the day on which the contemplated church
should be organized. Invitations were sent to a num-
ber of the clergy of the Baptist denomination to be
present. On the day appointed they met at the resi-
dence of Dr. Gardiner, of Newtown, and were organ-
ized as a council.
It was unanimously agreed that a church ought to
be organized. Letters of dismissal were read from
several churches, dismissing the following seven per-
sons who constituted the new church, viz. : Eev. Dr.
Eichard Gardiner and his wife Hannah, Eliza C.
Cheyney, John Kinzey and his wife Mary, Harriet
Lewis, and Eli Baugs. A church covenant and ar- j
tides of faith were agreed to and signed, and the right :
hand of fellowship was then extended to Dr. Gardiner j
on behalf of the church. In the evening of the same
day Eev. H. G. Jones preached a sermon to the little j
.flock, and also on the following day (Sunday). During
the first year twelve persons were baptized, and eleven 1
were received into the church by letter. Meetings
were held before a church was built in the upper part
of Dr. Gardiner's carriage-house, and the Misses Gar-
diner organized a Sunday-school which was held at
their father's house.
In January, 1834, Eev. Samuel J. Creswell was or-
dained to the ministry, and installed as pastor of the
church. Early in the same year an acre of ground
was purchased from Dr. Gardiner for one hundred
and thirty-six dollars, he donating thirty dollars of
that amount, and a house of worship was erected upon
it at a cost of about two thousand dollars, which was
dedicated Aug. 30, 1834, Eev. H. G. Jones, of Lower
Merion, preaching the sermon. In June, 1834, Eobert
Compton was appointed by the Board of Pennsyl-
vania Missions to labor with the church, and eight
months later Daniel Trites superseded him. In 1839,
the church, having in the mean time grown consider-
ably, purchased the property of Thomas Phillips,
then occupied by the pastor, Eev. Daniel Trites, for
two thousand dollars. In 1840 the church reported
a membership of one hundred and thirty-seven, and
a Sunday-school of ninety-five.
After the Eev. Daniel Trites resigned the pastor-
ship, in 1840, the pulpit was supplied by various min-
isters and laymen until Oct. 17, 1842, when Eev.
Henry Essick was chosen pastor. From that time to
the present the pastors have been as follows : 1845,
Eev. David Phillips; 1846-49, supplies; 1849-59,
Eev. E. Compton ; 1859-64, Eev. John Owen ; 1864-
65, Eev. Samuel Cox; 1865-66, supplies; 1866-68,
Eev. C. F. Sleinman ; 1869, supplies ; 1870-74, Eev.
J. T. Bender ; 1874-77, Eev. E. M. Heyburn ; 1877-
84, Eev. J. L. Sagebeer; July, 1884, Eev. Frank
Shirmer.
During the fifty-two years of the existence of the
church about four hundred and twenty persons have
been baptized, and about one hundred and fifty re-
ceived by letter. The present membership is about
one hundred and fifty.
St. David's Church.— The quaint Episcopal Church
building commonly designated " Old Eadnor," located
at the extreme northeastern limits of Newtown town-
ship, in point of age antedates all the ecclesiastical
structures in Delaware County excepting Haverford
Friends' meeting-house. The plain, stone edifice has
been kindly treated by time, which has covered and
beautified its external walls with luxuriant ivy, while
the towering trees which cluster on the hillsides im-
part to the scene a picturesque appearance rarely to
be met with in any part of the United States. A
rough stone stairway, on the outside of the building,
leads to the tiny gallery within, and adds attractive-
ness to the picture. Longfellow, in an interview with
a newspaper correspondent, in 1881, most happily ex-
pressed the feeling of veneration a sight of the
ancient structure was calculated to arouse in a medi-
tative mind. " I was stopping," he said, in relating
the story of his poem, ' Old St. David's at Eadnor,'
at Eosemont, and one day drove over to Eadnor.
Old St. David's Church, with its charming and pic-
turesque surroundings, attracted my attention. Its
diminutive size, peculiar architecture, the little rec-
tory in the grove, the quaint churchyard, where Mad
Anthony Wayne is buried, the great tree which stands
at the gateway, and the pile of gray stone which
makes the old church, and is almost hidden by the
climbing ivy, all combine to make it a gem for a
fancy picture." '
The exact date when the church organization was
effected at Eadnor is not now known. But certain it
is that a congregation had been established there in
1700 ; for in the letter written by Eev. Evan Evans,
and dated London, Sept. 18, 1707, addressed to the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in For-
eign Parts, giving an account of the state of the
church in Pennsylvania, the writer says, " But Mont-
gomery and Eadnor, next to my own beloved Phila-
delphia, had the most considerable share in my la-
bours, where I preached in Welsh once a fortnight for
four years, till the arrival of Mr. Nichols, minister of
Chester, in 1704." '' The certificate given by the
church wardens of Eadnor, dated June 29, 1719, to
Eev. Dr. Evans, distinctly set forth " that the Eev.
Dr. Evans has preached the gospel at Eadnor,'at the
house of Mr. William Davis, one of the subscribers,
once a fortnight from November, in the year 1700,
all the time he was resident in Philadelphia, without
any reward from us ; and since his return from Eng-
land, which was on the 22d day of March, 1716/7,
until the latter end of June past, he preached at St.
David's Church, at Eadnor." ' Tradition asserts that
a log church was erected early in the seventeenth
century, and the ruins of such a structure on the
property of Tryon Lewis, formerly owned by William
1 Philadelphia Prest, May, 1881.
! Hazard's Register, vol iii. p. 337.
i Dr. Perry's " Historical Collection of American Colonial Churches.''
4
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
645
Davis, is thought to be the remains of this early
sanctuary, which was so constructed that it could be
used as a garrison in the event of any hostile demon-
stration on the part of the Indians during divine ser-
vices. In 1708, in Oldmixon's " British Empire in
America," reference is made to a church congregation
in Radnor. "Within land," he says, "lies Radnor
or Welsh town, finely situated and well built, con-
taining near 50 families. In this place is a congre-
gation of the Church of England-men, but no settled
minister." ' In the letter of the Rev. Dr. Evans, be-
fore mentioned, he further states, "The Welsh at
Radnor and Merioneth, in the province of Pennsyl-
vania, having a hundred hands to their petition for a
minister to be settled amongst them that understands
the British language, there being many ancient people
among these inhabitants that do not understand the
English ; and could a sober and discreet man be pro-
cured to undertake that mission, he might be capable,
by the blessing of God, to bring in a plentiful harvest
of Welsh Quakers, but were unhappily prevented
before any minister in holy orders that could preach
to them in their own language was sent into Penn-
sylvania ; but I believe that they are not irrecov-
erable, had they an itinerant missionary who would
use application and diligence to introduce them to
the communion of the church."
The ultimate result of the petition, which was supple-
mented in 1712 by other representations of the people
of the neighborhood, in which Rev. John Humphreys,
then missionary in charge of St. Paul's parish, at
Chester, joined, was the appointment of John Clubb,
a Welshman, who had been a schoolmaster in Phila-
delphia. He had occasionally conducted services at
Radnor, and was appointed in 1714 missionary to Rad-
nor and Oxford Churches. At the time he was given
this charge John Clubb was in England, sailing shortly
after to assume the duties of ministering to the con-
gregations at these stations. He reached Philadelphia
in the latter part of August of that year, and reported
to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, that the " people of Radnor," on the 7th
of September "had met me [him] unanimously upon
the day appointed . . . and at the game time heartily
engaged to build a handsome stone church. They
subscribed that day a tolerable sum towards the carry-
ing of it on, and obliged themselves to make it good;
and for the rest I shall use all the means I am able to
effect by collection." The fund being raised, it is as-
serted by tradition considerable diversity of opinion
was manifested respecting the site of the church, some
of the contributors contending for the present location,
while others desired it should be built on a lot of fif-
teen acres, near the junction of Sugartown and Reese-
ville roads. The fact that a good spring of water was
near by the present site, ultimately turned the scale,
and the work of building the church was earnestly
1 Hazard's Registei
.162.
begun. The land, it is said, on which the church
stands being owned by one Saunders, then residing in
England, he was asked to donate the plot, and in
response authorized the congregation " to fence off five
acres in one corner" of bis tract. This statement
may well be questioned until it is established that
Saunders ever owned the land. Perhaps William
Shalow was the name of the donor. But, be that as
it may, the right to build was obtained, and Acrelius
records the ceremonial observances when the corner-
stone was laid. He says, —
" The Laying of a Corner-Stone. — But something peculiar is to be
aeeu among the Englisli at the laying of the foundation of a church.
On the 9th of May, 1715, Pastor Sandel was invited to attend the laying
of the foundation of Radnor Church, sixteen miles from Philadelphia.
First, a service with preaching was held in a private house ; then they
went in procession to the place where the church was to be built. There
a prayer was made ; after which each one of the clergyman laid a stone
according to the direction of the master mason."2
For over half a century after the church was built
no floor was laid in the building, and no pews, the
worshipers being seated on benches, at first furnished
by the occupant, but subsequently placed there by the
vestry and leased to the congregation. The quaint
record states, " William Evans and Hugh Jones are
to have y' upper bench above y" door for two pounds."
Later, pews were introduced, but the peculiar custom
prevailed of selling the ground, and the party pur-
chasing to make the improvements, thus, " At a
vestry held December 5th, 1763, the vestry granted to
Robert Jones the privilege to build a pugh on a piece
of ground in St. David's Church adjoining Wayne's
and Hunter's pugh, he paying for y' ground four
pounds ten shillings." This, however, is not the first
mention of pews, for it appears on June 8th, 1756, the
vestry " Ordered that the clerk and his assistants shall
sit in John Jones' pew." In 1765 the church was
floored, in 1767 a vestry house was built on the site
of the present Sunday-school, and in 1771 a subscrip-
tion was made sufficient to build the gallery, which,
when first erected, extended further than at present,
passing over the front door and joining on the east
wall. Capt. Isaac Wayne, the father of Mad Anthony,
was the chief mover in the improvement, and under
his direction it was built.
John Clubb, the active pastor, during whose in-
cumbency the present church was built, labored so
diligently in the ministry, being compelled to make
long journeys to preach to the scattered congrega-
tions in his charge, that it undermined his health and
caused his death in December, 1715. In that year it
is believed Dr. Evans returned to England for the
second time, designing to remain, but after the death
of John Clubb, the petition of the " poor settlers in a
! Acrelius' " History of New Sweden," p. 221. The fact that the servioes
were held at a private house, and the absence of the slightest reference
to a prior church building in any of the documentary authorities touch-
ing on the early history of St. David's, tend strongly to disprove the
truth of the old tradition that a log structure built for church [
preceded the present edifice.
646
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
wilderness," as was the expression used by the con-
gregations at Radnor and Oxford, earnestly requesting
that another missionary should be sent them by the
society, that Dr. Evans petitioned that he might again
go to the American colonies. The only vacant charge
at that time being the Welsh settlement, he was ap-
pointed, and in 1716, for the third time, being tem-
porarily assigned to that parish. At Radnor he
preached on alternative Thursdays until the summer
of 1718, during whieh, from April, 1717, until May,
1718, he was also minister of Christ Church, in Phila-
delphia. In February of the latter year he was of-
fered a living in Maryland by the Governor of that
State, which he accepted, conducting services at Rad-
nor for the last time in June, 1718. Rev. John Hum-
phreys, of Chester, who was so unpopular in his own
parish that the people united in April, 1717, in ask-
ing that another missionary might be sent to St.
Paul's, supplied the vacant pulpit until December,
1718, when Rev. Robert Weymau, who had been ap-
pointed missionary, assumed charge of the Radnor
Church. The latter did not understand Welsh, and
for twelve years many of the pious members of the
church attended his preaching without comprehend-
ing any of the sermons, and in those days pulpit essays
were not confined to a brief matter of a half-hour, but
were lengthy and bristling with doctrinal arguments.
On April 1, 1725, the old record of the church shows
the appointment of the first vestrymen, consisting of
William Davis, James Price, Thomas David, Joseph
Coleman, William Moore, John Hunter, Anthony
Wayne, Thomas James, David Evans, William Evans,
Peter Elliot, John David, while the church wardens
were Evan Hughes and Griffith Howell.
Early in the spring of 1731, Rev. Mr. Weyman was
ordered to another field, and for two years Radnor
Church was without a missionary, dependent on sup-
plies for religious services, and the difficulties with
which the congregation had to contend are shown by
the register, when, on Nov. 7, 1731, a subscription,
amounting to nine pounds eleven shillings was made,
and the subscribers obligated themselves to make pay-
ment " on or before y° sixteenth day of May next en-
suing the date hereof, for the use of Mr. Backhouse,
who pretends, with God's assistance, to preach here
once a month." Early in the spring of 1733, Rev.
John Hughes, who had been appointed missionary,
assumed the charge of Radnor Church, and continued
there until the summer of 1736, when, his health be-
coming impaired, he requested the society to fill the
place which he was compelled to resign. The society
thereupon appointed Rev. William Currie, a Scotch-
man, liberally educated, who assumed the duties of the
office in 1737, and he continued in charge of the parish
until May, 1776, when, announcing to the congregation
that, under the obligation of his office, he felt he must
use the liturgy of the Church of England in behalf of
King George, he tendered his resignation of the rec-
torship, which he had filled for nearly half a century.
After his resignation church organization appears
to have been demoralized, and seldom during the
long years of that contest were religious services held
within the building. That the church was stripped
of the lead in which the small diamond-shaped glasses
in the windows was held in place is most probable, but
it is not likely, as tradition has stated, that Gen. Grant
massed some of his command in the cedar thicket,
which, during the Revolution, was on the site of the
present rectory, preparatory to his attack on Wayne
at Paoli, on the night of Sept. 20, 1777. It may be
that some of the dead and wounded American troops,
to the number of sixteen, who fell in that massacre,
were buried in the little hollow west of the gallery-
stairs, but the story that the buried men were of the
dead of Brandywine battle-field is worthy of little, if
any, consideration.
From a well-written account of St. David's Church
the following incidents are taken : '
" In June, 1763, very threatening rumors having
reached Radnor concerning the devastation of the In-
dians under Pontiac, who had at that time advanced
as far as Carlisle, Mr. Currie, on the Sunday after the
arrival of the news, announced his text from Eccle-
siastes vii. 14: 'In the day of prosperity be joyful,
but in the day of adversity considerate.' So eloquent
was the old gentleman's discourse that the congrega-
tion, impressed with a sense of their danger from an
attack by the Indians, resolved themselves, before
leaving the church, into a mutual protection associa-
tion ; and, after due deliberation, returned to their
homes, carefully cleaned and prepared all the guns
and other weapons found in the neighborhood, and
thus made full arrangements to resist the Indians
should they approach. This home-guard system
continued, it is said, until Pontiac's peace and with-
drawal in August, 1764."
The other incidents occurred during the Revolu-
tion, and happened while services were being held by
Rev. David Jones, the Baptist pastor of the Great
Valley Church, in Chester County, who was Wayne's
chaplain from 1777 to 1783, and on this occasion was
preaching in the old Radnor Church. The event is
thus recorded by the writer already mentioned:
"After finishing the introductory formalities, old
Davy Jones climbed into the lofty pulpit, and, having
announced his text, glanced around in order to assure
himself of the attention of his audience ; that one
glance, however, completely disconcerted the worthy
old gentleman. He saw seated comfortably before
him several young and active men (previously hidden
from so close a scrutiny by the old-fashioned, high-
backed pews). In an instant patriotism had so com-
pletely mastered him that he threw away his sermon,
and, shaking his finger vehemently at the astonished
youths, demanded to know why they didn't go into
Historical SIsetcb of Old Radnor Cliurch, 1685-1875, pp. 5, 6, Media,
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
647
the American armj' and fight the British ? ' I'm not
afraid to go,' he screamed ; ' they can't hurt me !
They may kill me, if they like, and make a drum-
head of my old hide, but they'll play humy, drum,
drum, humy, drum, drum, till the British are scared
out of the country;" then, in wild excitement, he
threw off a heavy cloak, which hung around his
shoulders, and displayed an American uniform."
In 1783, Rev. William Currie again took charge of
St. David's and began energetically to collect funds
to repair the ravages which time and the war had
made in the old church building and graveyard wall.
While he was rector the church was admitted to
membership in the Diocesan Convention of Pennsyl-
vania, in 1786. In August, 1787, Thomas Reed and
Philip Sheaf were appointed as delegates to secure
a minister, the Great Valley Episcopal Church of
Chester County, St. James at Perkiomen, and the
Swede's Church near Norristown being united with St.
David's Church in the parish. The result was the
calling of Rev. Slaytor Clay. In August, 1792, while
Mr. Clay was rector, the church was incorporated, and
it was during his incumbency that the body of Gen.
Wayne was removed from the fortress at Presque Isle
to Radnor churchyard by his sou, Col. Isaac Wayne.
On the 4th of July, 1809 (an oppressively warm day),
the Pennsylvania State Society of the Cincinnati
placed a plain marble monument over his remains.
This stone was erected previous to the removal of the
body of the general to Old Radnor churchyard. The
ceremonies of the dedication of the monument were
conducted by the Society of the Cincinnati. There was
an imposing pageant, and the First City Troop of Phil-
adelphia, under command of Maj. Robert Wharton,
paid the honors of war over the grave. The hearse con-
taining the body of the general was preceded from his
residence to the grave by a veteran, Samuel Smiley,
one of the Wayne brigade, who refused to ride, and
seemed overcome with the realization of the fact that
his old commander was dead. One of the officers of
the City Troop, it is said, was overcome by the extreme
heat, and after the ceremony was over, an eccentric
Baptist preacher, old Davy Jones, who had witnessed
the massacre at Paoli and had taken part in the battle,
mounted the platform that had been erected near the
monument and told the story of that butchery. The
crowd gathered on the occasion is said to have been
so large that many of the limbs of the trees in and
surrounding the yard broke with the weight of the
people who had climbed up on them.
During Mr. Clay's rectorship an addition was tnade
to the graveyard and the wall repaired, the dashed
part of the wall showing where the extension was
made. The present northwest wall of the graveyard,
added at a still more recent date, forms the boundaries
between Delaware and Chester Counties. The church
building was repaired and the pews rearranged. Mr.
Clay continued in charge of St. David's until his
death, in 1821, although his health was so broken that
I frequently services were not held in the church, and
often the congregation was dependent on supplies.
\ In 1818 Rev. Samuel C. Brinckle settled near the
church, and preached every other week after that time
until Mr. Clay's death ; and succeeding the latter in
the rectorship, he preached every Sunday, but that
he did so was due to William Crosley, a wealthy
member of the church, who subscribed twenty dollars
to the support of a minister who would preach every
Sunday. The congregation, moved by this example,
j contributed until the salary was increased to nearly
I four hundred dollars.
The rectors of the church since Mr. Brinckle have
^ been : Rev. Simon Wilmer, from December, 1832, to
July, 1833 ; Rev. William Henry Rees, from July,
' 1833, to September, 1838 ; Rev. William Peck, from
October, 1838, to October, 1845; Rev. William W.
Spear, from January, 1846, to March, 1846 ; Rev.
Breed Batchelor, from March, 1846, to December,
1847 ; Rev. Thomas G. Allen, not regularly ap-
pointed ; Rev. John A. Childs, from January, 1848,
to August, 1856 ; Rev. Henry Brown, from 1851 to
1855 ; Rev. Richardson Graham, from January, 1856,
to January, 1861; Rev. Thomas G. Clemson, from
August, 1861, to June, 1866 ; Rev. William F. Halsey,
from Nov. 18, 1866, to his death, October, 1882 ; Rev.
George A. Keller, from December, 1882, the present
incumbent.
On July 30, 1820, the first confirmation ever held
in St. David's Church was conducted by Bishop
White, sixteen persons being on that occasion ad-
mitted to membership. In 1824 the Sunday-school
j was organized, and about 1830 that part of the old
gallery which passed over the front door was taken
i down, the high-backed, old-fashioned pews torn out,
and the present ones substituted, the pulpit enlarged,
and the sounding-board removed. A vestry house
was built, about seventeen feet square, on the site
of the present Sunday-school building. In 1844 the
present parsonage was built. In 1850 St. David's
I corporation brought suit against Thomas Beaumont,
who, they alleged, had gradually been encroaching on
the church lands. The church was comparative suc-
cessful in the suit, but the vestry was unable to show
any title to the land other than possession. It is a
tradition that Queen Anne presented Radnor Church
with a communion service, which is doubtless true, for
it was her custom to make such gifts to every church of
England in the British colonies. It was due to her
interest in these matters that Walpole called her " the
wet-nurse of the church." This service was taken
by some marauding party of soldiers during the
Revolution, and has never been recovered.
In 1861 the corporation purchased an acre of land
from George Phillips, and enlarged the graveyard.
On Sept. 4, 1867, the church celebrated its sesqui-
centennial, the date being erroneous, 1717 being ac-
cepted as the year of the church building, instead of
1715. In 1871 the church was repaired, and a new
648
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and commodious vestry-room was built on and beyond
the site of the old bouse.
During the national centennial Longfellow visited
Old Radnor Church, and so deeply did the scene
impress bis poetic feelings that he gave expression to
his thoughts in the following poem, entitled
"OLD ST. DAVID'S AT EADNOE.I
"What an image of peace and rest
Is this little church among its graves !
All is so quiet: the troubled breast,
The wounded spirit, the heart oppressed,
Here may find the repose it craves.
" See how the ivy climbs and expands
Over this humble hermitage,
And seems to caress with its little hands
The rough, gray stones, as a child that stands
Caressing the wrinkled cheeks of age.
"You cross the threshold, and dim and small
Is the space that serves for the Shepherd's fold:
The narrow aisle, the bare white wall,
The pews, and the pulpit quaint and tall,
Whisper and say, ' Alas 1 we are old.'
" Herbert's chapel at Bemerton
Hardly more spacious is than this,
But poet and pastor, blent in one.
Clothed with a splendor, as of the sun,
That lowly and holy edifice.
" It is not the wall of stone without
That makes the building small or great.
But the soul's light shiuiug round about,
And the faith that overcometh doubt.
And the love that stronger is than hate.
" Were I a pilgrim iu search of peace.
Were I a pastor of Holy Church,
More than a bisliop's diocese
Should I prize this place of rest and release
From further longing and further search.
"Here would I stay, and let the world
With its distant thunder roar and roll;
Storms do not rend tlie sail that is furled,
I^or like a dead leaf, tossed and whirled
In an eddy of wind, is the anchored soul."
The ancient God's acre which surrounds this quaint
church is crowded with the dead of many generations.
The oldest tombstone in the inclosure bears this
inscription :
" Here Lieth y body of
Edward Hvghes, Entered
ye 16 day of December
1716— aged 66 years 9 months."
Another erected to an infant reads,—
" Itemember, children, as you pass by
That you, too, also soon must die."
The door-stone to the church is a tablet bearing the
date 1781, and the name William Moore, whom tra-
dition has declared was a rank Tory. Another stone
has this inscription, which is now difficult to decipher :
"Heee! Lif.th: The: Body: Of:
William: Evans: Who: Depart-
ed: This: Life: The: Septem-
ber: 29: 1731: Aged: 62 Mv:
Pilgrim : Race ; I : Ran : A :
Pace : Mt; Resting : Place : Is :
Here: This: Stone: Is: Got:
To: Keep: Ye: Spot: That:
Men: Dig: Not: Too: Near:"
' LippincoWs Magazine for June,
Near the church has been erected a plain marble
monument to the memory of Gen. Anthony Wayne.
On one side of the stone is the following inscription :
" Major General Anthony Wayne was born at Waynesborough, in
Chester county, State of Pennsylvania, A.D. 1745. After a life of honor
and usefulness, he died in December, 1796, at a military post on the
shore of Lake Erie, Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the United
States. His military achievements are consecrated in the history of his
country and iu the hearts of his countrymen. His remains are here
deposited."
On the other is inscribed, —
" In honor of the distinguished military services of Major Gen. An-
thony Wayne ; and as an affectionate tiibnte of respect to his memory
this stone was erected by his companion in arms, the Pennsylvania State
Society of the Cincinnati, July 4th, 1809; thirty-fourth anniversary of
the United States of America ; an event which constitutes the most ap-
propriate eulogium of an American soldier and patriot."
In another part of the graveyard is a massive slab,
which bears the following inscription :
"Mary Wayne, consort of the late Major Gen. Anthony Wayne, died
April 18th, 1793, aged 44 years.
" Major Gen. Anthony Wayne, late commander of the Army of the
United States, died at Presque Isle, December 15th, 1796, aged 62 years.
His body is interred within the garrison near the town of Erie."
The stone just mentioned was erected prior to the
removal of " Mad Anthony's" remains to Old Radnor
Church.
Industries.— In 1799 John Foulkes owned in New-
town a saw-mill and chairmaker's shop, Abraham Cal-
vert and Joseph Foulkes owned each a weave-shop,
Robert Mendenhall and William Vandever owned a
saw-mill, and Ezra Thomas had a wheelwright shop.
Union Paper-Mill.— On Feb. 2, 1828, William
Crosley purchased one hundred and eighty-seven
acres of land on Darby Creek, and in that year
erected a woolen-factory, where he conducted a large
business for many years. The mill was finally burned,
and on Feb. 24, 1861, the property was purchased by
Dr. Henry Pleasants, and later sold by him to Caspar
C. Garrett, who erected a paper-mill, which he subse-
quently enlarged, and is now one of the most pros-
perous establishments of this character in the county.
Moore's Mill, — About 1835, Adam Siters sold to
Samuel, James, and Alexander Moore eighty acres of
land on Darby Creek, a short distance below the
Crosley Mill, on which they erected a stone paper-
mill, forty by sixty feet, three stories in height, and a
stone picker-house one story high. Fourteen tene-
ment houses were also built, and a large and exten-
sive business was conducted until 1855, when the
main mill was destroyed by fire. The small one was
burned a few years later. Since that time the water-
power has not been used, and the property later passed
to Dr. Pleasants, who now owns it.
Tannery. — David Lewis, iu 1799, owned a tan-yard,
and also had a store. The tan-yard iu 1815 was con-
ducted by John Pratt, and was on land near Old New-
town Square, now belonging to Charles Tyson. It was
continued until subsequent to 1830.
Pierce's Plows.— In 1843, William Coboum had a
foundry near Fox Chase Tavern, where he made and
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
649
had the exclusive sale of Pierce's plows, which he
manufactured of cast iron, wrought iron, and steel.
Williamson's Saw-Mill.— In 1799 Enos William-
son owned a saw-mill on Crum Creek, which fell into
disuse subsequent to 1848.
Thomas' SMngle-Mill. — Thirty-five years ago Jon-
athan H. Thomas was operating a shingle-mill in
Newtown, which, on the evening of March 22, 1861,
was set on fire and destroyed. The ground being at
the time covered with a deep snow, the track of the
incendiary was followed to Howellville, in Edgmont,
where he was arrested.
Licensed Houses. — The first record of license
granted in Newtown is mentioned in the following
petition of Joseph Hawley, which would designate
it as having been done in 1727, although I do not
find Hawiey's name in the petition for licenses pre-
vious to 1729. The petition I allude to is dated Aug.
25, 1741, and the petitioner sets forth his case to the
court that he has " for these fourteen years Past Be-
haved himself as an honest, Civill and quiet neighbor
in his said Imploy, forbidding Gameing or Drunken-
ness or Sufler Men's Servants or others, to Sitt Tip-
ling in his house, and he and his wife being each of
them Between Sixty and Seventy years of age. . . .
And hope you will not allow Francis Elliot, a young
man (that hath a good trade, being a wheelwright,
house carpenter and joiner, having a wife and one
Child, hath Two or three apprentices, one Journey-
man), to obtain your Grant for Keeping of a Publick
house in Newtown, aforesaid, to the Great hurt and
damage of your Petitioner in his old age."
The petition is indorsed by sixty-seven citizens of
the township, who request the court to grant the
license, lest " Hawley and wife become a publick
charge." The application received the favorable
consideration of the justice. In August, 1743, Haw-
ley's petition states that " having obtained the favour
of this Honorable Court for the Keeping a Publick
house of Entertainment for these sixteen years past,"
he wishes to continue, and the court permits him so
to do. From the diagram attached to Francis Elliot's
petition, Nov. 24, 1741, it appears that " Hally's"
(Hawiey's) house was located on the north side of
the then Darby (now West Chester) road, a short dis-
tance below where that road intersects with the road
leading to Bishop's Mills and Lima, which places it
above where the Fox Chase Hotel now stands. El-
liot also states that his house is about ten miles dis-
tant on " Newtown Street," where the road from
Goshen to Philadelphia crosses the former, and lo-
cates his house at the southwest intersection of New-
town Street and Goshen road, exactly on the site of
the building of Mrs. Ruth Pratt, in 1870, as shown by
Hopkin's Atlas of Delaware County.
As noted, Francis Elliot failed in the petition men- |
tioned above, but he again presented his petition to I
the November court, in the same year, mentioning
therein that he had made application at the August !
court, but without success. Aug. 31, 1742, he again
appears, stating that he had been refused license at
the previous August and November courts, but urges
that " he hath been encouraged almost to complete a
large Brick Building, and in a short time (by the
Providence of God) shall be finished." His applica-
tion appears to have this time been successful, for
Aug. 30, 1743, he petitioned for a renewal of license,
which was allowed.
Neither Hawiey's nor Elliot's name appears, so far
as I have been able to find, after the date just given,
but Aug. 28, 1744, John West (the father of Benjamin
West) petitioned that he " having obtained license for
Keeping A public House of Entertainment in the
County of Chester for one year, which being now Ex-
pired, your Petitioner Craves to be Continued in the
Same Station in the Township." From that time until
1748 he continued in the business, but in that year
Jonathan James, who leased the premises, received
license for the house " where John West lately
Dwelled," and had it renewed to him the following
year. November, 1750, John Morris, also a renter,
petitioned for license for the house where Jonathan
James dwelt, which he says has been " a tavern ever
since built," and it was allowed. The same year Jona-
than James also made application at another location,
but it was rejected. Morris kept the inn until 1755,
when John West again became " mine host" and so
continued until 1758, when John Hamilton obtained
the license, which was consecutively continued until
and including 1766. There is no record for the year
1767, but in 1768 John Jarvis was empowered to keep
a public-house, which in 1771 was known as the
Square. In 1774, John Powell succeeded Jarvis for
three years, when Andrew Wilson conducted the busi-
ness, and in turn was followed by James Elliot, the
name of the house now being Newtown Square, a title
which it appears to have retained until 1787, when it
was again called the Square. This name it retained
in 1788 and 1789, when Richard Britton was the host.
In 1790, after the erection of Delaware County, Evan
Jones was licensed at the Square, and in 1792 he was
succeeded in business by William Beaumont, who
owned the property. In 1810 he was superseded by
Joseph Davis, who, in his petition the following year,
gives the title of the old inn as the Wagon. The lat-
ter in 1814 was followed by Levi Wells, and in 1817,
Davis Beaumont, a son of the owner of the tavern,
became the landlord, to be followed in 1823 by Wil-
liam V. Black. At this time the electors of Newtown,
Radnor, Marple, and that part of Edgmont lying to
the west of Ridley Creek, had their polling-place at
Black's Inn. In 1826, William L. Cochran followed
William V. Black, to give place, in 1832, to Joseph
Black, and the latter, two years later, to Joseph E.
Anderson. At this time the voters of Newtown and
Edgmont, east of Ridley Creek, had their polls at the
Wagon. In 1838, Isaac Hull became the host, and
when Newtown, in 1840, became an election district
650
HISTOHr OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
by itself, the polls were still retained at this house,
and continue to this time there to be held. In 1845
Hull gave place to John King, who remained there
only one year, for in 1846 he removed to the Fox
Chase Inn, and James McClelland followed him as
landlord of the Newtown Square Inn, for, although
the old name does not appear on any petition for
license until 1846, I am told it was so known during
McClelland's occupancy of the house. The latter in
1852 gave place to John Paschall, Jr., and he, in 1856,
to Joseph H. Hozer, and in 1859 George Eppright
had license thereat. He, however, in 1867, rented the
Fox Chase, and William T. Davis took out the license
and so continued until 1876, when Robert Cunning-
ham became the landlord, and in 1878 William T.
Davis again became the host of the Newtown Square
Inn, and continues there to the present time.
As before stated, the public-house of Joseph Haw-
ley was located near the site of the noted Fox Chase
Tavern on the West Chester road, and it may be that
Benjamin Powell, in 1775, had license for the old inn.
John Hill Martin states that Alexander Bartram, a
Scotchman, and a leading merchant in Philadelphia
previous to the Revolution, owned the Fox Chase, the
ground connected therewith comprising sixty acres.
That he took side with the English, was declared a
traitor to the United Colonies, and his estate confis-
cated. In 1782 John Fawkes was granted the right
to keep a public-house, and although the name is not
given in his application, it was doubtless in the build-
ing that was so long known to the people of the
county as the Fox Chase. In 1785 Thomas Car-
penter kept the house, to be superseded in 1788 by
Richard Fawkes, Jr., who, after the county of Dela-
ware had been erected, continued to be approved until
1799, when Rebecca Terrill was licensed for Fawkes'
Tavern. After two years' experience she yielded the
honors of the house again to Richard Fawkes, and
he continued as " mine host" until 1809, when Josiah
Fawkes assumed the duties of the place. In 1813
John Fawkes had the license, and the following year
in his petition the name " Fox Chase" first appears
of record. James Miller was landlord in 1823 to
1825, when for three years the house seems not to
have had license, until, in 1828, John Jacobs received
the privilege and continued yearly to do so until
1839, when Richard Millison took his place, to be fol-
lowed by John King in 1845. The latter had the
year previously kept the Newtown Square Inn. On
Dec. 5, 1845, King was stabbed and seriously wounded
by Eli Massey, who had been in his employ, dis-
charged and forbidden to come to the house. At date
stated, Massey came to the Fox Chase, and went into
the kitchen where his wife and several other persons
then were. King, learning that Massey was in the
house, — for the latter had threatened bodily harm to
the former, — went to the kitchen and ordered him
to leave the premises. When Massey had gone a few
steps beyond the threshold he turned, struck at King,
who had followed him to the door, with his knife and
wounded the landlord in the abdomen. The assailant
was arrested, tried at the February court following,
and convicted of an assault and battery. Judge Bell
sentenced him to nine months' imprisonment in the
county jail. John King, at the Fox Chase, con-
tinued to receive license until 1856, when, he being
dead, the privilege was granted to his widow, Edith
Ann King. The next year she was followed by
Thomas B. Evans, and he in 1861 by Abner Baldwin,
Jr. In 1864 R. M. Speakman had license for the
tavern ; in 1866 Jefleries Williamson superseded him,
and the latter, in 1867, gave place to George Eppright,
who had formerly been the host of the Newtown
Square Inn. In 1869, David Rickabaugh was the
landlord of the Fox Chase, as also in 1870, since
which date it disappeared from the licensed public-
of Delaware County.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DAVIS BEAUMONT.
William Beaumont, the father of the subject of this
biographical sketch, married Hannah Davis, of New-
town township, Delaware Co. Among their children
was Davis, born in 1790, who, at the age of two years,
removed to Newtown Square, where his father pur-
chased the property embracing the hotel and store.
He received an excellent English education, which
was made available in later life, and acquired a repu-
tation as an expert penman. At the age of twenty-
one, after having rendered valuable assistance to his
father in his various business pursuits, he removed to
Philadelphia, and for about three years engaged in
teaching. On returning again to Newtown he became
proprietor of the store at the " Square," where he re-
mained until his marriage, in 1816, to Elizabeth
Cochran (sister of the wife of the late William Black),
of Chester, Delaware Co., whose four children all died
in infancy. In 1845 he was again married, to Abbie
West, daughter of Isaac and Hannah West, of West
Manor township, Chester Co. To this marriage were
born two daughters. Ella is the wife of Garrett Wil-
liamson, son of Garrett and Hannah Williamson, of
Marple township, whose children are Davis B. (named
after his grandfather), Herman, Clinton, Elbert, and
Ira. Irene, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Beaumont, died at the age of seven years. Mr. Beau-
mont, after his first marriage, purchased a farm in
Upper Darby township, where he remained until the
death of Mrs. Beaumont, in 1843. On the death of
his father the hotel and store at Newtowu Square were
bequeathed to him, the former property having been
held by the family for a period of seventy-four years.
He also purchased, in 1848, a farm in the same town-
I ship, which is now the residence of his widow. He
,ir7^7 <Q^ ^^J^ /i^^^^^'^^
-^^^^^^
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP.
651
was in politics a strong Republican, never once miss-
ing a vote, and although frequently tendered office,
declined all others than that of county commissioner.
He was well informed in all the topics of the day, a
constant reader, and until his death keen of percep-
tion and exceedingly social, thereby winning and
retaining many friends. He died Dec. 17, 1870, and
was buried with his parents in the Newtown Friends'
burial-ground.
THOMAS p. BARTRAM.
John Bartram, who was of English extraction and
the grandfather of the subject of this biography, mar-
ried Phoebe Lobb, to whom were born, among other
children, a son, Samuel, in Darby township, during
the year 1800. He was united in marriage to Massey
Pratt, daughter of Thomas Pratt, of Marple township,
whose children were William (married to Annie,
daughter of Lewis Garrett, of Radnor township),
Hannah (Mrs. Stephen Ogden), and Thomas P. The
latter was born Sept. 14, 1827, in Darby township, and
in early youth removed to Marple township, where he
enjoyed such advantages of education as the school of
the district afforded, and afterwards became a pupil
of the popular boarding-school at Westtown. He
returned to the farm, and until his twenty-sixth year
assisted in its cultivation. In 1855 he married Orpha
Ann Heycock, daughter of Jesse Heycock, of New-
town. Two years later Mr. Bartram purchased the farm
in Newtown, on which he at present resides, and has
since that date devoted his energies to its improvement.
This has engaged all his time and attention, and left
little leisure for participation in matters of a public
character. He is in his political predilection a Re-
publican, and, though not an active representative of
the party, has served the township both in the capacity
of school director and supervisor. He is in religion a
Friend, and member of the Newtown Friends' Meeting,
JAMES DUNWOODY.
James Dunwoody was born in West Whiteland,
Chester Co., Pa., on Aug. 21, 1812, on the farm where
three generations of his ancestors had lived. While
still a boy, his parents moved to Westtown. He
married, March 12, 1840, Hannah, daughter of Wil-
liam Hood ; continuing for a few years to manage the
farm of his father. But in 1849 he bought and re-
moved to the farm of his father-in-law, in Newtown,
Delaware Co. Here he passed the remainder of his
life, proving by his unwavering attachment to the
right an influence for good in the community. He
died March 8, 1883, leaving five sons, — William H.,
Charles, John, E. Evans, and J. Penrose.
' in Marple township, on the 2d of April, 1797. After
receiving an English education at John Cornley's
boarding-school, at Burlington, and at Westtown, he
engaged in active farm labor, and married Annie P.
i Levis, daughter of William and Esther Levis, of
Springfield township, on the 14th of March, 1822.
I Their children are George, William, Esther L. (Mrs.
j Nathan Garrett), Phebe, Mary Ashbridge (Mrs. Hib-
berd Yarnall), Anna, and Elizabeth L. (who is de-
ceased). Mr. Rhoads, on his marriage, removed to
the farm in Newtown township, which is now the
residence of his widow, and until his death, on the
I 27th of February, 1863, was engaged in the healthful
I pursuits of a farmer. Mr. Rhoads, as a Whig and
Republican, held various public offices in the town-
ship, but cared little for the exciting scenes of politi-
I cal life. He was president, from the date of con-
i struction until his death, of the West Chester and
Philadelphia Turnpike Company. He wielded a
j commanding influence in the township as a man of
I integrity, judgment, and intelligence. His religion
was that of the Orthodox Society of Friends, of
which he was a prominent member.
WILLIAM RHOADS.
William Rhoads, the son of Joseph and Mary
Rhoads, and the youngest of seven children, was born
JESSE LEEDOM.
Isaac Leedom, the father of Jesse, who was of Eng-
lish descent, was a former resident of Bucks County,
Pa., from whence he removed to Radnor, and engaged
in the labor attending the cultivation of a farm. He
married Ann Jones, of Merion township, Montgomery
Co., and had children, — John, Jesse, Silas, George,
and Isaac. By a second marriage to Rebecca Mat-
lack were born children, — Ann, Elizabeth, Benedict,
William, Sidney, Mary, and Enoch. The death of
Mr. Leedom occurred on the 12th of March, 1848.
His son, Jesse, was born June 23, 1801, in Radnor
township, Delaware Co., where his youth was spent.
At the age of sixteen he left home with a view to ac-
quiring in Chester County the trade of a miller.
Having become proficient in this trade, he labored
for a while as a journeyman, and later rented a mill.
Mr. Leedom continued his vocation for many years,
! having both leased and purchased milling property.
In 1846 he secured a farm in the same county, popu-
larly known as " the White Horse farm," and two
years later became owner of the Mineral Spring farm
in Newtown township, Delaware Co., where he con-
] tinned to reside and cultivate the land until his death
I on the 4th of August, 1883. He married on the 19th
I of November, 1835, Elizabeth Williamson, daughter
of Enos and Sarah Williamson. Their children are
Sarah Ann (Mrs. J. H. Thomas, of Media), Hannah
' E., J. Jones, Margaret L., Enos W. (deceased), and
I E. Mary (Mrs. Alfred Palmer, of Steelton, Pa.). Mr.
' Leedom evinced a keen intelligence in the discussion
of the political questions of the day as on all subjects
' of current interest. Though a pronounced Whig in
' politics, and on the organization of the Republican
652
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
party one of its ardent adherents, he never sought or
held office. He was during his later life an enlight- !
ened reader of the most substantial literature, and
gifted with keen powers of perception. This he '
found a source of much pleasure and profit as ad-
vancing years deprived him of other means of enjoy- I
ment. He was in religion reared in the faith of the 1
society of Friends. Mrs. Leedom's death occurred
on the 7th of March, 1883, but a few months prior to
that of her husband.
CHAPTER XLIX.
NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
The territory now constituting the townships of I
Nether and Upper Providence was one of the early I
municipal divisions of the county. The origin of the
name, as it relates to the district, is unknown, al-
though it has been conjectured, doubtless correctly,
that it was bestowed by " some of the early immi-
grants, and was given as a manifestation of their safe '
deliverance from the perils they had encountered in
crossing the ocean." ^ The first reference to Provi- j
deuce occurred at the court held Fifth month 1, 1683, \
when Richard Crosby and Andrew Nelson were ap-
pointed collectors of the " levie for Defraying the I
charges of the Cort-House and Prison att Chester."
At the same court Thomas Nossiter was appointed
constable for Providence. Three months thereafter,
at the court held Eighth month 17, 1683, " the In- |
habitance of Providence make their application for a !
highway leading to the town of Chester." Seventeen i
persons composed "the Grand Jury empanelled to j
look out a convenient highway leading from Provi-
dence to Chester," and the court ordered " that the
Grand Jury doe meet on the 22nd instance at Thomas
Nossiter's, then to consider the premises." Nossiter
then had settled on a tract of two hundred acres be-
tween the present Ridley bridge and Butler's Lane, on
the Providence great road. The latter highway was
probably laid out in the early spring of 1684. The
first record of the division of Providence into Nether
and Upper Providence occurs in the minutes of Ches-
ter Friends' Meeting, on the " 13th of y° 8th month,
1690."
For over sixty years after Nether Providence is
thus distinctly mentioned the southern line of the
township was not that which it is at this present time,
for Ridley township contained within its boundaries
all that part of Nether Providence included in a line
drawn from Strath Haven, on Crum Creek, to the
wayside fountains on the Great Providence road,
and thence to Button's edge-tool works on Ridley
Creek. The inconvenience of this separation from
the rest of Ridley township by the creeks mentioned
1 Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 387.
was such that at length the owners of the real estate
within the boundaries designated presented a petition
to court, which was favorably acted on by the justice,
and the prayer of the petitioners allowed. The peti-
tion was as follows :
" Chester m. :
*' To the Honourable Justices of the Court of Getdl. Quarter Sessions of the
Peace, to be held at Chester the Twenty seventh day of February, Anno
Domini, 1753.
" The petition of John Sbarpless, Daniel Sharpless, Isaac Weaver, and
Thomas Swayne, inhabitants of the "Westermost part of Ridley Town-
ship, in the County of Chester aforesaid,
" Humbly Showetb
"That your Petitioners live in a very remote Part of the township of
■Ridley, between Crum and Ridley Creeks joining to the Townships of
Nether Providence far from the Principal Part of the inhabitants of the
said township.
" That your Petitioners labour under very Great Hardships in being
obliged, when warned by the Supervisors, to travel as far as the town-
ship of lower Darby to repair and amend the highways thereabouts, itt
being upward of five miles from the nearest of your Petitioners Planta-
tions, when the Inhabitants of the other end of the said township Sel-
dom or never Come to repair the said Roads on that Knd of the Town-
ship where your Petitioners dwell, and also are at very Great inconve-
niency in being obliged to meet at the White horse tavern to Consult
about any affairs Relative to the said Township.
" Your Petitioners therefore Pray that your Honours would be Pleased
to take your Petitioners Case into Consideration and order that all that
part of Ridley Township aforesaid lying to the Westward of the Easter-
most line of the land late of Thomas Dell, the Elder, & Thomas Dell, y"
younger, deceas"*, may be Joined to the Township of Nether Providence,
and that the same may Always hereafter be deemed Taken and Esteemed
to be part of the said Township of Nether Providence and your Peti-
tioners as in Duty Bound Shall Pray."
In describing the early settlement in Nether Provi-
dence it is proposed to ignore the fact that any por-
tion of the township was ever part of Ridley. At the
southern extremity of Nether Providence, on Eighth
month 20, 1683, John Nixon took up seventy-five
acres, which estate was known as "Stanfield," and
doubtless settled there. Richard Nixon is said to
have emigrated from Wexford, Ireland, in the early
part of the eighteenth century, but inasmuch as Rich-
ard Nixon was the father of Col. John Nixon, who
was born in Chester County, it is very probable that
Richard was a son or near relative of John Nixon, of
Stanfield. Col. John Nixon was a noted merchant of
Philadelphia, and was one of the founders, in 1770,
of the Society of Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. He
was during the Revolution one of the Committee of
Safety, often acting as chairman of that body. He
was lieutenant-colonel of the Third Pennsylvania Bat-
talion in the defense of the Delaware River in 1776-
77. He it was who on the 8th of July, 1776, read for
the first time to the people of Philadelphia the Decla-
ration of Independence from the platform of the ob-
servatory erected in 1769 in State-House yard to ob-
serve the transit of Venus. John Nixon, the settler,
on Third month 4, 1691, sold the plantation to John
Parker, and in 1700 he conveyed the estate to Samuel
Carpenter and Caleb Pusey. James Irving and Wil-
liam T. Crook now own part of this tract. Above this
land were two hundred acres, known as " Smallgaine,"
which was taken on rent by Thomas Nossiter, who
settled on this tract in 1678. He was not a Friend.
^cJ^^^^,
NETHEK PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
653
In 1683 he was appointed the first constable of Provi-
dence, although it appears he did not live in the town-
ship. This plantation, beginning; on its northwestern
limits, a short distance above the present bridge on
the Providence road, ran on a straight northeasterly
line across the township to a point a short distance
below Strath Haven, on Crump Kill or Crum Creek.
In Twelfth month, 1684, Nossiter conveyed this land
to Walter Faucett, who was an eminent Friend and
an early tavern-keeper in Ridley.
Above the Faucett tract, Nossiter had also two
hundred acres, which extended from Strath Haven in
a southwest course directly across the township to
Ridley Creek. On Sept. 12, 1682, Nossiter conveyed
this estate to John Sharpless. The latter came from
Ratherton, in Cheshire, England, accompanied by his
wife, Ann (they were then in middle life), and their
children, landing at Chester on the 14th of Sixth
month, 1682, two months prior to the arrival of William
Penn. The family history, published in 1816, states
that they settled on Ridley Creek, about two miles
northwest from Chester, " where they fell a large tree,
and took shelter among the boughs thereof about six
weeks, in which time they built a cabin against a
rock, which answered for their chimney-back, and
now contains the date of the year when the cabin was
built, viz., 1682, in which they dwelt about twenty
years, and where they all died, except the mother and
three sons, in which time Joseph learned the trade of
house-carpenter, and wlieu of age built the dwelling-
house, which is now standing, and occupied by one of
their descendants. Part of the original floors are still
in use, being fastened down with wooden pins of
about an inch in diameter instead of nails. It is a
sizable two-story dwelling, the walls of stone." On
Thursday, Aug. 24, 1882, the descendants of John
and Ann Sharpless, to the number of two thousand
seven hundred, held a bi-centennial reunion at the
old homestead. Among the di-stinguished visitors was
the venerable Bishop William L. Green, of Missis-
sippi, who was then in his eighty-fifth year. He was
the eldest (while an infant daughter of Amelia M.
Hoopes, then six months old, was the youngest) de-
scendant of John Sharpless at the old homestead on
that occasion. Immediately above this tract John
Sharpless took up one hundred and eighty acres of
land, in three parcels, under his purchase of one
thousand acres from William Penn, which he had
bought before leaving England. These three tracts
extend from Ridley Creek to Providence great road.
Above the last-mentioned land of John Sharpless,
Joshua Hastings took up three hundred and ninety
acres ; but the lower part, containing one hundred and
forty acres, was taken by John Sharpless. The upper
part, extending from Ridley Creek to Providence
ro.ad, on May 19, 1702, was purchased by Robert
Vernon, who conveyed it, November 24th of the same
year, to John Vernon and Sarah, his wife. Robert
Vernon came from Stoke, in Cheshire, England, and
conveyed this estate to his son, John, at the time
designated. Above this tract was a plot of two hun-
dred and fifty acres, surveyed to Thomas Vernon,
Tenth month 16, 1702. He came from Stanthorne,
county palatine of Chester, England, in 1682, ac-
companied by his brothers, Randal and Robert.
Thomas Vernon was the grandfather of Nathaniel
Vernon, the noted Tory sheriff of Chester County
during the Revolution. The property of Thomas
Vernon extended on the Providence road a short dis-
tance above Hinkson's Corners. Randal Vernon set-
tled on a tract of two hundred and ninety-eight acres
lying north of Thomas Vernon's land. Todmorden
is at the lower end of this plantation, and the south
branch of Vernon's Run is almost entirely within its
boundaries. He was from " Sandyway," Cheshire,
England. In 1687 he was a member of the Provin-
cial Assembly, and died at this plantation in 1725, in
his eighty-fifth year. The homestead passed to Joseph
Vernon. Above Randal Vernon's land Robert Vernon
took up. Seventh month 23, 1682, three hundred and
fifty acres, which extended along Ridley Creek to
Upper Providence line, its eastern boundary being the
Providence road. On the tract was the main stem of
Vernon Run, and almost all that part of Media bor-
ough in Nether Providence is located on the original
Robert Vernon estate. Early in 1709/10, just before
his death, he conveyed the homestead tract and the
brick messuage thereon to his son, Jacob Vernon.
At the extreme northern line of the township, east
of the Providence road and extending to Crum Creek,
was a tract of three hundred and eighty acres, which
land Thomas Minshall purchased from Penn before
he came to the province, and it was assigned to Min-
shall, March 21-22, 1681. He was a brother-in-law
of Randall Vernon, his sister Elinor having married
the latter. His dwelling was near Providence
Friends' meeting-house, the land being given by
Thomas Minshall to the society to erect the latter
building on. The farm of William L. Green is on the
original homestead, and the estate of Edgar Farnum,
J. Howard Lewis, and others, including the bend in
Crum Creek on which is the paper-mill of J. Howard
Lewis, are located on this tract. Directly south of
the Minshall tract, and extending from the Provi-
dence road to Crum Creek, was surveyed to Joseph
Powell, Second month 9, 1682, one hundred and
twenty acres. The plantation subsequently passed to
John Sharpless by purchase in 1700. Directly south
of this lot, and extending to Hinkson's Corners, John
Sharpless took up three hundred and thirty acres.
Eighth month 24, 1682, part of his one-thousand-acre
purchase, which in 1696 was conveyed to his son,
! James Sharpless. South of this plantation Thomas
I Powell received one hundred and seventy-two acres,
I part of his purchase before leaving England. He was
a Friend, but became a member of the Church of
England, and by will gave lots in Chester "lying over
I against the church" for a parsonage. The present
654
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
St. Paul's Church is erected on the ground he donated.
Still going south, on March 21-22, 1681, John Edge
took up one hundred and twenty-five acres of land,
which by a subsequent survey proved to contain a
larger number of acres, extending from Providence
road to Crum Creek. John Edge, who came from St.
Andrew's, Holborne, in the county of Middlesex, in
England, having been persecuted for conscience' sake
in his native land, settled on this tract, where he died
in 1711. William and Mary Swaffer, in 1684, settled
in Nether Providence, on a plantation of one hundred
and eighty acres, which was south of the Edge lands,
and extended from Providence road to Cmm Creek,
and bounded on the south by the John Sharpless
homestead tract, already mentioned. William SwafFer
resided on this land until his death, in 1720. This
property passed to Peter Dick in 1732. Dick's Bun
flows in a northwesterly direction, and east of Provi-
dence road, almost to the Friends' meeting-house at
the northern limits of the township. From Peter
Dick was descended Roger Dicks, of Nether Provi-
dence, a noted public Friend, who died Dec. 29, 1808.
The Vernon family were conspicuous during the
Revolution. Nathaniel Vernon, at the breaking out
of the war, was sheriif of Chester County, was an out-
spoken advocate of the cause of the crown, and subse-
quently became so oflensive to the colonial authorities
that he was declared a traitor, as was his son, Na-
thaniel Vernon, Jr. The father fled to the protection
of the English army when the latter captured Phila-
delphia, while the son, Nathaniel, joined the Tory
light troops, commanded by Jacob Jones. Another
son took sides with the Continentals. On one occa-
sion, it is recorded, while the British occupied Phila-
delphia, Frederick, who was a major in the American
army, obtained permission to visit his wife and family
in Nether Providence. His brother, Nathaniel, by
some means learned of his presence at home, and one
night the Tory light-horse marched from Philadelphia
to Nether Providence, intending to capture Maj. Ver-
non. The troops surrounded the house. Nathaniel
entered the dwelling, and was about to ascend to the
upper rooms, when Frederick, who was aroused by
the noise, halted him from the head of the stairs,
where he stood armed with a pistol. Nathaniel
made known his business, that he had come to take
him prisoner, that he must submit, for the troops had
surrounded the house. He also informed him that
the British must conquer, but that if he would join
the English army he would be promoted to oflice in
the colony. He had come for his welfare, and that
he must surrender. Frederick replied that he would
never submit, that the British could not take him,
and that if his brother or any other person attempted
to ascend the stairs he would shoot ; only as a dead
man could they captuTre him. Nathaniel Vernon,
finding his brother so determined, withdrew his
troops, and Frederick remained true to the cause he
had espoused. At the conclusion of the war he was one
of the founders of the Society of the Cincinnati, and
died in Nether Providence at an advanced age. Job
Vernon, a cousin of Maj. Vernon, a "captain in the
Revolution, was born in Lower Providence about the
year 1750. He entered the army at the commence-
ment of the Revolutionary war, and served faithfully
and without intermission until its termination and
the disbanding of the army. His name appears in
the lists printed by order of Congress of ofiicers who
served to the end of the war, and thereby acquired the
right to half-pay and bounty lands, and also as one of
the founders of the Society of the Cincinnati. He was
commissioned ensign in Capt. Thomas Church's com-
I pany of Col. Anthony Wayne's Pennsylvania bat-
j talion, Jan. 5, 1776, and was promoted to be lieutenant
j in Capt. Thomas Robinson's company of the same
j battalion, Oct. 1, 1776. In 1779 and 1780 he was
I paymaster of the Fifth Pennsylvania Regiment,
I which was then commanded by Col. Francis John-
ston, and in which he also held the commission of
I captain. This regiment was attached to the Army
I of the North, and seems to have participated in all
its services up to the storming of Stony Point. Capt.
Vernon died in Concord township about the year
1810. From fragments of his accounts, and other
documents in the possession of a relative, he seems
to have been an intimate acquaintance and favorite
of Gen. Wayne, and a brave and judicious ofiicer."'
On Dec. 31, 1783, the Supreme Executive Council
acknowledged a deed to William Kerlin for sixty
acres of land in Nether Providence, late the estate of
Gideon Vernon, an attainted traitor.
William L. Green, of Nether Providence, is the
owner of an old pewter plate, which is a relic of colo-
nial times, and of the war of independence. Scratched
I on the bottom of the platter is the date 1711. During
I the battle of Brandywine this plate was in the posses-
sion of William Lamborn, of Kennett Square, the
grandfather of the present owner. All the plates
and valuables belonging to the people of the neigh-
borhood were seized by the British soldiers, and, in
order to save the old pewter plate, Lamborn hid it in
a tub of swill, where it remained until the enemy had
marched away from the neighborhood.
Taxables. — In 1715 the following persons were
returned as taxables in Nether Providence :
James Sharpless, Joseph Sharpless, Isaac Minshall, Jacob Yeruon,
Joseph Vernon, Thomas Vernon, John Vernon, Henry Hasting, William
Swafer, Jacob Edge, John Powell.
In 1799 the following taxables were returned in
the township :
Jacob Benniughove (tobacconist), Pierre Crosby, Joseph Dicks, Jr.,
Roger Dicks, Frederick Dicke, William Edwards, Joshua Ely, Isaac
Engle (carpenter), Henry Forrest, Jacob Fulke, James Ham, Thomas
Hinkson, James Hinkson (wheelwright), John Keith, William Kerlin,
Thomas Leiper (tobacconist), John Levis, Richard Nuzum (blacksmith),
Thomas Nuzum, George Perkins, Mahlon Parsons, William Paist, Dan-
iel Sharpless (saw-mill, grist-miU, fulling-mill), Philip Stimmel (tobac-
1 Smith's "History of Delaware County," p. 509.
NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
655
conist), William Sanl;ey (weaver), William Shepherd, John Stephenson,
Edward Tilghman, Seth Thomas (county treasurer), Mary Vernon, John
Vernon(black8mith),Jonathau Vernon, Jonathan Worrell, James Wood,
James Wood, Jr., Josiah Wilkinson, John Worrell, Uriah Wilson, Wil-
liam Waterhouse.
Inimites. — Adam Britz (snuff-maker), George Brown, Jamea Beatty,
Matthias Cooper (snuff-maker), John Cornish, Job Dicks, Joseph Dickin-
son (wheelwright), Joseph Edwards (mason), Charles Gallager, Jonah
Harding (snuff-maker), William Johnston (mason), Andrew Johnston
(tailor), Michael Kewan, Johu Kelly, William Long (cooper), John Lind-
sey, Duncan McArthur (carpenter), Jamea Moore (stone-cutter), Philip
Murphy, Richard Parsons, Ellis Roberts, John Rogers, Andrew Torton,
Woodward Vernon, Johu Valentine, Peter Worrell, Raaon Wood, John
Wilkinson, Hugh Wilaon, Richard Wilson, Jonas Young.
timgle Freemen.— John Cain, Nathan Dicka (mason), Murtough Dow-
land, Francis Elliot (snuff-maker), Cornelius Green, John Green, George
Hinkaon (millwright), John L. Hum. Daniel Humphrey, Isaac Johnston
(carpentei), Bryce Miller (tailor), Benjamin Miller, Thomas Morgan,
George Nuzum, Abraham Philips (shop-keeper), Francis Rusaell, James
Sharpless (shop-keeper), Isaac Sbarpless (fuller), Samuel Sloan (stone-
cutter), John Wright (superintendent), Joel Lane (blacksmith), Jon-
athan Vernon, Jr., Hugh Miskelly.
The following is a list of justices of the peace for
Nether Providence :
Jolin Crosly...
Joel Willis....
Davis Devan..
Elislia Price
William Martin
Isaac Eyre
Nicholas Fairlamb..
..Aug. 30,1791.
..Aug. 30, 1791.
..April is', 1796'.
..April 16, 1796
..Aug. 9, 1797.
..Oct. 12, 1798.
..Dec. 6, 1798.
..May 3, 1799.
..May 20, 1800.
.May 20,
John Pearson June 21, 1802.
James Withey July 4, 1806.
Jacob Edwards Jan. 1, 1807.
John Caldwell Nov. 16, 1814.
Jo.seph Walker Feb. 3, 1820.
Samuel Smith March 12, 1822.
David Marshall March 3, 1824.
Georne W. Bartram June 3, 1824.
Bpiijamiii F. Johnson Oct. 25, 1825.
Abraham Kerlin June 7, 1830.
Samuel T. Walker Nov. 11, 1831.
Joliu Afaick June 6, 18:i4.
Jonathan P. Worrall March 6, 1836.
Samuel Shaw Nov. 18, 1835.
William Martin June 10, 1836.
William Eyre Dec. 21,1838.
George W. Bartram Sept. 23, 1839.
John Afflick April 14, 1840.
John G.Johnaon April 14,1840.
John Afflick April 16,1845.
John G. Johnaon April 16, 1845.
John Afaick April 9, 1860.
J. Gifford Johnaon April 9, 1860.
John G. Johnaon April 10, 1855.
Johu Afflick April 10,1855.
John Afflick April 10, 1S60.
Johu G. Johnaon April 10, 1800.
Jolin Afflick April 18, 1866.
Johu Atkinson April 2J, 1868.
Thomas Palmer April IS, 1873.
Charles L. Lflper April 24, IS74.
George W. Risbv April 24, 1874.
George W. Trainer April 10, 1882.
Providence Friends' Meeting-House.— The first
mention of a Friends' Meeting in Providence occurs
in the minutes of Chester Quarterly Meeting, Third
month, 1696, when it was agreed to settle a meeting
"at Thomas Minshall's every First and Fourth day."
On Twelfth month 6, 1698/9, Friends belonging
to Thomas Minshall's meeting proposed to build a
meeting-house at the burying-ground of Thomas
Powell, which would have located the building near
the Media reservoir, on Providence road, in Upper
Providence. The Quarterly Meeting deferred the
consideration of the matter, but the project doubtless
met with some opposition, for it is recorded, "It
being the sense of this meeting that no meeting-
house be hereafter built upon any new situation
without y° advise & consent of the quarterly meet-
ing." However, Caleb Pusey, Thoinas Worth, John
Hood, George Pierce, Nicholas Pyle, and Robert
Carter were appointed " to view & consider of the
most convenient place where to sett the above pro-
posed meeting-house." On Third month 1, 1699,
the committee stated " according to the order & re-
quest of y° Last quarterly meeting, The friends ap-
pointed to inspect into & consider of the most con-
venient place to build the meeting-house, to answer
that of Tho: Minshall's, Do make return under their
hands that it is their seu.se that at the farthest end of
Thomas Minshall's Land, by y" high roade side, is the
most Convenient place for that service, & accordingly
this meeting approves of y° same." The land on
which this meeting-house was built was given for
that purpose by Thomas Minshall. The first house
was a log structure. The building was completed in
the summer of 1700, for on 5th day of Sixth month
(August), in that year, the Quarterly Meeting "Or-
dered that the next Quarterly meeting be held at
the new meeting-house in Nether Providence." On
Ninth month 4, 1700, the First day and week day
meeting was ordered to be removed from Thomas
Minshall's to the " meeting-house," and on Twelfth
month 12, 1701, the meeting at Randal Vernon's
was also " removed to the new meeting-house."
At Providence meeting-house, Second month 5,
1703, Walter Faucitt was dealt with by the meeting,
the charges being set forth in the following extract
from the quaint minutes :
** This meeting having Duly taken into their Consideration the disor-
derly practis of Samuel Levis in keeping on his hatt whilst Walter Fau-
citt waa in prayer, att a monthly meeting att Robert Vernon's, on the
11th month Last; therefore, the meeting doth appoint Joseph Baker and
Paul Sanders to apake to him and Indaver to bring him to a sence of
his disorder; and that hee do acknowledg the same to the satisfaction
of this meetiug, which if he doth not promiae to do, then to order him
to appear at the next monthly meeting."
At a quarterly meeting in this house, held Twelfth
month 26, 1704, the following extract from the min-
utes shows that Henry Hollingsworth had acted in
such a manner as to cause Friends to deal with him.
The old record states :
** Whereaa, Henry Holingsworth has Refused from time to time to an-
swer the sence and Judgment of the meeting held att this place the 30th
of the 8th mo. Last past, and doth yett Refuse ao to do, and in our meet-
ings of Business have uttered verey unaavery expressions and unjustifi-
able speeches, pertiqualarly att our Laat mo. meeting, speaking of the
meeting's proceedings against him for his disorder, hee said that Bon-
nor and Winchester would have been ashamed of such actions, aud that
it was like the Cuting off the Lord Stafford's head; also pubiickly CaU-
ing our ancient friend Randall Vernon old pimp, little pimp, & Soft, Ac,
with other unsavory expreasions to Tedioua and Rediculas heare to bee
mentioned; aa also telling a former monthly meeting that they acted
like Jesuits, which all tended to scandalize friends; for all which, with
much more, this meeting finds a Nesesaty upon them to testifie and de-
clare, and do hereby Teatifie and Declare, Henry Hollingsworth to be
out of the Unity of tliia meeting, and do disown liim to be of our peac-
able society and Chrisliaii Comunion Until hee Repent aud acknowledg
his said abuses to the satisfaction of this meetiug, which that hee may
so do is our true and Heartey desire."
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
At this meeting-house, on Eighth month 27, 1707,
William Thomas, a Friend of Newtown, made ac-
knowledgment, viz., " Dear Friends, I happened to
Goe to the Buriall of one of my neighbour's Chil-
dren, one of the Separates, and one of them Going
to prayer, I unadvisedly took off my hatt with them,
which I acknowledge to be a Scandall to the truth
which I make profession of, therefore am sorry for itt."
In 1727 a stone addition was made to the log build-
ing, and in 1753 the old end, being the remains of the
old original structure, was removed, and in its place
a stone addition was made to the stone part erected
in 1727, which now forms the present meeting-house.
On Friday, Jan. 14, 1831, a terrific snow-storm be-
gan in Delaware County, continuing through all the
next day (Saturday). The roads were blockaded al-
most even with the fences. Court began on Monday,
January 17th, but travel was so interrupted that
Judge Darlington could not reach the county, and
although Associate Judge Engle charged the grand
jury, on account of the absence of witnesses and jurors
very little was done, the court adjourning on Wednes-
day afternoon. On the evening of Friday, January
14th, when the storm was raging, Jonathan Clayton
and his cousin started from Chester to go home.
"But that home they were never more to see. A
person passing next morning between the Providence
school-house and meeting-house was attacked by a
dog. Perceiving something unusual in the manner
of the animal, he was led to discover the body of a
man, the face only of which was above the snow.
The body was that of the unfortunate Jonathan
Clayton." '
Clayton was the second person in Nether Provi-
dence of whom we have record that had died of ex-
posure. On Saturday, Nov. 1, 1823, Nancy May, an
intemperate woman, lay down by the roadside on
Providence road, and was frozen to death.
Union Methodist Episcopal Church.— A class
was organized in the neighborhood of Hinkson's
Corners about 1812, which was composed of persons
residing in Nether Providence and surrounding town-
ships. On the 28th of January, 1813, a lot contain-
ing eighty square perches of land, situate on the
northwest side of a public road leading through
Nether Providence to Edgmont great road, was pur-
chased of Benjamin Houlston for one hundred and
ten dollars. The trustees to whom the deed was made
were William Palmer, of Aston ; Edward Levis and
William Coflfman, of Springfield; Joseph Dicks and
John Esray, of Nether Providence ; Christopher Sny-
der and Rudolph Temple, of Springfield ; Caspar
Coffman, of Nether Providence; and William Morris,
of Upper Providence. On this lot the congregation
erected the present stone church, and in the burial-
ground adjoining lie many of the early worshipers in
the old sanctuary. On Saturday, Deo. 8, 1879, while
1 Hazard's Register, vol. Tii. p. 248.
the sexton of the church was digging a grave in the
cemetery of the church, the body of a new-born infant
was exhumed, the remains having been placed in a
common box, such as is used to pack canned goods, and
deposited secretly in the graveyard. Considerable
excitement was aroused in the neighborhood ; an in-
quest was held, but nothing further resulted from the
investigation. A few years ago the old building was
repaired and enlarged. The church was under the
same charge with Mount Hope Church, and both were
in Village Green Circuit. This church, with South
Media Chapel, were erected as a station in March,
1877, and as a single station in 1878. The pastors
from that time have been Revs. N. Turner, George
Alcorn, and Albert Hood, who is the present pastor.
The church has forty-eight members and a Sunday-
school of sixty pupils, of which George W. Pastlett
is superintendent.
Presbyterian Church at Todmorton.— In 1850
William T. Crook, of Crookville, erected a Presby-
terian Church in that locality, for the convenience of
the employes in his factory, then known as the Crook-
ville Mills. The building, which cost ten thousand
' dollars, is seventy-five feet in length, forty feet in
j width, with a tower twelve feet square which rises to
' the height of eighty feet. In the belfry is a bell
weighing seven hundred pounds. The lower floor
is arranged for school-, lecture-, and reading-rooms.
The church was dedicated Sept. 30, 1850, services
being conducted on that occasion by the Rev. Dr. Mc-
Dowell, of Philadelphia, and the Rev. N. Heston, of
Chester. Soon after Rev. Jacob D. Dudley was called
I to the pastorate of the church, and remained in charge
[ until 1855, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Dr.
Robert Crawford, who was installed November 24th
of that year. He remained for five years, since which
time the church has been without a regular pastor.
The Rev. Dr. James W. Dale, of Media, and other
clergymen at various times conducted services in the
church, but at the present time the building is not
used for religious exercises.
Schools.— The first school of which any informa-
tion has been obtained in Nether Providence was kept
in a stone house erected on a lot at what is now
Hinkson's Corners. The lot was purchased Feb. 10,
1810, of Benjamin Houlston. The inhabitants of the
township selected Samuel Crosley, Seth Thomas,
James Ham, Henry Forrest, and James Hinkson
to act as trustees. To these trustees this lot of thirty-
six square perches was granted in trust " for the use
of a school by the name of a Union school and for
no other use." This school was maintained under
the direction of these trustees until April 26, 1841,
when Henry Forrest, one of the original trustees,
conveyed the property to the school directors of the
township. In January, 1861, the property was trans-
ferred by the directors to the school district, and at
the same time the latter purchased thirty-six square
perches of land adjoining. In June, 1866, the old
NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
657
house was torn down and the present school-house
was built. In 1881 an addition was made to it. One
of the early teachers was Caleb Peirce, a noted peda-
gogue, who taught there in 1821.
In 1812, the Friends near what is now the borough
of Media built a school-house on their land. School
was continued there until Aug. 29, 1840, when a lot
was purchased of Abel Green and a school-house
erected, which is still standing, but is now in the
borough of Media. When the schools were organ-
ized in Media, in 1856, this house was used jointly
for a short time, and finally came into possession of
the borough, by whom it was sold to William F.
Green, who converted it into a dwelling-house. On
the 25th of July, 1857, the township, being without
a school in that section, purchased the present fifty-
five square perches of land of James C. Haswell, a
part of the Henry Forrest property, and the present
brick house was erected at Briggsville.
Oh Aug. 31, 1839, the residents in the lower part
of the township petitioned for a school-house to be
located in that section. The request was acceded to
and the present school-house was erected. Dec. 17,
1840, a lot was purchased of Henry Sharpless at
Pleasant Hill, on which a stone house was built and
used until 1870, when a half-acre of land adjoining
was purchased and the present stone school-house erec-
ted, at a cost of three thousand one hundred dollars.
In addition to the school-house mentioned is the one
at Todmorton. After the property now known as
Todmorton passed to the possession of William T.
Crook, the number of persons employed there made
it necessary that a school should be located in that
neighborhood. The directors, however, refused to
establish one, thereupon application was made to
the Legislature, and the result was the act of April
9, 1849, which erected certain territory in Chester
and Nether Providence township into a separate dis-
trict by the title of Crookville School District. Wil-
liam T. Crook had erected a Presbyterian Church at
his mills and fitted a room in the lower story of the
church as a school-room. A school has been main-
tained there until the present time. After the mills
came into possession of Samuel Bancroft the name
of the district was changed to Todmorden.
During tlie first years this act went into effect the
school directors of Nether Providence refused to rec-
ognize it as valid, and still denumded payment to
them of school taxes by the residents of Crookville.
William T. Crook refused to pay, and five of his cows
were destrained by the constable on a warrant issued
by the directors of the township. A public meeting
of the people of Crookville was held on Feb. 25, 1850,
and a series of resolutions were adopted setting forth
the facts, together with sarcastic resolutions, in which
they announced their determination to bring suit
against the school directors of Nether Providence for
the " outrage," and finally declared that they " would
not willingly let die to fame" those "illustrious
friends of education, the school directors of Nether
Providence," and they therefore attached the names
of the then directors. Finally, after legal proceed-
ing, both criminal and civil, had been resorted to, the
tempest wasted itself, but Crookville School District
had come to stay.
After Simeon Lord rented the Avondale Mills,
about 1847, the employes petitioned for a school-house
at that locality. A stone building one story high was
erected, and was used until after 1861, when it was
abandoned, and is now in ruins. It is on the road in
the hollow below the old paper- and snuff-mills on
Eidley Creek.
j About 1824, Isaac L. Weaver was a teacher at the
[ Friends' school-house. William L. Green and Davis
Garrett were pupils there. Mr. Green says his first
recollection of the school is that on his first day he
' fell asleep, and rolled off the seat to the floor. Davis
Garrett, on going home from his first day, told his
people he was not going there any more, the teacher
had no milk and did not keep a cow.
I The township elected trustees under the act of 1804
j for many years. The only record, however, occurs
! March 18, 1825, when John Richards, Abel Green,
I and Henry Sharpless were elected. After the enact-
ment of the public school law, in 1834, the court ap-
pointed as school inspectors Eli D. Peirce and Charles
M. Leiper to act until the school directors were
chosen at the election in September of that year. The
first meeting of the board of directors after the elec-
tion took place on the 27th day of September, 1834.
A meeting of citizens of Nether Providence was
held Eleventh month 20, 1834, at the bouse of Isaac
Hall, to vote on the question of raising funds in addi-
tion to that appropriated by the school delegate at the
county meeting. The money received that year by the
town.ship from the State and county appropriations
amounted to S767.39. The public schools in Nether
Providence were not opened until 1836, the board of
directors, at a meeting held Sixth month 4, 1836, de-
ciding that the schools should begin on the " 2nd day,
the 13th of the present month." The first teacher
employed to preside over the Union School was Wil-
liam Ogden, his salary being seventy-five dollars per
quarter. On Fourth month 29, 1837, the board of
directors agree that Richard Worrall should continue
to teach at the Upper School (Green's), and Lydia
Burchell at the Union School. The latter, however,
in about a month resigned, and Samuel Erskine was
appointed in her stead.
The following is a list of school directors since 1840,
as obtained from the records at Media :
1840, Cyrus Lewis, James Riddle ; 1S42, Jacob Byre, Sr., Alvin H. Par-
ker; IS^^i, George W. Bigby, James Dicks; 1844, Jonathan Vernon,
Henry Sharpless; lS4.5,.rame8 Kiddle, Jacob Byre ; 1846, Eli Rigby,
Robert Watkins ; 1847, Jonathan Vernon, Henry Sharpless ; 1848,
Seth C. Thomas, William G. Vernon ; 1849, Jonathan Vernon, Thomas
T. Williams; 1850, C. K. Williamson, Eli D. Pierce ; 1851, Washing-
ton James, Ezekiel Loveland ; 1842, John Eves, George G. Fell ;
1853, William H. Lane, George Sharpless ; 1854, Vf. H. Lane, Elton
HISTOKY OF DELAWAKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Levis; 1855, John Eves, Edward Mokin ; 1856, Georce Sharpless,
Robert Watkins; 1857, Elbon Levis, Thomas I. Leiper, Henry F.
Esrey, Edward L. Thomas; 1858, Edward Sharplesa, C. D. Pierce;
1859, John Sharpless, William L. Green ; 1860, E. L. Thomas, John
Lord ; 1861, John H. Miller, Jesse W. Byre ; 1862, John Sharpless,
Jacob Hibberd ; 1863, E. L. Thomas, Caleb Pierce; 1864, William H.
Howard, William H. Osborn ; 1865, John C. Lindsay. Thomas J.
Leiper; 1866, John C. Lindsay, John H.Miller; 1867, William Os-
borne, Robert Watkins; 1868, Jacob Byre, Washington James ; 1869,
George Sharpless, John H. Miller; 1870, Thomas S. Armstrong,
William H. Osborne ; 1871, George Sharpless, W. James ; 1872, Abram
Ward, Thomas Palmer ; 1873, Charles Leiper, John Lindsay ;
1874, George E. Howard, William H. Osborne; 1875, George W.
Eigby, Abram Ward; 1876, Jacob Hibberd, George Sharpless; 1877,
William Osborne, Samuel C. Lewis; 1878, Thomas Palmer, George
C. Howard; 1879, T. J. Osborne, George Sharpless; 1880, William
C. Burk, Jacob Hibberd ; 1881, George 0, Howard, Thomas Palmer;
1882, George Sharpless, John Wood; 1883, John I). White, Jacob
Hibberd ; 1884, Thomas Palmer, Isaac Miller.
The following are the names of school directors for
the Todmorton School District:
1850, William T. Crook, Robert Buck, James W. Dale, William Lees,
William Tnrner, Jr., Nathan Chadwick ; 1851, Robert Hall, James
Ourey, Elisha Gordon ; 1852, Jacob D. Dudley, Thomas Crompton,
James E. Holt; 1853, no report; 1854 to 1858, no report.
Todmorton District (Independent).
1859, Samuel Bancroft, William Turner, Timothy Dawson, Peter Bar-
bour, Alexander McBride, Benjamin Lord ; 1860, Thomas Cohill,
Benjamin Lord; 1861, Peter Barbour, Charles E. Bourne; 1862,
William Turner, Samuel Bancroft, William Carney ; 1S63, Samuel
Bancroft, Jeremiah Craner, Timothy Dawson; 1864, Peter Barlow,
Charles E. Bourne ; 1865, John Hibbets, William Turner, Reuben
Allen ; 1866, Samuel Bancroft, John Hibbets, James Redmond,
Walter Grindrod ; 1867, Joseph Richards, George Latch ; 1868, Reu-
ben Allen, William Turner ; 1869, Samuel Bancroft, John Lawton ;
1870, George Latch, John Hibbets; 1871, no report; 1872, Samuel
Bancroft, Charles Speed, Robert Cunningham ; 1873, William Mille-
ner, John Dolin, M. Martin; 1874, Samuel Thomas, Frederick Hey-
don, Thomas Canning; 1875, no report; 1876, Samuel Bancroft,
James Hamilton, Mory Lane, George Latch ; 1877, Hugh McMur-
tie, Frederick Heydom, Samuel Thomas : 1878, Samuel Bancroft,
Michael J. McMullen, Alexander Wilson ; 1879, John Conway, Alex-
ander Wilson ; 1880, Samuel T. Thomas, Frederick Heydom, Thomas
R. Nichols ; 1881, George Dempster, Christian Woefel, William Buck-
ley ; 1882, Samuel Bancroft, William Buckley; 1883, A. Clegg, John
Wilson ; 1884, no report.
Mills. — In giving an account of the mills of Nether
Providence the plan of following the creeks will be
employed, first giving those on Ridley, and after those
on Crum Creek.
Turner's Cotton-Lap Factory. —In 1813, William
Beatty, an edge-tool maker, entered into an agree-
ment with Daniel Sharpless to take the ground on
the Providence road, above the present bridge, where
William & Richard T. Turner now have their cotton-
lap factory, free of rent for seventeen years, in con-
sideration of building a house, shop, dam, and race
there. William Beatty at this place erected a tilt- or
blade-mill, which he operated successfully. lu 1825
he made sixteen hundred cast-steel picking-axes, five
hundred broad-axes, five hundred drawing-knives,
two hundred cleavers and choppers, steeled about five
hundred axes and adzes, besides manufacturing many
chisels, gouges, knives, and other tools. In 1828, Wil-
liam Beatty moved to Crum Creek, in Springfield,
above the present paper-mill of J. Howard Lewis. The
title to property on Ridley Creek had passed to Henry
Sharpless, and in the latter year he changed the tilt-
mill to a cotton-lap factory, and rented it to Ambrose
& Charles Williams. On May 10, 1867, William &
Richard T. Turner, the present owners, purchased the
mill and eight acres of ground, and continued there
the manufacture of cotton laps.
Waterville Mills.— In 1764, on the site of this
mill, on Ridley Creek, Daniel Sharpless was assessed
on a saw-mill, which was in operation prior to 1755,
for William Worrall (born in Marple in 1730) states
in his "Recollections," published in 1820, that in
that year (1755) the water in the several creeks in
Delaware County was so low that the race at Daniel
Sharpless' saw-mill was dry, which was never known
to have occurred before that time. In 1790 he built a
fulling-mill at the present Waterville, and conducted
the business there until 1805, when it was operated
by Isaac Sharpless. In 1810, Daniel Sharpless had
again assumed control of the enterprise, and in 1815,
Enos Sharpless erected a grist-mill and saw-mill, and
Isaac Sharpless was operating the fulling- and woolen-
factory at that place. James Schofield, in 1826, was
the lessee of the Isaac Sharpless factory, and was then
manufacturing fine cloths and cassimeres. At a sub-
sequent date Daniel Sharpless was operating the mill,
to be succeeded by Antrim Osborne. The latter re-
mained at this locality until 1863, when he removed
to Rose Valley Mills. Robert Hall succeeded Os-
borne in the factory at Waterville, where he remained
until 1871, when, having purchased the Mohawk
Mills, in Chester, he removed thither. In 1873 the
Sharpless factory was rented to Joseph Bowers for a
shoddy-mill, which he operated until 1877, when
he also removed to Chester. The mill at Waterville
was after that date rented to various parties until
1882, when it was destroyed by fire.
As early as 1815, Enos Sharpless had erected, per-
haps a few years prior to that date, a grist-mill on
Ridley Creek, the water being supplied by the same
race which furnished the power to the Isaac Sharp-
less mill. In 1826, Enos Sharpless had at Waterville
a grist-mill, saw-mill, and a cotton factory, the latter
operated by George Richardson. The machinery re-
quired by the latter at that time consisted of five
carding-engines, throstles, spindles, and one mule of
one hundred and eighty spindles. Richardson manu-
factured cotton yarn. He was succeeded in 1828 by
Richard Wetherill, who subsequently moved to Mana-
yunk. On Nov. 15, 1835, Gideon Smith, Laurence
Hartshorne, and John M. Sharpless entered into
partnership in the manufacture of dye-stuff and the
grinding of dye-woods, and a part of the grist-mill
was arranged with machinery for that purpose.
j Hartshorne soon retired from the firm, and in 1842
Smith also withdrew from the partnership, but still
remained in the business. On Nov. 15, 1845, the
grist-mill and dye-works were partly destroyed by
fire. John M. Sharpless immediately rebuilt the
1 mills, but on April 24, 1846, they were again burned.
NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
659
For a second time the mills were rebuilt, and the
business carried on by John M. Sharpless, at Water-
ville, until his death in 1875, and subsequently by his
heirs until 1878. A company being formed by the
name of John M. Sharpless & Co., in 1878, purchased
land in Chester, on the river front, erected buildings
thereon, and removed the work to the new location.
The old grist-mill is still in use, now conducted by
Nathan Sharpless, but the dye-wood works are
standing idle.
Franklin Iron-Works. — On the 17th of Decem-
ber, 1795, William Vernon sold eighty-three acres of
land on Ridley Creek, in Nether Providence, to Jona-
than Worrell, who the same day conveyed the prop-
erty to James Withey, and two days later, December
19th, the latter sold the tract to William Kerlin. The
executors of Kerlin, on March 27, 1806, sold the real
estate to Joshua Harlan, of Wilmington, Del.,
Thomas Chandler, of Nether Providence, and Sam-
uel Sinclair, of Kennett, Chester Co. On the 13th of
February, 1809, James and John L. Ham, of Nether
Providence, sold to Joshua Harlan, Thomas Chandler,
and Samuel Sinclair, " copartners in water-works,"
ten acres adjoining their other lands, with " right,
liberty, and privilege of erecting a dam across the
said creek [Ridley], at or near the scite of an ancient
Butment on the opposite side of the creek," on land
some time of Nathaniel Squibb, then of Harlan,
Chandler, and Sinclair, with power to raise water in
the dam five feet and six inches for the purpose of
obtaining power, " to a level with an auger-hole long
since bored in a rock on the creek side and no
higher." It appears from this deed that a mill of
some kind had many years before been erected upon
this mill-seat, and had entirely gone out of existence.
No account has been found of it since 1790.
On the 16th of January, 1810, Harlan, Chandler &
Sinclair purchased of Nathaniel Squibb fifty acres
of land in Chester township, on Ridley Creek, oppo-
site their other lands, and on the 19th of March, 1811,
sold all their lands to John Slawter, Reserving one
acre at the dam. Slawter was not " to dig any ditch,-
drain, or canal in the land conveyed ... so as to con-
vey any part of the water of said creek for any pur-
pose whatsoever." In the a.ssessment-roU of 1811,
1812, 1813, Joshua Harlan & Co. are assessed on slit-
ting- and rnlling-mill. It was operated by them with
slight changes till 1821, when Thomas Chandler
owned two-thirds of the property, and sold to James
Cloud, who took personal charge Oct. 20, 1825. The
latter bought Sinclair's third interest. Cloud con-
tinued until Jan. 16, 1826, and sold to Robert S.
Johnson, then an iron merchant on Water Street,
Philadelphia, "rolling-, slitting-, and saw-mill, and
all lauds mentioned." Frederick Johnson, a brother
of Robert, was in charge of these mills for a year or
two, and was followed by Nathan Roland for about
two years, when John Gifford Johnson, a son of
Robert, became manager, and remained as such until
1850. Philip Nelling, now of Middletown, com-
menced work at these rolling-mills Feb. 14, 1827, and
continued there until 1848. The mills were then
running night and day, with two sets of men, — four
men each twelve hours. The mill rolled sheet-iron,
which was all sent to Mr. Johnson's store in Philadel-
phia. The report of 1826 states that two to three hun-
dred tons of iron and steel were rolled annually, and
a ton of Lehigh coal was used in rolling a ton of iron.
During the great flood of Aug. 5, 1843, the mills stood
back some distance from the stream, but wlien the
water came rushing down, in a few minutes the floor
was flooded with eight feet of water, causing great
damages. The large furnace was highly heated, and J.
G. Johnson ordered Thomas D. Nelling, then a lad, to
run on the roof, and go to the brick stack connected
with the furnace and raise the damper. The boy
declined, but Thomas Roberts, then employed in the
mills, but now a farmer in Upper Chichester, drew the
damper, and a moment afterward the furnace ex-
ploded, throwing a portion of the bricks through the
roof of the mill. Two large frame store-houses, used
for storage of band- and of scrap-iron and other arti-
cles, were washed away.
The slitting-mill was continued by Robert John-
son until about 1850, when his son, J. Gifford Johnson,
changed the mill into an edge-tool factory, and rented
it to Robert Beatty, who ran it till 1855. In 1853,
J. G. Johnson erected the present stone grist-mill.
John Beatty, the brother of Robert, in that year rented
the edge-tool factory, and operated it from 1855 to 1862.
About the latter date the property was sold to Wil-
liam C. Johnson, who conducted the grist-mill and
edge-tool factory until 1870, when John Dutton and
John Booth purchased the property. Booth retired
after a few years, and Dutton, the present owner,
carries on the milling and edge-tool works.
Todmorden Mills.— The property on which these
mills aresituated belonged, in 1777, to Thomas Vichers,
who, on June 7th in that year, sold one hundred and
sixty-two acres to Alexander Willcocks, of Philadel-
phia. On the 7th of December, 1791, Jacob Benning-
hove, a tobacconist, of Philadelphia, leased of Caleb
Harrison a small parcel of land in Middletown town-
ship for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, with the
" right, liberty, and privilege to erect or cause to be
erected a dam on and across Ridley creek from the
land of the said Jacob Benninghove, which he lately
purchased from Alexander Willcocks." It appears
from this deed that Benninghove had purchased of
Willcocks prior to 1791 ; the deed, however, from
Willcocks to Benninghove bears date Aug. 30, 1798,
and is for one hundred and sixty-two acres of land in
Nether Providence. On the same day Joshua Har-
rison, son of Caleb, with consent of Jacob Benning-
hove, canceled the lease of 1791, and a new lease was
made for nine hundred and ninety-nine years for the
consideration of fifty Spanish milled dollars and an
annual rent of "one grain of Indian corn, if demanded,
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
to be paid to Joshua Harrison, his heirs or assigns."
This lease gave " full right to raise, repair, alter, or
rebuild" a new dam on the site of the present one.
It is evident that soon after the lease, in 1791, the
snuff-mill was erected. It was owned and operated
by Jacob Benninghove till his death, which occurred
before 1811.
The residence now owned and occupied by Samuel
Bancroft was built by Jacob Benninghove. For a few
years after the death of Benninghove the mill was
operated by James Crowley, and from 1816 by Eliza-
beth Benninghove, widow of Jacob, till her death.
On the 5th of April, 1831, Samuel Bancroft purchased
one hundred and sixty-two acres of land, and the
snuff- and saw-mill then on the property, the land
lying in Chester, Middletown, and Nether Providence.
In the next year, 1832, Samuel Bancroft erected a
stone woolen-mill, eighty-six by forty-six feet, three
stories and an attic in height, in which he placed two
thousand four hundred spindles and thirty looms. In
1842 the property passed to William T. Crook, who
remained there twelve years. During that time he built
a stone mill, one hundred by fifty feet, four stories
high, for the manufacture of blankets. Ten sets of
cards were put in. On Dec. 4, 1849, an accident hap-
pened at the mills, which made a deep impression on
the residents of the county at that time. A young
man named Hutchinson, employed by Crook, was
in the fourth story of the mill engaged in hoisting
cotton from a wagon. In leaning out the door to
catch the tackle the bar gave way and he fell, striking
on the wheel of the wagon, causing instant death.
About 1854 the property was again purchased by Sam-
uel Bancroft, who has operated it to the present time.
There are three thousand spindles, thirty-five looms,
and seven sets of cards in the mill.
John Bancroft, the grandfather of Samuel, was by
birth an Englishman, and resided in Manchester,
England, where he was a chair manufacturer. On
retiring from business he removed to Penketh, near
Warrington, England, where the remainder of his life
was spent. He married Jane Fielding, of Todmorden
Hall, to whom were born children, — John, David,
and Sarah. John, whose birth occurred in Manches-
ter, pursued the business of his father, to which was
added that of a lumber merchant. He married Eliz-
abeth Wood, of Bolton, Lancashire, England, whose
children were John, Joseph, Samuel, Rebecca, Mar-
garet, Sarah, Thomas, William, Edward, Esther, Mar-
tha, and Harvey. Mr. Bancroft, with his family,
emigrated to America in 1822, and settled at Wil-
mington, Del., where he established mills for the
manufacture of flannel goods. His son, Samuel, was
born on the 25th of July, 1804, in Manchester, Eng- j
land. His youth was spent in Wales, where, after 1
being educated at a Friends' school in Ackworth, i
Yorkshire, he engaged in farming, and continued
thus employed until his emigration, with his father,
to America in 1822. He at once became identified •
with his father's pursuits, and in 1827 repaired, with
the family, to the township of Upper Providence.
Here, having rented a mill, he became interested in
the manufacture of flannels. In 1831, Mr. Bancroft
removed to his present location, in Nether Providence,
and, in conjunction with his father, erected mills in
the vicinity, which he continues to operate, residing
meanwhile at his attractive home — known as "Tod-
morden"— in the same township. He was married,
June 3, 1828, to Miss Mary W., daughter of William
Hallowell, of Philadelphia. Their only child was Eliz-
abeth H. (Mrs. Thomas H. Rice), deceased. He was
a second time married, on the 13th of January, 1859,
to Sarah, daughter of John Patrick Hare, of Phila-
delphia. Mr. Bancroft afiiliates with the Republican
party in politics, but rarely interests himself in the
political issues of the day further than by the casting
of his ballot. He is identified with the First National
Bank of Media as a director. In his religious belief
he is a member of the society of Friends.
Rose Valley Mills.— Nicholas Stimmel, in 1789,
purchased of Joseph Dicks one hundred and sixty-
five acres of land on Ridley Creek, in Nether Provi-
dence. Soon after he sold eighty-two and one-half
acres to James Reese, and in 1789 purchased a right
for nine hundred and ninety-nine years of abutting a
dam on the other side of the creek, with suflBcient
land to keep it in repair. In the same year Nicholas
Stimmel built a snuff-mill on this property. His son,
Philip, kept a tobacco store in Philadelphia, and in
1794 the snuff-mill came into the latter's possession.
He continued to operate it until April 12, 1814, when
he conveyed the mill property and fifty-three acres to
William Smith. On July 29, 1818, Smith sold the
property to John White, by whom the place was
named Rose Valley. The snuff-mill was carried on
under his ownership until 1821, when he conveyed the
property to William Yardley, a son-in-law, in trust for
two of his children, Catharine Fields and John White.
At that time it was operated by Charles Fields, who
employed the mill for grinding bark used as a medi-
cine for fevers. The introduction of quinine destroyed
the business, and on April 4, 1826, the property was
sold to Park Shee, and Charles Fields removed to
Philadelphia, where he became a leading coffee broker.
Park Shee changed the old bark into a paper-mill,
and erected other buildings. The structures were
part stone and part frame, two stories in height; one
was thirty by forty feet, and the other forty by fifty
feet. Three engines, a drying-machine, and other
necessary machinery was added for the manufacture
of paper. Park Shee continued the business until after
1850, when the buildings fell into disuse. On Aug. 27,
1861, the property was purchased by Antrim Osborne,
and was at that time in ruins, and, as then stated, was
" inhabited only by bats and owls." The next year
Osborne repaired the dam and race, and built a three-
story stone building, seventy-five by fifty-five feet, in
which was placed twelve hundred and twenty-four
•:,^~2-)Aj'iRl^"^
NETHER PEOVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
661
spindles, sixty looms, and three sets of cards. In
1863 a stone building, with picker-house adjoining
(now the engine-house), two stories in height, forty by
twenty-three feet, was built, and in 1864 another build-
ing, also of stone, three stories in height, forty by forty
feet, was erected. In 1873 the main mill was enlarged
by an addition of seventy-five by fifty-five feet, three
stories in height, making that building one hundred
and fifty by fifty-five feet ; a dry-house sixty-one by
forty feet, and a picker-house sixty by forty feet. The
building contains at present two thousand three hun-
dred spindles, one hundred looms, and fifteen sets of
cards.
Eandall Osborne emigrated before 1730 from Eng-
land, and settled in Montgomery County, where he
leased property and engaged in agricultural pursuits.
Among his children was Richard, whose son, Randall,
became owner of the land, which he cultivated and
improved. One of the grandsons of the latter, who
also bore the name of Randall, married Mary Hess,
by birth a German, whose children were Richard,
Nathan, Jonah, John, Randall, and a daughter,
Elizabeth, who became Mrs. John Custer. Jonah, of
this number, was born in 1788, on the ancestral land
in Montgomery County, and on attaining a suitable
age acquired the trade of a stone-mason. He mar-
ried Elizabeth Bisson, and had children, — Mary (Mrs.
James Redmond), Franklin, Antrim, Elizabeth Ann
(Mrs. William Sewell), Phosbe (Mrs. Harlan Miller),
and Susannah. Antrim Osborne was born Nov. 19,
1817, on the homestead, in Montgomery County.
Having been deprived, in the year 1826, when but
eight years of age, of a father's protection and guid-
ance, he was placed with Bethel Moore, of West Con-
shohocken, to learn the trade of woolen manufactur-
ing. He remained three years at this point; was
employed for a brief period at a neighboring mill,
and ultimately removed to Rockdale, Delaware Co.,
where he was engaged as a weaver with Lewis &
Phillips. After a service of four years with this firm
he removed to Philadelphia, and completed an ap-
prenticeship to the trade of a bricklayer. In 1838
Mr. Osborne resumed his original occupation in Dela-
ware County, and was employed for three years by
Richard Blundon, after which the same period was
spent in a carpet-factory in Philadelphia, owned by
John McAfee. He was also at a later date employed
at Crosby's mill, in Delaware County, and in 1846
rented a mill at Waterville, in the same county, where
he began the manufacture of satinets. He continued
in this location for seventeen years, and in 1861 pur-
chased the property of the Rose Valley Paper-Mill,
upon which site his present buildings were erected,
after which he began the manufacture of woolen
jeans, doeskins, and cassimeres. In 1863 his son,
William H., became a partner, and in 1879 his son,
Thomas J., was admitted in the firm. Mr. Osborne
was married in 1839, to Isabella V. Barris, of Tren-
ton, N. J. Their children are Elizabeth B. (Mrs.
John L. Grimm), William H., Mary Ann (Mrs. Wil-
liam H. Forwood), Thomas J., and Antrim E. Mr.
Osborne is in his political views a pronounced Repub-
lican, but has been fully occupied with his business
interests, and found no leisure for participation in
matters of public concern. He and his family are
worshipers with the congregation of the Nether Provi-
dence Methodist Episcopal Church.
Thomas Y. Button's Grist-Mill.— A short distance
above the Rose Valley Mills, on the property sold by
Nathaniel Stemmel in October, 1794, stands an old
unoccupied mill, now in the possession of Antrim
Osborne. This property passed from James Reese
through several parties, and in 1823 from John and
Jabez Jenkins to Thomas Y. Hutton, who, in 1840,
built a stone grist-mill, which he operated until Sept. 1,
1845, at which date he sold it to Richard Wetherill.
The latter kept it until April 1, 1847, when he con-
veyed the mill to Robert Boyd, who changed it to a
turning-mill and sand-paper factory. Boyd died in
1859, and James Greer, as administrator of his estate,
sold it, July 1, 1862, to Edward Borden, who rented
it to Joseph Jackson, a bobbin-turner. On Aug. 1,
1869, the latter bought it and ran it till 1878, although
he had sold the mill to William Pilling, March 1,
1873. From Pilling it passed successively to Solomon
Chorley, John Wildey, and Andrew Rankin. The
latter sold it, Nov. 25, 1879, to Antrim Osborne. The
building is now used by Antrim Osborne as a store-
house.
Chestnut Grove Cotton-MUl.— In 1764, Nathaniel
Vernon was operating a saw-mill on Vernon's Run,
which was discontinued soon after 1770. The land
on which it stood was in 1799 part of the large tract
owned by Thomas Leiper. In the division of his estate
in 1843 it came to Samuel M. Leiper, who, March 24,
1845, sold the land to John Fildes. The latter erected
near the old mill-site a cotton-factory, dye-house, and
other necessary buildings. In April, 1852, fire broke
out in the dye-house and spread rapidly to the main
building. They were both destroyed. The mills were
again rebuilt and operated by Fields until May 25,
1858, when the property was sold to Samuel Bancroft,
who retained possession until Oct. 28, 1865, when he
sold the cotton-factory and sixteen acres of land to
James Jerome. The property later came to Mrs.
Frances M. Jerome, and afterwards to Andrew P.
Walker, by whom it was owned March 29, 1884, at
whicli time tlie factory was destroyed by fire.
Mills on Ridley Creek— Leiper's Snuff-Mill and
Avondale. — The first appearance of the name of
Thomas Leiper in connection with manufactures in
this county occurs in an assessment-roll of Nether
Providence in 1779. In that year he was assessed on
a snutf-mill, which was located on Crum Creek, in
Nether Providence, opposite and a little above where
the Avondale Mill is now. In 1790 he was operating
two snufl'-mills and was the owner of two hundred
and ninety-six acres of land. A dry-house was added
662
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
about 1800, and in 1811 there was at Avondale, in
addition to the snutf-mills, a spinning-house, in which
tobacco was spun, at a later date called the tobacco-
factory. These mills were conducted by Thomas
Leiper until his death, in 1825. By his will, April
21, 1824, he devised his real estate to his sons, George
G., William J., and Samuel M. Leiper. The estate
remained undivided until 1843, when the property on
which the snuff-mills were located was conveyed by
his co-heirs to William J. Leiper. Shortly after the
death of Thomas Leiper a two-vat paper-mill was
erected, which was supplied with water from the same
race which gave power to the snuff-mills. In 1826,
and for several years thereafter, the paper-mill was
operated by John Holmes. In 1829, George G. Leiper
conducted the business at this mill, which was de-
stroyed by fire in 1836.
In 1826 there were, as before stated, two snuff-mills
on this property, with eight mulls and two cutting-
machines. They were operated until 1845, when they
were changed into tenant-houses for the employfe in
the cotton-mills. Subsequent to the destruction of
the paper-mill the estate was rented by James Riddle,
who erected a cotton-factory on the east side of the
creek, in Springfield township, and below the old
paper-mill, the walls of which were utilized and
changed into tenement-houses. On June 8, 1844, a
fire occurred at Avondale, by which two tenement-
houses were burned to the ground. Hardly anything
was saved in these dwellings. In one of the upper
rooms a man was lying dangerously ill and helpless,
who would have perished had not James Honan, a
stone-cutter, at great personal risk, forced his way
through the flames and bore the sick man down the
stairs to a place of safety. James Riddle, at a later
date, rented the mills at Strath Haven, and conducted
those, together with the mills at Avondale, until 1846,
when they were rented to Simeon Lord. At that time
there were eighteen tenant-houses at Avondale. On
Dec. 29, 1849, the dye-house was destroyed by fire. In
1851, Simeon Lord was manufacturing fine cassimeres.
On the afternoon of July 2, 1851, Simeon Lord's
dwelling, at Avondale, was struck by lightning. The
fluid entered the chimney at the eastern end of the
house, and, dividing, passed into all the rooms, being
attracted iu every direction by the heads of nails and
other metallic substances. Large masses of stones
were detached and thrown from the chimney into the
yard below. Passing from the chimney to the room
over the kitchen, the fluid shattered that portion of
the house almost to pieces. Entering the room below,
it tore off the plaster and demolished a clock, and de-
scending near to a window where Mrs. Lord was seated,
it threw her from the chair in which she sat into the
middle of the room. Her son, a child of six years,
who stood behind her, ^yas thrown to the floor. The
lightning struck the boy on the back of the head and
ran down his back, coming out at his shoes, leaving a
ragged hole in the latter about two inches in diameter.
The skin was burned on the boy's back. He was re-
stored to sensibility by dashing cold water on him.
An old gentleman named Cooper, who was in the
room, was also knocked down and rendered entirely
unconscious. A little girl and a child in the same
apartment were much stunned. The house was filled
with smoke and dust, bedsteads were broken in sev-
eral rooms, the fluid entering the small wire at the top
of the posts and splintering them in three pieces,
chairs were demolished, looking-glasses broken. In
Mrs. Lord's bedroom were three guns. The stocks
were shattered and broken to pieces, and the point of
a bayonet, fixed to a musket, was melted. The walls
and floors were perforated in many places and a por-
tion of the door and window-frames knocked to pieces.
In a closet, which was penetrated by the lightning,
there were two canisters of powder and a bag of shot.
The fluid entered the latter and passed the canisters.
In the floor a large post, which supported the floor,
was riven in twain.
In 1861, Simeon Lord purchased the Darby Mills
of Thomas Steel and removed to that place. The
Avondale property passed from William J. Leiper, by
sberifl''s sale, to Mrs. Helen H. Patterson, Aug. 24,
1858. At that time the mill property consisted of
nine acres, a cotton-mill, and twenty-two stone tene-
ments. On May 1, 1865, the large stone factory was
1 burned, the machinery being at the time owned by
} Charles M. Gilberson, the lessee. The factory was
j rebuilt. Callender J. Leiper purchased the prop-
! erty of Helen H. Patterson, Nov. 1, 1870, and in 1872
' he sold to William J. Leiper, who now owns it. Wil-
liam J. Leiper leased the property to Messrs. Callahan
1 & Sharkey. The mill was destroyed by fire Aug. 23,
i 1873, involving a loss to the lessees of about thirteen
thousand dollars and a heavy loss to Mr. Leiper.
The factory was rebuilt and operated by John Greer
I & Co. until 1878, then by David Brown, of Hadding-
I ton, until May 1, 1881, when it was dismantled.
1 The building was subsequently used by the Franklin
1 Artificial Stone Company from the fall of 1882 to the
1 spring of 1884.
Strath Haven Mills. — In the summer of 1776, Dr.
Robert Harris, at this locality, had established a
I powder-mill, under a contract with the Committee of
I Safety, which required him to deliver one ton of pow-
' der to the State authorities every week.' The mill,
' which was of frame and hastily constructed, disap-
j peared with the occasion which called it into being.
j About 1824, Thomas Leiper, who then owned the es-
i tate, erected on the site of this mill, on Crum Creek,
I a tilt- or blade-mill, which was operated by Nahum
I Keys. In 1826 he was reported as then making about
two hundred dozens of scythes and straw-knives per
annum. For several years after that date, until 1830,
j the mill was operated by George G. Leiper, when
it was changed to a paper-mill and leased to Park
I 1 See description of powder-mill, ante, p. 46.
NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
Shee. In the division of the Leiper estate, in 1843,
this property was awarded to William J. Leiper, who
shortly after that date rented it to James Riddle, and
a cotton-factory was erected thereon. In 1845, Sim-
eon Lord leased the estate, and remained there until
his removal to Darby Mills, in 1861. Previous to
the termination of the tenancy of Simeon Lord, on
March 5, 1859, Mrs. Helen H. Patterson, a daughter
of Thomas Leiper, purchased the property and now
owns it. At that date there were four acres of land,
a stone cotton-factory, and five tenement-houses.
The factory and other buildings are now in ruins. The
former, on Nov. 13, 1865, when in the tenancy of Mr.
Tomlinson, was destroyed by fire, involving a loss of
fifty thousand dollars.
The Lewis Paper-MiUs.— On Crum Creek, in the
year 1826, John Pancoast erected a two-vat stone
paper-mill, on lands which he had purchased June
16, 1825. The mill was owned and operated by him
until April 1, 1833, when the estate was purchased by
Elizabeth Lewis, whose husband, John Lewis, oper- i
ated the mill until July 30, 1868, when it was sold to
John Howard Lewis, the present owner. On April
9, 1882, the mill was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt,
and on Aug. 21, 1883, was again burned. Thomas
Morrison, one of the employSs, was killed by the
bursting of the rag boiler, and several others assisting
to save the buildings and personal estate were severely
hurt. Immediately the work of rebuilding was begun,
and on March 10, 1884, work was resumed in the third
paper-mill erected on this site. The present build-
ings are all of stone, the main mill, thirty-five by one
hundred and twenty-five feet, two stories in height;
the engine-room, fifty-seven by ninety-seven feet, two
stories; rotary-room, thirty-one by fifty- four feet ; rag-
room, forty-six by sixty feet, three stories and an attic
in height. It is a five-engine mill, and manufactures
about twenty tons of paper per week.
Spool-Cotton Works.— About 1833, J. & J. Hill-
ditch, in the old yellow house still standing south of
Idlewild, were engaged in manufacturing spool and
wound cotton.
Other Mills.— In 1766, John Hinkson owned a
saw-mill in the township, which, in 1774, was oper-
ated by David Bloomer, but it does not appear on the
assessment-roll after 1780. In 1774, Job Dicks owned
a grist- and saw-mill on Ridley Creek, a short distance
below Rose Valley Mills, which were continued by i
him until subsequent to 1790. William Pennell, in I
1764, was assessed on a grist- and saw-mill in Nether ;
Providence. He was also at that date the owner of |
a grist- and saw-mill in Middletown.
Licensed Houses,— In Lower or Nether Provi-
dence the applications for license do not appear, so i
far as the record discloses, previous to 1746 ; but at
that date Nathaniel Vernon had leave granted him I
to keep a public-house in the township. The same
year he presented his petition for license in the
borough of Chester, having leased the house where I
David Cowpland dwells; and to that petition the
court gave a willing assent, showing that Vernon
.stood well with the justices. He does not appear,
however, to have taken out his license for Cowpland's
house, for the next year he is again an applicant, and
is allowed license in Upper Providence ; but subse-
quent to that date his name disappears, and no pe-
tition is on file for Nether Providence until 1763,
when John Powell put in an appearance, and con-
tinued annually to do so until 1769, when the court
allowed him to sell " Beer and Ale." In 1772, Wil-
liam Edwards had license granted to him, and it was
so continued until 1776. In 1778, Andrew Linn was
given the right, and in 1781, William Beaumont
was allowed license, and continued annually to re-
ceive it until 1785. In that year the landlord, it
seems from Beaumont's petition, had " rented the old
house to some one else," and he therefore made ap-
plication to be permitted to keep a house of entertain-
ment at a place " nearly opposite the old stand ;" but
the court refused his petition, and granted the right
to the " some one else," who appears to have been
Nathaniel Sharpless. The latter annually received
license from that date up to and including the year
1789.
When Delaware County was established, Nathaniel
Sharpless was licensed to keep a public-house in
Nether Providence ; but I fail to find any application
for a similar privilege in that township until 1792,
when Abraham Edwards was landlord of an inn, and
continued yearly thereafter until 1795, when it dis-
appeared from the record. Ten years afterwards, in
1806, William Spear filed a petition, asking leave of
the court to keep a tavern at the house he then occu-
pied, which he states is commonly known as the
Anvil. His application was met with a remonstrance
signed by seventy-five persons, among whom were
Luke Cassin, Edward Fell, John Worrall, Samuel
West, Owen Worrall, Joseph Thatcher, John Hink-
son, Moses Palmer, Peter Worrall, Daniel Sharpless,
Samuel Pancoast, John Broomall, and other well-
known citizens, who objected because an inn at that
location was unnecessary ; " that where Inns are kept
where there is but little Profit arising from Travel-
lers, Landlords are frequently Induced to permit
their Neighbors to Resort to them. Spending their
precious time in the Crying Sin of Drunkenness and
Levity, Whereby many Healthy Constitutions have
been Impaired, and many Families Reduced to pov-
erty and want. That there is a Meeting of Friends
held very near, twice a week, for the purpose of
Divine Worship, and Monthly for Inspecting and
Resulting affairs which relate to their Religious So-
ciety, it is probable the solemnity of these Occasions
may be at times Interrupted by persons of the above
description. And lastly, that as we believe if Wil-
liam Spear Could be obliged to decline his Prospect,
it might prove a Singular Kindness to him, so many
Instances having occurred within the Compass of our
664
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Knowledge of Persons occupied in Retailing ardent
Spirits becoming gradually Enslaved therewith, to
the great Injury of themselves and Families. With
desires that Righteousness, Temperance, and Pros-
perity may increase and abound among our Fellow-
Citizens in that and every other neighborhood. We
subscribe ourselves your Real Friends."
The opinion of the court, however, failed to accord
with that of the remonstrants, and the license was
granted to Spear for that year, and annually there-
after until 1810, when Isaac Cochran superseded him
as landlord of the Anvil. Spear, however, in 1813,
returned to the inn, to give place, in 1816, to Henry
Houghton, and the latter, in 1818, to Henry Habber-
sett, who, in his petition, stated that the public-house
is known as the Providence Inn, although it formerly
bore the title of the Anvil, a name it was never more
to bear. In 1823, George Litzenberg, Jr., became the
landlord of the tavern, and as he was an active spirit
in military affairs in the county, on many occasions
the annual muster of the militia was held at the Prov-
idence Inn, and when the undisciplined rustics met
for military instruction, some of the movements and
mancBUvres were so startling and original that veteran
soldiers would have stood aghast at the sight. In
1829, Charles Wells followed Litzenberg, and Wells,
in 1832, gave place to Evan Way. The latter, seeing
an opportunity to become the host of the Washing-
ton House, in Chester, and the prospect of being
sheriff of Delaware County, moved to the county-
seat, and Isaac Hall followed him, in 1833, as land-
lord of the Providence Inn. In 1837, James Dick
was granted license, and in 1839, Norris Hannum, to
be followed, in 1840, by George P. Alexander. Peter
Worrall, the last of the publicans, obtained license
for the Providence Hotel in 1843, and continued to
receive the kindly consideration of the court until
1850, when the charter of the borough of Media, in-
terdicting the Court of Quarter Session granting
license to any inn or tavern within the limits of the
new county-seat where intoxicating drinks were
authorized to be sold, interposed itself as an obstacle
in his way.
Peter Worrall, however, did not permit this new
order of affiiirs to go unchallenged, but on May 28,
1850, filed his petition setting forth that the act had
been obtained by false and erroneous representation
to the Legislature, that at the time the charter was
asked for it was alleged that no license had been
granted for or at the new seat of justice, whereas the
truth was that he, Worrall, had license, and the inn ]
had been a licensed public-house for fifteen years j
past. That he was advised that the act was local, j
partial, and unconstitutional, and would materially 1
impair, if not destroy, his vested interests and rights, j
and he therefore prayed the court to grant him license
for the house, or " if the said license is to be refused, ;
to place that refusal upon such grounds as may afford
him an opportunity of obtaining a decision upon the I
constitutionality of said provision from the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania." The judges, however, re-
fused the application, and since that date no effort
has ever been made to obtain leave of the Court of
Quarter Sessions to vend intoxicating liquors at
Media.
Hinkson's Corner.— The property on which this
hamlet is located was originally a part of the Vernon
tract, which was confiscated after the Revolution, and
in 1790 was in the possession of the Hinksons. As
early as 1770 John Hinkson was operating a saw-mill
on some of the small streams in the township, proba-
bly on Vernon's Run. In 1799, James Hinkson was
living on the northeast corner of the cross-roads, in a
frame dwelling, which was later replaced by the
present stone house (now owned by Rufus Shapley).
He was a wheelwright, and had at that time two shops,
one log and the other frame, which stood on the cor-
ner where the present blacksmith-shop is now located.
One of these shops he used for his business, the
other was occupied by Richard Nuzrum as a black-
smith-shop. He (Nuzrum) lived in Upper Provi-
dence, in which township he owned a farm. A few
years later Mary, a sister of James Hinkson, erected
a frame house which still stands on the southeast
corner, in which she established a store, and con-
tinued there for several years. Later, the stone build-
ing, erected in 1799, now made into a stable by Rufus
Shapley, was changed into a general store, and since
1844 was kept by Henry Lawrence, John Forrest,
John Williamson Thompson, D. R. & H. T. Esrey,
and in recent years by William G. Vernon. In
1810 a school-house was erected at Hinkson's Corner.
In 1803, Ezekiel Norman, a blacksmith, came from
Montgomery County and purchased the shop at the
Corner. He continued to carry on blacksmithing
there until a few years before his death, in 1864, when
his son, Ezekiel Norman, succeeded to the business,
and is still located at the Corner. In 1870 a petition
was presented to the postal department for an office
there, but it was not obtained until 1873, when George
Latch established a store in the neighborhood, at
which time an ofiice was located therein, and Latch
was appointed master. The purchase of land in the
immediate vicinity of Hinkson's Corner and Walling-
ford by Philadelphians, who have made these locali-
ties their residences, has caused a rapid increase in the
value of ground there. At and near Hinkson's Cor-
ner, Rufus Shapley, author of " Solid for Mulhooley,"
Col. Alexander McClure, Alfred S. Gillette, president
of the Girard Fire Insurance Company, James W.
Mercur, son of Chief-Justice Mercur, and others, re-
side, the result being that lands which a few years
ago could be bought for two hundred dollars an acre
is now being held at one thousand to fifteen hundred
dollars for the same area of ground.
Thomas Hinkson, abrother of James, was a farmer,
and owned prior to 1800 a large tract of ground on
the south and northwest corner. He lived where the
NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
Kershaw dwelling now is. The Hinkson family own-
ing all the land there, the name when given was cer-
tainly appropriate. i
Brig'gsville.— Isaac Briggs in 1849 kept a store
in Providence below the southern line of the borough
of Media, and subsequently in the house where Isaac
Miller now dwells. After the county-seat had been
removed to Media, Isaac Briggs established a brick-
yard near the proposed town. In time a large number i
of defective and unsalable bricks accumulated in the
yard, and with these he erected a double row of tene-
ment houses on his land, from which fact the locality j
became known as Rotten Row, or Briggsville. In 1856 \
he built a brick church thirty-six by forty-five feet,
which was free to be used by any denomination, sect,
or for any form of worship. It was occupied at vari-
ous times for religious services by clergymen of vari- 1
ous denominations, and Sunday-school was also held
there until 1870, when it was abandoned for that pur-
pose. About 1874 the church building was changed :
into dwelling-houses. A brick school-house has been
located by the directors of Nether Providence at
Briggsville. I
The Cavana Case. — In 1851, Nelson W. Cavana, a
tailor, carried on business in a shop on the Providence
road near Briggsville. On December 15th of that
year he came to Chester, and was seen alive late that
evening, after which time he disappeared. His mys-
terious absence alarmed his family, and search was
made for him without success. In the mean while it
became rumored that he bad been made the victim of
a practical joke, which had resulted finally in Cavana's
death. The excitement in tlie country was intense; a 1
public meeting was held at Media, and a reward oflTered
to secure the arrest and conviction of those criminally i
concerned in the matter. The result was that Edward [
R. Crosby, Charles W. Raborg, and Benjamin B. .
Pearson were indicted for an assault and battery on
Cavana. The trial began Monday, Feb. 23, 1852.
The commonwealth was represented by Hon. Edward j
Darlington and Joseph J. Lewis, and the accused by I
Robert E. Hannum and William Darlington. The [
evidence was that on the afternoon of December 15th
Cavana was in Chester sober, but at six o'clock he
was intoxicated. At half-past ten o'clock that night
he entered the oyster cellar of David Wilson, at that
time under the Penn Buildings. His face was then
blackened with burnt cork, and he wore a black dress-
coat and a high silk hat. The defendant, Crosby,
began to joke with Cavana, and talked about a
"swallow-tailed coat" the latter had made for Samuel
N. Leiper, of which Cavana was boasting. Charles
W. Raborg thereupon poured some hot liquor on
Cavana's head, then sprinkled some pepper on his
hair, and finally threw flour in his face. Crosby i
jestingly inquired of one of the bystanders whether I
he had seen the swallow-tailed coat Mr. Leiper had
on the Sunday previous, and asked if any one could
tell him what botch of a tailor made it. Cavana
thereupon took off his coat, declaring that was a per-
sonal insult, and he proposed to resent it, whereupon
Crosby, taking the coat, turned it wrong side out, and
put it on Cavana in that way, while Raborg caught
hold of the tails of the coat and tore it up the back.
The latter then took Cavana's hat, cut in it holes for
his eyes, nose, and mouth, after which he put it on
the former's head and drew it down over his face,
made it fast under his chin by the rim, which was
partly torn off. In this act Crosby assisted Raborg.
Cavana left the oyster cellar shortly before midnight,
and when last seen was walking down Market Street
towards the river. The case occupied three days, and
terminated in the conviction of Crosby and Raborg
and the acquittal of Pearson. The court fined the
defendants fifty dollars each and cost of jwosecution.
On March 6, 1852, the body of Cavana was found in
the Delaware River, and on the 15th of the same
month a coroner's inquest was held. The jury found
the following extraordinary verdict :
" Tliat the said Nelson W. Cavana came to his death from his having
come to Chester on Monday, the 15th of December last, about 3 o'clock,
perfectly sober ; that he first drank strong liquor at I. Hamson HiU*s
tavern, about 6 o'clock, by invitation of Edward E. Crosby; drank at
Hill's several times previous to 8 o'clock in the evening with different
persons ; had his face blackened while at Hill's tavern. He entered the
oyster cellar of David Wilson about 10 o'clock, drank ale and eat oysters
with Charles W. Raborg, Edward K. Crosby, Edward H. Engle, and
others. He took his coat off", Edward R. Crosby turned it inside out
and put it on him so, and afterwards tore it up the back. A pepper-bos
was shaken over, and ale was poured on, his head by Charles W. Raborg,
his hat, which was placed on his head by Edward R. Crosby, with his
face looking out of an aperture cut in the front, the rim was drawn
down under his chin. Afterwards he complained that bis eyes smarted,
and then Edward H. Engle wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. He
was suffered to leave the cellar alone about half-past eleven o'clock, in
the condition above described, being very much intoxicated; and was
seen going down the street towards the River Delaware alone, the
weather being at that time extremely cold, with snow. He was found
drowned, near Chester, on the 6th of March inst., his hat and coat worn
on him as above descrilied."
Media Lodge, No. 86, Knights of Pythias.— This
lodge was instituted at Hinkson's Corner, June 19,
1869. The charter members were John Sykes, P. C. ;
George Sykes, C. C. ; Edward L. Morgan, V. C. ; Philip
Afliick, G. ; James E. Campbell, K. of R. S. ; James
P. Wheatley, M. of F. ; Francis Taylor, M. of E. ;
Abraham Taylor, I. G. ; Samuel Taylor, O. G. The
lodge soon after changed its meeting-place to Media.
In 1878 a lot was purchased at Hinkson's Corner, and
the present hall erected. The lodge has at this time
forty-eight members. The present officers are Harry
Brooks, P. C. ; John B. Brook, C. C. ; Louis C. Martin,
V. C. ; Jesse Plumley, P. ; L. Scott West, M. of E. ;
George Sykes, M. of F. ; Fred. Schmaelzley, K. of
R. S. ; Samuel Taylor, M. at A. ; George Latch, I. G ;
William Taylor, O. G.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
CHAPTER L.
UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
In the early days of the province Upper and
Nether Providence, as stated in the account of the
latter township, constituted one municipal division.
The separation of Providence into two districts was
recognized as early as the March court, 1687/8,
when John Calvert was appointed constable for
Upper Providence. This township is bounded on the
east by Crum Creek, on the west by Ridley Creek, on
the south by Nether Providence, and on the north by
Edgmont. At the southwest limit of the township
on Ridley Creek, and lying on the west side of Provi-
dence road, was a tract of three hundred and fifty
acres, which was surveyed to William Taylor March
2-3, 1681, while immediately above was a plantation
of like size, which, on the like date, was taken up by
Peter Taylor. On these tracts that part of the bor-
ough of Media lying within Upper Providence is
located. Peter and William Taylor, of the parish of
Sutton, county of Cheshire, England, purchased from
William Penn twelve hundred and fifty acres of land
before they emigrated to the province. Part of this
land was located in Upper Providence, the remainder
in East Cain township. After the act of Feb. 13,
1804, creating the ofiice of directors of the poor for
Delaware County was in force, on March 25, 1805,
the three directors, William Anderson, Jonathan
Heacock, and John Smith, purchased from Isaac
Taylor sixty-nine acres and eighty-five perches of
land on this tract. The same day Ezra Taylor con-
veyed fifty-two acres and one hundred and thirty-two
perches to the directors, and the same date William
Spear and wife made a deed to the same grantees for
seven acres and forty-two perches of land. The
grantors were descendants of the original settlers,
and on the estate thus conveyed the first county
house or house of employment was erected. Subse-
quently the directors, on May 20, 1805, purchased
eight acres and one hundred and five perches from
Peter Worrall, and at a later date, Minshall Painter,
John Clayton, and Joel Evans, the then directors,
purchased twenty-six acres and one hundred and
forty-two perches from Brinton Jones and Isaac
Hinkson, trustees to sell the real estate of Woodward
Crossley, deceased, which lands were added to the
county property. Above the Peter Taylor tract was
a plantation of two hundred and fifty acres taken up
by Allen Robinett, and here at a later date he erected
the Robinett Grist-Mill, while on this land on Ridley
Creek, John Camm, the first stocking-weaver in
Che.ster County, located. Of Allen Robinett little is
known at this time, which is almost absolute evidence
that he was not in membership with Friends.
Still following Ridley Creek, above the Robinett
tract, Randal Malin took up two hundred and fifty
acres on March 6-7, 1681. He emigrated from Great
Barrens, in Cheshire, England, before or shortly after
the first visit of Penn to his colony. Randal Malin
was accompanied with his wife, Elizabeth, and settled
on this land, glad to find an asylum in the wilderness
from persecutions for his religious opinions, for he
had suffered a fine of £20 5s. in England because he
had made a prayer in a meeting of Friends there.
Doubtless the exposure and privation to which she
was subjected was too severe for the wife and mother,
for she died in 1687. Randal Malin married again in
1693, his second wife being Mary Conway, a widow,
the daughter of Valentine Hollingsworth, of New
Castle County. He died shortly after the beginning
of the eighteenth century, leaving two sons (Isaac and
Jacob, children by his first wife) and two daughters
(Hannah and Rachel, children by his second wife).
On a portion of his estate in Upper Providence his
descendant, Stephen Malin, still resides. Above the
Malin lands, taken on rent by John Holston, Feb. 18,
1683, two hundred acres were secured. In 1717 the
greater part of this land was purchased by Heury
Miller. The latter, with his wife, Sarah, and several
children, came from the parish of Dunster, Somerset
County, England, three years prior to his acquiring
ownership of this land. Henry Miller was by trade a
weaver, and in Upper Providence located a small
manufacturing establishment, wherein he wove serges,
camlets, and similar goods, and had also a store, in
which, with other articles, he sold the product of his
looms. He was an active man in the early colonial
days, and in 1717 was elected a member of the Provin-
cial Assembly. Immediately above the Holston tract
two hundred acres were surveyed to George Woodward
on March 12, 1683. He never resided on the planta-
tion, but on Twelfth month 25, 1695, the land having
been sold to Joseph Phipps, was resurveyed, and was
found to contain two hundred and eighty acres. The
estate, June 15, 1715, was conveyed to Henry Miller,
and it is doubtless on this tract that he embarked in
manufacturing. Trout Run is almost entirely within
the limits of this plantation.
Above the Woodward land Henry Miller, on March
19-20, 1715, acquired title to two hundred and twenty-
two acres, on which Blue Hill is located, and it was
on this land that he settled, which fact may account
for the premises remaining so long in the ownership
of his descendants. This plantation, however, was a
-part of a large tract of five hundred acres which was
surveyed to James Swaft'er, Nov. 7, 1684. He came
from Newton, Cheshire, England, in that year, and
settled on this land, but he subsequently removed to
Philadelphia, selling his land in Upper Providence in
smaller plantations. On part of this tract, in 1717,
the mill in early time known as Providence Mill, and
subsequently as Bishop's mill, and at the present as
Sycamore Mills, was erected. To the east of a straight
line drawn northward to Crum Creek from Providence
great road, at the point where the latter highway di-
verges to the northwest to Blue Hill, William Sails-
UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
bury, of whom little is known to the writer, took up
one hundred acres lying between this imaginary line
and Crum Creek. On a resurvey, in 1702, to Joseph
Carter, it was found that one hundred and fifteen acres
were included in this tract. The latter came from
Cheshire, and settled in Upper Providence in 1698,
possibly on this land, to which he acquired title by
patent Nov. 16, 1709, although it had been surveyed
to him seven years prior to that date. The records of
Chester Monthly Meeting under date of Fourth month
28, 1708, set forth that "Providence Meeting informs i
of Joseph Carter being concerned with one not of our
Comunion in relation to marriage, this meeting hav-
ing laboured with him to convince him of his error,
& advise him to desist." But Carter persisted ; on
Sixth month 30th of the same year it appears that
he "hath actually married to one who doth not any
wayes profess the truth with us." Carter by this
conduct gained a wife, but lost his membership with
Friends. He was living in Upper Providence in
1715.
Immediately south of the Carter estate, beginning
at the present property of Samuel Otey, on Providence
road, continuing southward along the eastern side of
that highway to the northern line of the borough of
Media, including the lands within those boundaries to
the creek, a tract of seven hundred acres was surveyed
to John Calvert First month 25, 1683. John Calvert
and Judeth, with their children, emigrated to the
province and settled on this tract, for which he re-
ceived a patent April 24, 1691. In 1739 this estate,
which by a resurvey proved to contain six hundred
and eight and a half acres, was patented to John
Worrell. If this purchaser was John Worrell, the
settler in Middletown, and afterwards a resident of
Edgmont, where he died in 1742, aged eighty-four
years, he was well advanced in years at the time he
bought this tract, and if it was one of his sons, John,
who with his twin brother, Peter, was born in 1719, the
young man had not attained his majority when the
land was purchased. Of the John Worrell who ac-
quired the estate the writer has at this time no definite
information. The Rose-Tree Inn is located on this
land. Immediately south of this tract Robert Rob-
inson took up one hundred and fifty acres on rent
First month 10, 1683, which property extended from
Providence road to the creek. To Thomas Powell,
March 21-22, 1681, was surveyed one hundred and
eighty acres south of the Robinson laud. On this
tract Friends' graveyard is located, and it was there
that an effort in 1698-99 was made to have Chester
Meeting approve a site for the erection of Provi-
dence Friends' meeting-house without success. Per-
haps it was that refusal which caused Thomas Powell
to change his religious conviction, first adhering to
George Keith in his opinion, and then became a
churchman, for Keith held meetings at his (Powell's)
house in 1703, at which time both Keith and Powull
were earnest Episcopalians. Directly south of Pow-
ell's land, Randal Croxton, March 21-22, 1681, en-
tered one hundred and fifty acres. He came from
Chormely, County Palatine of Chester, England,
among the early settlers, and located on this land,
but on March 14, 1699, he conveyed this plantation
to Joseph Taylor. He continued to reside in the
township, for he was assessed there in 1715, and in
1734 was still there.'
The taxables of Upper Providence in 1715 were as
follows:
Jolin Edge, Jacob Edge, Henry Miller, Sarah Powell, Thomas Wil-
liamson, Joseph Taylor, Peter Taylor, William Sinklor, Zachery Butcher,
Joseph Carter, Thomas Jones, Jacob Chandler, Jacob Malin, Joshua
Calvert, Daniel Calvert, John Cam, Job Harvey, Randal Malin, Ran-
dal Croxson.
Freemen.— Jacob Norbury, Richard Clayton, Thomas Norbury, John
The taxables in the township in 1799 were as fol-
lows :
Thomas Bishop (miller, stone-, grist-, and saw-mill), Ann Bonan,
Richard Briggs, Joseph -Bishop, James Black, Joseph Bishop (smith-
shop, cartwright), John Culin (carpenter), Hezekiah Camp, Samuel Carr
(weaver), Thomas Calvert, Evau Eachus, Benjamin Evans, John Hink-
son, Patrick Hagerty, Edward Hall, Philip Kirk, John Levis (paper-
maker, paper-mill), Seth Levis, Samuel Lindaey, George Miller, Gideon
Malin, William Malin, William Maddock (tavern-keeper), Caleb Mar-
tin, Joseph Newlin (cooper), Richard Nuzum (blacksmith), James Paist
(victualer) William Robinson, Ether Riley, James Smedley, Jacob Siter
(grist- and plaster-mill), George Thomas, Nathan Taylor, Peter "taylor,
Jonathan Worrell, Peter Worrell, Jesse Williamson, Adam Worrell,
Thomas Worrell, John Worrell, Abel Worrell, Jesse Worrell, Josiah
Worrell. Owen Worrell, Ezekiel Yarnall (tailor), David Yarnall (cord-
wainer), Jacob Dunn, Peter Taylor.
Inmuto.— Robert Williamson (blacksmith), Job Pyle (tailor), Thomas
Steel (miller at Bishop's mill), William Eldridge, James Malin, Joel Malin,
Isaac Malin (mason), Isaac Sharpless (paper-maker), Jacob Newhouse
(paper-maker), Jacob Mills (paper-maker), Isaac Taylor (tailor), James
Neal, James Dizer, Hugh McDale, Robert Miller (blacksmith), Joseph
Taylor, Isaac Taylor (carpenter), Thomas PoUin, Joseph Martin (cord-
wainer), John Williamson, Benjamin Kirk, William Robeson, Frederick
Beuninghove, James Haws.
Single Freemen. — George McQuade, Charles McGlown, Peter Rezer
(miller), Thomas Hawea (cordwainer), Israel Taylor (mason), Robert
Barge, Samuel Malin (weaver), Abner Malin (weaver), George Martin,
Joshua Hardy (tailor), Hugh McCown, Richard Briggs (mason), Mor-
decai Dunn (weaver), John Barr (weaver), Benjamin Kirk, George Kel-
ley, Thomas Thomas (miller), John Smithel, John Taylor (gentleman),
Owen Worrell, Gideon Malin (gardner), Leonard Webber, John Carr
(weaver), James Smedley, James Gorman.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE FOR UPPER PROVIDENCE.
Caleb Peirce Aug. 30,1791.
Joseph Brinton May 20, 1800.
LukeCassin March 27, 1809.
John Siter Sept. 1,1813.
Robert Greeu Feb. 23,1816.
Nathan Giljsou Nov. 26, 1817.
George Brooke July 3, 1S21.
Maskill Ewing June 10, 1822.
Benjamin LobU Dec. 4,1823.
Parke Shee Dec. 9, 18Z3.
Daniel Abralianis Dec. 14, 1825.
Barnar.l FIvii.i Nov. 18, 1835.
AM, I 1. ->:-, May 27,1836.
Tl,>. - ! Dec. 20,1836.
■n, „ , I. Nov. 1,1838.
U 1. , ! . , May 11,1839.
,J„l,,i lli:,.i April 14,1840.
Joseph Eviuis April 14, 1840.
John Miller April 15, 1845.
Joseph Evans April 14, 1846.
John Miller April 9, 1850.
Joseph Evans April 15, 1851.
Nathan Shaw April 10, 1855.
John J. Rowland April 10, 1865.
1 Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 465.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Schools. — The present Blue Hill school-house is
erected on the site of one of the ancient buildings
which, during the last century, was set apart as a
place for the education of children. When the first
house was erected is not known, but certainly in 1777
a .school was maintained there. The land on which
the school-house stood was the property of George
Miller, the elder, who subsequently bequeathed the
lot to trustees for school purposes. In the account-
book of George Miller, now in the possession of his
granddaughter, Sarah L. Miller, of Media, are several
entries which show that Mary Massey, daughter of
Isaac Massey, boarded at the house of George Miller
for the purpose of attending this school. The entries
in the account-book are as follows :
" 1777, loth mo. 120,.
*' Isaac Massey, Dr.
To Ills daughter Mary's diet and accommodatiOD ooe year £6 10s.
To cash paid Thomas Jacobs (the teacher) for her schooling 15s.
"1778,101*mo. 12(i.
To his daughter Mary's diet and accommodation one year £6 10s.
To cash paid for her schooling 2 Os.
"1779, 1014 mo. 12(4.
To his daughter Mary's diet and accommodation £6 IDs.
To cash paid Abigail Shai-pless for her schooling 15s."
The late county superintendent, James W. Baker,
in his report for 1876, states that Jesse Haines, Martha
Cromwell, Thomas Hammer, Samuel Brown, Thomas
Megarge, Elizabeth Passmore, John Hammer, and W.
Lightfoot were some of the early teachers of this
school, and were highly esteemed.
The house which stood on the lot in 1777 was prob-
ably a log building. George Miller, by his will dated
Jan. 12, 1794, and probated in 1797, devised to Jacob
Minshall one acre and two square perches of land,
with all the buildings thereon, in trust for the society
of protestants commonly called Quakers, of Chester
Monthly Meeting, for " the use of a school to be kept
thereon," under the care of Friends. On this lot a
stone school-house was built by subscription prior to
George Miller's death, which occurred in 1797. School
was kept there under the care of the Society of Friends
from that date to 1837, when the Blue Hill school-
house passed to the school directors of Upper Provi-
dence. In 1872 the old building had become so di-
lapidated that it was necessary to rebuild it, at a cost
of two thousand five hundred dollars, and to meet that
expense the court, in June, 1873, authorized the direc-
tors to sell the Turner lands, which was done, realizing
$1333.15.
James Turner, in 1787, was the owner of a house
and lot on Proviclence road known as Blue Hill.
On the 26th day of the First month, 1787, he by will
devised this land as follows :
" I give, devise, and bequeath to George Miller, the son of my cousin,
George Miller, my house and Lett of ground, sittuate in Upper Provi-
dence, afforesaid, commonly called the Blue Hill, ... to hold to him,
his heirs aud assigns forever, upgn special trust and confidence, never-
thelet^s, and to aud for the uses, interests, and purposes hereinafter ex-
pressed, mentioned, and declared, and none other; (that is to say) for
the use of the Society of protestants commonly called Quakers, of and
belonging to the Monthly Meeting of Chester, for the erecting of one or
more school-houses thereon for the teaching and Instructing youth
therein, and all necessary conveniences thereto belonging, under and
subject to the rules, regulations, aud order of the said monthly meeting
for the time being forever."
The remainder of his estate was devised to Jacob
Minshall for the use of the school.
Jacob Minshall and George Miller, being individ-
ual trustees of these two pieces of ground, on Oct. 1,
1799, conveyed to Jacob Minshall, George Miller,
Edward Fell, Ambrose Smedley, James Smedley,
Isaac Sharpless, John Hill, Jr., and Joseph Pennell,
Jr., the lands specified in the wills of James Turner
and George Miller, in trust for the Blue Hill school,
under care of Chester Monthly Meeting. After the
enactment of the school law, and in 1837, " the school
building and part of the grounds were suffered to fall
into the possession of the school directors of the dis-
trict of Upper Providence,"' who maintained a school
there. The residue of the Turner and Miller real es-
tate devised for school purposes in 1865 was in pos-
session of Isaac Miller as trustee under the wills of
James Turner and George Miller. By the act of
Feb. 7, 1865, the lands and income were placed under
the control of the Court of Common Pleas of Dela-
ware County, " for the maintenance of a public school
by the school directors, ... at or near Blue Hill,"
with power in the court to order the sale or leasing of
the real estate in its discretion. Under this authority
the court, as before mentioned, in 1873 ordered the
sale of the real estate, and the proceeds to be used by
the directors in defraying the cost of the erection of
the new school building at Blue Hill.
On the 18th of October, 1836, the board of directors
purchased a half-acre of land on the Providence great
road below the Eose-Tree, and erected a school-
house, which was used until 1870. At that date a
half-acre was purchased adjoining, and a brick build-
ing twenty-seven by forty feet was erected, the old
house being removed. It is designated as Sandy
Bank, No. 2.
Prior to 1872 a school was maintained in a house
belonging to Samuel Bancroft, near the " Burnt
Mills" (Manchester Mills), and in that year the pres-
ent lot was purchased of Andrew Pallas, an English-
man, who went to England, and is supposed to have
been lost at sea. The money had not been paid, and
it was in the hands of the directors for several years
before his heirs made the proper application for it.
The brick house thereon, twenty-seven by forty feet,
was erected in 1872, and is known as District No. 1.
In 1825, at the election in this year Thomas Cassin,
Isaac Smedley, and George Miller, Jr., were chosen
" School Trustees for Upper Providence." It will be
noticed that Isaac Smedley and George Miller were
trustees of the Blue Hill school, the only school
known to have been in the township at that time. In
1834, after the enactment of the school law of that
1 Act of Feb. 7, 1865 :
t of Delaware County," p. 16.
UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
year, the court appointed George Miller, Jr., Ezekiel
Norman, Jr., inspectors of the public schools until
directors should be elected. In 1835 the amount of
money received by Upper Providence from State and
county appropriation for school purposes was $138.57.
The following is a list of school directors as obtained
from the records of Media :
1840, Isaac Haldeman, John B. Lewis ; 1842, Joseph Evans, Enoch Dow-
ell ; 1843, Levis Miller, Malin Bishop, Isaac Cochran; 1844, Wil-
liam P. Wilson, Thomas C. Palmer ; 1845, Abel Lodge, Luke Cassin ;
1846, Levis Miller, Edward Davis; 1847, Pratt Bishop, John R.
Lewis; 1848, Daniel James, George G. Fell ; 1849, John Kirk, John
Eves; 1850, William T. Pierce, Pratt Bishop; 1851, John Eves,
Franklin Johnson; 1852, John Henderson, Thomas Keece ; 1853,
K. H. Smith, William Coffman; 1854, Caleb Hoopes, Jr., Oliver E.
Strickland; 1855, Thomas Keece, James K. Cummins; 1856, Charles
Wheeler, Perry C. Pike; 1857, William CoCfmau, Perry C. Pike,
Caleb HoopfS; 1868, Pratt Bishop, John Kirk ; 1869, John I. Row-
land, Hush L. Tyler; 1860, Wesley Thomas, John J. Rowland ; 1861,
Pratt Bishop, K. C. Fairhmil. ; 1862, Levi G. James, John Fields ;
1863, Joseph N. Dunn, I. Morgan Baker; 1864, Pratt Bishop, Ed-
ward Carey, Nathan Evans ; 1865, R. C. Fairlamb, Levi C. James ;
1866, Caleb Hoopes, Edward Carey ; 1867, Nathan Evans, Thomas
Bishop; 1868, Joseph N. Dunn, Pratt Bishop; 1869, John Ottey,
Edmund E. Worrall; 1870, Pearson Pike, Caspar Rudolph; 1871,
Ahram Lees, Pratt Bishop; 1S72, William Durell, George Velott ;
1873, no report ; 1874, H. B. FnKsell, George M. Tyler; 1S75, Samuel
Ottey, William Sheldon ; 1876, John Ottey, George B. Adams, Linil-
ley Smedley; 1877, Abram Lees Lindley Smedley ; 1S7S, Isaac S.
Pike, Samuel Ottey ; 1879, Benjamin Rogers, George M. Tyler ;
1880, Lewis Kirk, Charles Moore ; 1881, D. Reece Hawkins, Samuel
Ottey ; 18S2, C. F. Lewis, Benjamin Rogers ; 1883, J. E. Tyler, Lewis
Kirk ; 1884, Samuel Ottey, D. R. Hawkins.
MiUs on Ridley Creek— Upper Bank or Man-
chester Mill.— In the year 1764, James Wilcox was
assessed in Upper Providence township on a dwelling
and fifty acres of land. This real estate was located
on Ridley Creek, where are now the ruins of the Man-
chester Mill. In 1766, James Wilcox was assessed,
in addition to the foregoing property, on a paper-
mill. This mill remained in his ownership until his
death, when it passed to his son, Mark Wilcox, and
the latter sold it to John Lungren, April 20, 1785.
Lungren operated the paper-mill for five years, when
(Dec. 30, 1795) he conveyed it to William Levis, of
Philadelphia. The deed to Levis included the mill,
and one hundred and seventy acres of ground. In
1799, John Levis, a son of William, had control of the
mill, and continued the business there until the paper-
mill was changed to a cotton-factory, in 1818, and
rented to Wagstaff & Englehorn, who conducted the
business successfully. In 1821, John P. Crozer states,
" Only one cotton-factory in Delaware County, that of
Wagstaff" & Englehorn, continued running, and now
appeared to be making money. But Wagstaff" was a
practical cotton-spinner from England, and had a con-
sequent advantage.'" In 1823 the firm had dissolved,
and Hugh Wagstaff was operating the factory ; for the
Post-Boy, on Nov. 11, 1823, contained the following
local item :
"Quick Work. — Miss Calderwood, of Mr. WagstaflTB Factory, near
this Borough, recently wove 551 yards of 100 shirting in the short space
of 72 liours. Can any of the ' ruby-lip'd, rosy-cheek'd lasses' of Chester
County beat that?"
^ Life of John P. Crozer, p. 52.
On Jan. 28, 1825, the factory and twenty-six acres
of land were sold to James Ronaldson. The pur-
chaser gave the mill in charge of James Siddall, and
at that time the building contained ten carding-
engines of thirty inches, two drawing-frames of three
heads each, two roving-frames, one speeder of twenty
and one of ten spindles, six hundred throstle-spindles,
six hundred and seventy-two mule-spindles, one
warper and dresser, and fourteen power-looms. On
July 18, 1829, James Ronaldson sold the mill property
to John Bancroft, who had been in charge of the fac-
tory since 1827. The latter operated the mill until
1842, when it was sold to William T. Crook, then of
New York. The purchaser conducted the factory
until 1857, when the property was sold to Samuel
Bancroft, the present owner, who operated the mill
until Oct. 9, 1872, when it was destroyed by fire, and
is now a ruin.
Robinett's Grist-Mill and Camm's Stocking-
Works. — Allen Robinett, who took up two hundred
and forty-five acres of land, March 22, 1681, on Rid-
ley Creek, just above the Concord road, settled on the
tract prior to 1683, as is established by the following
quaint letter, written by Robinett and his wife, to a
friend, probably a member of the Pemberton family,
who then resided in Bucks County, among whose
papers the letter was found :
"Priscilla, and loveing friend: After mine and my wife's kinde love
Remembered unto thee, this is to desire thee to yons me well about thy
stele mill; I mean to leat me have it as chepe as thou canst afford it
and to trust me untell my corn comes of the Ground, and we dout not
but then we shall soone Rais mony and pay theo forit. it will do us a
kindnes becaus we are so fear from the mill, and if thou wilt let us
have it, send word, and the lowist price, to our verry loveing friend Liddy
waid ; and so we Rest thy loveing frends.
"Allen Robinett and Margaret.
" this 14th day of the 3d month, 1683."
The mill here mentioned was doubtless a hand mill,
but in a few years later a mill had been built on Rob-
inett's land, for in a deed bearing date Seventh month
(September) 29, 1687, recorded in Philadelphia, Allen
Robinett, of Upper Providence, conveyed to Richard
Crosby, of Middletown, " a water-mill" in Upper
Providence, with about two acres of land, on the
southwest side of Ridley Creek, and "a little Bottom
on the northeast side."
At that time John and Richard Crosby were opera-
ting a grist- mill and saw-mill a short distance lower
down the stream, to which they derived title in 1705.
The Robinett mill does not appear in any assess-
ment now on file in Chester County, and it must,
therefore, have gone out of use prior to 1766. It is
probable that Crosby bought that mill intending to
discontinue it, because of its proximity to his own
mill.
The tract on which this old mill stood, with the ex-
ception of the mill-site, passed to Charles Booth
on Feb. 29, 1704. The latter died, and his widow,
Elizabeth, on Aug. 29, 1716, conveyed to John Camm,
of Upper Providence, stocking-weaver, the messuage
670
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and one hundred acres of land, he paying seventy-
five pounds therefor. This John Camm, whose name
appears on tlie list of taxables in the county in 1715,
was the first stocking-weaver in the American colo-
nies who had emigrated from Great Britain, so far
as known. He was an Irish Friend, who came fi-om
Cork in 1708, settling at first in Philadelphia and sub-
sequently removed to Chester County. He was cer-
tainly in Upper Providence in 1716, where he followed
his calling as a stocking-weaver, as the following ad-
vertisement in the American Weeld>i Mercury of Dec.
10, 1732, fully attests:
" Whereat Matthew Burne, of Chester County, served John Camm two
years (that is, ten or twelve months at stocking weaving and othe»work),
during which time John Camm'a stockings bore many reflections, and
now the said Matthew Burne goes about selling stockings in John
Camm's name as though thoy were his own make, which is false and
Malin's Grist-Mill. — The tract of land through
which the Edgmont and Springfield road passes, on
the west side of Ridley, and bordering on that stream,
was originally surveyed to Randal Malin. At an early
period, Malin, — probably Jacob, — the son of Randal
Malin, who settled on this land and died there early
in the last century, built a dam across the creek on
land now owned by Dr. Jacks and the estate of James
Smedley, from which the race ran along the creek
down to the lower portion of the Malin tract. About
two hundred yards below the present residence of
Stephen Malin, a lineal descendant of the settler, a
stone house and a grist-mill were built. The mill-
race is yet intact, and the foundation of the old house
is still to be seen. William Malin, a grandson of the
settler, it is said, in 1785, built a portion of the
present residence. In 1770 David Malin & Co. were
assessed on a saw-mill, after which date the name
does not appear in connection with mills on the
assessmen t-rolls .
Sycamore Mills.— On June 24, 1690, Samuel Car-
penter, Robert Turner, and John Goodson, commis-
sioners of property, issued a patent for five hundred
acres of land to James Swafier, which, beginning a
short distance south of Blue Hill, included all the
territory between Ridley and Crum Creeks, and ex-
tending to the northern boundary of the township.
A tract of twenty acres, included in this patent to
Swalfer, lying on Ridley Creek, on June 14, 1696,
passed to the ownership of John Edge, Sr. The
latter, by will. May 5, 1711, devised to his son, John,
this plot and three hundred and sixty acres, lying on
the opposite side of the creek, in Edgmont, which
land he had purchased from Philip Yarnall. In 1717,
John Edge, Jr., Jacob Edge, and Henry Miller formed
a copartnership for the jjurpose of erecting a " water
corn-mill" and carrying on a milling business on the
twenty-acre tract. The following year the mill, to
which they gave the name Providence Mills, was
built, and, still standing, is known as the "old part"
of the present Sycamore Mills. It was a stone struc-
ture, thirty by thirty-two feet, two stories in height.
Prior to building this mill the company purchased
two and three-quarter acres in Edgmont for the race
and dam privileges, each of the partners contributing
£5 2s. 8(/. towards the cost of the land. On Dec. 17,
1719, Henry Miller purchased the third interest, owned
by John Edge, in these mills, which two-third interest
Henry Miller by his will, Dec. 17, 1719, devised to
his son, George. The latter, on Dec. 10, 1740, con-
veyed a one-third interest in the mill property to
Roger Pugh, and he, on Fifth month 8, 1746, to Law-
rence Cox. "Between May 5, 1746, and April 25,
1752, while Lawrence Cox was the owner of Miller's
share [it was Miller's halfinterest Cox had] the
saw-mill was erected, doubtless in 1747, or thirty years
after the grist-mill, for in the latter part of that year
he leased it, excepting one-tenth part, for a term of
fourteen years, and at the rate of two pounds annu-
ally, to Thomas and John Minshall, of Middletown,
both of them at the same time coming in for a fifth
share each in the grist-mill. They sent their flour to
Barbadoes in 1746, and to Jamaica by the brig
' Dolphin' in 1748, in charge of their brother, Moses,
who was a sea-captain, and received sugar in part in
return. Lawrence Cox was then also part owner of
the mills. Thomas Yarnall and John Cox were like-
wise in partnership with the Minshalls in the saw-mill
business. There was a curious arrangement made
that 'when the grist-mill wanted water from the dam,
and there was not enough for both, the saw-mill was
to stand idle,' an excellent contrivance to promote a
feud. Cox seemed to have had unlimited faith in
tenants, for in the same year, 1746, that he obtained
partial possession of the property he leased one-third
of his share to William Hammans for twenty-oae
years, at an annual rent of twelve pounds. ... In
1757 all the possessions went to his son, George." '
John Cox, on 25th of First month, 1752, conveyed
the property to his son, John Cox, who, on Feb. 17,
1753, with the consent doubtless of the other owners,
leased the grist- and merchant-mill, with two pair of
stones and three bolting-sheets, to John Williamson,
Henry Howard, Henry Caldwell, Lawrence Cox, Ed-
ward Farr, James Sill, Nehemiah Baker, Philip Dunn,
Robert Register, James Scott, Aaron Baker, Abel
Green, Thomas Minshall, John Scott, Jesse Woodward,
James Massey, John Baker, Joseph Black, Nathan
Lewis, and William Wall for seven years. Tradition
states that every man having a share in the mill took
his own grain there and ground it himself, whenever
the inclination prompted, and did so without render-
ing thanks or pay to anybody.
John Cox on Feb. 22, 1755, sold to Thomas Bishop
his one-third share in the mill, two tracts of land, and
forty acres purchased from John Taylor by Lawrence
Cox in 1746, to Thomas Bishop, the latter paying
1 " Sketch of Bishop's Mill," by Wilmer W. James, in Delatcare Counlt/
Payer, June 27, 1877.
UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
therefor three hundred and twenty-six pounds. Bishop
also leased the shares of all the other owners for ten
years. As the grist-mill and saw-mill were then rented
and the leases had not fallen in he collected the rents,
and for the two shares not owned by him paid twelve
pounds per annum to the owners. In 1763 a fund was
raised by subscription to erect a bridge over Ridley
Creek, about one hundred yards below the mills, on
the site of the present bridge. The subscription bridge
stood until 1843, when it was washed away in the noted
flood of August 5th of that year. At the March term of
court, in 1799, a petition was presented, signed by a
number of the inhabitants of the county, setting forth
that the bridge over Ridley Creek, near Bishop's mills,
was in bad condition, and " praying that a sum of
money may be allowed out of the county treasury to
repair the same." The grand jury allowed forty dol-
lars for the purpose of repairing the bridge.
On Nov. 29, 1785, proceedings having been had in
partition of the mill property, the mills were awarded
to Thomas Bishop. After he acquired absolute owner-
ship of the property he built a frame third story and
added an overshot, the eastern end of which rested on
three stone piers. The latter was designed mainly
to " shore up" the old mill, part of the public road
passing under this archway. The grist- and saw-mills
were occupied by Thomas Bishop until 1802, when
Francis Bishop was operating them. In 1807 Thomas
Bishop was conducting the grist-mill, and in 1811 he
had the saw-mill, and Amor Bishop the grist-mill.
In 1810-11 the rolling-mill was built. It was about
seventy feet in length, nearly fifty in width, and one
story in height, adjoining the southern end of the
saw-mill. The rolling-mill, which stood on the site
of an ancient plaster-mill, which had been in opera-
tion for half a century before it was taken down, in
1810, was four times as large as the building it super-
seded. The slitting-mill was erected shortly after the
sale of the whole estate to Bishop. This rolling-
mill was used for making boiler-plates, sheet-iron,
and a variety of other work. The pig-iron was carted
from Philadelphia in wagons, and was in bars about
two feet long. The rolling-mill was conducted, in
1812, by Malin & Bishop. The fuel used was the soft,
bituminous Virginia coal, but the war soon made it
difficult to be had, the cargo being of such a character
that the masters of coasting vessels refused to carry it,
for if chased when so loaded capture was inevitable.
At first the owners of the mill attempted to use char-
coal, but that was too expensive, and could not be
had in sufficient quantity. Accident, however, came to
the relief of Malin & Bishop, and at the same time
brought about the use of anthracite coal. The inci-
dent is thus recorded in the first report of the Potts-
ville Board of Trade :
" In the year 1812 our fellow-citizen. Col. George Shoemaker, procured
a quantity of coal from a shaft sunk on a tract he had recently pur-
chased on the Norwegian, and now owned by the North American, Coal
Company, and known as the Centreville Mines. With this he loaded
nine wagons and proceeded to Philadelphia; much time was spent by
him in endeavoring to introduce it to notice, but all his efforts proved
unavailing. Those who designed to try it, declared Col. Shoemaker to
be an impostor, for attempting to impose stone on them for coal, and
were clamorous against him. Not discouraged by the sneers and sar-
casms cast upon him, he persisted in the undertaking, and at last suc-
ceeded in disposing of two loads for the cost of transportation ; and the
remaining seven he gave to persons who promised to try to use it, and
lost all the coal and charges. Messrs. Mellon (Malin) and Bishop, at the
earnest solicitation of Col. Shoemaker, were induced to make trial of it
in their rolling-mill, in Delaware County, and finding it to answer fully
the character given it by Col. Shoemaker, noticed its usefulness in the
Philadelphia papers, and from that period we may date the triumph of
reason, aided by perseverance, over prejudice."!
At the Delaware County Rolling-Mill, tradition
records that the employes in charge of the furnace,
when the load of coal first came to the works, late in
the afternoon, threw into the fire a large quantity of
the black stones with the often expressed forebodings
that " the boss had been fooled," which opinion be-
came more and more confirmed when the coal refused
to ignite, although frequent attempts were made to
kindle it. Late at night the fireman abandoned the
effort in despair and went to bed. Unable to rest, he got
up in an hour or two thereafter and went to the mill,
when he found the furnace-door red hot, the heat in
the building intense, and the wood-work almost ready
to burst into a blaze. Never before had there been
such a fire in the mill. Thereafter Enos Helms was
sent to Mauch Chunk with a five-horse team, and
carted from that place the fuel used in the rolling-
mill. The coal cost two dollars a ton at the mine.
! Hazard's Register, vol. xiii. page 274. In Burrowee' " State Book
of Pennsylvania" (1845), is briefly related the foregoing account, adding,
*' Some of it, however, was afterwards tried with perfect success, at a
rolling-mill in Delaware County, and the result noticed in the city
papers of the day." Watson, in his " Annals of Philadelphia," vol. ii.
page 459, in referring to the first use of anthracite coal says, " At length,
after a multitude of disappointments, and when Shoemaker was about
to abandon the coal and return home, Messrs. Malin & Bishop, of Dela-
ware County, made an experiment with some of the coals in their roll-
ing-mill, and found them to succeed beyond expectation, and to be a
highly valuable and useful fuel. The result of their experiments was
published at the time in the Philadelphia papers. Some experiments
with the coal were made in the works of the Falls of the Schuylkill, but
without success." The official State publication (1878) entitled, " Penn-
sylvania and the Centennial Exposition" (vol. i. page 124), says, after
relating the facts of Col. George Shoemaker's trips to Philadelphia with
the nine wagons loaded with coal, " Of the two loads sold, one was pur-
chased by White & Hazard for use at their wire-works at the Falls of
Scliuylkill, and the other was purchased by Malin A Bishop, for use at the
Delaware County Rolling-Mill. By the merest accident of closing the
furnace doors, Mr. White obtained a hot fire from the coal, and from this
occurrence, happening iu 1812, we may date the first successful use of
anthracite coal in the manufactures of this country. Up to that time
bituminous coal from Virginia had been exclusively used for manufac-
turing purposes in Philadelphia, and largely for domestic purposes. The
war with Great Britain had, however, made Virginia coal very scarce,
and it was very desirable that a substitute should be found. The fol-
lowing story is told of the success achieved by White & Hazard in the
use of anthracite coal in their wire-works; A whole night was spent iu
endeavoring to make it burn, when the hands in despair quit their
work, but left the furnace door shut. Fortunately, one of them forgot
his jacket, and on returning to the works half an hour afterwards, he
noticed that the door was red hot, and the interior of the furnace in a
white glowing heat. Thereafter no trouble was experienced in making
the new fuel burn." This is the most pronounced effort that has been
found to give the credit of the first use of anthracite coal in manufac-
turing to Philadelphia, and to ignore the fact that that credit belongs
to Delaware County by simply an incidental suggestion that Malin &
Bishop bought one of the cart-loads of coal from Col. Shoemaker.
672
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
In 1826 Thomas Bishop owned all the mill property,
and Amor Bishop, his son, operated the worlds there.
In that year the grist-mill ground from eight to ten
thousand bushels of grain, the saw-mill was employed
occasionally, and about one hundred tons of iron was
rolled and slit per annum. The rolling- and slitting-
mill was assessed as "not occupied" in 1829. The
grist-mill and saw-mill were continued in use by
Amor Bishop, and in 1856 were conveyed to his son,
Washington Bishop, who sold them to Joseph Velotte
in 1867, and the latter, on Jan. 29, 1868, passed the
title to William F. Lewis, who now owns and oper-
ates them under the name of Sycamore Mills.
The dam at the Sycamore Mills has been washed
away four times, once in the great flood of 1793, again
on Feb. 22, 1822, a third time in the destructive ice
flood of Jan. 26, 1839, and the last time in the noted
flood of Aug. 5, 1843.
Register's Nail-Factory.— This industry, which
has now been abandoned for more than a half-cen-
tury, was the direct outgrowth of the rolling-mill,
and although it was located across Ridley Creek, just
above the bridge at Bishop's Mills, its story is so con-
nected with the latter that it properly should be nar-
rated in the history of the Sycamore Mill. The nail-
factory was a small frame building owned by Jesse
Reece, and was rented to David Register, who at an
advanced age, in 1812-13, employed men, and began
making wrought-iron nails entirely by hand. Regis-
ter had been a Tory during the Revolution, and had
fled with the British troops to Nova Scotia, but sub-
sequently returned after the passage of the amnesty
act. The building, which had many years before
ceased to be used as a nail-factory, was washed away
in the flood of Aug. 5, 1843.
In 1830 Judge Hemphill in Paris, writing to a
friend in Chester County, stated that in 1818 or 1820 he,
with John Jefferies, visited Mr. Bishop, where, on the
latter's estate, he saw " decomposed feldspar in streaks !
of white lying in abundant veins where the road had |
been cut through the hills, and observing that the j
land was uniformly rich where it made its appear-
ance, not knowing what the substance was {such he
confesses was his ignorance of mineralogy), he im-
agined that perhaps it might contribute to fertility
and be useful, like plaster or marl, upon land. To
test the correctness of the opinion, he obtained a box
of it, sent it to a distinguished agriculturist, with a
request that he would have it examined, and give in
return any information he might be able to get. A
letter in reply stated that it was decomposed feldspar;
that it was the material of which the French China
was manufactured; that a specimen had been sent to
France, which afterwards was pronounced excellent.
This information was communicated to the late Jacob
Cist, Esq., of Wilkesban'e, a gentleman of science,
and who was turning his attention particularly
towards ditferent clays and the finer materials for
Delf-ware and Porcelain. At his request the writer
of this procured and sent to Philadelphia a barrel of
the material, which he caused to be taken to Wilkes-
barre. He pronounced it excellent, but the distance
was too great to haul and work it to advantage.'"
Jeremiah CoUett's Mill.— Tradition alleges that
on the tract of two hundred and fifty acres, purchased
Dec. 13, 1693, by Collett from James Swafl'er, which
was that part of the SwafFer patent lying south of Eg-
mont township line, Collett erected a water-power
mill. This tradition has some evidence to sustain it,
in that at the court held on Oct. 2, 1695, when the
grand jury, because "the County Treasurer is out of
purse," levied a tax to defray pressing obligations, in
the quaint document signed by the grand inquest ap-
pears the following item : " Jeremiah Collett, for his
estate and calling, 30 pounds." And in the same pre-
sentment certain persons are mentioned by name, and
taxed on their " calling," all of whom save Collett we
know were millers. Tradition states that Collett had
erected a mill and was operating it for many years be-
fore the Providence Mills (now Sycamore) were built.
After the erection of the latter mills the then owner of
the property, who was operating these mills, became so
enraged at the competition that he threatened to build
a dam so high that when the water should be sud-
denly let out it would rush down the creek, sweeping
everything in its way. Tradition locates this mill in
Edgmont, on Big Run, on the estate of Joseph
Taylor, although one hundred acres of that land
was purchased by James SwaiTer from John Holston,
who took up two hundred and fifty acres there in 1684.
Jeremiah Collett never owned the property, nor was
the title in SwafFer for the land on which are the re-
mains of the mill and a small portion of the old wall
of the original dam, the distinct outlines of which are
pointed out to this day. If Collett had a mill, it was
located in Upper Providence, on the east side of Rid-
ley Creek.
Palmer's Mill on Crum Creek.— The only grist-
mill in the township in 1799, except that of Thomas
Bishop, was owned by Jacob Siter, who was assessed
in that year on twenty-seven acres of land, — a grist-
mill, plaster-mill, and a frame smith-shop. Where
this mill was located is not known, for in 1802 his
name does not appear in the assessment-roll as owning
a mill. That he lived on Crum Creek is evident from
the fact that he was also assessed on forty-seven acres
of land in Marple township. On the 23d of March,
1801, Abram Jones purchased a dower-right in a prop-
erty on Crum Creek, on which in 1802 he was assessed
as owner of a grist-mill in Upper Providence, and also
on a saw-mill in Marj^le. On Jan. 25, 1812, he bought
of the executors of William Hunter, the remaining
right in the mill property. In the rejjort of Dela-
ware County manufacturers, in 1826, it is reported,
" On Crum Creek in Upper Providence and Marple a
grist- and saw-mill head and fall twelve feet owned
' Hazard's Kegie
, vol. vii. p. 149.
UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
and occupied by Abraham Jones, capable of grinding
twenty-five thousand bushels of grain and sawing
one hundred thousand feet of lumber per annum, but
not employed to that extent. These mills were owned
and operated by Mr. Jones until 1834, when they were
sold to T. Chalkley Palmer, who devised them to his
son, Lewis Palmer. The latter is the present owner.
Of the mills in the township the location of which
has not been ascertained, are the following : In 1764
and continuing till 1774; Charles Lynn owned a
grist-mill ; James Hunter and John Williamson each
owned a quarter interest in a saw-mill. In 1770,
John Calvert owned a saw-mill on Crum Creek, and
in 1788, Samuel Vernon owned a grist-mill and saw-
mill, and Edward Woodward a grist-mill.
Licensed Houses. — In the township of Upper
Providence, the first application for license of record
is that of David Calvert, the younger, who presented
his petition, dated May 29, 1739, to the court, wherein
he states that he " is Building a Convenient house by
the great Road which leads from the valley to Ches-
ter, near to where the Road from the Northwest parts
of this County to Philadelphia crosseth the same,"
and asked that he may be permitted to sell " Beer &
Cyder, & keep a house of Entertainment." His
application was rejected, as was also a similar peti-
tion at the August court; but Nov. 27, 1739, he in-
formed the court that he " has built a Convenient
hous," whereupon the license was granted, the loca-
tion being that of the present Rose-Tree Hotel.
Aaron Thompson, of Upper Providence, May 29,
1739, requested a tavern license, " on Providence Road,
and near Springfield road," which would bring it
near Rose-Tree, and although his application was
indorsed by Bernhard Van Leer and fifty-two other
signers, it was rejected.
At November court of the same year, John Rus-
sell filed his petition, wherein he locates his house as
" upon Vper providence Street Road side, half a
mile above providence meeting-house," and also de-
clares that there is " no publick house on the sd Road
between Chester to The Great Valley road" (his
statement was then true, for it was at this court that
Daniel Calvert obtained license), and he wishes " to
sell Rum by small Measure, In proportion to two
pence the Gill." The court perhaps thought the
price so low that that sort of liquor would be injuri-
ous to the public generally, at any rate they refiised
Russell's application.
During the year 1739 there seems to have been
considerable effort to procure license in Upper Provi-
dence, for May 29th of that year, Matthew Bowcher,
in that township, " on Street Road," wished to sell
" Beer & Cyder," which was denied him, and August
28th he again made application, indorsed by seventy-
six signers, who represent him to the court as " both
lame and old," but to no purpose, for the justices still
refused the prayer of the petitioner.
Aaron Thompson, who had been denied license at
43
the May court, 1739, again asked the court's consid-
eration Aug. 29, 1744, stating that his house is located
"on the fl'orks of two great Roads,— one leading to
Philadelphia, and the other from Chester to Newtown,
and there is no publick house conveniently situated
for the Philadelphia road;" almost due east of Media,
but again the justices refuse to grant his application.
At August court, 1744, John Calvert's petition
shows that he had " leased the house where Daniel
Calvert's kept publick-house," and desired that the
license might be continued to him, which was done,
and yearly renewed until 1747, when Daniel Calvert
becomes once more the landlord of the tavern. Then
follows an interval of thirteen years, during which
the records are silent respecting this inn, but in 1761
David Malin made application, and continued so to
do until 1764, when Joseph Nicklin became the inn-
keeper. He continued in that occupation only one
year, for in 1765 Daniel Thompson secured the li-
cense, and annually thereafter until 1768. In 1766,
Jonathan Durrell had tavern license in Upper Provi-
dence, but his name occurs only during that year.
Townsend Ward, in his interesting " Walk to
Darby," in alluding to fox-chasing, says, "For this
ancient sport is continued in Delaware County,
which possesses the famous Rose-Tree Fox- Hunting
Club, and an excellent pack of hounds. The title is
derived from an old inn of the days of the Revolu-
tion, called the Rose-Tree, situated near Wallingford
Station. The club has recently been gladdened by
the discovery in an old loft of the original sign of the
inn."'
In 1769, David Malin applied again for the license,
and in 1770 his petition sets forth that the tavern is
known as the " Three Tonns." In 1771, David Malin
again made application for license, and from that date
no petition appears of record until 1778, when John
Moore received the privilege to keep a public-house
there, and in 1782 it was granted to Mary Moore, and
continued to her in 1783, when again occurs a break
until 1786, when Baldwin- Weaver procured the li-
cense. From the latter date no petition has been
found respecting this old hostelry of record at West
Chester. After the erection of Delaware County
William Maddock had the license, to be succeeded
in 1801 by William Robinson. In 1802, Jonathan
Bonsall had the inn, which was then known as the
Red Lion. In 1803, Isaac Cochran, who had re-
moved from the Blue Ball Inn, in Springfield, en-
deavored to get license as the Red Lion, but was re-
fu.sed. The next year, 1805, Moses Palmer obtained
license for the Rose-Tree Tavern, the title being
changed from the Red Lion because of the bad re-
pule the latter name had in the county. The house
at this time was an old frame building, painted red,
which in the sixty-six years since it had been erected
had grown dilapidated. In that year (1805) the
1 Pmno. Mag. of BUL, vol. iii. 268.
674
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Ked Lion was taken down and the new sign (the
Eose-Tree) was suspended beneath the great poplar
trees. In 1806, Isaac Cochran secured the license,
and continued to receive the court's favor for ten
years while he was landlord. The present stone
building was erected at different dates, the oldest part
being built in 1809. In 1816, Isaac Cochran, who
owned the property, was succeeded by Martin Wise
as landlord, but the following year he again became
"mine host," and continued as such until 1821, when
William V. Black had license. In 1823, Isaac Coch-
ran again became the landlord, to be succeeded in
1828 by John Black, and the latter, in 1831, by Isaac
Cochran, Jr. In 1833, George Cummings had license,
and during the time he occupied the house, in 1836,
the stone addition to the inn was made, by which the
Rose-Tree grew in dimension to double the size it
had been since the new building was erected, in 1809.
George Cummings died in 1846, and the following
year, 1847, Matilda B. Cummings had a temperance
license granted to her by the court for the Rose-Tree.
In 1848, Martha Ann Russell obtained license, the
following year Malin Bishop, and in 1850, Matilda B.
Cummings again was the hostess of the inn. Isaac
Cochran, who had so long been landlord of the Rose-
Tree, died on April 18, 1852, at Willistown, Chester
Co., he having attained the advanced age of eighty-
seven years. Robert Johnson, in 1857, followed Ma-
tilda B. Cummings, to give place to William Beeby
the next year, and he in 1859 to J. Morgan Baker,
who remained there until 1864, when the license was
transferred to Thomas Graham. In 1865, Thomas B.
Miller was at the Rose-Tree, to be succeeded in 1868
by Joseph D. Velotte, and in 1871, Thomas M. Gar-
rett, and 1872 Velotte returned, only by the local
option law to be deprived of license in 1873 and 1874.
After the repeal of that act by the Legislature, Ben-
jamin Rogers, the present landlord, received license.
Rose-Tree Fox-Hunting Club was organized in
September, 1873, although for a number of years prior
to that date the gentlemen who founded the club. At
first, the hounds, who were owned by individuals, were
kept at the residences of the parties who would meet at
the Rose-Treeto hunt, but when J. Morgan Baker be-
came the landlord of the Rose- Tree, a number of the
dogs were kept at the tavern. During his occupancy
of the inn. Baker laid out the race track at the Rose-
Tree, which since became noted among turfmen.
Several years ago the following account of the club
appeared in a New York sporting journal :
" About 1863, J. Howard Lewis, Esq., and George E. Darlingtou, Esq.,
began to keep their bounds at tbe Rose-Tree Tavern, on tbe Providence
road, about one and a half miles above tbe court-liouse, which had just
been located in the present town of Media. The Rose-Tree was then
kept by Morgan Baker [be first had license iu 1859], and the hounds
remained there for several .Tears. These gentlemen, gradually joined
by others, some years later, moved to Lamb Tavern, kept by Woodward,
but, owing to the landlord's intentionally crippling a fox, the kennel
was moved to Tom McClure's farm. McClure always kept a few good
hounds of his own, until the winter of 1876-76, when he met with an
accident and was killed. About 1869 the locality of the hunt was
changed to the Black Horse, in Middletown township. The lenders
now were Messrs. J. Howard Lewis, Samuel Lewis, Professor Fairman
Rogers, joined by George Hill, the present M. F. H.. who was living on
Chester Creek and hunting with John Maliony, Henry Saulnier, and
Mark Pennell. The former is now, at threescore years and ten, as true
a fox hunter as ever followed hounds, and keeps the same blood in his
kennel for which he has always been famous. Without childn-n he and
wife live on a small farm, where, as he says, he 'always has mate for
the hounds, and milk for the puppies,* and at any time you can find a
lot of puppies occupying tbe warmest corner of the fireplace, and Mrs.
Mahony will say, pointing to one or the other, ' Now, isn't be pretty?'
About the same time, Henry E. Saulnier (who lived formerly in New
York, but was attracted to a country place near Ivy Mills on account of
the beauty of the scenery and tbe hunting) joined. The bounds were
moved back to tbe ' Lamb,' then kept by Benjamin Rodgers, and the
next year, 1872, the Rose-Tree was bought by Messrs. J. Howard Lewis,
Samuel Lewis, Professor Fairman Rogers, and E. Farnum, tbe hounds
sent there, and ' Benny' came as landlord. Tbe club was then regularly
organized witli six to seven couple of members, with George Hill,
M. F. H. and President; J. Howard Lewis, vice-president; George
Lewis, treasurer; and Samuel Miller, secretary. It has gradually in-
creased in size until there are now about twoscore and six." i
Delaware County Institute of Science. — Just
above the Rose-Tree, on Providence road, was the
first building erected by the institution, and used by
that scientific body until the present hall in the bor-
ough of Media was built. In the summer of 1833 a
number of gentlemen met at the public-house of
Isaac Hall, in Nether Providence. Dr. Samuel An-
derson was made chairman, Marshall Painter and
John K. Zerlin, secretaries. At that time the pro-
posed name of the society was the "Cabinet of Natu-
ral Sciences of Delaware County." At a subsequent
meeting, at the same place, on Sept. 21, 1833, the
name was changed to Delaware County Institute of
Sciences, with the avowed intention of enlarging the
range of subjects. On Jan. 4, 1837, George Cum-
mings sold to the institute a lot of ground near the
Rose-Tree Tavern, on which the society erected its
first building. While located there the map of Del-
aware County, prepared by Dr. Joshua W. Ash, and
Dr. George Smith's " History of Delaware County"
were both published under the auspices of the insti-
tute. On Sept. 10, 11, and 12. 1846, the institute held
its first public exhibition of agriculture, manufac-
tures, and other productions of Delaware County, at
its hall in Upper Providence, and continued these
exhibitions annually for several years, until the
Delaware County Agricultural Society was estab-
lished (1855), when to avoid a conflict with the latter
the institute ceased its annual exhibitions. The his-
tory of the society, other than this, is given in the
account of Media borough.
John Cassin, one of the distinguished men of Penn-
sylvania and the nation, one of the chief movers in
the organization of the Delaware County Institute of
Science, was born in Upper Providence, Sept. 6, 1813.
He removed to Philadelphia iu 1834, and engaged in
mercantile pursuits. His time, however, was largely
devoted to the study of ornithology, and therein he
became an authority second to no other student of that
branch of scientific knowledge. The noted ornitho-
1 Forest and Stream and Rod and Gtm, April, 1878.
d^Q^^^^o f^"^^
UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
675
logical collection of the Philadelphia Academy of
Natural Sciences was largely gathered and classified
by him. He was also a constant contributor to scien-
tific journals, and was the author of " Birds of Cali-
fornia and Texas ;" " Synopsis of the Birds of North
America ;" " Ornithology of the United States Ex-
ploring Expedition ;" " Ornithology of the Japan Ex-
ploring Expedition;" "Ornithology of Gillis's Astro-
nomical Expedition to Chili ;" and the chapters on
the rapacious and wading bird in " The Ornithology
of the Pacific Railroad Expedition and Surveys." He
came of a Quaker family, which, strange as it may
seem, have been distinguished in the military and
naval history of the United States. His great-uncle,
John Casin, was an officer in the war of 1812, and his
uncle, Stephen Casin, served under Preble in the
Tripoli war, and for his bravery in action on Lake
Champlain, in 1814, under command of Commodore
McDonough, received a gold medal from Congress.
John Cassin died in Philadelphia, Jan. 10, 1869.
Library at Bishop's Mill.— In September, 1813, a
library company was formed at Bishop's Mill, and in
the following year a building located about one hun-
dred feet above the grist-mill was erected. It was a
stone structure, two stories in height, the floor laid in
mortar, and the roof sheet-iron, — a fire-proof build-
ing. The second story was used for a library, and
the lower floor was the ofiice of Amor Bishop. In
May, 1817, the association was incorporated as the
Union Library Company. In 1834 it had eight hun-
dred volumes on its shelves, forty-eight members,
and the shares were valued at five dollars, the annual
dues being one dollar. In 1843 it was said to have
eleven hundred and fifty volumes.^ In 1862 the num-
ber of books had increased to fourteen hundred.'^ In
July, 1867, the remaining volumes were sold by the
sheriff. At that time there were only four hundred
books, which were purchased by the Delaware County
Institute of Science for twenty-five dollars.
Deaths by Lightning.— On Aug. 11, 1838, Eli
Baily, a young man in Upper Providence, was seated
on a wall near a plum-tree during a storm. The tree
was struck, and the fluid passing to Baily, ran from
his head to his feet and thence to the ground. His
dog lying at his feet was also killed, and a watch in
his pocket was melted. On July 6, 1855, the dwelling
of Joseph Super was struck, and his sister instantly
killed. The lightning struck the house a short dis-
tance from the ground, passing through the door-frame
and shattering it. The girl was standing in the door
at the time. Lewis Super, another brother, was ren-
dered insensible for several hours by the shock when
the house was struck.
Noticeable Incidents.— On Oct. 25, 1838, a young
daughter of Joseph Cloud was standing near her
father while he was felling a large white-oak tree.
and it fell in a contrary direction to that which
he expected. In descending it bore with it to the
ground a large chestnut tree, which fell on the girl,
forcing her body several inches into the ground.
Joseph Cloud could not extricate her, and calling for
assistance, the earth around her had to be removed
before she could be freed, for the oak had fallen across
the chestnut and the weight was enormous. More
than half an hour was consumed before the girl was
released from her perilous situation. No bones were
broken nor any permanent injury sustained, although
it was nearly a week before she recovered the use of
her limbs. On the night of Feb. 13, 1845, the barn
on Joseph Paschall's farm was entered by unknown
parties and four horses killed, the animals' throats
being cut. A reward of one hundred dollars was
offered for the conviction of the ofiender, but the
guilty party was not apprehended. In 1876, William
Baker, a lad of twelve years of age, died from hydro-
phobia. In December of the preceding year the boy
was sitting by the fire warming his feet before going
to bed, when the cat belonging to the family suddenly
bit him on the heel. A poultice was immediately ap-
plied to the wound, and the circumstance forgoiten
until nearly a year therealter, when the lad exhibited
all the symptoms of hydrophobia, and died in violent
spasms. The cat at no time showed any indication of
rabies.
Societies.— On Oct. 18, 1847, Eose-Tree Lodge, No.
275, Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, was insti-
tuted at the Rose-Tree Tavern ; its first officers being
John C. Beatty, N. G. ; Caleb Hoopes, V. G. ; James
A. Malin, Sec. ; Jonathan G. Farra, Asst. Sec. ; and
George Dunn, Treas. In 1850 the lodge erected a
brick hall three stories in height, near the building of
the Delaware County Institute of Science, which was
dedicated October 12th of that year, with imposing
ceremonies.
In April, 1849, General Marion Encampment was in-
stituted at the Rose-Tree Tavern, and in 1853 its meet-
ings were held at Rose-Tree Hall. The encampment
was subsequently removed to Sugartowu, Chester Co. ;
but in April, 1883, returned to Rose-Tree Hall, where
it is now located.
1 Trego's " Geography of PennsylTania," p. HO.
i Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 660.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ISAAC S. CASSIN.
The Cassins are of both English and Irish lineage,
Joseph, the progenitor of the family in America and
the great-grandfather of Isaac S., having emigrated
from Queen's County, Ireland, in 1725, and settled in
Philadelphia. Among his sons were John and Luke,
the former of whom attained high rank in the navy,
and figured prominently in the war of 1812. Luke,
the grandfather of Isaac S., a native of Philadelphia,
was born in 1763, and acquired the trade of a silver-
676
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
smith. He married Ann Worrall, daughter of Dr.
Thomas and Lydia Worrall, of Delaware County, to
whom was born in 1786 a son, Thomas Cassin. His
early life wiis spent in Philadelphia, after which he
removed to Delaware County, having inherited the
farm of his maternal grandfather. He married Ra-
chel, daughter of Isaac and Hannah Sharpless, of
Delaware County, whose children are John (a distin-
guished naturalist), Lydia, Luke, Thomas W., Re-
becca S. (Mrs. Richard Thatcher, of Delaware
County), William V., Isaac S., Ann Eliza (Mrs.
Henry F. Esrey), and Susanna S. The death of Mr.
Cassin occurred in Delaware County in 1859. Isaac
S., the fifth son, was born July 29, 1826, in Upper
Providence township, near Media, and in 1841 be-
came a pupil of the Friends' school at Westtown,
Chester Co., after which he studied under private
tutors. He early manifested a talent for mechanics,
and entering the shop of I. P. Morris & Co., served an
apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer. He was
subsequently employed in various capacities in con-
nection with his profession, and in 1856 appointed en-
gineer of the Spring Garden Water- Works of the city
of Philadelphia, having meanwhile given much at-
tention to hydraulic engineering. Again for a brief
period he engaged in the mechanical department of
engineering, and in 1862 was elected chief engineer
of the Water Department of Philadelphia, where he
remained two years. Mr. Cassin then served for one
year as engineer of the Philadelphia Gas-Works,
having meanwhile embarked in the construction of
water-works and gas-works. He had prior to this
received the appointment of chief engineer of the
United States Mint, and ultimately relinquished the
position to devote his personal attention to large and
increasing business enterprises. He constructed the
water-works at Chester, Delaware Co. ; the reservoirs
at Wilmington, Del. ; the water-works at Oxford, Pa. ;
those at Westchester and Media ; those at Wayne, Del-
aware Co. ; at Coatesville, Chester Co. ; at Pottstown,
Pa. ; at Conshohocken, Pa. ; at Ashland and Phcenix-
ville, in the same State; at Birdsborough, Pa.; at
Doylestown, Pa. ; part of those at Norristown, Pa. ;
those of New Castle and Dover, Del. ; at Ithaca and
Owego, N. Y. ; at Bridgeton, N. J.; at Burlington,
N. J. ; at Lambertville and Salem, N. J. ; and at Swarth-
more College, Delaware Co. To this business, in itself
extensive and requiring close business application
and mechanical insight, he has added the construction
of hydraulic machinery and appliances. Mr. Cassin
was, on the 10th of October, 1850, married to Emily,
daughter of J. Morgan Hunter, of Delaware County,
and has children,— Thomas (deceased), Eliza H. (Mrs.
M. L. Snyder), Edward (deceased), John, Emily, and
Isaac S., Jr. . j
Mr. Cassin is a recognized authority in the city of [
his residence on all matters pertaining to the science
of mechanics, and has been employed as consulting j
engineer and expert in various enterprises requiring \
the services of a skilled mechanical and civil engi-
neer. His reports and communications of this char-
acter have been numerous, particularly those relating
to hydraulic engineering. He is one of the commis-
sioners for the erection of the public buildings for
Philadelphia. He is also a member of the Franklin
Institute, and of the Engineers Club. He is in re-
ligion a Friend, and a birthright member of the so-
ciety of Friends, holding his membership with the
Race Street Friends' Meeting of Philadelphia.
GEORGE B. ADAMS.
The Adams family, who are of Welsh extraction,
became at an early date settlers in Massachusetts.
Thomas Adams, the grandfather of George B., was a
resident of Boston, where he pursued an editorial
career. His two sons were Thomas and George, the
latter of whom was a native of Boston, and both in
that city and in Philadelphia extensively engaged in
shipping. He married Miss Mary Mayland, daugh-
ter of Jacob Mayland, of Philadelphia, and had chil-
dren,—George B., Mary (Mrs. Thomas H. Dallett),
Thomas M., Charles A. (deceased), and two who died
in infancy. George B. was born May 20, 1825, and
spent his early youth in the city of Philadelphia. He
received a liberal education, having been for two years
a pupil of Delaware College, Newark, Del., after
which his education was completed at Mount St.
Mary's College, Emmettsburg, Md. On returning to
Philadelphia he engaged in business as an accountant
with Messrs. Brown & Brother, an extensive jobbing
dry-goods house. This sedentary life not being agree-
able to his tastes, at the expiration of the third year
he determined to pursue the more active and health-
ful calling of the agriculturist, and with that object
in view, made Delaware County his home in 1845. In
1847 he purchased land in Radnor township, and
continued farming until 1864, when, having sold, he
located for a brief period in Montgomery County. In
1869, Mr. Adams became the possessor of his present
home in Upper Providence, where he leads a retired
life amid the pursuits most congenial to him. He
married, in 1847, Miss Sarah, daughter of Levi Burd-
sall, of Medford, N. J., and has children,— Thomas B.
(deceased), George E. and Charles C. (engaged in busi-
ness in Media), and Theodore L. (a graduate of the
Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, and prac-
ticing his profession in Berwyn, Chester Co., Pa.). Mr.
Adams has devoted some attention to studies of a sci-
entific character, and at present fills the position of
member of the board of curators of the Delaware
County Institute of Science, located at Media, his
residence having been the property of the institute,
where its sessions were held. Mr. Adams is in poli-
tics a Republican, but has declined all proffers of
office other than those immediately associated with
the township of his residence. In his religious views
he embraces the faith of the Univer.salist Church.
-^^ ^ ^^2^:^6^:^c^y,.n^
^^^;:::^ -^^ ^?-T-^^^c:?c/)'X^ /;^^^t<j^f--(C^--^^
m
lOf
UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
677
J. MORGAN HUNTER.
The progenitors of Mr. Hunter were of Scotch-Irish
descent, and were early settlers in Delaware County,
where they purchased a large estate in Newtown town-
ship. His grandfather, James Hunter, married Martha
Levis, of Springfield township, whose children. were
Samuel, J. Morgan, Peter, Hannah (Mrs. Joseph Mc-
Cleese), Martha (Mrs. Isaac Maris), Rachel (Mrs.
Lott Worrell), Mary (Mrs. Elisha Moore), Sidney
(Mrs. William Sloan), Ann (Mrs. Reece Hoops),
Sarah (Mrs. Frederick Worrell).
Samuel was born in Radnor township, Delaware
Co., where, after a brief but useful life, his death oc-
curred, in 1802. He married Hannah, daughter of
Samuel Edwards, and had children, — Elizabeth (Mrs.
Edward Tomlinson) and J. Morgan. The latter was
born March 28, 1801, in Radnor township, and very
early in life found a home with his paternal grand-
father. At the age of seven he removed to Newtown
township, and remained with an uncle until sixteen,
when he learned, in Chester County, Pa., the trade of
a blacksmith. He continued to be actively employed
at his trade, and meanwhile married Eliza Rhoads,
daughter of John and Rachel Rhoads, who was born
Jan. 21, 1799, in Philadelphia. Their children are
Rachel (Mrs. Nathan H. Yarnall), Hannah (Mrs.
Baldwin), Emily (Mrs. Isaac S. Cassin), Sarah Jane
(Mrs. James Hoey), and Samuel.
Mr. Hunter followed his trade until 1826, after
which he removed to Marple township, and became a
farmer on land belonging to Mrs. Hunter. In 1852
he settled in Upper Providence upon a farm pur-
chased by him, where, ten years later, a spacious
residence was erected. Some years since he aban-
doned active labor, and is now occupied in the super-
intendence of his various business interests. Mr.
Hunter was formerly a Whig in politics, and now
votes the ticket of the Republican party. In religion
he supports all Christian denominations, though im-
mediately connected with none. The death of Mrs.
Hunter occurred in 1873.
JEREMIAH BISHOP.
Jeremiah Bishop is the grandson of Thomas Bishop,
who had sons, Thomas and Joseph, and several
daughters. Joseph was born in Delaware County,
where he was both wheelwright and farmer. He
married Sarah Pratt, of the same county, and had
children,— Thomas, Randall, Tamar (Mrs. Samuel
Pancoast), Emily, Joel, Orpah, and Jeremiah. The
last named, and the subject of this sketch, was born
Oct. 6, 1805, in Upper Providence. The schools of
the neighborhood afforded him a plain English edu-
cation, after which he began an active career of labor
as a farmer. He married, on the 28th of February,
1833, Miss Hannah Eachus, daughter of Evans and
Hannah Eachus, of the same township. Their chil-
dren are Henry C. Bishop (of Concord), Sarah P.
(Mrs. William P. Thomas, of Newtown), and Emily
B. (Mrs. Thomas B. McCay, of Upper Providence).
Mr. Bishop, on his marriage, rented a farm of his
father, which he cultivated for a period of eight
years. On the decease of the latter, in 1840, the
homestead farm became his by inheritance. To this
spot he removed the following year, and until 1882
devoted his energies to its improvement and cultiva-
tion. In 1884 he sold the farm and made the home
of his daughter, Mrs. McCay, his residence. Mr.
Bishop has been during his whole life a farmer, and
given little time to other business pursuits. He is a
supporter of the platform of the Republican party,
and though not ambitious for official position, has
held numerous township offices. He is in religion a
birthright Friend, and worships with the Friends'
Meeting in Middletown. Mrs. Bishop died Sept. 13,
1883, after a period of married life extending over
half a century.
HUGH LOW TYLER.
The Tyler family are descended from ancient Eng-
lish stock, their ancestors having come with William
the Conqueror into England and fought at the battle
of Hastings, in 1066. Six hundred years later three
brothers of the name emigrated to America from
Street, Somersetshire, England, one of whom settled
in New England, another in Virginia, becoming the
ancestor of ex-President John Tyler, and the third,
William, located in West Jersey, about 1688. He
purchased of John Champneys a large tract of land
on the north side of Monmouth River, part of the
two thousand acres deeded in 1676 by John Fenwick
to James Champneys and wife, Priscilla Fenwick
Champneys. William Tyler brought with him to this
country a certificate from his friends and neighbors
in England, certifying " that he hath been ready and
willing to contribute to the service of truth as oppor-
tunity hath offered and occasion required, and that as
to his dealings with the world he hath been punctual
and of good report as far as any of us know or have
heard, and we know nothing of debts or other entan-
glements on his part, but that he may with clearness
prosecute his intended voyage." He married, in 1676,
Joanna Parson, and had four children born in Eng-
land,— Mary, William, John, and Joanna. To his
second wife, Elizabeth, married in this country, were
born children, — Catherine, Philip, and Elizabeth.
His death occurred about 1701. His son, William
Tyler, married Mary Abbott, and had children, —
William, Edith, Rebecca, Mary, James, and Samuel.
His death occurred in 1733. Samuel, his youngest
son, was born Oct. 26, 1723. He married Ann Mason,
and had five children, — William, John, Mary, Samuel,
and Rebecca. He died Nov. 26, 1778, and his wife
Feb. 23, 1777. His son, William Tyler, married Beulah
Ridgway, who died soon after without issue. He
married March 17, 1796, as his second wife, Cathe-
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
rine, daughter of Hugh Low, of Philadelphia, whose
children were John, born in 1797; Hannah G., in
1798; Hugh L., in 1800; Mary, in 1801; Annie, in
1805; and William, in 1806. Mr. Tyler died Oct. 8,
1823, and his wife, March 21, 1825. Their son, Hugh
Low, was born March 20, 1800, in Salem County,
N. J., where he resided until the year 1852. He en-
joyed such advantages of education as the schools of
the neighborhood aflbrded, after which, at the age of
twenty-two, he engaged with his brother, John, in the
business of tanning in Salem, N. J. Three years
later he continued the business on a farm owned by
him. In the year 1840, having decided to retire from
the active pursuits he had followed, he became a suc-
cessful farmer, and added to his landed property by
the purchase of another farm in the same county. In
1852 he removed with his family to Delaware County,
Pa., on a farm owned by his wife. Mr. Tyler was
married on the 16th of December, 1835, to Mary Mil-
ler, daughter of George Miller, of Upper Providence
township, Delaware Co., whose children are Wil-
liam Levis, whose birth occurred Sept. 12, 1834, and
his death July 18, 1871 ; George Miller, born May 8,
1836 ; and John Edgar, born Oct. 5, 1842, who resides
upon the Miller homestead in Upper Providence.
George M., also of the same township, married Emma
V. Weaver, daughter of Jacob Weaver, of Philadel-
phia, and has four children. J. Edgar married Anna,
daughter of Edward Hicks, of East Goshen, Chester
Co., Pa. Mr. Tyler was actively associated with the
Whig party in politics, and later became a Republi-
can. He was identified with the township in various
official stations, and was at one time a candidate for
the State Legislature. He manifested much interest
in matters tending to advance the development of the
township both in its social and material aspects. He
was in religion a Friend, having been educated in the
faith of his fathers. The death of Mr. Tyler occurred
March 8, 1883, aged eighty-three years, and that of
Mrs. Tyler, Nov. 24, 1881.
CHAPTER LL
RADNOR TOWNSHI
The township of Radnor, as regards its area, loca-
tion, and population, the wealth of its inhabitants,
its commercial advantages and traveling facilities, the
fertility of its soil, and its picturesque views, is sur-
passed by but few rural districts in a broad region
teeming with the essentials, and, it may be added, the
consequentials of affluent modern life. It embraces
the extreme northern portion of this county, thus
having for its boundaries Montgomery County on the
east, Chester County on the west, and Haverford
1 By John S. Sobenck.
township on the south. Its first settlers were natives
of Radnor,shire,^ Wales, hence its name.
As already intimated, this township was settled by
Welsh Friends, and was included in the " Welsh
Tract," of which Haverford, Merion, and a number
of other townships formed part. In 1681 a Welsh
gentleman, named Richard Davies, purchased five
thousand acres of land from William Penn, in Eng-
land, which he sold soon after to various purchasers.
The whole, or nearly the whole, of this tract was
located in Radnor, — chiefly in the southern half,—
though there is no evidence that the grantor, Davies,
ever visited this country.
The highway known as Radnor Street or road,
which in its straight course through the central part
of the township, in a direction nearly north and
south, divides it into two parts almost equal in ex-
tent, was laid out in 1683, and it is probable (from
the fact that settlers were then becoming numerous in
Haverford) that the first settlements were made here
during the same year. John Jerman, or Jarman, as
it is frequently written, Stephen ap Evan, David
Meredith, Richard Miles, John Morgan, Evan Pro-
therah, Richard Ormes, William Davis, Howell
James, and about as many others, were the first to
settle in Radnor. All were Welsh Friends, and all
were domiciled here in less than four years from the
date of William Penn's first arrival in this province.
The first white child born in Radnor was John
Jerman, Sr.' This event took place Ninth month
(November) 12, 1684, in the vicinity of the present
Friends' meeting-house. Stephen Evans' daughter,
Sarah, whose birth occurred Fifth month 25, 1686,
was the first female child born of European parents
in the township.
In 1687, " Upon y° Reading y° petition of y" Inhab-
itants of Radnor, Complayning y' part of y' road y'
leades to the ferry of Philadelphia is fenced in, & more
likely to be, it was Ord°^ y' John Bevan, Henry Lewis,
David Meredith, John Evans, Barnabas Wilcox &
Tho. Duckett meet within fourteen days, to view or
agree upon as conveniently as may be, a Road from
y° place aforesaid to y' ferry, and y° Like Convenient
road from Darby to y" ferry aforesaid, by y" said Bar-
nabas Wilcox, Tho. Duckett, with John Blunston &
Joshua flfearne [Fearne], by y' time aforesaid, and to
return y° same, &c." *
Until about 1690 the Welsh settlers of the " Welsh
Tract" refused to participate in any measures, or to
attach themselves to any district in which municipal
government had been established, claiming a promise
from the proprietary (William Penn) that they should
2 Radnor is mentioned in Welsh history as early aa a.d. 1196, during
which year, it is stated, it was burned by an invading foe.
» John .Jerman, Jr., died in Radnor in the year 1769. A few days
after his death the Penn^lvania Chronicle, in an obituary notice, spoke
of him "as a gentleman well known for his astronomical calculations."
Mr. Jerman had published an almanac.
4 Extract from minutes of proceedings of grand jury for that year.
EADNOR TOWNSHIP.
form a separate community, with a view of deciding ,
all controversies and debates among themselves in |
their own language and in "Gospel Order." How-
ever, as these troubles of the early Welsh settlers have
have been explained at some length in the history of
Haverford township, it is deemed unnecessary to re-
peat them here.
In 1691 the grand jury ordered that a road be laid
out leading from Rhoads' tan-yard, in Marple, to a
point near the site of the present Radnor meeting-
house. The route when marked by blazing trees was
not varied in the least by reason of hills, etc., but
continued straight ahead over all elevations, ravines,
At a Monthly Meeting of Friends held at Haver-
ford meeting-house in Sixth month (August), 1693,
it was ordered "y' William Howell, Morris Llewelyn,
for Haverford; David Meredith, David Evans, for
Radnor; Griffith Jones, James Thomas, for Merion,
see y' sufficient fences be kept in his respective
neighbourhood." During the same year, also, " it is
ordered by this meeting by consent of the inhabitants
of the townships of Haverford and Radnor, in pur-
suance of a law in that case made, y' y' inhabitants ]
of y° s* two townships should pay one shilling per
hundred [meaning one hundred acres of land] towards
y° taking of Wolves, William Howell, William Jen-
kins, for Haverford ; and David Meredith and Stephen
Bevan, for Radnor, to receive y" s'' Taxe."
The taxable inhabitants of Radnor at this date,
1693, a time when a provincial tax was [levied of one
penny per pound sterling on estates and six shillings
per head upon freemen, were as follows :
£ s. d.
John Evans 00 03 09
David Meredith 00 05 10
John Evans 00 02 06
John Jarman 00 03 08
John Morgan 00 02 08
William David 00 02 07
Kichard Ormes 00 04 04
Mathew Jones 00 02 06
Howell James 00 03 08
Philip Evan 00 03 07
David Evan 00 03 06
William Davis 00 O'i 07
Samuel Miles 00 02 09
Richard Miles 00 02 10
Evan Protherah 00 03 07
John Richard 00 02 07
Stephen Bevan 00 03 09
Thomas Johns 00 02 08
Roads leading from the site of Radnor Friends' meet-
ing-house to Schuylkill Ford, and from John Long-
worthy's house to a road " between Chester and Rad-
nor," were laid out Tenth month (December) 11, 1694.
Although a large majority of the early inhabitants
of Radnor were Friends, people who remained true
to the principles and the teachings of their peculiar
system of opinions throughout their lives, still there
were others among them who could only be satisfied
with the dogmas preached by ministers of the estab-
lished church, — the Church of England. Hence, in
accordance with the earnest request of prominent
members of the latter class, a Rev. Mr. Evans, of
Philadelphia, — the first clergyman of the Episcopal
Church to preach in Pennsylvania, — occasionally
visited certain families residing in Radnor, and
preached to them, beginning as early as the year
1700. However, to explain more fully these events
in the early history of the township, we quote from
an historical account of the incorporated Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts,
which was published early in the last century, as fol-
lows :
" Oxford and Radnor, two Welsh settlements, were tirst visited by Mr.
Evans from Philadelphia; and the People, having been Members of the
Church of England when they were transplanted from Wales hither,
were desirous of having: that form of worship lixed among them again.
By his occasional Sermons, and the visits of other Clergymen, the People
of Oxford were encouraged to build a neat and convenient Church. The
Congregation consisted chiefly of the younger People, and the whole
town composed of about 20 families; they not only built a Church, but
subscribed also £20 a year to their minister in money and country pro-
duce. The people of Radnor also petitioned fora Minister; and the So-
ciety appointed the Rev. Mr. Club Missionary to 0.\ford and Radnor, two
Towns being about 20 miles distant from each other. He arrived there
in 1714. The inhabitants of both Towns received him with great kind-
ness, as being well known to them before, during his being School-
master at Philadelphia; The people of Radnor especially were very
thankful to the Society for having been pleased to consider their Wants,
and renewed their promise of giving him their best Assistance and pres-
ently after his arrivals, heartily engaged to build a handsome stone
Church,' which they have since performed. Mr. Club was very earnest
in all parts of his Ministerial Office, and very successful in his Labours,
and happy in engaging the love and Esteem of all his people. But the
Cure of these two Churches engaged him in great Fatigue, not only on
account of the Distance between the Places, but because of the Extremity
of the Weather, whether hot or cold. Mr. Club contracted so many in-
dispositions liy his Labours, as put an end to his Life in 1715, The
People were so sensible of the DifBculties he underwent that, ifter hia
Death, the Church Wardens of the Parish wrote thus to the Society:
' Mr. Club, our late Minister, was the first that undertook the Cure of
Oxford and Radnor, and he paid dear for it; for the great Fatigue of
riding between the two Churches, in such dismal ways and weather aa
we generally have for four Months in the Winter, soon put a period to
his life.'
" Both Towns wrote again to the Society, requesting another mission-
ary, the Society wrote a Letter in reply exhorting them to consider on
some proper means among themselves for making sufficient allowance
for a minister to reside constantly among them. In answer to this they
assured the Society, ' they were heartily disposed to do their best ; but
at present their circumstances would not do great things. They were
at present but poor Settlers, who had a newly settled Land backwards
in the Wilderness, and had not yet so much as their own Habitations
free from Debts; that indeed they had built Churches, in hopes of
having ministers from the Society, and had thereby so much incum-
bered themselves, that it would be some years, in all Probabilities,
before they could clear that debt.'
" The Society were desirous this good Disposition of the People should
not be disappointed, and in 1717, appointed the Rev. Mr. Wayman their
Missionary at Oxford and Radnor. . . . The inhabitauts of Oxford pur-
chased a House, Orchard, and sixty-three acres of Land, for the use and
Habitation of the Minister; and the People of Radnor have obliged
themselves to contribute forty pounds Proclamation money of that
Country, yearly, towards the support of a Minister to preach to them In
Welsh, their Native Language ; because many of them do not under-
stand English. . . ."
The taxable inhabitants of Radnor in 1722, and the
assessed value in pounds sterling of real estate held
by each, were —
David Harry, 64; Eichard Ormes, 20; William Thomas, 30; Dayld
Pugh, 20 ; Sarah Abraham, 24 ; Hugh David, 8 ; Arthur Jones, 6 ; John
1 This church edifice, now known as St. David's, was commenced in
1716, and completed in 1717. It is situated just without the limits of
Radnor, and in the extreme northeast corner of Newtown township, but
for very many years it was usually designated the Radnor Church.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
David, 34 ; John Thomas, 40 ; John Morgan, Jr., 24 ; Richard Richards,
24; ravid Jonps, 20; Jenkin David, 36; Thomas Thomas, 60; Owen
Evans,36; John Jerman,36; David Powell and land in Brandjwine,36;
Gabriel Davies, 28; John Jones, 32; Howell Powell, 14; David James,
24; Thomas Lewis, 20; Caleb Evans, 36; Joseph Williams, 16; Hugh
Wilson, 16 ; John Morgan and land in Whiteland, 54 ; John Samuel, 10;
Edward George, 32 ; Edward Jones, 24 ; Evan Evans, 20; David Evans,
16; Evan Stephens, 14; David Thomas, 15; Joseph Jones, 34.
To and including the early part of the year 1748
the following-named persons had received patents for
lands in Radnor, at times and in quantity as here
shown :
1684, 5 mo. 29, Thomas Wjnn 260
1684.6 mo. 4, John Lougworthy 200
1685, 8 mo. .30, David Davis (or Davies) L'OO
1686, 3 mo. 13, David Powell (two tracts) Oil
1687.7 mo. 9, David Powell (two tracts) 300
1688, 3 mo. 24, John Fisher's executors 300
1688, 8 mo. 1, Reece Prece 200
1689, 3 mo. 26, David Meredith 360
1701, Sept. 30, Evan Proderah 122
1702.5 mo. 16, David Powell 138
1703, Oct. 25, John Evan Edward 123
1703, Oct. 25, Margaret Jerman 152
1703, Oct. 26, David Pugh 174
1703, Oct. 26, James Pugh 162
1703, Nov. 1, Thomas John Evan 340
17a3, Nov. 2, Edward David 155
1703, March 14, John Evans 300
1704,3 mo. 1, David Meredith 253
1705, 3 mo. 7, Stephen ap Evan 397
1705, 3 mo. 14, David Evans (two tracts) 397
1703.6 mo. 6. Richard Miles 233
1705, 5 mo. 6, Samuel Miles 352
1713, Sept. 10, David Morris 60
1715, Dec. 2, Margaret Miles 60
1733, Dec. 4, Thomas Thomas 92
1733, March 5. Edward George 204
1733, March 5, Henry Harry 154
1733, March 12, William Thomas 200
17.36, Dec. 4, Samuel Rees 56?i
1748, June 11, John Jerman 52
During the " old French and Indian war," which
continued from 1754 to 1763, a number of the able-
bodied men of Radnor joined the provincial forces,
and performed service in the armies commanded re-
spectively by Braddock, Forbes, Stanwix, and Boquet.
Among them were eight young Friends, or Quakers,
who, upon their return " from the wars," and as a
recompense for the patriotism and courage displayed
by them, were disowned by the Quaker fraternity, and
prohibited from enjoying any benefits within the so-
ciety for evermore. It is to be presumed, however,
that these brave men survived such proceedings, and
during a later period — the Revolutionary war — were
again found enrolled, perhaps as commissioned oflB-
cers, in the Pennsylvania Line. Col. Evan Evans, an
early justice of the peace, and one of the most prom-
inent American officers in Chester County during the
Revolutionary struggles, was, we believe, a native and
resident of Radnor, and it is quite probable that he,
being the son of a Friend, was one of the disowned,
as above mentioned.
In 1758, when Gen. Forbes was organizing his ex-
pedition for the capture of Fort Du Quesne, the au-
thorities of the several counties in Pennsylvania were
required to furnish wagons, teams, and wagoners for
the transportation ofarmy supplies. Hence, of those
who went out to represent Chester County were Thomas
Legitt and Hugh Wilson, of Radnor. Following are
the accounts of these men, as rendered at the close of
the camjiaign by Roger Hunt :
' Radner, — Thomas Legitt to his majesty ;
Dr. £ s.
To cash advanced 10 19
To Two Bushels oats 0 6
To cash 10 8
21 13
Or. £ «.
By 5 bbls. of Pork from Carlile to Bedford, weigh-
ing gross, C, 13,3, 10, is , 12 2
Miles from Carlile to Radnor and Back— is 196
miles 7 7
To sundrys from Carlile to Littleton as per Receipt
may appear, C, 3, 3, 7 @ lis, 8d per hundred 2 4
" Mem. The above named was the first man that agreed for a bounty
in Chester County.
" Hugh Wilson entered a wagon Oct. 25th.
"Credited by 7 bbls. flour from Carlile to Bedford ; mileage for 215
miles; settled Nov. 14."
Hugh Wilson, it will be observed, was a resident of
the township as early as 1722.
At the beginning of the war for independence the
taxable inhabitants of Radnor numbered ninety-eight.
Hence, by estimating five inhabitants to each taxable,
its population at that time amounted to four hundred
and ninety, or more than one-third as many people as
it contained one hundred years later. During the
same year (1775) the tax levied upon the township,
at the rate of " two pence in the pound upon estates
and six shillings on single freemen," amounted to
seventeen pounds thirteen shillings and sixpence.
As explained in the general chapters of this work,
also in the history of Haverford township, soon after
the battle of Brandywine (in which the British were
victorious) Gen. Washington, with the yet undaunted
American army, marched out from Germantown over
the old Conestoga or Lancaster road into and beyond
the limits of Radnor, for the purpose of again en-
gaging the invaders and despoilers of this region, but
a heavy and prolonged rain-storm coming on, Wash-
ington was compelled to countermarch his forces, and
retire without forcing the enemy to a conflict, which
doubtless would have resulted in victory for the
Americans. Finally, the enemy obtained possession
of Philadelphia, and thereafter, during several months,
British soldiers, under orders from Gen. Howe and
Lord Cornwallis, committed innumerable depreda-
tions in Radnor and the adjoining districts. Hence,
at the beginning of the winter of 1777-78, these
shameless marauders left many families wholly desti-
tute of their live-stock and provisions, and carried
away all the clothing, household goods, kitchen fur-
niture, plate, etc., upon which they could lay their
bauds.
At the close of the war, in pursuance of an act of
the Assembly adopted in 1782, the inhabitants of
Chester County were called upon to make statements
of the losses sustained by each, at the hands of the
British in 1777. Thereupon, the following-named in-
habitants of Radnor rendered a statement of their
losses. These statements may be relied upon as ac-
curate, for they were made under the oaths or affir-
mations of the sufferers :
RADNOR TOWNSHIP.
From Dani'pl Evans, " by a detachment of the British army un-
der Cornwallis, then ravaging tlie neighborhood, Dec. 11".. 26 4 6
From Sarati Davis, widow, " by the British army on their
niarcli to Philadelphia" 40 3 9
Fniri. ihvrn Sliolloii, SiptomlierlO 30 0 0
F...in .I.ilni .1 s, Sr|,t 111 and Hecr. 11 303 2 G
Fr!imS;u'.h'>lHi~!'Mh^i,a'niinur'\lV.'''!'''^"l'Z'3'"""" 13 0 0
Fr -;m> 11,,, hi;,- 185 10 0
From Lewis L,-u IS. Sipt. 19 60 0 0
From William JeTiiiiiigs 18 0 0
Froni.I,,hii TiiKh 122 11 0
From MonliH-ai Morgan, "by a party of British under Col.
Harcourt, Sept 10" 45 0 0
From George White, "by a partv of Britisli under Col. Har-
cocirt, Sept. 19" 60 0 0
From .\qnilla Evans, " by a party of British under Col. Har-
court, S.'pt.l9" 20 0 0
From Mark V.v:in>, bv Crnwallis, Dec. 11 10 IS 0
Fniln lv,vi,l l'l:i!li,,--, i,v C'nl. Hiircoilrt, S,-pt. 19 30 0 0
Fl i-.„..l I,,,, , l.^■(i,.n. ]l,iwe S 15 0
Fn.n, -I I lt„r,-,„ni 30 0 0
Fi,,iii I II : . ■, I. H„r,-,,iin 45 0 0
Fr,.|„ \\ '!i,.,i,, I.,-. . i-x i',>l H,u-,-„urt 60 0 0
From Leii L, uis, l,v Col. Harcourt 60 0 0
rr,,m Sarah Kouiiv, by the British army when marching
from Valley Forge to Philadelpbi,!, September 38 0 0
From Frederick Bittle, Sept. 19 23 7 0
From David Cornog, by Howe, Sept 18 0 0
From Isaac Davis, by Cornwallie, Dec. 11 49 0 0
From Panl Sheridan, by Harcourt, Sept - 9 5 0
From Griffith J.ime3,bv Cornwallis, Dec. 11 65 16 0
From Jonas Toinm, by Cornwallis, Dec. 11 66 16 0
From Samuel Pugh and Mord. Morgan, by Harcourt. Sept.
19 35 0 0
In the winter of 1777-78, Gen. Potter, with a con-
siderable body of American militia, was assigned to
the duty of guarding the country between the Schuyl-
kill and Chester, to prevent supplies reaching the
enemy, as well as to protect the patriotic inhabitants
from foraging parties sent out from Philadelphia by
the British. In the performance of these duties nu-
merous skirmishes took place in Radnor and its vicin-
ity between Potter's men and the thievish invaders.
In a letter from Gen. Potter, dated at Radnor, on the
28th of December, 1777, one of these encounters is
thus described : " On Monday last the enemy came
out with a view to forage. They encamped along the
road from Gray's Ferry to the heights below Darby.
There was a detachment sent down from our army to
this place, who, with Morgan's riflemen and the
militia, went down to their lines and kept them close
therein. On Tuesday we took thirteen of their light-
horse and ten of their horsemen ; the next day two
more of their horses and their riders. They have
been prevented from plundering the inhabitants, as
they usually do. . . . We had one killed and two
wounded. We have taken upwards of twenty pris-
oners, and a number of deserters have come in. They
have carried off a large quantity of hay from the
Islands and Darby. . . ." '
During the same winter another incident transpired
in Radnor which for a time was of serious import to
a native and former resident of the township. It ap-
pears that soon after the occupation of Philadelphia
and its vicinity by the British, one Benjamin Davis,
the proprietor of the Rising Sun Tavern, in Frank-
ford, became a temporary resident, willingly or other-
wise, of the city. Some time during the season men-
tioned he appeared at the American camp in Radnor
and made a statement to Gen. Potter in substance as
Peuna. Archil
. p. 141.
follows : That his mother resided within the American
lines in Radnor ; that he was the proprietor of the
Rising Sun Tavern in Frankford ; that he had been
made prisoner by the British, and had been detained
by them in Philadelphia for several weeks ; that they
had finally released him, and that he now wished to
visit his mother, in Radnor, preparatory to returning
to his tavern, the Rising Sun. Gen. Potter granted
his request, and allowed him to visit his mother.
Soon after, however, it was whispered about that
Davis was a spy, and had been sent out by the British
to ascertain the strength and position of the Americans.
Thereupon he was arrested, and made to undergo a most
rigid examination, but finally, whether guilty of any
understanding with the enemy or not, was released,
and allowed to go free and unmolested. Probably
this was the same Davis who was assessed as the
owner of a grist-mill in Radnor in 1788, and in years
subsequent to that date.
With the close of the Revolutionary war an un-
wonted degree of prosperity dawned upon Radnor.
New highways were laid out, many additional settlers
established themselves here, and a Methodist meet-
ing-house was erected. In 1792 the Philadelphia and
Lancaster turnpike was commenced, to be completed
two years later by the expenditure of four hundred
and sixty-five thousand dollars. This, the first turn-
pike road built in America, was the means of greatly
increasing travel through the central part of the town-
ship, and caused the establishment of numerous way-
side inns along its route.
In 1809 the Radnor Library was established. Its
five hundred volumes, representing the liberality of
eighteen subscribers, were placed in a store near
Friends' meeting-house.
In 1820 many of the inhabitants of Radnor in-
augurated rather vigorous measures looking to the
annexation of their township to the county of Mont-
gomery. These proceedings on the part of Radnor
residents at last aroused the whole county, and finally
became the leading topic of discussion among its
citizens. Dr. Smith writes of this agitation and its
rather tame results as follows :
" Dissatisfaction had for some time existed among the people of the
upper part of the county on account of the seat of justice being situ-
ated on its southern margin. The people of the township of Radnor,
residing much nearer to Norristown, the seat of justice of Montgomery
County, than to Chester, petitioned for the annexation of their town-
ship to that county. The fact that the taxes of Montgomery were
promoting this movement. Be that as it may, the prospect of losing
one of the best townships in the county was a matter of serious alarm,
when its small dimensions were taken into consideration. Tlie dis-
contented in the remote townships, seeing that the loss of Radnor
would weaken their strongest ground of complaint, determined to test
the question of a removal of the seat of justice of tlie county to a more
central situation. Accordingly a general meeting of tlie inhabitants of
the county, 'both friendly and unfriendly' to the proposed removal, was
convened on the 8th of June, 1820. The meeting was unusually large
and very respectable, and after the subject of removal had been dis-
cussed very fully and rather freely, a vote was taken which resulted in
favor of the removalists.
"Removal now became the leading topic of diacussion throughout the
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
county. All party distinctions became merged into it, and the most ultra
politicians of opposite parties united cordially on a removal or anti-removal
platform. Meetings were held, and nominations were made accordingly.
The ballot-box showed the anti-removalists in the majority. George G.
Leiper, of Ridley, and Abner Lewis, of Radnor, both anti-removalists,
were elected to the Aesemhly. The anti-removalista, by the nomination
of Mr. Lewis, had secured nearly the whole vote of Radnor, under the
belief that the election of the anti-removal ticket afforded them the only
chance of being annexed to Montgomery County. The test was not re-
garded by the removalists as satisfactory, and they petitioned the Legis-
lature for redress, but certainly with but small hopes of success. In
their memorial, which is very long, they set forth the fact of the effort
of Radnor to be attached to Montgomery County ; the dilapidated con-
dition of the jail ; the insalubrity of the air at Chester to persons from
the upper parts of the county ; the danger of the records from attack by
an enemy ; the badness of the water, etc. • And, finally,' they say, ' to
satisfy the Legislature that nothing is asked for by the petitioners
which would throw any unreasonable expense on the county, assurances
are given by one of the inhabitants, perfectly responsible and compe-
tent to the undertaking, that he will give an obligation to any one au-
thorized to receive it, conditioned to erect the public buildings upon any
reasonable and approved plan, for the sum of Jifieen thousand dollars^ to
be paid in seven years, by installments, if the convenience of the county
should require credit, and take the present buildings and lot at Chester
at a fair valuation as part pay.'
"This petition was drawn up by Robert Frnzer, Esq., then a promi-
nent lawyer, residing in the upper part of the county, and was signed
by 912 citizens. The number who signed the remonstrance is nut known ;
but, as a matter of course, with both representatives opposed to removal,
no legislation favorable to that measure was obtained, and it is only
wonderful that the removalists should press the matter under such cir-
cumstances. What is also remarkable, the people of Radnor appeared
to relax their efforts to obtain legislation to authorize the township to
be annexed to Montgomery County.
" At the next election, John Lewis and William Cheyney, both re-
movalists, were elected members of the Assembly, but from some cause
they failed in obtaining the much-desired law authorizing the seat of
justice to be removed to a more central situation. The question, after
this effort, appears to have been allowed to slumber for a time. It was,
however, occasionally discussed, and the removalists maintained a strict
vigilance to prevent any extensive repaire being made to the public
buildings at Chester."
On the 12th of May, 1838, Radnor Lyceum was
organized by the election of the following officers :
Hugh Jones Brooke, president; John Pechin, record-
ing secretary ; Dr. James Jenkins, corresponding sec-
retary ; John Mather, treasurer; John Evans, Ed-
ward B. Wetherell, William Haskins, Alexander
Kenzie, George Palmer, Mary Kenzie, and Adelaide
Cornog, managers.
In 1847, when the question of the removal of the
seat of justice from Chester to its present location
was submitted to the people, Radnor polled one hun-
dred and fifty-two votes in favor of removal, and forty
votes against removal. This would indicate a popu-
lation of about eight hundred inhabitants at that
time.
On the 3d of January, 1881, the line dividing Rad-
nor and Haverford townships was determined to be as
follows: "Beginning at the present line between said
townships, at a point on the road from White Hall,
Montgomery' County, to Coopertown, Haverford, di-
rectly opposite the east corner of said road where it
turns from said line i.,'}to Haverford township ; thence
south 30 degrees 909^ feet to a point ; thence cross-
ing said road, and keeping on the line between lands
ofR. K. Montgomery and lands of Joseph Lockwood,
south 60 degrees and 6 minutes, west 1430 feet, to
land of the SheafF estate ; thence through said land of
Sheaff estate and land of John K. Valentine, south
60 degrees and 24 minutes, west 2992 feet, crcssing a
certain public road leading to Brooke's mill ; thence
following the southwesterly side of said road the fol-
lowing courses and distances : north 30 degrees and 6
minutes, west 36 feet; .south 86 degrees 45 minutes,
west 255,% feet; north 54 degrees, west 432^ feet;
north 28 degrees 55 minutes, west 383t1j feet, to a
point on the present township line."
Within the last decade, and especially during the
four years last passed, vast improvements have been
made in the township, particularly along the lines of
the Lancaster turnpike and the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. Numerous costly country residences, inclosed
by spacious, tastefully-arranged grounds, have been
erected ; new roads and streets have been laid out,
new towns built, and, as a result, the population and
the values of Radnor have increased in a wonderful
manner. The town of Wayne presents a striking ex-
ample of the rapid progress being made in this direc-
tion, and affords subject-matter for the following
descriptions :
Town of "Wa3nie.— In September, 1880, the read-
ers of a Philadelphia newspaper were informed that
George W. Childs, of the Philadelphia Ledger, and
A. J. Drexel, of that city, had purchased a tract of
land of about six hundred acres, three hundred of
which is the Louella farm at Wayne Station, on the
Pennsylvania Railroad, formerly owned by J. Henry
Askin. It is the intention of the present owners to
have the property laid out in the most attractive man-
ner by an experienced gardener. Buildings will be
erected, lots sold on the most advantageous terms,
and money advanced to those who desire to build.
There are several fine residences, two public halls, a
church (Presbyterian), and gas- and water-works on a
part of the Askin estate. The new purchase will be
called " Wayne," and there will be about five hun-
dred thousand dollars invested, including proposed
improvements. The lots will be sold at private sale,
it being the intention of the projectors to provide de-
sirable residences for those of moderate means, who
may desire to settle in that portion of Delaware
County.
Thus was foreshadowed what has since proved to
be the successful and praiseworthy enterprise in
which Messrs. Childs and Drexel embarked. After
the lapse of nearly four years another newspaper
speaks of " Wayne's rapid growth" as follows :
" The beautiful suburban town which Mr. George W. Childs, of the
PiMic Ledger, and the Messre. Drexel, the bankers, are building at
Wayne Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad, has just donned its sum-
mer garb; Louella Mansion, the larger of the two hotels there, having
opened yesterday for the season. This, with the Bellevue, which pulled
up its blinds a week ago, contributes over four hundred or one-third of
the population of the place. In three years forty-nine new buildings
have been erected by these capitalists, a large hotel has been con-
structed, and another one very much enlarged; they have perfected a
system which is said to be uneqoaled by any resort in the
States, the designs having been furnished by Col. George F.
RADNOR TOWNSHIP.
Waring, the best posted man in the country on sanitary matters. Miles
of distribution pipe have been laid by them; a water system that draws
its supply Irom springs at the source of Ithan Creek, aud clarifies itself
in a reservoir capable of holding two hundred and fifty thousand gallons,
at an elevation of four hundred and fifty feet above tide- water, has been
put in operation; a nursery has been laid out for young sprigs, which
are tenderly cared for in this little patch until they have acquired
enough age to be transplanted along the banks of the creek in a pretty
park ; a new and attractive station has been built by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, new driving roads have been made, and in all there
has been an outlay for grounds and improvements of three-quarters of a
million dollars towards the establishment of a city on scieotific princi-
ples, aud towards providing homes in the country with all the comforts
of the city. Eventually six hundred houses will be built there, and ac-
commodation furnished for a population of three thousand.
"A drive along the Lancaster pike, past Bryn Mawr, Radnor, and
other resting-places of wealth and fashion, brings Wayne within an
hour and a half of the Public Buildings, at Bmad and Market Streets.
The distance by rail is fourteen miles, or thirty minutes from Broad
Street Station. The pike is owned by a corporation headed by Mr. A.
J. Cassatt, who bought the charter of the stretch from Philadelphia to
Paoli for seven thousand five hundred dollars, and then improved it at
an expense of seventy thousand dollars. Before the building of the
Pennsylvania Railroad it was the main avenue from Philadelphia to the
West, but after the railroad paralleled it with tracks, up to the time
that Mr. Cassatt and his friends acquired possession, it had been very
much neglected. To-day there is not in America a driving road of
equal length that compares with it. Along this avenue for a stretch
of one and a half miles lies the Childs-Drexel tract of seven hundred
acres, and facing it on either side are nearly all of the buildings which
these gentlemen have put up. A row of eighteen residences set out by
pairs, in lots having one hundred and twenty feet front, has just been
finished. The new buildings stand forty feet back of the street line.
They are of brick, with broad piazais and sloping lawns surrounding.
The interiors are planned with broad open stairways, finished in hard
wood. There are tiled fireplaces and handsomelj'-carved mantels, wide
door-ways that give opportunities for luxurious draperies, stained glass
windows and numerous gables, spacious bath-rooms, and other conveni-
ences that are seldom looked for outside of large cities. Many of these
properties have been sold for five thousand two hundred dollars each,
Messrs. Childs and Drexel taking one-third in cash and the balance on
easy installments. Contracts have been eotered into for a row of eigh-
teen frame cottages, costing three thousand dollars each, north of the
railroad. A large building designed for a drug-store and a bakery is
rising opposite the town hall, and a livery with accommodations for one
hundred and fifty horses has been established.
"It is proposed to utilize the waters of Gulf Creek to supply those
properties lying north of the milroad, where there are two hundred
acres of the tract, and where extensive improvements are also in con-
templation. Three railroad stations dot the property,— St. David's,
Wayne, and Eagle. The last-named place is the site of the old Eagle
Hotel, which Mr. Childs bought to stop the sale of liquor ne;.r his bail-
iwick. It has been fitted up nicely, and will be used during the sum-
mer as a school for the Indian children of the Lincoln Institution.
'* Near St. David's, on the north side, and on part of the original As-
kin's property, many new residences are going up. Mr. Runk, of Dar-
lington A Runk, has located there. Mr. Robert Stewart, of Stewart,
Ralph & Co., is putting up a handsome building to cost fifty thousand
dollars. Mr. Thomas Williams, father-in-law of Mr. George B. Roberts,
and Mr. Henry Geiss, the wool man, are also building. Mr. Goldsbor-
ough has bought six acres adjoining Mr. Runk. Mr. Manley, of Man-
ley & Cooper, purchased the old George House of Mr. Childs, and is fit-
ting it up in complete style. Mr. John M. Kennedy, Jr., has improved
his house.
"Real estate men say that the tendency of purchasers of country
homes along the Pennsylvania Railroad is beyond Bryn Mawr, and they
attribute this to three facts,— the lower prices, higher elevation, and the
extenHive improvemeots at Wayne and other places near by. In six
years the value of real estate fringing the Pennsylvania Railroad from
the county-line to a point near Paoli has appreciated nearly $30,000,000.
All this started with the purchase of 600 acres near White Hall by the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company thirteen years ago. Within three
years the advance in prices along the line has beeu very rapid. Prop-
erties that sold in 1S80 for goOO an acre have been recently disposed of
for 81200, and some pieces of the ground have gone at SA200 an acre.'*i
1 PhUtulelphia Record, May 22, 1884.
A more particular account of the town of to-day,
however, is found in the following article, which was
published in the Gennantown Telegraph, under date
of July 2, 1884:
"A new town, or rather an aggregation of delightful suburban resi-
dences, is rapidly springing up within easy traveling distance of the
city of Philadelphia, either by rail or pike. It is known as ' Wayue,'
Delaware County, Pa., and is situated on the line of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, 14yV(T miles from the Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Broad
aud Market Streets, and is also accessible by a pleasant drive over Lan-
caster Avenue or pike. During the latter part of the year 1880 two
prominent and enterprising Philadelphia capitalists, Mr. George W,
Childs, proprietor of the Public Ledtjer, and Mr. Anthony J. Drexel, the
well-known banker, conceived the idea of making extensive improve-
ments in Radnor township, near Wayne station, on the line of the
Pennsylvania Railroad. In the following spring large tracts of charm-
ingly-situated land were purchased, and the work of building com-
menced. The first land purchased was a tract of about 5i. 0 acres belong-
ing to Mr. J. Henry Askin. Adjoining properties were then secured,
until over 600 acres of fine land came into the possession of Messrs.
Childs and Drexel, and no time was lost in laying out the most available
ground into building-lots. The nucleus of a good-sized and most at-
tractive-looking town soon appeared, and now not less than fifty elegant
residences have been completed and occupied, or are being finished with
great rapidity, and the gentlemen named have not less than S600,000
invested in the great enterprise. The dwellings erected or under prog-
ress are very haudsome architecturally, and are built in the most sub-
stantial manner, being provided with every modern convenience, and
the drainage system, constructed under the supervision of Col. Waring,
is simply perfect.
"The extent of the estate may be judged from the fact that three
Pennsylvania Railroad stations are on the property, namely, Wayne
Station, St. David's Station, and Eagle Station, and for the purpose of
giving the reader a comprehensive idea of the new town of Wayne and
its surroundings, the writer proposes to describe a visit he recently made
there, and state just what he saw.
"A half-hour's railroad ride from the Broad Street Station brought
me to Wayne Station, and emerging from the cars a short walk up
Wayne Aveuue and past several beautiful cottages on either side
brought Wayne Lyceum Hall into view, owned by Messrs. Childs and
Drexel. The hall is three stories high, and is built of brick and plas-
tered. It cost about thirty thousand dollars. A large general store and
a drug-store are ou the first floor, and an audience-room for five hundred
persons is on the second and third floors. The hall is forty feet by sixty
feet in size ; it is situated at the corner of Wayne and Lancaster Ave-
nues, and contains the post-office and the superintendent's business
office. Opposite Wayne Lyceum Hall, on L;incaster Avenue, is the cot-
tage of Mr. J. Henry Askin, the former owner of the estate. The cot-
tage is handsomely built of brick, and has a spacious porch and a neat
lawn. Close by is the cottage of Mrs. Patterson, a fine brick building,
and north of that is the large and substantial cottage of Mr, Israel Sol-
omon, of the Bingham House, who also purchased the adjoining lot.
There are other cottages near by belonging to Mr. Childs as yet unsold.
A fine cottage adjoining Mr. Askin's is occupied by Mr. William J.Phil-
lips, ex-Buperintendeut of the Police and Fire Alarm Telegraph. The
intervening property on Lancaster Avenue between Mr. Phillips' cot-
tage and the Bellevue Mansion, is owned by Mr. William D. Hughes, of
the firm of Hughes & Cook. He owns some four or five acres, beauti-
fully laid out. Between Lancaster Avenue and Wayne is a French
drain, which completely protects the water used from all impurities.
An elegant cottage on Lancaster Avenue opposite the Bellevue Mansion
has been sold, although not yet finished. This cottage is one of seven
others of similar character. They will contain twelve rooms, open hall-
ways, parlor, dining-room, library, aud kitchen on the first floor; four
chambers and bath-room on the second floor, and the same on the third
floor, and elegant wide porches. The cottages are finished in imitation
of hard wood, aud built of brick and stone, with slate roofs, have hot
and cold water, and are papered in the latest style. The lots are one
hundred feet front and three hundred feet di'ep. Mr. Abbott, of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, is building a fine cottage on the same
land, and will spend his honeymoon there.
" We now come to the beautifully-situated Bellevue Mansion on Lan-
caster Aveuue. The mansion has been leased by Mr. Childs to Miss
Mary Simmons and her sister, and is a charming summer resort. It
has one hundred rooms, and each room has a private porch. Four
HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
porcbes run entirely around the mansion, and the building and sur- |
roundings cost over eighty thousand dollars. The mansion stands in
the centre of a beautiful lawn, and is approached by a fine macadamized
road. The parlors present a most luxurious appearance, and the large i
and elegant dining-room is where the 'Aztec Club' took their annual ,
dinner before the death of Gen. Robert Paltei'son. A handsome billiard- I
room or hall is near the mansion, and there are ice-houses, servants'
quarters, stables, gas-house, etc. The mansion is well supplied with i
fire-escapes, and the heating arrangements are excellent. There are a j
smoking-room, card-room, private parlors, etc. j
** Adjoining Bellevue Mansion on the west is a lot one hundred by I
three hundred feet in size, purchased by Mr. Theodore Gugert, of the I
firm of Bergner & Engel, who is erecting an elegant cottage, and west I
of Mr. Gugert's property is the lot owned by Dr. Egbert, a young phy- j
sician of Radnor township, who is also building a fine stone cottage, j
Dr. Egbert has medical charge of the young Indian girls at the Spread
Eagle Hotel, near his cottage. The hotel building, owned by Mr. I
Childs, is an oKl stone structure built in 1795, and has been loaned by i
him as a country home for the young Indian wards of the Lincoln In- I
Btitute, eighty-five in number, who are under the care of Mrs. Belangee I
Cox . The children have plenty of comforts and conveniences, and every !
opportunity for out-door exercise, without being interfered with by (
sidei-s. They have plenty of freedom, but still a strict watch is kept c
' Leaving Spread Eagle Hotel and returning, '^
ame to Conestoga
of the pike and
Wayne Avenue stands the old Baptist Church, and it is said Gen. Anthony
"Wayne is buried near there.^ A number of elegant building lots, owned
by Messrs. Childs and Drexel, are in the vicinity of the Baptist Church,
and they can be bought for from eight hundred to fifteen hundred
dollars each, having fronts of one hundred and fifty feet and consider-
able depth. Near by, at the corner of old Wayne road and Blooming-
dale Avenue, may be seen the spacious and substantial reservoir, which
cost thirty thousand dollars, and has a capacity for three hundred thou-
sand gallons of pure spring water, of which there is an abundant supply
on the estate. The reservoir stands four hundred and fifty feet above
tide-water, and is supplied by extensive and costly water-works. There
is a fine ascent to the reservoir and an elegant promenade on top, pro-
vided with rustic seats. At the corner of Bloomingdale road and Wayne
Avenue stands a superb cottage, owned by Childs and Drexel. It has a
very fine lawn, with evergreens, carpet gardening, etc. Nearly oppo-
site, on Bloomingdale Avenue, is the very superior cottage of Robert
Smith. No expense has been spared on this cottage and the surrounding
grounds. There are several very handsome cottages on Bloomingdale
Avenue, which is a popular promenade leading to the reservoir.
" Leaving Bloomingdale Avenue and going northeast on Wayne Ave-
nue can be seen a number of new brick and stone cottages on either
side. They are very superior and provided with all modern conveni-
ences. Some have fronts of eighty-five feet by two hundred and fifty
feet deep, and will be sold for five thousand five hundred dollars, clear
of all incumbrance. Each cottage is by itself, and there is plenty of
"Crossing Audubon Avenue, with Windemere Avenue to the right
(on which there are several available building lots), we approach two
new and handsome stores, opposite Wayne Lyceum Hall, one to be used
as a drug-store and the other as a bread and cake bakery and refresh-
ment saloon. Again strikin^Lancaaler Avenue, we approach the costly,
well-built Fre'ltyt-i-iiaii I h inch, near Wayne Lyceum Hall, and of which
the Rev. Willi;tni Kiuse is pustur. Near by are two splendid cottages,
nearly finislied, with lots seventy-five feet front and three hundred feet
deep. They are built of brick, with slate roofs, ten rooms, wide porches,
fine lawns and luxuriously fitted up. Just east of these is the fine cot-
tage of James Pinkerton, paying-teller of the Bank of North America.
Mr. i'inkerton's lot is two hundred by three hundred feet, and his cot-
tage is the picture of comfort.
" Now comes one of the great attractions of the estate, the Louella
Mansion and magnificent surrounding grounds on the north side of
Lancaster Avenue. The mausion is a splendid stone structure, with
eighty rooms, and is surrounded by a spacious porch that looks on as
finely cultivated a lawn as can bo found in the surrounding country.
The mansion has a front of one hundred feet, and is a very imposing-
looking edifice. There itf'a lawn front on Lancaster Avenue of one
1 [The re
attached t
Wayne.—:
line of Gen. Anthony Wayne are buried in the burial-grounds
it. David's Church, some two miles distant from the town of
itor.]
thousand feet, and an abundance of shrubbery, shade trees, flower-beds,
etc. Louella Mansion is a very popular summer resort, and is conducted
by Miss E. R, Boughter, who rents the establishment from Mr. Childs.
East of the Louella Mansion is the old shade ground on which stands
the old Carpenter homestead, or " Maule Farm." Opposite Louella
Mausion, and south of Lancaster Avenue, stand the water-works, con-
taining a large retaining pond from which the water is pumped into the
reservoir. Adjoining the Louella grounds are extensive livery stables,
with stall-room for one hundred horses, and near by is a commodious
wagon-house. The stabling arrangements are under the care of Mr.
Charles R. Wetherell, the competent and experienced lessee.
" Reaching Aberdeen Avenue, we find several very superior brick cot-
tages, with elegant terraced walks in front, and graveled foot-ways.
Several of these cottages are occupied, and all of them are in a finished
condition. These cottages are built on large lots and finished in first-
class style. They contain from nine to twelve handsomely-papered
rooms, side vestibules, stained-glass windows, broad porches, and spa-
cious stair-ways. The heating arrangements are excellent, including
low-down grates in the parlors. The kitchens have circular boilers,
ranges, hot and cold water, etc., and all the rooms and passage-ways,
from the first floor up, are finished in imitation of hard wood. Bath-
rooms and water-closets are on the second floor, and all the bedrooms
are provided with inside shutters. There are sliding doors between the
parlors and dining-rooms and between the vestibules and parlors.
These cottages rent for three hundred and sixty, four hundred and
eighty, and six hundred dollars per annum, according to size, and will
sell from five thousand two hundred and fifty dollars to seven thousand
two hundred dollars each. They can be purchased on easy terms. A
number of smaller (frame) cottages, on Wayne Avenue, north of the
railroad, will be rented for twenty dollars per month, and can be
bought for three thousand dollars each.
"Back of St. David's Station, Mr. Manley, of the firm of Mauley &
Cooper, is converting an old stone country farm-house into a first-class
cottage, and the surrounding lot is being laid out in elegant style. The
lot is one hundred and fifty by three hundred feet, and the cottage will
contain fifteen rooms. Near St. David's Station is a charming piece of
woodland, which will be utilized as a grove for pleasure parties, picnics,
"All the buildings that have been erected at Wayne since Messrs.
Childs and Drexel took hold of things there have been put up by Messrs.
Wendell A: Smith, the well-known builders. It may be mentioned here
that no particular style of houses are required to be built at Wayne, and
parties purchasing lots can erect any kind of building they choose, or
make any disposition of their purchases tliey deem proper."
Mills. — As early as 1710, William Davis owned a
grist-mill which was located on or near the site of
the mills now owned by Tryon Lewis. A year or so
later Hugh Williams was credited with the owner-
ship of this mill. At this late day, however, it is
found impracticable to trace the history of this ancient
mill-privilege down through its successive owners,
but we believe that it was the first enterprise of its
kind established in the township.
The only authentic sources of information respect-
ing the early mills and manufactories of Radnor are
a few worn and faded assessment-rolls of the dim
past. From these rolls it is ascertained that the
mills, etc., and their owners during the years indi-
cated below were as follows :
1766. Thomas Thomas, grist-mill ; Joseph Miles,
grist- and saw-mills; Adam Siter, tan-yard.
1779. George Fetterman, grist-mill; John Evans,
saw-mill ; Levi Lewis, grist-mill ; Adam Siter, tan-
yard.
1782. William Bailey, fulling-mill ; Abram Evans,
grist-mill; Levi Lewis, grist-mill.
1788. Benjamin Davis, grist-mill; Adam Siter, tan-
yard ; Levi Lewis, grist-mill.
RADNOR TOWNSHIP.
1790. Benjamin Davis, grist-mill ; John Evans,
saw-mill ; Levi Lewis, grist-mill ; Daniel Maule, tan-
yard ; Simeon Matlock, tan yard.
1802, '03, '04. Jesse Brooke, grist-, saw-, and plas-
ter-mills ; David Evans, grist- and saw-mills ; Levi
Lewis, saw-mill ; Daniel Maule, tan-yard ; John and
William Siter, tan-yard, bark- and saw-mills.
1807. Jesse Brooke, grist- and plaster-mills; Levi
Lewis, grist- and saw-mills; George and Simeon
Matlock, tan-yard ; Daniel Maule, bark- and tan-
yard; John Pugh, bark- and tan-yard; Edward Siter,
tan-yard and bark-mil! ; William Siter, saw-mill.
1809. Samuel Colef, saw-mill ; Evan Roberts, grist-
and saw-mills.
1811, '12. Samuel Colef, saw-mill ; Levi Lewis,
grist-mill ; Evan Roberts, grist-mill ; Jesse Brooke,
grist-mill ; William Siter, saw-mill ; ' Edward Siter,
stone saw-mill, tan-yard, and currying-shop.
1817, '18. Jesse Brooke, grist- and saw-mill ; John^
and David Evans, grist- and saw-mill; Hannah
Lewis, grist- and saw-mill ; Joseph Pugh, tan-yard ;
Edward Siter, tan-yard and currying-shop ; William
Siter, saw-mill.
1820, '21. Jesse Brooke, grist, saw- and plaster-
mills; John and David Evans, grist- and saw-mills;
Edward Siter and Yocum, tan-yard ; William Siter,
saw-mill.
The following is an extract from an official report
made in 1826, regarding the mills, mill-seats, etc., in
the county of Delaware, Pa. :
" On Ithan Creek in Radnor, a mill-seat on land of
the heirs of Andrew Steel, deceased.
" On Ithan Creek, in Radnor, a grist-mill and saw-
mill, head and fall about twenty-three feet, owned
and occupied by John and David Evans. '
" Near the head of Ithan Creek, in Radnor, a grist-
mill and saw-mill, head and fall about sixteen feet,
grinds from eight to ten thousand bushels of grain per
annum, and about fifty tons gypsum per annum, saw-
mill employed occasionally, owned and occupied by
Jesse Brooke.
" On Darby Creek above Ithan Creek, in Radnor, a
mill-seat, head and fall fourteen or sixteen feet, owned
by Samuel Kelly and others.
" On a westerly branch of Darby Creek, in Radnor,
a saw-mill, head and fall about eighteen feet, owned
and occupied by Levi Lewis.
1 On the HOth of May, 1812, Benjamin Smith and William H, Sliaw
published the following notice: "The subscribers respectfully iuform
their customers and the public in general that the machines at William
Siter'.s clover-mill, Radnor township, Delaware County, will be earned
on for the future by Sinith & Shaw, where, in addition to the former ma-
chirieiy, they propose adding a Spinning Machine, which will work for
customers at the following rates: All wool spun,12cuU orunder to the
lb, I cent & a half per cut, & all over 12 cuts to the lb, 2 cents per cut.
Carding into rolls 10 cents per lb (Near Spread Eagle TaYern) at Siter's
saw-mill."
a John Evans, miller, was born in Eadnor in 1790, and died in the
same township in 1862. At the time of his death, and for years pro-
ceeding that event, he was the possessor of grounds containing the finest
botanical collection ever seen in this latitude, all being the result of
3 and labor.
"On Darby Creek, in Radnor, an old grist-mill,
head and fall about ten feet, owned by Levi Lewis,
occupied by John Weaver, grinds from ten to twelve
thousand bushels of grain per annum.
" On easterly branch of Darby Creek, in Radnor, a
mill-seat, on lands of Levi Lewis.
" On the same branch, in Radnor, a mill-seat, on
lands of Elizabeth Matlock and others.
" On the same branch is a clover-mill and a saw-
mill owned by William Siter, and occupied by Wil-
liam Wilfong, Jr."
In 1829, '30, the following mills, etc., and owners
were mentioned : Brooke's grist- and saw-mills ; John
and David Evans' grist- and saw-mills ; E. Siter and
Yocum's tan-yard, and William Siter's saw-mill.
During the year 1829, Eber James built an earthen-
ware pottery kiln near the fifteenth milestone, on the
old Lancaster road, which he operated (with the ex-
ception of three or four years, when it was rented to
Benjamin Jones) until his death, in the year 1845.
Benjamin Jones then managed the works for six years,
and was succeeded by L. G. James, a son of Eber.
Subsequently Isaac Hoopes conducted the business
for a number of years.
The mills now in operation in Radnor are the
Brooke Mills, owned and operated by Joseph W.
Worrell; the Evans Mills, owned and operated by
David Paxon ; the Siter Mill, owned and operated by
Mahlon Edwards ; and Tryon Lewis' mills. A large
amount of work is performed at the mills last men-
tioned, which, it will be remembered, occupy the seat
of the mill of 1710.
Schools.— Prior to the adoption of the school law
enacted in 1834, schools of more or less excellence
had been maintained in the township from its first
settlement. Of their history, however, but little is
known and never will be. They were subscription
schools, chiefly taught in the winter, during periods
irregular in their duration. Yet in them the descend-
ants of the pioneers, through several generations,
mastered the rudiments and the essential principles
of education with a facility equal to that displayed
by the students of to-day.
The first authentic references to schools in Radnor
are found in the court records, where it is shown that,
in 1825, in accordance with an order issued, Abram
Lewis, Benjamin Maule, and Benjamin Davis were
elected school trustees for the township. They were
then called "school men," and were elected to serve
for one, two, and three years respectively. Again
turning to the records, we learn that, on the 14th of
May, 1827, the "school men" purchased from Mor-
decai Lewis land " on which to erect a Union school."
In 1834, at the inauguration of the free-school sys-
tem, the court appointed as inspectors of schools for
Radnor, to act until directors " be elected," John
Evans and Jesse Brooke, Jr. The following year,
through its treasurer, the township received for school
purposes, from State and county, the sum of $1010.45.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
On the 1st of January, 1887, John Evans sold to
the directors of schools a school-house site of eighty
square perches, adjoining the lands of John Matthews.
In 1855 the school directors purchased another lot
(comprising two acres) for school purposes from
Anna Loudon. Since that year other grounds have
been purchased, suitable buildings have been erected
thereon, old buildings have been rebuilt, and other
needed improvements made from time to time, until
the seven school buildings now standing in Radnor
will compare favorably with any in the rural districts
of the State.
Following is a list of the school directors elected
in the township since 1840, as found of record at the
county-seat :
1840, William Morgan, John Mather,' and John Pugh ; 1842, Jesse
Brooke anil Mark Bartleson; IS43, Enoch Matlock and William
Morgan; 1844, Jonathan P. Abrahams and H. Jones Brooke; 184a,
Mark Bartleson and Hiram Cleaver ; 1846, Mark Brooke and Edward
B. Wetherell ; 1847, Jesse Gyger and William Pugh ; 1848, William
Siter and John Pechin ; 1849, Mark Brooke and William W. Esrey ;
1880, Alexander Brooke and Jesse Gyger; 1851, Stephen S. Davis
and Edward B. Wetherell ; 1852, Samuel P. Abrahams and Alexan-
der Johnson ; 1853, Alexander Brooke and Mark Brooke ; 1854, Sam-
uel Jones and Lewis Garrett; 1855, Jesse Gyger and Samuel P. Abra-
hams; 1856, Alexander Brooke and Charles Pugh; 1857, Mark
Brooke and Robert Paiste; 1858, George P. Hughes and Robert
Paiate ; 1859, Hiram Cleaver and Daniel C. Abrahams ; 1860, Virgil
T. Eachus and Lewis T. Brooke; 1861, James Roberts and J. S.
Park ; 1862, Enoch Matlock and T. R. Petty ; 1863, Benjamin Brooke
and John G. Henderson ; 1864, Anderson Kirk and Samuel P. Abra-
hams; 1866, Thomas B. Jones and Thomas R. Petty; 1866, John G.
Henderson and Benjamin Brooke ; 1867, Anderson Kirk and Samuel
P. Abrahams; 1868, Frank Fenimore and Tryon Lewis; 1869, Jesse
Gyger and Benjamin Brooke; 1870, Anderson Kirk and John R.
Whitney; 1871, no report; 1872, Tryon Lewis and John Cornog;
1873, Jesse Gyger and Benjamin Brooke ; 1874, Barclay Hall and
Joseph H. Childs; 1876, Tryon Lewis and Mrs. David Paxon; 1876,
A. R. Montgomery and Benjamin Brooke; 1877, Barclay Hall and
Tryon Lewis; 1878, Archibald Montgomery and Joseph CroU; 1879,
J. H. Ewing and Elwood Carr; 1S80, Barclay Hall and Tryon
Lewis; 1881, Jesse Gyger and A. Montgomery; 1882, A. R. Mont-
gomery and James Callahan ; 1883, Barclay Hall and Tryon Lewis;
1884, Jesse Gyger and William A. Parke.
Villanova College.— In the upper part of our
county (Delaware), in the township of Radnor, lie
the extensive grounds known as Villanova College,
belonging to the Catholic brotherhood of St. Augus-
tine. These established themselves here, as a branch
of the parent house in Philadelphia, in 1842. Having
purchased the estate belonging to the deceased Mr.
John Rudolf in the previous year, they now set
about to erect buildings on a large scale for a com-
plete monastic and educational foundation, namely,
a convent, with novitiate and study-house for the
members of their order, and a college for the educa-
tion of the laity in the classics, arts, sciences, and
polite literature.
This order, founded by St. Augustine (of Hippo),
in 387 of our era, consists of three classes: (1) of re-
ligious men whose present mission is to preach and
teach; (2) of religious women called nuns; and (3)
of persons of either sex, known as Tertiaries, living
in the world, who seek to lead a Christian life in the
service of God and their neighbor, under the i>atron-
age of the same St. Augustine.
In 1796 their founder in this country, the Rev. Mat-
thew Carr, D.D., O.S.A., came from Ireland to estab-
lish a province of his order, and with faculties from
the then reigning pontiff. Pope Pius VI., and with the
advice and aid of the Rt. Rev. John Carroll, the first
and that time the only Catholic prelate in the United
States, fixed on Philadelphia as his abode. Here he
built the church of St. Augustine, on Fourth Street,
near Race, but circumstances prevented him from
realizing all he had designed.
The Augustinian College at Villanova is properly
the chief offshoot of St. Augustine's of Philadelphia.
It was founded, as we have said, in 1842, by Rev.
John Possidius O'Dwyer, O.S.A., who, under the
direction of the celebrated Dr. Moriarly, O.S.A., then
superior-general of the order in the United States,
was its first president.
The title of this college recalls the memory of the
great archbishop of Valencia, in Spain, in the six-
teenth century, St. Thomasof Villanova, under whose
superiorship the Augustinian missionaries to the New
World founded in Mexico, with leave from the Em-
peror Charles V., the University of Mexico, the first
school on a grand scale in the Americas. The date
of the emperor's decree is Sept. 21, 1551, though the
solemn opening of the university was put off until
the 25th of January, 1553. Villanova thus commemo-
rates the great scholar and saint and, we may add,
the first patron of learning in the Western Hemi-
sphere.
The first college buildings at Villanova comprised
merely one stone house of two and a half stories, the
former residence of Mr. Rudolf. The upper stories,
consisting of six rooms, were devoted to the uses of
the students, and the lower to the professors.
In September, 1844, was dedicated the chapel, the
first place of Catholic worship in the neighborhood ;
in 1849 was opened the new college hall, a large stone
edifice, eighty-eight feet long and fifty-five feet wide,
now the east wing of the college building. This, the
main college building, was erected in 1873, by the su-
perior-general. Rev. Thomas Galberry, O.S.A., at the
time president of the college, and subsequently bishop
of the diocese of Hartford, Conn., and was opened Feb.
3, 1874. It is one hundred and seventy-four feet in
front, facing the Pennsylvania Railroad, and contains
all the halls and rooms needed for the instruction and
residence of the students. There are eleven class-
rooms, besides apartments for professors and prefects,
two large dormitories, a clothes-room, study and music
halls, a dramatic hall, and play-room.
The buildings are well supplied with water, con-
ducted from a spring fourteen hundred feet distant,
lighted with gas manufactured on the premises, and
all are heated with steam.
KADNOR TOWNSHIP.
687
The studies in the collegiate department embrace a
course of seven years in philosophy, rhetoric, poetry,
the languages ancient and modern, physics, and the
arts, and in the ecclesiastical branch, of philosophy,
ecclesiastical history, theology, canon law, and the
sacred Scriptures.
The college was empowered by the Legislature of
the State, in 1848, to confer degrees, the same as is
done in other colleges and universities of the United
States, and to enjoy the privileges of the same.
From 1842 down to the present scholars have been
entered from nearly every State and Territory of the
Union, fiiom Mexico, the West Indies, South Amer-
ica, and from several countries in Europe.
The collegiate year just ended of 1883-84 closed
with sixty-six students in the collegiate department
and seventeen in the ecclesiastical.
The presidents of the institution have been : 1842-
47, Rev. John Possidius O'Dwyer, O.S.A. ; 1847-48,
Eev. William Harnett, O.S.A. ; 1848-50, Rev. John
Possidius O'Dwyer, O.S.A. (second term) ; 1850-51,
Rev. William Harnett, O.S.A. (second term) ; 1851-
55, Rev. Patrick Eugene Moriarty, D.D., O.S.A.;
1855-57, Rev. William Harnett, O.S.A. (third term).
The college closed in this year (1857) until 1865-69,
Rev. Ambrose Augustine Mullen, O.S.A.; 1869-72,
Rev. Patrick Augustine Stanton, O.S.A.; 1872-76,
Eev. Thomas Galberry, O.S.A. ; 1876-78, Eev. Thomas
Cooke Middletou, D.D., O.S.A.; 1878-80, Rev. John
Joseph Fedigan, O.S.A. ; 1880, Rev. Joseph Augus-
tine Coleman, O.S.A.
In pursuance of the original plan the authorities at
Villanova are now erecting a church to take the place
of the frame building used since 1872, but which for
some years has proved wholly inadequate to meet the
requirements of Catholic worship.
Since 1842, when the first to assist at the divine
services numbered seven, the congregation has in-
creased far more than a hundredfold. The present
parish counts eight hundred souls and upwards, which
during the summer months is increased by outside
attendance to perhaps twice that number. Three
masses on Sundays are unable to satisfy the needs of
the people.
The new church, now being roofed, will seat about
eight hundred persons. It is designed to have seven
altars, and at the rear of the chancel and high altar a
conventual choir, with stalls for the religious, who I
will thus be enabled to carry out fully the ritual and |
ceremonial of the church for divine worship.
The new building faces Lancaster Avenue, and
measures, externally, one hundred and forty-three
feet in length by a width of fifty-nine feet, not
including the projecting sacristy and the baptistery.
The three front door-ways are entered by seven steps.
The facade is sixty feet wide, with a central gable
having a corbeled niche with a pedestal for the statue
of the patron saint.
On either side are two towers, eighteen feet square
at the base by sixty-three feet high, to be surmounted
by spires, making the total height one hundred and
twenty-six feet. The outer work is faced with gray
stone laid in promiscuous rubble-work and dressings
of granite. The ground-plau consists of a nave with
side aisles with deep sanctuary, terminating in an
apsidal choir for the religious, — a feature in architec-
ture rarely to be met with in the United States, and
the only one in this part of Pennsylvania. The style
of architecture is Gothic, and when completed will
add greatly to the already stately pile of buildings at
Villanova.'
Radnor Friends' Meeting-Houses.— As early as
1686 a sufficient number of Friends had made settle-
ments in Radnor to establish an independent meeting
for worship in the township. David Meredith's name
was the first to appear in the Haverford records as
belonging to Radnor Meeting, though, doubtless,
there were a few others who became identified with
it equally as early. The early meetings in Radnor
were generally held in the dwelling-houses of John
Jerman (who was a Quaker preacher of considerable
ability, and who visited England and Wales in 1712)
and John Evans. The first marriage in Radnor was
solemnized in the house of the latter, on the 2d of the
Third month (May), 1686, between Richard Ormes,
of Philadelphia, and Mary Tyder, of Radnor.
In 1693 the Radnor Friends built their first meet-
ing-house. A new Friends' meeting-house, however,
was commenced in 1718. The minutes of the Monthly
Meeting that relate to the erection of this edifice are
given, to show the cautious manner in which such en-
terprises were entered upon in the early days. The
first proceedings regarding this matter took place at
a meeting held in Haverford, Eighth month 10, 1717,
and were made a subject of record, as follows:
" A letter from our Friend Benjamin Holm to this meeting, recom-
mending to their consideration the Btirriug up of frd" in ye building of
their meeting-house att Radnor, and with desires y' we should be con-
cerned for y« prosperity of Truth, was read in this meeting, and ap-
proved off. Likewise this meeting, pursuant to lUdnor frits, desire ac-
quiess will y™ in building a new meeting-house, and this meeting
appoints David Morris, David Lewis, Edd Rees, Robert Jones, Richard
Hayes, and Samuel Lewis to assist y°> In y contrivance [and] y build-
ing Thereof, and they meet together abt it on yo 21a* of this instant, [and
report] to y^ next meeting."
The members of the committee all belonged to the
meetings of Haverford and Merion. The next meet-
ing was held in Merion, and one of its minutes em-
braces the report of the committee, wherein they say,
"Some friends of those appointed to assist Radnor
friends In y' Contrivance of a new meeting-house,
then having ace' y' they have accordingly mett, and
given y" Their thoughts as to y° bigness and form
thereof. To w"" Radnor frd' Then there present
seemed generally to agree w""." The west end of
the present meeting-house was the building then
erected, but it was not finished until two or three
1 Contributed by Rev. J. A. Coleman, O.S.A., president of Villanova
College.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
years later, for. In 1721, committees were appointed
in Haverford and Marion for raising funds for the |
completion of Radnor meeting-liouse. i
During the winter passed by the American army at
Valley Forge, an outpost of the patriot army was j
maintained in Radnor, on property which is owned
by Tryon Lewis. About seven acres of heavy timber,
near the middle of a large tract of woodland, was
cleared by the troop.-! while stationed here. This was
afterwards cultivated, and was well known in the
neighborhood for many years thereafter as "the camp-
field." Radnor Friends' meeting-house, which is a '
little more than half a mile distant from this camp- |
ground, was occupied in connection with it, probably I
as officers' quarters and for hospital purposes. The
records of the society show that they were deprived
of the use of their meeting-house early in the year
1778, " in consideration of its being occupied by sol-
diers," and that it required considerable repairs before
it was put in a condition for holding a Monthly Meet-
ing, which was not till near the middle of 1780. Says
Dr. Smith, " It is probable that during the winter and
spring most of the scouting parties that served to re-
strain, in a measure, the foraging of the enemy within
our limits, and at the same time to prevent disloyal
farmers from carrying their produce to the city, were
detached from the outpost at Radnor."
The meeting-house is still in a fair state of repair,
and, with an addition (built in later years at the east
end for school purposes), is used for holding occa-
sional meetings of the society. The first body interred
in the graveyard attached to this meeting-house was
that of Gwenllian, the wife of Howell James, who
was buried Eleventh month 31, 1686.
Radnor Methodist Episcopal Church. — About
ten miles west from Philadelphia, on what is called
" the Old Lancaster road." stands an old, time-honored
building, which has been known for several genera-
tions past as the Radnor Methodist Episcopal Church.
Standing on the summit of one of the most beau-
tiful hills of Radnor, it commands a fine view of the
surrounding country ; and so long has the church been
associated with the hill that the latter is generally
termed " Methodist Hill."
The history of this church goes back to the primi-
tive days of Methodism. Indeed, many of the illus-
trious pioneers of Methodism in this country have
officiated on this ground, among them such men as
Bishop Coke, Richard Whatcoat, and Francis Asbury.
Dr. James' has stated that the first Methodists who
haril
James was born in Radnor, Jan; 28, 1777, in a dwelling that
upied by three generations of his ancestry. His father's house
was the first preaching-place of the Methodists in Radnor. He (Isaac)
joined the church in 1790. In 1799 he was licensed to exliort, and in
1801 was appointed steward of the Chester and Jonesburg Circuit. Five
years later he was ordained deacon by Bishop Asbury, and in 1819 was
ordained elder by Bishop Iilain. The great want of good medical advice
in his day induced him to study medicine. He attended one course of
lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, but graduated at the Colum-
bia College, New York. He died Jan. 22, 1874.
visited Radnor were two local preachers named Adam
Cloud and Matthew Greentree. They preached Sun-
day afternoons in Haverford, alternately at Hughes'
and EfTenger's. This was during the Revolutionary
war. Soon after, or about 1780, Radnor became a
regular preaching-place, and was supplied by circuit
preachers. The place of worship was a house occupied
by the James family, known then as the " Mansion
House." This house is still standing.
It appears that the first class was organized about
the year 1780, and that George Gyger was appointed
first class-leader. Radnor was then embraced in the
Philadelphia Circuit. The preachers officiating in
this circuit in 1780 were John Cooper and George
Main. In 1781 the name of the circuit was changed
to Pennsylvania Circuit, and the preachers appointed
were William Glendenning, Samuel Rowe, and Isaac
Rollins. In 1782 the circuit and preachers remained
the same, with the exception of Samuel Rowe, whose
place was filled by John Coleman. In 1783 the name
of the circuit was again changed and called " Chester,"
— Reuben Ellis, John Hagerty, and Thomas Haskins
becoming the preachers. On the 20th day of October
of the same year, Evan Jones and his wife, Margaret,
appeared before Justice Thomas Lewis, and acknowl-
edged to have sold for seven shillings a half-acre of
land " on which a meeting-house was to be built for
Francis Asbury and his assistants, in which the doc-
trines of John Wesley, as set forth in his four volumes
of ' Sermons,' and in his ' Notes on the New Testa-
ment,' were to be preached and no other."
The church was immediately commenced, and ere
the expiration of many months was completed,
though under many difficulties. Dr. James relates
that " one day while Aquilla McVaugh was at work
hauling stones for the new meeting-house, one of his
acquaintances passing along called to him, saying,
'What are you doing there, Aquilla?' He replied,
'I am helping to build a meeting-house for the Meth-
odists.' ' Well, there is no use of you doing so, for
they will all soon be as cold as cucumbers ; there will
soon be no more Methodists.' " Jacob Gyger, David
and Isaac James hauled the water from the creek by
means of a barrel on a sled with which to mix the
mortar. However, despite the many disadvantages
under which they labored, its builders had the church
edifice completed and dedicated in 1784. The first
trustees were Isaac Hughes, Sr., Edward Hughes,
Michael Cline, Griffith James, Abram Hughes, Mark
Evans, Jesse Yocum, and William Jennings.
The circuit this year (1784) was called Philadel-
phia, the preachers being LeRoy Cole, Joseph Crom-
well, and Jeremiah Lambert. Under the various
names already mentioned, the territory embraced in
the circuit was the same.
In 1785, the church having been formally organ-
ized, the circuits were placed under the charge of
elders, although they were not then called districts.
The first presiding elder under whose supervision
KADNOR TOWNSHIP.
Radnor came, was Thomas Vasey. They were not
then called presiding elders, simply elders. The
preachers for 1785 were Ira Ellis and James Thomas.
Sue-ceeding elders, preachers, etc., are mentioned in
manner as follows :
1786. Henry Ogburn and Peter Jloriarty, preachers ;
Caleb Boyer, elder.
1787. Samuel Dudley and William Thomas, i
preachers; John Hagerty and William Gill, elders.
1788. Philadelphia made a station, and the country |
part of the circuit called Chester, in which circuit
Radnor fell. Robert Carr and John Milburn,
preachers.; Richard Whatcoat, elder.
1789. William Dougherty and James Campbell,
preachers ; Henry Willis and Lemuel Green, pre-
siding elders.
1790. Sylvester Hutchinson and John Cooper,
preachers ; Richard Whatcoat, presiding elder.
1791. J. McCloskey, J. Robinson, and S. Miller,
preachers ; Lemuel Green, elder.
1792. Joseph Lovell and Joseph Wainwright,
preachers ; John McCloskey, presiding elder.
1793. Robert Cloud, William Hunter, and Evan
Rogers, preachers; Freeborn Garrettson, presiding
elder.
1794. AVilliam Early and James Smith, preachers;
Valentine Cook, presiding elder.
1795. This year Chester and Lancaster comprised
one circuit ; Radnor one of the appointments. John
Jarrell, Thomas F. Sargent, and John Robinson,
preachers; John Merrick, presiding elder.
1796. Circuit called Chester. Thomas Bell and
Samuel Welch, preachers ; Thomas Ware, presiding
elder.
1797. William Colbert, in place of Thomas Bell ;
no other change.
1798. Name of circuit changed to Strasburg. Wil-
liam P. Chandler and Daniel Higby, preachers;
Thomas Ware, presiding elder.
1799. William Colbert, James Herron, Edward
Larkins, and Robert Bonham, preachers ; Thomas
Ware, presiding elder.
1800. Stephen Timmons, Richard Sneath, Thomas
Jones, Robert McCoy, preachers ; Joseph Everett,
presiding elder. The district first called Philadel-
phia.
1801. William Hunter and Stephen Timmons,
preachers ; Joseph Everett, presiding elder.
1802. William Hunter and John Bethell, preachers ;
Thomas Ware, presiding elder. About this year re-
vivals were held in many places in Delaware County,
and as a result societies were formed and new meet-
ing-houses commenced at various points. Radnor
Church also was greatly revived at a series of meet-
ings held in the woods in front of the meeting-house.
1803. Name of circuit changed to Chesapeake. A.
Owen and William Brandon, preachers ; Christopher
Spry, presiding elder.
1804. Name of circuit changed to Chester. Wil-
liam Hunter, Joseph Osborn, and J. Stephens, preach-
ers ; William Colbert, presiding elder. Camp-meet-
ings originated this year.
1805. William Hunter, D. James, and James
Moore, preachers ; Solomon Sharp, presiding elder.
1806. John Walker and William Early, preachers ;
Solomon Sharp, presiding elder.
1807. Daniel Ireland and Peter Beaver, preachers ;
Solomon Sharp, presiding elder.
1808. Asa Smith, John Bethel, and William
Finney, preachers ; William P. Chandler, presiding
elder.
1809. Nameof district changed to Schuylkill. John
Walker and Thomas Miller, preachers ; William Hun-
ter, presiding elder, who continued as such to 1813.
1810. Richard Sneath and John Fox, preachers.
1811. Richard Sneath and James Laws, preachers.
1812. Thomas Dunn and William S. Fisher, preach-
ers.
1813. William S. Fisher and Joseph Sampson,
preachers ; Henry Boem, presiding elder.
1814. Circuit styled Chester and Wilmington.
George Sheets, Thomas Miller, and Samuel P. Levis,
preachers ; Henry Boem, presiding elder.
1815. Circuit known as Chester. Asa Smith and
Joseph Sampson, preachers ; Robert R. Roberts,
presiding elder.
1816. William Torbert and Charles Reed, preach-
ers ; Daniel Hilt, presiding elder, who continued till
1820.
1817. William Hunter and William Torbert,
preachers.
1818. John Goforth and Samuel Budd, preachers.
1819. John Robertson and Phineas Price, preachers.
1820. William Leonard and Thomas Davis, preach-
ers ; James Bateman, presiding elder, who continued
as such till 1824.
1821. David Bartine and Thomas Davis, preachers.
1822. David Bartine and John Tally, preachers.
1823. Thomas Miller and William Allen, preachers.
1824. Henry Boem and John Woolson, preachers;
Joseph Lybrand, presiding elder, who continued until
1828.
1825. District again called Philadelphia. Henry
Boem and Levin Prettyman, preachers.
1826. Jacob Gruber, Samuel Grace, and John Tally,
preachers.
1827. Jacob Gruber and William Cooper, preachers.
1828. Thomas Miller and Eliphalet Reed, preach-
ers ; William Thacher, presiding elder.
1829. Edward Page and Daniel Fidler, preachers ;
William Thacher, presiding elder.
1830. Thomas McCarrel and Edward Page, preach-
ers ; M. Force, presiding elder.
1831. William Ryder and N. Chew, preachers ; M.
Force, presiding elder.
1832. William Ryder and James B. Ayres, preach-
ers ; M. Force, presiding elder.
1833. Philadelphia District divided into North and
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
South Philadelphia Districts ; Radnor being embraced
by Southern District. James B. Ayres, J. Edwards,
Robert E. Morrison, and John Tally, preachers;
Lawrence McCombs, presiding elder. The Radnor
congregation now became so large that the old church
was found too small to accommodate the people.
Therefore in May of that year (1833) a new church
edifice was commenced. While it was in process of con-
struction the members worshiped under the trees in
front of the building. The new edifice was dedicated
during the same year. Rev. (afterwards Bishop) E.
L. James preached the dedicatory sermon. The so-
ciety gained about fifty new members soon after the
dedication of the new building.
1834. Radnor Circuit, formed from Chester. David
Best and Richard W. Thomas, preachers ; John Potts,
presiding elder, who continued to 1837.
1835. Richard W. Thomas, preacher.
1836 and 1837. W. Cooper, preacher.
1838. James B. Ayres and Charles W. Jackson,
preachers; Solomon Higgins, presiding elder.
1839. James B. Ayres and Frederick Gram, preach-
ers; Solomon Higgins, presiding elder.
1840. Henry G. King and James Neil, preachers;
Solomon Higgins, presiding elder.
1841. H. G. King and L. M. Prettyman, preachers ;
James Smith, presiding elder.
1842. George Lacy and Christopher J. Crouch,
preachers ; James Smith, presiding elder.
1843. Circuit divided ; upper part called " Grove,"
lower part still retaining the name of Radnor. C. J.
Crouch and John A. Roche, preachers; James Smith,
presiding elder.
1844. McNamee and John W. McCaskey,
preachers ; James Smith, presiding elder.
1845. Thomas Sumption and George W. Lybrand,
preachers; Levi Scott, presiding elder.
1841). Thomas Sumption and Henry Sanderson,
preachers ; Levi Scott, presiding elder.
1847. Richard M. Greenbank and Henry B. Mau-
ger, preachers ; Levi Scott, presiding elder.
1848. Richard M. Greenbank and J. Cummins,
preachers ; J. T. Cooper, presiding elder.
1849. Michael D. Kurtz and Paul B. Gillingham,
preachers ; J. T. Cooper, presiding elder.
18.iO. M. D. Kurtz and J. Tally, preachers ; J. T.
Cooper, presiding elder.
1851. John Edwards and Henry A. Hobbs, preach-
ers; Thomas J. Thompson, presiding elder.
1852. John Edwards, preacher; T. J. Thompson,
presiding elder.
1853. Henry Sutton, preacher; T. J. Thompson,
])re.siding elder.
1854. Henry Sutton and Mark Bailey, preachers;
T. J. Thompson, presiding elder.
1855. John A. Watson, preacher; William Cooper,
presiding elder, who continued until 1859.
1856. John A. Watson and J. M. Wheeler, preach-
1857. H. B. Mauger and Gideon T. Barr, preach-
ers.
1858. H. B. Mauger and T. W. Martin, preachers.
1859. W. M. Dalyrimple and J. Gregg, preachers ;
Francis Hodgson, presiding elder, who continued as
such till 1863.
1860. Circuit divided ; one part called Darby and
Mount Pleasant, the other Radnor and Bethesda.
I W. M. Dalyrimple, preacher.
1861 and 1862. G. G. Rakestraw, preacher.
1863-65. S. Patterson, preacher ; Joseph Castle,
presiding elder. Noble Frame served as preacher
during part of 1865, during illness of Mr. Patterson.
1866. Levi B. Hughes, preacher; Joseph Castle,
presiding elder.
I 1867-68. David McKee, preacher; W. L. Gray,
presiding elder, the latter serving till 1871.
1869-71. A. L. Wilson, preacher; William C. Rob-
inson, presiding elder for 1871.
The foregoing sketch of Radnor Church has been
condensed from a historical sermon prepared by Mr.
A. L. Wilson in 1871. Since that date its preachers
have been M. A. Day, for two years ; J. Y. Ashton,
for three years ; T. C. Pearson and J. T. Ziegler, for
three years ; A. L. Wilson, again, for three years ;
and Charles Roads, the present preacher in charge,
for two years.
The churi.h was repaired inside to a considerable
I extent in 1882. In 1883, Radnor Church was made a
separate station. For some years prior to that time
it had been associated with the Bryn Mawr and Beth-
I esda Churches. The present members of the soci-
I ety are eighty-five in number.
Wayne Presbyterian Church.— The first move-
ment towards the formation of this church was the
holding of public religious service in Wayne Hall, on
Sunday, June 5, 1870.
This was followed by the organization of a Sabbath-
school on the 19th of June, in the same year, the first
session of which was held in the hall above men-
tioned ou the succeeding Sabbath afternoon, at which
five children were present.
On the afternoon of Tuesday, June 21, 1870, a pre-
liminary meeting preparatory to a church organiza-
I tion was held at Wayne Hall, at which meeting the
following-named gentlemen were present, viz.. Rev.
R. H. Allen, D.D., moderator, and Messrs. William
I J. McElroy, J. Henry Askin, Charles H. Eldredge,
Howell Evans, Samuel Hill, and Samuel Agnew.
According to an appointment of the Presbytery the
commissioners, consisting of the Rev. B. B. Hotch-
kin. Professor Lorenzo AVestcott, Rev. T. J. Aiken,
and Ruling Elders James Moore and Thomas Aiken,
met in Wayne Hall on Friday afternoon, June 24,
1870, and organized the Wayne Presbyterian Church,
comprising nine members, installing Howell Evans as
the ruling elder.
At this meeting also, a call was e.xtended to the
Rev. S. P. Linn to become pastor of the congregation,
KADNOR TOWNSHIP.
691
and be accepting, was installed by the Presbytery on
Tuesday, July 5, 1870. Public services were regularly
held thereafter on Sabbath mornings in Wayne Hall, |
until the completion of the church edifice. [
The ground was broken upon which the church
building was erected Monday, March 21, 1870, and I
the corner-stone was laid on Thursday, May 12th of
that year, by the Rev. John Chambers, with appro-
priate services, assisted by the Rev. R. H. Allen,
D.D., Rev. John McLeod, and Rev. T. J. Aiken.
The building, which is of stone, being completed, was
dedicated with appropriate ceremonies on Thursday
afternoon, Dec. 8, 1870. The sermon on the occasion
was delivered by the Rev. Charles Wadsworth, D.D.
A large audience and a number of other prominent
ministers were also present. ;
The church edifice with the lot of ground upon
which it is built, also the first parsonage with the lot
of ground attached thereto, was the gift of J. Henry
Askin, Esq., under whose personal direction the build- 1
ing was commenced and completed. The property,
upon the comi)letion of the church building, was j
valuedat twenty-five thousand dollars. Quite recently i
the parsonage first occupied was sold, and another
house and lot was purchased for such purjjoses. It
is a handsome brick structure. It occupies a central j
location in the town, near by the church, and cost I
about six thousand dollars. i
As pastor Mr. Linn remained here only about nine
months, terminating his labors in April, 1871. His
successor. Rev. James W. Dale, D.D., was installed
on Thursday, Sept. 28, 1871, and continued with this
church about four years. Then came Rev. George T.
Purves, who remained about three years. Rev. Wil-
liam Teuton Kruse, the present pastor, was installed
Sept. 7, 1881.
The Sabbath-schools, under the superintendency of
Mr. Charles H. Eldredge, are in a flourishing condi-
tion The society contributes some five or six hundred ;
dollars per year for charitable purposes. A ladies'
missionary society is also very efficient. The present |
members of this church number one hundred and
thirty-eight, of whom Thomas Aiken, Howell Evans,
J. Woods Pinkertou, and James Aiken are ruling
elders.
The Radnor Baptist Church originated in the
agitation of the question of anti-slavery in the Great !
Valley Baptist Church. Rev. Leonard Fletcher was
pastor at the time ; and, having been eye-witness of ]
the oppressions and evils of slavery, naturally was
strongly opposed to it. Those in the church who
sympathized with him, noD enjoying that liberty and !
fellowship they wanted, asked for and received letters i
to form a new church. Letters were granted to sev- '
enty-nine persons. The new body, under the name
of the Radnor Baptist Church, was organized Feb. 20,
1841. Its house of worship had been originally built '
for a far diflerent purpose than that to which it was
Dow devoted. Under the title of " Radnor Scientific 1
and Musical Hall," meetings were held in it of a
character in opposition to the truths and worship of
the revealed God. A prominent man in this move-
ment, Mr. William Siter, becoming a zealous believer
in those truths, and the builders of the hall failing to
obtain a good title to the property, it passed by pur-
chase into the possession of the church.
The first pastor was Rev. J. Newton Hobart. He
assumed charge of the church in 1841, and remained
in his position until Sept. 10, 1844, during which time
forty-eight were added by baptism. Rev. J. Perry
Hall became pastor March 25, 1845, continuing until
April 1, 1847. Eight were added by baptism during
his pastorate. He was followed, June 13, 1847, by
Rev. Thomas Goodwin, who remained until April 1,
1849. Twenty-five were baptized by him. Rev.
Josiah Philips was the next pastor, accepting the call
of the church, and resigned his charge Aug. 21, 1856.
Sixty-nine were added during his pastorate. Rev. T.
I. Thomas then served as pastor for one year from
Jan. 21, 1858.
About December 25th, Rev. D. A. Nichols held a
series of extra meetings with the church, continuing
them until Feb. 25, 1860. The result was thirty-eight
persons baptized. The next pastor was Rev. George
W. Scott, who was ordained Aug. 8, 1861, and who
resigned Dec. 25, 1862. Twelve were baptized by
him. Rev. G. W. Holman was pastor from October,
1863, to February, 1865. There were during this
period twelve baptisms. After him came Rev. W.
W. Dalbey, who was invited to take charge of the
church Nov. 23, 1865, and who continued as pastor
until Feb. 24, 1870. He baptized seventy-two. Rev.
A. E. Folwell was called July 10, 1870, and died
Aug. 7, 1872. Two were baptized by him. Nov. 24,
1872, the church called Rev. H. F. Leamy. He re-
signed March 9, 1874. There were three baptisms.
Rev. D. J. R. Stroyer began a series of extra meetings
in November, 1875, which continued until December
12th, when he was invited to become pastor. He re-
signed Feb. 18, 1877. There were ten baptisms. Rev.
J. Wesley Sullivan was invited to supply the pulpit
Dec. 1, 1878, rendering this service during part of a
year. Two were baptized by him. Rev. Mr. Colburn,
of New Jersey, held extra meetings in December,
1881, resulting in three baptisms. This was during the
time Mr. Hare, of Crozer Seminary, was acting as
supply. The present pastor is Rev. S. S. Parker,
D.D., who began his pastorate December, 1881.
The Church of the Good Shepherd.— Previous to
the formation of this parish divine services had been
frequently held at " Woodfield," and a Sunday-school
opened at the house of Mrs. Supplee (both half a mile
west of Rosemont Station on Pennsylvania Railroad)
in 1868-69.
The parish was organized at a meeting of residents,
held in old Wayne Hall, July 7, 1869, when the fol-
lowing gentlemen were elected vestrymen, viz. :
Charles W. Cushman, W. W. Montgomery, Edward
692
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
S. Lawrence, A. R. Montgomery, J. L. Wentworth,
H. Yates Carter, John B. Thayer, Maskell Ewing,
John S. Maxwell, Samuel C. Knight, Brinton J. Parke,
I. D. Meredith.
The services began in Wayne Hall July, 1869 ; were
supplied by various clergymen until the autumn of the
same year, when the Rev. H. P. Hay, D.D., was elected
rector.
The corner-stone of the church was laid by Bishop
Stevens on July 25, 1871. The church was completed
and opened for services Jan. 6, 1872, and was conse-
crated by Bishop Howe, of Central Pennsylvania,
acting for Bishop Stevens, on March 8,1872.
The Hospital of the Good Shepherd, for children, \
in charge of this parish, was opened formally by |
Bishop Stevens on June 11, 1874, with accommoda-
tions for twelve children, two entering that month.
The parish building, near the churcli, was begun
in July, 1877, and was in use the following spring.
It contains rooms for Sunday-school, parish-school, '
committees, and the sexton. The parish-school was
opened September, 1878. j
The Chapel of the Good Shepherd was erected in
1880-81, the corner-stone being laid by Bishop Ste-
vens on July 25, 1880. It stands one-quarter of a
mile north of Radnor Station. Mission services had
been held in the public school room close by, with
little intermission, since 1869.
The rectory of the parish, which stands on a lot of
one and three-quarters acres, adjoining the church on
Lancaster turnpike, was begun in August, 1883, com-
pleted in May, 1884, and was at once occupied by the
present rector, the Rev. Arthur B. Conger, who was
elected rector in July, 1883, the rectorship having
been vacant about six months. Present number of \
communicants, one hundred and twenty. Present i
value of church property, fifty thousand dollars, all un- t
encumbered, except five thousand dollars on rectory.
Licensed Houses.— The first petition for license in
Radnor which appears of record is dated May 28, j
1717, and emanated from Edward Thomas, who in- !
forma the court that his house is located " near y°
church called St. David's Church," and that he from
that fact is " obliged to entertain many people y'
Come to Worship at y" sd. Church." The court, no !
doubt, believing that this unremunerative hospitality i
was more than could be reasonably required of any
man, granted him a license to sell " Beer, Sider, &c." j
His name does not appear again in the records, but j
James Thomas, possibly a son of the former. Ninth
month (November) 27, 1722, presented his petition, j
in which he says that he " hath formerly obtained
the Recomendacon of this Honorable Court to His
Excellency y" Govr. for a Lycence for the Keeping of j
a house of Entertainment, and for selling of Wine, I
Brandy, Rum, and, other Strong Lyquors, But now
the time of the Said Lycence is Expired, &c. ;" after
which he is also lost sight of so far as the records
now disclose. I
Michael Atkinson, who in August, 1731, attempted
to procure license in Concord, when he was met in
that efl'ort by a remonstrance from the inhabitants of
the township asking the court to grant Kerlin license,
and deny it to Atkinson, which prevailed, again came
into prominence. Michael, still intent on becoming
the landlord of a public-house, under date of Feb.
29, 1732, petitioned the court, stating therein that he
" hath rented the house of David Evans, of Radnor
(David Evans' name appears on clerk's list for years
1729-30), where Evans kept a public-house for several
years," which application received the approval of
the justices. The same year David Evans stated in
his application that he was then " living in a Con-
venient place to keep house of Entertainment, and
being frequently desired to keep the same," he there-
fore ijresents his petition, indorsed by thirty signa-
tures, and trusts it will be approved. The Court,
however, apparently was not impressed with the ne-
cessity of a house at the location designated, and re-
jected the application. In August, 1734, Morgan
Hugh made an effort to secure license for this house,
and in his petition informed the court that he " hath
lately Taken the house of David Evans, in Radnor,
affbresd., Comonly known or Called the Signe of the
Plow, it being an old Lycenced house." Among the
thirty-nine signers to his petition appear the names of
Francis and Anthony Wayne. The court, notwith-
standing, turned a deaf ear to his pleadings, but
nothing dismayed at his rebuff, at the November
court of the same year he presents another petition,
the signers thereto having increased in number to
fifty-five, and the justices at last yielded to his im-
portunity. In 1739, Hugh's name appears on the
clerk's list of licenses approved by the court, although
he could not then have been located at the same
place (the Plow), for Aug. 31, 1737, David Evans, of
Radnor, petitioned to keep public-house and " sell
Cyder & Beer," which was refused ; but Feb. 28,
1737/8, he again asked the court's indulgence, alleging
that he " hath the charge of small Children, and
Liveth at the old place Commonly known or Called
by the Signe of the Plow, which hath Been a Publick
house for many years." Isaac Wayne was among the
signers to his petition, which at last touched the ada-
mantine sympathies of the bench and secured him
license. He must have done something in the inter-
val between the February and August courts of the
year 1738, for among the clerk's list of taverns, Aug.
29, 1738, after David Evans' name is written " not
allowed." May 29, 1739, Evans again comes before
the justices with the same argument, slightly varied,
for he states that he '' Liveth at a small place for-
merly Called the Signe of the Plow, which hath been
a Publick bouse many years ;" that he " has wife and
children," and wants to sell " Beer & Sider," which
was allowed him, as also from year to year until
August court, 1742, when Richard Barry petitioned
for license at this house (the Plow), which is favor-
RADNOR TOWNSHIP.
ably considered. David Evans, however, who it ap-
pears was a cooper by trade, in 1745 was licensed, his
place at that time being on the Conestoga (now Lau- ,
caster) road.
Richard Barry, from the date above given, was \
yearly accorded license until 1765, when David Reese
became the landlord of the Plow Tavern, and so con-
tinued until 1768. The following year the tavern I
seems to have passed into the control of James Barry,
who, as he in 1769 asked for renewal of license, in all [
probability had the house the year previous, when |
Reese's name disappears finally from the records.
During his (James Barry's) occupancy the inn en-
larged its title, and was known as the Plow and Har-
row. In 1775, Peter Mather — ^evideutly a man
strongly in favor of popular government, as is shown
by his application that year, wherein he gives the
name of the house as the " John Wilkes" — was 11- t
censed. Paul Shannadon, who succeeded Mather, in j
1782 informed the court that the title of the old
hostelry was then the John AV'ilkes, but formerly it
was known as the Plow and Harrow. In 1786, Mary
Ring received license for the ancient stand, after
which it no longer appears as a tavern.
In 1747, James Miles presented his petition that
"he has lately built a house on Conestoga (Lancas-
ter) road, near Tredufrin" (Tredyffrin), and desires
that he may have license for a public-house there.
This location clearly indicates that this was the an- I
cient tavern known to the last generation, and to the
older inhabitants of that part of the old county of i
Chester as far back as 1769, as the Unicorn. In 1747,
however, the application was rejected; but in the
following year license was granted, and continued to
Miles until 1750, when his petition is indorsed "dis-
allowed," and the name Aubrey Roberts marked ;
thereon, as if to the latter the court had extended its t
favor at this place; but this may not be the fact, for
at the February court of the same year license was
allowed to Miles, and his name appears until 1752,
when James Miller was licensed at that place, to be
followed, in 1755, by Thomas Tucker, who in 1761
gave place to Jonathan Pugh, who was followed in ;
1766 by Samuel Pugh, and he in the following year !
by Richard Barry. In 1769, Samuel Johnson ob-
tained a license for the " Unicorn, that ancient and
noted tavern," and was succeeded as its landlord by
Samuel Pugh in 1773, who continued thereat until
and including the year 1778. For the three following
years there are no records respecting the granting of
license in Radnor; but in 1782 Robert Kennedy was
the landlord of the Unicorn, and when Delaware
County was created he continued to receive license
until 1801, when Thomas Mason became the laud-
lord. In the latter's petition, in 1805, he states the
then name of the old inn as the " Farmer's." In the
next year John Righter made application for the 1
license at this house, and sets forth that "the Uni-
corn lias been licensed ever since the first settlement
of the country." This statement seems to have been
more than Robert Kennedy, the owner, could permit;
hence, in 1807, he made personal application, and in
his petition says " the Unicorn has been licensed these
sixty year," which was historically true, since James
Miles had received the first license therefor in 1747.
In 1816, Adam Slifi'er became the landlord of the
old inn, and the following year Levi Wells was the
landlord. He in 1818 designated the house as the
"Commodore Decatur Inn ;" but Benjamin Smith, in
1819, restored the time-honored name, Unicorn. The
latter was followed in 1823 by J. Hassan, who in
1827 gives the title of the tavern as the Black Bear.
But the next year, 1828, John Smith superseded him
in business, and the Unicorn once again became
rampant on the sign. In 1834, Joseph Atkins had
the license, and it continued to be granted to him
until 1847, when he died. In 1848 his widow, Mar-
garet Atkins, received the court's approval, and, later
in the year, Robert K. and Richard Atkins had it
transferred to them. In the fall of 1848, Hon. John
M. Broomall was appointed trustee to sell the real
estate of Joseph Atkins, deceased. Benjamin Kirk
was the landlord of the house during the years
1849-50.
Thomas Ives, in 1759, and Mordecai Taylor, in
1778, were also granted licenses to keep tavern in
Radnor township, but the location of the houses man-
aged by them have not been ascertained.
About the year 1756 the vast immigration setting
westward to Lancaster County and the territory be-
yond that limit, required numerous wayside inns to
accommodate the number of wagoners and travelers
who journeyed along the old Conestoga road of that
day. Hence about that time we find a new petition
in Radnor, presented by Aubrey Harry, who found
favor with the court, and was continued thereat until
and including 1764, when his name, for the last time,
appears on the list of approved tavern-keepers. In
1765, Michael Stadleman made his application for
license to keep a public-house in the township, which
was granted to him, and he continued yearly to re-
ceive that privilege until 1775, when he disappears
from the record. In 1778, Jacob Waggoner was
granted license, and in 1782, John Witmar, in his ap-
plication, designated the house as the Sorrel Horse,
as also did his successor, John B. Webster, in 1784.
The latter in 1788 was superseded at the old stand by
James Elliott, who continued thereat until 1810,
when his widow, Sarah Elliott, received the license
until 1813, at which date Christian Himes became
the landlord, remaining there until 1815, when the
house was vacant. The following year John Dever
had license for the Sorrel Horse, after which, for four
years, the place appears not to have been used as a
public inn ; but in 1821, George J. Stackers made ap-
plication for license there, which was granted to him.
In 1824 he gave place to Eliza Thomas, and she, the
following year, to Robert R. Rowland. He for eleven
694
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
years was " mine host" of the old tavern, to be fol-
lowed in 1836 by Alexander Brooke, who in turn was
succeeded by Rowland again; he, however, in 1839,
once more gave place to another landlord, this time
JohnMullin. The latter remained until 1840. Philip
Kirk then purchased the property, and the following
year (1841) Benjamin Kirk, a brother of Philip, be-
came the landlord of the Sorrel Horse, remaining
thereuntil 1849, when Philip Kirk, its owner, assumed
control, and conducted the house until his death, in
1851. He was succeeded by his widow, Eliza, who
kept the house open until her death, which occurred
in February, 1877. During the following year,
Rachel, daughter of Philip and Eliza Kirk, served as
proprietress. On the 1st of April, 1878, John and
Alfred Worrell, a.s lessees, obtained license and re-
mained one year, when George W. Murray, the pres-
ent lessee and proprietor, took possession. It is the
only licensed house at this time in the township, and
is still owned by children of Philip Kirk.
In 1769, Adam Ramsower (formerly of Pikeland
township, Chester Co., where he kept a tavern at Yel-
low Springs) made application for license for a stone
house, forty by thirty-three feet, situated on the Lan-
caster road within a mile of Jonathan Pugh's tavern,
which he, Ramsower, had built. The lands attached
to the house comprised one hundred acres. In 1772,
Jacob Hinkell petitioned for the right to keep the
inn which now appears under the well-known title
Spread Eagle. The following year David Hinkell
became the landlord, to be superseded, in 1774, by
Jacob Hinkell, who continued there until 1778. In
1782, Alexander Clay was "mine host" of the Eagle,
and continued as such until 1787, when Adam Siter j
obtained the license, and he, in 1791, was followed in |
the business by John Siter, who, in 1812, gave place
to James Watson. Two years later, in 1814, Edward
Siter became the landlord, to be followed in 1817 by
David Wilson, Jr. The latter, in 1823, was super-
seded by Zenas Wells, and in 1825 Edward W. Siter I
kept the Spread Eagle. Stephen Home had license
for this tavern in 1836, and the next year Richard
Millerson, to be followed, in 1839, by John Cbrisman.
Mordecai Worrell purchased the property in 1S41,
and had license for several years. In 1846, Elisha
Worrell did the honors of the Eagle, to give place to
Mordecai Worrell in 1848, and to assume them again
the next year. In 1851 the property was mentioned
as the estate of Mordecai Worrell, deceased, situate
on the Lancaster turnpike, and offered for sale. It
was purchased in 1851 by Benjamin Kirk (formerly
the proprietor of the Sorrel Horse and Unicorn
Hotels), who remained as its owner and landlord for
eight years. He then sold the property to John
Todd. Under the latter's ownership Jacob Rieser, as
lessee, officiated as-' " mine host." Subsequently
Charles Arthur became the owner of the Spread
Eagle, and he in turn gave place to David Crumley,
who, as owner and manager, kept the house open until i
within a recent date, when it was purchased by George
W. Childs to stop the sale of liquor near his bailiwick,
— the new town of Wayne. The building and grounds
have been neatly fitted up, and are now (summer of
1884) in use as a country home for the young Indian
wards of the Lincoln Institute.
In 1749, Bartle Bartleson presented a petition to
court setting forth that he had a house, known as the
Sign of the Buck, which was located halfway between
the Sign of the Buck (Jonathan Miller's tavern, Hav-
erford) and the Spread Eagle; "that he has been at
a great expense in building a commodious house
for the purpose, and desires license hereat." His
application was successful, and yearly thereafter until
1812, when he was followed in business by John
Taylor, who changed the name of the tavern to the
Fox. In 1814, Frederick Lowdon obtained license
for the house under the same title. The following
year Isaac Sharpless leased and managed the house.
In 1816, Ann Bartleson, the widow of Bartle, kept
the inn, and continued there until 1824, when Mark
Bartleson, her son, succeeded to the business. In
1830, Joseph Hassan rented the Fox, and after his
death, in 1832, Mary Hassan continued there one
year. Joseph Thornburg followed her, in 1833. Then
came Mark Bartleson again, in 18.36, who continued
until 1844, when the house ceased to be one of public
entertainment.
Elisha Moore, in 1807, prayed the court to grant
him license for his house, located on the Philadelphia
and Lancaster turnpike road, near the eleventh mile-
stone. He says that he is " nearly three miles above
Jonathan Miller's tavern (Haverford), about one-
third of a mile above Bartle Bartleson's tavern, and
nearly three miles below Edward Siter's and Robert
Kennedy's tavern. Between the first and the second
last-mentioned taverns, on the old Lancaster road,
there is now two taverns, and was there perhaps
for forty years prior to the turnpike road being
made (1792). The traveling since has vastly in-
creased, and is generally confined to the turnpike.
And as your petitioner lives in a very eligible situa-
tion for the accommodation and convenience of trav-
ellers, and has been at a considerable expense in the
erection of buildings for keeping a public-house,
which he will endeavor to merit by keeping good
order, if your Honours will please to grant him a
recommendation to his Excellency the Governor
for a license for the same." The court acted favor-
ably on his petition, and thus was established the
White Horse Tavern. In 1814, Moore was fol-
lowed by Jonathan Morgan, and the latter, in 1815,
gave place to William Sheldrake. However, Elisha
Moore returned to the tavern in 1816, and remained
there until 1827, when Joseph Miller was the landlord,
to be the next year followed by Elisha Moore, who con-
tinued to have license granted to him until 1838, after
which date the White Horse Tavern disappeared from
the records of the county as a public-house.
■^4'^A.4.Mi.^,;
RADNOR TOWNSHIP.
At February term, 1836, H. Jones Brooke sent in a
petition for license, wherein he stated that "your
petitioner is desirous of keeping a public-house or
tavern in the house he has lately built, at the inter-
section of the road leading from the Valley Forge to
the Lancaster Turnpike, near the eleven-mile stone,
also the road leading from the Gulf Mills to Radnor
Friends' meeting-house, and with the Philadelphia
and Columbia Railroad, near the fourteen-mile post on
the railroad. There is at present a lumber- and coal-
yard established at the place, also a storehouse for
storing fiour and grain. It is made by the regula-
tions of the railroad a point at which the locomotives
stop for passengers. It is also an established place
for supplying the locomotives with wood, and the
subscriber has sunk a well for supplying water. The
house is forty feet long by thirty-eight feet wide, two
stories high, and finished in such a manner as would
make it convenient for a public-house. There is no
public-house on the railroad in Delaware County, al-
though it passes near six miles through said county.
The petitioner has provided himself with necessaries
for the convenience and accommodation of travelers
and strangers."
Brooke's petition was supplemented by another one
signed by Mahlon Ortlip, superintendent of trans-
portation and motive-power ; Jacob Barry, manager
at Schuylkill Plane ; Frederick Vogel, superintendent
on the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad ; Jacobs
& Cornog, Andrew Wells, Joseph Smith, and others.
Brooke then obtained license, and each succeeding
year until 1839, when William Lowman, as lessee, was
granted license for the same house, a point then
termed Morgan's Corners. On the 17th of Novem-
ber, 1840, while occupied by Lowman, the house
caught fire from a spark escaping from a passing loco-
motive and was totally destroyed, thus entailing a loss
of about four thousand dollars. It was immediately
rebuilt by the owner and occupied by William Low-
man until 1846, when Ed. J. Lowman became its pro-
prietor. The latter kept hotel here for a number of
years, and was succeeded by Isaac Palmer. Subse-
quently John Wagoner and George Righter bought
the property, who, after keeping the house open for a
term of years, sold out to Montgomery and Rand.
Under their control the house ceased to be licensed
some five or six years ago. It is now occupied as a
boarding-house.
Justices of the Peace. — The following-named
citizens of Radnor have been commissioned justices
of the peace at dates indicated:
Edward Hunter Aug. 30, 1791.
John Lindsay June 5, 1794.
Isaac Abrah.ims Ilav 20, 1800.
LukeCassin March 1:7,1809.
John Siter Sept. 1, 1813.
Robert Green Feb. 23, 1816.
Nathan Gibson Nov. 26,1817.
George Broolie July 3,1821.
Mas1<ell Ewing June 10, 1822.
Benjamin Lobb Dec. 4, 1823.
Park Shee Dec. 9,1823.
Daniel Abrahams Dec. 14, 1825.
Barnard Flynn Nov. 18, 1835.
.\bner Lewis May 27, 1836.
Thomas Sheldon Pec. 2h, 1836.
Thomas Catsin Xov. 1, 1838.
Homer Bachus ,Mav Il,18:«.
Abner Lewis April 14,1840.
Abner Lewis April 1:.,1S45.
Alexander Johnson Aju-il lu, 1849.
Hiram Cleaver April 10, 1855.
Hiram Cleaver April 10, 1860.
Hiram Cleaver April 28, 1860.
Barclay Hall Nov. 24, 1869.
Daniel C.Abrahams March :il, 1874.
Daniel C. Abrahams March 27, 1879.
John A. Griffin April 9, 18S1.
Wootton, the Country Home of George W-
Childs.— One of the most efi'ective beginnings of ex-
tensive and elaborate improvements in Radnor was
that made by George W. Childs, in Wootton, his
country home. Mr. Childs selected the present site
with a view to its prospective embellishment and
ornamentation. It was exceedingly well adapted to
the purpose, consisting in part of cleared land and in
part of forest, and sloping grandly towards the avenue
which leads westwardly from Bryn Mawr Station, on
the Pennsylvania Railroad, through the rich and
beautifully diversified country of Upper Merion and
of Radnor.
Mr. Childs selected this site and began improve-
ments upon it in the summer of 1880, and it seems
almost incredible that such finished work, such per-
fection of detail, as Wootton exhibits could have been
accomplished in the brief period that has elapsed
since then.
The most comprehensive view of Wootton is to be
obtained from the hills on the opposite side of the
little valley, in which the house and grounds are like
jewels set. The great expanse of lawn, perfectly
kept, the house and other buildings, appear from this
height as a French study of art and nature, so per-
fectly are the beauties of both combined.
Viewed in detail the charms of Wootton enlarge
in proportion to their number. The visitor, if ap-
proaching from the railroad, has a pleasant drive or
walk along a picturesque roadway, nicely graded and
thoroughly macadamized for a distance of a little
more than a mile, and then finds himself at the main
carriage entrance, marked by a handsome and hospit-
able-appearing lodge. The drive gradually ascends
the knoll or hill, and reaches the house under a hand-
some portecochh-e. The house is found to be, per-
haps, less pretentious, less elaborate, than one might
expect ; but if there is any fault in this particular it
is made amends for in the elegance of detail and the
tasteful elaboration of the surroundings. A broad
terrace in front, adorned and made tropical in appear-
ance by century-old feather palms, bordered by a wall
and railing of massive and artistically-cut stone, half
concealed by climbing vines, forms the immediate en-
vironment of the house, and from this to the road
slopes the great shaven lawn, dotted along its borders
with a wealth of evergreen and other shrubbery, and
richly studded with immense masses of gorgeous
foliage plants. Few if any lawns in America have
the breadth and smoothness and beautiful slope of
696
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
this, and none are better cared for or more velvety in
texture. At one side, across a little brook which art
has handled very gracefully, and beyond a crystal
spring which has been given a beautiful housing, is
the original forest, left in its native wildness. On the
other side of the house the lawn slopes away to the
more recently-acquired possessions of Mr. Childs,
which constitute the farm, and of which we shall
presently speak more specifically.
The house itself is entered by way of a massive
door, which is both hospitable and formidable, over a
vestibule floored with Roman mosaics, especially im-
ported for the purpose. The style of the interior is
substantial, curious, quaint, but the idea everywhere
most strongly suggested is that of the home, and of
hospitality and of comfort. All of constructive de-
sign, of ornament and art, seems subversive to the
central thought of constructing a model home and a
happy place of sojourn for friends. In such ad-
mirable taste has the general design been carried out,
and lavishness of expenditure so well directed, that
decoration has not fallen short of completeness and
yet has not overstepped the limit of chasteness. We
are told that Wootton had its origin in the desire of
Mrs. Childs to build a simple home which should be a
retreat for the family, midway in season and elabor-
ateness between the Philadelphia residence and the
establishment at Long Branch, and that from time to
time, as the attractiveness of the locality became more
and more apparent, the original simple design was
amplified and elaborated, until it resulted in the present
commodious and elegant house.
Here the hospitality which Mr. Childs ever de-
lights in has had one of its principal theatres. The
house has been the scene of a great number of enter-
tainments of social and semi-public character, of the
celebrated Farmers' Club dinners, and of elaborate
yet unostentatious entertainment of the eminent men
and women of our country and of Europe. In this
connection the origin of the name of Mr. Childs'
country home is interesting. The term is trans-
planted from England, and is commemorative of
pleasant hospitality, of which Mr. and Mrs. Childs
were there the recipients.
In Lyson's " Magna Britannia," vol. i. p. 673, there
is the following account of " Wootton Underwood," in
the hundred of Ashendon and deanery of Waddesdon.
The manor was given by William the Conqueror to the
Earl of Buckingham, and in 1097 it was brought by
marriage to Richard de Grenville, from whom there has
been an uninterrupted line of male succession, through
twenty generations, to the present proprietor, the Duke
of Buckingham. Wootton house has been from time
immemorial the seat of the Grenvilles. The present
house was built in 1705. The staircase and saloon
were painted by Sir James Thornhill. It was the
favorite home of the family. In the parish church
are the ancient monuments of the Grenvilles, and the
windows are ornamented with the arms and quarter-
ings of the Grenvilles, the Temples, and the Chandos.
It was at Wootton that the present Duke of Bucking-
ham welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Childs, on their first visit
to England, and there they made their acquaintance
with English country life. In token of the pleasant
memory of the hospitality there extended to them,
their own lovely country home was called Wootton,
and thus the American Wootton perpetuates the long
years of hospitality for which the English Wootton is
famous. The Wootton of Delaware County is an ad-
mirable type of American country homes, for there
guests of all nationalities, the leaders in all that is
great and good, are heartily welcomed, and it has al-
ready become famous as the seat of a generous hospi-
tality not often equaled either in Europe or in this
country. The house and the grounds are in admira-
ble taste, and it is one of the stately homes for which
Delaware County is fast becoming famous.
Interesting as is this home with its beauties of ar-
chitecture and decoration of art, and of association,
of books, and of costly and quaint bric-a-brac, the
grounds and the farm are, after all, the strongest and
most unique attraction, and, therefore, we emerge from
a delightful house to its sumptuous surroundings.
And of these no hand but that of the painter or
the most gifted artist in words can give an adequate
idea, hence we will not attempt it.
In addition to the grounds originally constituting
Wootton, Mr. Childs bought and brought under care,
in 1883, land adjoining his, which he caused to be
made an addition to his farm. Upon this, and upon
lands which he formerly possessed, some of the most
extensive improvements in the region have been
made. It is here, southwest of the home and the
grounds surrounding it, that the farm has been laid
out and brought into nicely-ordered existence, prin-
cipally through the management of Mr. John M.
Hughes, chief gardener of the place. The farm con-
sists of about forty acres of excellent land well tilled,
and is supplied with all of the most modern and well-
approved adjuncts and appliances. The barn here,
while not so perfect in its appointments as the stable
near the house (which is perhaps the best in the
country), is exceedingly well adapted to its purpose,
and contains every requisite of a thorough farm es-
tablishment. It is built of stone, and the yard is
paved with the same material, while a massive wall
surrounds the whole. *
Near by is the farmer's house, a handsome cottage,
and in close proximity to this the spring-house, which
is a marvel of neatness, and a model scarcely approach-
able for all who would have a perfect dairy. It is built
of white flint, which is as cool in efl^ect as snow and ice
could be, and consists of a work-room and a milk-room,
the latter almost a chapel in appearance, and a place
of absolute purity, both in fact and appearance. The
milk from several pure and deer-like Alderneys, most
carefully cared for, is kept here, and has a housing
and protection in every way worthy of its unrivaled
Eiift'^>iy Ceo t. Fenne "\;e\v'ibr
-^1^.^ ^Z^./^
RADNOR TOWiNSHIP.
697
quality. A little distance from this flint niilk-liouse,
which appears like a Russian fancy in ice in a little
house, which is an ornament to the grounds, is the
water-power which sends the supply needed at the
extensive green-house, on this part of the grounds.
In these buildings there is a wealth of bloom and of
rich foliage plants from South America, Africa, and
all of tlie tropical regions of the world, which is
drawn upon for the beautifying of the lawn and
house.
An extensive " Rosary" and elaborate gardens, both
of flowers and their more substantial kindred of the
kitchen, flourishes here, and near by adjoining a little
lake is a novel device of the landscape artist, in what
is called a " Stumpery," a mass of tree-stumps and
gnarled roots and branches, covered with creeping
vines and moss, rivaling in beauty and surpassing in
oddity the wonderful orchids in the green-houses.
A description of Wootton — of the house and
grounds — is impossible within the limits of such a
work as is this; and the writer, after giving a few
general ideas of its loveliness, must content himself
with saying that, as the country home on which
wealth has been lavished and taste used in its ex-
treme, and as the exponent of advanced experimental
and practical agriculture, it has few if any superiors
in our country.
BIOGRAPHICA.L SKETCHES.
GEORGE W. CHILDS.
It was a fortunate day for the people of Radnor and
the region round about when George W. Childs de-
cided to establish his country-seat in their midst, for
in that action lay the initiation of the idea which led
to the founding of the model village of Wayne, an
enterprise undertaken with no speculative purpose
whatever, but the benefit of others, and destined,
perhaps, to be, among all and above all of his good
works, the noblest monument to his memory and to
the purpose of his life.
We say this because Wayne will in a few years not
only be the home of hundreds of healthful, happy
families, but, by reason of the admirable carrying out
of well-considered plans for sanitation, as well as for
securing beauty, will suggest and become the model
for other suburban aggregations of homes, and so be
the medium of transmission to wider fields and to
future generations of the good which is now mani-
fested here.
But of Wayne and of that other, though lesser,
beauty, "Wootton," with which Mr. Childs has en-
riched the loveliness of this locality in Delaware
County, enough has already been said in the chapter
of which this is a part.
It is fitting that in a history and description of the
region which Mr. Childs has made his home, and
which has been so largely and interestingly adorned
and endowed by him, something, however brief, should
be told of his active, broad, and useful life.
It is one of the greatest elements in the romance of
American life that careers like that of Mr. Childs are
not uncommon, — that the boy, however poor, how-
ever lowly, may make the man of wealth and of hon-
orable distinction, — and it is one of the greatest
glories of American life that while it affords in super-
lative degree these possibilities, there appears a gen-
eral disposition on the part of those who strive suc-
cessfully to extend moral and material assistance
commensurate with their great abilities to others.
The life of George W. Childs affords a forcible and
splendid individual illustration of the foregoing gen-
eralities. Born in Baltimore May 12, 1829, at the age
of thirteen he entered the United States navy, but
after a period of about fifteen months left the service
and went to Philadelphia, where the door of a book-
store proved to be also the entrance to a life of pros-
perity. The right road had been found, it only re-
mained for industry, perseverance, integrity, and tact
to do their work. The boy possessed these qualities,
and used them. Without them any one of the nu-
merous obstacles he met might — and a series of them
inevitably must — have caused his failure. Constantly
advancing, he became, soon after he had attained his
majority, a partner in the publishing-house of Childs
& Peterson, where his energy was soon shown by the
way in which he advanced Mr. Peterson's compilation
entitled " Familiar Science," to a sale of two hundred
thousand copies. His next publishing enterprises
were both large undertakings, and both remarkably
successful ones. For Dr. Kane's narrative of his
Arctic Expedition he was enabled to pay the author
seventy thousand dollars, and the .success of Parson
Brownlow's " Debates on Slavery" and " Sketches of
Secession" may be approximately measured by the
fact that he paid the author fifteen thousand dollars.
He also published Allibone's " Dictionary of Au-
thors," and such was his handling of that enterprise
that the author made the following acknowledgment:
"To George William Childs, the original publisher
of this volume, who has greatly furthered my labors
by his enterprise and zealous and intelligent interest,
I dedicate the fruits of many years of anxious re-
search and conscientious toil."
Upon the retirement of Mr. Peterson from the firm,
in 1860, Mr. Childs formed a partnership with J. B.
Lippincott, which lasted but a year, when he resumed
business for himself. In 1863 he purchased the Pub-
lis/iei-s' Circular, and by remodeling it and changing
its name to the American Likrary Gazette and Pub-
lishers' Circular, greatly increased its value to the
trade. He also acquired the American Almanac, and
renaming it the National Almanac, soon pushed It
into a circulation of thirty thousand copies annually.
During all of this time general book publishing had
been carried on very extensively and successfully, but
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Mr. Childs had long cherished the ambition of owning
and controlling a daily journal, and he turned aside
to gratify it. On the 3d of December, 1864, he be-
came the proprietor of the Public Ledger. This pur-
chase was made against the advice of his friends, but
time has fully vindicated the wisdom that directed it.
The Ledger was at once given the exceptionally high
tone which it has ever since retained, and through
the skill of the new management, and the force of
new blood infused into its every channel, soon re-
covered the patronage it had lost, and won a host of
new friends. A journal devoted to printing and the
affairs of newspapers has said, —
*' Every improper feature in advertisement or in news wns excluded
from its columns ; a spirit of almost judicial fairness was made to
breathe tbroughout its reports and opinions of men and things ; what-
ever weight is due to dignity, indepeudence, impartiality, and a wise
and considerate estimate of social and political topics, was imparted to
its editorials; and uo expenditure, however lavish, was withheld in en-
hanciug its value as a trustworthy and salutary fireside visitor. The
forecast of Mr. Childs was eminently justilied. The Ledger ultimately
reached a circulation of ninety thousand copies daily."
Another writer has said of the great newspaper. —
"The policy of the Ledger, since Mr. Childs has owned and controlled
it, has been of a character to be described in a very few words. In the first
place, it has been undeviatingly high-toned in its character, scorning
the low moral standard which so widely obtains among the press of the
United States, with a straightforward integrity of purpose that is char-
acteristic of its proprietor. Again, it has striven to treat such subjects,
and such only, as were within the line which divides the real interest of
the public from that which is factitious. Finally, in its method of
handling the questions of the day, it has followed the plan of treating
each of these on its own merits, and without bias or regard for pei-sonal
opinion or criticism."
Fortune followed the venture, and as it increased
new channels were created for its outflow. Of Mr.
Childs' benefactions, public and private, it is not our
purpose to speak in detail, — and indeed that would be
impossible. It is well known that his large generosity
finds expression through all of the benevolent insti-
tutions of the city, and through many ingenious de-
vices of his own, for charity, and that in a vast number
of channels, small and great, from the tiny rivulet to
the sweeping current of the river, good is ever going
out from an apparently inexhaustible fountain-head.
Such unique and stupendous forms of charity as his
have not been equaled by individual effort in our
country. His newsboys' banquets, his excursions for
whole schools or for the inmates of great institutions,
have been so common an occurrence as to excite but
little comment. His splendid support of such co-
lossal enterprises as the Centennial Exposition are not
the least admirable of his exhibitions of public spirit.
His gift of a cemetery to the printers of Philadel-
phia, and provision of a fund for its perpetual preser-
vation ; his erection of a memorial window in West-
minster Abbey, to the honor of the poets Herbert and
Cowper, and numerous other gifts, have marked him
as one of the greatest-hearted and greatest-minded
of living men.
It is only natural that the heart which has ever ex-
pressed sympathy with humanity should love fellow-
ship with men ; that he should go out to meet them
and that he should gather them around him. Hence
it came about that his beautiful residence in Phila-
delphia was made the meeting-place of some of the
greatest minds and most eminent characters of our
own and foreign countries. In it at the time of the
opening of the Centennial Exposition occurred what
was undoubtedly the most notable assemblage in a
private house ever known in America.
It was the same spirit of sociability that led to the
building of his country home, " Wootton," in this
township. Here have gathered the great and the
humble, and of the promotion of happy human in-
tercourse which this house has subserved, it would
be very diflficult to form even an approximate esti-
mate. It has been the sojourning place of many of
America's leaders in literature and directors of Na-
tional growth, of the titled nobility of Europe, and
of the untitled men of genius of both the parent and
the daughter realms, and not less has it been the
scene of happy visits from the carrier boys and from
great throngs of the humble people who have been
as carefully and as sumptuously entertained as the
visitors of more fortunate stations in life.
Here is that wonderful treasury of books and of
priceless manuscripts, which Mr. Childs' taste for lit-
erature led him to amass, and which his acquaint-
anceship with authors and his wealth enabled him to
make the most interesting one in America.
" Wootton" led to Wayne. The happiness which
Mr. Childs experienced in his country home led his
mind, always active in devising the welfore of others,
to the conception of a plan by which many men of
moderate means might enjoy the beauty and the
wholesomeness of the country. His idea was the
founding of a village with perfect sanitary regula-
tions, with broad avenues and streets, and with com-
fortable, attractive houses which should be within the
reach of men enjoying comparatively small incomes.
To create such a suburban villa, Mr. Childs and his
friend, Anthony J. Drexel, of Philadelphia, devoted
their thought, their energy, and their money, and
began the work in the spring of 1881. It has pro-
gressed steadily and entirely to the satisfaction of the
projectors, and the investment at Wayne now equals
half a million dollars, and more money will be spent
there from season to season, until the town is equal in
all respects to the preconceived idea of what it should
be. The enterprise was not undertaken with any idea
of realizing a profit, but simply of furnishing country
homes to city men, and surrounding them with all of
the advantages to be secured in a well-ordered village
in which should be combined all of the measures for
the preservation of health that scientific experiment
has during late years suggested. The plan could only
be carried out by the employment of large capital
and by organized effort. Tliis will secure to a large
number of men, dependent upon their incomes from
professional or business toil, with precisely those
Z^z>Ct^U'ti-^^^C
C^l^CJZ.^
lailiOIDlIKlCSll ®F TTKlg t^TIl HI
ipi^©!, Ea.©.
RADNOR TOWNSHIP.
surroundings that only the man of wealth could
obtain through individual enterprise. And herein,
as time will demonstrate, is one of the largest and
most far-reaching of Mr. Childs' public benefactions.
Wayne will be the monument, however, to a man
who needs none, for he will live in the hearts of thou-
sands, and in the hearts of their successors, and his
name will be cherished for ages as one which will re-
call a type of the highest class of mankind, — a man
who has lived for others, has made others live, — a
man who has to the utmost of his great ability soft-
ened human sorrow, and enlarged human happiness.
DR. EDWARD PEACE.
Prior to 1770, Isaac Peace, the grandfather of Dr.
Edward Peace, emigrated from England to the Bar-
badoes, where on the 31st of June, in that year, he
married Elizabeth Gibson. After a few years he re-
moved to the United States and settled at Bristol, Pa.,
where he died, Dec. 25, 1818. Joseph Peace, the
eldest son of Isaac, was born in Barbadoes, May 1, i
1771. He came to this country with his father, and
settled at Charleston, S. C, where he was a prosper-
ous merchant for a number of years ; but becoming
dissatisfied with his surroundings, especially with the
practices of slavery and its attendant evils, he re-
moved to Philadelphia, Pa. About the time of the
birth of his son, Edward, his place of residence here
(Philadelphia) was on the corner of Sixth and Wal-
nut Streets, opposite Washington Square, a property
which is still owned by his descendants. He also
owned a country-seat at Bristol, Pa. He died at
Philadelphia, March 31, 1826.
Dr. Edward Peace, son of Joseph, was born Feb.
10, 1811, and was one of the younger members of
a family of thirteen children. When about fifteen
years of age he became a student of the Mount Airy
Military School, located at Chestnut Hill, where
he zealously pursued his literary studies some two
or three years. He then studied medicine, and after
attending a full course of lectures at the University
of Pennsylvania, graduated from that institution
with honor. Soon after that event. he proceeded to j
Europe, and for two or three years still further pros- !
ecuted his medical studies under the instructions of
the most eminent physicians and surgeons of Paris. :
After his return to Philadelphia he became connected j
with the University of Pennsylvania and the Penn- [
sylvania Hospital, where he was superintendent from ,
1840 to 1861, and thereafter was identified with their i
hi.story for a long term of years. When the Asiatic 1
cholera raged with such virulence in Philadelphia, '
in 1832, he volunteered his services, and, while others ■
faltered or fled, rendered most efiicient aid at the
almshouse, finally becoming ill with that dread dis-
ease himself.
For many years no man in Pennsylvania was more
prominent in the field of surgery than he, and it has
been stated that he was the first surgeon in America
to make a success in tying a deep-seated artery.
During the latter part of his active professional ca-
reer he officiated as chief visiting surgeon and clinical
lecturer at the Pennsylvania Hospital. However, he
gave up his practice at the hospital in 1861.
Until 1852, Dr. Peace resided at the corner of Ninth
and Walnut Streets. He then removed to No. 1602
Chestnut Street, a property which is still owned by
his heirs. About 1853 he purchased " Annasdale," a
beautiful country-seat in Radnor township, Delaware
Co., Pa., where he afterwards resided six months in
each year, and where he made all of the improvements
to be seen to-day. He was the first city resident, we
believe, to establish a country home in Radnor, and
made choice of this location because of its altitude,
great natural beauty, and healthfulness. Dr. Peace
was a gentleman of fine physical proportions (being
five feet ten inches in height), of easy manners, and
social with all with whom he came in contact, and,
as before intimated, was excelled by but few, if any,
in this country in the knowledge of his profession.
He died on the night of Sept. 9-10, 1879, at " Annas-
dale," and was buried in the grounds belonging to the
Church of the Redeemer, at Bryn Mawr.
Dr. Peace was widely known throughout Pennsyl-
vania for his quiet and unostentatious benevolence.
His neighbors in Radnor, and all with whom he came
in contact, unite in testifying to his regard for and
attention to the wants of suffering humanity, and the
neighborly kindness of manner which won all hearts.
He was looked up to and revered by all, and the
people of Radnor felt his loss as that of a near and
dear friend, and as that of one who could not be re-
placed.
When about twenty-two years of age he married
Caroline, a daughter of Richard Willing. Three
children were born to them, two of whom — Richard
Willing and Mrs. Osgood Jackson, of New York City
On the 14th of July, 1853, Dr. Peace was again
married to Mrs. Anna Coleman Parker, daughter of
Robert Coleman, and then the widow of Charles Col-
lins Parker, whose remains are interred at Bryn Mawr,
they having been removed thence from Laurel Hill
Cemetery. At the time of Dr. Peace's marriage to
Mrs. Parker, she was the mother of one daughter, —
Charlotte Collins Parker, — who is now the wife of
James Rawle, Esq., of Castlefinn, near Bryn Mawr,
Pa., a gentleman by the way who is likewise a grand-
son of Robert Colemam, above mentioned.
By his second marriage Dr. Peace became the
father of five children, viz. : Anna, Florence, Mary,
Philip Physia, and Edward Coleman. Of these chil-
dren, the first named was married to Lieut. Alfred
Mead Bates, of the Fifth United States Cavalry, who
died at Fort Dodge, Kansas, Nov. 12, 1876. Subse-
quently she became the wife of Henry Hobart Brown,
whose father was the first rector of the Church of the
700
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Redeemer at Bryn Mawr. She died July 2, 1883.
Florence is the wife of R. Mead Smith, of Philadel-
phia. Mary died Oct. 18, 1880, as the wife of John
S. Watts, of Philadelphia. Philip P., who married
the daughter of Isaac Caldwell, Esq., a prominent
lawyer of Louisville, Ky., resides alternately in
Louisville and Philadelphia ; while Edward C, the
youngest member of the family, is also a resident of
Philadelphia.
Their mother, the second wife of Dr. Peace, died
at 1602 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Feb. 21, 1876,
and was buried at Bryn Mawr.
D. C. ABKAHAM.
In the latter part of the seventeenth century, in the
early days of the settlement of Delaware County
(then Chester County), there came to its territory a
widow and her three sons, and settled in Upper Merion
township, Montgomery Co. This was Sarah Abraham
and her three sons, Isaac, James, and Enoch, who
came from England, and from these emigrants are
descended the families of Abraham or Abrahams now
scattered through Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in
Illinois and Minnesota. James remained in Mont-
gomery County, while Isaac settled finally in Lan-
caster County, and Enoch removed to Pittsburgh.
James purchased the large landed estate now occu-
pied by the sons of Joseph Abraham, in Upper
Merion township, Montgomery Co., of Lucretia Penn,
in 1730, it being a part of the Penn manor.
The line of descent to Daniel Cornog Abraham, the
subject of this sketch, is James, son of Sarah Abraham
to his son Isaac, to his son Isaac, to his son Daniel, to
his son Daniel Cornog.
Isaac Abraham, grandson of Sarah Abraham, was
born April 28, 1717, and married Dinah Haverd, of
Chester County, about 1750, to whom were born two
sons and three daughters, — James, born 1751 ; Dinah
and Miriam, born between 1751 and 1756; Inaac,
born 1756 ; and Mary, born 1758.
Isaac married Jane Cornog, of Chester County,
about 1778, and their children were Enoch, born
1779, died 1827 ; Daniel, born 1781, died 1861 ; David,
born 1783, died 1813 ; Sarah, born 1786, died 1866.
Daniel was born Jan. 11, 1781, upon the farm at
Wayne, now owned by Messrs. Childs and Drexel.
This property was purchased about 1750 by his grand-
father, Isaac, about the time of his marriage to Dinah
Haverd. Daniel married, in 1807, Eliza Phillips,
daughter of Deacon Jonathan Phillips, of Mont-
gomery County, who was of Welsh descent. Their
children were six daughters and five sons, of whom
only two — David, the eldest, and Daniel C, the
youngest — are now living.
The children of Daniel and Eliza (Phillips) Abra-
ham were Martha, who died unmarried in 1878 ;
Mary P., married Jacob Printup and lived near Sche-
nectady, N. Y., and died in 1843 ; Jane A., married
David Siter, of Delaware County, and died in 1861;
Sarah C. B., who married Nathan Stetson, of East
Bridgewater, Mass., and died June 9, 1870; David,
now living near Centreville, Chester Co., Pa. ; Jona-
than P., who was a member of the State Legislature
from Delaware County, and afterwards moved to Min-
nesota, married Sarah Thomas, of Newtown, Dela-
ware County, he died at St. Peter, Minn., Decem-
ber, 1880 ; Phineas P., who died while at school at
Haddington College, in 1836, aged eighteen years;
Elizabeth D., remained single, died in 1845, near
Centreville ; Samuel P., married Elizabeth Evans, of
Radnor township, died in Norristown, Montgomery
Co., March 28, 1878 ; Daniel C. ; Anna T., who married
the Rev. James F. Brown, now residing at Mullica
Hill, N. J., and there died Dec. 23, 1880.
George W. T. Abraham, one of the sons of Jona-
than P., deserves special mention. While only in
his eighteenth year he endured all the hardships and
privations incident to a soldier's life, and died in An-
dersonville prison, a victim to starvation and ill-treat-
ment, after having refused liberty at the price of en-
listment in the Confederate service.
Daniel Cornog Abraham was born upon the farm
now owned by the heirs of Samuel P. Abraham,
which lies between Wayne and his present residence
(1884), on Feb. 1, 1823. His early education was
acquired at the common schools of Radnor township,
Delaware Co., and in Tredyfirin township, Chester
Co. These meagre opportunities were supplemented
by a short term at Haddington College. His occu-
pation has been that of an agriculturist almost ex-
clusively, and he has made his home in the township
in which he was born. For a short time he was in
business in Blair County, Pa., and also spent some
time in Georgia, but his home has generally been
Delaware County, and all of his interests and aspira-
tions centre.here. During the civil war he was in the
Internal Revenue Department. He has been justice
of the peace since 1878, being the third generation of
Esquires Abraham. He has served faithfully and
acceptably two and is now beginning upon a third
term ; has been school director three years, as also
treasurer of the school fund. He is a member of the
Baptist Church, and is now president of the board of
the Great Valley Church, in Chester County. Mr.
Abraham was a contributor towards the building and
endowment of the Lewisburg University, and is a
life member of the Delaware County Institute of
Science. He was one of the most active members of
the board of the Great Valley Baptist Church when
it was remodeled in 1871, and this church was at that
time made one of the finest in the neighborhood.
In 1882 was the member of finance committee of the
Bi-Centennial Association of Delaware County for the
two hundredth anniversary of the landing of Wil-
liam Penn in Chester for his district of Radnor, and
\ by his energy raised and paid in a larger amount of
^m-'
CV^»-<^oce/^<:!^
RADNOR TOWNSHIP.
701
money than any other district in the county. Mr.
Abraham is a stanch Republican, and a firm be-
liever in Republican principles as the sure foundation
of the prosperity of this country. He is looked up to
by all his acquaintances, and the " Squire's" advice
is received and reverenced as being sound and just.
LAWRENCE RAMEY.
The ancestors of this gentleman were of German
origin, though members of the society of Friends, and
early settlers in Montgomery County, Pa.
Lawrence Ramey, the grandfather of the present
Lawrence Ramey, was born in Montgomery County.
Among his children were two sous, Benjamin and
Jacob, who, as members of Capt. Holgate's company
of Montgomery County volunteers, served at Marcus
Hook during the war of 1812-15. Both contracted
pulmonary disease in the service, and both died of
consumption while still young men.
Benjamin Ramey was but thirty-five years of age
at the time of his death. Of three children born to
him, Lawrence, the subject of this notice, is the only
survivor. The latter was born near the borough of
Conshohocken, Montgomery Co., Pa., Sept. 23, 1818.
He was but ten years of age at the time of his father's
death, and since he attained the age of twelve years
has managed his own way through life, almost un-
aided. His educational advantages were limited to
an attendance at the schools of his neighborhood two
or three months during each winter until attaining
the age of fifteen years. He grew up on a farrn, and
though disabled in his right arm and shoulder from
infancy, has always followed the laborious yet hon-
orable occupation of farming. From his fifteenth
year until within a period quite recent 
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11